Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of shows at UFC APEX with a highly anticipated matchup in the middleweight division, as No. 2 ranked contender Paulo Costa returns to action against No. 5 Marvin Vettori. In the lightweight co-main event, Grant Dawson looks to remain undefeated in the UFC as he takes on Ricky Glenn. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: COSTA vs. VETTORI will take place Saturday, October 23 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at a special start time of 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET and the main card at 1 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. ET.

A limited number of tickets will be available on Monday, October 18 at www.axs.com.

Knockout artist Costa (13-1, fighting out of Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil) steps back into the Octagon for the first time since challenging for the middleweight title in 2020. A ferocious finisher who has earned stoppages in 12 of his 13 wins, Costa rose to the top of the division with victories over Yoel Romero, Uriah Hall and Johny Hendricks. He now looks to make a statement and defend his spot in the rankings by becoming the first person to stop Vettori.   

Vettori (17-5-1, fighting out of Mezzocorona, Italy) intends to bounce back from his UFC championship opportunity earlier this year with a vintage performance. During his run to title contention, Vettori proved himself to be one of the toughest matchups in the division with wins over Jack Hermansson, Kevin Holland and Karl Roberson. He now aims to secure the biggest victory of his career by dominating Costa to secure another shot at UFC gold.

Dana White’s Contender Series signee Grant (17-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) seeks to extend his UFC win streak to six with another dominant performance. A powerful grappler, he has finished an impressive 15 of his 17 wins, including stoppages over Michael Trizano, Darrick Minner and Leonardo Santos. Dawson now has his sights set on breaking into the rankings by becoming the first person to finish Glenn in the UFC.

Glenn (22-6-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) looks to make the most of his first UFC co-main event opportunity. Having recently returned to the Octagon after a three-year layoff, he made waves with his spectacular 37-second KO of Joaquim Silva in June. Glenn now intends to make it two in a row by taking out Dawson and beginning his climb up the lightweight ladder.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• An exciting women’s bantamweight bout sees Jessica Rose-Clark (10-6, 1 NC fighting out of Innisfail, Australia) face off with Joselyne Edwards (10-3, fighting out of Panama City, Panama by way of El Paso, Texas)
• Fan favorite Alex Caceres (18-12, 1 NC, fighting out of Miani, Fla.) returns to action against SeungWoo Choi (10-3, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) at featherweight
• Welterweight veterans meet as Francisco Trinaldo (26-8, fighting out of Parana, Brazil) takes on Dwight Grant (11-3, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Light heavyweight finishers battles as Nicolae Negumereanu (10-1, fighting out of Brasov, Romania) and Ike Villanueva (18-12, fighting out of Katy, Texas) vie for a post-fight bonus.
• Middleweights Junyong Park (13-4, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) and Gregory Rodrigues (10-3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) lock horns
• Women’s strawweights clash as Tabatha Ricci (5-1, fighting out of Ventura, Calif.) meets Maria Oliveira (12-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Series alum Jamie Pickett (11-6, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) goes for his first UFC win against Laureano Staropoli (9-4, fighting out of La Plata, Argentina) at middleweight
• Lightweight finishers meet when Khama Worthy (16-8, fighting out of Pittsburgh, Penn.) takes on Jai Herbert (10-3, fighting out of Wolverhampton, England)
• Jeff Molina (9-2, fighting out of Olathe, Kan.) intends to follow up on his impressive UFC debut when he faces Daniel Lacerda (11-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Livinha Souza (14-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) matches up with Randa Markos (10-12-1, fighting out of Windsor, Ontario, Canada) in a women’s strawweight bout
• Aaron Phillips (8-3, fighting out of Lafayette, La.) and Jonathan Martinez (13-4, fighting out of Plainview, Texas) collide in a bantamweight bout sure to deliver action

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 625 million fans and 166 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 175 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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a critical strawweight contenders’ bout as No. 4 ranked Mackenzie Dern and No. 6 Marina Rodriguez face off with potential title implications on the line. In the co-main event, exciting welterweights Randy Brown and Jared Gooden lock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DERN vs RODRIGUEZ will take place Saturday, October 9 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at a special start time of 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET and the main card at 1 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. ET.

Submission specialist Dern (11-1, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) aims to show off her ever evolving skillset and deliver a statement-making performance to secure the first UFC title shot of her career. The owner of the most submissions in UFC strawweight history, Dern has impressed with finishes over Nina Nunes, Randa Markos and Hannah Cifers. She now intends to become the first person to stop Rodriguez and leave no doubt that she is ready for the top of the division.

Rodriguez (14-1-2, fighting out of Santa Catarina, Brazil) looks to add another big name to her resume and jump to the front of the line of contenders for the belt. A signee from Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil¸ Rodriguez separated herself from the pack with marquee wins over Tecia Torres, Amanda Ribas and Michelle Waterson. She now seeks to keep her momentum going by finishing Dern and breaking into the top five. 

Welterweight finisher Brown (13-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) intends to make the most of his second co-main event spot by earning another signature finish. A well-rounded competitor with 11 of his 13 wins coming by stoppage, Brown has entertained fans with victories over Alex Oliveira, Warlley Alves and Bryan Barberena. He now hopes to notch his fourth win in his last five fights and make a case to break into the rankings.

