Las Vegas ­– UFC^® today announced that the classic 2019 fight between middleweights Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing as a part of the class of 2025. The 2025 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“The fight between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 was one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen in my life,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “This was an absolute war with the interim title on the line. Congrats to Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum on a fight that will always be remembered!”            

As the co-main event of UFC^® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2, which took place on April 19, 2019, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, both Adesanya and Gastelum entered the event for the interim middleweight title on winning streaks of 16 and two, respectively.

Adesanya entered the Octagon with an undefeated 16-0 record (5-0 UFC), having most recently secured a win over former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Gastelum entered the bout with a 17-3,1 NC record (10-3,1 NC UFC) and previous wins over UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nate Marquardt, and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

Both athletes quickly advanced to the center of the Octagon, exchanging a series of kicks and punches to begin the first round. With 2:52 seconds remaining in the first, Gastelum landed a right hook that sent Adesanya to the fence, securing the first major interaction of the fight and taking control of the remainder of the round. 

Adesanya took control of round two, landing a series of kicks and body punches, creating separation with his reach advantage. Gastelum landed a powerful right jab with 3:20 left in the second, as both fighters engaged at a rapid pace in proximity. Gastelum would continue to apply pressure as the aggressor, forcing Adesanya to the fence and around the perimeter of the Octagon with a barrage of punches. Adesanya would connect with an overhand right with 2:14 remaining in the round, knocking Gastelum down and inflicting his first damage of the fight. Adesanya would control the rest of the round, flooring Gastelum a second time in the round with a reverse elbow and evening the score at one round each. Adesanya continued to dictate the action throughout round three, leading the continuous exchange of jabs, low kicks and knees to the body.

Gastelum charged Adesanya to open the fourth round, picking up the pace and initiating exchanges in the center of the Octagon. Adesanya secured a knee to the body 40 seconds into the round, followed by a right hook to take early control. Both fighters continued to trade punches, standing toe-to-toe while moving around the inner circle of the Octagon. Adesanya stunned Gastelum with a right jab with one minute remaining, but he responded with a high left kick that stunned Israel, allowing Kelvin to apply pressure near the fence to close the round.

Adesanya, with his face visibly swollen and a cut over his eye, stood tall at the beginning of the fifth, with the cameras capturing him talking to Gastelum across the Octagon, as the sold-out crowd cheered with anticipation for the start of the final round.

The excitement continued into round five with both fighters giving everything they had to secure the interim title. Both fighters continued to exchange punches and kicks in close quarters, with Adesanya attempting a guillotine 90 seconds into the round, landing a quick takedown with Gastelum rolling out and into a mounted position on top of him. Adesanya attempted to secure a triangle off his back, but Gastelum slipped out and both fighters stood to their feet as the entire crowd gave them a huge ovation with three minutes remaining.

Gastelum continued to swing wildly, but Adesanya, now in control, evaded the onslaught and countered each attack with a strike of his own. Adesanya stunned Gastelum with a straight right with 2:20 minutes left, slowing his momentum and reestablishing his reach advantage. Gastelum continued to apply pressure, but Adesanya evaded all attacks and continued to counter, securing a knockdown with one minute left in the round. Adesanya landed several elbows and punches to close out the round, knocking down a bloodied Gastelum with 25 seconds left and closing the fight in full mounted position.

Adesanya scored three knockdowns in the round, the most-ever landed in the fifth round of a UFC title fight. His four overall knockdowns were also the most ever in a UFC title fight.

Adesanya won the fight via unanimous decision, becoming the new interim UFC middleweight champion. He would unify the middleweight title six months later by defeating Robert Whittaker via second round KO in the main event of UFC^® 243: WHITTAKER vs. ADESANYA, which took place on October 6, 2019, at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.

The bout won several awards, including Fight of the Year honors from MMA Junkie and MMA Fighting. 

To view this fight on UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/video/95785

To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOFFAQ. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Weigh-In Results

Karl Thompson, 204.4lbs. vs. Rob Boardman, 202.4lbs.

BKFC Cruiserweight UK Title

Pic Jardine, 173.8 vs. Tony Shields, 173.4

Lewis Keen, 155.4 vs. Ryan McCarthy, 155.6

Paul Cook, 165.4 vs. Adam Grogan, 165.2

Travis Dickinson, 209.4 vs. Rowan Gregory, 218.3

John Ferguson, 186 vs. Joe Lister, 185.8

Lewis Garside, 140.6 vs. Bartek Kanabey, 138

Brandon Comby, 154.4 vs. Ryan Carmichael, 154.4

Liam Hutchinson, 165.8 vs. Mikey Henderson, 163.8

Leigh Cohoon, 181.2 vs. Kane Wilkinson, 185.8

James Walker, 243.8 vs. Jan Sulecki, 249

Alan Comby, 168.8 vs. Oskar Smykiel, 165

Tommy Strydom, 145.8 vs. John Spencer, 144.4

Venue

Walker Activity Dome

Newcastle, UK

Philadelphia, PA (February 5, 2025) Following up on their record breaking KnuckleMania V event, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, is back home with BKFC Fight Night Philly on Friday, March 21 at the famed 2300 Arena.

BKFC Fight Night Philly is headlined by a welterweight clash between local fighting favorite Dustin ‘The Disciple’ Pague, (3-2), of Carlisle, PA and undefeated veteran Andrew Angelcor, (3-0-1), of Barstow, CA.

Ticket information for BKFC Fight Night Philly can be found at BKFC.com. The 2300 Arena is located at 2300 S. Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148. BKFC Fight Night Philly will also be broadcast internationally as part of the BKFC+ Subscription for $7.99 per month on the BKFC App – The Best Value in Combat Sports.

“Philly is our home and following the immense success of the record-breaking KnuckleMania V event last month we wanted to return as quickly as possible,” said David Feldman, Founder and President of BKFC. “This city has some of the toughest bare-knuckle fighters in the world and we can’t wait to showcase them for our fans on March 21.”

With an attendance of 17,762 on Saturday, January 25 at the Wells Fargo Center, KnuckleMania V set a new modern-day combat sports record for the city of Philadelphia.

Victorious in his previous three starts, two by early knockout, hometown favorite Dustin Pague looks to bounce back into the win column following a hotly contested fight against Carlos Trinidad-Snake at BKFC Fight Night Omaha on May 17, 2024. On the successful side of the ledger for Pague, exciting wins have been compiled against Joe Elmore (BKFC-51), Wade Johnson (BKFC-42) and Eddie Hoch (BKFC Fight Night New York 2).

Andrew Angelcor’s action packed victories have come against Brett Hudson (BKFC-50), Van Vo (BKFC-31) and Timmy Mason (BKFC-2).

Additional fights for BKFC Fight Night Philly will be announced shortly.

Social Media

Instagram: @BareKnuckleFC

Twitter: @BareKnuckleFC

Facebook: @BareKnuckleFC

YouTube: @BareKnuckleFightingChampionship

TikTok: @BareKnuckleFC

Website: www.BKFC.com

Albuquerque, NM (February 3, 2025) Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, make their long-awaited return to Albuquerque, NM at the Kiva Auditorium on Friday, February 28 headlined by a surefire bantamweight clash between former BKFC Bantamweight World Champion Keith ‘The Rock Star’ Richardson, (5-1), of Rock Hill, SC and fast-rising bare-knuckle veteran Bekhzod ‘The Lion’ Usmonov, (1-1), of Tajikistan.

Ticket information for BKFC Fight Night Albuquerque can be found at www.BKFC.com. The Kiva Auditorium is located at 401 2nd Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, inside the Albuquerque Convention Center. Further details can also be found on their website. BKFC Fight Night Albuquerque will also be broadcast internationally as part of the BKFC+ Subscription for $7.99 per month on the BKFC App – The Best Value in Combat Sports.

“This is our fifth event in Albuquerque, New Mexico where we’ve promoted some of the company’s biggest and highest attended events,” said David Feldman, Founder and President of BKFC. “Our main event between Keith Richardson and Bekhzod Usmonov features two of the most exciting fighters in BKFC. Additionally, our undercard includes numerous top bare-knuckle fighters from New Mexico and Texas.”

Rated #1 in the deep bantamweight division, Keith Richardson will look to cement a future world title opportunity following a first-round knockout of Michael Larrimore headlining at BKFC-69 on December 6, 2024. Richardson lost the world title to Alberto Blas in his previous fight at BKFC-62.  Bekhzod Usmonov looks to extend his winning streak after a show-stopping, third-round knockout of Trevor Loken at BKFC-52.

Fighting in the  middleweight division at BKFC Fight Night Albuquerque, ‘Irish’ Bryant McClain makes his bare-knuckle debut against Roderick ‘Icewater’ Stewart, (0-2), of Abilene, TX. A native of Rio Rancho, NM, McClain holds a professional boxing record of 6-6-3. Newcomers Lorenzo ‘The Disciple’ Coca, (0-1), of New Mexico and Texas native Ruben Arroyo, (0-1), will clash in a lightweight battle as both seek their first victories under the BKFC banner.

Local fan favorite Eric Dodson, (3-2), brother of BKFC Flyweight World Champion John Dodson, faces off against Van ‘Tactic’ Vo, (1-3), of Kettering, OH, in a featherweight fight. Cruiserweight newcomers will see action as Murat ‘Sambeast’ Kilimetov, (1-0), clashes with Lamont ‘KO King’ Stafford, (1-0), of Oklahoma. Bantamweight Derek ‘Rage’ Perez, (2-4), of Belen, NM toes the line against ‘Slick’ Rick Caruso, (2-4), of Princeton, West Virginia.

Fighting in the men’s flyweight division, Zay ‘Zaybomination’ Garcia, (0-1), faces Justyn Martinez, (1-4), of Kansas. Texas based heavyweights Manuel ‘Mayor Mano’ Otero, (1-0), and Braxton ‘The Beautiful Monster’ Smith, (1-0), will try to stay perfect under the BKFC banner.

Light heavyweights will square off as New Mexico native ‘Wild Bill’ Will Albrecht, (1-1), and Brett ‘Da Beast’ Fields, (1-2), of Indiana step inside the squared circle. Rounding out the card, Kyle ‘The Irishman ‘ McElroy, (2-4), of Albuquerque, NM clashes with ‘Action’ Jay Jackson, (4-3), of Bay City, MN in the light heavyweight division.

Media Contact/Credentials

Bernie Bahrmasel

Double B Sports

Phone: + 1 773 592-2986

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @BernieBahrmasel

About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.

In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.

Uncasville, CT (Feb. 1, 2025) The red-hot Julian “Let Me Bang” Lane earned his fourth straight victory with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in the main event of BKFC on DAZN Mohegan Sun on Saturday night at the sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

The hard-hitting Mansfield, OH product knocked out veteran Cameron “Jumpman” VanCamp 54 seconds into the fourth round of their main event welterweight showdown as BKFC returned to the famed arena.

“This is my (expletive) house,” a fired-up Lane, (8-7), told the jam-packed Mohegan Sun Arena after Saturday’s victory. “This is my ring. I’m the King of Violence. Jeremy Stephens, Mike Perry, either of y’all can get it any day.”

VanCamp, who hails from Indianapolis, IN, is now 2-2 under the BKFC banner after riding a two-fight winning streak into Saturday’s fight.

In the BKFC on DAZN Mohegan Sun co-main event, New London, CT’s “Irish” Brennan Ward needed just 38 seconds to make an epic first impression in his highly anticipated bare knuckle fighting debut, knocking out James “Knucklehead” Dennis in the opening minute of their middleweight matchup.

“I’ve always had the abilities,” the former MMA superstar Ward told the roaring Mohegan Sun in his emotional post-fight interview. “My career has been up and down; my life has been up and down. I’ve been through a lot to get back here. Life is hard, it’s a grind. I’m your guy. I’m as blue collar as it gets. I’m a tradesman, I’m a father, I’m a fighter. I just wake up every day and try to do my best for my kids.”

The Great Falls, MT product Dennis, who was hunting for his third straight stoppage victory against Ward, is now 2-2 in the squared circle.

In the BKFC on DAZN Mohegan Sun feature fight, Omaha, NE’s Dakota Cochrane earned his sixth BKFC victory by taking out the previously undefeated Will “The Brown Bomber” Santiago , 

(2-1-1), via technical knockout in their middleweight bout. Cochrane (7-2), who entered fight night as the #2 contender in the stacked BKFC middleweight division, logged three knockdowns before the fight was stopped by Santiago’s corner 63 seconds into the third round.

After his victory, Cochrane called out BKFC Middleweight World Champion David “Redneck” Mundell, who was in attendance with the title belt over his shoulder.

“Mundell, let’s go, baby,” Cochrane, now a winner of four straight, told the jam-packed Mohegan Sun. “Sign the contract. Let’s go.”

Peabody, MA’s Rico DiSciullo made a statement in his BKFC debut with a five-knockdown performance against Quintan Foye in their featherweight bout. The fight was called off 68 seconds into the third round, with the technical knockout win going to DiSciullo. The Greensboro, NC product Foye is now 1-3.

Fall River, MA heavyweight Yorgan “The Mad Titan” De Castro turned heads in his BKFC debut with a stoppage victory over Bobby “The Zombie” Brents. The doctor called a stop to the bout at the conclusion of the second round, with the win going to the heavy-handed De Castro. Brents, who represents Springfield, IL, is now 0-2 with BKFC.

West Hartford, CT’s Parker Porter introduced himself in style to the BKFC heavyweight division with a 44-second knockout over Chase Gormley in their heavyweight bout. Porter logged a pair of knockdowns over Gormley en route to the first-round victory in his lightning-fast debut. Gormley, a product of Paramount, CA, is now 1-1 under the BKFC banner.

Denver’s Andrew “Legend” Strode improved to 3-0 in his BKFC career with a unanimous decision over Tyler “Rookie” Randall, who entered fight night as the #3 contender in the BKFC men’s flyweight division. All three judges scored the action-packed contest 50-45 in favor of Strode. Randall, who represents Hoosick Falls, NY, is now 4-3 under the BKFC banner.

Worcester, MA’s “Slick” Sito Navarro logged five knockdowns and picked himself up off the canvas in his hard-fought victory over Jack “Shady” Grady. The bantamweight bout was called to a stop at 1:43 in the fourth round. Navarro is now 2-1 while the Buffalo, NY product Grady moves to 1-4.

Lowell, MA’s Jared Lennon won his BKFC debut, sending Jake “The Snake” Kreitel to the canvas three times en route to the second-round stoppage victory in their featherweight matchup. The stoppage came 45 seconds into the second stanza. Kreitel, who represents Miles City, MT, is now 0-2.

Greenwood, MA’s Spencer “Second Chance” Meehan was victorious in his BKFC debut after his opponent, Grady “G” Wall of Rochester, NY, suffered a shoulder injury shortly into their battle of debuting welterweights. The stoppage came 22 seconds into the opening round.

BKFC on DAZN: Mohegan Sun Results

Julian Lane def. Cameron VanCamp via KO in Round 4 (0:54)

Dakota Cochrane def. Will Santiago via TKO in Round 3 (1:03)

Rico DiSciullo def. Quintan Foye via TKO in Round 3 (1:08)

Yorgan De Castro def. Bobby Brents via TKO in Round 2 (2:00)

Parker Porter def. Chase Gormley via TKO in Round 1 (0:44)

Andrew Strode def. Tyler Randall via Unanimous Decision (50-45×3)

Sito Navarro def. Jack Grady via TKO in Round 4 (1:43)

Jared Lennon def. Jake Kreitel via TKO in Round 2 (0:45)

Spencer Meehan def. Grady Wall via TKO in Round 1 (0:22)

Social Media

Instagram: @BareKnuckleFC

Twitter: @BareKnuckleFC

Facebook: @BareKnuckleFC

YouTube: @BareKnuckleFightingChampionship

TikTok: @BareKnuckleFC

Website: www.BKFC.com

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with a captivating flyweight main event as No. 1 ranked contender Brandon Royval and No. 6 ranked Manel Kape face off with title implications on the line. The middleweight co-main event will see an all-action clash between Cody Brundage and Julian Marquez.

