Las Vegas – For the first time in UFC® history, the promotion will head to South Carolina as it visits the city of Greenville on June 22. Thrilling matchups featuring some of UFC’s top athletes will be on display in what will be a can’t-miss event for fight fans. The main event is still to be announced.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+® will stream live from Bon Secours Wellness Arena exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 22 (in both English and Spanish), with the prelims kicking off at 4 p.m. ET and airing on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Doors open at 3 p.m. ET.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No. 10 ranked women’s flyweight Andrea Lee (10-2, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) looks to remain undefeated in the UFC when she takes on No. 11 ranked Montana De La Rosa (10-4, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas)
Fresh off his “Fight of the Night” bonus-earning effort in Phoenix earlier this year, Bryan Baberena (14-6, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) aims to put on another show for the fans when he faces Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight signee Randy Brown (10-3, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.)
North Carolina native Allen Crowder (10-3, fighting out of Mebane, N.C.) goes for his second consecutive UFC win when he battles former kickboxing champion Jairzinho Rozenstruik (6-0, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname)
Dana White’s Contender Series alum Kevin Holland (15-4, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) intends to prove that he is the top prospect in the middleweight division by being the first man to KO Alessio Di Chirico (12-2, fighting out of Rome, Italy)
Grappling specialist Ashley Yoder (6-4, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) hunts for her first UFC submission when she squares off with Japanese standout Syuri Kondo (6-2, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
Brazilian middleweight finisher Markus Perez (11-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Daniel Cormier protégé Deron Winn (5-0, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.)
Flyweight prospect Ariane Lipski (11-4, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) aims to prove that she can compete with the best in the world when she meets veteran Molly McCann (8-2, fighting out of Liverpool, England)
Andre Ewell (13-5, fighting out of Riverside, Calif.) intends to bounce back into the win column and earn his first UFC finish by taking out Anderson dos Santos (20-7, fighting out of São Paulo, Brazil)

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

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+® go on sale Friday, May 3 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, May 1 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, May 2 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

About ESPN

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

About Bon Secours Wellness Arena:

Located in Greenville, SC, the Bon Secours Wellness Arena is a 15,000-seat sports and entertainment arena that hosts live events including family shows, sporting events, concerts, minor league hockey, seminars and conventions. Club seats, party suites and luxury suites with premium services concierge are available in the arena. The Bon Secours Wellness Arena is managed by the Greenville Arena District.

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Minneapolis for the first time in almost seven years with an action-packed card headlined by a thrilling rematch between former welterweight champions, as No. 1 ranked contender

Tyron Woodley takes on No. 10 Robbie Lawler. No.1 ranked flyweight contender Jussier Formiga looks to even the score against No. 2 Joseph Benavidez.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN®: WOODLEY vs. LAWLER 2 will air live from Target Center exclusively on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 29, with prelims kicking off at 6 p.m. ET. Doors open at 5 p.m. ET. All UFC live events on ESPN will also be available in English and Spanish.

A decorated grappler with heavy hands, Woodley (19-4-1, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) dethroned Lawler via first-round knockout in July 2016, before holding the welterweight championship for more than two years. During his reign, he compiled successful title defenses against Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia and Darren Till. Woodley now looks to deliver another dominant performance and work his way back to a title shot.

A dangerous KO artist, Lawler (28-13 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) first captured the championship against Johny Hendricks in late 2014. Lawler then went on to have epic title defenses against Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit. Lawler has also netted wins over Donald Cerrone, Matt Brown and Josh Koscheck during his career. He now hopes to score a measure of revenge against Woodley to re-assert himself as a title threat.

A black belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and judo, Formiga (23-5, fighting out of Natal, Brazil) aims to avenge a 2013 loss to Benavidez. A perennial contender, he has delivered spectacular victories against Sergio Pettis, Ben Nguyen, Dustin Ortiz and Wilson Reis. He now hopes to push his win streak to four fights and secure his first UFC title shot.

A two-time title challenger, Benavidez (27-5, fighting out of Las Cruces, N.M.) has remained a top contender in the flyweight division since its inception in 2012. A talented grappler with KO power, Benavidez has picked up impressive wins over current champion Henry Cejudo, Alex Perez, Tim Elliott and Dustin Ortiz (twice). He is now ready to stop Formiga a second time to earn another crack at the belt.

Announced bouts on the card include:

Former welterweight title challenger and No. 12 ranked contender Demian Maia (26-9, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks to stop surging Anthony Rocco Martin (16-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Minnesota heavyweight Maurice Greene (7-3, fighting out of St. Cloud, Minn.) looks to continue his hot streak against battle-tested Junior Albini (14-5, fighting out of Paranagua, Parana, Brazil)
In an exciting lightweight bout, Drew Dober (20-9, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) takes on Marco Polo Reyes (8-6, fighting out of Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico)
Undefeated Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Alonzo Menifield (8-0, fighting out of Dallas, Tex.) meets submission ace Paul Craig (11-3, fighting out of Coatbridge, Scotland)
Chas Skelly (17-3, fighting out of Arlington, Tex.) meets Jordan Griffin (17-6, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a clash of featherweight standouts
Undefeated newcomer Roman Dolidze (6-0, fighting out of Odessa, Ukraine) squares off with Vinicius Moreira (9-2, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil)
Highly-touted light heavyweight prospect Dalcha Lungiambula (9-1, fighting out of Cape Town, South Africa) debuts against talented striker Justin Ledet (9-2 1NC, fighting out of Rosharon, Tex.)

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

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN®: WOODLEY vs. LAWLER 2 go on sale Friday, May 3 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available for purchase online at TargetCenter.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, May 1 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, May 2 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas ­– UFC® today announced that former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin has been named to the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2019 as a Pioneer. The 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires®, will take place on Friday, July 5 in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

“Rich Franklin is one of the original, big stars of UFC, from when we first bought the company,” UFC President Dana White said. “Rich helped us take the sport of mixed martial arts to another level and put UFC on the map during the early days. Rich has always been a class act. He’s a guy who would fight anyone and do whatever it took to help grow the sport of MMA. He is a true legend and I’m honored to call him my friend.”

Franklin will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 16th member of the Pioneer Era wing. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or have been retired for one year or more.

“This induction is less of my doing and more of the culmination of the many hours each coach, training partner and my manager spent with me,” said Franklin. “So often people talk about the sacrifices an athlete has to make to succeed, but my friends and family sacrificed far more for my career. Few people in this world live out a childhood dream and turn a hobby into a career, let alone end with Hall of Fame recognition, and God has blessed me with both. I am humbled by the support of my fans over the years and those particularly persistent on this induction.”

A veteran of 37 professional fights during his 13-year career, Franklin compiled a record of 29-7, 1 NC (14-6 UFC), which included wins over UFC Hall of Famers Ken Shamrock and Chuck Liddell, former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner, and former PRIDE® middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva.

Franklin made his UFC debut as a light heavyweight on Saturday, April 25, 2003 at UFC® 42: SUDDEN IMPACT, defeating Evan Tanner via TKO (punches) in the first round. After winning his first three UFC bouts, Rich would headline UFC’s first-ever live network cable show, The Ultimate Fighter® 1 Finale, against Ken Shamrock. Franklin defeated Shamrock via TKO in the first round, earning him a title shot in a rematch against UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner at UFC® 53: HEAVY HITTERS.

