LAS VEGAS – UFC^®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced the signing of Bella Mir, University of Iowa freshman and member of the women’s wrestling team, as the brand’s first NIL ambassador. 

“Bella was destined to become a member of the UFC family her entire life, and I’m proud that she’s making history as our first NIL ambassador in one of the best programs at the University of Iowa,” UFC President Dana White said. “She’s a four-time state high school wrestling champion who has won jiu-jitsu tournaments and three professional MMA fights before turning 19. Bella is an incredible role model for young women who are not only looking to get into sports, but also pursue their dreams. She’s on another level, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.” 

Mir, the daughter of two-time UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, joined the women’s Hawkeyes wrestling team after capturing four consecutive Nevada state high school wrestling titles. During her high school career, she ranked sixth nationally in the 144 lbs. division and was a 2021 USA Wrestling Junior Folkstyle National Champion. A decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner, Mir also won the 2022 American National Jiu-Jitsu and 2021 International Jiu-Jitsu Con Championships.

“I’m super grateful and I honestly couldn’t be more thankful to Dana and UFC for giving me this opportunity,” said Mir. “I’m going to make sure I do my best to represent UFC and show the world what I’m all about.”

As a combat sports athlete, she made her professional MMA debut on October 10, 2020, securing a unanimous decision victory while competing as a member of iKon Fighting Federation. She is currently 3-0 and was named the 2022 Female Fighter of the Year by UFC FIGHT PASS^®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

In 2021, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved an interim name, image and likeness (NIL) policy. This policy was updated in 2022 and allows all NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL.

Las Vegas – UFC^® debuts at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, headlined by a high-stakes bantamweight matchup that will see No. 2 ranked contender Petr Yan collide with No. 3 Merab Dvalishvili. Fireworks are guaranteed in the co-main event as No. 8 ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov battles No. 13 Alexandr Romanov.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: YAN vs. DVALISHVILI takes place Saturday, March 11 in Las Vegas with the entire card available exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: YAN vs. DVALISHVILI tickets will go on sale Friday, Jan. 27 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, Jan. 25 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, Jan. 26 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Media members wishing to apply for UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: YAN vs. DVALISHVILI fight week credentials may sign up here.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Yan (16-4, fighting out of Omsk, Russia) sets forth to deliver a statement performance and find his way back to the championship . A Master of Sport in Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, Yan has secured dominant victories over Cory Sandhagen, former UFC featherweight champion José Aldo, and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber. He now looks to rkick off 2023 in style by halting surging contender Dvalishvili.

Dvalishvili (15-4, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia) intends to make the most of his first UFC main event by defeating another former champion. The recordholder for most takedowns landed at 135 pounds (50), Dvalishvili has claimed wins over José Aldo, Marlon Moraes and Cody Stamann. The Georgia native now has his eyes set on adding Yan to his already impressive resume and staking his claim for a title shot.

Knockout artist Volkov (35-10, fighting out of Moscow, Russia)aims on breaking into the top five by delivering another highlight finish. Proven to be a dangerous striker, he has put away formidable opponents such as Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alistair Overeem, and former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum. Volkov looks to add Romanov’s name to his long list of impressive knockouts and find himself in the mix for a title shot.

Rising contender Romanov (16-1, fighting out of Comrat, Moldova)enters the Octagon determined to secure the biggest win of his career in undeniable fashion. A versatile heavyweight, Romanov put the division on notice when he secured notable wins against Chase Sherman, Jared Vanderaa, and Juan Espino. Romanov now plans on starting a big 2023 season by delivering a statement victory over top contender Volkov.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Ricardo Ramos (16-4, fighting out of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil) takes on Taekwondo black belt Austin Lingo (9-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) in a stylistic thriller at featherweight
• Raphael Assunção (28-9, fighting out of Alpharetta, Ga.) clashes with Kyler Phillips (10-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) in an intriguing bantamweight tilt
• Kicking off the main card, Vitor Petrino (7-0, fighting out of Santa Luzia, Minas Gerais, Brazil) puts his perfect record on the line against Anton Turkalj (8-1, fighting out of Göteborg, Sweden) in an exciting light heavyweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series alums Karl Williams (7-1, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) and Lukasz Brzeski (8-2-1, fighting out of Kraków, Poland) meet in a heavyweight clash
• Mario Bautista (10-2, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) looks to extend his winning streak to four when he collides with Guido Cannetti (10-7, fighting out of Buenos Aires, Argentina) at bantamweight
• Victor Henry (22-6, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) goes toe-to-toe with Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus Tony Gravely (23-8, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) in a bantamweight bout
• Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series signee Sedriques Dumas (7-0, fighting out of Pensacola, Fla.) has his sights set on securing his first UFC win against Abu Azaitar (14-3-1, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco) at middleweight
• Bantamweights look to steal the show as Ariane Lipski (14-8, fighting out Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) faces JJ Aldrich (11-5, fighting out of Denver, Colo.)
• A thrilling flyweight contest sees Tyson Nam (21-12-1, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) lock horns with Bruno Silva (22-8, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil)

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 228 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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 The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

Exclusively booked and managed by AEG Presents, The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a premier live entertainment venue featuring the most highly regarded talents in music and comedy. Formerly The Joint, the venue has hosted some of the top names in entertainment across countless genres since its inception, including iconic acts such as Paul McCartney, Bert Kreischer, Blink-182, Drake, Guns N’ Roses, Imagine Dragons, Journey, Karol G, Kenny Chesney, The Killers, Machine Gun Kelly, Nine Inch Nails, Prince, Rex Orange County, Santana, The 1975, and countless others. 

The Theater provides an immersive setting for guests to experience both legendary and groundbreaking artists on a variety of levels, from intimate performances with 1,800 guests to large-scale, full-capacity experiences with 4,600 guests. Setting the bar for the most luxury in-venue concert experience, The Theater offers exclusive VIP offerings, including luxury private suites tended by dedicated VIP hosts, top-shelf spirits, a private expedited entry, in-venue merchandise delivery, custom swag, VIP social lounges and more, guaranteed to give guests an unparalleled live entertainment and VIP experience at every touchpoint. To learn more about the venue’s VIP service or to book, please email TheTheaterVIP@aegpresents.com. For tickets or more information on The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, visit virginhotelslv.com/venue/the-theater.

About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of Curio Collection by Hilton and has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond Award in its first year of operation. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Casino Las Vegas, operated by Mohegan; a five-acre desert pool oasis including Élia Beach Club and a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,600 capacity operated by AEG Presents; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; immersive sports viewing venue Skybox and an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael Morton and David Morton’s ONE Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company TAO Group, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.

About Curio Collection by Hilton

Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of more than 120 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts handpicked for their distinct character. Curio Collection properties offer guests the ability to experience independent hotels, offering authentic, curated experiences through local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Experience Curio Collection by Hilton by booking at curiocollection.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Curio Collection by Hilton at stories.hilton.com/curio, and follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

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 for the third time in 12 months on Saturday, March 18, with a rematch of one of the most exhilarating fights of 2022. The O2 hosts once again as British UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards headlines the card against No. 1 ranked Kamaru Usman in a trilogy bout. In the co-main, No. 3 contender Justin Gaethje faces off against No. 6 ranked Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight battle.

UFC^® 286: EDWARDS vs. USMAN 3 ticketsgo on sale from 10:00 a.m. GMT on Friday, January 27 via AXS and Ticketmaster. Fight Club members can purchase tickets early at 10:00 a.m. GMT on Wednesday, January 25, whilst those who registered their interest early in this event will gain priority access at 10:00 a.m. GMT Thursday 26.

The UK’s second UFC champion, Edwards (20-3, fighting out of Birmingham, England) returns to the Octagon^® looking to defend his title after a stunning knockout of Kamaru Usman last August. A well-rounded fighter known for his technical striking, he comes into this fight aiming to extend his 11-fight unbeaten streak in front of a home crowd as he takes on the last man to defeat him in the UFC.

Usman (20-2, fighting out of Florida, United States by way of Auchi, Nigeria) will be focused on avenging his sole UFC defeat at the hands of his next opponent. A dominant wrestler with knockout power in both hands, Usman was the pound for pound best fighter in the UFC prior to the defeat and was riding a 19-fight winning streak. Recently starring in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, he’ll be looking forward to making his hands do the talking this time.  

Gaethje (23-4, fighting out of Colorado, United States), the No. 3 lightweight, will be hoping to get his name back in title contention with a big win in London. The American is an all-action fighter, securing 19 wins by knockout, including nine first-round finishes. Known as “The Highlight,” he will be looking to steal the show with only one decision needed in his last 14 fights.

Fiziev (12-1, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand by way of Baku, Azerbaijan) is on a six-fight win streak and is coming off a ‘Performance of the Night’ knockout of former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos last September. A Muay Thai fighter with lethal striking, the No. 6 ranked contender is rapidly making a name for himself and has three knockouts in his last four bouts.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No.4 ranked middleweight contender Marvin Vettori (18-6-1, fighting out of Mezzocorona, Italy) takes on No. 8 ranked Roman Dolidze (11-1, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia) in what should be a high-intensity clash. 
• No.15 ranked Welshman Jack Shore (16-1, fighting out of Abergavenny, Wales) faces Finland’s Makwan Amirkhani (17-8, fighting out of Turku, Finland) in a featherweight match up.
• Undefeated Muhammad Mokaev (8-0, fighting out of Manchester, England by way of Dagestan) made his UFC debut in March last year in England’s capital. He returns to the O2 as No. 13 ranked flyweight to take on Brazil’s own Jafel Filho (14-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
• UFC veteran and submission specialist, Gunnar Nelson (18-5-1, fighting out of Reykjavik, Iceland), will face off against heavy handed Daniel Rodriguez (17-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada) in an all-action welterweight fight.
• In an all-British battle, Nathaniel Wood (19-5, fighting out of London, England) meets Lerone Murphy (11-0-1, fighting out of Manchester, England) in a matchup of rising prospects looking to make their mark in the featherweight division. 
• Birmingham’s Jake Hadley (9-1, fighting out of Birmingham, England) will look to maintain his reputation as one of Britain’s most promising contenders in a collision with Malcolm Gordon (14-6, fighting out of Ontario, Canada).
• Scotland’s Joanne Wood (15-8, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland) takes on Luana Carolina (8-3, fighting out Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a fiery contest between Muay Thai specialists.
• UFC debutant Christian Leroy Duncan (7-0, fighting out of Gloucester, England) plans to make his mark on the middleweight division as he faces Dusko Todorovic (12-3, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia).
• Edwards’ teammate Jai Herbert (12-4, Wolverhampton, England) returns to the Octagon to lock horns with Ludovit Klein (19-4, Nitra Region, Slovakia).
• Dana White’s Contender Series alumni Sam Patterson (10-1-1, fighting out of Watford, England) takes on Yanal Ashmoz (6-0, fighting out of New Jersey, USA, by way of Israel) in a lightweight bout.
• Juliana Miller (3-1, fighting out of California, USA) faces Veronica Macedo (6-4-1, fighting out of Poznan, Poland) in a women’s flyweight bout.

