UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell is out of his UFC 288 fight against Movsar Evloev this Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey.

The injury is undisclosed at this time.

Vancouver – UFC^®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion, confirmed today its return to Canada for the first time in almost four years when it hosts UFC^® 289: NUNES vs. PEÑA 3 at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Saturday, June 10.

The event will be headlined by a highly anticipated rubber match that will see women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes defend her 135-pound belt against former titleholder and No. 1 contender Julianna Peña. Stay tuned for future bout announcements soon.

“I’m so pumped to return to Canada,” UFC President Dana White said. “Some of the greatest events in my life were up in Canada. The fans are awesome and I love every city up in Canada. I can’t wait to deliver an awesome Pay-Per-View in Vancouver. We’re back!”

UFC^® 289: NUNES vs. PEÑA 3 tickets will go on sale Friday, April 21 at 12 p.m. PT and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.ca. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 20 starting at 12 p.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC^® 289: NUNES vs. PEÑA 3 main card will air live on Pay-Per-View starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Televised prelims will broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on TSN and RDS channels, with the night’s early prelims kicking off exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Media members wishing to apply for fight week credentials may sign up here.

The greatest female fighter of all time, Nunes (22-5, fighting out of Coral Springs, Fla. by way of Bahia, Brazil) looks to set a new record for combined UFC women’s title defenses. A future UFC Hall of Fame inductee, she holds legendary KO wins over former champions Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm and Cris Cyborg. Nunes now aims to get the last laugh by stopping Pena in emphatic fashion.

Peña (12-5, fighting out of Chicago, Ill. by way of Spokane, Wash.) intends to once again stun the MMA world by finishing Nunes. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 18, she has also earned impressive victories against Sara McMann, Cat Zingano and Jessica Eye. Peña now has her sights set on reclaiming her spot atop the bantamweight division with a show-stealing performance.

Announced bouts on the card include:

• Ranked middleweight contenders collide when No. 12 Nassourdine Imavov (12-4, fighting out of Paris, France) meets No. 15 Chris Curtis (30-10, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA)
• No. 13 ranked featherweight contender Dan Ige (16-6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Haleiwa, Hawaii) looks to halt the momentum of rising Nate Landwehr (17-4, fighting out of Clarksville, Tenn.)
• No. 13 ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. (12-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., USA) aims to spoil the 205-pound debut of No. 13 heavyweight Chris Daukaus (12-6, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn., USA)
• Kyle Nelson (13-5-1, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ont.) battles unbeaten Blake Bilder (8-0-1, fighting out of Costa Mesa, Calif., USA) in a featherweight tilt
• Marc-Andre Barriault (15-6 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., USA by way of Gatineau, Que.) locks horns with Eryk Anders (15-7 1NC, fighting out of Scottsdale, Ariz., USA by way of Birmingham, Ala., USA) in a hard-hitting middleweight bout
• No. 8 ranked flyweight contender Matt Schnell (16-7, fighting out of Shreveport, La., USA) takes on No. 10 David Dvorak (20-5, fighting out of Horice, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic)
• Hakeem Dawodu (13-3-1, fighting out of Calgary, Alta.) returns to action against Lucas Almeida (14-1, fighting out of Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil) in an entertaining featherweight bout
• Miranda Maverick (13-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo., USA by way of Buffalo, Mo., USA) faces Jasmine Jasudavicius (8-2, fighting out of Niagara, Ont.) at flyweight
• Aiemann Zahabi (9-2, fighting out of Montreal, Que.) goes for his third consecutive win when he meets Aoriqileng (24-9, fighting out of Shanghai, China) in a bantamweight matchup
• Diana Belbita (14-7, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ont.) meets Maria Oliveira (13-6, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at strawweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 233 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s active fighter roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

Canucks Sports & Entertainment

Canucks Sports & Entertainment is Western Canada’s sports & entertainment leader providing world class entertainment in multiple venues in British Columbia. CSE owns and operates the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League, the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League, the Vancouver Warriors of the National Lacrosse League, the Vancouver Titans of the Overwatch League, the Seattle Surge of the Call of Duty League and Rogers Arena. From watching one’s first NHL game to singing along with a favourite artist, Canucks Sports & Entertainment strives to create unforgettable moments that inspire, excite and unite us all.  Regardless of the score, the event or the night, our goal is to provide a world class experience for you and your guests from the moment you arrive, to the end of the event.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a high-stakes rematch in the women’s bantamweight division, as No. 2 ranked contender Raquel Pennington takes on No. 5 Irene Aldana. In addition, will see exciting middleweights Edmen Shahbazyan and Anthony Hernandez lock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: PENNINGTON vs. ALDANA will take place Saturday, May 20 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Bantamweight veteran Pennington (15-8, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) sets out to collect her sixth consecutive win. The Colorado native has secured dominant victories against former UFC champions Miesha Tate and Jéssica Andrade, as well as Ketlen Vieira. Pennington is determined to lock down a second win over Aldana and leave no doubt that she’s next in line for a shot at the title.

Aldana (14-6, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico) looks to even the score and deliver an impressive win over Pennington. Always game to keep it standing, Aldana has delivered impressive knockout finishes over Macy Chiasson, Yana Santos, and Ketlen Vieira. The Mexican-born striker now looks to deliver a statement victory by adding Pennington to her highlight reel.

Shotokan Karateblack belt Shahbazyan (12-3, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) looks to capture the first win of his 2023 season. Shahbazyan’s elite striking has led him to knockouts against the likes of Dalcha Lungiambula, Brad Tavares, and Jack Marshman. He now plans to repeat that same success against Hernandez.

Hernandez (10-2, fighting out of Eldorado, Calif.) returns to the Octagon to put the middleweight division on notice. A submission specialist, he’s delivered impressive wins over formidable opponents such as Marc-André Barriault, Josh Fremd and Brendan Allen. Hernandez sets out with the intention of finishing Shahbazyan and climbing his way closer to challenging the Top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• UFC veteranIlir Latifi (17-8, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) and Rodrigo Nascimento (9-1, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Brazil) are set to deliver fireworks in the heavyweight division
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Orion Cosce (8-1, fighting out of Arcata, Calif.)faces Gilbert Urbina (6-2, fighting out of The Rio Grande Valley, Texas) at welterweight
• An intriguing matchup in the welterweight division pits Andre Fialho (16-6 1 NC, fighting out of Cascais, Portugual)against Joaquin Buckley (15-6, fighting out of St. Louis, Miss.)
• Lightweights Diego Ferreira (17-5, fighting out of Pharr, Texas) and The Ultimate Fighter season 12 finalistMichael Johnson (22-18, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) go toe-to-toe at 155 pounds
• China’s Maheshate (9-2, fighting out of Sichaun, China) meets Dana White’s Contender Series alum Viacheslav Borshchev (6-3, fighting out of Volgograd, Russia) in an exciting lightweight tilt
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Chase Hooper (11-3-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.)and Nick Fiore (6-1, fighting out of Derry, N.H.)square off at lightweight
• Karolina Kowalkiewicz (14-7, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) and Vanessa Demopoulos (9-4, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) clash in a thrilling battle of strawweights
• Flyweights Natalia Silva (14-5-1, fighting out of Pingo D’agua, Brazil) and Victoria Leonardo (9-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) start the night’s action

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas ­– UFC^® today announced that the classic 2015 fight between welterweights Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Fight Wing’ as a part of the class of 2023. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place on Thursday, July 6, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live an exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“The fight between Robbie Lawler and Rory McDonald at UFC 189 was one of the most exciting fights in UFC history,” UFC President Dana White said. “This was an absolute war and a complete display of heart, grit, determination, and the will to win from both athletes. This five-round classic will always be remembered as one of the best and I can’t wait to induct this fight into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

As the co-main event of UFC^® 189: MENDES vs. McGREGOR, which took place on July 11, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, both Lawler and MacDonald entered the event on three-fight winning streaks.

Lawler entered the Octagon as UFC welterweight champion with a 25-10 (1 NC) record that included wins over UFC Hall of Famer Frank Trigg, former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, former WEC lightweight champion Scott Smith, and a previous victory over MacDonald in 2013.

Rory came into his rematch against Robbie as the top ranked welterweight contender with an 18-2 record and previous wins over UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn, former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine, former WEC and Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz and Demian Maia.

Both athletes quickly advanced to the center of the Octagon at the opening bell to establish their positions, with MacDonald striking first with a barrage of jabs. Lawler, normally a fast starter, patiently measured Rory during the first round, cautiously matching leg kicks and responding to MacDonald’s jabs and straight right punches. Rory attempted one takedown during the first, with Robbie defending his attempt and countering with a right knee. The first round ended with both fighters exchanging punches.

Lawler took control of the pace early in round two, striking first and checking MacDonald’s leg kicks as the pair circled the center of the Octagon. Rory, connecting on more significant strikes, used his arm reach and leg kicks to stay on the outside of Robbie’s range. Both fighters began to open with multiple combinations midway through the round, opening and pushing forward with each exchange. With one minute left in the round, an exchange from Lawler broke MacDonald’s nose, causing a noticeable flow of blood over his chest. The round ended with one final combination from Robbie, evening the match with one round for each fighter.

