Jeremy Stephens delayed his wedding so he could fight at UFC 215

Jeremy Stephens returns to action on September 9th at UFC 215 against Gilbert Melendez. That's a pretty big fight for the featherweight contender, but saying yes to the bout wasn't the easiest choice because it meant delaying another important 'yes' in his life: saying yes to marrying his fiance. Stephens was originally planning on getting married on September 23rd, but his UFC 215 bout with Melendez has pushed that back.

“I have a great fiancee,” Stephens told MMA Junkie. “Not only is she beautiful, she has an amazing heart. She understands this is what I do, and this what I love. These opportunities aren’t going to be knocking 15 years from now.”

Stephens and Melendez are both struggling to bounce back from rought times in the Octagon. Jeremy has lost three of his last four fights and Melendez is 1-4 over his past five and has fought just once in the past two years. Some are wondering if this fight is a loser leaves town match, although it would be shocking to see the UFC cut either man considering the epic wars they've put on in the Octagon.

Stephens has certainly sacrificed a lot with his willingness to swing for the fences and go out on his shield. Now he's sacrificing his wedding to make sure his mind is clear for UFC 215. Let's hope it works out for him.