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: ROYVAL vs KAPE takes place Saturday, March 1 in Las Vegas. The entire event will stream live on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) beginning with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.? 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon Girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information. 

Royval (17-7, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) plans to make another statement win in his third UFC main event in a row. The relentless fighter has put his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai skills on display in thrilling wins over Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara-France, and Tatsuro Taira. Royval now intends to hold his spot at the top of the flyweight rankings with a victory against Kape.

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Kape (20-7, Phuket, Thailand by way of Porto, Portugal) seeks to start off his 2025 campaign by continuing the momentum from his impressive win in December over Bruno Silva. With almost a decade-long career under his belt, Kape holds additional notable wins over Zhalgas Zhumagulov, Kai Asakura and David Dvo?ák. Kape now aims to snatch Royval’s spot in the ranks with a highlight-reel performance.

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Durable grappler Brundage (10-6 1NC, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.) returns to the Octagon seeking another first round stoppage. The former college wrestler has captivated the attention of fans with exciting wins over Zachary Reese, Tresean Gore and Dalcha Lungiambula. Brundage now has his sights set on taking out Marquez in devastating fashion.

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The always entertaining Marquez (9-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) looks to keep his 100 percent finishing rate intact against Brundage. A member of the UFC roster since 2017, Marquez holds bonus-earning victories over Sam Alvey, Maki Pitolo and Darren Stewart. He now strives to return to the winner’s circle with a vintage showing.

Additional bouts on the card include:? 

• An exciting lightweight matchup is on tap when Nasrat Haqparast (17-5, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco) take on Esteban Ribovics(14-1, fighting out of Cordoba, Argentina)
• Former professional boxerCharles Johnson (17-6, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) meets Ramazan Temirov (18-2-1, fighting out of Toshkent, Uzbekistan) in a battle of flyweights
• No. 8 ranked UFC flyweight contender Asu Almabayev (21-2, fighting out of Almaty, Kazakhstan) takes on former title challenger and No. 9 ranked Steve Erceg (12-3, fighting out of Perth, Western Australia
• Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-6 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil) returns to action against John Castaneda (21-7, fighting out of Minneapolis, Minn.) at bantamweight
• Hyder Amil (10-0, fighting out of San Francisco, Calif. by way of San Rafael, Calif.) aims to keep his perfect record intact against William Gomis (14-2, fighting out of Paris, France) in a featherweight bout
• Flyweight actions pits Andrea Lee (13-10, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) against JJ Aldrich (13-7, fighting out of Westminster, Colo.)
• Exciting featherweights clash as Ricardo Ramos (17-6, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) meets Chepe Mariscal (17-6 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.)
• Danny Barlow (9-0, fighting out of Memphis, Tenn.) intends to impress when he matches up with Sam Patterson (12-2-1, fighting out of Watford, England) at welterweight
• Montana De La Rosa (13-9-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) and Luana Carolina (11-4, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) seek to make a statement when they meet at flyweight
• FeatherweightsDanny Silva (9-1, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) and Lucas Almeida(15-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) look to put on a show
• Austen Lane (13-5 1NC, fighting out of Jacksonville, Fla.) collides with Dana White’s Contender Series signee Mario Pinto (9-0, fighting out of London, England) at heavyweight

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.? 

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About UFC^® ? 

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

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About ESPN+? 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

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About ESPN? 

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.? 

London, UK – UFC^® returns to London on March 22 with some of the UK and Ireland’s favourite athletes entering the Octagon^® for an action-packed night of entertainment. The card will be returning to The O2, London, for another blockbuster event as former welterweight champion Leon Edwards aims to return to title contention as he faces No.4 ranked Jack Della Maddalena, who is riding a 17-fight winning streak. The co-main event sees former champion Jan Blachowicz take on No.6 ranked Carlos Ulberg in an epic light heavyweight bout.

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT: EDWARDS vs. DELLA MADDALENA tickets go on sale from 10 a.m. GMT on Friday, January 24 via AXS and Ticketmaster. Fight Club members can purchase tickets early at 9:00 a.m. GMT on Wednesday, January 22, whilst fans who registered their early interest will gain priority access at 10:00 a.m. GMT on Thursday, January 23.

VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. These exclusive packages offer premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes, and more. For additional information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

This 30^th UK event celebrates the rich history of MMA in Britain. UK events are known for delivering thrilling moments, from Tom Aspinall’s first-round KO of Marcin Tybura, to Michael Bisping’s comeback against Anderson Silva, and Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann’s London debuts. With The O2 hosting blockbuster events like UFC® 286: EDWARDS vs USMAN 3 and UFC® FIGHT NIGHT: ASPINALL vs. TYBURA, tickets are expected to sell fast for this milestone event.

Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards (22-4, 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, United Kingdom by way of Kingston, Jamaica) returns to headline London, a city in which he is undefeated. Edwards became the second UK champion in UFC history and is widely considered one of the best British combat sports athletes of all time. He will be looking to earn himself the chance to reclaim his title with a victory.

Jack Della Maddalena (17-2, fighting out of Perth, Australia) has been touted as one of the UFC’s top prospects for the past few years, and he continued building his hype as he secured a third-round knockout over Gilbert Burns last March. The Australian has impressed with his range of skills and slick striking, which he has utilised to build a 7-0 start to his UFC career.

Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1, fighting out of Cieszyn, Poland) is set to make a triumphant return to the Octagon as he continues his quest for another shot at the UFC light heavyweight title. Currently ranked No. 4 in the light heavyweight rankings, Blachowicz has established himself as one of the most formidable competitors in the division and aims to leverage his experience and powerful striking skills to claim a win over Ulberg.

Carlos Ulberg (12-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) continues to make waves in the division with his impressive performances and dynamic fighting style. A former kickboxer, Ulberg has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the top contenders in his weight class. After achieving the third fastest knockout in UFC light heavyweight history with a 12-second knockout against Alonzo Menifield, Ulberg has become an athlete to watch in this division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Gloucester’s Christian Leroy Duncan (10-2, fighting out of Gloucester, England) takes on UFC debutant Andrey Pulyaev (9-2, fighting out of Novosibirsk, Russia), who earned a contract through Dana White’s Contender Series back in August, 2024.
• Molly McCann (14-7, fighting out of Liverpool, England) faces Istela Nunes (6-5, fighting out of Pau dos Ferros, Brazil) which should be an enticing strawweight bout between two strikers.
• No.8 ranked Marcin Tybura (26-9 fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) takes on undefeated no.15 ranked Mick Parkin(10-0, fighting out of Sunderland, England) in a heavyweight bout that should produce fireworks.
• UFC veteran Alonzo Menifield (15-5-1, fighting out of Los Angeles, United States) takes on versatile Frenchman Oumar Sy (11-0 fighting out of Paris, France) who is looking to maintain his undefeated record.
• Searching for her second straight victory, Shauna Bannon(6-1, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) takes on Puja Tomar(9-4, fighting out of Budhana, India) who became the first female Indian UFC athlete, when she won her debut last year.
• Nathaniel Wood (20-6, fighting out of London, England) will meet former Cage Warriors featherweight world champion Morgan Charriere (20-10-1, fighting out of Mantes-la-Jolie, France) in an action-packed featherweight matchup.
• Rising star Lone’er Kavanagh (8-0, fighting out of London, England) is looking to continue his unbeaten streak as he faces Brazilian prospect Felipe dos Santos (8-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a flyweight bout.
• Bantamweight athleteNathan Fletcher (9-1, fighting out of Liverpool, England) will meet Ireland’s Caolan Loughran (9-2, fighting out of Tyrone, Ireland) in a thrilling rematch following their initial Cage Warriors clash in 2018.
• Former Cage Warriors lightweight champion Jai Herbert (13-5-1, fighting out of Wolverhampton, England) will take on Chris Padilla (15-6, fighting out of Gardena, California, United States) in what promises to be a thrilling lightweight bout.

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. All bouts are live and subject to change.

ENDS

About UFC®

UFC is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 290 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 over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to T-Mobile Arena with a blockbuster light heavyweight championship tilt that sees Alex Pereira defend against No. 1 ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev. Also, No. 3 ranked lightweight contender Justin Gaethje battles No. 6 Dan Hooker in a five round co-main event guaranteed to deliver fireworks.

UFC^® 313: PEREIRA vs. ANKALAEV takes place Sat., March 8 in Las Vegas, Nev. with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The early prelims will kick off at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 313: PEREIRA vs. ANKALAEV tickets will go on sale Fri., January 24 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at AXS.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wed., January 22 at 10 a.m. PT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thurs., January 23 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Pereira (12-2, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims for his fourth successful title defense. A devastating knockout artist, he has delivered thrilling finishes against Khalil Rountree Jr., Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill. Pereira now hopes to continue his run atop the 205-pound division by handing Ankalaev his first KO loss.

Ankalaev (20-1-1 1NC, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) plans to capitalize on his second UFC championship opportunity. Currently riding a 13-fight unbeaten streak, he has earned notable victories over Aleksandar Rakic, Anthony Smith and Volkan Oezdemir. Ankalaev now aims to dethrone Pereira and achieve his dream of capturing UFC gold.

Former interim lightweight titleholder Gaethje (26-5, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Safford, Ariz.) looks to kick off his 2025 season with another highlight performance. Among the most exciting fighters in UFC history, he holds memorable KO wins against Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone. Gaethje now intends to defend his spot in the rankings by stopping Hooker in emphatic fashion.

Hooker (24-12, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) plans to steal the show to continue his climb up the lightweight ladder. A dynamic finisher currently riding a three-fight win streak, he holds thrilling victories over Jalin Turner, Gilbert Burns and Paul Felder. Hooker now hopes to secure the biggest win of his career and crack the Top 5 rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Recent Dana White’s Contender Series signee Djorden Santos (10-1, fighting out of Brasília, DF, Brazil) debuts against Ozzy Diaz (9-3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) at middleweight
• No. 13 ranked flyweight contender Bruno Silva (14-6-2 1NC, fighting out of Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks to halt the momentum of No. 15 Joshua Van (12-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas)
• Brunno Ferreira (12-2, fighting out of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil) faces Armen Petrosyan (9-4, fighting out of Yerevan, Armenia) in an exciting battle of middleweight strikers
• Alex Morono (24-11 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) squares off with Carlos Leal (21-6, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) at welterweight
• Mairon Santos Alves (15-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Duque De Caxias, Rio de Janeiro) meets Francis Marshall (8-2, fighting out of Jersey City, N.J.) in a featherweight tilt
• Chris Gutierrez (21-5-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) faces undefeated Jean Matsumoto (16-0, fighting out of Braganca Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil) at bantamweight
• No. 5 ranked strawweight contender Amanda Lemos (14-4-1, fighting out of Pará?, Brazil) collides with No. 7 Iasmin Lucindo (17-5, fighting out of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball and other sporting events, family shows and special events. T-Mobile Arena also is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens and other interactive content and display areas. Industry-leading architect Populous designed T-Mobile Arena to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for LEED® Gold Certification. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN+ 

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a thrilling middleweight matchup featuring No. 8 ranked contender Jared Cannonier facing off against Gregory Rodrigues. In addition, No. 10 ranked featherweight Calvin Kattar and Youseff Zalal lock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: CANNONIER vs. RODRIGUES takes place Saturday, February 15 in Las Vegas and will be available exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims will air at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET, followed by the main card airing at 4 p.m. PT / 7p.m. ET. 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Former title challenger Cannonier (17-8, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) returns to action looking to impress. In his decade long career, Cannonier has solidified his spot amongst the best at 185-pounds by defeating former champions and top contenders such as Anderson Silva, Sean Strickland, and Marvin Vettori. He now sets out to spoil Rodrigues’ night and kickstart another run at UFC gold.

Brazil’s Rodrigues (16-5, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to make the most of his first UFC main event. With half his Octagon wins coming by knockout, Rodrigues has wowed fans with highlight finishes against Brad Tavares, Denis Tiuliulin, and Chidi Njokuani. With his sights now set on Cannonier, Rodrigues aims to deliver another unforgettable finish and position himself for a big 2025 season.

Top ranked contender Kattar (23-8, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.) looks for a statement performance. A staple of the featherweight division, Katar has solidified his spot in the Top 10 by delivering wins against Giga Chikadze, Dan Ige, and Jeremy Stephens. He now sets forth to halt Zalal’s rise and recapture his momentum.

Zalal (16-5-1, fighting out of Casablanca, Morocco by way of Englewood, Colo.) takes on the biggest challenge of his young career. Currently on a six-fight win streak, with each of those coming via knockout or submission, Zalal has turned heads with recent wins against Jack Shore, Jarno Errens, and Billy Quarantillo. He looks to maintain his finishing streak and break into the division’s rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 13 ranked strawweight Angela Hill (17-14, fighting out of San Diego, Calif. by way of Clinton, Md.) faces Ketlen Souza (15-4, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Series middleweight contract winners Edmen Shahbazyan (13-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Dylan Budka (7-4, fighting out of Baltimore, Md.) square off
• Jared Gordon (20-7 1NC, fighting out of Astoria, Queens, N.Y.)and Kauê Fernandes (9-2, fighting out of Rio de Janiero, Brazil) meet in a lightweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series featherweight alumni Connor Matthews (7-2, fighting out of Mattapoisett, Mass.) and Jose Delgado (8-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) battle for their first official Octagon wins
• Top 15 bantamweight contenders No. 12 Julia Avila (9-3, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) and No. 14 ranked Jacqueline Cavalcanti (8-1, fighting out of Almada, Portugal) are set for high stakes matchup
• Highly skilled grapplers collide as Rodolfo Vieira (10-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) squares off with Andre Petroski (12-4, fighting out of Philadephia, Penn.) at middlweight
• An intriguing lightweight contest sees Dana White’s Contender Series signees Ismael Bonfim (20-4 1 NC, fighting out of Brasília, Brazil) and Nazim Sadykhov (9-1-1, fighting out of Brooklyn, N.Y. via Baku, Azerbaijan) meet
• Flyweights Rafael Estevam (12-0, fighting out of Macapá, Amapa, Brazil) and Jesus Aguilar (11-2, fighting out of Tijunana, Mexico) look to steal the show
• Gabriel Bonfim (16-1, fighting out of Brasília, Brazil) meets Rinat Fakhretdinov (23-1-1, fighting out of Saransk, Mordovia, Russia) at welterweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Billy Ray Goff (9-3, fighting out of Groton, Conn.) goes toe-to-toe with Nikolay Veretennikov (12-4, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) at welterweight
• Heavyweights Valter Walker (12-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Dana White’s Contender Series signee Don’Tale Mayes (11-7 1 NC, fighting out of Louisville, Ken.) are set to deliver fireworks
• Vince Morales (16-8, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. By way of Ontario, Ore.) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series alumni Elijah Smith (7-1, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.)

For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+?? ??