Lawler, uncharacteristically patient to this point of the match, continued his strategic approach against Rory in the third, throwing measured strikes, blocking MacDonald’s counters, and throwing periodic leg kicks. Robbie defended Rory’s second takedown attempt in the third, answering with a three-punch combination that opened two additional cuts on MacDonald’s face to accompany his broken nose. With 35 seconds left in the round, MacDonald connected on a right head kick, stunning Lawler, and driving him back to the fence. Rory would take advantage by administering a series of punches, head kicks and a flying knee in his attempt to finish the fight with less than 10 seconds left, but Robbie would survive the round, although the momentum had clearly swung in MacDonald’s favor as he won the frame.

Rory opened the fourth in control as Lawler was not fully recovered from the end of the third. MacDonald connected on another right head kick and straight left punch combination 15 seconds into the round, forcing Robbie to backpedal to the fence as Rory unleashed several punches and two flying knees as Lawler raised his guard to minimize the damage. Robbie repeatedly assured referee John McCarthy that he was fine as MacDonald pushed forward with his attack of punches, head kicks and standing elbows. Lawler, still dazed and not fully recovered, would continue to counter Rory’s advances, with neither fighter, although both heavily bloodied willing to back down as they continue to exchange combinations through the end of a round that was punctuated by a stare down in the middle the of the Octagon. 

As both athletes stood for the fifth and final round, the sold-out crowd gave them a standing ovation. Lawler took control of the pace from the bell, connecting with a left hook and right jab to MacDonald’s nose 56 seconds into the round, which sent Rory to the canvas. Robbie would take advantage of the opening and connect with two more punches before McCarthy stopped the fight one minute into the fifth.

The slugfest would leave both athletes bloodied, with Lawler’s lip visibly split in two pieces and MacDonald’s face battered, as well. The fight won the Fight of the Night performance award and would be acknowledged by the Fighters Only World MMA Awards, Sherdog.com, MMA Fighting, Bleacher Report and Wrestling Observer as the “2015 Fight of the Year.”

Lawler won two of his next three fights following this event. Although he lost his title to Woodley in the main event of UFC 201 in July of 2016, he has continued to fight top contenders in the welterweight and middleweight divisions, earning a victory over Nick Diaz at UFC 266 in 2021. MacDonald would lose his next fight to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in June 2016 before leaving UFC shortly afterwards. He would continue to compete in Bellator and PFL before retiring in 2022.

To view the fight on UFC FIGHT PASS for free, please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/video/39984

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 UFC.com/HOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Vancouver – UFC^®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion, confirmed today its return to Canada for the first time in almost four years when it hosts UFC^® 289 at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Saturday, June 10. Stay tuned for fight announcements.

UFC^® 289 tickets will go on sale Friday, April 21 at 12 p.m. PT and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, April 19 at 12 p.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 20 starting at 12 p.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Fight fans wanting to keep up to date with all further bout and ticketing information for UFC^® 289 can register their interest at http://www.ufc.com/vancouver.

UFC^® 289 main card will air live on Pay-Per-View starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Televised prelims will broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on TSN and RDS channels, with the night’s early prelims kicking off exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Media members wishing to apply for fight week credentials may sign up here.

UFC^® 289 marks the first UFC event in Canada since UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: COWBOY vs. GAETHJE in Vancouver in September 2019. Since debuting with UFC^® 83: SERRA vs. ST-PIERRE 2 in 2008, UFC has held a total of 31 premiere sporting events in Canada, across 11 cities and which featured 19 world championship bouts.

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Charlotte, North Carolina for the first time since 2018 with an all-action main event between heavyweight finishers as No. 9 ranked contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik aims to land another signature KO when he takes on surging No. 12 contender Jailton Almeida. Also on the card, No. 5 ranked light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith faces No. 7 Johnny Walker in a bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: ROZENSTRUIK vs. ALMEIDA will take place Saturday, May 13 at Spectrum Center. The main card will air on ABC and ESPN Deportes kicking off at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT, with the prelims airing on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT. The entire card will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+. The same ESPN+ English audio call will also be available on SiriusXM Fight Nation (Channel 156).

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: ROZENSTRUIK vs. ALMEIDA tickets will go on sale Friday, April 7 at 10 a.m. ET and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, April 5 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 6 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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

Heavyweight knockout artist Rozenstruik (13-4, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) intends on making his first bout of 2023 a memorable one. A former professional kickboxer with 12 of his 13 MMA wins coming via KO, he holds emphatic victories over former UFC heavyweight champions Junior Dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski, as well as Alistair Overeem. Rozenstruik now seeks to halt Almeida’s climb up the rankings and make a run towards the title.

Almeida (18-2, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) is considered by many to be among the top prospects in the UFC today. A freak athlete who has never had a victory go to the judges, Almeida burst onto the scene with decisive wins over Danilo Marques, Parker Porter and Shamil Abdurakhimov. He now looks to maintain his undefeated UFC record in the most important bout of his MMA career.

Fan favorite Smith (36-17, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) returns to the Octagon looking to secure another highlight reel finish. The owner of an impressive 94 percent finishing rate, Smith has cemented himself as one of the most entertaining athletes on the UFC roster with stoppages of Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua and Alexander Gustafsson. He now aims to add to his notable resume by taking out Walker.

Walker (20-7, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) plans to continue his momentum with another explosive performance. With 16 KOs and three submissions to his name, Walker holds his own extraordinary finishing rate of 95 percent, which includes a remarkable 17 first-round finishes. He now has his sights set on making it another quick night in the Octagon and ascend past Smith in the rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• An intriguing welterweight matchup sees Ian Machado Garry (11-0, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) take on his toughest test yet in Daniel Rodriguez (17-3, fighting out of San Gabriel, Calif.)
• No. 7 ranked women’s strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern (12-3, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) tests her submission skills against No. 13 Angela Hill (15-12, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Carlos Ulberg (8-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) and Ihor Potieria (20-3, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine) clash in a light heavyweight bout
• Veterans Tim Means (32-14-1 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and Alex Morono (22-8 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) aim to put on a show at welterweight
• The Ultimate Fighter Season 29 winner Bryan Battle (9-2, fighting out of Matthews, N.C.) returns to action against Gabe Green (11-4, fighting out of Downey, Calif.) at welterweight
• Another welterweight battle sees Matt Brown (25-19, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) lock horns with Court McGee (22-11, fighting out of Orem, Utah)
• Cody Stamann (21-5-1, fighting out of Sparta, Mich.) and Douglas Silva De Andrade (28-5 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil) face off in a bantamweight tilt
• Jessica-Rose Clark (11-8 1NC, fighting out of Innisfail, Australia) plans to spoil the UFC debut of Tainara Lisboa (5-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Flyweights Ji Yeon Kim (9-6-2, fighting out of Incheon, South Korea) and Mandy Bohm (7-2 1 NC, fighting out of Gelsenkirchen, Germany) look to make a statement

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About Hornets Sports & Entertainment

Hornets Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Hornets, Greensboro Swarm and Hornets Venom GT, and operates Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.  The Charlotte Hornets are a member of the NBA’s Southeast Division.  Owned by NBA Legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets organization strives to deliver a relentless attack on the court, an unmatched experience in the stands and a positive impact throughout the community.  The name of the city’s original NBA team from 1988-2002, the Hornets moniker returned to Charlotte in May 2014, uniting the rich history of NBA basketball in the Carolinas.  The Greensboro Swarm are the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets and play at the Novant Health Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.  Hornets Venom GT is the organization’s esports team affiliate that joined the NBA 2K League in 2020.  Spectrum Center is the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas, hosting over 150 sporting events, concerts and family shows annually.  For more information, please visit hornets.com, gsoswarm.com, HornetsVenomGT.com or spectrumcentercharlotte.com.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of events at UFC APEX with an exciting lightweight contenders’ tilt that will see No. 8 ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan battle No. 13 Renato Moicano. Also, Dana White’s Contender Series signee Caio Borralho looks to push his unbeaten streak to 14 bouts when he takes on hard-hitting Michal Oleksiejczuk in an intriguing middleweight bout.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: TSARUKYAN vs. MOICANO will take place Saturday, April 29 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will be seen on ESPN2 and ESPN+ beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Tsarukyan (19-3, fighting out of Krasnodar, Russia, by way of Yerevan, Armenia) aims to kick off his 2023 campaign with a show-stealing performance. A Master of Sports in MMA and wrestling, he holds impressive wins against Damir Ismagulov, Joel Alvarez and Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Tsarukyan now plans to defend his spot in the rankings to earn a shot at the division’s Top 5.

The always entertaining Moicano (17-5-1, fighting out of Brasília, Brazil) intends to continue his ascent up the lightweight ladder with a highlight-reel finish. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has earned exciting submission victories over Brad Riddell, Alexander Hernandez, and Cub Swanson. Moicano now looks to turn heads by becoming the first fighter to submit Tsarukyan.