Gooden (18-6, fighting out of Duluth, Ga.) plans to keep the momentum from his last win going by snagging the biggest victory of his MMA career. A powerful athlete with eight of his last nine wins coming by finish, Gooden made waves in July by landing a highlight reel KO on Niklas Stolze in just over one minute. He now aims to make it two in a row by defeating Brown.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Exciting flyweights No. 9 ranked Tim Elliott (18-11-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and No. 11 ranked Matheus Nicolau (14-3-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) clash in a bout sure to deliver action
• Top women’s flyweight prospects battle as Sabina Mazo (9-2, fighting out of Redondo Beach, Calif. by way of Medellin, Colombia) meets Mariya Agapova (9-2, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan)
• Phil Hawes (11-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) looks to remain undefeated in 2021 when he takes on Deron Winn (7-2, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) at middleweight
• BantamweightsChris Gutierrez (16-3-2, fighting out of Littleton, Colo.) and Felipe Colares (10-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) look to steal the show in the prelim feature bout
• Jamie Pickett (11-6, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) aims to earn his first UFC win when he takes on Laureano Staropoli (9-4, fighting out of La Plata, Argentina) in a middleweight bout
• Alexandr Romanov (14-0, fighting out of Gagauzia, Moldova) plans to land another signature submission against Jared Vanderaa (12-5, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.) at heavyweight
• Featherweights Charles Rosa (14-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Damon Jackson (18-4-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) meet in a bout with post-fight bonus potential
• Loopy Godinez (5-1, fighting out of Vancouver, B.C., Canada by way of Aguascalientes, Mexico) and Sam Hughes (5-3, fighting out of Everett, Wash.) both seek to secure their first UFC win at strawweight
• Lightweights Steve Garcia (11-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and Charles Ontiveros (11-7, fighting out of Dayton, Texas) intend to kick off the show with a bang

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 625 million fans and 166 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 175 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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a thrilling light heavyweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 5 ranked Thiago Santos battle No. 10 Johnny Walker. Also, No. 3 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd squares off with No. 11 Macy Chiasson.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SANTOS vs. WALKER will take place Saturday, October 2 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at 1 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. ET and the main card at 4 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. ET.

Former light heavyweight title challenger Santos (21-9, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has his sights set on turning heads with another vintage finish. Among the 205-pound division’s most devastating strikers, he holds KO wins over Anthony Smith, Jimi Manuwa and current light heavyweight champion Jan B?achowicz. Santos now hopes to fortify his position among the best in the world by adding to his highlight reel.

Dynamic striker Walker (18-5, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) continues to prove he’s among the most exciting fighters at light heavyweight. A contract winner on Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil, he has since delivered spectacular KO victories against Ryan Spann, Misha Cirkunov and Khalil Rountree Jr., and now he goes for the biggest win of his career and aims to add a former title challenger to his resume.

Aggressive finisher Ladd (9-1, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) hopes to pick up where she left off following a 2019 TKO victory over fellow contender Yana Kunitskaya. During her UFC run she has also netted impressive stoppage wins against Tonya Evinger and Lina Länsberg. Ladd now aims to remind the 135-pound division that she’s more dangerous than ever.

The Ultimate Fighter season 28 winner Chiasson (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) looks to make the most of her first UFC co-main event opportunity. Since joining the UFC roster in 2018, she has earned notable victories against Marion Reneau, Shanna Young and Sarah Moras. Chiasson is now gunning for the biggest win of her career to crack the bantamweight top five.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 14 ranked middleweight contender Kevin Holland (21-7, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) goes for another highlight-reel finish when he takes on Kyle Daukaus (10-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Alex Oliveira (22-10-1 2NC, fighting out of Tres Rios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meets Niko Price (14-6 2NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Fla.) in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• No. 13 ranked light heavyweight contender Misha Cirkunov (15-6, fighting out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada) makes his middleweight debut against Krzysztof Jotko (22-5, fighting out of Orneta, Poland)
• Joe Solecki (11-2, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) takes on Jared Gordon (17-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) at lightweight
• Antonina Shevchenko (9-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) aims to hand Casey O’Neill (7-0, fighting out of Gold Coast, Australia) her first loss in a women’s flyweight bout
• Former women’s bantamweight title challenger Bethe Correia (11-5-1, fighting out of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil) clashes with Karol Rosa (14-3, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Devonte Smith (11-2, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio by way of Englewood, Colo.) squares off with Jamie Mullarkey (13-4, fighting out of Central Coast, Australia) at lightweight
• Douglas Silva de Andrade (26-4 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil) returns to bantamweight against Gaetano Pirrello (15-6-1, fighting out of La Louvière, Belgium)
• Stephanie Egger (5-2, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland) faces Shanna Young (8-4, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) in a women’s bantamweight bout
• Alejandro Perez (22-8-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) locks horns with Johnny Eduardo (28-12, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in an exciting 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 625 million fans and 166 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 175 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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

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.

The ESPN+ exclusive presentation of Dana White’s Contender Series presented by ZipRecruiter continues with episode three next Tuesday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. 