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Seattle for the first time since 2013 with a stacked card featuring former champions, top contenders and rising prospects. In the main event, former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion and current No. 7 ranked bantamweight contender Henry Cejudo returns to action against No. 8 ranked Song Yadong. In the co-main event, No. 9 ranked bantamweight contender Rob Font takes on fellow veteran and former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT: CEJUDO vs. SONG takes place Sat., February 22 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. The entire card will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning with the prelims at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT followed by the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT: CEJUDO vs. SONG tickets will go on sale Fri., January 10 at 10 a.m. PT and 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 Wed., January 8 at 10 a.m. PT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thurs., January 9 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

A 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling for the United States, Cejudo (16-4, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) steps back into the Octagon aiming to remind everyone of the skills that saw him become just the fourth fighter in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously. Considered to be among the greatest combat sports athletes of all time, Cejudo holds notable wins over TJ Dillashaw, Demetrious Johnson and Marlon Moraes. He now looks to take out Song in dominant fashion.

Song (21-8-1 1NC, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) plans to make a statement in his fourth UFC main event and insert himself into the title conversation. Still only 27 years old, he has already cemented himself as one of the top talents in the bantamweight division with wins over Chris Gutierrez, Ricky Sumon and Marlon Moraes. Song now seeks to secure the biggest victory of his career with a standout performance.

The always exciting Font (21-8, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) intends to start his 2025 campaign by adding another former champion to his resume. A well-rounded athlete, he holds the second most knockouts in UFC bantamweight history with six, including those over Adrian Yanez, Thomas Almeida and Matt Schnell. He now has his sights set on defending his spot in the rankings and starting another run towards the Top 5.

Cruz (24-4, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) returns to action for the first time in almost three years. One of the best bantamweights in MMA history, Cruz holds iconic victories over some of the most notable names in the UFC, including Urijah Faber, T.J. Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. He now is focused on delivering a vintage performance in his 19^th appearance under the Zuffa banner.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 15 ranked featherweight contender Edson Barboza (24-12, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) battles fellow striker Steve Garcia (17-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in a bout guaranteed to produce fireworks
• No. 5 ranked UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes (18-5 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) intends to make a statement against UFC debutant Rizvan Kuniev (13-2-1 1NC, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia)
• Jean Silva (14-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks to continue his undefeated run in the UFC when he faces Melsik Baghdasaryan (8-2, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) in a featherweight contest
• Top middleweight contenders collide as No. 9 ranked Brendan Allen (24-6, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) faces No. 13 Anthony Hernandez (13-2 1NC, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)
• Adam Fugitt (10-4, fighting out of Eugene, Ore.) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Dana White’s Contender Series signee Islam Dulatov (11-1, fighting out of Dusseldorf, Germany)
• An all-action light heavyweight bout sees Ion Cutelaba (18-10-1 1NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) square off with Ibo Aslan (14-1, fighting out of Istanbul, Turkey)
• Top 5 bantamweight contenders lock horns as No. 3 ranked Ketlen Vieira (14-4, fighting out of Manaus, Brazil) goes toe-to-toe with No. 4 Macy Chiasson (11-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series standout Mansur Abdul-Malik (7-0, fighting out of Columbia, Md.) aims to impress against Antonio Trocoli (12-5 1NC, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil)
• Modestas Bukauskas (16-6, fighting out of London, England by way of Klaipeda, Lithuania) and Rafael Cerqueira (11-1, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) meet in a light heavyweight bout

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Climate Pledge Arena

Climate Pledge Arena, located at Seattle Center, is the complete redevelopment of an historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The arena is home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA’s Seattle Storm, and the world’s biggest performers of live music and events. The arena is named after The Climate Pledge, an initiative founded by Amazon and Global Optimism asking global corporations to become net zero carbon by 2040. Climate Pledge Arena has one of the most progressive sustainability programs of any building its size, including being the world’s first Zero Carbon Certified arena. Climate Pledge Arena opened October 19, 2021. Visit climatepledgearena.com

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hear

Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off its first event of 2025 at UFC APEX with a compelling strawweight main event as No. 6 ranked contender Mackenzie Dernand No. 8 ranked Amanda Ribascollide with the hopes of breaking into the Top 5. Also on the card, exciting middleweight strikers face off as Chris Curtis battles Roman Kopylov.

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DERN vs. RIBAS 2 takes place Saturday, January 11 in Las Vegas. The entire event will stream live on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) beginning with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.? 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon Girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information. 

Submission specialist Dern (14-5, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) aims to even the score with Ribas with a standout performance. A relentless grappler, she has put her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt skills on display in impressive wins over Loopy Godinez, Angela Hill, and Tecia Pennington. She now looks to add to her record for the most submissions in UFC strawweight history and insert herself into the title conversation.

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Ribas (13-5, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) seeks to start off her 2025 campaign by replicating her October 2019 victory over Dern. A black belt in both judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, she has proven herself as one of the best in the division with finishes of Luana Pinheiro, Paige VanZant, and Emily Whitmire. Ribas now has her sights set on making a statement in her return to the 115-pound weight class.

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Curtis (31-11 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Cincinnati, Ohio) returns to the Octagon with hopes of kickstarting a run up the rankings. A well-rounded athlete, Curtis has entertained fans in wins over Marc-Andre Barriault, Joaquin Buckley and Rodolfo Vieira. He now hopes to steal the show with a definitive showing against Kopylov.

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Exciting striker Kopylov (13-3, fighting out of Bachatsky, Kemerovo, Russia) looks to notch the biggest victory of his UFC career. Winner of five of his last six bouts, he has impressed with notable knockouts of Josh Fremd, Claudio Ribeiro, and Alessio Di Chirico. Kopylov now plans to make a case to break into the Top 15 with a thunderous win over Curtis.

Additional bouts on the card include:? 

• Dana White’s Contender SeriessigneeMarco Tulio(12-1, fighting out of São Paulo, Brazil) aims to impress in his UFC debut against Ihor Potieria(21-7, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine) at middleweight
• An exciting lightweight matchup sees Thiago Moises (18-8, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Sao Paulo, Brazil) take on Trey Ogden (18-6, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.)
• Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (9-0, fighting out of Kingdom of Bahrain) plans to remain undefeated as he faces debuting Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Bruno Lopes(13-1, fighting out of Cotia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a light heavyweight bout
• Former professional kickboxerCesar Almeida (6-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Accra, Ghana) in a battle of all-action middleweights
• Christian Rodriguez (11-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to derail the rise of Dana White’s Contender Series standout Austin Bashi (13-0, fighting out of West Bloomfield, Mich.) at featherweight
• Veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-8, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) looks to make a statement against Carlston Harris (19-6, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by way of Skeldon, Guyana) at welterweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series veterans Punahele Soriano(10-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Oahu, Hawaii) and Uros Medic (10-2, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska by way of Novi Sad, Serbia) go toe-to-toe at welterweight
• Jose Johnson (16-9, fighting out of Copperas Cove, Texas by way of La Romana, Dominican Republic) takes on Felipe Bunes (13-7, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) at flyweight
• Nurullo Aliev (9-0, fighting out of Dushanbe, Tajikistan) aims to keep his perfect record intact when he battles Yanal Ashmouz (8-1, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. by way of Kfar Kama, Israel) in a lightweight bout
• Ernesta Kareckaite (5-1-1, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania) hopes to earn her first UFC victory when she meets Nicolle Caliari (8-2, fighting out of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) in a flyweight bout
• Welterweight action sees Preston Parsons (11-5, fighting out of Jacksonville Beach, Fla.) face off with Dana White’s Contender Series signee Andreas Gustafsson (11-2, fighting out of Västerås, Sweden)
• Fatima Kline(6-1, fighting out of Hyde Park, N.Y.) meets Dana White’s Contender Series alum Viktoriia Dudakova(8-1, fighting out of Volgograd, Russia) in a strawweight clash sure to deliver fireworks

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.? 

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###?

? 

About UFC^® ? 

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

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About ESPN+? 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

? 

About ESPN? 

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.? 

Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off its 2025 Pay-Per-View schedule with its first event at the newly opened Intuit Dome in Los Angeles with two highly anticipated championship bouts. In the main event, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and No. 1 ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan rematch for gold. In the co-main event, UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili looks to take out No. 2 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov.

UFC^® 311: MAKHACHEV vs. TSARUKYAN 2 takes place Sat., January 18 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif. with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The early prelims will kick off at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 311: MAKHACHEV vs. TSARUKYAN 2 tickets will go on sale Fri., December 6 at 10 a.m. PT and 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 Wed., December 4 at 10 a.m. PT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thurs., December 5 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter Makhachev (26-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to reinforce his spot as the best combat sports athlete on the planet. He is currently riding a 13-fight win streak (the longest in UFC lightweight history), which includes victories over Dustin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski (twice) and Charles Oliveira. Makhachev now plans to prove that his first win over Tsarukyan was no fluke with another dominant defense of his title.

Tsarukyan (22-3, fighting out of Yerevan, Armenia) hopes to make the most of his first title opportunity. Among the most well-rounded athletes on the roster, Tsarukyan was just 22 years old when he made his UFC debut against Makhachev and has since racked up impressive wins over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush and Joaquim Silva. He now plans to achieve his dream of becoming UFC champion by dethroning Makhachev in emphatic fashion.

Dominant grappler Dvalishvili (18-4, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia) aims to defend his newly won title in thrilling fashion. Currently on a 10-fight win streak, the longest in UFC bantamweight history, Dvalishvili has showed off his skills in victories over former champions Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo and Petr Yan. He now has his sights set on handing Nurmagomedov his first loss with a vintage performance.

Nurmagomedov (18-0, fighting out of Kizilyurt, Russia) intends to remain undefeated and claim his first UFC championship. Considered to be among the best prospects in the UFC since he joined the promotion in 2021, he has exceeded expectations in stand-out wins over Cory Sandhagen, Bekzat Almakhan and Raoni Barcelos. He now looks to add a win over Dvalishvili to his resume and stake his claim as the best bantamweight in the world.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 2 ranked light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka (30-5-1, fighting out of Brno, Czech Republic) and No. 3 ranked Jamahal Hill (12-2 1NC, fighting out of Grand Rapids, Mich.) lock horns in a battle of former champions
• No. 9 ranked lightweight contender Beneil Dariush (22-6-1, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) and No. 10 Renato Moicano (20-5-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) face off in a pivotal bout
• An intriguing middleweight bout sees fan favorite Kevin Holland (26-12 1NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) take on Reinier de Ridder (18-2, fighting out of Breda, Netherlands)
• No. 9 ranked light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker (21-9 1NC, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) aims to defend his spot in the rankings against No. 14 Bogdan Guskov (16-3, fighting out of Dukent, Uzbekistan)
• Dana White’s Contender Series standout Payton Talbott (9-0, fighting out of Reno, Nev.) matches up with veteran Raoni Barcelos (18-5, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at bantamweight
• Top heavyweight contenders collide as No. 6 ranked Jailton Almeida (21-3, fighting out of Bahia, Brazil) battles No. 7 Serghei Spivac (17-4, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova)
• A middleweight bout sees Zachary Reese (8-1, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Sedriques Dumas (10-2, fighting out of Pensacola, Fla.) go head-to-head
• No. 15 ranked lightweight Grant Dawson (22-2-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) faces Diego Ferreira (19-5, fighting out of Pharr, Texas) in an exciting clash of grapplers
• No. 9 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Karol Rosa (18-6, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to snap the win streak of No. 13 Ailin Perez (11-2, fighting out of Buenos Aires, Argentina)
• Rinya Nakamura (9-0, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) seeks to remain undefeated when he takes on Muin Gafurov (19-6, fighting out of Dushanbe, Tajikistan)
• Bantamweights Ricky Turcios (13-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Benardo Sopaj (11-2, fighting out of Fier, Albania) aim to put on a show
• No. 11 ranked flyweight contender Tagir Ulanbekov (16-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) aims to knock Clayton Carpenter (8-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) from the ranks of the unbeaten

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Intuit Dome

Newly opened in August 2024, Intuit Dome is the new home of the LA Clippers and home to thousands of concerts and sporting events. Located in Inglewood, Calif., Intuit Dome is built different–it redefines fans’ expectations for live experiences and forever changed the music landscape in Los Angeles. Media information about Intuit Dome is available HERE. To sign up to receive all Intuit Dome press releases and updates, email [email protected] and follow @IntuitDomePR.

About ESPN+ 

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

London, England: UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation, today announced its return to London on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at The O2, marking the 30^th UFC event to be held in the UK.

Tickets for the much-anticipated event will be available to purchase from 10:00 a.m. GMT on Friday, January 24, via AXS and Ticketmaster. Fight Club members can enjoy early access to tickets at 9:00 a.m. GMT on Wednesday, January 22, while those who registered their interest early, via ufc.com/London, will receive priority access at 10:00 a.m. GMT on Thursday, January 23.

In 2023, The O2 hosted two blockbuster events, including UFC® 286: EDWARDS vs. USMAN 3 and  UFC® FIGHT NIGHT: ASPINALL vs. TYBURA, which featured a standout performance from Tom Aspinall, who delivered an impressive first-round knockout against Marcin Tybura in his last fight before winning the interim UFC heavyweight title.

Other British contenders are also climbing the ranks across UFC. Undefeated Lerone “The Miracle” Murphy has risen to no. 11 in UFC’s featherweight rankings, while Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, fresh off an impressive win over King Green, aims for top-ranked opponents in the highly competitive lightweight division.

VIP Experience packages will also be available soon via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. These exclusive packages offer premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes, and more. For additional information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

With a history of sellout events, fans are advised to register their interest early at ufc.com/London to secure their seats for the event and to follow @UFCEurope on social media for the latest updates.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Tampa, Fla. for the first time since 2019 with a Top 10 welterweight matchup between two rising stars of the division as No. 7 ranked contender Ian Machado Garry battles No. 9 Joaquin Buckley. Also on the card, No. 6 ranked UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern faces No. 8 Amanda Ribas in a rematch of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MACHADO GARRY vs BUCKLEY will take place Saturday, December 14 at Amalie Arena. The prelims will be simulcast on ESPNNEWS and ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The main card will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN2 and ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. The full card will also air on ESPN Desportes.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MACHADO GARRY vs BUCKLEY tickets are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC fighters and more. For more information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MACHADO GARRY vs. BUCKLEY will also serve as UFC’s annual “Fight Like Hell” night, which honors the legacy of Stuart Scott, the late ESPN sportscaster, by raising funds and awareness for the V Foundation’s Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund.  The telecast will include vignettes of UFC athletes who have been impacted personally by cancer, either directly or through family or friends who have suffered from the disease. 

Undefeated Machado Garry (15-0, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Belo Horizonte, Brazil) aims to impress in his first UFC main event. Widely considered one of the top prospects in any division, he holds victories over Michael Page, Geoff Neal and Neil Magny. Machado Garry now intends to retain his perfect record with a statement victory over Buckley.

Buckley (20-6, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) has been on fire since returning to the welterweight division in 2023. Owner of some of the most impressive knockouts in UFC history, Buckley is currently on a five-fight win streak, including victories over Stephen Thompson, Nursulton Ruziboev and Vicente Luque. He now seeks to knock Machado Garry from the ranks of the unbeaten in his first UFC main event.

Grappling ace Dern (14-5, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) has her sights set on breaking into the Top 5 by becoming the first person to submit Ribas. A multiple-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, she has showed off her skills in wins against Loopy Godinez, Angela Hill and Nina Nunes. Dern now plans to even the score with Ribas by delivering another exciting Octagon appearance.