Talented grappler Borralho (13-1 1NC, fighting out of São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil) hopes to extend his hot streak with another dominant showing. Since joining the UFC roster in 2021, he has secured notable wins over Makhmud Muradov, Armen Petrosyan, and Gadzhi Omargadzhiev. Borralho now has his sights set on netting his first UFC finish to set up a future opportunity against the division’s Top 15.

Knockout artist Oleksiejczuk (18-5 1NC, fighting out of Barki, Poland) plans to continue the momentum he’s gathered since moving down to middleweight last year. A powerful striker, he has delivered memorable KO victories over Sam Alvey, Gian Villante, and Shamil Gamzatov. Oleksiejczuk now looks to earn another thrilling finish by stopping Borralho in emphatic fashion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Rodolfo Vieira (9-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) locks horns with Cody Brundage (8-3, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) at middleweight
• Emily Ducote (12-7, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) faces Polyana Viana (13-5, fighting out of São Geraldo do Araguaia, Pará, Brazil) in a strawweight bout
• Marcos Rogerio de Lima (20-9-1, fighting out of Ribeirâo Pires, Brazil) battles undefeated Dana White’s Contender Seriescontract winnerWaldo Cortes Acosta (9-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz. by way of Fundacion, Barahona, Dominican Republic) in an intriguing heavyweight bout
• Josh Quinlan (6-0 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) squares off with Ange Loosa (9-3, fighting out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by way of Kinshasa, DR Congo) in a welterweight matchup
• Heavyweights collide when Martin Buday (11-1, fighting out of Trnava, Slovakia) takes on Jake Collier (13-8, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.)
• Julian Erosa (28-11, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets UFC newcomer Fernando Padilla (14-4, fighting out of Chihuahua, Mexico) at featherweight
• Natan Levy (8-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Herzliya, Israel) goes for his third consecutive win when he faces Pete Rodriguez (5-1, fighting out of Green Valley, Ariz.) at lightweight
• Cody Durden (14-4-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.) squares off with Charles Johnson (13-4, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) in a flyweight bout
• Stephanie Egger (8-3, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland) welcomes UFC newcomer Irina Alekseeva (4-1, fighting out of Ekaterinburg, Russia) at bantamweight
• Brian Kelleher (24-14, fighting out of Selden, N.Y.) faces Journey Newson (10-4 1NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) at bantamweight
• Hailey Cowan (7-2, fighting out of Robinson, Texas) looks to spoil the debut of Jamey-Lyn Horth (5-0, fighting out of Squamish, B.C., Canada) in a bantamweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former WEC^® and UFC lightweight Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the Class of 2023. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place on Thursday, July 6, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live an exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Cowboy Cerrone is one of the best lightweights in UFC history,” UFC President Dana White said. “Cowboy consistently fought the best of the best for over a decade inside the Octagon and set a ton of records in the process. He was also a complete savage who would fight anyone at any time. He is a true legend, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of International Fight Week.”

Cerrone will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing, joining others in this distinguished category, including Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015), Urijah Faber (2017), Ronda Rousey (2018), Michael Bisping (2019), Rashad Evans (2019), Georges St-Pierre (2020), Khabib Nurmagomedov (2022), Daniel Cormier (2022) and Jose Aldo (2023). The “Modern Era” category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000 (when the first UFC event under the unified rules of MMA was held), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 55 fights during his 16-year professional MMA career, Cowboy compiled a record of 36-17 (2 NC), securing victories over UFC veterans Jim Miller and Edson Barboza, former WEC lightweight champions Rob McCullough and Jamie Varner, former UFC lightweight champions Charles Oliveira and Eddie Alvarez, and former WEC and UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson.

Cerrone made his professional MMA debut on February 11, 2006, as part of Ring of Fire 21, submitting his opponent, former UFC lightweight Nate Mohr, via triangle choke in the first round. Cowboy would win his next six fights across three MMA promotions, before joining World Extreme Cagefighting as an undefeated lightweight with a 7-0 record.

Donald made his WEC debut on September 5, 2007, on the prelims of WEC^® 30: McCULLOUGH vs. CRUNKILTON, which took place at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Cowboy’s 56-second submission victory (triangle choke) over Kenneth Alexander would be overturned and recategorized as a no contest, but he would secure victories in his next two fights over Danny Castillo and Rob McCullough to earn a shot to win the WEC lightweight title against Jamie Varner in the main event of WEC 38.

WEC^® 38: VARNER vs. CERRONE took place on January 25, 2009, at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, Calif., and served as Cowboy’s first headlining event as a professional mixed martial artist. Jamie and Donald put on an amazing fight that would go the distance, with Varner winning via split decision.

Although that was his first loss under the WEC banner, Cowboy would bounce back by winning four of his next six bouts, including his rematch with Varner, before the organization was absorbed by Zuffa.

Over the next five years, Cerrone would win 19 of his next 23 fights, becoming one of the most consistently active and beloved contenders in the UFC lightweight division. He would continue to fight the biggest names in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions during the final six years of his career. He retired in July 2022 after a loss to Jim Miller at UFC 276.

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

UFC / WEC:

• Most finishes in UFC / WEC history combined – 20

• Most wins in UFC / WEC history combined – 29

UFC:

• Most KO / TKO by kick in UFC history – 7

• Most knockdowns in UFC history – 20

• Tied for second-most finishes in UFC history – 16

• Tied for second-most wins in UFC history – 23

• Third most fights in UFC history – 38

UFC lightweight division:

• Second-most wins in UFC lightweight history – 17

• Tied for second-most knockdowns in UFC lightweight history – 11

• Tied for fourth-most finishes in UFC lightweight history – 10

• Fifth-most significant strikes landed in UFC lightweight history – 1,127

Outside the Octagon, Cerrone has been honored with several awards during his career, including being recognized by the Fighters Only World MMA Awards as the Breakthrough Fighter of the Year in 2011, and receiving Fight of the Year honors by Sports Illustrated and Sherdog.com for his 2009 fight against Benson Henderson for the interim WEC lightweight title.

A native of Denver, Colo., Cowboy began his martial arts career by training in kickboxing and Muay Thai. Cerrone holds an undefeated 28-0-1 record as a professional Muay Thai artist and competed in professional boxing. He currently resides in Edgewood, New Mexico, with his wife, Lindsay, and three sons.

To view Cerrone’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/13235/donald-cerrone-ufc-hall-of-fame. 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 UFC.com/HOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with a pivotal clash in the heavyweight division that will see No. 3 ranked Sergei Pavlovich take on No. 4 Curtis Blaydes. The co-main event will see bantamweight contenders No. 8 Song Yadong and No. 10 Ricky Simon square off.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: PAVLOVICH vs. BLAYDES will take place Saturday, April 22 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

The hard-hitting Pavlovich (17-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) sets out to deliver a sixth consecutive first-round knockout in his first UFC main event. The Russian-born striker has delivered devastating finishes against formidable foes Tai Tuivasa, Derrick Lewis, and Shamil Abdurakhimov, and now has his sights set on putting away Blaydes and becoming a viable title contender.

Heavyweight veteran Blaydes (17-3 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) aims to showcase another dominant performance. Throughout his UFC run, Blaydes has scored numerous memorable victories, including wins over Tom Aspinall, Chris Daukaus, and former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos. Blaydes now intends on extinguishing Pavlovich’s win streak and proving that he deserves a shot at the heavyweight throne.

China’s Song (19-7-1 1NC, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) looks to regain momentum with a decisive win over a surging contender. An unrelenting force in the bantamweight division, he holds wins over Marlon Moraes, Marlon Vera, and Casey Kenney. Song now plans to defeat another ranked contender in Simon.

Simon (20-3, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) looks to start 2023 with a bang by handing out a show-stealing win. A versatile finisher, he has delivered impressive wins over elite competition such as Merab Dvalishvili, Raphael Assunção, and Jack Shore. Simon is now gunning to deliver a highlight-reel performance against Song to inch his way closer to the Top 5 rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• UFC veteranBrad Tavares (19-7, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) looks to deliver a stellar showing against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Bruno Silva (13-5-2, fighting out of Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil) at middleweight
• An electrifying welterweight bout sees Jeremiah Wells (11-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) lock horns with the always entertaining Matthew Semeslberger (11-4, fighting out of Frederick, Md.)
• Exciting lightweights Bobby Green (29-14-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) and Jared Gordon (19-6, fighting out of Astoria, N.Y.) look to steal the show
• Iasmin Lucindo (13-5, fighting out Fortaleza, Brazil) meets The Ultimate Fighter season 30 finalist Brogan Walker (8-3, fighting out of Hagåtña, Guam) at flyweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Caio Borralho (13-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) goes toe-to-toe with Michal Oleksiejczuk (18-5, fighting out of Barki, Poland) in an exciting middleweight matchup
• Rick Glenn (22-6-2, fighting out of Des Moines, Iowa) battles Christos Giagos (19-10, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) at lightweight
• At bantamweight, Rani Yahya (28-10-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks to break the three-fight win streak of Montel Jackson (13-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)
• A stylistic thriller pits No. 9 ranked bantamweight Karol Rosa (16-4, fighting out of Niteroi, Brazil) against Sanda black belt Norma Dumont (8-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) at featherweight
• A fiery flyweight contest sees undefeated Rafael Estevam (11-0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) make his UFC debut against fellow Dana White’s Contender Series signee Carlos Candelario (8-3, fighting out of Springfield, Wash.)
• Guaranteed fireworks are set for the heavyweight division as The Ultimate Fighter season 30winner Mohammed Usman (9-2, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) takes onundefeated UFC newcomer Junior Tafa (4-0, fighting out of Queensland, Australia)
• An exciting featherweight tilt will see Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Francis Marshall (7-0, fighting out of N.J.) put his perfect record on the line against William Gomis (11-2, fighting out of Paris, France)
• Heavy-handed striker Priscila Cachoeira (12-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Karine Silva (15-4, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) square off at flyweight
• Bantamweights start the night’s action as The Ultimate Fighter season 30 finalist Brady Hiestand (7-2, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.)meets Batgerel Danaa (12-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will be inducted into the 2023 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place during the 11^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Anderson Silva is one of the greatest athletes of all time,” UFC President Dana White said. “Anderson’s 16-fight winning streak in the UFC, 10 successful title defenses and almost seven years as middleweight champion were one of the most remarkable things we’ve ever seen in professional sports. He was an absolute artist inside the Octagon, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