This year coincides with the 30^th anniversary of the world’s premier MMA organisation, which continues to innovate and demonstrate its commitment to growth in Europe. Following two sellout events last year, fans are advised to register their interest early via ufc.com/London to secure their tickets and to follow @UFCEurope on social media for the latest updates on this event.

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

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 228 million social media followers. The organisation 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to T-Mobile Arena with one of the biggest fights in UFC history as No. 1 ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones collide in a Super Fight for the vacant undisputed heavyweight title.

UFC^® 285: JONES vs. GANE takes place Saturday, March 4 in Las Vegas with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be seen on ESPN, ESPNNEWS and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 285: JONES vs. GANE tickets will go on sale Friday, Jan. 20 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, Jan. 18 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, Jan. 19 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Jones (26-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) returns to the Octagon for the first time since February 2020 with his sights set on cementing himself as the greatest of all time. Considered by many to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in all of MMA, he holds the UFC records for most title fight wins (14), most light heavyweight wins (20) and the longest light heavyweight win streak (13). Jones now plans to make a statement against Gane and secure a second divisional crown for his legacy.

Former interim UFC heavyweight champion Gane (11-1, fighting out of Paris, France) intends to make the most of his second shot at gold by delivering a career-defining performance. A high-level striker, Gane has entertained fans with impressive knockouts of Tai Tuivasa, Derrick Lewis and former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos. He now aims to add his name to the history books by becoming the first man to finish Jones.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 7 ranked flyweight Viviane Araujo (11-4, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks to defend her spot in the rankings against No. 15 Amanda Ribas (11-3, fighting out of Varginha, Brazil)
• Bo Nickal (3-0, fighting out of Pleasant Gap, Penn.) makes his highly anticipated UFC debut against Jamie Pickett (13-8, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) at middleweight
• A thrilling welterweight contest sees No. 7 ranked Geoff Neal (15-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) battle No. 10 Shavkat Rakhmonov (16-0, fighting out of Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)
• No. 5 ranked middleweight Derek Brunson (23-8, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) aims to halt the momentum of No. 10 Dricus Du Plessis (18-2, fighting out of Pretoria, South Africa)
• Former UFC bantamweight king Cody Garbrandt (12-5, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) returns to action against Julio Arce (18-6, fighting out of Bayside, N.Y.)
• Julian Marquez (9-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) locks horns with Marc-Andre Barriault (14-6, 1 NC, fighting out of Quebec, Canada) in a middleweight bout
• Exciting lightweights Kamuela Kirk (12-5, fighting out of Goodyear, Ariz.) and undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series alum Esteban Ribovics (11-0, fighting out of Cordoba, Argentina) plan to steal the show
• Da’Mon Blackshear (12-4-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) has his sights on securing his first UFC win against undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series alum Farid Basharat (9-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Former strawweight title challenger Jessica Penne (14-7, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) faces Tabatha Ricci (7-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)

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 228 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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 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+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

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 the year off with a thrilling middleweight contenders’ clash that will see No. 12 ranked Nassourdine Imavov battle No. 13 Kelvin Gastelum. Also, No. 13 ranked featherweight contender Dan Ige squares off with streaking Damon Jackson.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: IMAVOV vs. GASTELUM will take place Saturday, January 14 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Rising star Imavov (12-3, fighting out of Paris, France) hopes to make the most of his first UFC main event opportunity. A well-rounded competitor who is currently riding a three-fight win streak, he holds notable victories over Joaquin Buckley, Edmen Shahbazyan and Ian Heinisch. Imavov now goes for the biggest win of his career to prove he is a threat in the middleweight title picture.

Former interim middleweight title challenger Gastelum (17-8 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.) looks to start his 2023 campaign on the right track. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 17, he has delivered spectacular finishes over Michael Bisping, Tim Kennedy and Jake Ellenberger. Gastelum now intends to halt Imavov’s momentum with another vintage win.

Ige (15-6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Haleiwa, Hawaii) aims to begin the year with a vintage performance. A gritty and well-rounded competitor, he has secured impressive wins against Gavin Tucker, Edson Barboza and Danny Henry. Ige now plans to defend his spot in the rankings by turning back another budding contender.

Jackson (22-4-1 1NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) looks to make the most of his first UFC co-main event opportunity. An exciting submissions specialist, he has earned memorable victories over Pat Sabatini, Charles Rosa and Mirsad Bektic. Jackson now has his sights set on stopping Ige to enter the UFC featherweight Top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Exciting middleweights collide when Punahele Soriano (9-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Oahu, Hawaii) takes on Roman Kopylov (9-2, fighting out of Bachatsky, Kemerovo, Russia)
• No. 2 ranked bantamweight contender Ketlen Vieira (13-2, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) looks to stake her claim for a title shot when she takes on former title challenger and current No. 5 Raquel Pennington (14-9, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• No. 11 ranked bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov (15-0, fighting out of Kizilyurt, Russia) battles Raoni Barcelos (17-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Seriescontract winner Claudio Ribeiro (10-2, fighting out of Jundiai, São Paulo, Brazil) faces Abdul Razak Alhassan (11-5, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Accra, Ghana) in an intriguing middleweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Mateusz Rebecki (16-1, fighting out of Szczecin, Poland) locks horns with short-notice replacement Nick Fiore (6-0, fighting out of Windham, N.H.) in a clash of debuting lightweights
• Javid Basharat (13-0, fighting out of London, England by way of Paktia, Afghanistan) takes on Mateus Mendonca (10-0, fighting out of Pindare Mirim, Maranhao, Brazil) in a battle of unbeaten bantamweights
• Allan Nascimento (19-6, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) meets Carlos Hernandez (8-1, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) at flyweight
• Undefeated newcomer Isaac Dulgarian (5-0, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) squares off with Daniel Argueta (8-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Orland Park, Ill.) at featherweight
• Charles Johnson (12-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) takes on returning Jimmy Flick (16-5, fighting out of Tulsa, Okla.) at flyweight
• Priscila Cachoeira (12-4, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces Sijara Eubanks (8-7, fighting out of Brick, N.J. by way of Springfield, Mass.) in a hard-hitting flyweight matchup

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

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.

NEW YORK (January 5, 2023) – Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a historic two-part exclusive partnership with Jake Paul which will accelerate PFL’s mission to innovate and grow the global sport of MMA.

First, Jake Paul begins his MMA journey with PFL by signing as the first fighter in the new Pay-Per-View division he co-created with PFL called “PFL PPV Super Fights.”  Second, Jake Paul, along with his business partner Nakisa Bidarian, will utilize their expertise and platforms to help recruit, market, and promote the new PFL PPV Super Fight Division for the benefit of all top fighters. 

The new PFL PPV Super Fight Division is open for business effective immediately. The league is in the process of signing top PPV fighters, who want to become true economic partners. Fighters in the PFL PPV Super Fight Division will earn 50% of the revenue from PPV events, which is groundbreaking pay in MMA.  

As the first fighter under contract for PFL PPV Super Fights, Paul is partnering with PFL due to its “fighter-first” culture to co-create this new 50-50 revenue partnership model for all PPV fights.  As a long-time advocate for fighter-pay, Paul has also been appointed Head of Fighter Advocacy and will continue to work towards a business model that benefits all top fighters. 

PFL PPV Super Fights are stand-alone events separate from the PFL League Season.  PFL will stage two PPV Super Fights starting in 2023, scaling to more PPV events in following years. 

PFL is entering its next phase of expansion by launching the PFL PPV Super Fight Division and is welcoming Paul and Bidarian as minority equity owners in its parent company.  Paul and Bidarian will deploy their expertise, creativity, network, and platform to help promote fights, produce content, and recruit talent to help build PFL and the grow the awareness of its great fighters.  

“I’ve proven myself in and out of the boxing ring and now I am going to do the same in MMA, and there is no limit to the positive impact I can make on the sport,” said Jake Paul. “I plan to enter the PFL SmartCage and once again show the world that that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. Outside of the cage, equal fighter-pay and advocating for female fighters has been my passion, and I am aligned with PFL to evolve the sport.  I believe in PFL, their mission, and what they have accomplished in a very short period of time. That is why I chose to partner with PFL exclusively, both as a fighter and a businessperson. As Head of Fighter Advocacy, I will consistently promote PFL fighters and I invite all top MMA fighters, both men and women, to join the PFL and get a payday like they’ve never had before.”

“I founded PFL to innovate, professionalize, and grow MMA, and we have done that with our disruptive sport-season format which put “fighters-first” as they control their own destiny,” said PFL Chairman and Founder Donn Davis. “Today, we begin our next phase of growth by disrupting the MMA pay-per-view market, with an unprecedented new model where fighters will be true 50-50 economic partners in PPV revenues.   I’m gratified that Jake and Nakisa chose to join PFL, and I can’t wait to see what Jake does as a fighter, creator, and promoter in MMA with PFL.” 