Ribas (12-5, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) looks to end the year with a highlight-reel victory. Currently ranked in both the UFC strawweight and flyweight divisions, Ribas has proven herself as one of the best in the world with victories over Luana Pinheiro, Viviane Araujo and Virna Jandiroba. She now sets out to show that her 2019 win over Dern was no fluke.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• An exciting featherweight bout sees UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson (29-14, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) match up with Billy Quarantillo (18-6, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.)
• No. 12 ranked flyweight contender Tracy Cortez (11-2, fighting out of Scottsdale, Ariz.) puts her spot in the rankings on the line against Miranda Maverick (16-5, fighting out of Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
• Veteran Michael Johnson (23-19, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) looks to add another knockout to his resume when he faces Ottman Azaitar (13-2, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco)
• No. 9 ranked flyweight contender Manel Kape (19-7, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand by way of Porto, Portugal) battles No. 12 Bruno Silva (14-5-2 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Lightweights Joel Alvarez (21-3, fighting out of Asturias, Spain) and Drakkar Klose (15-2-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) lock horns
• Vitor Petrino (11-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) and Dustin Jacoby (19-9-1, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.) face off in a collision of light heavyweight strikers
• Adrian Yanez (17-5, fighting out of La Porte, Texas) returns to action against Daniel Marcos (16-0 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Lima, Peru) in an exciting bantamweight bout
• A bantamweight bout sees Davey Grant (15-7, fighting out of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England) battle Ramon Taveras (10-2, fighting out of Jacksonville, Fla.)
• Josefine Knutsson (8-0, fighting out of Bromma, Varmland, Sweden) aims to keep her undefeated record intact against Piera Rodriguez (9-2, fighting out of Malaga, Spain)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Navajo Stirling (5-0, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) intends to make a statement in his UFC debut against Tuco Tokkos (10-4, fighting out of Lakeworth, Fla.)
• Featherweights Sean Woodson (12-1-1, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) and Fernando Padilla (16-5, fighting out of Chihuahua, Mexico) meet in an all-action bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Amalie Arena

Vinik Sports Group (VSG) is an entity established by Jeff Vinik to manage the three-time Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning (2004, 2020, 2021) of the National Hockey League and hold the leasehold rights to AMALIE Arena, the 19,092-seat downtown Tampa home in which the team plays its games. The venue opened in 1996 and became AMALIE Arena in September 2014 when the family-owned, Tampa Bay-based AMALIE Oil Company partnered with Vinik and the Lightning. Since 2010, Vinik has led a complete brand and business transformation of the Lightning and the arena, featuring a mostly private renovation of the publicly owned facility. Doug Ostroverand Marc Lipschultz joined the expanded ownership group of Vinik Sports Group in 2024, alongside Arctos, which initially joined in 2021. In addition to owning the Lightning and managing AMALIE Arena, Vinik Sports Group, through TBSE, manages the Yuengling Center on the campus at the University of South Florida, while also managing multi-media rights for USF Athletics.

About ESPN+  

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the UFC APEX with an electric welterweight bout between No. 15 ranked contender Neil Magny and rising star Carlos Prates. In addition, international middleweight star Reinier de Riddermakes his UFC debut against veteran Gerald Meerschaert.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MAGNY vs. PRATES takes place Saturday, November 9 in Las Vegas and will be available exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims will be kicking off at 1pm PT /4pm ET, followed by the main card at 4pm PT/7pm ET.

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Magny (29-13, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) looks to deliver another statement win. Competing inside the Octagon for over a decade, the Colorado native has become a staple in the 170-pound division with his victories over former champions Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit, and Johnny Hendricks. Magny now aims his sights on rising contender Prates with the intention of derailing the prospect’s momentum.

Brazil’s Prates (20-6, fighting out of Taubate, São Paulo, Brazil) looks to make the most of his first UFC main event. With 10 straight finishes under his belt, the Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner has made waves in the welterweight division with his show-stealing performances against the likes of Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, and Li Jingliang. The rising star now aims to break into the division’s Top 15 by finishing Magny in unforgettable fashion.

Newly signed UFC middleweight de Ridder (17-2, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) makes his highly anticipated debut this November. An extremely skilled black belt in both judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, de Ridder also wields knockout power and has a near 90% finish rate on his resume. The Netherlands-born fighter hopes to make a statement in his first Octagon appearance by making quick work of Meerschaert.

Meerschaert (37-17, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to continue his winning ways. Currently the UFC recordholder for most submission wins (11) and finishes (12) in middleweight history, Meerschaert has cemented his spot in the division with wins against Edmen Shahbazyan, Bryan Barberena, and Bruno Silva. Seeking his third win of 2024, Meerschaert plans to spoil de Ridder’s moment.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt(14-6, fighting out of Uhrichsville, Ohio) goes toe-to-toe with Miles Johns(15-2, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) in an exciting matchup
• No. 15 ranked UFC strawweight Karolina Kowalkiewicz(16-8, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) faces Dana White’s Contender Series signee Denise Gomes(9-3, fighting out of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• The Ultimate Fighter season 29 bantamweight winner Ricky Turcios(13-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) locks horns with Benardo Sopaj(11-3, fighting out of Fier, Albania)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee and current No. 13 ranked strawweight Luana Pinheiro(11-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on No. 14 Gillian Robertson(14-8, fighting out of Port St. Lucie, Fla. By way of Niagara Falls, Canada)
• Welterweights rematch as Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos(24-8-1, fighting out of Francisco Beltrão, Parana, Brazil)takes on Nicolas Dalby (23-5-1 2 NC, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winners Mansur Abdul-Malik(6-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Dusko Todorovic(12-4, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia) square off
• Welterweights Matthew Semelsberger(11-7, fighting out of Frederick, Md.) and Charles Radtke(9-4, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) go to battle
• An intriguing bantamweight tilt pitsCody Stamann(21-7-1, fighting out Sparta, Mich.) against Da’Mon Blackshear(14-7-1, fighting out Miami, Fla.)
• Melissa Mullins(6-1, fighting out of Coventry, England) welcomes Klaudia Sygu?a (6-1, fighting out of ?ód?, Poland) to the bantamweight division
• Gaston Bolanos(7-4, fighting out of Dublin, Calif. by way of Lima, Peru) locks horns with Dana White’s Contender Series signee Cortavious Romious (9-2, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) at bantamweight
• Tresean Gore(5-2, fighting out of Lawrenceville, Ga.) collides with Antonio Trocoli(12-4 1 NC, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) at middleweight

For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+?? ??

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

Sydney, Australia – UFC is set to return to Sydney this summer with UFC 312 at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday 9 February.

In partnership with the NSW Government through Destination New South Wales, UFC 312 will mark the second Pay-Per-View event as part of a four-year, multi-event agreement.

Making the announcement at Hickson Road Reserve this morning was NSW Premier Chris Minns, Minister for Sport Steve Kamper, UFC Vice President Australia and New Zealand, Peter Kloczko and Alex Volkanovski, No.1 UFC featherweight and former champion.

“Sydney, Australia – the Octagon is coming back this summer,” said Peter Kloczko. “Get ready for another cracking event at Qudos Bank Arena, featuring the best local and international UFC athletes. We value the support from our event partners Destination NSW and hope to deliver another record-breaking result, building off the success of UFC 293 in September 2023.”

“UFC’s return to Sydney is another step in us delivering on this election commitment,” said NSW Premier, Chris Minns. “Last year’s event was a huge success and we expect next year’s event will match that, showcasing Sydney on the global stage as a top destination for sporting events.

“We are continuing to secure a calendar of unmissable events that help local businesses and create jobs, and that’s exactly what these UFC events do.”

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said,“Hosting the UFC Octagon puts Sydney on the world stage, demonstrating that we punch above our weight when it comes to hosting blockbuster events. When the Octagon comes to town, so do thousands of visitors who stay in our hotels, eat in our cafes and restaurants and visit other attractions.

Hosting the UFC alongside our calendar of incredible arts and cultural events like Vivid or SXSW Sydney, shows NSW has a diverse world class offering that will continue driving our visitor economy to new heights.”

Fans intending to travel to Sydney for UFC 312 can secure their place at the event by purchasing a travel package, available now via Sportsnet Holidays.

VIP tickets will be available soon via On Location, Official VIP Experience Provider of the UFC. Enjoy behind-the-scenes access with a VIP Experience package that can feature premium seating, post-fight octagon experience, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Fans can also register for pre-sale ticket and bout information for UFC 312 at ufc.com/Sydney. More information will be made available in the coming weeks.

Last September, the iconic Harbour City hosted UFC 293: ADESANYA vs. STRICKLAND in front of a sellout crowd of 18,168 fans. The event was UFC’s first in Sydney since 2017 and went on to break multiple records, including highest-grossing single event of any indoor arena in Australia and highest number of tickets issued for a single sporting event in Qudos Bank Arena’s history.

UFC 293: ADESANYA vs. STRICKLAND proved to be a powerful tourism draw, as 63% of the event’s ticket purchasers originated from out of state visitors, creating $57.1 million in total economic impact including $21.6 million in direct impact from the major global sporting event. UFC 293 recorded a media value of $1.1 billion, broadcast to 975 million households around the world.

Starting with Australia’s first UFC event in 2010, UFC 110: NOGUEIRA VS. VELASQUEZ, at Qudos Bank Arena (then Acer Arena), Sydney has hosted five total blockbuster events.  During that time, the popularity of UFC in Australia has soared, highlighted by the crowning of two Australian champions in middleweight Robert Whittaker and featherweight Alexander Volkanovski.

There are now more than 700 million UFC fans across the globe, including a combined 283 million followers across UFC’s social media channels. In Australia and New Zealand combined, UFC counts more than 4.3 million fans and 10 million social media followers.

Since 2010, UFC has presented 18 live events in Australia, including sold-out shows at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, Perth Arena, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Gold Coast Convention Centre. These events have had a combined attendance of over 313,000 fans and millions more watching on Pay Per View and broadcast television globally.

In preparation for this highlight on Sydney’s summer calendar, fans who register at ufc.com/Sydney will be able to claim a special UFC Fight Pass offer. With thousands of fights at your fingertips, new users can enjoy 50% off their first month on the platform. 

About UFC

UFC is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 283 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 over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® closes out its 2024 Pay-Per-View schedule with a pair of world title bouts. Newly crowned welterweight champion Belal Muhammad goes for his first successful defense against undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov. Also, UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defends against Japanese sensation Kai Asakura in the co-main event.

UFC^® 310: MUHAMMAD vs. RAKHMONOV takes place Sat., December 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 7:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. The early prelims will kick off at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 310: MUHAMMAD vs. RAKHMONOV tickets will go on sale Fri., October 18 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at AXS.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wed., October 16 at 10 a.m. PT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thurs., October 17 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Muhammad (24-3 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) is coming off a dominant victory over Leon Edwards in July to capture the welterweight championship. Currently riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak, he also holds memorable victories over Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady and Vicente Luque. Muhammad now plans to defend his belt by becoming the first fighter to defeat Rakhmonov.

Rakhmonov (18-0, fighting out of Kokshetau, Kazakhstan) hopes to make the most of his first title opportunity. A dynamic athlete who holds a 100% finishing rate, he has earned thrilling wins against Stephen Thompson, Geoff Neal and Neil Magny. Rakhmonov now plans to achieve his dream of becoming UFC champion by dethroning Muhammad in emphatic fashion.

The always exciting Pantoja (28-5, fighting out of Arraial Do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to secure his third successful title defense. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, he holds impressive victories over Brandon Moreno, Alex Perez and Brandon Royval. Pantoja now has his sights set on spoiling Asakura’s debut and maintaining his spot atop the flyweight ladder.

Asakura (21-4, fighting out of Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan) intends to turn heads by dethroning Pantoja in his first Octagon appearance. A titleholder outside the UFC, Asakura has earned notable wins against Kyoji Horiguchi, Manel Kape and Alatengheili. Asakura now hopes to make history by becoming the first Japanese UFC champion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 14 ranked UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque (22-10-1, fighting out of Brasília, Brazil) battles MMA legend Nick Diaz (26-10 2NC, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.)
• Former interim UFC heavyweight champion and No. 2 ranked contender Ciryl Gane (12-2, fighting out of Paris, France) runs it back with No. 3 Alexander Volkov (38-10, fighting out of Moscow, Russia)
• Undefeated No. 5 ranked featherweight contender Movsar Evloev (18-0, fighting out of Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) locks horns with former UFC bantamweight champion and No. 9 featherweight Aljamain Sterling (24-4, fighting out of Uniondale, N.Y.)
• Undefeated No. 1 ranked strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez (10-0, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) squares off with No. 3 Virna Jandiroba (21-3, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil)
• Perennial fan favorite Clay Guida (38-21, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill. by way of Cape Coral, Fla.) faces Chase Hooper (14-3-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) at lightweight
• Michael Chiesa (19-7, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) takes on Max Griffin (20-10, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) in a welterweight bout
• Former UFC light heavyweight title challengers collide as No. 12 ranked contender Anthony Smith (38-20, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) meets No. 13 Dominick Reyes (13-4, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.)
• An exciting welterweight matchup sees Randy Brown (19-5, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) take on the streaking Bryan Battle (12-2 1NC, fighting out of Matthews, N.C.)
• Cody Durden (17-6-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.) meets Joshua Van (11-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a flyweight bout
• Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series signee Tallison Teixeira (7-0, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) debuts against Lukasz Brzeski (9-5-1 1NC, fighting out of Nowy Targ, Poland) at heavyweight

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball and other sporting events, family shows and special events. T-Mobile Arena also is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens and other interactive content and display areas. Industry-leading architect Populous designed T-Mobile Arena to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for LEED® Gold Certification. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Edmonton – UFC^® returns to Edmonton for the first time since 2019 with a pair of thrilling flyweight contenders’ clashes. Former UFC flyweight champion and No. 2 ranked Brandon Moreno battles No. 3 Amir Albazi in a pivotal bout. Also, No. 3 ranked flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield squares off with No. 5 Rose Namajunas in the first women’s non-title, five-round co-main event in UFC history.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MORENO vs. ALBAZI takes place Saturday, Nov. 2 at Rogers Place with the main card at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. The prelims will be available on Sportsnet and TVA Sports at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. The night’s action will start at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT with early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MORENO vs. ALBAZI tickets will go on sale Friday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. MT and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.ca. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. MT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Sept. 19 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Moreno (21-8-2, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) looks to cap off his year with a statement-making performance. A two-time UFC flyweight champion, he holds spectacular victories over Deiveson Figueiredo, Kai Kara-France and Brandon Royval. Moreno now aims to halt Albazi’s momentum to set himself up for another world title opportunity.

Albazi (17-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Baghdad, Iraq) intends to shine in his second UFC main event. Currently riding a six-fight win streak, he has earned impressive victories against Kai-Kara France, Alessandro Costa and Francisco Figueiredo. Albazi now has his sight set on taking out a former UFC titleholder to stake his claim for a shot at the gold.

Blanchfield (12-2, fighting out of Elmwood Park, N.J.) plans to defend her spot in the rankings by taking out another former UFC champion. Victorious in nine of her last 10 bouts, she holds memorable wins over Taila Santos, Jessica Andrade and Molly McCann. Blanchfield now hopes to move closer to a flyweight championship opportunity with a show-stealing outing in the Great White North.