Silva will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 19^th member of the Pioneer Era Wing. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 46 fights during his 23-year professional MMA career, Silva compiled a record of 34-11, 1 NC (21-8, 1 NC UFC / PRIDE), notching victories over future UFC Hall of Famers Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin. He also secured wins over former UFC light heavyweight champion and UFC^Ò 12: JUDGEMENT DAY heavyweight tournament champion Vitor Belfort, former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nate Marquardt, former WEC middleweight champion Chris Leben, and former WEC heavyweight champion James Irvin. 

Silva made his professional MMA debut in Brazil in 1997, winning his two matches as part of BFC 1. He would then compete across numerous MMA platforms over the next nine years, capturing middleweight titles in Shooto (2-0) and Cage Rage (4-0), while also fighting top ranked talent in PRIDE (4-1).

An international star, but virtually unknown to UFC’s fanbase, Anderson made his UFC debut against Chris Leben in the main event of UFC ULTIMATE FIGHT NIGHT 5 on June 28, 2006. Silva defeated the former WEC champion via first round knockout that earned him a title shot against UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin.

UFC^Ò 64: UNSTOPPABLE took place on October 14, 2006, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Franklin entered the bout on a seven-fight winning streak and was unbeaten inside the Octagon. Anderson took control of the fight early, defeating Franklin via KO in the first round. He repeated his victory over Rich a year later in Franklin’s hometown of Cincinnati.

Silva’s two wins over Franklin, sandwiched around stoppages of Travis Lutter and Marquardt, launched one of the most dominant title reigns in professional sports history. Anderson ruled the middleweight division for 2,457 days – nearly seven years – defeating a host of top contenders including Chael Sonnen (twice), Demian Maia, and Belfort in the process. He also competed outside of the middleweight division, moving up to light heavyweight and defeating future Hall of Famers Griffin and Bonnar, as well as James Irwin.

After setting a then-record number of successful title defenses (10) with his second victory over Sonnen in 2012, Silva lost the middleweight crown to Chris Weidman in the main event of UFC^Ò 162: SILVA vs. WEIDMAN on July 6, 2013. Following his second consecutive loss to Weidman in the rematch at UFC 168, Anderson continued to provide fans with memorable moments inside the Octagon, returning from a serious leg injury suffered in the rematch to face top athletes such as Nick Diaz, future Hall of Famers Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping, and former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya before retiring in October 2020 after a loss to Uriah Hall.

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

• Longest winning streak in UFC history – 16

• Longest title reign in UFC history – 2,457 days

• Most wins in UFC middleweight history – 11

• Most knockdowns in UFC middleweight history – 13

• Tied for most knockouts in UFC middleweight history – 8

• Tied for second-most wins in UFC middleweight history – 14

• Second-most consecutive title defenses in UFC history – 10

• Second-most knockdowns in UFC history – 18

• Fourth-most title fight wins in UFC history – 11

• Tied for fourth-most knockouts in UFC history – 11

• Tied for fourth-most finishes in UFC history – 14

Outside the Octagon, Silva has been honored with numerous awards during his career, such as being acknowledged by World MMA Awards Fighter of the Year (2008), Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Year (2008), ESPN.com Knockout of the Year (2011), and Wrestling Observer Most Outstanding Fighter and MMA Most Valuable Fighter (2012).

A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Silva trained in multiple combat sports disciplines, beginning with jiu-jitsu, and expanding to taekwondo, capoeira, and muay thai during his teenage years. An accomplished lifelong martial arts practitioner, Anderson holds a 3^rd degree black belt in jiu-jitsu and a 5^th dan black belt in taekwondo. In addition to MMA, he has also competed in five professional boxing matches, securing a 3-2 record. Silva currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif., with his wife, Dayane, and five children.

To view Silva’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/13232/anderson-silva-ufc-hall-of-fame

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 UFC.com/HOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Las Vegas – The 31^st season of The Ultimate Fighter^®could be the biggest in the show’s history, as former UFC^® featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Michael Chandler go head-to-head as coaches. Following the series, which exclusively debuts Tuesday, May 30 on ESPN, the two coaches will prepare to square off at a date that will be determined in the near future. 

The Ultimate Fighter Season 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler will feature a dynamic cast consisting of both returning veterans and up and coming prospects in the men’s bantamweight (135 lbs.) and lightweight (155 lbs.) divisions, who have put everything else in their lives aside for the chance to pursue their UFC dreams.

The entire 12-episode season of TUF 31 will be available exclusively on ESPN, with one episode dropping each Tuesday beginning May 30at 10pm ET/7pm PT. Episodes will be available to stream on demand on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET, following the conclusion of their network debut. In addition, UFC fans can re-watch all 30 previous seasons of TUF on ESPN+.

Produced by Lionsgate’s Pilgrim Media Group, The Ultimate Fighter is the iconic reality television series that has introduced millions of new and die-hard fans to future UFC champions and top contenders. Those whose careers have been shaped by their participation in The Ultimate Fighter include: Julianna Peña, Kamaru Usman, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Rose Namajunas, Michael Bisping, Robert Whittaker, Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson, T.J. Dillashaw, Amanda Nunes, Matt Serra, Michael Chiesa, Al Iaquinta, Kelvin Gastelum, Uriah Hall and many others.

Former UFC double champion McGregor (22-6, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland), considered by many the sport’s biggest star, returns to The Ultimate Fighter after previously serving as a coach on TUF 22. He will look to impart the skills and experience that have earned him victories over former UFC champions Eddie Alvarez, Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. McGregor now has his sights set on beating Chandler as a coach and building momentum towards their inevitable match later this year.

Chandler (23-8, fighting out of Nashville, Tenn. ) is a favorite amongst fight fans for his dynamicfighting style and captivating personality. No stranger to a highlight reel finish, Chandler stunned fans with spectacular stoppages over Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson. He now plans on adding a successful TUF coaching season to his resume on the way to defeating McGregor.  

Below is a full list of competitors scheduled to compete in The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler (name, age, professional record and fighting out of):

MEN’S BATAMWEIGHT (135)

Mando Gutierrez | 26 | 8-2 | East Lansing, Mich.

Trevor Wells | 27 | 8-3 | Temecula, Calif.

Carlos Vera | 35 | 12-3 | Falls Church, Vir.

Rico DiSciullo | 36 | 11-2 | Somerville, Mass.

Cody Gibson | 35 | 19-8 | San Luis Obispo County, Calif.

Timur Valiev | 32 | 18-3 | Moscow, Russia

Hunter Azure | 30 | 10-3 | Phoenix, Ariz.

Brad Katona | 31 | 12-2 | Dublin, Ireland

MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHT (155)

Landon Quiñones | 27 | 7-1-1 | Sunrise, Fla.

Aaron McKenzie | 26 | 11-2-1 | Oklahoma City, Okla.

Nate Jennerman | 30 | 16-5 | Sheboygan, Wis.

Lee Hammond | 26 | 5-0 | Dublin, Ireland

Austin Hubbard | 31 | 15-6 | Denver, Colo.

Roosevelt Roberts | 29 | 12-3 | Lathrop, Calif.

Kurt Holobaugh | 36 | 19-7 | Franklinton, La.

Jason Knight | 30 | 22-7 | Lucedale, Miss.

*All athletes are subject to change

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

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+?? ??

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). ??

About ESPN

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

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by an 18,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that the 11^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^™ will take place in Las Vegas from Monday, July 3, through Sunday, July 9, with several events taking place at marquee venues including the Las Vegas Convention Center, T-Mobile Arena, and Resorts World Las Vegas. As one of the tentpole events of UFC’s 30^th anniversary celebration, UFC International Fight Week will be highlighted by the prestigious UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the fully immersive and interactive two-day UFC X. The week-long celebration will be anchored by UFC^® 290, which takes place on Saturday, July 8, at T-Mobile Arena.

