Four fights announced for UFC Oklahoma City on July 18

The UFC has confirmed the first four bouts for UFC Oklahoma City, set to take place on July 18, with a pair of middleweight and women's division matchups headlining the early announcements, according to reporters Marcel Dorff and Alex Behunin.

Brad Tavares opens the card in a middleweight contest against Marc-Andre Barriault. The 38-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, carries a 21-13-0 professional record and has long been a fixture in the 185-pound division. Standing six-foot-one with a 74-inch reach, Tavares is a patient, technical striker who lands 3.41 significant strikes per minute at 43 percent accuracy.

In the women's flyweight division, Dione Barbosa takes on Veronica Hardy. Barbosa, nicknamed The Witch, is a 34-year-old Brazilian out of Kings MMA with an overall record of 9-4-0. She is a well-rounded threat, averaging 2.4 takedowns and 1.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside solid striking at 45 percent accuracy. Hardy, a 30-year-old Venezuelan southpaw representing Renzo Gracie Academy, holds a 10-5-1 record and brings more volume to the striking game, landing 3.06 significant strikes per minute at the same 45 percent clip.

Also on the card, Alvin Hines and Allen Fry Jr. — both carrying 0-1 UFC records — meet at heavyweight, while Amanda Ribas, who is 7-6 inside the octagon, faces Fatima Kline, who owns a 3-1 UFC mark, in a women's strawweight matchup.

Why it matters

• Tavares and Barriault are both middleweight veterans looking to reverse recent losing records inside the UFC
• Barbosa brings a grappling-heavy style against Hardy's higher striking volume, setting up a compelling stylistic contrast at flyweight
• The Ribas-Kline strawweight bout pits an experienced UFC veteran against one of the division's quicker risers
• Both heavyweight newcomers will be looking for their first octagon victory after dropping their promotional debuts