Namajunas (13-6, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) intends to secure her third consecutive victory at 125 pounds. A former two-time strawweight champion, she has delivered exciting finishes against Zhang Weili, Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson-Gomez. Namajunas now looks to continue her momentum by stopping Blanchfield in emphatic fashion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Heavyweight KO artists collide when No. 11 ranked contender Derrick Lewis (28-12 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas, USA) locks horns with undefeated prospect Jhonata Diniz (8-0, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
• Caio Machado (8-3-1, fighting out of Vancouver, B.C.) makes his light heavyweight debut against Brendson Ribeiro (15-7 1NC, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil)
• Marc-Andre Barriault (16-8 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., USA by way of Gatineau, Que.) collides with Dustin Stoltzfus (15-6, fighting out of Germersheim, Germany) at middleweight
• Mike Malott (10-2-1, fighting out of Burlington, Ont.,) battles Trevin Giles (16-6, fighting out of Houston, Texas, USA) in a welterweight clash
• No. 13 ranked flyweight contender Ariane da Silva (17-9, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) faces rising No. 14 Jasmine Jasudavicius (11-3, fighting out of Niagara, Ont.)
• Aiemann Zahabi (11-2, fighting out of Montreal, Que.) goes for his fifth consecutive win when he takes on dangerous veteran Pedro Munhoz (20-9, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla., USA)
• Charles Jourdain (15-8-1, fighting out of Beloeil, Que.) makes his bantamweight debut against Victor Henry (24-6 1NC, fighting out of Southgate, Calif., USA)
• No. 13 ranked heavyweight contender Alexandr Romanov (17-3, fighting out of Comrat City, Republic of Moldova) meets No. 15 Rodrigo Nascimento (11-2 1NC, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Serhiy Sidey (10-2, fighting out of Burlington, Ont.) takes on Garrett Armfield (10-4, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo., USA)
• Chad Anheliger (13-7, fighting out of Calgary, Alta.) squares off with Cody Gibson (21-10, fighting out of San Luis Obispo, Calif., USA) in an intriguing bantamweight bout
• Jamey-Lyn Horth (6-1, fighting out of Squamish, B.C.) takes on Ivana Petrovic (7-1, fighting out of Tønsberg, Norway) in a flyweight bout

Fight fans wanting to keep up to date with bout and ticketing information for UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MORENO vs. ALBAZI can register their interest at UFC.com/Edmonton.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MORENO vs. ALBAZI marks the first UFC event in Edmonton in over five years. Since debuting in the Great White North with UFC^® 83: SERRA vs. ST-PIERRE 2 in 2008, UFC has held a total of 33 premiere sporting events in Canada that span across 11 cities.

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 283 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 over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Rogers Place

Rogers Place is one of the premiere sports and entertainment venues in North America, located in the heart of Edmonton’s ICE District. With capacity up to 20,000 fans, Rogers Place is the venue of choice in Western Canada for live entertainment, including concerts, festivals, NHL and WHL hockey, and other major sporting events. Celebrity performances include Lady Gaga, Drake, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban, Elton John, Michelle Obama, Cirque du Soleil and nine consecutive sold out shows by Garth Brooks, to name just a few. The International Olympic Committee and International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities have awarded the arena Gold in their Major Venues category for exemplary architecture. Rogers Place is LEED Silver certified and features state-of-the-art broadcast technology, facilities and capabilities, and is fully integrated with the adjoining Ford Hall, Fan Park and ICE District Plaza for multi-site festivals and other major events.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run at UFC APEX with an exciting middleweight matchup between two surging contenders as No. 13 Anthony Hernandezranked takes on No. 14 Michel Pereira. Also on the card, No. 7 ranked flyweight contender Matheus Nicolau aims to defend his spot in the Top 10 against No. 14 Asu Almabayev. 

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: HERNANDEZ vs. PEREIRA takes place Saturday, October 19 in Las Vegas. The entire event will stream on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) beginning with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.? 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon Girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information. 

Dana White’s Contender Series alum Hernandez (12-2 1NC, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) aims to start his run towards the title by clinching the biggest victory of his career. With eight of his 12 wins coming by way of submission, Hernandez has shown off his grappling skills in wins over Roman Kopylov, Marc-Andre Barriault and Rodolfo Vieira. He now has his sights set on snapping Pereira’s win streak and turning his attention towards the top of the division.

Pereira (31-11 2NC, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil) plans to continue his streak of bonus-earning performances in his first UFC main event opportunity. One of the most unpredictable athletes on the roster, he has delighted fans with highlight-reel finishes of Ihor Potieria, Michal Oleksiejczuk and Andre Petroski. Pereira now looks to remain undefeated in the UFC middleweight division and extend his overall winning streak to nine as he attempts to break into the Top 10. 

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Nicolau (19-5-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns to the Octagon for the second time in 2024 hoping to notch his first victory of the year. A perennial top contender, he has established himself as one of the best in the world with wins over Matt Schnell, Tim Elliott and Manel Kape. Nicolau now intends to become the first person to beat Almabayev in the UFC with a vintage performance.

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Rising star Almabayev (20-2, fighting out of Almaty Kazakhstan) is just three fights into his UFC career, but has already established himself as one of the top prospects in the flyweight division. Currently on a 16-fight win streak dating back to 2017, he has earned impressive victories over Ode’ Osbourne, C.J. Vergara and Jose Johnson. Almabayev now seeks to add Nicolau to his resume and springboard himself into the title conversation.

Additional bouts on the card include:? 

• Darren Elkins (28-11, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) aims to continue to add to his memorable resume when he faces Daniel Pineda (28-16, 3NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a featherweight bout sure to deliver action
• No. 10 ranked bantamweight contender Rob Font (20-8, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) takes on No. 11 ranked Kyler Phillips (12-2, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.)
• A bantamweight scrap pits Brady Hiestand (9-2, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) against Jake Hadley(11-3, fighting out of Oldbury, Sandwell, England)
• The Ultimate Fighter seasons 27 and 31 winner Brad Katona (16-3, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) looks to knock Jean Matsumoto (15-0, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) from the ranks of the unbeaten in a bantamweight bout
• Joselyne Edwards (13-6, fighting out of Panama City, Panama) faces Tamires Vidal (7-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at bantamweight
• An exciting flyweight bout sees Charles Johnson (16-6, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) battle Sumudaerji (16-6, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China)
• Veteran Jessica Penne (14-8, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) meets Elise Reed (7-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) in a strawweight contest
• Heavyweight action pits Austen Lane (12-5 1NC, fighting out of Jacksonville, Fla.) against Robelis Despaigne (5-1, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba)
• Rayanne Santos (14-8, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil) and Alice Ardelean (9-6, fighting out of Birmingham, England) vie to secure their first UFC wins in a strawweight matchup

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.? 

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? 

About UFC^® ? 

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

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About ESPN+? 

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About ESPN? 

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.? 

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Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with a pivotal flyweight matchup featuring No. 1 ranked contender Brandon Royval taking on No. 5 Tatsuro Taira. In addition, exciting lighweights Grant Dawsonand Rafa Garcialock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: ROYVAL vs. TAIRA takes place Saturday, October 12 in Las Vegas and will be available on ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims will air exclusively on ESPN+ at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET, followed by the main card airing on ESPN and ESPN+ 4 p.m. PT / 7p.m. ET.

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon Girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Division veteran Royval (16-7, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) steps back into the Octagon determined to be the first fighter to defeat Taira. The former title challenger has secured strong wins against elite competition such as Brandon Moreno, Matheus Nicolau, and Matt Schnell. Royval now looks to secure back-to-back wins and add Taira’s name to his resume.

Japan’s Taira (16-0, fighting out of Okinawa, Japan) looks to remain undefeated and make the most of his second UFC main event. The highly touted rising star has wowed fans with his performances against the likes of Alex Perez, Carlos Hernandez, and Edgar Chairez. Now looking to become undeniable for a shot at the title, Taira sets forth to defeat Royval in emphatic fashion.

Dawson (21-2-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) sets out to make a statement this October. A highly skilled grappler with 13 submission wins to his name, the Florida-based athlete has collected wins against Joe Solecki, Damir Ismagulov, and Mark Madsen. Dawson now aims to spoil Garcia’s night and deliver a shutout performance.

Garcia (16-3, fighting out of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico) returns to action for the first time in 2024. The well-rounded mixed martial artist has made a name for himself in the 155-pound division with his wins over Clay Guida, Jesse Ronson and Natan Levy. Garcia plans to remind the lightweight division just how good he is with a statement win against Dawson.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Fireworks are set for the middlweight division as Abdul Razak Alhassan(12-6, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Accra, Ghana)meets Josh Fremd (11-6, fighting out of Englewood, Colo. by way of Pitssburgh, Penn.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series flyweight signees Clayton Carptener(7-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.)and Lucas Rocha(17-1, fighting out of Coari, Amazonas, Brazil)square off
• Chris Barnett(23-8, fighting out of Athens, Ga.) battles Dana White’s Contender Series alumn Waldo Cortes Acosta(12-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz. By way of Fundacion, Barahona, Dominican Republic) at heavyweight
• Polyana Viana(13-7, fighting out of São Geraldo do Araguaia, Pará, Brazil) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series standout Cory McKenna (8-3, fighting out of Cwmbran, Wales) at strawweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner CJ Vergara(12-5-1, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas) goes toe-to-toe with divison newcomer Ramazan Temirov (17-2, fighting out of Uzbekistan)
• Welterweights Themba Gorimbo(13-4, fighting out of Johannesburg, South Africa) and Niko Price(16-7 2NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Fla.) look to steal the show
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Chidi Njokuani(23-10 1NC, fighting out of Garland, Texas) locks horns with Jared Gooden(23-9, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) at welterweight

For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+?? ??

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Utah with a stacked Pay-Per-View event, headlined by a pair of thrilling championship bouts. UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira goes for his third successful title defense of 2024 when he collides with No. 8 ranked contender Khalil Rountree Jr. in a battle of KO artists. Also, UFC bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington defends against former titleholder and No. 1 ranked contender Julianna Peña in a grudge match dating back to The Ultimate Fighter season 18 more than a decade ago.

UFC^® 307: PEREIRA vs. ROUNTREE JR. is the result of a continued partnership with Utah Sports Commission and Smith Entertainment Group. The event announcement comes on the heels of Utah being awarded the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, solidifying its reputation as The State of Sport.

“We are headed back to Utah for the third year in a row,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “The last two events have been an incredible experience with two of the most iconic knockouts ever. And this main event for the light heavyweight title is between two of the hardest punchers in the division. The fans at the Utah events have been amazing and this is one of the nicest arenas I’ve ever been to. I want to thank the Utah Sports Commission and Smith Entertainment Group for their continued support. Get ready, everybody – UFC 307 is going to be a fun one!”

“This is another great opportunity for Utah: The State of Sport to partner with UFC on one of its premier events,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission. “UFC is at the crossroads of sport and entertainment and has been a key partner in helping Utah become a global sports destination. The Utah Sports Commission has played a role in bringing over 1,100 key sporting events to the state over the last two decades, as well as playing a key role in bringing back the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to Utah.”

“Delta Center is one of the best destinations for premier sporting events in the world,” said Ryan Smith, founder of Smith Entertainment Group, the parent company of the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club. “We’re excited to welcome UFC fans back to Utah to experience the amazing environment inside Delta Center and to continue this partnership with UFC. Not only does it showcase Utah as one of the best destinations for sports, it also creates incredible economic contribution for our community.”

UFC^® 307: PEREIRA vs. ROUNTREE JR. takes place Saturday, Oct. 5 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The night’s action will start at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with early prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 307: PEREIRA vs. ROUNTREE JR.  tickets will go on sale Friday, August 23 at 10 a.m. MT and 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. MT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, August 22 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Pereira (11-2, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims to continue his reign atop the 205-pound division. A decorated kickboxer, he has taken MMA by storm with spectacular finishes over Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Israel Adesanya. Pereira now plans to halt Rountree Jr.’s momentum and retain his belt by securing another jaw-dropping KO.

Rountree Jr. (13-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) intends to shock the world in his first UFC title opportunity. Currently riding a five-fight win streak, he has netted thrilling knockout wins against Anthony Smith, Chris Daukaus and Modestas Bukauskas. Rountree Jr. now intends to dethrone Pereira and achieve his dream of capturing UFC gold.

Pennington (16-9, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) is looking to secure her first successful title defense in dominant fashion. Currently riding a six-fight win streak, she has earned impressive victories over Mayra Bueno Silva, Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson. Pennington now hopes to keep her spot atop the 125-pound ladder by getting the last laugh against Peña.

Peña (12-5, fighting out of Chicago, Ill. by way of Spokane, Wash.) intends to settle the score with Pennington by delivering a vintage performance. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 18, she holds memorable wins against Amanda Nunes, Sara McMann and Nicco Montano. Peña now plans to steal the show and recapture the UFC bantamweight belt.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• A pivotal bantamweight contenders’ bout sees No. 2 ranked Ketlen Vieira (14-3, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) square off with two-time Olympic gold medal judoka and No. 3 Kayla Harrison (17-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.)
• No. 9 ranked welterweight contender Stephen Thompson (17-7-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) faces rising No. 11 Joaquin Buckley (19-6, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.)
• UFC Hall of Fame inductee and No. 9 ranked bantamweight contender Jose Aldo (32-8, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meets No. 12 Mario Bautista (14-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.)
• No. 10 ranked middleweight contender Roman Dolidze (13-3, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia) collides with Kevin Holland (26-11 1NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas)
• Undefeated No. 6 ranked featherweight contender Movsar Evloev (18-0, fighting out of Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) locks horns with former UFC bantamweight champion and No. 8 featherweight Aljamain Sterling (24-4, fighting out of Uniondale, N.Y.)
• No. 6 ranked strawweight contender Marina Rodriguez (17-4-2, fighting out of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) takes on No. 14 Iasmin Lucindo (16-5, fighting out of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil)
• Cesar Almeida (5-1, fighting out of São Paulo, Brazil) faces Ihor Potieria (20-6, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine) in a middleweight bout
• Former two-time UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza (20-7, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) battles Tecia Pennington (13-7, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click here to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 283 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 over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Utah Sports Commission

The Utah Sports Commission was created to be a catalyst for Utah in its sport and Olympic legacy efforts and to help enhance Utah’s economy, image, and quality of life through the attraction, promotion, and development of national and international sports. Since the 2002 Olympics and Paralympics, the Utah Sports Commission has attracted nearly 1100 major events to the state. The Sports Commission works closely with communities, sports entities, and organizations to provide event services ranging from the bid process, on-site logistics, volunteer coordination, sponsorships and promotional opportunities, and other related services. It is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization and 501(c)6 Utah Sports Commission Foundation governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees consisting of statewide sports, business, community, and government leaders. For more information, visit UtahSportsCommission.com or follow @stateofsport on social media.

About Smith Entertainment Group

Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) is a sports, entertainment, real estate, and technology investment group focused primarily on the state of Utah. SEG’s portfolio includes the Utah Jazz (NBA), Utah Hockey Club (NHL), Delta Center, SEG Media, The Shops at South Town, Real Salt Lake (MLS), Utah Royals (NWSL), America First Credit Union Field, Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League), Utah Jazz Gaming (NBA 2K League), Real Monarchs (MLS NEXT Pro), and other Utah-centric business ventures. 

About Delta Center

Located in downtown Salt Lake City, Delta Center is home of both the Utah Jazz NBA franchise and the Utah Hockey Club NHL franchise and serves as the region’s premier sports and entertainment venue. Hosting more than 320 days of sports and entertainment events each year, ranging from NBA and NHL games to concerts by world-renowned musicians and other sporting spectacles, Delta Center welcomes approximately 1.8 million guests annually. With the capability of hosting 18,206 fans at Utah Jazz games, nearly 16,000 fans at Utah Hockey Club games, and 13,898 at concerts, the electrifying atmosphere inside the bowl captivates audiences and creates an unforgettable experience. Since its debut in 1991, Delta Center has hosted the 2023 and 1993 NBA All-Star weekends, 2002 Olympic Winter Games, NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and two NBA Finals. For more information about Delta Center, an entity of Smith Entertainment Group, visit www.deltacenter.com.