Spanning more than 200,000 square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s entertainment activation space, UFC X, the organization’s fully immersive and easily accessible two-day fan experience, will be enhanced for UFC’s 30^th anniversary to include larger brand and partner activations, live stage programming, expanded autograph sessions, and increased athlete participation, providing fans with unparalleled access to UFC champions and Hall of Famers, top-ranked contenders, and other UFC personalities.

UFC X will take place on Friday, July 7, and Saturday, July 8, at the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, one of the premier meeting and conference venues in Las Vegas. Fans who attend UFC X will also have access to purchase exclusive merchandise at the UFC Store, while also having the opportunity to participate in numerous activities with brand partners. General admission tickets for UFC X start at $25 for one-day access and $45 for two-day access. All children ages 12 and under will receive free entry. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, March 3 at 10 a.m. PT via AXS.com. The first 3,000 fans who purchase UFC X tickets will receive a complimentary 30^th anniversary gift. VIP packages will also be made available for UFC X at a later date through UFC’s Official VIP Experiences partner, On Location, at UFCVIP.com. UFC X will be produced by global full-service cultural marketing agency 160over90.

Fans from around the world who converge on Las Vegas for International Fight Week will also be able to enjoy ceremonial weigh-ins, press conferences and live entertainment of a traditional Fight Week leading to the schedule’s culminating event, UFC^® 290, on Saturday, July 8, at T-Mobile Arena. Details regarding the bout card for UFC^® 290, as well as event locations and additional activities for UFC International Fight Week, will be announced at a later date. For more information, please visit UFCFIGHTWEEK.COM.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Kansas City, Mo. for the first time in almost four years with a star-studded lineup as former UFC featherweight champion and No. 2 ranked contender Max Holloway faces No. 4 Arnold Allen in a crucial matchup with title implications. Also, in another featherweight clash sure to produce fireworks, No. 14 ranked Edson Barboza battles Billy Quarantillo.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: HOLLOWAY vs. ALLEN will take place Saturday, April 15 at T-Mobile Center. The main card will be available on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off streaming exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: HOLLOWAY vs. ALLEN tickets will go on sale Friday, March 3 at 10 a.m. CT and are available for purchase at AXS.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 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, March 2 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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

Fan favorite Holloway (23-7, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) aims to make his first Octagon appearance of 2023 a dominant one. Among the greatest featherweights to ever compete in the UFC, Holloway holds the divisional records for most wins (18), most finishes (10), longest win streak (13), and total strikes landed (2,872). He now plans to earn his way back into the title picture by taking out a fellow top contender.

Allen (19-1, fighting out of Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk, England) intends on delivering his best performance yet in the biggest opportunity of his MMA career. Undefeated in the UFC since joining in 2015, he has worked his way to the Top 5 rankings with notable wins over Calvin Kattar, Dan Hooker and Gilbert Melendez. Allen now looks to leave no doubt against Holloway and stake his claim for a title shot.

Barboza (22-11, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns to action aiming to add another spectacular highlight to his resume. An explosive striker, Barboza has delighted fans with finishes over Shane Burgos, Dan Hooker and Terry Etim. He now has his sights set on becoming the first person to KO Quarantillo in the UFC. 

Rising contender Quarantillo (17-4, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.) seeks to break into the Top 15 for the first time. Known for his relentless cardio and pace, he owns thrilling victories over Alexander Hernandez, Gabriel Benitez and Kyle Nelson. Quarantillo now plans to secure his second Performance of the Night bonus in a row and begin his run toward title contention.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 15 ranked light heavyweight contender Azamat Murzakanov (12-0, fighting out of Nalchik, Russia) defends his undefeated record against Dustin Jacoby (18-6-1, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.)
• Tanner Boser (20-9-1, fighting out of Alberta, Canada) makes his light heavyweight debut against Ion Cutelaba (16-9-1 1NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova)
• In a battle of Top 15 bantamweights, No. 9 ranked Pedro Munhoz (19-7 2NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) faces No. 12 Chris Gutierrez (19-3-2, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.)
• Featherweights Bill Algeo (16-7, fighting out of King of Prussia, Penn.) and TJ Brown (17-9, fighting out of Little Rock, Ark.) collide in a Fight of the Night contender
• Kansas City’s own Zak Cummings (24-7, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) matches up with fellow veteran Ed Herman (27-15 1NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) at light heavyweight
• UFC Hall of Famer Clay Guida (38-19, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) returns against Rafa Garcia (15-3, fighting out of Imperial, Calif.) at lightweight
• The record holder for most finishes in UFC women’s flyweight history, Gillian Robertson (11-7, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada) aims for another signature stoppage against Piera Rodriguez (9-0, fighting out of Maracaibo, Venezuela)
• Top 5 flyweights lock horns as No. 4 Brandon Royval (14-6, fighting out of Lakewood, Colo.) meets No. 5 Matheus Nicolau (19-3-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Series alums Bruna Brasil (8-2-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Denise Gomes (6-2, fighting out of Niteroi, Brazil) clash in a strawweight tilt
• Bantamweights Aaron Phillips (12-4, fighting out of Lafayette, La.) and Gaston Bolanos (6-3, fighting out of Dublin, Calif.) vie to secure their first UFC wins
• Lando Vannata (12-6-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and Daniel Zellhuber (12-1, fighting out of Estado de Mexico, Mexico) battle in a striker’s delight at lightweight
• Joselyne Edwards (12-4, fighting out of Panama City, Panama) and Lucie Pudilova (9-6, fighting out of Pribram, Czech Republic) kick off the event at bantamweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About T-Mobile Center

T-Mobile Center is Kansas City’s home for live entertainment and sporting events. Anchor to more than $8 billion of reinvestment in a revitalized downtown Kansas City, the award-winning venue operated by ASM Global has welcomed more than 12 million guests and transformed the live entertainment experience in the Midwest. For additional information or to join the conversation, follow T-Mobile Center on social media via Facebook: @TMobileCenter; Twitter: @TMobileCenter & Instagram: @TMobileCenter.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Miami, Fla. for the first time in almost 20 years with a blockbuster middleweight championship rematch that will see Alex Pereira go for his first successful title defense against former titleholder and No. 1 ranked contender Israel Adesanya. Also, former welterweight title challengers collide when current No. 5 ranked contender Gilbert Burns battles No. 11 Jorge Masvidal.

UFC^® 287: PEREIRA vs. ADESANYA 2 takes place Saturday, April 8 from Miami-Dade Arena with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be seen on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 287: PEREIRA vs. ADESANYA 2 tickets will go on sale Friday, Feb. 24 at 12 p.m. ET and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 12 p.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Feb. 23 starting at 12 p.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Media members wishing to apply for UFC^® 287: PEREIRA vs. ADESANYA 2fight week credentials may sign up here.

Newly crowned champion Pereira (7-1, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) stunned the world by dethroning Adesanya via dramatic comeback KO in November. A former kickboxing titleholder, he also holds memorable KO wins over Sean Strickland and Andreas Michailidis. Pereira now intends to secure his first successful title defense by once again stopping Adesanya in emphatic fashion.

Former champion Adesanya (23-2, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) plans to earn a measure of revenge against Pereira. Among the greatest middleweights in UFC history, he holds spectacular victories against Robert Whittaker (twice), Paulo Costa and Anderson Silva. Adesanya now has his sights set on reclaiming the belt with another highlight-reel finish.

Burns (21-5, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) wastes no time getting back in the Octagon following his January win over Neil Magny. A submission ace with heavy hands, Burns also holds impressive victories against Tyron Woodley, Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia. Burns now hopes to stake his claim for another title shot by taking out Masvidal.

Miami’s Masvidal (35-16, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) attempts to steal the show in front of his hometown fans and start his 2023 campaign off with a vintage performance. A perennial fan favorite, he has secured thrilling victories over Nate Diaz, Ben Askren and Darren Till. Masvidal now looks to deliver another incredible KO to re-enter the welterweight Top 10.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 6 ranked Rob Font (19-6, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) meets No. 13 Adrian Yanez (16-3, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in an intriguing clash of bantamweight contenders
• Kevin Holland (23-9 1NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) squares off with Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-6, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks
• Raul Rosas Jr. (7-0, fighting out Las Vegas, Nev.) aims to remain undefeated when he faces Christian Rodriguez (8-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) in an exciting bantamweight tilt
• No. 13 ranked middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum (17-8 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.) battles No. 14 Chris Curtis (30-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Cincinnati, Ohio)
• No. 13 ranked welterweight contender Michael Chiesa (18-6, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.) faces Li Jingliang (19-8, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• No. 11 strawweight contender Michelle Waterson (18-10, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) takes on No. 13 Luana Pinheiro (10-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Chris Barnett (23-8, fighting out of Athens, Ga.) locks horns with Chase Sherman (16-11, fighting out of D’Iberville, Miss.) in an exciting heavyweight tilt
• Gerald Meerschaert (35-15, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) squares off with streaking Joe Pyfer (9-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) at middleweight
• No. 14 ranked flyweight contender Cynthia Calvillo (9-5-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) returns to strawweight when she meets Loopy Godinez (8-3, fighting out of Vancouver, B.C., Canada by way of Aguascalientes, Mexico)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signees face off when Ignacio Bahamondes (13-4, fighting out of Chicago, Ill. by way of Santiago, Chile) takes on Nikolas Motta (13-4, fighting out of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil) at lightweight
• Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-10, fighting out of Beijing, China) goes for his fourth consecutive win when he takes on Steve Garcia (13-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) at featherweight
• Undefeated prospect Jaqueline Amorim (6-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) makes her UFC debut against Sam Hughes (7-5, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About Miami-Dade Arena