 “Jake and I have proven our ability to successfully promote and stage major international PPV events.  We look forward to having a similar result with PFL within the sport of MMA.” said Nakisa Bidarian. “Our creativity and expertise, paired with PFL’s great reputation and strong position, will push MMA into a new phase of growth and one with more freedom and economic opportunity for fighters. Through our years of experience, we have developed a unique network of people and a novel approach to promotion and content, which we plan to bring to PFL with full force.” 

“Jake Paul begins his journey to fight in MMA today by signing exclusively with the PFL for our global capabilities, innovative platform, and fighters-first culture,” said PFL CEO Pete Murray. “PFL built a great roster of world-ranked fighters for our PFL League, and PFL is now open for business to partner with the best MMA PPV fighters on the planet to be part of our new PFL PPV Super Fight Division.”

Further information regarding the PFL PPV Super Fight Division and this historic exclusive partnership will be announced in the coming months. 

PFL is the #1 fastest growing company in MMA and the #2 MMA company on worldwide basis.  PFL is the only in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in sports-season “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports.  The PFL fighter roster is global and world-class, with fighters from over 20 countries and 25% independently ranked in the top 25.   PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience.   PFL airs live primetime in the U.S. on ESPN and ESPN+ and via 25 distribution partners is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries worldwide.
 

ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE 

Professional Fighters League (PFL) is the fastest growing and most innovative sports league.  PFL is the #2 MMA company worldwide on all key metrics and the only with the sports-season format where individual fighters compete in Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship.  

The Company has four global live fight franchises:  PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe.  PFL airs primetime in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 international leading media partners, including DAZN, DirectTV, Viaplay, Sky Sports, and MBC.  PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink.  

PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with over 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.

PFLmma.com; Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma)

Las Vegas – UFC^® caps off 2022 with another exciting event at UFC Apex that will be headlined by a pair of thrilling strikers as No. 3 ranked middleweight contender Jared Cannonier collides with No. 7 Sean Strickland. Also on the card, rising lightweight contenders lock horns as No. 9 ranked Arman Tsarukyan faces No. 12 Damir Ismagulov.  

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: CANNONIER vs. STRICKLAND will take place Saturday, December 17 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Former middleweight title challenger Cannonier (15-6, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska) returns to the Octagon aiming to make a statement to the division. A former heavyweight and 205-pound standout, Cannonier found his groove at 185-pounds where he has finished all but one of his wins by knockout, including victories over Anderson Silva, Derek Brunson and Kelvin Gastelum. He now sets out to defend his spot in the rankings and reinsert himself into the championship conversation.

Strickland (25-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) looks to break into the middleweight Top 5 for the first time in his career. A volume striker with relentless pressure, he has entertained fans with wins over Jack Hermansson, Uriah Hall and Brendan Allen. Strickland now intends to make the most of his third UFC main event by becoming the first middleweight to stop Cannonier.

Rising star Tsarukyan (18-3, fighting out of Krasnodar, Russia) seeks to end the year on a high note and begin his run for title contention. A Master of Sports in MMA and freestyle wrestling, Tsarukyan has established himself as one of the top prospects on the UFC roster with victories over Joel Alvarez, Christos Giagos and Davi Ramos. He now plans to hand Ismagulov his first UFC loss in dominant fashion. 

Ismagulov (24-1, fighting out of Udarnyi, Russia) has his sights set on breaking into the Top 10 for the first time if he can score the biggest win of his UFC career. Currently on an impressive 19 fight win streak, he earned his spot in the rankings with victories over Guram Kutateladze, Rafael Alves and Thiago Moises. Ismagulov now aims to secure his first UFC finish and declare himself as the next top contender in the division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 8 ranked flyweight contender Amir Albazi (15-1, fighting out of Baghdad, Iraq) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Alessandro Costa (12-2, fighting out of San Pedro Cholula, Pueblo, Mexico)
• No. 15 ranked featherweight contender Alex Caceres (19-13, 1 NC, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) squares off with the always exciting Julian Erosa (28-10, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)
• No. 9 ranked flyweight contender David Dvorak (20-4, fighting out of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) steps into the Octagon to defend his spot in the rankings against No. 12 Manel Kape (17-6, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand)
• Drew Dober (25-11, 1 NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) meets Bobby Green (29-13-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) in a battle of lightweight veterans
• Cody Brundage (8-2, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.) faces Michal Oleksiejczuk (17-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Lublin Voivodeship, Poland) at middleweight
• Rising strawweight contenders collide as Cheyanne Vlismas (7-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Cory McKenna (7-2, fighting out of Wales, United Kingdom)
• Jake Matthews (18-5, fighting out of Epping, Victoria, Australia) plans to remain undefeated in 2022 as he matches up with Matthew Semelsberger (10-4, fighting out of Ijamsville, Md.) at welterweight
• An exciting middleweight bout sees Julian Marquez (9-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Deron Winn (7-3, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) collide
• Said Nurmagomedov (16-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) and Saidyokub Kakhramonov (10-2, fighting out of Spokane, Wash. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan) face off at bantamweight
• The Ultimate Fighter season 29 middleweight weight Bryan Battle (9-1, fighting out of Matthews, N.C.) returns to 170-pounds seeking another highlight reel KO against Rinat Fakhretdinov(20-2, fighting out of Moskva, Russia)
• Lightweights Rafa Garcia (14-3, fighting out of Imperial, Calif.) and Maheshate (9-1, fighting out of Shanghai, China) look to steal the show
• Sergey Morozov (18-5, fighting out of Aktobe, Kazakhstan) looks to make a statement against Journey Newson (10-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) in a bantamweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

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.

Perth, Australia – The world will be watching when the Octagon® makes its historic return to Australia on Sunday, February 12, with UFC® 284: MAKHACHEV vs. VOLKANOVSKI booked for Perth’s RAC Arena. Australia’s UFC featherweight champion and No. 1 Men’s Pound-for Pound, Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski will take on newly crowned UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev in a five round championship bout.

In partnership with the Western Australian Government, through Tourism Western Australia, this event marks UFC’s return to Perth with a Pay-Per-View event following the success of UFC® 221: ROMERO vs. ROCKHOLD in February 2018 in front of a capacity crowd.

Tickets for UFC® 284: MAKHACHEV vs. VOLKANOVSKI go on sale on Friday, November 18 at 10 a.m. AWST/ 1 p.m. AEDT and are available to purchase at ticketek.com.au . Tickets are limited to six (6) tickets per person. UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, November 16 at 10 a.m. AWST via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, November 17, starting at 10 a.m. AWST.

Tickets limited to four (4) tickets per person. To access this presale, fans may register at UFC.com/Perth.

Aussie legend, Alex Volkanovski (25-1, fighting out of Windang, NSW) will attempt to make history yet again by becoming the first Australian to reach double champ status. Volk is set to take on UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev (23-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) who claimed an impressive submission win over Brazilian Charles Oliveira to gain the undisputed lightweight championship title only last month.

For the co-main event of the afternoon, top UFC featherweights Yair “El Pantera” Rodríguez and Josh Emmett will compete for the interim UFC featherweight title, with the winner taking on UFC featherweight champ, Volkanovski, at a later date. No.2 UFC featherweight, Rodriguez (14-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Chicago, IL) is coming off a victory over Brian Ortega at UFC Long Island this past July. The Mexican-born striker has just one loss in his past five fights. Californian native, Emmett (18-2, fighting out of Sacramento, CA), currently ranked No.5 UFC featherweight, has five straight wins and is coming off a split decision win over Calvin Kattar in June.

In another highlight for the Aussie fans, No.1 UFC middleweight and former champion, Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker (25-6-0, fighting out of Sydney Australia) will take on No.6 ranked middleweight,Paulo “The Eraser” Costa (14-2-0, fighting out of Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil) in the three round middleweight bout. The beloved Bobby Knuckles was originally due to face the Brazilian powerhouse in April 2021, however, Costa withdrew due to illness, leaving Whittaker to finally face Californian, Kelvin Gastelum. Whittaker has been on an absolute tear since his loss to Adesanya, keeping him at that No.1 spot and no doubt ready to put on another showstopper for the fans.

Also joining two of Australia’s best on the stacked summer card will be:

• Making his return to the Octagon, UFC heavyweight Justin Tafa (5-3, fighting out of Brisbane, Australia) will face American, Parker Porter (13-7, fighting out of Hartford, Connecticut)
• UFC light heavyweight and Western Sydney fan favourite, Tyson Pedro (9-3, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) will take on debutant Zhang Mingyang (16-6, fighting out of Qingdao, China) coming off UFC’s Road to UFC 
• UFC light heavyweight, Jimmy Crute (12-3, fighting out of Melbourne, Australia) making his return to the Octagon post injury to go for the win against Alonzo Menifield (13-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Sydney’s Josh Culibao (10-1-1, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) will take on Melsik Baghdasaryan (7-1, fighting out of Glendale, California) in a three round featherweight bout
• Also joining his fellow Aussies and making his UFC debut, Gold Coast’s Shannon Ross (13-6, fighting out of Gold Coast, Australia) will take on Kleydson Rodrigues. (7-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Ross fought through a ruptured appendix to win a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series earlier this year
• Melbourne boy Jack Jenkins (10-2, fighting out of Melbourne, Australia) will make his UFC debut after winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series earlier this year. Jenkins will face Don Shainis (12-4, fighting out of Stoughton, Massachusetts) at featherweight 

The current performance schedule for Sunday, February 12, has UFC 284 kicking off at 7:15 a.m. AWST with the UFC Fight Pass Prelims. The action will continue with the Prelims at 9:00 a.m. and the Main Card at 11:00 a.m. Please note, this is subject to change.