UFC® 53: HEAVY HITTERS took place on June 4, 2005 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey and would mark Franklin’s first UFC bout at middleweight. Tanner, in his first title defense, entered UFC 53 having won eight of his previous 10 UFC fights, losing only to Franklin and UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz during a five-year stretch.

Franklin and Tanner both came out aggressive from the beginning, exchanging punches and kicks throughout the first round, with Evan landing a right hand that floored “Ace” with :30 seconds left, stealing the round. Franklin recovered for the second round, setting the pace through the fourth round, out-striking Tanner. At the 3:25 mark of the fourth round, the bout was stopped by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission doctor due to a large cut over Tanner’s left eye. As a result of his victory, Rich earned a spot as a coach for season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter®, opposite his good friend, UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes.

Franklin, who won his first seven UFC fights, successfully defended his middleweight title against Nate Quarry and David Loiseau, before losing the belt to Anderson Silva in October 2006. Franklin’s career was far from over after his lost to Silva, as he repeatedly battled the best inside the Octagon, compiling seven more wins before retiring in 2012. Following his UFC career, Rich became a combat sports executive, joining ONE Championship as Vice President in 2014.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Franklin earned both his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Master’s degree in Education from the University of Cincinnati. Rich began his post-college career as an educator, teaching math at Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati. His unique path to the Octagon led Franklin to become one of the sport’s most respected and popular ambassadors, as he helped to educate a generation of fans about MMA, making him a key figure in the growth of UFC following the first season of The Ultimate Fighter.

The remaining inductees of the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2019 will be announced in the coming weeks leading to the 8th Annual UFC International Fight Week™, taking place from Wednesday, July 3 – Sunday, July 7 in Las Vegas.

To view Franklin’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://www.ufc.tv/category/ufc-hall-of-fame-rich-franklin-2019.

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

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME| IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to more than 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram: @UFC.

Las Vegas – Nearly one year after Chicago hosted one of the most exciting cards of the year, UFC® returns to the Windy City with another thrilling event featuring two premier title fights, streaming exclusively on ESPN+. Men’s flyweight champion and No. 5-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world Henry Cejudo moves up in weight to attempt to become only the fourth athlete in history to hold two UFC titles simultaneously when he faces No. 1-ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes for the vacant 135-pound championship. Also, women’s flyweight champion and No. 15-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world Valentina Shevchenko looks to defend her title for the first time against No. 1-ranked contender Jessica Eye.

UFC® 238: CEJUDO vs. MORAES takes place Saturday, June 8 at United Center and will be live nationally on Pay-Per-View exclusively through ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

ESPN+ is the exclusive provider of all UFC Pay-Per-View events to fans in the United States as part of an agreement announced last month and continuing through 2025.

Fans will be able to purchase UFC® 238: CEJUDO vs. MORAES online at ESPNPlus.com/PPV and then will be able to watch it via the web or on the ESPN App on any connected device. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN app on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English and Spanish on ESPN and ESPN Deportes television networks starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the early prelims simulcast on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT.

Cejudo (14-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) looks to join an exclusive club home to Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes as the only athletes to hold two UFC championships simultaneously. A former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, Cejudo successfully made the jump to MMA six years ago and has already defeated some of the biggest names in the sport, including former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and TJ Dillashaw. Now, Cejudo looks to prove that he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by moving up in weight and becoming the only person to finish Moraes in the UFC.

Competing in the first UFC title fight of his career, Moraes (22-5-1, fighting out of Tom’s River, N.J. by way of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to prove that he is the true king of the bantamweight division. Known for his spectacular finishing ability, Moraes earned his title shot with three impressive first-round stoppages in a row over fellow top-contenders Aljamain Sterling, Jimmie Rivera and Raphael Assuncao. Moraes now hopes to net his fourth consecutive post-fight bonus and join the pound-for-pound ranks by taking out Cejudo with another impressive performance.

Shevchenko (16-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) won the vacant UFC flyweight championship in December with a dominant victory over long-time rival and former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Throughout her career, Shevchenko has established herself as one of the most dangerous competitors in all of women’s MMA, having defeated former bantamweight champion Holly Holm and top contender Julianna Pena. She now looks to continue her undefeated flyweight reign by being the first person to stop Jessica Eye in her UFC career.

Gunning to capitalize on the momentum of her current winning streak, Eye (14-6, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio) competes for the first UFC championship of her career. Undefeated since moving to flyweight last year, Eye has impressed with victories over Kalindra Faria, Jessica-Rose Clark and top-ranked contender Katlyn Chookagian. Now, Eye intends to shock the world by becoming the first flyweight to defeat Shevchenko and stake her claim as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world.

Additional bouts on the card include:

In a battle of top-ranked women’s strawweight contenders, No. 3-ranked Tatiana Suarez (7-0, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) aims to stay undefeated by taking out No. 3-ranked Nina Ansaroff (10-5, fighting out of Weston, Fla.)
No. 12-ranked Felice Herrig (14-8, fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill.) looks to defend her spot in the rankings by being the first person to defeat Yan Xiaonan (9-1, fighting out of Beijing, China) in the UFC.
Heavyweight brawlers battle to break into the top 10 as No. 11-ranked Tai Tuivasa (10-1, fighting out of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) meets No. 14-ranked Blagoy Ivanov (17-2, fighting out of Sofia, Bulgaria)
No. 3-ranked Katlyn Chookagian (11-2, fighting out of Kenilworth, N.J.) hopes to reinsert herself into the women’s flyweight title picture by taking out fan-favorite No. 6-ranked Joanne Calderwood (13-3, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland)
Chicago’s own No. 11-ranked featherweight Ricardo Lamas (19-7, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) intends to defend his home soil with an impressive performance against No. 15-ranked Calvin Kattar (19-3, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.)

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

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

Tickets for UFC® 238: CEJUDO vs. MORAES go on sale Friday, April 5 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, April 3 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 4 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About United Center

The United Center is a state-of-the-art campus, including a 960,000 square-foot multi-use entertainment facility and over four additional buildings, that has welcomed more than 55 million fans since opening in 1994. Home of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League, the United Center hosts more than 200 events each year, including the best sporting events, musical performers, family shows and special events in the industry. An iconic legacy and commitment to superior service makes the United Center one of the premiere venues in the world.

For more information, please visit www.unitedcenter.com

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC® today announced that the 8th Annual UFC International Fight Week™ will take place in Las Vegas from Wednesday, July 3, through Sunday, July 7, headlined by UFC® 239, presented by Modelo, the 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and a two-day, interactive UFC Fan Experience®.

Among the highlights, the prestigious 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires® will be held on Friday, July 5, and will honor specific achievements and contributions to UFC and the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

On Friday, July 5, and continuing on Saturday, July 6, fans will be able to take part in an easily-accessible and fully interactive, free two-day UFC Fan Experience at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. The two-day fan experience will feature meet and greets, autograph sessions, and partner activations that provide unprecedented access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, Hall of Famers, and other UFC personalities.

In addition, fans from around the world who converge on Las Vegas for UFC International Fight Week will be able to enjoy the open workouts, weigh-ins, press conferences and live entertainment of a traditional Fight Week leading to the schedule’s culminating event, UFC® 239, on Saturday, July 6, at T-Mobile Arena.