Located in the center of booming downtown Miami and the Entertainment District, Miami-Dade Arena hosts 80+ non-basketball events each year including A-list concerts, family shows, sporting events, national conferences and more. Built with state-of-the-art sound and lighting and HD and electronic media signage inside and out, the impressive 19,600-seat Miami-Dade Arena is ranked the #1 venue in Florida and #1 for Latin entertainment. The Arena has led the renaissance of downtown Miami over the past two decades, helping to transform the area into a thriving arts and entertainment district. The facility has hosted more than 800 events including diverse musical superstars such as Marc Anthony, Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, The Killers, Bad Bunny, Travis Scott, Drake, Andrea Bocelli and Paul McCartney, just to name a few. Miami-Dade Arena leads the industry in sustainability achieving its second LEED Recertification. For more information about the facility, visit MiamiDadeArena.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). ??

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® delivers another thrilling night of fights at UFC APEX, headlined by a light heavyweight contenders’ bout between No. 6 ranked Nikita Krylov and No. 8 Ryan Spann. Also,No. 11 ranked middleweight contender Andre Muniz battles Brendan Allen in a clash of Dana White’s Contender Series signees.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: KRYLOV vs. SPANN will take place Saturday, February 25 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Krylov (29-9, fighting out of Donetsk, Ukraine) intends to start his 2023 season off with another memorable finish. Among the most exciting fighters at light heavyweight, he holds wins over former title challengers Volkan Oezdemir, Alexander Gustafsson and Ovince Saint Preux. Krylov now aims to stop Spann and set himself up for a shot at the division’s Top 5.

Spann (21-7, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) looks to continue his ascent to the top of the 205-pound ladder with a statement victory. A submission specialist with KO power, he has secured impressive finishes against Dominick Reyes, Ion Cutelaba and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Spann now hopes to make the most of his second main event opportunity by taking out Krylov in impressive fashion.

Muniz (23-4, fighting out of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil) plans to continue his hot streak with another statement performance. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has earned memorable victories over Uriah Hall, Eryk Anders and Jacare Souza. Muniz now has his sights set on defending his spot in the rankings by securing his 10^th consecutive win.

Allen (20-5, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to break into the middleweight Top 15 with a show-stealing finish. A talented grappler currently riding a three-fight win streak, he has turned heads with notable submission victories against Krzysztof Jotko, Sam Alvey and Kevin Holland. Allen now plans to halt Muniz’s momentum and establish himself as a middleweight title threat.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Augusto Sakai (15-5-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) locks horns with Don’Tale Mayes (10-4, fighting out of Louisville, Ken.) in a clash of hard-hitting heavyweights
• Undefeated Tatiana Suarez (9-0, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) makes her long awaited return against Montana De La Rosa (12-7-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) in a flyweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series signees collide when Mike Malott (8-1-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif. by way of Waterdown, Ontario, Canada) faces Yohan Lainesse (9-1, fighting out of St-Bruno, Quebec, Canada) at welterweight
• Unbeaten Trevor Peek (7-0 1NC, fighting out of Chattanooga, Tenn.) aims to turn heads in his UFC debut against returning Alex Reyes (13-3, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) at lightweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Jasmine Jasudavicius (7-2, fighting out of Niagara, Ontario, Canada) faces debuting Gabriella Fernandes (7-1, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) in a flyweight bout
• Jordan Leavitt (10-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets Victor Martinez (13-4, fighting out of Pharr, Texas) at lightweight
• Ode’ Osbourne (11-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Milwaukee, Wisc.) squares off with Charles Johnson (13-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) in a 130-pound catchweight bout
• Rafael Alves (20-11, fighting out of Miami, Fla. by way of Para, Brazil) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Nurullo Aliev (7-0, fighting out of Dushanbe, Tajikistan) in a lightweight bout
• UFC newcomer Hailey Cowan (7-2, fighting out of Robinson, Texas) meets Ailin Perez (7-2, fighting out of Buenos Aires, Argentina) in a bantamweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winnerJose Johnson (15-7, fighting out of Copperas Cove, Texas by way of La Romana, Dominican Republic) debuts against Garrett Armfield (8-3, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) at bantamweight
• Erick Gonzalez (14-7, fighting out of Torrance, Calif.) faces undefeated Trevor Peek (7-0 1NC, fighting out of Chattanooga, TN) in a lightweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). ??

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will be inducted into the 2023 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place during the 11^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Jens Pulver is a pioneer of the sport who was not only the first lightweight champion in UFC history, but someone who delivered some of the sport’s most memorable moments,” said UFC President Dana White. “No one will ever forget his knockout of John Lewis or his win over BJ Penn in their first fight, and his fight against Urijah Faber in 2008 was the biggest fight in WEC history at the time. Jens could do it all in the Octagon, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

Pulver will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 18^th member of the Pioneer Era Wing. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 47 fights during his 14-year professional MMA career, Pulver registered a record of 27-19-1 Draw (11-9-1, – UFC / PRIDE / Shooto / WEC), securing victories over UFC Hall of Famers BJ Penn and Cub Swanson, former Shooto lightweight champion Caol Uno, The Ultimate Fighter^® Season 2 tournament winner Joe Stevenson, and former WEC^® featherweight champion Cole Escovedo. 

Pulver made his professional MMA debut by competing as part of two Bas Rutten Invitationals on April 24 and June 1, 1999. Produced by UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten, the invitational was an MMA tournament, where Pulver recorded a 3-1 record over two events before joining UFC.

Jens made his UFC debut as part of UFC^® 22: ONLY ONE CAN BE CHAMPION, which took place on September 24, 1999, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Pulver faced Alfonso Alcarez, fighting to a draw. After his UFC debut, he would bounce back from his fight against Alcarez, winning five of his next six fights, which included a 2-0 record inside UFC.

Jens returned to the Octagon for his fourth UFC bout against John Lewis at UFC^® 28: HIGH STAKES, which took place on November 17, 2000. Pulver defeated Lewis via knockout 15 seconds into the first round and earned his first title shot at UFC 30. His quick knockout of Lewis ranks as the fifth fastest in the history of the lightweight division.

UFC^® 30: BATTLE ON THE BOARDWALK took place on February 23, 2001, in Atlantic City, New Jersey and served as the first UFC event under the Zuffa banner.

Jens faced Caol Uno in the co-main event with the inaugural UFC 155-pound (then called bantamweight) title on the line. Pulver would earn a unanimous decision victory over Uno and become the organization’s first bantamweight champion. After the event, the division was renamed to lightweight, making Jens UFC’s first lightweight champion. 

Pulver returned to the Octagon on September 28, 2001, in the co-main event of UFC^® 33: VICTORY IN VEGAS. This event would serve as the first UFC event sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Jens would defeat Dennis Hallman via unanimous decision and become the first UFC lightweight champion to defend their title.

His next title defense would take place on January 11, 2002, against future UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn in the main event of UFC^® 35: THROWDOWN. Still regarded as one of the most exciting fights in UFC history, Jens defeated Penn via majority decision in an event that would also make history as the first UFC event headlined by athletes competing in the lightweight division.

Pulver would vacate his title and leave UFC after this event. During his first tenure inside the Octagon (1999 – 2002), he set lightweight division records for total (482) and significant (222) strikes landed.

Jens would compete 13 times across a number of MMA promotions over the next four years, most notably PRIDE and Shooto, before returning to UFC to face Joe Lauzon at UFC^® 63: HUGHES vs. PENN 2. Pulver would lose his return bout against Lauzon and his next fight, a rematch against Penn as the main event of The Ultimate Fighter^® Season 5 Finale. He would leave UFC for a second and final time following this event.

During the final six years of his career, Pulver would continue to face the best of the best across numerous MMA promotions, such as WEC and Titan FC, before retiring on November 23, 2013.

A native of Sunnyside, Washington, Pulver joined a youth wrestling program in the sixth grade and competed through high school, earning two state titles as a member of Tahoma Senior High School in Maple Valley. He also began boxing during his time in high school.

Jens began his collegiate wrestling career at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Washington, where he became an NJCAA All-American. He then transferred to Boise State University, where he competed before an injury ended his collegiate wrestling career. Pulver would continue his education at Boise State and earn his degree in criminal justice.

Following his graduation, Jens transitioned from wrestling to mixed martial arts, training with various camps before joining UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich at the Miletich Fighting Systems Academy. He currently resides in Iowa with his wife and two kids.