A new group of contenders will meet next week, all looking to make their way into the UFC. Episode two of DWCS saw five athletes earn highly-coveted UFC contracts.

DWCS introduces some of UFC’s top prospects from around the world in a ten-episode season, with new episodes available every Tuesday evening exclusively on ESPN+, the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service. Showcasing approximately five bouts in each episode, prospects will compete for the chance to earn a contract with UFC.

Following Tuesday night’s fights, 127 athletes throughout the series have now earned UFC contracts, including “Suga” Sean O’Malley, Ryan Spann, Maycee “The Future” Barber, Johnny Walker and Marina Rodriguez, who will be the first non-champion woman in UFC history to headline multiple events in a calendar year.

Dana White’s Contender Series on ESPN+, Episode Three Bouts:

• Light Heavyweight – Jailton “Malhadinho” Almeida vs. Nasrudin Nasrudinov

• Bantamweight – Brandon “Superman” Lewis vs. Mo “Mo Show” Miller

• Middleweight – Albert “Machete” Duraev vs. Caio “Leão” Bittencourt

• Heavyweight – Lukasz Brzeski vs. Dylan “Big Poppa” Potter

• Welterweight – Ange Loosa vs. Jack Della Maddalena

• Women’s Flyweight – Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Julia Polastri

UFC Rise of the Contenders, a 30-minute series recap of seasons one through four of Dana White’s Contender Series, airs on ESPN2 this Saturday, September 11, at 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. showcasing some of the best and brightest prospects from UFC. Rise of the Contenders highlights the background of the Contender Series, UFC headliners the show has produced, and how the series fits into the overall plan to identify and develop future UFC athletes.

###

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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About UFC^®
UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 142 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.?For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with an exciting matchup in the light heavyweight division, as No. 6 ranked contender Anthony Smith faces off with No. 11 Ryan Spann. In the co-main event, fellow 205ers Ion Cutelaba and Devin Clark aim to steal the show.   

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SMITH vs SPANN will take place Saturday, September 18 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at 1 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. ET and the main card at 4 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. ET.

Former light heavyweight title challenger Smith (35-16, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) boasts an impressive 94 percent finishing rate and plans to take out Spann in classic fashion. Smith is currently undefeated in 2021, having secured two first-round finishes over Jimmy Crute and Devin Clark. He now has his sights set on continuing his streak and defending his spot in the top 10 of the division.

Spann (21-6, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) intends to deliver his best performance yet in his first UFC main event effort. A signee from season 2 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Spann quickly rose through the light heavyweight ranks with notable victories over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Sam Alvey and, most recently, Misha Cirkunov. He now looks to notch the most important win of his career by defeating Smith.

Always entertaining Cutelaba (15-6-1, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) seeks to get back to his winning ways and re-assert himself as a future title contender. The owner of 13 first-round finishes, including 10 in 1:13 or less, Cutelaba established himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in the light heavyweight division with wins over Khalil Rountree, Gadzhimurad Antigulov and Luis Henrique da Silva. He now aims to prove that he still has his best performances ahead of him by finishing Clark.

Clark (12-5, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) looks to make his first fight of 2021 a successful one by earning his first UFC stoppage. The 2009 NJCAA wrestling champion, he has displayed his skills with wins over Alonzo Menifield, Darko Stosic and Mike Rodriguez. Clark now plans to show that he can compete with the elite with a dominant performance against Cutelaba.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• UFC legend Jim Miller (32-16, 1 NC, fighting out of Sparta, N.J.) returns to the Octagon for a record-breaking 38^th time when he looks to spoil the UFC debut of Dana White’s Contender Series signee Nikolas Motta (12-3, fighting out of Governador Valadares, Brazil) in a lightweight bout
• An exciting women’s flyweight bout sees Ariane Lipski (13-7, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) aim to hand Mandy Bohm (7-0, fighting out of Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) her first loss
• No. 14 ranked lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan (16-2, fighting out of Krasnodar Krai, Russia) plans to show off his grappling skills against Christos Giagos (19-8, fighting out of Hawthorne, Calif.)
• Middleweight finishers lock horns as Joaquin Buckley (12-4, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) meets Antonio Arroyo (9-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Nazare, Para, Brazil)
• Light heavyweight Dana White’s Contender Series alums Mike Rodriguez (11-6, 1 NC, fighting out of South Easton, Mass.) and Tafon Nchukwi (5-1, fighting out of Temple Hills, Md.) vie to secure another highlight reel knockout
• No. 12 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Pannie Kianzad (16-5, fighting out of Helsingborg, Skåne County, Sweden) aims to defend her spot in the rankings against former title challenger Raquel Pennington (11-9, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• Top bantamweight prospects Nate Maness (13-1, fighting out of Henderson, Ky.) and Tony Gravely (21-6, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) collide
• Lightweights Dakota Bush (8-3, fighting out of St. Claire, Mo.) and Rongzhu (17-4, fighting out of Chengdu Shi, Sichuan Sheng, China) compete to earn their first UFC victories
• Dana White’s Contender Series veterans compete as Montel Jackson (11-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) takes on JP Buys (9-3, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif. by way of Johannesburg, South Africa) at bantamweight
• Erin Blanchfield (6-1, fighting out of Elmwood Park, N.J.) hopes for a successful UFC debut when she battles Sarah Alpar (9-5, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) in a women’s flyweight bout
• Impa Kasanganay (9-1, fighting out of Charlotte, N.C.) and Carlston Harris (16-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meet in a welterweight bout
• Bantamweights Gustavo Lopez (12-6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Alatengheili (14-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Shanghai, China) clash in a high-paced matchup
• Emily Whitmire (4-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) hopes to secure another signature submission against Hannah Goldy (5-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.)