Details regarding UFC Hall of Fame inductees and venue, the bout card for UFC 239, and additional events for UFC International Fight Week will be announced at a later date. Beginning in June, fans can download the UFC International Fight Week app on the App Store and Google Play.

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to more than 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

Ottawa, Canada – UFC® will return to Ottawa with a thrilling lightweight battle between No. 4 ranked contender Al Iaquinta and No. 9 Donald Cerrone. In a clash of middleweight contenders, No. 8 ranked Derek Brunson looks to re-assert himself in the title picture against No. 14 and Ontario native Elias Theodorou.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: IAQUINTA vs. COWBOY will stream live from Canadian Tire Centre exclusively on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 4 with prelims kicking off on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. ET. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will also be available in English and Spanish.

A talented grappler with knockout power, Iaquinta (14-4-1, fighting out of Wantagh, N.Y.) returned to action in December with a spectacular win over Kevin Lee. During his UFC stint he’s picked up impressive wins against Diego Sanchez, Jorge Masvidal, Joe Lauzon and Ross Pearson. He now aims to build on his momentum with a victory over one of the biggest names in MMA.

A perennial favorite who’s equally dangerous striking as he is on the mat, Cerrone (35-11 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) stormed back into the lightweight division with a show-stealing victory over Alexander Hernandez. He also holds highlight-reel victories against Edson Barboza, Mike Perry, Matt Brown and Rick Story. Cerrone is now ready to continue his climb back up the 155-pound ranks.

A NCAA Division II wrestler with heavy hands, Brunson (18-7, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) has fought the who’s who of the 185-pound division. During his UFC run, he’s delivered spectacular knockout wins against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, Uriah Hall, Sam Alvey and Ed Herman. He now looks to make a statement on enemy territory against a rising contender.

Winner of The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia, Theodorou (17-2, fighting out of Toronto, Canada) aims to crack the middleweight top 10. An unorthodox and diverse fighter, he has picked up hard-fought victories over Eryk Anders, Trevor Smith, Cezar Ferreira and Sam Alvey. He’s now set to stake his claim as a title contender against one of the division’s most battle-tested competitors.

Announced bouts on the card include:

Submission ace and No. 9 ranked heavyweight contender Aleksei Oleinik (57-11-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) makes 70th professional appearance against dangerous Walt Harris (11-7 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.).
The Ultimate Fighter winner Brad Katona (9-0, fighting out of Winnipeg, Canada) aims to remain undefeated when he takes on gritty Merab Dvalishvili (8-3, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia)
Tristar Gym’s Aiemann Zahabi (7-1, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) is back in action against Vince Morales (7-2, fighting out of Ontario, Ore.)
Marc-Andre Barriault (11-1, fighting out of Quebec City, Canada) makes his highly anticipated debut against Andrew Sanchez (11-4, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J.)
Nordine Taleb (14-6, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) takes on fellow welterweight KO artist Siyar Bahadurzada (23-7, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands by way of Kabul, Afghanistan)
Arjan Bhullar (8-1, fighting out of Vancouver, Canada) battles unbeaten Juan Adams (5-0, fighting out of Houston, Tex.) in a clash of rising heavyweights
Mitch Gagnon (12-4, fighting out of Sudbury, Ont., Canada) returns against tough Brian Kelleher (19-10, fighting out of Seldan, N.Y.)
Sarah Moras (5-5, fighting out of Kelowna, B.C., Canada) takes on Leah Letson (5-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a battle of The Ultimate Fighter veterans
Kyle Nelson (12-2, fighting out of Huntsville, Ont., Canada) drops down to featherweight against Matt Sayles (6-2, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)

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

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

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com/ufc.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: IAQUINTA vs. COWBOY will air live from Canadian Tire Centre on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 4. Early prelims stream on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Doors open at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: IAQUINTA vs. COWBOY go on sale Friday, March 22 at 10 a.m. ET and are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 20 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, March 21 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC® and ESPN+, the direct-to-consumer sports video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN, today announced an agreement that will deliver value and simplicity to mixed martial arts fans, making ESPN+ the exclusive distributor of UFC Pay-Per-View events in the United States through 2025. The agreement will make ESPN+ the single point of purchase for consumers of the biggest UFC events throughout the year and the definitive destination for fans to get the most comprehensive coverage of UFC.

Starting with UFC® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 on April 13, ESPN+ becomes the exclusive distributor in the United States of all UFC PPV events, showcasing 12 blockbuster live events per year from the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, for each of the next seven years. The agreement adds a new business model to ESPN+ and builds upon the historic multi-platform rights agreement announced in 2018, which is now extended through 2025.

UFC PPV events sold through ESPN+ will include all bouts on the Main Event fight cards and will be streamed in high definition in both English and Spanish. Preliminary bouts for all UFC PPV events will continue to air nationally on ESPN (English) and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) under the agreement announced in 2018. Early preliminary bouts will be available to all ESPN+ subscribers, as well as on UFC FIGHT PASS® and to those who have purchased the PPV. UFC will continue to sell its PPV events to commercial establishments.

“With the addition of UFC PPV events, we are making ESPN+ an absolute must-have for any fan of the UFC and mixed martial arts,” said Kevin Mayer, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer & International, The Walt Disney Company. “In less than a year, ESPN+ has established itself as the leader in direct-to-consumer sports and this new programming agreement adds a significant business to our platform while reinforcing the value and strength of our product and our content lineup.”

“Today’s announcement further establishes the strength of the partnership between UFC and ESPN,” said UFC President Dana White. “Now our fans will be able to watch all UFC events exclusively on ESPN platforms, including ESPN+, which is an innovative way to deliver fights to our young fan base. I couldn’t be more excited to work with ESPN for the next seven years. Together we’re going to do amazing things to help grow this sport.”

Jimmy Pitaro, President, ESPN and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks added: “The extremely successful launch of the UFC on ESPN+ emphatically demonstrated the collective power and scale of ESPN and DTCI, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue to drive passionate fans to these new pay per view experiences.”

In addition to giving MMA fans a one-stop home for all UFC PPV events, ESPN+ pricing and packaging will deliver new value to fans as well:

New ESPN+ subscribers will get one-year of ESPN+ and a UFC PPV event for $79.99;
Existing ESPN+ subscribers will be able to purchase UFC PPV events for $59.99 per event.

ESPN+ may explore other potential packaging in the months ahead.

UFC® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 goes on sale via ESPN+ at espnplus.com/ppv on April 8. Fans must purchase the event on the web, and then can stream it via the web or on the ESPN App on any connected device. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN app on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.

UFC’s digital brands — UFC.TV, UFC.com and UFC App — will continue to serve as a consumer entry point for PPV events. Once there, fans will be directed to ESPN+ on ESPN.com, where they will be able to purchase and watch UFC PPV events.

UFC made its record-setting debut on ESPN+ on January 19, 2019, logging 568,000 new subscribers over two days. The debut marked the largest event and subscription catalyst for ESPN+ to date. Through its base subscription package ($4.99 / month, $49.99 / year), ESPN+ already offers 20 UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night events, as well as hundreds of hours of original and on-demand programming.

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world.

UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

Las Vegas ­– UFC® today announced that former UFC middleweight champion and winner of season three of The Ultimate Fighter®, Michael Bisping, will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the class of 2019. The 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires®, will take place on Friday, July 5 in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

“It’s hard to have the level of talent needed to compete in UFC for any amount of time, but Michael Bisping was able to have an 11-year career where he became a world champion and won The Ultimate Fighter, not many people can say that,” UFC President Dana White said. “He also came back and coached The Ultimate Fighter and is now one of the best analysts on our broadcast team. Michael has been a huge part of not only building our brand, but also the sport of mixed martial arts. He absolutely deserves to be in the UFC Hall of Fame. Congratulations.”

Bisping, the first British fighter to become a UFC champion, will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing, joining Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015), Urijah Faber (2017) and Ronda Rousey (2018). The “Modern Era” category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000 (when the rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 40 professional fights during his 13-year career, Bisping compiled a record of 31-9, while capturing the UFC middleweight title, as well as the Cage Warriors, and Cage Rage light heavyweight titles. During his impressive career, Bisping earned notable victories over UFC Hall of Famer Dan Henderson, former UFC middleweight champions Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold, former Strikeforce® middleweight champion Cung Le, former WEC® light heavyweight champion Brian Stann, and former WEC middleweight champion Chris Leben.

Following impressive stints with Cage Warriors and Cage Rage, Bisping entered the third installment of UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter: Team Ortiz vs. Team Shamrock, with a 10-0 record in 2006. Bisping breezed through his first two fights on the show, dispatching each opponent with first round stoppages, before finishing Josh Hayes via second round TKO to win the light heavyweight tournament. Bisping began his post-TUF career at UFC® 66: LIDDELL vs. ORTIZ, on December 30, 2006, defeating Eric Schafer via first-round TKO.

In 2011, Bisping would return to The Ultimate Fighter as a coach for season 14 against Jason Miller, while training featherweights and bantamweights in The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller. Bisping defeated Miller via TKO in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller Finale.

During his remarkable tenure inside the world-famous Octagon®, “The Count”, complete with his trademark entrance music, “Song 2” by Blur, would become a global fan favorite, registering a 20-9 record in UFC, which included capturing the UFC middleweight title by defeating Luke Rockhold at UFC® 199: ROCKHOLD vs. BISPING 2 in June 2016. Having lost to Rockhold in 2014, Bisping took the fight as the main event’s second replacement, on 17 days’ notice, winning the contest via strikes in the first round.

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

16 wins as a UFC middleweight – most in UFC history

20 wins – Tied for 2nd in UFC history

29 total fights – Tied for 3rd most in UFC history

5:15:15 of time inside the Octagon – most by a middleweight in UFC history

1,384 significant strikes as a middleweight – most in the history of the middleweight division

1,567 total significant strikes – 2nd in UFC history (Max Holloway – 1,627)

1 of 8 TUF winners to become an undisputed UFC champion

The only UFC athlete in UFC history to win a season of The Ultimate Fighter and become a UFC champion that also successfully defended their title

1 of 4 UFC athletes to land 100 or more significant strikes in five different fights (TJ Dillashaw, Max Holloway, Joanna Jedrzejczyk)

Headlined UFC events in seven different countries – most in UFC history
A native of Manchester, England, Bisping began training jiu-jitsu at the age of eight. At the age of 15, he competed as an amateur in Britain’s first “no holds barred” competition, a precursor to modern MMA. Outside the Octagon, Bisping has become an accomplished combat sports analyst and commentator for UFC, as well as a successful entrepreneur as a stakeholder in UFC GYM – Costa Mesa and UFC UK. He has also excelled as an actor with roles / cameos in Den of Thieves; XXX: Return of Zander Cage; My Name is Lenny; and Triple Threat. He lives with his wife and three children in Orange County, CA.

The remaining inductees of the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2019 will be announced in the coming weeks leading to the 8th Annual UFC International Fight Week ™, taking place from Wednesday, July 3 – Sunday, July 7 in Las Vegas. To view Bisping’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://www.ufc.tv/category/ufc-hall-of-fame-michael-bisping-2019.

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

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME| IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to more than 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram: @UFC.

Leon Edwards won a split decision over Gunnar Nelson in a welterweight fight.

Edwards took cards 29-28. Nelson won a 3rd card 29-28.

Edwards is 17-3. Nelson is 17-4-1.

In a battle of top-10 light heavyweights, Dominick Reyes won a split decision over Volkan Oezdemir.

Reyes won two cards 29-28. Oezdemir took a card 29-28.

Reyes is 11-0. Oezdemir is 15-4.

Nathaniel Wood won via 2nd round choke over Jose Quinonez in a bantamweight bout.

Wood won via rear-naked choke at 2:15.

Wood is now 16-3. Quinonez is 7-3.

Claudio Silva submitted Danny Roberts in the 3rd round of their welterweight bout.

Silva used an armbar to submit Roberts at 2:37.

Silva is 13-1. Roberts is 16-4.

Jack Marshman won a split-decision over John Phillips in a middleweight bout.

Marshman won two cards 29-28. Phillips took a card 29-28.

Marshman, who was two pounds over weight at Friday’s weigh-in is now 23-8. Phillips is now 21-9-1.

Arnold Allen won a unanimous decision over Jordan Rinaldi in a featherweight bout.

Allen won by scores 30-27, 30-26 and 29-28 and is now 14-1.  Rinaldi is 14-7.

Marc Diakiese won a unanimous decision over Joe Duffy in a lightweight bout.

Diakiese won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 13-3. Duffy is 16-4.

Saparbek Safarov won a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Nicolae Negumereanu in a light heavyweight bout.

Safarov was deducted a point in round one for grabbing the cage. Negumereanu was bloodied under his right, eye at the end of round two after suffering a pounding from Safarov.

Safarov won by scores of 29-26 twice and 29-27, and is now 9-2. Negumereanu is 9-1.

Dan Ige choked out Danny Henry in the opening round of their featherweight bout.

Ige knocked Henry down and was able to apply a rear naked choke, and the fight was stopped at 1:17.

Ige is now 11-2. Henry is 12-3.

Molly McCann won a unanimous decision over Priscilla Cachoeira in a flyweight fight.

In round two, McCann began to swell and bleed over her left eye. In round three, it was virtually closed.

Despite that McCann won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 8-2. Cachoeira is also 8-2.

Mike Grundy stopped Nad Narimani in the 2nd round of their featherweight bout.

Narimani was bleeding under his left eye in the 2nd round. Later in the round, Grundy decked Narimani with a hard right hand. Narimani got up but was wobbled, and Grundy was all over Narimani, and landed several more hard blows, and the fight was stopped at 4:42.

Grundy is 12-1. Narimani is 12.3

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. with a thrilling middleweight rematch between No. 1 ranked contender Yoel Romero and No. 3 Jacare Souza. In a battle of light heavyweight sluggers, No. 11 ranked Glover Teixeira takes on hard-hitting Ion Cutelaba. UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: ROMERO vs. JACARE 2 takes place at the BB&T Center on Saturday, April 27 with ESPN airing the main card live at 9 p.m. ET. Prelims start at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+ kicks off the event with a live stream of the early prelims at 5:30 p.m. ET. ESPN Deportes will air the prelims live at 7 p.m. ET and stream the main card in Spanish at 9 p.m. ET on the ESPN App. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will also be available in English and Spanish.