Jens is also the full-time host of UFC’s official Twitch channel, where he streams live with fans three times per week, as well as joining Watch Alongs for every UFC event.

To view Pulver’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/13234/jens-pulver-ufc-hall-of-fame.

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 UFC.com/HOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a matchup of top flyweights as No. 1 ranked contender Taila Santos returns against No. 10 Erin Blanchfield. In the co-main event, exciting light heavyweight collide as Jordan Wright faces Zac Pauga.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SANTOS vs. BLANCHFIELD will take place Saturday, February 18 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Former UFC flyweight title challenger Santos (19-2, fighting out of Balneário Camboriú, SC, Brazil) returns to action looking to impress in her first UFC main event. A knockout artist with 11 first-round finishes, Santos earned her UFC stripes with victories over Molly McCann, Roxanne Modafferi and Joanne Wood. She now seeks to halt the momentum of Blanchfield and earn another crack at the championship.

Blanchfield (10-1, fighting out of Elmwood Park, N.J.) is considered one of the top prospects in MMA. Still only 23 years old, Blanchfield is undefeated in the UFC with notable wins over Miranda Maverick, JJ Aldrich and Molly McCann. She now aims to earn the biggest victory of her career and soar to the top of the flyweight ranks.

Wright (12-4 1NC, fighting out of Lake Sherwood, Calif.) enters the Octagon with his sights set on delivering another spectacular finish. The owner of an impressive 100 percent finishing rate, he holds first-round knockout wins over Jamie Pickett and Ike Villanueva. Wright now seeks to start 2023 off with another addition to his highlight reel.

The Ultimate Fighter season 30 heavyweight finalist Pauga (6-1, fighting out of Lakewood, Colo.) drops down in weight with the intention of putting the light heavyweight division on notice. A former NFL player, Pauga climbed his way to The Ultimate Fighter finale with victories over Nyle Bartling and Jordan Heiderman. He now plans to earn his first UFC win in dominant fashion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• A heavyweight bout sees Josh Parisian (15-5, fighting out of Howell, Mich.) lock horns with Dana White’s Contender Seriessignee Jamal Pogues (9-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)
• William Knight (11-4, fighting out of Vernon, Conn.) seeks to start 2023 off on a high note when he faces Marcin Prachnio (15-6, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) at light heavyweight
• UFC legend Jim Miller (35-16 1 NC, fighting out of Sparta, N.J.) returns to the Octagon to add more records to his name when he matches up with Alexander Hernandez (13-6, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas)
• No. 12 ranked women’s bantamweight Lina Lansberg (10-7, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) meets No. 14 ranked Mayra Bueno Silva (9-2-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in an all-action bout
• Jamall Emmers (18-6, fighting out of Mentone, Calif.) plans to spoil the UFC debut of undefeated newcomer Khusein Askhabov (23-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Chechnya, Russia) at featherweight
• Light heavyweight veteran Ovince Saint Preux (26-16, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) looks to secure another signature finish against Philipe Lins (15-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Seriessignee Nazim Sadykhov (7-1, fighting out of Brooklyn, N.Y.) intends to make a statement against Evan Elder (7-1, fighting out of Hillsboro, Mo.) at lightweight
• AJ Fletcher (9-2, fighting out of Lafayette, La.) battles Themba Gorimbo (10-3, fighting out of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa) in a welterweight clash
• Dana White’s Contender Seriessignee Clayton Carpenter (6-0, fighting out of Gilbert, Ariz.) has his sights set on making a statement against Juancamilo Ronderos (4-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a flyweight scrap

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

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

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to San Antonio, Texas, for the first time in almost four years with a pair of thrilling 135-pound matchups. Surging No. 4 ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Vera goes for his fifth consecutive win when he takes on exciting finisher and No. 5 ranked Cory Sandhagen. Also, former women’s bantamweight champion and current No. 3 ranked Holly Holm battles No. 6 Yana Santos in the co-main event.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: VERA vs. SANDHAGEN will take place Saturday, March 25 at AT&T Center. The main card will be available on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off streaming exclusively on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, before also being broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 4:30pm ET / 1:30pm PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: VERA vs. SANDHAGEN tickets will go on sale Friday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. CT and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Feb. 8 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, Feb. 9 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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

Vera (20-7-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) aims to deliver another show-stealing performance in his third consecutive main event. A diverse finisher, he holds spectacular KO victories over Dominick Cruz, Frankie Edgar and Sean O’Malley. Vera now hopes to secure a title shot by becoming the first fighter to knock out Sandhagen.

Former interim bantamweight title challenger Sandhagen (15-4, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) is no stranger to highlight-reel performances. Since joining the UFC roster in 2018, he has delivered incredible KO wins against Frankie Edgar, Marlon Moraes and Iuri Alcantara. Sandhagen now looks to halt Vera’s momentum and stake his claim for a shot at the belt.

Holm (14-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) intends to start her year with a vintage KO win. Among the greatest women’s combat sports athletes of all-time, she holds memorable victories over Ronda Rousey, Megan Anderson and Bethe Correia. Holm now plans to stop her former teammate and defend her spot in the rankings.

Former UFC title challenger Santos (14-6 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Saint Petersburg, Russia) looks to secure the biggest win of her career. A talented striker, she has earned notable wins against Ketlen Vieira, Marion Reneau and Lina Lansberg. Santos now has her sights set on cracking the division’s Top 5 by finishing Holm.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 6 ranked flyweight contender Alex Perez (24-7, fighting out of Lemoore, Calf.) faces No. 9 Manel Kape (18-6, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand by way of Porto, Portugal) in a bout guaranteed to delivered fireworks
• No. 8 ranked contender Sean Brady (15-1, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) locks horns with No. 14 Michel Pereira (28-11 2 NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in an intriguing welterweight tilt
• No. 15 ranked featherweight contender Alex Caceres (20-13 1 NC, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) aims to defend his spot in the rankings when he meets rising Nate Landwehr (16-4, fighting out of Clarksville, Tenn.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signees collide when Chidi Njokuani (22-8 1 NC, fighting out of Garland, Texas) faces Albert Duraev (15-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Grozny, Russia) at middleweight
• Daniel Pineda (27-14 2 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) takes on Tucker Lutz (12-2, fighting out of Baltimore, Md.) in a featherweight bout
• Steven Peterson (19-10, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) meets Lucas Alexander (7-3, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at featherweight
• Trevin Giles (15-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) looks to build off the momentum of his most recent victory when he takes on Preston Parsons (10-3, fighting out of Jacksonville Beach, Fla.) in a welterweight bout
• Liang Na (17-6, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) goes for her first UFC win when she faces Brogan Walker (8-3, fighting out of Hagatna, Guam) at flyweight
• San Antonio’s own CJ Vergara (10-4-1, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas) aims to steal the show when he squares off with Daniel Da Silva (11-4, fighting out of Valença, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a flyweight matchup
• No. 9 ranked women’s flyweight contender Andrea Lee (13-6, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) battles No. 12 Maycee Barber (11-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About AT&T Center

The premier entertainment venue in South Texas, the AT&T Center is the home of the San Antonio Spurs (NBA) and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The Bexar County-owned arena has also hosted hundreds of concerts and special events since opening in 2002 and underwent a $110+ million renovation in 2015 to enhance the fan experience at all levels. For more information go to ATTCenter.com.

About ESPN+

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

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^Ò, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced the launch of its annual celebration of Black History Month in which UFC will commemorate the achievements made by African American and Black UFC athletes. Throughout the month of February, UFC will highlight the personal stories of African American and Black UFC athletes, past and present, while celebrating their significance in promoting and growing UFC and the sport of mixed martial arts. 

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis, currently ranked no. 7 in the division, will headline the first event of Black History Month when he faces Serghei Spivac in the main event of UFC^Ò FIGHT NIGHT: LEWIS vs. SPIVAC on Saturday, February 4 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas.

In addition, numerous top-ranked African American and Black UFC athletes will compete as part of UFC^Ò 284: MAKHACHEV vs. VOLKANOVSKI, which takes place on Saturday, February 11, in Perth, Australia, and UFC^Ò FIGHT NIGHT: VERA vs. SANDHAGEN, which takes place on Saturday, February 18 at UFC APEX.

UFC’s Black History Month celebration will conclude on Saturday, February 25, as UFC light heavyweight Ryan Spann, currently ranked no. 11 in the division, will headline the card against Nikita Krylov in the main event of UFC^Ò FIGHT NIGHT: KRYLOV vs. SPANN at UFC APEX.

UFC will also commemorate Black History Month across its digital and social platforms with exclusive content such as an interactive timeline, features, and vignettes published weekly to UFC.com/black-history. UFC will also include special content during its broadcasts via watermark inclusion, athlete features, and vignettes throughout the month.