Fans tuning in at home will be able to keep up with all the action live from the Early Prelims on UFC Fight Pass to the Prelims on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN. From 11 a.m. AWST, UFC 284 will be available live on PPV via UFC Fight Pass, Main Event, Kayo and Fetch for Australian viewers and Sky Sport and Spark in New Zealand.

Additional bouts UFC® 284: MAKHACHEV vs. VOLKANOVSKI will be announced in the coming weeks.

While in Perth, UFC featherweight champion, Alex Volkanovski and No.1 UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker will be at Yagan Square Amphitheatre from 5 p.m. tonight, Wednesday November 16, for a Fan Q&A Session. This event is free and open to the public.

UFC’s last show on Aussie shores, UFC® 243: WHITTAKER vs. ADESANYA broke the world MMA attendance record with a packed stadium of 57,127 fans at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium in October 2019.

Since 2010, UFC has presented 15 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. Collectively, these events have seen over 265,000 fans in attendance and millions worldwide watching on PPV and broadcast television. The six host cities to date – Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth – have produced a cumulative gross gate of more than $45 million and hundreds of millions more in economic impact.

All bouts are live and subject to change.

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

Media accreditation is now open for UFC 284, please click here to apply for the event.

About UFC®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 211 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with an adrenaline-filled bout that will see No. 7 ranked heavyweight Derrick Lewis and No. 12 Serghei Spivac collide in a thrilling main event. Exciting light heavyweights Kennedy Nzechukwu and Ion Cutelaba lock horns in the co-main event.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LEWIS vs. SPIVAC will take place Saturday, November 19 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT and the prelims at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.

Fan favorite Lewis (26-10 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) returns to the Octagon looking to add to his record as the UFC’s all-time knockout king. The Texas contender’s heavy hands have earned him highlight reel finishes over Chris Daukaus, Curtis Blaydes, and Aleksei Oleinik. Lewis now sets out to stop Spivac in impressive fashion and find his way back to title contention.

Spivac (15-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) looks to crack the heavyweight Top 5 for the first time in his career. A well-rounded finisher, the “Polar Bear” holds victories over Tai Tuivasa, Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai. Spivac aims to make the most of his first UFC main event spot by delivering a statement win against a household name in Lewis. 

Dana White’s Contender Series signee Nzechukwu (10-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) plans to steps up to the challenge of his first UFC co-main event. The powerful 205-pounder has delivered knockout finishes in each of his last three wins, against Karl Roberson, Danilo Marques, and Carlos Ulberg. The Nigeria native is determined to stop Cutelaba in emphatic fashion and secure the biggest win of his career.

Cutelaba (16-8-1 1NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) looks to recapture his momentum by breaking into the light heavyweight rankings. The Moldovan’s exciting fight style has led him to wins against Devin Clark, Khalil Rountree Jr., and Gadzhimurad Antigulov. Cutelaba intends to bring a firefight to Nzechukwu and deliver a show-stealing finish.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Exciting middleweights Cody Brundage(8-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) and Rodolfo Vieira(8-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) collide
• In the heavyweight division Chase Sherman (16-10, fighting out of D’Iberville, Miss.) takes on undefeated Waldo Cortes-Acosta (8-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz. by way of Fundación, Barahona, Dominican Republic)
• Andre Fiahlo(16-5, fighting out of Cascais, Portugal) meets Muslim Salikhov(18-3, fighting out of Buynaksk, Russia)in an intriguing welterweight matchup
• Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus Jack Della Maddalena(12-2, fighting out of Perth Australia) squares off with Danny Roberts(18-6, fighting out of Liverpool, England)
• At flyweight, Charles Johnson(11-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) looks to secure his first UFC win against Zhalgas Zhumagulov(14-7, fighting out of Aktobe, Kazakhstan)
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jennifer Maia(19-9-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) aims to halt the streaking Maryna Moroz(11-3, fighting out of Volnogorsk, Ukraine) at flyweight
• An exciting matchup in the bantamweight division pits Vince Morales(11-6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) against Miles Johns(12-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• At bantamweight, The Ultimate Fighter Season 30 winner Ricky Turcios(12-3, fighting out of Houston, Tex.) takes on Kevin Natividad(9-3, fighting out Tempe, Ari.)
• Vanessa Demopoulos(8-4, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) clashes with Maria Oliveira(13-5, fighting out of São João de Meriti, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a strawweight bout
• Bantamweight prospect Brady Heistand(6-2, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.) looks to bounce back in the win column with a win against Fernie Garcia(10-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Kicking off the event at flyweight, Natalia Silva(13-5-1, fighting out of Ipatinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil) welcomes undefeated newcomer Tereza Bleda(6-0, fighting out of Prague, Czech Republic)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+ 

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).  

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^® continues its run of events at UFC APEX with an intriguing strawweight bout that will see No. 3 ranked contender Marina Rodriguez battle No. 7 Amanda Lemos. The co-main event will feature Top 15 welterweights, as No. 13 ranked contender Neil Magny locks horns with No. 14 Daniel Rodriguez.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: RODRIGUEZ vs. LEMOS will take place Saturday, November 5 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Surging Marina Rodriguez (16-1-2, fighting out of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) aims to stake her claim for a title shot with another impressive performance. Currently riding a five-fight unbeaten streak, she holds wins over Yan Xiaonan, Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas. Rodriguez now looks to stop Lemos and defend her spot on the strawweight ladder.

Exciting finisher Lemos (12-2-1, fighting out of Pará, Brazil) plans to shine in her second UFC main event opportunity. Victorious in six of her last seven outings, she has secured memorable wins against Michelle Waterson, Angela Hill and Montserrat Conejo. Lemos now intends to crack the strawweight Top 5 by stopping Marina Rodriguez in emphatic fashion.

Perennial contender Magny (26-10, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) has his sights set on breaking the UFC record for most welterweight victories. Currently tied with all-time great Georges St-Pierre at 19, he holds notable wins over former champions Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit and Johny Hendricks. Magny now hopes to halt Rodriguez’s momentum and prove he is still among the best at 170 pounds.

Rising star Daniel Rodriguez (17-2, fighting out of Alhambra, Calif.) plans to continue his momentum by securing the biggest win of his career. Currently on a four-fight win streak, he has netted impressive victories against Li Jingliang, Kevin Lee and Mike Perry. Rodriguez now aims to finish Magny to continue his ascent up the welterweight rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Gritty heavyweights collide when Chase Sherman (16-10, fighting out of D’Iberville, Miss.) takes on Josh Parisian (15-5, fighting out of Escanaba, Mich.)
• Tagir Ulanbekov (14-2, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) squares off with Nate Maness (14-2, fighting out of Morganfield, Ken.) at flyweight
• Grant Dawson (18-1-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) aims to hand Mark O. Madsen (12-0, fighting out of Maribo, Denmark by way of Nykøbing Falster, Denmark) his first professional loss in an exciting lightweight tilt
• Jailton Almeida (17-2, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) squares off with Maxim Grishin (32-9-2, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) in a 220-pound catchweight bout
• Darrick Minner (26-13, fighting out of Nebraska City, Neb.) meets Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (38-10, fighting out of Beijing, China) at featherweight
• Miranda Maverick (12-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Buffalo, Mo.) faces Shanna Young (9-5, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) in a flyweight contest
• Mario Bautista (10-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) goes for his third consecutive win when he meets Benito Lopez (10-1, fighting out of Oroville, Calif.) in an exciting bantamweight bout
• Polyana Viana (12-5, fighting out of São Geraldo do Araguaia, Pará, Brazil) takes on Jinh Yu Frey (11-7, fighting out of Arlington, Texas) at strawweight
• The Ultimate Fighter season 29 alum Liudvik Sholinian (9-3-1, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine) locks horns with Johnny Munoz (11-2, fighting out of Norco, Calif.) in a bantamweight tilt
• Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Carlos Candelario (8-2, fighting out of Springfield, Mass.) faces Jake Hadley (8-1, fighting out of Oldbury, Sandwell, England) at flyweight
• Tamires Vidal (6-1, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) debuts against Ramona Pascual (6-4, fighting out of Hong Kong) in a bantamweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

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^® closes out its final Pay-Per-View of 2022 with a rematch of one of the best fights of all-time as UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka defends his newly won crown against former title-holder and No. 1 ranked contender Glover Teixeira. Also on the card, more top-ranked light heavyweight action sees former champion and No. 2 contender Jan Blachowicz attempt to stop the momentum of No. 3 Magomed Ankalaev.

UFC^® 282: PROCHAZKA vs. TEIXEIRA 2 takes place Saturday, Dec. 10 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 seen on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 282: PROCHAZKA vs. TEIXEIRA 2 tickets will go on sale Friday, Oct. 28 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, Oct. 26 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, Oct. 27 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

The Czech Republic’s first UFC champion, Prochazka (29-3-1, fighting out of Brno, Czech Republic) intends to make his reign on top of the light heavyweight division a long and historic one. An exciting finisher who has more UFC post-fight bonuses than he does fights, Prochazka quickly rose through the rankings with statement wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes. He now looks to leave no doubt in his rematch with Teixeira by delivering another vintage performance.

Teixeira (33-8, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Minas Gerais, Brazil) aims to recapture his lost title and add a new chapter to his storied UFC career. An MMA legend who has been competing for over 20 years, he has earned notable wins over former champions Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans. Teixeira now plans to leave it all in the Octagon and end the year with his hand raised.

Former champion Blachowicz (29-9, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) plans to defend his spot in the rankings and stake his claim as the next contender for the belt. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with knockout power, he has shown off his well-rounded skills in victories over Dominick Reyes, Corey Anderson and Luke Rockhold. He now seeks to snap Ankalaev’s win streak by becoming the first person to knock him out.