Romero (13-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba) got his hand raised in the competitive first encounter, edging out a split decision win. A silver medalist in freestyle wrestling in the 2000 Olympics, Romero has earned emphatic wins over the 185-pound elite. He has delivered spectacular knockouts against Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman, Lyoto Machida and Derek Brunson, and now he aims for another show-stealing finish to stake his claim for a title shot.

Among the most decorated grapplers in MMA, Souza (26-6 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has shown his striking can be just as dangerous as his submission game. During his UFC run, he’s netted impressive victories against Vitor Belfort, Gegard Mousasi, Derek Brunson and Tim Boetsch. His most recent outing saw him earn a sensational KO over former champion Chris Weidman. He now looks to earn a measure of revenge against Romero and secure the No. 1 contender’s spot.

Former light heavyweight title challenger Teixeira (28-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Minas Gerais, Brazil) looks to earn his way back into the championship conversation. He has defeated some of the most iconic names in the sport, including former champions Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. With 14 of his last 16 wins coming by stoppage, Teixeira is eager to show he can still compete with the best in the world by taking out up-and-coming prospect Cutelaba.

Cutelaba (14-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) is gunning to earn his third stoppage victory in a row against the toughest test of his career in Teixeira. A 25-year-old with an impressive 10 wins in under 1:13, Cutelaba is one of the brighter prospects at 205 pounds, most recently taking out Luis Henrique da Silva and Gadzhimurad Antigulov via first-round KO. Now, Cutelaba looks to break into the rankings and work his way to title contention with his most impressive performance yet.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No. 8-ranked bantamweight contender John Lineker (31-8, fighting out of Paranagua, Brazil) goes for his 15th career KO as he looks to hand rising prospect Cory Sandhangen (10-1, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) his first UFC loss
Former UFC heavyweight champion and No. 14-ranked contender Andrei Arlovski (27-17, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) sets his sights on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Augusto Sakai (11-1-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
In a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, Alex Oliveira (19-5-1 2NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on Li Jingliang (15-5, fighting out of Beijing, China)
In an early Fight of the Night candidate, long-time veteran Jim Miller (29-13, fighting out of Sparta, N.J.) guns for his 19th UFC victory by taking out Jason Gonzalez (11-4, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
Former strawweight champion and No. 10-ranked contender Carla Esparza (14-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) collides with surging prospect Livinha Souza (12-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
The Ultimate Fighter season 11 winner Court McGee (20-6-1, fighting out of Orem, Utah) hopes to keep his momentum going against Dhiego Lima (15-7, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.)
Former strawweight title challenger Jessica Penne (12-6, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) aims to rebound against Jodie Esquibel (6-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
Former NFL standout Greg Hardy (2-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) goes for his first UFC victory when he meets Dmitrii Smoliakov (9-2, fighting out of Kaliningrad City, Russia)

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

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

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com/ufc.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: ROMERO vs. JACARE 2 will air live from BB&T Center on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 27, with the ESPN broadcast prelims kicking off the ESPN broadcast at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Early prelims stream on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: ROMERO vs. JACARE 2 go on sale Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 13 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, March 14 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

About ESPN

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

About BB&T Center

Home to the Florida Panthers Hockey Club and leading international concerts and events, the Broward County-owned BB&T Center is one of the top ranked venues of its kind in the world, servicing Broward,

Collier, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties. For the latest info about upcoming events, visit www.thebbtcenter.com and follow BB&T Center on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Las Vegas – For the first time in over two years, the UFC returns to Atlanta and brings with it two pivotal title fights, as reigning featherweight champion and No. 4-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world Max Holloway moves up in weight to attempt to become the fourth athlete to hold two UFC belts at the same time when he takes on No. 3-ranked lightweight contender Dustin Poirier for the interim UFC lightweight crown. Also, top middleweight contenders clash for the interim 185-pound belt as No. 4-ranked Kelvin Gastelum and No. 5-ranked Israel Adesanya vie for their first gold strap. UFC® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 takes place Saturday, April 13 at the all-new State Farm Arena and will air live on Pay-Per-View.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English and Spanish on ESPN and ESPN Deportes starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. In addition to linear coverage of the preliminaries, fans will be able to purchase and watch UFC 236 on ESPN.com/UFC236, beginning in late March. Once purchased, fans will be able to watch the event on the web or in the ESPN App on mobile or TV-connected devices. They also can purchase and watch UFC 236 on UFC.com or the UFC App.

After dominating 13 opponents in a row at featherweight, reigning champion Holloway (20-3, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) moves up in weight for the first time in his career, as he chases the top of the pound-for-pound rankings by joining Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes as the only athletes to hold two UFC belts at the same time. During his run at featherweight, Holloway finished former long-time featherweight champion Jose Aldo twice, former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, and previously undefeated challenger Brian Ortega. Now, Holloway looks to avenge the first loss of his professional career by being only the second man to defeat Poirier in the last four years.

Poirier (24-5, 1 NC fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) aims to capitalize on the best run of his UFC tenure, as he looks to capture his first UFC title by proving his 2012 win over Holloway was no fluke. With his last four wins all earning him post-fight bonuses, Poirier has established himself as one of the most dangerous and entertaining competitors in arguably the deepest division in UFC. With his most recent stoppage wins coming over former lightweight champions Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis, as well as durable top-contender Justin Gaethje, Poirier is confident that he has what it takes to stop Holloway from joining the ranks of double champions.

Six years to the day that he became The Ultimate Fighter: 17 middleweight champion Gastelum (16-3, 1 NC fighting out of Yuma, Ariz., by way of Huntington Beach, Calif.) is set to compete for the first UFC title of his career. Previously scheduled to face current middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 234 in February before Whittaker was forced to withdraw due to illness, Gastelum now looks to further cement his status in the division by becoming the only man to defeat fellow top-contender Adesanya. Coming off impressive wins over former middleweight champion Michael Bisping and No. 3-ranked contender Jacare Souza, Gastelum believes that the time is now for him to prove that he is the best middleweight in the world.

One of the fastest-rising prospects in UFC history, Adesanya (16-0, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) is fresh off an impressive victory over legendary former middleweight champion Anderson Silva and is now set to compete for his first title just over a year after joining the promotion. A multiple-time kickboxing champion with a reported record of 75-4, Adesanya is one of the highest-level strikers to ever compete in the Octagon, as evidenced by 13 of his 16 MMA wins coming via KO. Adesanya is now poised on the break of superstardom and intends to show that he is as good as he says by becoming the first person in history to KO Gastelum.