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 625 million fans and 166 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 175 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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

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.

The ESPN+ exclusive presentation of Dana White’s Contender Series presented by ZipRecruiter continues next Tuesday, September 7, at 8 p.m. ET from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. 

A new group of contenders will meet next week, all looking to make their way into the UFC.  Episode one of DWCS saw five athletes earn highly-coveted UFC contracts.

DWCS introduces some of UFC’s top prospects from around the world in a ten-episode season, with new episodes available every Tuesday evening exclusively on ESPN+, the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service. Showcasing approximately five bouts in each episode, prospects will compete for the chance to earn a contract with UFC.

Following Tuesday night’s fights, 122 athletes throughout the series have now earned UFC contracts, including “Suga” Sean O’Malley, Ryan Spann, Maycee “The Future” Barber, Johnny Walker and Marina Rodriguez, who will be the first non-champion woman in UFC history to headline multiple events in a calendar year.

Dana White’s Contender Series on ESPN+, Episode Two Bouts:

• Welterweight  – Darian Weeks vs. Josh “The Maverick” Quinlan

• Middleweight – Mario “Coracio Valente” Sousa vs. Chidi “Bang Bang” Njokuani

• Bantamweight  – Saimon Oliveira vs. TBD

• Flyweight – CJ Vergara vs. Bruno “Korea” Rodrigues Mesquita

• Bantamweight – Muin “Tajik” Gafurov vs. Chad “The Monster” Anheliger

UFC Rise of the Contenders, a 30-minute series recap of seasons one through four of Dana White’s Contender Series, airs on ESPN2 on Saturday, September 11, at 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. showcasing some of the best and brightest prospects from UFC. Rise of the Contenders highlights the background of the Contender Series, UFC headliners the show has produced, and how the series fits into the overall plan to identify and develop future UFC athletes.

###

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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About UFC^®
UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 142 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.?For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

Las Vegas & Abu Dhabi – UFC^® returns to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with another blockbuster event, headlined by two highly anticipated world championship bouts. UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz goes for his second successful title defense when he takes on No. 1 ranked contender Glover Teixeira. In the co-main event, UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling look to settle the score with former titleholder and No. 1 ranked contender Petr Yan.

UFC^® 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA will take place Saturday, Oct. 30 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

UFC^® 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA will headline Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, which will feature city-wide activations, including fan events, fitness showcases and much more, in partnership with Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

UFC^® 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA tickets will go on general sale Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 1:00 p.m. GST and are available through Ticketmaster.ae and etihadarena.ae starting from AED 495. Tickets are limited to six (6) per person.

Blachowicz (28-8, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) looks to build off his recent momentum that not only saw him capture UFC gold, but also hand middleweight champion Israel Adesanya the first loss of his career. A 14-year MMA veteran, he holds spectacular KO wins over Luke Rockhold, Dominick Reyes and Corey Anderson. Blachowicz now has his sight set on taking out another dangerous finisher to continue building his legacy atop the 205-pound ladder.

Teixeira (32-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn.) hopes to make good on his second UFC title shot by stopping Blachowicz in emphatic fashion. A decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with heavy hands, he has delivered memorable victories against Thiago Santos, Anthony Smith, Rashad Evans and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson. Teixeira is now gunning for his sixth consecutive win by dethroning Blachowicz to achieve dream of becoming UFC champion.

Sterling (20-3, fighting out of Uniondale, N.Y.) plans to cement his UFC bantamweight championship reign by delivering a dominant performance in the rematch against Yan, who he defeated via disqualification in March. A skilled grappler, he has earned notable wins over Cory Sandhagen, Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera. Sterling now vies to put his rivalry with Yan to bed by netting another show-stealing submission victory.