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Edmonton – UFC^® returns to Edmonton for the first time since 2019 with a thrilling clash of flyweight contenders that will see No. 3 ranked contender Erin Blanchfield battle former strawweight champion and No. 5 flyweight Rose Namajunas. Also, heavyweight finishers collide when No. 11 ranked contender Derrick Lewis locks horns with No. 13 Alexandr Romanov.

“I love Canada! I’m so excited to return to Edmonton,” UFC CEO Dana White said. “The city has played host to some big events in the past and I can’t wait to deliver an awesome night of fights. The Alberta fans are some of the most passionate in Canada and I know they’re going to blow the roof off Rogers Place.”

“We are thrilled to welcome the Ultimate Fighting Championship back to Rogers Place for UFC Fight Night on November 2,” said Stu Ballantyne, President & Chief Operating Officer, Rogers Place and ICE District. “With millions of UFC fans globally, including many here in Alberta, and the best mixed martial artists in the world, we know it’s going to make for another electrifying night in ICE District.”

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: BLANCHFIELD vs. NAMAJUNAS takes place Saturday, Nov. 2 at Rogers Place. Tickets will go on sale Friday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. MT and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.ca. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. MT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Sept. 19 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Fans can register their interest at UFC.com/Edmonton.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Marc-Andre Barriault (16-8 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., USA by way of Gatineau, Que.) collides with Dustin Stoltzfus (15-6, fighting out of Germersheim, Germany) at middleweight
• No. 13 ranked flyweight contender Ariane da Silva (17-9, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) faces rising No. 14 Jasmine Jasudavicius (11-3, fighting out of Niagara, Ont.)
• Chad Anheliger (13-7, fighting out of Calgary, Alta.) squares off with Cody Gibson (21-10, fighting out of San Luis Obispo, Calif.) in an intriguing bantamweight bout
• Jamey-Lyn Horth (6-1, fighting out of Squamish, B.C.) takes on Ivana Petrovic (7-1, fighting out of Tønsberg, Norway) in a flyweight bout

Stay tuned for future bout announcements.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: BLANCHFIELD vs. NAMAJUNAS marks the first UFC event in Edmonton in over five years. Since debuting in the Great White North with UFC^® 83: SERRA vs. ST-PIERRE 2 in 2008, UFC has held a total of 33 premiere sporting events in Canada that span across 11 cities.

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click here to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 283 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 over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Rogers Place

Rogers Place is one of the premiere sports and entertainment venues in North America, located in the heart of Edmonton’s ICE District. With capacity up to 20,000 fans, Rogers Place is the venue of choice in Western Canada for live entertainment, including concerts, festivals, NHL and WHL hockey, and other major sporting events. Celebrity performances include Lady Gaga, Drake, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban, Elton John, Michelle Obama, Cirque du Soleil and nine consecutive sold out shows by Garth Brooks, to name just a few. The International Olympic Committee and International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities have awarded the arena Gold in their Major Venues category for exemplary architecture. Rogers Place is LEED Silver certified and features state-of-the-art broadcast technology, facilities and capabilities, and is fully integrated with the adjoining Ford Hall, Fan Park and ICE District Plaza for multi-site festivals and other major events.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the UFC APEX with a high stakes middleweight matchup featuring No. 5 ranked contender Jared Cannonier taking on No. 12 Caio Borralho. In addition, highly skilled welterweights No. 12 Neil Magnyand Michael Moraleslock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: CANNONIER vs. BORRALHO takes place Saturday, August 24 in Las Vegas and will be available on ESPN+ (English and Spanish), ESPN, and ESPN Deportes. The prelims will air exclusively on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, followed by the main card airing on ESPN and ESPN+ 7 p.m. PT / 10p.m. ET. 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Fight veteran Cannonier (17-7, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) steps into his seventh main event spot. In his near decade-long UFC career, the former title challenger has secured wins against elite competition such as Sean Strickland, Anderson Silva and Kelvin Gastelum. Cannonier now sets his sights on rising contender Borralho with intentions of derailing the prospect’s hype train.

Brazil’s Borralho (16-1 1NC, fighting out of São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil) looks to make the most of his first UFC main event. Still unbeaten inside the Octagon, the Dana White’s Contender Series signee has quickly risen through the 185-pound rankings by delivering dominant wins against the likes of Paul Craig, Michal Oleksiejczuk, and Abus Magomedov. The Brazilian prospect now aims to break into the division’s Top 10 by finishing Cannonier in emphatic fashion.

Fan favorite Magny (29-12, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) returns to action looking to secure back-to-back wins in the 2024 season. A decorated competitor who currently holds the UFC record for most wins in welterweight history (22), the Brooklyn-born mixed martial artist has most recently added names such as Mike Malott, Phil Rowe, and Daneil Rodriguez to his resume. Magny intends to prove that he still has plenty in the tank by handing Morales his first loss.

Undefeated prospect Morales (16-0, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) takes on the biggest challenge of his young career thus far. The 25-year-old has wowed fans with his performances against Trevin Giles, Max Griffin, and Jake Matthews. He now sets forth to usher in the next generation by delivering a highlight finish against Magny.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• A pivotal matchup is scheduled for the strawweight division as No. 9 ranked contender Angela Hill(17-13, fighting out of San Diego, Calif. by way of Clinton, Maryland)and No. 11 Tabatha Ricci (10-2, fighting out of Ventura, Calif. by way of Birigui, São Paulo, Brazil) go to battle
• A middleweight scrap sees Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Edmen Shahbazyan(13-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)go toe-to-toe with Gerald Meerschaert (36-17, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series lightweight signees Viacheslav Borschev(7-4-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets James Llontop(14-3, fighting out of Lima, Peru)
•  Jacqueline Cavalcanti(6-1, fighting out of Almada, Portugal) clashes with Josiane Nunes (10-2, fighting out of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil) at bantamweight
• Middleweights Zachary Reese(7-1, fighting out of Houston, Texas by way of Shiner, Texas) and Jose Medina (11-3, fighting out of Santa Cruz, Bolivia) go tobattle
• A flyweight tilt pits undefeated Road to UFC alumnaWang Cong (5-0, fighting out of Shanghai, China) against Dana White’s Contender Series signee Victoria Leonardo(9-6, fighting out of Shreveport, Louis.)
• Electric featherweights Danny Silva(9-1, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) and Dennis Buzukja(12-4, fighting out of Staten Island, N.Y.) look to steal the show

For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+?? ??

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

Las Vegas – UFC^® celebrates Mexican Independence Day with a once-in-a-lifetime event at Sphere in Las Vegas, headlined by two blockbuster world championship bouts. UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley collides with surging No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili, plus, UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso runs it back with former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko.

RIYADH SEASON NOCHE UFC^®: O’MALLEY vs. DVALISHVILI PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT^® takes place Saturday, Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The night’s action will start at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT with the first fight on ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (English and Spanish).

Tickets for RIYADH SEASON NOCHE UFC^®: O’MALLEY vs. DVALISHVILI PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT^® will go on sale Wednesday, July 31 at 10 a.m. PT and 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 Monday, July 29 at 10 a.m. PT via the website UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Tuesday, July 30 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Riyadh Season Noche UFC, the first live sports event to take place at Sphere, will utilize the venue’s next-generation technologies. This includes Sphere’s 160,000 sq. ft. and 16K x 16K resolution interior display plane – the world’s highest resolution LED display –  that wraps up, over, and around the audience creating a fully immersive visual environment; the world’s most advanced concert-grade audio system, Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by HOLOPLOT, which delivers audio with unmatched clarity and precision to every guest; and the venue’s haptic seats, so fans can “feel” the experience.

No. 6 men’s pound-for-pound fighter O’Malley (18-1 1NC, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) looks to continue his reign atop the bantamweight division. Among the biggest stars in MMA, he has delivered thrilling KO victories against Aljamain Sterling, Thomas Almeida and Eddie Wineland. O’Malley now plans to stop Dvalishvili’s momentum to secure his second successful title defense.

Dvalishvili (17-4, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia) hopes to achieve his dream of capturing UFC gold by securing his 11^th consecutive win. A relentless competitor, he holds victories over former UFC champions Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan and Jose Aldo. Dvalishvili now aims to dethrone O’Malley and become Georgia’s second UFC champion.

No. 1 women’s pound-for-pound fighter Grasso (16-3-1, fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) plans to defend her flyweight championship in dominant fashion. Currently riding a six-fight unbeaten streak, she also holds memorable wins over Viviane Araujo, Joanne Wood and Maycee Barber. Grasso now intends to steal the show by once again finishing Shevchenko.

Shevchenko (23-4-1, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) is determined to reclaim her spot atop the 125-pound ladder. Among the greatest fighters in UFC history, she has earned spectacular finishes over Julianna Pena, Jessica Andrade and Jessica Eye. Shevchenko now has her sights set on dethroning Grasso with another highlight-reel performance.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 3 ranked featherweight contender Brian Ortega (15-3 1NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) battles rising No. 12 Diego Lopes (24-6, fighting out of Puebla, México by way of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)
• Raul Rosas Jr. (9-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Aoriqileng (25-10 1NC, fighting out of Shanghai, China) in an exciting bantamweight bout
• No. 4 bantamweight contender and former title challenger Irene Aldana (15-7, fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) faces No. 10 Norma Dumont (11-2, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil)
• Manuel Torres (15-2, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) goes for his seventh consecutive win when he meets Ignacio Bahamondes (15-5, fighting out of Chicago, Ill. by way of Santiago, Chile) at lightweight
• Daniel Zellhuber (15-1, fighting out of Mexico City, Mexico) goes for his fourth consecutive win when he locks horns with Esteban Ribovics (13-1, fighting out of Cordoba, Argentina) at lightweight
• Edgar Chairez (11-5 1NC, fighting out of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico) looks to build off his recent victory when he takes on Kevin Borjas (9-3, fighting out of Lima, Peru) at flyweight
• Ronaldo Rodriguez (17-2, fighting out of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico) squares off with Ode’ Osbourne (12-7 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a flyweight bout
• Yazmin Jauregui (11-1, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) meets Ketlen Souza (14-4, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) at strawweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 283 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 over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Sphere

Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment. A venue where the foremost artists, creators, and technologists create extraordinary experiences that take storytelling to a new level and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. The venue hosts original Sphere Experiences from leading Hollywood directors; concerts and residencies from the world’s biggest artists; and premier marquee events. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September 2023, and is a new Las Vegas landmark, powered by cutting-edge technologies that ignite the senses and enable audiences to share experiences at a never-before-seen scale. More information is available at thesphere.com. 

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a heavyweight headliner as No. 8 ranked contender Marcin Tybura and No. 9 ranked Serghei Spivac look to settle the score. Also on the card, Chris Gutierrez and Javid Basharat battle to break into the bantamweight Top 15.   

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: TYBURA vs. SPIVAC 2 takes place Saturday, August 10 in Las Vegas and will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The prelims will begin at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.? 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information. 

Tybura (25-8, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) looks to improve on his 2020 victory over Spivac by securing a highlight-reel finish. The winner of eight of his last 10 bouts, Tybura has established himself as one of the best in the world with wins over Tai Tuivasa, Blagoy Ivanov and Alexander Romanov. He now intends to leave no doubt in the rematch and turn his attention towards the Top 5 of the division.

? 

Always entertaining, Spivac (16-4, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) aims to exact revenge against Tybura in his third UFC main event in a row. He has finished an impressive 14 of his 16 victories, including those over Derrick Lewis, Augusto Sakai and Tai Tuivasa. Spivac now seeks to make a statement in his first Octagon appearance of 2024.

?  

Gutierrez (20-5-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) plans to break back into the UFC bantamweight rankings in emphatic fashion. Owner of some of the best leg kicks in the division, Gutierrez has shown his skills in wins over Frankie Edgar, Alateng Heili and Vince Morales. He now is determined to secure another finish in style against Basharat.

? 

Dana White’s Contender Series signee Basharat (14-1 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) has his sights set on returning to the winner’s circle and building another long win streak. A well-rounded competitor, he holds notable victories over Tony Gravely, Mateus Mendonca and Trevin Jones. Basharat now looks to become the first person to knock out Gutierrez and begin his run up the rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:? 

• Damon Jackson (23-6-1 1NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) and Chepe Mariscal (16-6 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) meet in a featherweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• Allan Nascimento (20-6, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) meets Jafel Filho (16-3, fighting out of Bahia, Brazil) in an intriguing flyweight bout
• No. 8 ranked bantamweight contender Karol Rosa (17-6, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on No. 11 Pannie Kianzad (17-8, fighting out of Helsingborg, Sweden)
• Always exciting Youssef Zalal (14-5-1, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) locks horns with Jarno Errens (14-5-1, fighting out of Limburg, The Netherlands) at featherweight
• Welterweights Uros Medic (10-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Danny Barlow (8-0, fighting out of Memphis, Tenn.) aim to steal the show
• Ranked bantamweights clash as No. 12 Yana Santos (14-8 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Saint Petersburg, Russia) faces No. 14 Chelsea Chandler (6-2, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.)
• Toshiomi Kazama (10-4, fighting out of Kangawa, Japan) aims to secure his first UFC win against Charalampos Grigoriou (8-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.)
• Jonny Parsons (9-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Yusaku Kinoshita (6-3, fighting out of Osaka, Japan) in a welterweight contest
• Heavyweight action sees Jhonata Diniz (7-0, fighting out of Parana, Brazil) match up with Karl Williams (10-1, fighting out of Irmo, S.C.)
• Stephanie Luciano (5-1-1, fighting out of Minas Gerais, Brazil) faces Talita Alencar (5-0-1, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Carutapera, Maranhão, Brazil) in a strawweight tilt

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.? 

? 

###? 

? 

About UFC^®? 

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 266 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 over 900 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+? 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

? 

About ESPN? 

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.? 

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with a critical strawweight bout as No. 3 ranked contender Amanda Lemos and No. 5 ranked Virna Jandiroba go head-to-headwith a title shot in their sights. Also on the card, fan favorite Dooho Choi returns to the Octagon toface Bill Algeo in an exciting featherweight bout.? 

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LEMOS vs. JANDIROBA takes place Saturday, July 20 in Las Vegas. The prelims will air on ESPN+ (English and Spanish), ESPN Deportes and ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT, followed by the main card on ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and ESPN at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.? 

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information. 

No. 12 ranked pound-for-pound women’s fighter Lemos (14-3-1, fighting out of Para, Brazil) looks to keep the momentum going after her Fight of the Night victory over Mackenzie Dern earlier this year. A recent title challenger, Lemos earned her shot at UFC gold following wins over Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson-Gomez. She now hopes to secure a second shot at the champion by taking out Jandiroba.

? 

Jandiroba (20-3, fighting out of Feira De Santano, Bahia, Brazil) aims to make a statement in her first UFC main event. She is currently on the longest win streak of her UFC career, which includes victories over Loopy Godinez, Marina Rodriguez and Angela Hill. Jandiroba now seeks to prove that she can compete with the best in the world and insert herself into the title conversation.  

?  

Fan favorite Choi (14-4-1, fighting out of Busan, South Korea) intends to remind the division of the exciting fighting style that earned him UFC Hall of Fame honors in 2022 for his unforgettable clash with Cub Swanson. A can’t-miss competitor, he has earned post-fight bonuses in five of his last six fights, including highlight-reel knockouts over Sam Sicilia and Thiago Tavares. Choi now intends to deliver a vintage performance in emphatic fashion.  