Ankalaev (18-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) has cemented himself as one of the most feared athletes in the light heavyweight division. A Master of Sport in Combat Sambo, Ankalaev is currently on the second-longest win streak in the division’s history, which stands at nine victories and includes defeats of Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Volkan Oezdemir. He now looks to make it 10 in a row and secure his first shot at UFC gold.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Breakout star Paddy Pimblett (19-3, fighting out of Liverpool, England) intends to keep his momentum going against gritty veteran Jared Gordon (19-5, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.)
• Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler (29-16, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-6, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) meet in a Fight of the Night contender
• Former light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson (18-8, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) battles Ovince Saint Preux (26-16, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.)
• Fan favorite and No. 9 ranked middleweight Darren Till (18-4, fighting out of Liverpool, England) takes on No. 13 ranked Dricus du Plessis (17-2, fighting out of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa)
• Edmen Shahbazyan (11-3, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) locks horns with Dalcha Lungiambula (11-5, fighting out of Cape Town, South Africa) in a middleweight contest
• Heavyweight action sees No. 9 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-4, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) lock horns with No. 11 ranked Chris Daukaus (Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Billy Quarantillo (16-4, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.) plans to spoil the featherweight debut of Alexander Hernandez (13-5, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas)
• TJ Brown (16-9, fighting out of Little Rock, Ark.) and Dana White’s Contender Series signee Erik Silva (9-1, fighting out of Alajuela, Costa Rica) collide in a featherweight tilt
• No. 14 ranked middleweight Chris Curtis (29-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets the always exciting Joaquin Buckley (15-5, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.)
• Ronnie Lawrence (8-2, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) returns to action against undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series signee Cameron Saaiman (6-0, fighting out of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Vinicius Salvador (14-4, fighting out of Minas Gerais, Brazil) intends to steal the show in his UFC debut against Daniel Silva (11-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, 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 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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 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+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

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 featherweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 5 ranked Calvin Kattar and No. 6 Arnold Allen collide in what promises to be an explosive main event. In the co-main event, hard-hitting Tim Means and Max Griffin square off in a pivotal bout at 170 pounds.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: KATTAR vs. ALLEN will take place Saturday, October 29 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Fan-favorite Kattar (23-6, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.) sets out to defend his spot in the featherweight rankings. The Boston native’s slick boxing and grit has earned him strong wins over Giga Chikadze, Dan Ige, and Jeremy Stephens. Kattar now sets out to halt Allen’s momentum and put himself back on the road to title contention.

Allen (18-1, fighting out of Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk, England) looks to crack the featherweight Top 5 for the first time in his career. Undefeated inside the Octagon, the Englishman holds wins over Dan Hooker, Sodiq Yusuff, and Nik Lentz. Allen now aims to capitalize on his first UFC main event spot by delivering a statement win against another notable name at 145 pounds.

Octagon veteran Means (32-13-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) returns to deliver another action-packed bout. Always game to scrap with the toughest at 170 pounds, Means holds wins over Mike Perry, Thiago Alves, and Dhiego Lima, and is determined to stop Griffin in impressive fashion and add another big win to his resume.

Griffin (18-9, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) looks to restart his win streak and crack the welterweight rankings. The West Coast native’s durable fighting style has led him to wins against Carlos Condit, Mike Perry, and Song Kenan. Griffin intends to bring a firefight to the veteran Means and deliver a show-stealing finish.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Dana White’s Contender Series signees Waldo Cortes-Acosta (7-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona by way of Fundacion, Barahona, Dominican Republic) and Jared Vanderaa (12-9, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.) meet in a hard-hitting heavyweight bout
• Josh Fremd (9-3, fighting out of Pittsburgh, Penn.) squares off  Tresean Gore (4-2, fighting out of Lawrenceville, Ga.) at middleweight
• No. 13 light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby (18-5-1, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) and Khalil Rountree Jr. (10-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) collide in a thrilling matchup of elite strikers
• Middleweights face off as Phil Hawes (12-3, fighting out of Little Ferry, N.J.) meets Roman Dolidze (10-1, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia)
• Heavyweight legend Andrei Arlovski (34-20, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Flo.) battles Marcos Rogerio de Lima (19-8, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Joseph Holmes (8-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) faces Junyong Park (13-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signeeChase Hooper (11-2-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) meets Steve Garcia (12-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) at featherweight
• An exciting flyweight bout pits Kleydson Rodrigues (7-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) against Cody Durden (13-4-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
• Christian Rodriguez (7-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Garrett Armfield (8-3, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Flo.) clash at bantamweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

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 Orlando, Fla. for the first time in over four years with an intriguing welterweight tilt that will see No. 7 ranked contender Stephen Thompson battle Kevin Holland. Heavyweight KO artists collide in the co-main event when No. 4 ranked contender Tai Tuivasa meets No. 5 Sergei Pavlovich.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: THOMPSON vs. HOLLAND will take place Saturday, December 3 at Amway Center. The entire card will be available on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT and the prelims at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: THOMPSON vs. HOLLAND tickets will go on sale Friday, October 14 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, October 12 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, October 13 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Media members wishing to apply for UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: THOMPSON vs. HOLLAND fight week credentials may sign up here.

Former title challenger Thompson (16-6-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) returns to action for the first time in a year, looking to deliver a vintage performance. Throughout his UFC run, he has earned memorable KO wins over former UFC champions Johny Hendricks and Robert Whittaker, as well as Jake Ellenberger. Thompson now has his sights on defending his spot in the rankings by stopping Holland in emphatic fashion.

Holland (23-8 1NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) aims to cap off his 2022 campaign by cracking into the welterweight Top 10. An exciting striker, he holds notable finishes against Tim Means, Jacare Souza and Joaquin Buckley. Holland now hopes to steal the show and secure the biggest win of his UFC career.

Fan favorite Tuivasa (15-4, fighting out of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia) intends to close out the year with a bang. A heavy-handed striker, he has netted spectacular KO victories over Derrick Lewis, Augusto Sakai and Greg Hardy. Tuivasa now hopes to turn heads and stop Pavlovich’s momentum with a highlight-reel finish.

Rising contender Pavlovich (16-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) plans to continue his hot streak by taking out Tuivasa. Currently on a four-fight KO run, he holds impressive victories against Derrick Lewis, Shamil Abdurakhimov and Maurice Greene. Pavlovich now looks to take another step towards title contention by adding Tuivasa to his resume.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 7 ranked contender Matheus Nicolau (18-3-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on No. 8 Matt Schnell (16-6 1NC, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) in a pivotal flyweight bout
• Middleweight contenders collide when No. 5 ranked Derek Brunson (23-8, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) faces No. 8 Jack Hermansson (23-7, fighting out of Oslo, Norway by way of Uddevalla, Sweden)
• Eryk Anders (14-7 1NC, fighting out of Scottsdale, Ariz. by way of Birmingham, Ala.) meets Kyle Daukaus (11-3 1NC, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) in a clash of exciting middleweights
• Michael Johnson (21-18, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) squares off with Marc Diakiese (16-5, fighting out of Doncaster, England by way of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in an all-action lightweight bout
• No. 13 ranked flyweight contender Tracy Cortez (10-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) battles Amanda Ribas (11-3, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil)
• Natan Levy (7-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Herzliya, Israel) faces Genaro Valdez (10-1, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) at lightweight
• No. 12 ranked strawweight contender Angela Hill (14-12, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) takes on rising No. 13 Emily Ducote (12-6, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.)
• UFC Hall of Famer Clay Guida (37-19, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) locks horns with Scott Holtzman (14-5, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) at lightweight
• Gritty veteran Darren Elkins (28-10, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) faces Jonathan Pearce (13-4, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz. by way of Johnson City, Tenn.) in an exciting featherweight tilt
• Marcelo Rojo (16-9, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico by way of Rio Cuarto, Cordoba, Argentina) meets undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series signee Francis Marshall (6-0, fighting out of Jersey City, N.J.) at featherweight

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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 Amway Center

Amway Center, owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida community, hosts major national events, concerts and family shows since its opening in fall 2010. The Orlando Magic served as the developer and the facility was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando. The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one facade. A 180-foot tall tower serves as a beacon amid the downtown skyline. The 875,000 square foot, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology, including 1,100 digital monitors, the tallest high-definition video board in an NBA venue and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building. Amway Center was honored with the International Association of Venue Managers’ 2017 Venue Excellence Award, which is bestowed upon facilities that excel in the management and operation of public assembly venues. Amway Center was the only arena to garner this distinction. Additionally, the arena has earned numerous awards, which most notably includes TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ 2013 Customer Experience Award and was named SportsBusiness Journal’s 2012 Sports Facility of the Year. For more information about the Amway Center, visit AmwayCenter.com.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

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 an intriguing women’s flyweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 5 ranked Alexa Grasso and No. 6 Viviane Araujo look to make a statement in their first UFC main event. Also on the card, all-action bantamweights meet as Cub Swanson faces Jonathan Martinez.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: GRASSO vs. ARAUJO will take place Saturday, October 15 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Highly touted contender Grasso (14-3, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico) intends to rise to the occasion and deliver her most emphatic performance yet. Grasso is currently on the longest win streak of her UFC career, earning victories over Joanne Wood, Maycee Barber and Ji Yeon Kim. She now plans to become the first person to finish Araujo in the UFC and cement herself as a title threat.

Araujo (11-3, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks to crack into the flyweight Top 5 for the first time in her career. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with dangerous hands, she has secured notable wins over Andrea Lee, Roxanne Modafferi and Alexis Davis. Araujo now aims to make the most of her first UFC main event opportunity with another dominant showing.

Fan favorite Swanson (28-12, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.), who was recently inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing for his epic win over Dooho Choi, strives to a make a successful bantamweight debut in his first 2022 appearance. Currently tied for the most total fight night bonuses in UFC featherweight history with nine, Swanson has delighted fans with victories over Darren Elkins, Kron Gracie and Artem Lobov. He now hopes to vanquish another rising prospect and prove he can still compete with the best in the world. 