Yan (15-2, fighting out of Yekaterinburg, Russia) is gunning to avenge his disqualification loss to Sterling by reclaiming the UFC bantamweight championship. A Master of Sport in MMA and boxing, he has secured thrilling KO victories against Jose Aldo, Urijah Faber, Douglas Silva de Andrade and Teruto Ishihara. Yan now intends to get the last laugh against Sterling by finishing the New Yorker and once again taking his spot at the top of the 135-pound division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Islam Makhachev (20-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to take out his first former UFC champion when he meets No. 7 Rafael Dos Anjos (30-13, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• No. 7 ranked Magomed Ankalaev (15-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) takes on No. 8 Volkan Oezdemir (17-5, fighting out of Fribourg, Switzerland) in a clash of light heavyweight contenders
• Top heavyweights collide when No. 5 ranked contender Alexander Volkov (33-9, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) squares off with surging No. 8 Marcin Tybura (22-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland)
• No. 12 ranked welterweight contender Li Jingliang (18-6, fighting out of Beijing, China) aims to spoil the return of undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (9-0, Stockholm, Sweden by way of Chechnya, Russia)
• No. 11 ranked strawweight contender Amanda Ribas (10-2, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) faces No. 12 Virna Jandiroba (17-2, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) in a clash of talented grapplers
• Ricardo Ramos (15-3, fighting out of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks for another vintage win against rising prospect Zubaira Tukhugov (19-5-1, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) at featherweight
• Exciting lightweights battle as Magomed Mustafaev (14-4, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) takes on Damir Ismagulov (23- 1, fighting out of Orenburg, Russia by the way of Almaty, Kazakhstan)
• Makwan Amirkhani (16-6, fighting out of Turku, Finland by way of Kurdistan) locks horns with Tristan Connelly (14-7, fighting out of Vancouver, BC, Canada) in an intriguing featherweight bout
• Hu Yaozong (3-2, fighting out of Beijing, China) makes his first Octagon appearance in nearly three years when he faces Alen Amedovski (8-2, fighting out of Rome, Italy) at middleweight
• Tagir Ulanbekov (13-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) hopes to continue his momentum when he takes on Allan Nascimento (18-5, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) at flyweight
• Shamil Gamzatov (14-0, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) hopes to remain undefeated when he battles Michal Oleksiejczuk (15-4 1NC, fighting out of Leczna, Poland) at light heavyweight

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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 Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the Emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the Emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the Emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.

Etihad Arena

Etihad Arena is the UAE’s landmark of entertainment, the region’s largest multi-purpose indoor arena set on the stunning waterfront of Yas Bay, offering world-class event space and hospitality. Designed with sustainability at its core, the venue offers a dynamic event space that can be easily transformed to host a variety of events including large-scale international concerts, sports games, corporate events, private functions and local community celebrations. Owned by Miral Asset Management and operated by Flash Entertainment, Etihad Arena is proudly positioned on Yas Island, the Middle East’s premier leisure and entertainment destination, and will enhance Abu Dhabi’s position as a global entertainment hub. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is the proud naming rights partner for Etihad Arena. Over the years to come, Etihad will fly many of the world-class entertainment acts and guests to the venue.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to T-Mobile Arena with a thrilling pair of world championship bouts. The Ultimate Fighter coaches collide when UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski defends his title against No. 2 ranked contender Brian Ortega. The co-main event will see UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko go for her sixth consecutive title defense when she meets No. 3 ranked contender Lauren Murphy. Also in a highly anticipated rematch, Nick Diaz returns against former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in a five-round thriller.

UFC^® 266: VOLKANOVSKI vs. ORTEGA will take place Saturday, Sept. 25 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All bouts will be simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with the ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass prelims. The prelims will continue exclusively on ESPNews, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT followed by the ESPN+ Pay-Per-View main card that will kick off at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

UFC^® 266: VOLKANOVSKI vs. ORTEGA tickets will go on sale Friday, July 30 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, July 28 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, July 29 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Volkanovski (22-1, fighting out of Windang, NSW, Australia) aims to continue his run atop the featherweight division with another dominant performance. The former rugby player turned MMA star holds impressive victories over Max Holloway (twice), Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. Volkanovski now has his sights set on getting the last laugh against Ortega and securing his second successful title defense.

Submission wizard Ortega (15-1 1NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) turned heads in his last outing by putting on a striking clinic against Chan Sung Jung in October. A talented Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has also netted spectacular wins over Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson and Clay Guida. Ortega now aims to settle the score with Volkanovski and achieve his dream of capturing UFC gold.

Shevchenko (21-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) has proven herself to be among the most dominant champions in UFC history. A decorated kickboxer, she has delivered memorable victories against Jessica Eye, Holly Holm and Julianna Pena. Shevchenko now looks to continue building her legacy with another show-stealing title defense.

Murphy (15-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) intends to shock the world by becoming the first fighter to defeat Shevchenko at 125 pounds. During her UFC run, the 11-year MMA veteran has earned notable victories over Joanne Calderwood, Andrea Lee and Mara Romero Borella. Murphy is now gunning to dethrone Shevchenko and become only the third women’s flyweight champion in UFC history.

MMA superstar Diaz (26-9 2NC, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) returns to the Octagon for the first time in over six years. Throughout his epic career, he has secured sensational wins against former UFC champions BJ Penn, Frank Shamrock and Lawler. Diaz now intends to remind fans he’s still among the best in the world by taking out Lawler a second time.

