UFC® RETURNS TO BOSTON’S TD GARDEN WITH LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT THRILLER BETWEEN (#4) DOMINICK REYES AND (#7-MW) CHRIS WEIDMAN

LAS VEGAS – UFC® returns to Boston with a spectacular light heavyweight bout, as undefeated No. 4 ranked contender Dominick Reyeswelcomes former middleweight champion Chris Weidman to the 205-pound division. In a featherweight contenders’ bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, No. 5 ranked Zabit Magomedsharipov battles No. 11 Calvin Kattar.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN®: REYES vs. WEIDMAN will air live from the TD Garden exclusively on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, October 18, with the prelims kicking off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and on ESPN Deportes.  Doors open at 5 p.m. ET.

Reyes (11-0, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) immediately turned heads upon joining the UFC in 2017 by delivering a Performance of the Night victory over Joachim Christensen. He has since made a rapid ascent up the light heavyweight rankings after securing impressive wins against Jared Cannonier, Ovince Saint Preux and former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir. Reyes now aims to add a former UFC champion to his resume and stake his claim for a title shot.

Weidman (14-4, fighting out of Baldwin, N.Y.) shocked the MMA world in 2013 by dethroning long-reigning middleweight champion Anderson Silva via knockout. He then went on to deliver spectacular title defenses against Silva, Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and NCAA Division I wrestler now sets his sights on taking over the light heavyweight class by stopping one of the division’s biggest rising stars.

In less than two years on the UFC roster, Magomedsharipov (17-1, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) has proven to be a must-watch featherweight contender. Known for his dynamic striking and slick grappling, he has netted memorable victories over Jeremy Stephens, Brandon Davis, Kyle Bochniak and Sheymon Moraes. Magomedsharipov now looks to once again steal the show and secure his 14th consecutive win.

A thrilling striker, Kattar (20-3, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.) has delivered sensational knockouts in his last three victories. During his UFC tenure, he has stopped Ricardo Lamas, Chris Fishgold and earned Fight of the Night honors for his TKO against Shane Burgos. Kattar is now poised to crack the featherweight top 5 with another highlight-reel finish in his Boston backyard.

Announced bouts on the card include:

  • In a clash of surging flyweights, No. 12 ranked contender Maycee Barber (5-0, fighting out of Greeley, Colo.) takes on dangerous finisher and No. 15 ranked Gillian Robertson (7-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of  Niagara Falls, Ont., Canada)
  • Deron Winn (6-0, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) looks to remain undefeated against tough Darren Stewart (10-4 1NC, fighting out of London, England)
  • Daniel Spitz (6-2, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) welcomes newcomer Tanner Boser (16-5-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alta., Canada) to the UFC heavyweight division

·       Molly McCann (9-2, fighting out of Liverpool, England) goes for her third straight win against Diana Belbita (13-4, fighting out of Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania)

·       Dana White’s Contender Series signeeBrendan Allen (11-3, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) debuts against Eric Spicely(12-6, fighting out of Olneyville, R.I.)

·       Massachusetts native Randy Costa (4-1, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.) looks for an impressive win at home against Boston Salmon (6-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Visit the UFC® Press Portal for information and content to support your UFC coverage. Please click here to apply for the event.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN®: REYES vs. WEIDMAN go on sale Friday, August 23 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, August 21 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, August 22 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 300 million fans and 70 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 60 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About TD Garden

TD Garden, owned and operated by Delaware North, first opened its doors to the public on September 30, 1995. In the 20 plus years since, the venue has generated more than $365 million in direct economic impact to the Greater Boston region from its major national events alone, not including its high-profile Bruins and Celtics tenants.  The arena has played host to countless marquee events, including the Democratic National Convention, NHL All-Star Game, NCAA Frozen Fours, NCAA Women’s Final Four, U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials, U.S. Figure Skating Championships and ISU World Figure Skating Championships among others. 

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – eight U.S. television networks, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.