Additional bouts on the card include:

Former light heavyweight title challenger and No. 12-ranked contender Ovince Saint Preux (23-12, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) looks to bounce back into the win column against Ukrainian prospect Nikita Krylov (25-6, fighting out of Donetsk, Ukraine)
Knockout artists clash as former football player Eryk Anders (11-3, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) and The Ultimate Fighter veteran Khalil Rountree (8-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) look to establish themselves as fighters to watch in the light heavyweight division
Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Montel Jackson (7-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) hunts for another first-round finish against the durable Andre Soukhamthath (13-6, Lake Worth, Fla. by way of Woonsocket, R.I.)
Former flyweight title challenger and current No. 5-ranked contender Wilson Reis (23-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) aims to defend his rank and work his way back to another title shot by taking out No. 6-ranked contender Alexandre Pantoja (20-3, Arraial Do Cabo, Brazil)
The first athlete officially signed from Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series Boston Salmon (6-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) makes his long-anticipated UFC debut against German prospect Khalid Taha (12-2, fighting out of Dortmund, Germany)

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

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

UFC® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 will air live from State Farm Arena on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 13, with the prelims kicking off the evening on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and on UFC Fight Pass at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 go on sale Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 6 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, March 9 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About State Farm Arena

Home to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club, State Farm Arena opens its doors in October 2018 following the 2nd largest renovation in NBA history. Inspired by the fans, State Farm Arena is a next-generation venue focused on experience, service and entertainment. With the NBA’s third-largest center-hung scoreboard and an immersive video experience, fan-friendly food pricing and premium restaurant options, Topgolf Swing Suites and celebrity-inspired spaces accessible to every fan, the downtown Atlanta arena stakes its claim as the city’s best sports and live entertainment venue. Consistently ranked among the top 10 concert and event venues in the world by Pollstar, State Farm Arena hosts approximately 170 events and nearly 2 million guests annually. For more information on State Farm Arena, log on to www.statefarmarena.com today or follow us on Twitter @StateFarmArena.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

About ESPN

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

Montreal, Canada – UFC® legend and former two-division champion Georges St-Pierre announced his retirement from mixed martial arts (MMA) today at a press conference in Montreal. Widely considered the greatest welterweight champion of all time, he holds the record for the most 170-pound title defences at nine.

“It takes a lot of discipline to become and stay champion. It also takes a lot of discipline to stop while still feeling that you’re in the best physical and mental shape of your life but I’ve always planned to leave the sport when I’m at the top and in good health,” said St-Pierre (26-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada). “I want to thank my family, my fans, my coaches, trainers and training partners, my sponsors and my agents for their indefectible support during all these years. I will forever be grateful for the work of Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, as well as Dana White and all UFC employees for giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills before the world, from UFC 46 to UFC 217. I also want to thank each of my opponents. All of them are incredible athletes who brought out the best in me. I retire from competition with great pride at having had a positive impact on my sport. I intend to keep training and practicing martial arts for as long as I live and I look forward to watching the new generation of champions carry our sport into the future.”

During his time at the top of the weight class, St-Pierre earned spectacular victories over Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Jake Shields, B.J. Penn (twice) and Josh Koscheck (twice). He also avenged his sole losses to both Matt Hughes and Matt Serra. In November 2017, St-Pierre captured the middleweight championship with a thrilling third-round submission win against Michael Bisping.

“Georges has cemented his legacy as one of the pound-for-pound greatest fighters ever,” UFC President Dana White said. “He beat all the top guys during his welterweight title reign and even went up a weight class to win the middleweight championship. He spent years as one of the biggest names in MMA and remains one of the best ambassadors for the sport. He put Canada on the MMA map.”

Born in the small municipality of Saint-Isidore, Quebec, St-Pierre was frequently bullied by older and stronger students throughout his childhood. However, he used this conflict as fuel to dedicate himself to martial arts. After working his way up the ranks through Quebec regional promotion TKO MMA, he debuted on the big stage with a unanimous decision win over Karo Parisyan at UFC 46 in 2004. He won his first welterweight championship via knockout over Matt Hughes at UFC 65 in 2006. After losing the title to Matt Serra, he later recaptured the belt via TKO in their rematch at UFC 83 in Montreal. He then went on to secure nine consecutive defences before stepping away from competition indefinitely. Following a four-year hiatus, St-Pierre returned in November 2017 to defeat Michael Bisping at UFC 217 to become a two-division champion.

In 2011 St-Pierre set the largest UFC gate outside the U.S. at $12,075,000 when he headlined UFC 129 at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The event currently holds the second largest attendance in UFC history with 55,724 fans. St-Pierre won Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Year in 2009. He was named Rogers Sportsnet Canadian Athlete of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He was nominated for best fighter at the ESPY Awards in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2018. Outside the Octagon®, St-Pierre was featured in films Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Kickboxer: Vengeance.

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About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

Vicente Luque stopped Brian Baberena in round three of a thrilling war.

It was a bloody battle that saw Luque stop Barberena with six seconds remaining in the fight.

Luque is now 15-6-1. Barberena is

Andre Fili won a unanimous decision over Myles Jury in a featherweight bout.

Fili won by scores of 29-28 on all cards, and is now 19-6. Jury is 17-4.

Aljamain Sterling won a unanimous decision over Jimmie Rivera in a bantamweight bout.

Sterling, 136 lbs of Uniondale, NY won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 17-3. Rivera, 135 lbs of Ramsey, NJ is 22-3.

In a battle of undefeated bantamweights, Manny Bermudez choked out Benito Lopez in the 1st round.

With Bermudez controlling the action on the ground, Bermudez made Lopez tap to a Guillotine at 3:09

Bermudez, 139 lbs (He missed weight by four pounds) of Rockland, MA is 16-0. Lopez, 135.5 lbs of Oroville, CA is 9-1.

Andrea Lee won a unanimous decision over Ashlee Evans Smith in a flyweight bout.

Lee, 125.5 lbs of Shreveport, LA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 10-2. Smith, 126 lbs of Santa Ana, CA is 6-4.

Nik Lentz won a three-round split decision over Scott Holtzaman in a featherweight bout.

In round two, Holtzman began to bleed from the nose. In round three, Lentz was bleeding under his left eye.

Lentz, 155.5 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 30-9-2-1. Holtzman, 156 lbs is 12-3.

Luke Sanders stopped former bantamweight champion Renan Barao in the 2nd round of their bantamweight bout.

Sanders dropped Barao with a booming left to the face. Sanders nailed Barao with 3 more vicious shots, and the bout was stopped at 1:01

Sanders, 135 of Nashville, TN is 13-3. Barao, 138 lbs of Rio De Janeiro, BRA is 36-8-1.

Emily Whitmire choked out Aleksandra Albu 61 seconds into their strawweight bout.

Whitmire is now 4-2. Albu loses for the 1st time and is 3-1.

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Nashville, Tenn. for the first time in almost two years with a battle between two of the most elite strikers in UFC history as two-time welterweight title challenger and current No.4-ranked contender Stephen Thompson looks to spoil the 170-pound debut of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Also, No.4-ranked heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes intends to bounce back into the win column by handing Justin Willis his first loss in the UFC. UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: THOMPSON vs. PETTIS will stream live from Bridgestone Arena exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 23, with the ESPN+ prelims kicking off the evening at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET. Doors open at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will be available in English and Spanish.

A five-time world champion in kickboxing with an incredible record of 58-0 with over 40 KOs, Thompson (14-3-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) is one of the most highly-decorated strikers to ever compete in the UFC. Since joining the UFC in 2012, Thompson compiled a record of 9-3-1, including first-round KOs over former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks and current middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. Now set to compete for this first time in almost a year, Thompson aims to re-enter the championship conversation by securing the sixth post-fight bonus of his career with another highlight-reel KO.

Former lightweight champion and featherweight title challenger Pettis (21-8, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.) competes in his third weight class under the UFC banner as he moves up to welterweight in the Octagon for the first time. A third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Pettis has landed some of the most spectacular KOs in UFC history, including back-to-back first-round KOs over Joe Lauzon and Donald Cerrone. Coming off one of the best fights of 2018 against Tony Ferguson in the co-main event of UFC 229, Pettis is eager to return to the Octagon and put on another bonus-winning performance for his fans.