Lawler (28-15 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) hopes to even the score with Diaz 17 years following their first encounter. The former UFC welterweight champion has delivered thrilling knockouts against Rory MacDonald, Jake Ellenberger and Josh Koscheck, and he now aims to secure a measure of revenge against Diaz and begin climbing the ladder back to the belt.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• In a pivotal heavyweight contenders’ bout, No. 4 ranked Curtis Blaydes (14-3 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) takes on No. 6 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-2, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname)
• No. 1 ranked Jessica Andrade (21-9, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces No. 5 Cynthia Calvillo (9-2-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) in an exciting clash of women’s flyweight contenders
• No. 6 ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes (23-8-1, fighting out of Parkland, Fla. by way of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims for another highlight-reel finish when he squares off with surging No. 10 Merab Dvalishvili (13-4, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia)
• In a pivotal heavyweight contenders’ bout, No. 7 ranked Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) faces No. 10 Chris Daukaus (11-3, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Rising bantamweights meet when Ricky Simon (18-3, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) faces Timur Valiev (18-2 1NC, fighting out of Toms River, N.J. by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia)
• Manon Fiorot (7-1, fighting out of Nice, France) hopes for another impressive finish when she takes on submission ace Mayra Bueno Silva (7-1-1, fighting out of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil) at flyweight
• Undefeated Uros Medic (7-0, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska by way of Novi Sad, Serbia) meets Jalin Turner (10-5, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) in an intriguing lightweight bout
• In a clash of Dana White’s Contender Series veterans Karl Roberson (9-4, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) takes on Nick Maximov (6-0, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) at middleweight

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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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. 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 13.8 million subscribers.  

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

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^® delivers another action-packed night at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, set to be headlined by a clash of top 15 middleweight stand-up artists as No. 8 ranked Uriah Hall takes on No. 11 ranked Sean Strickland. In the co-main event, fan favorite Sam Alvey faces off with rising prospect Roman Kopylov.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: HALL vs STRICKLAND will take place Saturday, July 31 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will be available on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes beginning with the prelims at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT and followed by the main card at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Elite striker Hall (17-9, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) aims to deliver another spectacular knockout in his third UFC main event. Currently on the best win streak of his UFC career, Hall recently secured stoppage victories over former UFC middleweight champions Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva. He now looks to keep his momentum going against Strickland while making a case to break into the Top 5. 

Strickland (15-4, fighting out of Corona, Calif.) intends to make a statement in his first UFC headlining effort. Known for his confident fighting style, Strickland is undefeated since returning to the Octagon after a two-year layoff, including victories over Jack Marshman, Brendan Allen and Krzysztof Jotko. He now has his sights set on snapping Hall’s win streak and cementing himself as a top contender in the division.

Alvey (33-15-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) returns to action looking to secure another classic stoppage victory in a pivotal UFC bout for the popular knockout artist. A member of The Ultimate Fighter season 16, he has been a part of the UFC roster since 2014 and owns wins over Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and Eric Spicely. Alvey now seeks to keep Kopylov from earning his first UFC victory and show that he is still part of the elite.

Budding contender Kopylov (8-1, fighting out of Bachatsky, Kemerovo, Russia) enters his sophomore UFC bout aiming to show off the skills that garnered his status as one of the top Russian prospects. A multiple-time world champion in hand-to-hand combat, he joined the UFC with an undefeated record of 8-0 with all but one of those finishes coming by knockout. Kopylov is now gunning for the biggest win of his career and begin his journey towards the Top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Dana White’s Contender Series alums battle as strawweights Cheyanne Buys (5-2, fighting out of Irving, Texas) and Gloria de Paula (5-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) vie for their first UFC victories
• Kyung Ho Kang (17-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Busan, South Korea) seeks to extend his win streak when he faces off with grappling specialist Rani Yahya (27-10-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) at bantamweight
• Former women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano (5-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) ends a two-year layoff to clash with Wu Yanan (11-4, fighting out of Xi’an, China) at bantamweight
• Welterweights Bryan Barberena (15-7, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.) and Jason Witt (18-7, fighting out of Overland Park, Kan.) clash
• Niklas Stolze (12-4, fighting out of Magdeburg, Germany) intends to secure his first UFC victory when he takes on highly-touted Mounir Lazzez (10-2, fighting out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates) at welterweight
• Strawweights Jinh Yu Frey (10-6, fighting out of Arlington, Texas) and Ashley Yoder (8-7, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) lock horns in an entertaining matchup
• In a pivotal heavyweight contenders’ bout, No. 7 ranked Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) faces No. 10 Chris Daukaus (11-3, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
• The Ultimate Fighter veteran Chris Gruetzemacher (14-4, fighting out of New Bern, N.C.) meets Rafa Garcia (12-1, fighting out of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico) in a lightweight bout
• An exciting featherweight bout sees Danny Chavez (11-4, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) meet Kai Kamaka (8-4, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) who replaces Dooho Choi on short notice due to injury
• Ronnie Lawrence (7-1, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) looks to stay undefeated in the UFC when he takes on Trevin Jones (13-6, 1 NC, fighting out of Maite, Guam) at bantamweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series signees Collin Anglin (8-1, fighting out of South Lyon, Mich.) and Melsik Baghdasaryan (5-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif., by way of Yerevan, Armenia) aim to impress in their UFC debuts at featherweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series veterans Philip Rowe (9-3, fighting out of Ocoee, Fla.) and undefeated Orion Cosce (7-0, fighting out of Orangevale, Calif.) meet at welterweight
• Veteran flyweight Ryan Benoit (10-7, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) competes in his ninth UFC contest against Zarrukh Adashev (3-3, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan)

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that the 9^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^™ will take place in Las Vegas from Tuesday, September 21, through Saturday, September 25, headlined by UFC^® 266: VOLKANOVSKI vs. ORTEGA, presented by Modelo.The event-filled week will also include the traditional 2020 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonyand a two-day, interactive UFC Fan Experience^®.