Martinez (16-4, fighting out of Plainview, Texas) seeks to extend the longest win streak of his UFC career and make a run at the bantamweight rankings. At 28 years old, he is in his athletic prime and has found his groove with recent wins over Vince Morales, Alejandro Perez and Zviad Lazishvili. Martinez now intends to add Swanson’s legendary name to his resume with a signature finish.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 4 ranked UFC flyweight contender Askar Askarov (14-1-1, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) looks to defend his spot in the rankings against No. 5 Brandon Royval (14-6, fighting out of Lakewood, Colo.)
• Exciting middleweights Jordan Wright (12-3 1NC, fighting out of Lake Sherwood, Calif.) and Dusko Todorovic (11-3, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia) lock horns
• No. 13 ranked welterweight Neil Magny (26-10, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) aims to defend his spot in the rankings against No. 14 Daniel Rodriguez (17-2, fighting out of San Gabriel, Calif.).
• Light heavyweight finishers face off as Misha Cirkunov (15-8, fighting out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada) faces Alonzo Menifield (12-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Mana Martinez (9-3, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Brandon Davis (14-9, fighting out of D’lberville, Miss.) collide in a bantamweight bout
• Middleweight grapplers clash as Nick Maximov (8-1, fighting out of Chico, Calif.) takes on Jacob Malkoun (6-2, fighting out of Oran Park, New South Wales, Australia)
• Veteran Raphael Assuncao (27-9, fighting out of Alpharetta, Ga.) clashes with Victor Henry (22-5, fighting out of South Gale, Calif.) at bantamweight
• Piera Rodriguez (8-0, fighting out of Malaga, Spain) and Sam Hughes (7-4, fighting out of Everett, Wash.) intend to steal the show in a women’s strawweight bout
• Tatsuro Taira (11-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Okinawa, Japan) plans to keep his undefeated record intact against CJ Vergara (10-3-1, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas)
• Mike Jackson (1-1 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Pete Rodriguez (4-1, fighting out of Tucson, Ariz.) open up the card in a welterweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

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 an exciting strawweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 5 ranked Mackenzie Dern clash with No. 6 Yan Xiaonan. An action-packed co-main event will see a showdown between exciting welterweights Randy Brown and Francisco Trinaldo.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DERN vs. YAN will take place Saturday, October 1 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish), with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Fan favorite Dern (12-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) returns to the Octagon to continue her impressive climb up the 115-pound rankings. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has secured impressive wins against Tecia Torres, Nina Nunes, and Randa Markos. Dern will now set out to stop Yan and stake her claim for a title shot.

Yan (13-3, fighting out of Beijing, China) looks to steal the show by adding another notable name to her resume. Proven to be a dangerous striker, she has secured victories over Cláudia Gadelha, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Angela Hill. Yan now looks to become the first fighter to finish Dern with a statement victory.

Due to injuries to both athletes, the bantamweight bout between Cody Garbrandt and Rani Yahya has been removed from the card.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Randy Brown (15-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) looks to continue his win-streak when he meets Francisco Trinaldo (28-8, fighting out of Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil) at welterweight
• Maxim Grishin (32-9-2, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) squares off with Philipe Lins (15-5, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) at light heavyweight
• Middleweights battle, as Krzysztof Jotko (24-5, fighting out of Orneta, Poland) meets Brendan Allen (19-5, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)
• A thrilling featherweight bout will see Sodiq Yusuff (12-2, fighting out of Bladensburg, Md.) face newcomer Don Shainis (12-3, fighting out of Easton, Mass.)
• Raoni Barcelos(16-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) clashes with Trevin Jones(13-8, fighting out of Maite, Guam) at bantamweight
• Heavyweights collide as Ilir Latifi (16-8-1, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) meets grappling specialist Aleksei Oleinik (60-16-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia)
• Jessica Penne (14-7, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) takes on Tabatha Ricci (7-1, fighting out of Ventura, Calif.) at strawweight
• An exciting lightweight matchup pits Mike Davis (9-2, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) against Dana White’s Contender Series signee Viacheslav Borshchev (6-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)
• John Castaneda (19-5, fighting out of Minneapolis, Minn.) battles Daniel Santos (10-2, fighting out of Uberlandia, Brazil) at bantamweight
• Lightweights face off as Joaquim Silva (11-4, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) meets Jesse Ronson (21-11, London, Ontario, Canada)
• Julija Stoliarenko (10-7-1, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania) and Octagon newcomer Chelsea Chandler (4-1, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) are set to compete in a 140-pound catchweight bout
• An exciting bantamweight bout sees Guido Cannetti (9-7, fighting out of San Antonio de Padua, Buenos Aires, Argentina) face off against Randy Costa (6-3, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.)

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+ 

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

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 an action-packed bantamweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 4 ranked Cory Sandhagen battle No. 10 Song Yadong.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SANDHAGEN vs. SONG will take place Saturday, September 17 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Former interim bantamweight title challenger Sandhagen (14-4, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) has his sights set on delivering another show-stealing performance. A dynamic striker with KO power, he has secured impressive wins against Frankie Edgar, Marlon Moraes and Raphael Assuncao. Sandhagen now intends to defend his spot in the rankings by stopping Song.

Rising contender Song (19-6-1 1NC, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) looks to crack into the bantamweight Top 5 for the first time in his career. A heavy-handed striker, he has secured memorable victories over Marlon Vera, Marlon Moraes and Casey Kennedy. Song now attempts to become the first fighter to knock out Sandhagen and stake his claim for a title shot.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Chidi Njokuani (22-7 1NC, fighting out of Garland, Texas) looks to keep his momentum going when he meets Gregory Rodrigues (12-4, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ) at middleweight
• Andre Fili (21-9 1NC, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) meets Bill Algeo (16-6, fighting out of King of Prussia, Penn.) in a featherweight tilt guaranteed to deliver fireworks
• Tanner Boser (20-8-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) goes for another highlight-reel KO when he clashes with Rodrigo Nascimento (9-1, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Brazil) at heavyweight
• Anthony Hernandez (9-2 1NC, fighting out of Dunnigan, Calif.) takes on Marc-Andre Barriault (114-5 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada) in an exciting middleweight bout
• Damon Jackson (21-4-1 1NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) faces Pat Sabatini (17-3, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) in a clash of featherweight grapplers
• Trevin Giles (14-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) meets Louis Cosce (7-1, fighting out of Arcata, Calif.) at welterweight
• Recent Dana White’s Contender Series signee Joe Pyfer (9-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) debuts against Alen Amedovski (8-3, fighting out of Rome, Italy) at middleweight
• No. 7 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd (9-3, fighting out of El Dorado Hills, Calif.) squares off with No. 8 Sara McMann (13-6, fighting out of Gaffney, S.C.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Denise Gomes (6-1, fighting out of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) steps in to face Loma Lookboonmee (6-3, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand) in a strawweight bout
• Trey Ogden (15-5, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) meets Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Daniel Zellhuber (12-0, fighting out of Tlalnepantla de Baz, Estado de México, Mexico) at lightweight
• Mariya Agapova (10-3, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan) takes on Gillian Robertson (10-7, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Canada) in an intriguing flyweight bout
• Tony Gravely (23-7, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) locks horns with unbeaten Javid Basharat (12-0, fighting out of London, England) in a meeting of promising bantamweights
• Nikolas Motta (12-4, fighting out of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil) battles Cameron VanCamp (15-6-1 1NC, fighting out of Indianapolis, Ind.) at lightweight

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

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 – On the anniversary of the first, record-breaking UFC event at Madison Square Garden, UFC returns to the iconic venue with an event headlined by two highly anticipated championship matchups. In the main event, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya looks to settle the score with former kickboxing foe and No. 5 ranked contender Alex Pereira. In the co-main event, UFC women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza intends to defend her newly won title for the first time against former champion and No. 2 ranked contender Zhang Weili.

UFC^® 281: ADESANYA vs. PEREIRA takes place Sat., November 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV.  The prelims will be seen on ESPNNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 281: ADESANYA vs. PEREIRA tickets will go on sale Fri., August 26 at 10 a.m. ET and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com and msg.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wed., August 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 Thurs., August 25 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Reigning middleweight king Adesanya (23-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) plans to deliver another statement performance in his second MSG appearance. Arguably the most popular champion in the UFC today, he has established himself as one of the most skilled strikers to ever compete in MMA with wins over former champions Robert Whittaker (twice) and Anderson Silva, as well as Derek Brunson, Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa. Adesanya now seeks to avenge a pair of kickboxing losses to Pereira and prove he is the best martial artist on the planet. 

Pereira (6-1, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims to make the most of his first UFC title opportunity. A former Glory kickboxing middleweight and light heavyweight champion, he has burst onto the MMA scene with impressive finishes over Sean Strickland and Andreas Michailidis. Pereira now has his sights set on showing that he is the best striker in MMA by defeating Adesanya once again and claiming 185-gold.

Two-time UFC strawweight champion Esparza (20-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) looks to start her new campaign at the top with a dominant victory. Currently on a six-fight win streak, Esparza fought her way back to the title with notable wins over Yan Xiaonan, Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson. She now expects to secure her first successful title defense by neutralizing Zhang.

Former title holder Zhang (22-3, fighting out of Beijing, China) seeks to regain her lost crown and cement herself as one of the best fighters in MMA. The first and only Chinese champion in UFC history, she has entertained fans with victories over Joanna Jedrzejczyk (twice), Jessica Andrade and Jessica Aguilar. Zhang now plans to add another UFC champion to her resume by vanquishing Esparza. 