Hoping to kick off 2019 with another long winning streak, Blaydes (10-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) will look to secure his ninth victory by way of KO. A 2012 NJCAA national champion in wrestling, Blaydes smoothly transitioned to MMA and has already defeated legends such as Mark Hunt and Alistair Overeem in his young career. Now, Blaydes aims to insert himself back into the title picture with his sixth win in the Octagon.

Willis (8-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) intends to stay undefeated in the UFC as he prepares to take on the highest-ranked opponent of his career. After losing his first professional fight, Willis has won eight bouts in a row, with four of those victories coming by way of KO. Coming off the biggest win of his career against Hunt, Willis now looks to continue his momentum and work towards his first UFC title shot.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No.1-ranked flyweight contender Jussier Formiga (22-5, fighting out of Natal, Brazil) looks to secure his first UFC title shot by being the only man to defeat No.4-ranked Deiveson Figueiredo (15-0, fighting out of Soure, Brazil)
No.5-ranked women’s flyweight contender Alexis Davis (19-8, fighting out of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada) intends to defend her spot in line for the title when she battles former Invicta flyweight champion Jennifer Maia (15-5-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
No.14-ranked women’s strawweight contender Randa Markos (8-7-1, fighting out of Windsor, Ontario, Canada) aims to break into the top-10 with an impressive performance over veteran Angela Hill (8-5, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
In a flyweight bout, Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series standout Maycee Barber (6-0, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) looks to stay undefeated in her career when she takes on JJ Aldrich (7-2, fighting out of Westminster, Colo.)
Both hungry for their first UFC win, Martin Day (8-3, fighting out of Kailua, Hawaii) battles Chris Gutierrez (12-3-1, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.)
The Ultimate Fighter semi-finalist Bryce Mitchell (10-0, fighting out of Searcy, Ark.) looks to stay undefeated as he takes on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Bobby Moffett (14-3, fighting out of Homewood, Ill.)
John Makdessi (16-6, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) aims to make it three wins in a row when he takes on German prospect Nasrat Haqparast (10-2, fighting out of Hamburg, Germany)

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

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: THOMPSON vs. PETTIS go on sale Friday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET and are priced at $144.50, $119.50, $94.50 and $79.50 (not including fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com or in person at the Bridgestone Arena box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Feb. 7 starting at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation, delivering a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

About Bridgestone Arena

Serving as the home for numerous national and international events, Bridgestone Arena has the distinction of being one of the busiest venues in the Unites States since the doors first opened in 1996, hosting more than 23 million guests during that time. The NHL’s Nashville Predators have been the primary tenants of Bridgestone Arena since 1998 and boast one of the most unique game atmospheres in the NHL. The list of acts that have called the 2017 Pollstar and IEBA Arena of the Year home is lengthy and includes the Country Music Association Awards; the Country Music Television Awards; and the SEC Basketball Tournament through 2030.

Las Vegas – UFC® will return to Philadelphia with a bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, as No. 6 ranked lightweight contender Edson Barboza takes on No. 7 Justin Gaethje. In a pivotal strawweight bout, No. 6 ranked contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz faces No. 8 Michelle Waterson. UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: BARBOZA vs. GAETHJE takes place at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, March 30 with ESPN airing the Main Event and Prelims live at 5 p.m. ET and ESPN+ kicking off the event with a live stream of the Early Prelims at 3:30 p.m. ET. ESPN Deportes will air the Prelims live at 5 p.m. ET and stream the Main Event in Spanish at 7 p.m. ET on the ESPN App. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will also be available in English and Spanish.

A devastating Muay Thai specialist, Barboza (20-6, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has delivered some of the most spectacular knockouts in UFC history. During his run, he has earned thrilling wins against Beneil Dariush, Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis and Paul Felder. He now looks to continue building on the momentum of his recent victory over Dan Hooker with another show-stealing performance against one of the division’s most aggressive finishers.

Known as the “The Highlight,” Gaethje (19-2. Fighting out of Arvada, Colo.) has proven to be must-watch television since joining the UFC in 2017. He has earned five performance bonuses in only four appearances, including legendary wars with Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez, as well as incredible knockouts against James Vick and Michael Johnson. Gaethje is now poised to once again steal the show against one of the most dangerous strikers on the UFC roster.

A former title challenger, Kowalkiewicz (13-3, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) aims to reassert herself as one of the top competitors in the strawweight division. During her UFC run, she has netted impressive victories over current champion Rose Namajunas, Felice Herrig, Randa Markos and Heather Jo Clark. Kowalkiewicz now hopes to make a statement against a tough and surging veteran contender.

Currently riding a two-fight win streak, Waterson (16-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) looks to continue her ascent up through the rankings. A former Invicta champion, she has secured thrilling victories against Paige VanZant, Felice Herrig, Cortney Casey and Jessica Penne. She is now gunning to establish herself as a title threat in the talent-rich strawweight division.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No. 13 ranked strawweight contender Alexa Grasso (10-2, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico) looks to get back in the win column against unbeaten Marina Rodriguez (10-0-1, fighting out of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil)
Ross Pearson (22-14 1NC, fighting out of Sunderland, England) makes his 26th UFC appearance against tough Desmond Green (21-8, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Kennedy Nzechukwu (6-0, fighting out of Dallas, Tex.) looks to remain undefeated against battle-tested Paul Craig (9-3, fighting out of Coatbridge, Scotland)
Featherweight prospects collide when Sodiq Yusuff (7-1, fighting out of Bladensburg, Md.) faces Sheymon Moraes (11-1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.)
Sabina Mazo (6-0, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Medellín, Colombia) takes on Maryna Moroz (8-3, fighting out of Volnogorsk, Ukraine) in a strawweight bout

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

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

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com/ufc.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: BARBOZA vs. GAETHJE will air live from Wells Fargo Center on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 30, with the ESPN broadcast prelims kicking off the ESPN broadcast at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Early prelims stream on ESPN+ at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: BARBOZA vs. GAETHJE go on sale Friday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $179, $154, $124, $94, $84 and $74 (not including fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at WellsFargoCenterPhilly.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Feb. 6 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, Feb. 7 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN.

ESPN+ will offer UFC fans 20 exclusive UFC on ESPN+ Fight Nights per year, as well as an extensive lineup of on-demand UFC programming, original shows (including “Dana White’s Contender Series”), classic fights and more. In addition to live and on-demand UFC content included in the ESPN+ subscription, fight fans will be able to purchase and watch UFC PPV events via ESPN+ and within the ESPN app, for a separate cost.

In addition to UFC, ESPN+ offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is available across nearly all major mobile and connected device platforms and delivers a rich, personalized experience that curates ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC® today announced that UFC® 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR generated $86.4 million in economic impact for the Las Vegas metropolitan area, according to a study conducted by research firm Applied Analysis. This marks the largest economic impact for a single UFC event measured globally to date.

UFC® 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR, which took place on Saturday, October 6, at T-Mobile Arena, set new records for attendance (20,034) and ticket revenue ($17,188,894) for UFC in Las Vegas. In addition to the $86.4 million in total economic output, the study concluded that the landmark event also contributed $17.2 million in salaries and wages and supported an estimated 414 jobs in the Southern Nevada market. Visitors attending events related to UFC® 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR were responsible for an estimated $3.7 million in public revenues in Nevada.