? 

Algeo (18-8, fighting out of King of Prussia, Penn.) has his sights set on obtaining the biggest win of his UFC career. An exciting fighter in his own right, Algeo has entertained fans with performances over Alexander Hernandez, TJ Brown and Herbert Burns. He now looks to make a case to break into the rankings with an impressive victory over Choi.

Additional bouts on the card include:? 

• Brad Tavares (20-10, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets Junyong Park (Seoul, South Korea) in a middleweight clash
• Featherweights Steve Garcia (15-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and SeungWoo Choi (11-6, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) face off in an exciting battle
• The Ultimate Fighter season 31 winner Kurt Holobaugh (21-8 1NC, fighting out of Amite, La.) takes on Kaynan Kruschewsky (15-2 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) at lightweight
• No. 14 ranked flyweight contender Cody Durden (16-5-1, fighting out of Loganville, Ga.) aims to defend his spot in the rankings against Bruno Silva (13-5-2 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Heavyweights Mohammed Usman (11-3, fighting out of Mansfield, Texas) and Thomas Petersen (8-2, fighting out of Webster, Minn.) look for a highlight-reel finish
• JeongYeong Lee (11-1, fighting out of Daegu, South Korea) and Hyder Amil (9-0, fighting out of San Rafael, Calif.) lock horns in a featherweight tilt
• Brian Kelleher (24-15, fighting out of Selden, N.Y.) faces fellow veteran Cody Gibson (20-10, fighting out of Visalia, Calif.) at bantamweight
• Miranda Maverick (15-5, fighting out of Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Dione Barbosa (7-2, fighting out of Costa Mesa, Calif.) meet in a battle of flyweight prospects
• Lightweights Loik Radzhabov (18-5-1, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) and Trey Ogden (17-6 1NC, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) aim to put on a show-stealing performance
• Luana Carolina (10-4, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Lucie Pudilova (14-9, fighting out of Pribram, Czech Republic) collide in a matchup of flyweight strikers

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event.? 

? 

###? 

? 

About UFC^®? 

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 243 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 over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.? 

? 

About ESPN+? 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

? 

About ESPN? 

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.? 

Las Vegas – The 12^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^™ takes place from Monday, June 24, through Sunday, June 30, with several events taking place throughout Las Vegas, including locations such as T-Mobile Arena, Resorts World Las Vegas, the Fremont Street Experience, and the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

UFC International Fight Week is highlighted by the prestigious UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and UFC X, the fully interactive, two-day fan experience. The week-long celebration is anchored by the action-packed UFC^Ò 303: PEREIRA vs. PROCHAZKA 2, which takes place on Saturday, June 29, at T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for UFC 303 are available via AXS.

On Thursday, June 27, UFC hosts the 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena. Hosted by Jon Anik, the annual ceremony honors contributors and athletes who helped shape UFC and left an indelible mark on the sport of mixed martial arts. Tickets to the induction ceremony are priced at $25 (not including fees), with all proceeds benefiting the UFC Foundation, UFC’s 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to supporting charitable programs and initiatives throughout the state of Nevada and beyond. Tickets are available via AXS. The ceremony will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^Ò.

Immediately following the induction ceremony, fans will be able to attend the official UFC International Fight Week Concert, headlined by American Rock ‘n’ Roll sensation Des Rocs! Des Rocs is a rock ‘n’ roll original, taking elements of the past and forging a fresh destiny for high-energy guitar, bass, and drums! This free event takes place at the Fremont Street Experience 3^rd Street Stage located adjacent to The D Casino & Hotel.

UFC X takes place Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the second floor of the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, one of the premier meeting and conference venues in Las Vegas. Tickets for UFC X start at $25 for one-day access and $45 for two-day access. All children ages 12 and under will receive free entry. Tickets are available via AXS. UFC X is produced by global full-service cultural marketing agency 160over90.

Spanning more than 200,000 square feet, UFC X, the organization’s fully immersive and easily accessible two-day fan experience includes brand and partner activations, live stage programming, autograph sessions, and meet & greets – providing fans with unparalleled access to UFC champions and Hall of Famers, top-ranked contenders, and other UFC personalities.

Athletes confirmed to attend include Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Kayla Harrison, Kevin Holland, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Stipe Miocic, Brandon Moreno, Amanda Nunes, Charles Oliveira, Alexandre Pantoja, and more!

In cooperation with WWE, fans will also be able to get an up close and personal look at WrestleMania history with WWE’s Memorabilia Exhibit, displaying items such as Andre the Giant’s singlet from WrestleMania III, Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Ring Gear from WrestleMania 13, Seth Rollins’ iconic robe from WrestleMania XL and much more!

In addition, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, in partnership with UFC, hosts The Ultimates Invitational amateur tournaments, on the first floor of the South Hall. This invitational will begin Thursday, June 27, and conclude Sunday, June 29, and features the following sports entities:

• International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024, June 27 – 29)
• USA Boxing (Battle Born Showdown 2024; sanctioned by USA Boxing, June 27 – 29)

IBJJF will have free admission, while the USA Boxing event will sell tickets that can be purchased via USAB.

Fans who travel to Las Vegas from around the world for International Fight Week will also be able to enjoy ceremonial weigh-ins, press conferences and other activities of a traditional UFC Fight Week, leading to the schedule’s culminating event, UFC^Ò 303: PEREIRA vs. PROCHAZKA 2.

In addition, Resorts World Las Vegas, the 3,506-room luxury property and “Official Partner of UFC International Fight Week,” hosts three official parties during the week.

On Saturday, June 29 the Official UFC 303 Viewing Party takes place at RedTail and Zouk Nightclub at 3 p.m., followed by the Official UFC 303 After Party at Zouk Nightclub, headlined by Kaskade, beginning at 10 p.m. On Sunday, June 30, the Official UFC Pool Party takes place at AYU Dayclub beginning at 11 a.m.

For more information on all the week’s activities and events, please visit UFCFIGHTWEEK.COM.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Denver, Colorado for the first time since the historic 25^th anniversary event in 2018 with a critical matchup between two hometown flyweights asNo. 4 ranked Maycee Barber battles No. 6 Rose Namajunas. Also on the card, a thrilling lightweight bout sees Denver’s own Drew Dober lock horns with fellow striker Mike Davis.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: BARBER vs NAMAJUNAS will take place Saturday, July 13 at Ball Arena. The entire event will simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes starting with the prelims at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: BARBER vs NAMAJUNAS tickets will go on sale Friday, June 7 at 10 a.m. MT and 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, June 5 at 10 a.m. MT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, June 6 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC fighters and more. For more information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

Barber (14-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) returns to her home state looking to impress in her very first UFC main event. She is currently on a six-fight win streak, the longest of her UFC career, which includes victories over Miranda Maverick, Jessica Eye and Amanda Ribas. Barber now intends on securing a shot at the title by taking out Namajunas. 

Former two-time UFC strawweight champion Namajunas (12-6, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) aims to remain undefeated in 2024 and break into the flyweight Top 5. Among the most popular women to ever compete in MMA, Namajunas has entertained fans with victories over UFC champions Zhang Weili (twice), Joanna Jedrzejcyzk (twice) and Jesscia Andrade. She now plans on being the first person to stop Barber with a statement performance.  

Dober (27-13 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) intends to secure a record-breaking knockout for his first UFC fight in his home city. He is currently tied for the most knockouts in UFC lightweight history with nine, including those over Bobby Green, Ricky Glenn and Terrance McKinney. Dober now has his sights set on adding Davis to his résumé and breaking back into the lightweight Top 15.

Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Davis (11-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) looks to make the most of the biggest opportunity of his career. A former featherweight, Davis is currently on a four-fight win streak at 155 pounds, which includes victories against Natan Levy, Mason Jones and Thomas Gifford. He now seeks to step up to the occasion and prove that he can compete with the very best in the world by taking out Dober.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 10 ranked flyweight contender Viviane Araujo (12-6, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks to defend her spot in the rankings against No. 15 Jasmine Jasudavicius (10-3, fighting out of Niagara, Ontario, Canada)
• Welterweight strikers collide as Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-7, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) meets Muslim Salikhov (19-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia)
• Mike Malott (10-2-1, fighting out of Burlington, Ontario, Canada) seeks to keep his 100 percent finishing rate intact against Gilbert Urbina (7-4, fighting out of Mercedes, Texas) at welterweight
• Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Accra, Ghana) plans to spoil the homecoming of Cody Brundage (10-6, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.) in a middleweight bout
• Julian Erosa (29-12, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Christian Rodriguez (11-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) battle in a featherweight bout sure to deliver fireworks
• An exciting welterweight contest pits Gabriel Bonfim (15-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) against Ange Loosa (10-3 1NC, fighting out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by way of Kinshasa, DR Congo)
• Welterweight contenders Josh Fremd (11-5, fighting out of Englewood, Colo. by way of Pittsburgh, Penn.) and Andre Petroski (10-4, fighting out of Springfield, Penn.) vie to steal the show
• Luana Santos (7-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) faces Mariya Agapova (10-4, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan) in a flyweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 260 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 over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+  

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with an exciting flyweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 5 ranked Alex Perez lock horns with undefeated No. 13 Tatsuro Taira. Also, submission ace Andre Muniz squares off with surging Ikram Aliskerov in an intriguing middleweight bout

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: PEREZ vs. TAIRA takes place Saturday, June 15 in Las Vegas and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card will begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Perez (24-8, fighting out of Lemoore, Calif.) makes a quick turnaround following his spectacular KO win against Matheus Nicolau in April. A former flyweight title challenger, he also holds victories over Jussier Formiga, Jordan Espinosa and Mark De La Rosa. Perez now plans to defend his spot in the rankings by handing Taira his first career loss.

Taira (15-0, fighting out of Okinawa, Japan) intends to turn heads in his first UFC main event opportunity. A talented finisher, he holds stoppage wins against Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Santos Aguilar and C.J. Vergara. Taira now vies to crack the 125-pound division’s Top 5 by adding a UFC title challenger to his resume.

Muniz (24-6, fighting out of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil) hopes to build off his recent victory over Junyong Park in December. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he holds notable wins against Uriah Hall, Eryk Anders and Ronaldo Souza. Muniz now looks to halt Aliskerov’s momentum by netting another show-stealing submission.

Aliskerov (15-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) hopes to remain unbeaten in the UFC by securing another highlight-reel finish. Currently riding a seven-fight win streak, he has delivered memorable knockout victories over Warlley Alves and Phil Hawes. Aliskerov now has his sights set on stopping Muniz to earn a shot at the middleweight Top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include: 

• No. 12 ranked flyweight contender Tagir Ulanbekov (15-2, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) takes on Joshua Van (10-1, fighting out of Houston, Texas)
• Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-11, fighting out of Beijing, China) returns to action against Melquizael Costa (20-7, fighting out of Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil) at featherweight
• Assu Almabayev (19-2, fighting out of Almaty, Kazakhstan) looks to spoil the flyweight debut of Jose Johnson (16-8, fighting out of Copperas Cove, Texas by way of La Romana, Dominican Republic)
• Douglas Silva (29-5 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil) collides with Miles Johns (14-2 1NC, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) in an exciting bantamweight bout
• Jeka Saragih (14-3, fighting out of Simalungun, Indonesia) meets Westin Wilson (16-9, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) in a featherweight tilt
• Jimmy Flick (17-7, fighting out of Tulsa, Okla.) takes on Nate Maness (15-3, fighting out of Morganfield, Ken.) at flyweight
• Timmy Cuamba (8-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces Lucas Almeida (14-3, fighting out of Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil)  at featherweight
• Josh Quinlan (6-2 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets Adam Fugitt (9-4, fighting out of Eugene, Ore.) in a welterweight bout
• Josefine Knutsson (7-0, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) welcomes UFC newcomer Julia Polastri (12-3, fighting out of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a strawweight matchup
• The Ultimate Fighter season 29 finalist Brady Hiestand (8-2, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) battles Garrett Armfield (10-3, fighting out of of Boca Raton, Fla.) at bantamweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Carli Judice (3-1, fighting out of Lafayette, La.) squares off with Gabriella Fernandes (8-3, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) at flyweight

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event. 

### 

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 260 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 over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC. 

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN 

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will be inducted into the 2024 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer. The 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place as part of the 12^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô, on Thursday, June 27, at T-Mobile Arena, and will be streamed live exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Shogun Rua is one of the greatest Brazilian athletes in combat sports history,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “Shogun had an incredible run in PRIDE and UFC, and he was fearless inside the Octagon. His fights against Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson represent some of the most memorable moments in UFC history and helped put Brazilian MMA on the map. It will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer during International Fight Week.”

Rua will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 20^th member of the Pioneer Era Wing. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 42 fights during his 21-year professional MMA career, Rua registered a record of 27-14-1 (23-13-1 – UFC / PRIDE), securing notable wins over UFC Hall of Famers Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Kevin Randleman, and Forrest Griffin, former UFC light heavyweight champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida, and former Strikeforce^® heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.

Rua made his professional MMA debut on November 8, 2022, competing as part of Meca World Vale Tudo 7. Rua would win four of his first five fights in Meca World Vale Tudo and IFC, before entering PRIDE FC with a 4-1 record.

Rua made his PRIDE FC debut as part of PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO 1, which took place on October 5, 2003, in Saitama, Japan. Rua defeated Akira Shoji via KO in the first round and immediately became a fan favorite.

Rua would win his next seven fights in PRIDE, which included winning the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix by defeating Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona via first-round knockouts on the same night as part of PRIDE FC: Final Conflict 2005.

Following his first loss in PRIDE to former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman via injury in the co-main event of PRIDE 31: UNBREAKABLE in February 2006, he would return in September and win his next four fights over six months before joining UFC.   

Rua made his UFC debut against Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of UFC^® 76: KNOCKOUT, which took place on September 22, 2007, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Rua would lose his debut to Griffin inside the Octagon^® via third-round submission and take a year off to recover.

Rua returned in 2009 with two wins over Coleman and Chuck Liddell at UFC 93 and UFC 97, respectively, earning his first title shot against undefeated champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 104.

UFC^® 104: MACHIDA vs. SHOGUN took place on October 24, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Machida entered the Octagon with an undefeated 15-0 record which included wins over five future UFC Hall of Famers.

Rua and Machida matched evenly throughout the bout, with the champion absorbing more punches than in any of his 15 previous fights. The fight would go all five rounds, and Machida would retain the title with a controversial unanimous decision.

Due to the controversy surrounding the decision, Rua was granted an immediate rematch for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 113.

UFC^® 113: MACHIDA vs. SHOGUN 2 took place on May 8, 2010, at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Rua took control of the fight at the opening bell, securing more strikes and kicks during the first round. With 1:38 remaining in the first, Rua landed an overhand right that knocked down the champion. Rua immediately mounted Machida and landed several strikes to win the fight and decisively become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Rua would put his title on the line 10 months later against top-ranked contender Jon Jones in the main event of UFC^® 128: SHOGUN vs. JONES in March 2011. Rua would lose the title via third-round TKO.

Over the next 11 years, Rua would compete inside the Octagon 18 times, facing the top contenders of the light heavyweight division while delivering numerous Fight of the Night performances. His fights against James Te Huna, Antonio Rogerio Nogueria, Tyson Pedro and Dan Henderson earned performance honors, with his UFC 139 war against Henderson entering the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2018.