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former light heavyweight title challenger and No. 7 ranked contender Dominick Reyes (12-3, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) returns to action against No. 12 ranked Ryan Spann (22-7, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas)
• No. 12 ranked women’s flyweight Erin Blachfield (9-1, fighting out of Elmwood Park, NJ) looks to halt the momentum of streaking No. 15 ranked Molly McCann (13-4, fighting out of Liverpool, England)
• Fan favorite Karolina Kowalkiewicz (14-7, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) meets Silvana Gomez Juarez (7-4, fighting out of Tucuman, Argentina) in a women’s strawweight bout
• An exciting lightweight bout sees Matt Frevola (9-3-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.) lock horns with Ottman Azaitar (13-0, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco)
• The Ultimate Fighter season 27 winner Michael Trizano (10-3, fighting out of Ramsey, N.J.) battles SeungWoo Choi (10-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) at featherweight

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 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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 Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment. The Company presents or hosts a broad array of events in its diverse collection of venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; and The Chicago Theatre. MSG Entertainment is also building a new state-of-the-art venue in Las Vegas, MSG Sphere at The Venetian. In addition, the Company features the original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces the Boston Calling Music Festival. The Company’s two regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG+, deliver a wide range of live sports content and other programming. Also under the MSG Entertainment umbrella is Tao Group Hospitality, with entertainment dining and nightlife brands including: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Beauty & Essex, Cathédrale, Hakkasan and Omnia. More information is available at www.msgentertainment.com. 

About ESPN+ 

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. 

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost. 

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 thrilling light heavyweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 6 ranked Thiago Santostake on No. 10 Jamahal Hill. The co-main event pits No. 6 ranked welterweight contender Vicente Luqueagainst No. 13 ranked welterweight contender Geoff Nealin a pivotal matchup. Also on the card, the thrilling conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Peña vs. Team Nunes, as Mohammed Usman and Zac Pauga battle at heavyweight and Brogan Walker and Juliana Miller face off at flyweight with UFC contracts on the line.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SANTOS vs. HILL will take place Saturday, August 6 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN and  ESPN Deportes, and via simulcast on ESPN+ (English and Spanish), with the main card starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT and the prelims at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Dangerous striker Santos (22-10, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns to the Octagon to take on a new rising contender. A knockout artist and former title challenger with 15 KOs, Santos holds impressive victories over former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, Anthony Smith, and Jack Hermansson. Santos is now aiming to deliver another signature finish against Hill and make his way back into the title picture.

Rising star Hill (10-1-1, Grand Rapids, Mich.) looks to continue his climb up the 205-pound ladder with another explosive knockout win. The Dana White’s Contender Series signee has delivered stellar finishes against Johnny Walker, Jimmy Crute and Ovince Saint Preux in his short time spent in the Octagon. Ready to make a statement against a true veteran of the sport, Hill is determined to take Santos’ spot in the rankings and prove that a new title challenger is on the horizon.

The always exciting Luque (21-8, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) re-enters the Octagon to take on respected contender Neal. Holding a 90 percent finish rate, the grappling specialist with knockout power has delivered highlight reel wins over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, Michael Chiesa, Randy Brown, and Bryan Barberena. Now, Luque will be looking to defend his spot in the rankings by putting on a show-stealing performance against Neal.

No. 13 ranked welterweight Neal (14-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) wants to deliver a statement against one of the division’s most dangerous fighters. Ever since being signed from Dana White’s Contender Series, Neal has established himself among the top talents at 170 pounds with wins over Belal Muhammad, Mike Perry, and Santiago Ponzinibbio. Neal is now setting out to stop Luque and add another impressive name to his resume.

The Ultimate Fighter heavyweight finalist Usman (8-2, fighting out of Mansfield, Texas) looks to join his brother, UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, on the roster with a statement victory. Pauga (6-0, fighting out of Lakewood, Colo.) aims to keep his undefeated record intact by becoming the first man to knockout Usman.

Flyweight finalist Walker (8-2, fighting out of Upland, Calif.) intends to rely on her experience and well-rounded skills to secure the biggest victory of her career. Miller (3-1, fighting out of Lakeside, Calif.) seeks to continue defying the odds by adding another submission to her record. 

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 14 ranked UFC heavyweight contender Augusto Sakai (15-4-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) clashes with Serghei Spivac (14-3, fighting out of Chi?in?u, Moldova)
• Sam Alvey (33-17-1, fighting out of Murrieta, California) takes on Michal Oleksiejczuk (16-5, fighting out of Leczna, Poland) in a middleweight bout
• Ariane Lipski (14-7, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida) battles Priscila Cachoeira (11-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a flyweight battle
• Bryan Battle (8-1, fighting out of Charlotte, NC) meets Takashi Sato (16-5, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) at welterweight
• Terrance McKinney (12-4, fighting out of Spokane, Washington) clashes with Erick Gonzalez (14-6, fighting out of Los Angeles, California)in an explosive matchup at lightweight
• Nate Landwehr (15-4, fighting out of Clarksville, Tennessee) collides with Zubaira Tukhugov (20-5-1, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) in an exciting featherweight bout
• Jason Witt (19-8, fighting out of Kansas City, Missouri) squares off against Dana White’s Contender Series signeeJosh Quinlan (5-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada) at welterweight
• Cory McKenna (6-2, fighting out of Cwmbran, Wales) battles Miranda Granger (7-2) in an exciting strawweight bout
• Marya Bueno Silva (8-2, fighting out of Sau Paulo, Brazil) meets Stephanie Egger (7-2, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland) in a clash at bantamweight

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.3 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o adds). Subscribers to Hulu+ Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost. 

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.

Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya (23-1-0), delivered a strong performance as he successfully defended his UFC middleweight title against Jared “The Killa Gorilla” Cannonier (15-6-0) at The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The opening two rounds featured many of Adesanya’s patented leg kicks, with Cannonier also attempting to establish his own rhythm. The champion continued to utilize his reach and striking ability to break down the #1 contender, and through three more rounds, did not let up on his pressure. Cannonier, although not deterred, could not find an answer for “The Last Stylbender.” Nonetheless, Adesanya cruised to a resounding victory, reaffirming his position as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC. Israel Adesanya defeated Jared Cannonier via unanimous decision, 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45.

Volkanovski Decisions Holloway to Defend Featherweight crown

The night’s co-main event saw the highly anticipated rematch between undisputed featherweight champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski (25-1-0) and #1 ranked contender Max “Blessed” Holloway (23-7-0). The first round opened with both fighters testing and gauging the reactions of the other. As the round progressed, the champion showcased his elite level of striking, touching the chin of the challenger multiple times to start the contest. The second round featured much of the same, with Volkanovski able to cut open the left eye of Holloway, restricting his vision. In the third round, both fighters exchanged punches and kicks. The champion, however, would leave nothing to chance. The jab, in particular, worked well for him, setting up the rest of his shots en route to a resounding victory. Holloway seemingly did not have an answer for “The Great,” with the 145 lb champ dominating all 5 rounds of their title match. Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway via unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the contest 50-45 in favor of the Australian. 

“I want to be busy, and this division doesn’t keep me busy,” Volkanovski said. Don’t be surprised if we see a possible attempt at double champ status by “The Great.”

Pereira Stops Strickland in 1

In a highly anticipated middleweight-bought, up-and-comer Alex “Poatan” Pereira (5-1-0) faced #4 ranked Sean “Tarzan” Strickland (25-3-0). The Brazilian showcased why he is one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC, knocking out Strickland within one round. The former Glory kickboxing champion landed a powerful left hook to his opponent’s chin, sending him to the canvas and finishing it with two resounding right crosses. Unsurprisingly, Pereira called for the next opportunity at the middleweight title, citing his kickboxing bouts with current champion Israel Adesanya. Alex Pereira defeated Sean Strickland via TKO at 2:36 of Round 1.

Babarena Stops Lawler in 2

The second fight of the main card showcased UFC legend and former welterweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler against the tough Bryan “Bam Bam” Barbarena. The contest opened with both fighters throwing and landing powerful shots attempting to establish dominance. The second round did not see a decrease in pace, as Lawler and Barbarena both began to bleed following multiple exchanges. Following a back and forth between the two, Barbarena unleashed a flurry of strikes on the former champion, prompting referee Mark Smith to get in between the two and stop the fight. Bryan Barbarena defeated Robbie Lawler via TKO at 4:47 of round 2.

O’Malley and Munhoz fight to a No-Contest

The main card opener featured ranked bantamweight contenders “Sugar” Sean O’ Malley (15-1-0) against Pedro “The Young Punisher”  Munhoz (19-7-0). O’ Malley outstruck Munhoz in the opening round, taking advantage of his length and speed to land strikes on Munhoz. The second round featured much of the same, with the taller O’Malley taking advantage of the reach discrepancy to reach Munhoz’s body and head with strikes. With less than 2 minutes left in the round, O’Malley unintentionally poked the Brazilian in the left eye. Following confirmation from medical officials, referee Jason Herzog called the match. The fight ended in a no contest and as a disappointing opener for the main card

The final fight of the preliminary card featured lightweights Jalin “The Tarantula” Turner (13-5-0) and #14 ranked Brad “Quake “ Riddell (10-3-0). The lengthy Jalin Turner opened the fight using his reach advantage to hurt Riddell with an overhand right. After a flurry of punches, Turner took full mount over Riddell and sank in a guillotine, forcing Riddell to tap. Jalin Turner defeated Brad Riddell via submission at 0:45 of Round 1.

The third fight of the prelims pitted UFC legends Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (36-17-0) against Jim “A-10 “ Miller ( 35-16). Both fighters entered this fight seeking the title of winningest fighter in the history of the UFC. The contest proved to be high-paced from the very start, with both fighters attempting submission attempts in the first round. In the second round, Miller would find an opening on Cerrone’s neck and cinched in the guillotine choke. Miller defeated Cerrone via submission at 3:28 of round 2. Following the contest, Donald Cerrone announced his retirement from the UFC.