“During the build up to UFC 229, I said it was going to be the biggest event in UFC’s history, and now we have all the numbers to prove it,” said UFC President Dana White. “Khabib vs. McGregor smashed our records for Pay-Per-Views, social media impressions, and global viewership, and now we know it set records for economic impact here Las Vegas. None of this would have been possible without the support from the Las Vegas community and UFC’s loyal fans, the best in sports.”

Added Steve Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority: “Las Vegas has long been the fight capital of the world, and UFC 229 once again showed that combining UFC’s tremendous brand with the brand of Las Vegas is a win-win for everyone. We’re proud to be the home of UFC and to partner with them to put on some of the greatest events in the MMA world.”

UFC has been headquartered in Las Vegas since 2001 and hosts a minimum of four events annually in T-Mobile Arena, where UFC was named an Anchor Tenant in 2017.

Key Highlights of the UFC® 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR economic impact study:

$86.4 million total economic output
$17.2 million total salaries and wages paid
414 jobs supported in Southern Nevada
$3.7 million total taxes paid by visitors
40% of UFC 229 visitors traveled from international locations
50% of attendees were between the ages of 21 to 34
50% of attendees reported an annual household income of $100,000 or more
One in five attendees stayed in Las Vegas for at least five days
Nearly two in five attendees reported spending more than $2,000 on non-gaming activities

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

Last night’s UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ debut, featuring 13 fights live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, saw Henry Cejudo successfully defend his flyweight championship against bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in a stunning 32-second finish, and led to a record-setting night with 568,000 new subscribers for ESPN+ on Friday and Saturday combined – over 525,000 Saturday alone. It marks the largest event and subscription catalyst for ESPN+ thus far.

The UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ Prelims card aired on ESPN (English) and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) from 8:15 -10 p.m. ET. The telecast averaged a 1.4 metered market rating, making it the highest-rated UFC Fight Night Prelims on cable since at least 2013.

ESPN+, the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN, launched in April and surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months. It offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

“Our first UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ was a thrilling evening of action and a great success, with a record-setting night that continued the momentum for ESPN+, delivered strong ratings on ESPN and marks a great start to our new agreement with the UFC,” said Kevin Mayer, Chairman, Direct-To-Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company. “It was a milestone evening, with the success driven by outstanding joint efforts from the teams at DTCI and ESPN.”

On Saturday, there were also more than 1.8 million unique visitors to MMA-related digital content across ESPN digital platforms (ESPN App, ESPN.com, etc.), which was the most-trafficked Saturday for MMA content on record.

ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said, “All day, and across all ESPN platforms, we collectively demonstrated the promise of what we can do to fulfill our mission of serving a wider array of sports fans.”

On the Prelims portion of the card broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone thrilled the crowd with a second-round TKO of Alex Hernandez. After his win, Cerrone immediately challenged Conor McGregor. “I want Conor, if he’ll agree to it. I’m coming for a belt. Cowboy is back.” McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, quickly responded on Twitter, accepting the challenge: “For a fight like that Donald, I’ll fight you. Congratulations.”

This was the first fight card of the five-year media deal between UFC, The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-To-Consumer & International segment and ESPN, announced last year. ESPN+ will offer 20 exclusive UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ events per year and all preliminary fights for UFC on ESPN Fight Night programs. ESPN linear networks will broadcast 10 exclusive UFC on ESPN Fight Night events per year as well as Prelim fights for UFC pay-per-view events.

Cory Sandhagen stopped previously undefeated Mario Bautista in a bantamweight contest via Armbar.

The time was 3:31 for Sandhagen, 135 1/2 lbs of Aurora, CO and is now 10-1.  Bautista, 135 lbs of Phoenix is 6-1.

Dennis Bermudez won a unanimous decision over Te Edwards in a light bout.

Bermudez, 156 lbs of Lyndenhurst, NY won by scores of 30-26 on all cards and is now 18-9.  Edwards, 155 lbs of Phoenix is 6-3.

Geoff Neal won a unanimous decision over Belal Muhammad in a welterweight fight.

In round three, Muhammad was bleeding from the nose as a result as some heavy kicks by Neal.

Neal, 170 1/2 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 11-2.  Muhammad, 170 lbs of Chicago is 14-3.

Chance Rencountre stopped Kyle Stewart in the 1st round of their welterweight bout.

The stop came via Rear-Naked Choke at 2:25

Rencountre, 170 1/2 lbs of Pohawksa, OK is now 13-3.  Stewart, 170 1/2 lbs of Gilbert, AZ is 11-2.

Las Vegas – UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced the unveiling of its new UFC Legacy Championship Belt to mark a new era for the company. The UFC Legacy Championship Belt, valued at three times more than its predecessor, replaces the UFC Classic Championship Belt, which had been used since 2001, when Zuffa, Inc. originally purchased the organization.

The UFC Legacy Championship Belt will be uniquely customized for each individual champion by the athlete’s country, weight class, and number of title defenses. Each belt will be assigned its own serial number and will feature UFC President Dana White’s engraved signature for authenticity.

The UFC Legacy Championship Belt will be awarded for the first time to the winner of the main event superfight between UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo and UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw at UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: CEJUDO vs. DILLASHAW, which takes place this Saturday, January 19, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

“This Saturday begins a new era for UFC, and it’s a perfect time to unveil our new UFC Legacy Championship Belt,” UFC President Dana White said. “The belt honors UFC’s past, while recognizing the amazing accomplishments of our current champions.”

The UFC Legacy Championship Belt, a design collaboration between UFC, belt designer Brad Flaherty, and Jae El Manufacturing, measures 50 inches in length and 12 inches in height, with an overall weight of 10.45 lbs. Made from genuine leather, the belt has a custom Octagon® pattern embossed on its trim with gold Octagon-shaped snaps that include UFC’s logo.

The belt’s main plate is highlighted by the UFC logo. Made from high-polished gold, the logo is centered on a pattern comprising squares and octagons. The octagon contains 25 lines that represent UFC’s silver anniversary, which it celebrated in 2018. Each square has eight lines that represent the eight sides of the Octagon.

The belt’s flag iconography is highlighted throughout the design as a way to honor the first eight countries to have a UFC champion:

· Belarus (Andrei Arlovski)

· Brazil (Murilo Bustamante)

· Canada (Carlos Newton)

· Ireland (Conor McGregor)

· Netherlands (Bas Rutten)

· Poland (Joanna Jedrzejczyk)

· United Kingdom (Michael Bisping)

· United States (Mark Coleman)

The belt’s left-side plate will recognize the titleholder’s name and weight class, with their native country showcased with flag iconography. Eight stones border the plate, and for each victory in a championship bout, one of the stones will be replaced with a red ruby. The date and location of the win will be engraved adjacent to the stone. If an athlete successfully defends their belt more than eight times, red stones will be added to the right-side plate to continually acknowledge the accomplishment. The belt’s right-side plate is adorned by a gold UFC World Champion logo and bordered by eight stones. UFC’s jewelry partner, Bixler, will donate all stones and engravings.

The women’s championship belt will be identical in every detail, except for size and weight. Athletes who win titles across multiple weight classes will be awarded one belt per division.

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.