After a 15-month layoff, Tanner Boser is hungry for a knockout win bonus at UFC Vegas 60

On paper, Tanner Boser is riding a win into UFC Vegas 60.

The UFC heavyweight last faced veteran, Ovince St. Preux, in June of 2021; finishing him in the second round in what was spectacular fashion. A win worthy of celebration, over a name that should have rocketed him toward the promotion’s 265-pound divisional ladder.

Instead, Boser was hit with an unfortunate string of bad luck that forced him onto the sidelines for over a year. Three canceled fights in the space of five months against (mostly) ranked opponents had left the 31-year-old disillusioned and frustrated.

Any traction he’d gained from his last win, Boser feels, had fizzled out during his hiatus. He shared that he still harbors resentment toward those circumstances; though as much was evident in his tone without that admission. The only silver lining for the Canadian when he steps into the cage on September 17 is that his opponent, Rodrigo Nascimento, finds himself in a similar spot.

“I don’t feel any momentum,” Boser told The AllStar. “But neither does he. He’s been out longer than me. So it’s just two assholes coming back who need their win bonus real bad, man.”

Regardless of the equal footing the opposing heavyweights currently share, starting back at square one isn’t where ‘The Bulldozer’ wanted to be at this point in his UFC run. Had any of Boser’s recent canceled bouts gone ahead – and had he gotten the win – he’d likely find himself inside the top 15 at heavyweight, with a bigger paycheck to go along with it.

“There’s no silver lining. It’s all bullshit. I was ready to fight in December, I was ready to fight in November, I didnt get a fight booked. I was ready to fight in October, I could have fought in September. I lost over a year of my career because of two strokes of bad luck – the United States government deciding to be idiots, and my own injury. I’ve prepared for three different opponents and I dint get to fight any of them.”

“You don’t fight for a year and well shit, it feels like you’re back at square one. There goes everything you accumulated over the last couple years, right?”

Directing his attention back toward his forthcoming dance partner, Boser acknowledged that Nascimento presents his own style of danger, no matter where the fight takes place; but the Canadian is ‘coming in hot’, and not looking to leave the decision in the hands of the judges.

“He’s solid all around. He likes his jiujitsu. He fancies himself a good grappler – and he is. He’s a good grappler. He’s got good ground and pound, kind of unorthodox in my opinion, but he’s good at it. His striking’s fine too. He’s not bad at anything, but I feel that I’m coming in hot this time, man – because I already know I can’t go to the [Las] Vegas judges, and I gotta knock him out. That’s it.”

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Fighter profile

Tanner “The Bulldozer” Boser is a 31 year old male fighter from Canada with 20 pro wins and 8 losses. Boser is scheduled to fight Rodrigo Nascimento at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song on Saturday September 17, 2022.

Tanner Boser’s recent form coming into this matchup

Tanner Boser has gone 3-2 in the last 5 professional MMA fights.

• Win vs Ovince St. Preux • KO/TKO R2 2:31 • 2021-06-26
• Loss vs Ilir Latifi • Decision R3 5:00 • 2021-06-05
• Loss vs Andrei Arlovski • Decision R3 5:00 • 2020-11-07
• Win vs Raphael Pessoa • KO/TKO R2 2:36 • 2020-07-25
• Win vs Philipe Lins • KO/TKO R1 2:41 • 2020-06-27

Tanner Boser’s next opponent: Rodrigo “Zé Colmeia” Nascimento

Rodrigo “Zé Colmeia” Nascimento’s recent form coming into this matchup

Rodrigo “Zé Colmeia” Nascimento is a 29 year old male fighter from Brazil with 8 pro wins and 1 losses. Nascimento is scheduled to fight Tanner Boser at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song on Saturday September 17, 2022.

Rodrigo Nascimento has gone 3-1 in the last 5 professional MMA fights.

• No Contest vs Alan Baudot • KO/TKO R2 1:29 • 2021-07-17
• Loss vs Chris Daukaus • KO/TKO R1 0:45 • 2020-10-10
• Win vs Don’Tale Mayes • Submission R2 2:05 • 2020-05-16
• Win vs Michal Martínek • Submission R1 3:16 • 2019-07-30
• Win vs Everton dos Anjos • Submission R1 1:39 • 2017-10-07

How to watch and bet on Tanner Boser vs Rodrigo Nascimento

Keep track of all the latest odds and line-movements at our bout page for this matchup.