In addition, UFC will produce special content as part of ESPN’s Black History Month-themed programming, by looking at some of 2022’s most exciting fights to feature African American and Black athletes competing on the roster. UFC Unleashed: Black History Month will debut on Sunday, February 5 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

UFC FIGHT PASS^Ò, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, will also highlight the accomplishments of top African American and Black UFC athletes as part of its “Fighter of the Day” feature.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: YAN vs. DVALISHVILI tickets will go on sale Friday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Jan. 26 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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

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

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

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

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

Additional bouts on the card include:

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

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

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

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

About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

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

About Curio Collection by Hilton

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

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

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the UFC APEX with a hard-hitting main event featuring No. 7 ranked heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis and No. 12 Serghei Spivac. In the co-main event, light heavyweights Da-Un Jung and Devin Clark lock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LEWIS vs. SPIVAC will take place Saturday, February 4 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the prelims kicking off at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main card will follow at 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT.

Former heavyweight title challenger Lewis (26-10, fighting out of Houston, Texas) returns to the Octagon with intentions of delivering a statement performance. A fan-favorite and top contender for years, Lewis became a household name by delivering highlight-reel knockouts over Chris Daukaus, Curtis Blaydes, and Aleksei Oleinik. The Houston native now sets forth to defend his spot in the rankings and prove he’s still a threat to the division.

Rising contender Spivac (15-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) looks to break into the heavyweight Top 10 for the first time in his career. With heavy hands, Spivac quickly rose up the rankings with devastating knockouts against Augusto Sakai, Greg Hardy, and Jared Vanderaa. He now intends to make the most of his first UFC main event by stopping Lewis in emphatic fashion.

Dangerous striker Jung (15-3-1, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) sets out to stake his claim as a top contender through an undeniable performance. He holds notable victories against Kennedy Nzechukwu, William Knight, and Mike Rodriguez. Jung now intends on stopping Clark and adding another signature win to his resume.

Clark (13-7, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) looks to regain his footing by taking out a rising contender. A durable fighter, the South Dakotan has collected wins over William Knight, Alonzo Menifield, and Dequan Townsend. Clark is determined to stop Jung with a show-stealing performance and set himself up for a successful 2023.

Also featured on the night’s card will be the finals for ROAD TO UFC, a ground-breaking “win and advance” tournament for top MMA prospects from Asia. These eight finalists from China, Japan, Korea, India, and Indonesia in four weight divisions fight for a UFC contract:

• In the lightweight final, Jeka Saragih (13-2, fighting out of Simalungun, Indonesia) meets Anshul Jubli (6-0, fighting out of New Delhi, India) as both look to deliver a spectacular performance.
• In the featherweight final, proven finisher Jeong Yeong Lee (9-1, fighting out of Daegu, South Korea) takes on UFC Academy graduate Yi Zha (21-3, fighting out of Sichuan, China).
• In the bantamweight final, Toshiomi Kazama (10-2, fighting out of Ibaraki, Japan) and Rinya Nakamura (6-0, fighting out of Saitama, Japan) battle to see who the next Japanese prospect in UFC will be. 
• In the flyweight final, SeungGuk Choi (6-1, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) faces HyunSung Park (7-0, fighting out of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) to determine who will next represent South Korea in the division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 10 ranked contender Marcin Tybura (23-7, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) aims to deliver an impressive performance over No. 14 Blagoy Ivanov (19-4, fighting out of Sofia, Bulgaria) in a pivotal heavyweight bout
• Returning after four long years away from the Octagon, Dooho Choi (14-3, fighting out of Busan, South Korea) steps up to challenge Kyle Nelson (13-5, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada)
• Making his Octagon debut, Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus Yusaku Kinoshita (6-1, fighting out of Osaka, Japan) squares off with Adam Fugitt (8-3, fighting out of Eugene, Ore.)
• In the women’s flyweight division, Ji Yeon Kim (9-6-2, fighting out of Incheon, South Korea) takes on Mandy Bohm (7-2, fighting out of Gelsenkirchen, Germany)
• Junyong Park (15-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) looks to make it three wins in a row when he goes toe-to-toe with Denis Tiuliulin (11-6, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) at middleweight
• An explosive matchup in the flyweight division kicks off the night as undefeated Tatsuro Taira (12-0, fighting out of Okinawa Japan) squares off with Jesus Aguilar (8-1, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

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

About ESPN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional bouts on the card include:

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

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

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

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

ENDS

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organisation produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former WEC^® and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the Class of 2023. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place during the 11^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Jose Aldo is the greatest featherweight of all time,” UFC President Dana White said. “From WEC to UFC, Jose helped us build the sport of MMA and UFC as a brand, as well as change the perception of the smaller weight classes and what they could accomplish inside the Octagon. It will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

Aldo will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing, joining others in this distinguished category, including Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015), Urijah Faber (2017), Ronda Rousey (2018), Michael Bisping (2019), Rashad Evans (2019), Georges St-Pierre (2020), Khabib Nurmagomedov (2022) and Daniel Cormier (2022). The “Modern Era” category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000 (when the first UFC event under the unified rules of MMA was held), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 39 fights during his 18-year professional MMA career, Aldo compiled a record of 31-8 (24-7, UFC / WEC / PRIDE / Shooto Brazil), securing victories over UFC Hall of Famers Urijah Faber and Cub Swanson. He also scored wins over former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar,former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, former Pancrase Korea lightweight tournament winner Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and former Shooto lightweight champion Alexandre Nogueira. 

Aldo made his professional MMA debut on August 10, 2004, as part of EcoFight 1, knocking out his opponent via head kick in 18 seconds. He would win nine of his next 10 fights across nine MMA promotions, including Pancrase, Shooto Brazil and Jungle Fights, before joining WEC in 2008.

Jose made his U.S. debut on June 1, 2008, on the prelims of WEC^® 34: FABER vs. PULVER, which took place at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. He defeated former Shooto lightweight champion Alexandre Nogueira via TKO (punches) in the second round. Jose would win his next four WEC fights via knockout, earning him his first title shot against champion Mike Brown.

WEC^® 44: BROWN vs. ALDO took place on November 18, 2009, at The Pearl at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas and served as Aldo’s first headlining event as a professional mixed martial artist. Brown entered the main event as the undisputed WEC featherweight champion with a 22-4 record and a 10-fight winning streak over three years.

Aldo, who entered the match on an eight-fight winning streak of his own, used his speed, kicks, flying knees and takedown defense to control the fight until mounting and ending the bout two minutes into the second round to become the new WEC featherweight champion.

Jose would win his next nine fights, defending the title each time and pushing his winning streak to an impressive 17 over eight years. During his title reign, he would serve as the final WEC featherweight champion and become the inaugural UFC featherweight champion in 2010, as the organization was absorbed by Zuffa.

After losing the UFC featherweight championship to Conor McGregor at UFC 194, Aldo would bounce back and capture the interim UFC featherweight title by defeating former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 in 2016.

Over the next six years, Jose would continue fighting top contenders in the featherweight and bantamweight division, securing wins over up and coming fighters such as Rob Font, Marlon Vera, and Renato Moicano, as well as veteran Jeremy Stephens. He retired in September 2022 after a loss to top-ranked bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278.

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

• Most wins in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 18

• Most title fight wins in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 11

• Most knockouts in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 11

• Most finishes in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 11

• Most consecutive wins in WEC history – 8

• Youngest champion in WEC history – 23 years old

• Highest takedown defense percentage in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 92.6%

• Tied for second-fastest knockout in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 0:08 seconds

• Tied for third-most knockdowns in UFC / WEC featherweight history – 9

Outside the Octagon, Aldo has been honored with numerous awards during his career, such as being acknowledged by Sherdog as Fighter of the Year (2009) and the Fighters Only World MMA Awards Fighter of the Year (2010). His 2014 fight against Chad Mendes was awarded Fight of the Year honors by ESPN, the World MMA Awards and MMA Junkie.

As one of the most popular combat sports athletes in Brazil, the film ‘Mais Forte que o Mundo – A Historia de Jose Aldo’ is a biographical movie that chronicles his life. In 2018, this film was nominated at the 46^th International Emmy Awards or best TV Movie / Mini-Series.

A native of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, Aldo trained in capoeira, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and luta livre (submission wrestling), excelling in all three. A talented martial arts athlete, Jose holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and luta livre. Aldo captured the bronze medal in the 2001 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships and won gold in the 2003 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships and 2004 CBJJO World Cup. He currently resides in Rio with his wife, Vivianne, and two children.

To view Aldo’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/13233/jose-aldo-ufc-hall-of-fame.

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 UFC.com/HOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

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

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

UFC^® 285: JONES vs. GANE tickets will go on sale Friday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Jan. 19 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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

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

Additional bouts on the card include:

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

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About T-Mobile Arena

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

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

About ESPN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional bouts on the card include:

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

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

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

About ESPN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional bouts on the card include:

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

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

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

About ESPN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Since 2010, UFC has presented 15 live events in Australia, including sold-out shows at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, Perth Arena, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Gold Coast Convention Centre. Collectively, these events have seen over 265,000 fans in attendance and millions worldwide watching on PPV and broadcast television. The six host cities to date – Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth – have produced a cumulative gross gate of more than $45 million and hundreds of millions more in economic impact.

All bouts are live and subject to change.

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

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

About UFC®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 211 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional bouts on the card include:

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

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+ 

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

About ESPN

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