Undefeated UFC Flyweight Sensation Booked for Marquee MSG Event

The UFC matched him against fellow newcomer Nilson Rojas for his promotional debut at UFC Shanghai, less than three weeks after his DWCS appearance. Now, Dana White and company are at it again, already asking the undefeated flyweight sensation to do it all over again at UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden. 

Bilal Hasan Is Already Moving Fast

The UFC has booked Bilal Hasan for his second UFC fight, with the "IndoNinja" set to face Luis Gurule at UFC 334 on November 14. The event will take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City, giving the 25-year-old another major stage to showcase why the UFC appears to be so high on him.

While the main event for the November 14 card has yet to be announced, Hasan’s presence adds another intriguing name to a card that will unfold at one of the most iconic venues in combat sports. The flyweight's UFC journey has been moving at an almost ridiculous pace.

The 25-year-old earned his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series after making quick work of Saikia in just 45 seconds. He entered that fight as the biggest betting favorite in DWCS history and delivered. Then came his UFC debut.

Rather than allowing Hasan months to settle into his new surroundings, the promotion booked him for UFC Shanghai just 18 days after his Contender Series appearance, where he faced Rojas. Yet again, Hasan made a resounding statement with another KO. 

Weathering the early moments, Hasan found his opening in Round 2, putting "El Royas" away with a clubbing rear hand. The performance earned him a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus. Then there was the celebration, Hasan gave a fitting tribute to Pop legend Michael Jackson, moonwalking out of the Octagon.

He is now 10-0 with one no-contest, and four of his last five victories have come by knockout. Before joining the UFC, he had also captured the Cage Fury Flyweight Championship and defended the belt three times, winning each of those fights by knockout. Now, less than two months after his UFC debut, Hasan is headed to MSG.

The Luis Gurule Chapter

Standing opposite Hasan will be Luis Gurule, a fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alum who enters the fight with an 11-4 professional record. Although Gurule, aka "Grim," also earned his UFC contract through DWCS grind, lately, he has had a much tougher time since reaching the UFC.

As of now, the 2023 Contender Series winner is 1-4 inside the Octagon, with losses to Ode Osbourne, Jesus Aguilar, Alden Coria, and Rei Tsuruya. His lone UFC victory came against Daniel Barez in May, before the 32-year-old suffered a first-round submission loss to Tsuruya later that month.

On paper, that record makes Hasan look like an obvious favorite. Gurule is not simply being brought in to play the spoilsport. As a matter of fact, he has considerably more UFC experience than his opponent and has been finished only twice in his professional career. 

A win should keep the ball rolling for Hasan and potentially put him within striking distance of the UFC's Top 15. For Gurule, however, the stakes are rather different. Another defeat would leave him 1-5 in the UFC, making this a crucial opportunity to prove that he still belongs on the roster.