The second fight of the prelims pitted welterweight prospect Ian Garry (10-0-0) against the durable Gabe Green (11-4-0). Garry scored another resounding win, adding to the hype train of the young fighter, who many say bears a strong resemblance to another, legendary, Irish martial artist. The undefeated self-proclaimed “future” of the UFC showcased his striking abilities from the opening bell, outlanding Green 113-78 throughout the contest. Ian Garry defeated Gabe Green via unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27.

In the prelim card opener, middleweight contender Dricus Du Plessis (17-2-0) scored an important win against #12 ranked Brad Tavares (19-7-0) In a bloody showcase of upper weight power, both fighters took large shots in the three-round matchup. Du Plessis however, landed the more dangerous shots, laying the damage on Tavares. Dricus Du Plessis defeated Brad Tavares via unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 29-28.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a must-watch lightweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 7 ranked Rafael Dos Anjos battle No. 10 Rafael Fiziev. The co-main event will feature a clash of Dana White’s Contender Series signees when Caio Borralho faces Armen Petrosyan at middleweight.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DOS ANJOS vs. FIZIEV will take place Saturday, July 9 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will be available on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+. The main card will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

Former champion Dos Anjos (30-13, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returned to 155 pounds from the welterweight division with a Fight of the Night win over Paul Felder in late 2020. Throughout his UFC run, he has also delivered memorable victories over Nate Diaz and Robbie Lawler, as well as Anthony Pettis, to win the belt in 2015. Dos Anjos now aims to stop Fiziev’s momentum and continue his climb back to a lightweight title shot.

Rising contender Fiziev (11-1, fighting out of Baku, Azerbaijan by way of Phuket, Thailand) has wasted no time dazzling fans with his diverse striking arsenal. Currently riding a five-fight win streak, he holds spectacular wins over Brad Riddell, Bobby Green and Renato Moicano. Fiziev now has his sights set on finishing his first former UFC champion to crack the lightweight top 10.

Borralho (11-1 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) earned his spot on the UFC roster with victories over Aaron Jeffery and Jesse Murray on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt then made a successful UFC debut by earning a hard-fought win against Gadzhi Omargadzhiev in April. Borralho now aims to push his unbeaten streak to 12 bouts by stopping Petrosyan.

Petrosyan (7-1, fighting out of Yerevan, Armenia) impressed on Dana White’s Contender Series with a first-round KO victory over Kaloyan Kolev last October. The talented kickboxer then announced his arrival with an entertaining win against Gregory Rodrigues in February. Petrosyan now intends to become the first fighter to finish Borralho by securing another highlight-reel KO.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Douglas Silva (28-4 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil) takes on Said Nurmagomedov (15-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) in an intriguing bantamweight matchup
• Jamie Pickett (13-7, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) faces Denis Tiuliulin (10-6, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) at middleweight
• A heavyweight bout sees Jared Vanderaa (12-8, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.) take on the always exciting Chase Sherman (15-10, fighting out of D’Iberville, Miss.)
• Michael Johnson (21-17, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) battles Jamie Mullarkey (14-5, fighting out of Central Coast, Australia) in an exciting lightweight bout
• No. 10 ranked flyweight contender Cynthia Calvillo (9-4-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) looks to spoil the UFC 125-pound debut of No. 7 ranked strawweight contender Nina Nunes (10-7, fighting out of Weston, Fla.)
• Aiemann Zahabi (8-2, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) returns against The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner Ricky Turcios (12-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a bantamweight bout
• Antonina Shevchenko (9-4, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) squares off with Cortney Casey (10-9, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) at flyweight
• Cody Brundage (7-2, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.) takes on Tresean Gore (4-1, fighting out of Lawrenceville, Ga.) in a battle of promising middleweight prospects
• Kennedy Nzechukwu (9-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) faces Karl Roberson (9-5, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) at light heavyweight
• Rising bantamweight prospects collide when Ronnie Lawrence (8-1, fighting out of Sunrise, Fla.) meets Saidyokub Kakhramonov (9-2, fighting out of Spokane, Wash. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan)

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.3 million subscribers. 

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost. 

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 10^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^™ takes place from Tuesday, June 28 through Sunday, July 3, with several events taking place throughout Las Vegas, including in the Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall, T-Mobile Arena, and Resorts World Las Vegas.

UFC International Fight Week is highlighted by the prestigious UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and its newly enhanced and fully interactive two-day UFC X. The week-long celebration is anchored by the highly anticipated UFC^Ò 276: ADESANYA vs. CANNONIER, presented by Modelo, which takes place on Saturday, July 2, at T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for UFC 276 are available via AXS.

On Thursday, June 30, UFC hosts the 2022 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^Ò, at 7:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena. Hosted by Jon Anik, the annual ceremony honors contributors and athletes that helped shape UFC and left an indelible mark on the sport of mixed martial arts. Tickets to the induction ceremony are priced at $25.00 (not including fees), with all proceeds benefitting the UFC Foundation. Tickets are available via AXS. The ceremony will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^Ò.

Spanning more than 60,000 square feet, UFC X, a newly enhanced evolution of UFC’s popular Fan Expo, will elevate the traditional Fan Experience with larger brand and partner activations, live stage programming, an esports tournament, expanded autograph sessions, and increased athlete participation—all of which will provide fans with unparalleled access to UFC champions and Hall of Famers, top-ranked contenders, and other UFC personalities.

UFC X takes place Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 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 $20 for one-day access and $40 for two-day access. All children ages 12 and under will receive free entry. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. UFC X is produced by global full-service cultural marketing agency 160over90.

Fans who attend UFC X will also be able to purchase exclusive merchandise at the UFC Store, while also having the opportunity to participate in numerous activities with brand partners such as Air Force, Battle Motors, Dapper Labs, ESPN+, GameDay Ready, Howler Head, Hyperice, Jose Cuervo, Modelo, Panini, Toyo Tires, UFC Gym and more! 

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, in partnership with UFC, hosts The Ultimates Invitational amateur tournaments, immediately adjacent to UFC X. This invitational will begin Thursday, June 23, and conclude Sunday, July 3, and features the following sports entities:

• International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (2022 American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship, June 30 – July 2)
• USA Boxing (2022 Battle Born Showdown; sanctioned by USA Boxing, July 1 – July 2)
• USA Weightlifting (2022 National Championships, June 23 – July 3)

Fans who converge on Las Vegas from around the world for International Fight Week will also be able to enjoy ceremonial weigh-ins, press conferences and live entertainment of a traditional Fight Week leading to the schedule’s culminating event, UFC^Ò 276: ADESANYA vs. CANNONIER.

In addition, Resorts World Las Vegas, the 3,506-room hotel complex and “Official Partner of UFC International Fight Week,” hosts three official parties and one concert during the week. On Friday, July 1 at 8 p.m., Latin superstar Anuel AA headlines the Official International Fight Week Concert at AYU Nights. On Saturday, July 2, the Official UFC 276 Viewing Party takes place at RedTail at 5 p.m., followed by the Official UFC 276 After Party at Zouk Nightclub beginning at 10 p.m. On Sunday, July 3, the Official UFC Pool Party takes place at AYU Dayclub beginning at 11 a.m.

On Sunday, July 3, UFC will host the UFC FIGHT PASS Invitational 2, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament featuring four teams led by superstar coaches and fan favorite athletes competing for a grand prize of $25,000 in a submission only, no draw contest. Teams include Jorge Masvidal’s iKon MMA, Anthony Pettis Fighting Championship (APFC), Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat, and James Krause’s Fighting Alliance Championship (FAC). Tickets are available via AXS.

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to San Diego for the first time since 2015 with a pivotal battle between top bantamweight contenders that will see No. 5 ranked Marlon Vera takes on former champion and No. 8 ranked Dominick Cruz.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: VERA vs. CRUZ will take place Saturday, August 13 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, Calif. All bouts will air on ESPN and will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT: VERA vs. CRUZ tickets will go on sale Friday, June 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 Wednesday, June 22 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, June 23 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Media members wishing to apply for UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT: VERA vs. CRUZ fight week credentials may sign up here.

Rising star Vera (19-7-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) intends to deliver his best performance yet in his second consecutive UFC main event. A well-rounded martial artist, Vera owns the record for most finishes in UFC bantamweight history, including those earned in his victories over former champion Frankie Edgar, Sean O’Malley and Brad Pickett. He now plans to insert his name into the UFC title picture for the first time by taking out Cruz.

Former UFC and WEC bantamweight champion Cruz (24-3, San Diego, Calif.) aims to make a statement in front of his hometown crowd. Owner of one of the most unique fighting styles in MMA, Cruz has cemented himself among the best to ever compete at 135-pounds with wins over fellow champions TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. He now looks to put a halt to Vera’s momentum and break back into the Top 5.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Top ranked UFC women’s strawweights face off as No. 5 Alexa Grasso (14-3, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico) meets No. 7 Viviane Araujo (11-3, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil)
• A flyweight bout sees Malcolm Gordon (14-5, fighting out of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada) take on Allan Nascimento (19-6, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• No. 7 ranked UFC women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd (9-3, fighting out of El Dorado Hill, Calif.) looks to defend her spot in the rankings against No. 8 Sara McMann (13-6, fighting out of Gaffney, S.C.)
• Devin Clark (13-6, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) plans to be the first to defeat Azamat Murzakanov (11-0, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. by way of Nalchik, Russia) in a light heavyweight bout
• Bruno Silva (22-7, fighting out of Parana, Brazil) aims for another signature finish when he faces veteran Gerald Meerschaert (34-15, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a middleweight bout
• Heavyweight action sees Martin Buday (10-1, fighting out of Nitra, Slovakia) collide with Lukasz Brzeski (8-1-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Ma?opolskie, Poland)
• Yazmin Jauregui (8-0, fighting out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico) intends to make a statement in her UFC debut against Istela Nunes (6-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV 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 owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, 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 Pechanga Arena/ASM Global

ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management—delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 350 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention, and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.   asmglobal.com

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.3 million subscribers. 

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost. 

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.