The prestigious 2020 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^® will be held on Thursday, September 23, and will honor specific achievements and contributions to UFC and the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. 

In addition, on Friday, September 24, and continuing on Saturday, September 25, fans will be able to take part in an easily accessible and fully interactive, free, two-day UFC Fan Experience that will feature meet and greets, autograph sessions, and partner activations that provide unprecedented access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, Hall of Famers, and other UFC personalities.

Fans from around the world who converge on Las Vegas for UFC 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^® 266: VOLKANOVSKI vs. ORTEGA, on Saturday, September 25, at T-Mobile Arena.

Details regarding the bout card for UFC 266, event locations and additional activities for UFC International Fight Week will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit UFCFIGHTWEEK.COM.

Las Vegas – UFC^® delivers another action-packed card at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, headlined by a bantamweight thriller that will see No. 2 ranked contender Cory Sandhagen take on returning former champion TJ Dillashaw. The co-main event will see No. 3 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd square off with No. 9 Macy Chiasson.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SANDHAGEN vs. DILLASHAW will take place Saturday, July 24 from UFC APEX is Las Vegas. All bouts will be available on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes beginning with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT and continuing with the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Sandhagen (14-2, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) is coming off consecutive Performance of the Night-earning knockouts over former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes. Among the most diverse and entertaining strikers at bantamweight, he also holds wins over Raphael Assuncao, John Lineker and Iuri Alcantara. Sandhagen now looks to add another former UFC champion to his resume to stake his claim for a title shot.

Former two-time bantamweight champion Dillashaw (17-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) returns to action for the first time in over two years. Throughout his UFC career, he has utilized his dynamic striking and grappling to secure memorable victories over Cody Garbrandt (twice), Renan Barao (twice) and John Lineker. Dillashaw now has his sights set on making a statement against one of the division’s top contenders while positioning himself for an opportunity to reclaim the belt.

Aggressive finisher Ladd (9-1, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) hopes to pick up where she left off following a 2019 TKO victory over fellow contender Yana Kunitskaya. During her UFC run she has also netted impressive stoppage wins against Tonya Evinger and Lina Länsberg. Ladd now aims to remind the 135-pound division that she’s more dangerous than ever.

The Ultimate Fighter season 28 winner Chiasson (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) looks to make the most of her first UFC co-main event opportunity. Since joining the UFC roster in 2018, she has earned notable victories against Marion Reneau, Shanna Young and Sarah Moras. Chiasson is now gunning for the biggest win of her career to crack the bantamweight top five.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 14 ranked bantamweight contender Kyler Phillips (9-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) takes on surging Raulian Paiva (20-3, fighting out of Santana, Amapa, Brazil)
• Darren Elkins (26-9, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) faces Darrick Minner (26-11, fighting out of Nebraska City, Neb.) in a clash of gritty featherweights
• No. 14 ranked women’s flyweight contender Maycee Barber (8-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) locks horns with No. 13 Miranda Maverick (11-2, fighting out of Norfolk, Va.)
• Mickey Gall (6-3, fighting out of Green Brook, N.J.) squares off with Jordan Williams (9-4 1NC, fighting out of Santa Rosa, Calif.) at welterweight
• Undefeated Punahele Soriano (8-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Oahu, Hawaii) meets fellow Dana White’s Contender Series signee Brendan Allen (16-4, fighting out of Delray Beach, Fla. by way of Covington, La.) in a battle of rising middleweights
• In a pivotal heavyweight contenders’ bout, No. 7 ranked Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) faces No. 10 Chris Daukaus (11-3, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Nassourdine Imavov (9-3, fighting out of Paris, France) squares off with Ian Heinisch (14-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) in an intriguing middleweight contest
• Surging bantamweight prospects collide when Adrian Yanez (13-3, fighting out of Houston, Texas) meets Randy Costa (6-1, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.)
• Julio Arce (16-4, fighting out of Bayside, N.Y.) returns to bantamweight to battle with Andre Ewell (17-7, fighting out of Riverside, Calif.)
• No. 13 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Sijara Eubanks (7-6, fighting out of Brick, N.J. by way of Springfield, Mass.) returns to flyweight to take on Elise Reed (4-0, fighting out of Princeton, N.J.)
• Diana Belbita (13-6, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada) faces Hannah Goldy (5-1, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) in a women’s strawweight 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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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 13.8 million subscribers.  

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

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.

Follow all the action live as Dustin Poirier takes on Conor McGregor in a much anticipated trilogy fight.  The action starts at 10 PM ET with a four fight undercard that is featured by former title challengers Gilbert Burns and Stephen Thompson.

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Round 1 McGregor coming out kicking….Straight Left..Poirier lands a big left..McGregor going for a standing GuillotineHe has it…Elbow by Poirier…6 Elbows off his back by McGregor..Poirier landing ground and pound…Big right from Poirier…Big pounding by Poirier…MCGREGORS LEG SNAPPED IN HALF,,,,FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Burns landing hard shots on the cage…Kick from Thompson…
Round 2 Spinning kick from Thompson…Takedown from Burns,,,Good shots rom Burns on the cage
Round 3 Spinning Kick drops Burns…Burns comes back to land  a right..Takedown…Hammer Fists

29-28 ON ALL CARDS FOR BURNS

Round 1: Tuivasa lands 2 leg kicks…Hard right from Hardy…2 more leg kicks from Tuivasa..HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES HARDY…2 GROUND AND POUND SHOTS LATER AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…..