He retired from competition following his loss to Ihor Potieria during UFC 283, which took place on January 21, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rua enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes:

UFC:

• Most fights in UFC light heavyweight history – 24

• Tied for most knockdowns in UFC light heavyweight history – 14

• Second-most knockouts in UFC light heavyweight history – 8

• Third-most knockouts in Zuffa history (UFC / PRIDE / WEC / SF) – 17

• Fifth-most finishes in Zuffa history (UFC / PRIDE / WEC / SF) – 18

PRIDE:

• Tied for most knockouts by soccer kicks/stomps in PRIDE history – 4

Outside the Octagon, Rua has won several awards during his career, receiving Knockout of the Year honors in 2010 during the Fighters Only World MMA Awards for his bout against Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. In 2005, he received Fight of the Year for his bout against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at PRIDE FC: Critical Countdown 2005.

A native of Curitiba, Brazil, Rua began training in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a member of the famed Chute Boxe Academy. He also trained in wrestling and boxing as a teenager. He currently lives in Curitiba with his wife and children.

To view Rua’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/20541

To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Las Vegas – UFC^® announced today it will return to Louisville, Ky. at the KFC Yum! Center for just the second time in the promotion’s history and the first time in over thirteen years for a stacked fight night event on Saturday, June 8.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^® in Louisville prelims will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. The main card will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN and ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^® in Louisville tickets will go on sale Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. ET and 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, April 24 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, April 25 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

“Thanks to the generous support of Louisville Tourism and the Louisville Sports Commission, we are honored to welcome UFC back to Louisville and to host such a prestigious event at the KFC Yum! Center,” said ASM Global General Manager Eric Granger “Our venue is known for delivering unforgettable live entertainment experiences, and we can’t wait to host an action-packed night of world-class MMA action.”

“We are thrilled to be returning to the great city of Louisville after such a long time,” said UFC Executive Vice President of Event Development Peter Dropick. “We knew it was time to bring another stacked event to the terrific fans in Kentucky and we can’t wait to put on an amazing show in the KFC Yum! Center on June 8.”

 
“We’re very excited to have a UFC Fight Night card back at the KFC Yum! Center on June 8,” said Louisville Sports Commission President & CEO Greg Fante. “Having the highest level of MMA return to Louisville for the first time in more than a decade will be electric. We know there is a strong fanbase in the region and we anticipate they will come out strong to support this event.” 

VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC fighters and more. For more information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

Current bouts on the card include:

• No. 14 ranked light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes (12-4, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) returns to action against Dustin Jacoby (19-8-1, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.)
• A highly-anticipated bout in the bantamweight division sees Raul Rosas Jr. (8-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) battle The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner Ricky Turcios (13-3, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)
• Miguel Baeza (10-3, fighting out of Davie, Fla.) returns to the Octagon to welcome Punahele Soriano (9-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) to the welterweight division
• An exciting lightweight bout pits Thiago Moises (18-7, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil) against Ludovit Klein (21-4-1, fighting out of Nove Zamky, Slovakia)
• Charles Radtke (9-3, fighting out of Naples, Fla.) aims to hand Carlos Prates (18-6, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) his first UFC loss in a welterweight contest
• Middleweights Brunno Ferreira (11-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) and Dustin Stoltzfus (Germersheim, Germany) lock horns
• John Castaneda (21-6, fighting out of Minneapolis, Minn.) meets the undefeated Daniel Marcos (15-0 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Lima, Peru) in a bantamweight scrap
• The only two-time winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Brad Katona (15-3, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) takes on Jesse Butler (12-5, fighting out of West Monroe, La.) at bantamweight
• Undefeated strawweight Eduarda Moura (10-0, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) seeks another finish when she faces Denise Gomes (8-3, fighting out of Niteroi, Brazil)
• Bantamweights make their case to break into the rankings as Cody Stamann (21-6-1, fighting out of Sparta, Mich.) battlesTaylor Lapilus (19-4, fighting out of Paris, France)
• Julian Marquez (9-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Zach Reese (6-1, fighting out of Shiner, Texas) go toe-to-toe in an all-action middleweight bout
• Andrea Lee (13-9, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) and Montana De La Rosa (12-9-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) meet in a classic striker versus grappler matchup
• Rayanne dos Santos (14-7, fighting out of Belém, Pará, Brazil) intends to spoil the UFC debut of Puja Tomar (8-4, fighting out of Muzaffarnagar, India)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About KFC Yum! Center

The KFC Yum! Center is a multi-purpose arena that overlooks the Ohio River in downtown Louisville and attracts approximately 1 million fans to ticketed events annually. It boasts a total of 721,762 square feet while offering an arena bowl exceeding 22,000 seats and eleven bars and lounges all within walking distance of more than 6,000 hotel rooms in downtown Louisville. It is home to the University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball programs and attracts several top grossing concerts and events annually. The KFC Yum! Center is a state-of-the-art facility with advance technology capabilities that is owned by the Louisville Arena Authority and managed by ASM Global. For more information, visit www.kfcyumcenter.com. 

About ESPN+?? ??

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

Las Vegas – UFC International Fight WeekÔ returns to Las Vegas with a blockbuster main event featuring the return of superstar Conor McGregor as he collides with Michael Chandler in a highly anticipated welterweight bout. Also, former UFC light heavyweight champion and No. 3 ranked contender Jamahal Hill makes a quick return to take on rising No. 8 Khalil Rountree Jr. in a pivotal co-main event.

UFC^® 303: MCGREGOR vs. CHANDLER takes place Saturday, June 29 at T-Mobile Arena with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPN, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The night’s action will start at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with early prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 303: MCGREGOR vs. CHANDLER tickets will go on sale Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, April 24 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 25 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC X will also be taking place during UFC International Fight WeekÔ on June 28 and 29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This two-day immersive experience will include autograph sessions, athlete meet and greets, live panels, exclusive activations and more. To purchase tickets and for more information on UFC X, visit UFC.com/IFW.

McGregor (22-6, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) makes his long-awaited return to settle his rivalry against opposing The Ultimate Fighter season 31 coach Chandler. The first fighter in UFC history to hold two division titles simultaneously, McGregor has become a sports icon through his legendary performances against José Aldo, Eddie Alvarez and Donald Cerrone. The Irishman aims to deliver another iconic moment against Chandler, kickstarting another run at UFC gold.

Chandler (23-8, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Nashville, Tenn.) finally gets his shot at the sport’s biggest star. A fan favorite incapable of delivering a dull moment in the Octagon, Chandler has become a must-watch after his highlight-reel finishes against Dan Hooker and former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. He now looks to secure the biggest win of his career by finishing McGregor in unforgettable fashion.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Hill (12-2 1NC, fighting out of Grand Rapids, Mich.) returns to action with a vengeance. The Michigan-native made a name for himself by delivering three straight knockouts against Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker and Thiago Santos on his way to capturing the division’s title from Glover Teixiera. Hill plans on reminding the 205-pound division why he’s one of the best in the world by delivering a statement performance against Rountree Jr.

Rountree Jr. (14-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) embarks on his first outing of the 2024 season. An eight-year Octagon veteran, Rountree Jr. has become an unrelenting force and knockout machine, finishing the likes of Anthony Smith, Chris Daukaus and Paul Craig. The rising contender looks to make it six in a row and inch his way closer to a title opportunity by silencing former division champion Hill.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 3 ranked bantamweight contender Mayra Bueno Silva (10-3-1 1NC, fighting out of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil) takes on No. 7 Macy Chiasson (10-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) in a high-stakes matchup
• A thrilling featherweight bout pits UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson (29-13, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) against Andre Fili (23-11, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Joe Pyfer (12-3, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) squares off with Canada’s own Marc-André Barriault (16-7 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada) at middleweight
• Ranked strawweights No. 14 Michelle Waterson-Gomez (18-12, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and No. 15 Gillian Robertson (13-8, fighting out of Port St. Lucie, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Canada) lock horns
• Road to UFC season two prospect Rei Tsuruya (9-0, fighting out of Chiba, Japan) looks to remain undefeated as he meets Dana White’s Contender Series signee Carlos Hernandez (9-3, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.)at flyweight

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball and other sporting events, family shows and special events. T-Mobile Arena also is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens and other interactive content and display areas. Industry-leading architect Populous designed T-Mobile Arena to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for LEED® Gold Certification. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Manchester, England: UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation, has announced its first European event of 2024, UFC® 304.

Arriving in Manchester on Saturday, July 27, UFC® 304 is the first-ever sporting event announced for Co-op Live, the UK’s largest indoor arena.  The prelims will begin at 11 p.m. BST (6 p.m. ET in the U.S.), followed by the main card airing at 3 a.m. BST (10 p.m. ET in the U.S., the traditional start time for a UFC Pay Per View).

UFC® 304 tickets go on sale from 10:00 a.m. BST on Friday, June 7, via Ticketmaster. UFC Fight Club members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets early on Wednesday, June 5, at 9:00 a.m. BST. Those who registered their interest to the event will gain access to a special pre-sale which starts Thursday, June 6, at 10:00 a.m. BST.

The card marks the first sporting event announced for Co-op Live, the UK’s largest and most sustainable live entertainment arena. With state-of-the-art technology and a carefully curated unique design, the venue promises to bring fans right into the heart of the action.

“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester. And no better time than this summer,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England!”

Co-op Live Executive Director & General Manager, Gary Roden said: “With the north of England home to so many of the world’s leading fighters, we are primed and ready for UFC and its knowledgeable, passionate fanbase. Offering a state-of-the-art platform for globally broadcast events, Co-op Live is extremely proud to welcome entertainment of this scale and caliber as the future home of combat sports in the UK.”

The UK has always been the home to landmark UFC events and has played host to some of the most memorable Octagon® moments in UFC history, including Michael Bisping’s spectacular defeat of the legendary Anderson “The Spider” Silva in February 2016. UK fans also watched as Leon Edwards successfully defended his title in front of a home crowd last year at UFC® 286, cementing his legacy as one of the UK MMA greats.

UK MMA is currently experiencing what is being described as an unheralded golden era, with stars such as  welterweight champion Leon Edwards, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and local favourites, including  Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev, Michael Page, and Arnold Allen, with more rising through the ranks.

VIP Experience packages will be available soon via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more. For additional information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

Fans are advised to register their interest early via ufc.com/Manchester to secure their tickets and to follow @UFCEurope on social media for the latest updates on this event.

ENDS

About UFC®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Co-op Live

Oak View Group (OVG), City Football Group (CFG), Harry Styles, and Co-op are joining forces to create Co-op Live, the biggest and best arena in the UK. Based in Manchester, the project is injecting £365m of private investment into the Northwest. Co-op Live will be one of the world’s premier music and entertainment venues, rivalling New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Forum in LA and The O2 in London. 

World class, planet friendly and at the heart of the local community, Co-op Livewill deliver one of the world’s most pioneering, sustainable, and socially responsible venues, delivering Co-op’s vision of a fairer world into the entertainment industry. The project will create 3,350 constructions jobs and 1,000 roles and apprenticeships on completion of the venue as well as giving over £1m back to national and local good causes.  

Co-op Live will be located on the Etihad Campus, and will host live music, sport, comedy, award shows and family entertainment. Co-op Live’s smart ‘bowl’ design means it is big but intimate with cutting edge visual technology, incredible acoustics and 32 bars, restaurants, lounges, and club spaces. 

Visit cooplive.com, and follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Newark, N.J. with another stellar card, headlined by UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and No. 4 ranked contender Dustin Poirier. Also, an action packed five-round co-main event sees No. 1 middleweight contender Sean Strickland square off with No. 7 ranked Paulo Costa.

UFC^® 302: MAKHACHEV vs. POIRIER takes place Saturday, June 1 at Prudential Center, with the main card available on ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The prelims will be airing on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. The early prelims will be available for viewing exclusively on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

UFC^®returns to Prudential Center after setting the venue’s live sporting event gate record in 2023 with UFC^® 288 headlined by Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo. UFC^® 302: MAKHACHEV vs. POIRIERwill mark the tenth UFC event at the famed arena dating back to 2007.

UFC^® 302: MAKHACHEV vs. POIRIER tickets will go on sale this Friday, April 19 at 10 a.m. ET and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 18 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com/newark.

Makhachev (25-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to defend his UFC lightweight championship after his commanding knockout victory over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. The No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world seeks his fourteenth straight victory and a win over another future hall of famer. The world class grappler also holds wins against Charles Oliveira, Bobby Green and Dan Hooker.

Poirier (30-8 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Lafayette, La.) returns to action seeking championship gold after a thrilling knockout victory against rising contender Benoit Saint Denis. An Octagon veteran, the former Interim UFC lightweight champion holds wins over elite competition such as Conor McGregor (twice), Michael Chandler, and Dan Hooker. Poirier looks to cement his legacy by claiming the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.

Former UFC middleweight champion Strickland (28-6, fighting out of Corona, Calif.) looks to position himself for another title shot with a win in New Jersey. The relentless striker holds victories over Israel Adesanya, Jack Hermansson, Uriah Hall and Brendan Allen. Strickland now intends to get back in the win column with a victory over fan favorite Paulo Costa.

Costa (14-3, fighting out of Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil) returns to action seeking a statement performance. The explosive Brazilian fighter looks to ascend back up the middleweight rankings with a win over the former champion. “The Eraser” has notable wins over Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero and Uriah Hall.

Current bouts also on the card include:

• No. 7 ranked heavyweight contenderJailton Almeida (20-3, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) squares off against Alexander Romanov (17-2, fighting out of Comrat, Moldova) scheduled for three five minute rounds
• Octagon veteran Randy Brown (18-5, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) clashes with Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (24-7, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) in a welterweight bout
• HyunSung Park (9-0, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand) and Dana White’s Contender Series alum Andre Lima (8-0, fighting out of Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil) square off in a battle between undefeated flyweights. 
• Niko Price (15-7, fighting out of Cape Coral, Fla.) battles Alex Morono (24-9, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a welterweight tilt
• Pivotal matchup scheduled for the middleweight division as No. 9 ranked contender Roman Dolidze (12-3, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia)and No. 12 Anthony Hernandez (12-2 1NC, fighting out of Dunnigan, Calif.) go to battle
• Dana White’s Contender Series alum Cesar Almeida (5-0, fighting out of São Paulo, Brazil) collides with Roman Kopylov (12-3, fighting out of Novosibirsk, Russia) in a middleweight bout
• Looking to put to their rivalry to rest, bantamweights Ailin Perez (9-2, fighting out of Buenos Aires, Argentina)and Joselyne Edwards (13-5, fighting out of Panama City, Panama) square off
• Sumudaerji (16-6, fighting out of Aba, Sichuan, China) looks to stop “The Fearless” Joshua Van (10-1, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a flyweight bout 
• An action packed bout is set for the 155-pound division as Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Grant Dawson (20-2-1, fighting out of Coconut, Creek, Fla.) locks horns withJoe Solecki (13-4, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.)
• Well-rounded welterweights Phil Rowe (10-4, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) and Jake Matthews (19-7, fighting out of Epping Victoria, Australia) slated for three five minute rounds
• New Jersey’s own Mickey Gall (7-5, fighting out of Green Brook, N.J.) makes his return to the Octagon to take on Bassil Hafez (8-4-1, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) at welterweight

For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit UFC.com/newark. All bouts are subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event. 

###

About UFC^®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Prudential Center

Prudential Center is the world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 210 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 5 worldwide by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and hosts over 2 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit https://www.prucenter.com/ and follow the arena on Facebook, X and Instagram @PruCenter. Prudential Center is a HBSE property.

About ESPN+?? ??

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.?ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.