Round 1:  Good kick to the body from Kunitskaya…Kick to the body..Kunitskaya’s nose is bleeding..Aldana lands a low kick and a right hand..Body shot…2 Body kicks from Kunitskaya…Huge LEFT DROPS KUTNITSKAYA..Dropping elbows on the ground..6 hard ground strkes..6 MORE HARD STRIKES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1: Mouthino charging at O’Malley..O’Malley landing long front kicks…Lead right.Hard combination…Right from Mouthino…Hard jab from O’Malley..Hard combination and spinning kick land..Mouthino taking big shots..Front kick to the body…Inside leg kick from Moutinho…Right hand..Good low kick..Huge right from O’Malley…Big right drops Moutinho at the end of the round..Moutinho being helped to the corner
Round 2 Front kick to body from O’Malley…Juge kick to the head..Moutinho kick to the body…2 lefts…2 hard rights..another right
Round 3 Jabs from O’Malley…Good right from Moutinho…Hard right from O’Malley..Moutinho’s nose is bested up…Low kick from Moutinho…Jab from O’Malley and a front kick..Big flurry…Moutinho showing an incredible chin..Hard right…Big right from moutnho…HUGE FLURRY OF PUNCHES AND REFEREE STOPS THE FIGHT–TKO FOR SEAN O’MALLEY

In a wild five minutes, Dustin Poirier won his trilogy with Conor McGregor when McGregor could not continue due to an apparent broken bone in his leg at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight was fought at a furious pace with McGregor coming out kicking McGregor. McGregor tried to get Poirier in a Guillotine choke, but it was Poirier landing hard shots on the ground. McGregor had some blood from his ear. With the round ending, Poirier landed some good shots on his feet, and with the clock winding down, both guys missed a punch with McGregor turning his ankle and his foot began to dangle off to the side, and the fight was officially stopped due to a doctor stoppage.

Poirier, 156 lbs is now 28-6 with 15 stoppage wins. McGregor, 156 lbs of Dublin, IRE is 22-6.

Burns Decisions Thompson

Gilbert Burns won a unanimous decision over Stephen Thompson in a welterweight fight.

Burns outstruck Thompson 101-59 and registered three takedowns to none.

Burns, 170.5 lbs of Rio de Jineiro, BRA won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 20-4. Thompson, 170.5 lbs of Simpsonville, SC is 16-5-1.

Tuivasa Knocks Out Hardy in 1

Tai Tuivasa knocked out former NFL star Greg Hardy in 67 seconds of their heavyweight fight.

After Hardy landed a hard right, he came in for a follow up, and ate a huge left hook that put him on the deck. Tuivasa landed a couple of ground strikes for good measure and the fight was stopped.

Tuivasa, 263 lbs of Sydney, AUS is now 13-3 with 12 knockouts. Hardy, 264.5 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is 7-4.

Aldana stops Kutnitskaya in 1st

Irene Aldana stopped Yana Kutnitskaya in the opening round of their bantamweight fight.

Aldana dropped Kutnitskaya with a hook. Aldana landed six Ground-and-Pound shots on two separate occasions with the 2nd flurry being vicious and the fight was stopped at 4:35.

Aldana, 139.5 lbs (which was 3.5 over the contract weight and she was forced to forfeit 30% of her purse) of Guadalajara, MX is 13-6 with seven sroppages. Kunitskaya, 134.5 lbs of Russia is 14-6.

O’Malley stops Moutinho in 3rd

Sean O’Malley won the fight, but Kris Moutinho won the show. O’Malley stopped Moutinho in round three, of bantamweight fight.

O’Malley hit Moutinho with everything and the kitchen sink. O’Malley bsted his opponent up, but the late replacement kept on coming and even would get in a big shot of his own. In round three, O’Malley hit Moutinho with a blistering combination, but he could not budge Moutinho down, yet referee Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the fight.

O’Malley, 135.5 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 14-1 with 10 stoppage wins. Moutinho, 135 lbs of Milford, MA, took the fight on a week notice, is now 9-5.

Max Griffin won a unanimous decision over veteran Carlos Condit in a welterweight battle.

Griffin outstruck Condit 95-60.

Griffin, 170 1/2 lbs of Sacramento, CA won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 18-8. Condit, 171 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 32-14.

Michel Pereira hung on to eek out a unanimous decision over Niko Price in a middleweight bout.

In round one, Pereira had blood coming out of his nose. Later Price began to bleed from his nose. Pereira seemed to have won the first and most of the second round. Price came on strong and almost had Pereira out several times in the last minute of the fight.

Pereira, 170 1/2 lbs of Las Vegas via Brazil won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 26-11. Price, 169 1/2 lbs of Cape Coral, FL is 14-5.

Ilia Topuria stopped Ryan Hall in the opening round of their featherweight fight.

Hall kept rolling into Topuria in an odd way to look for leglock. Topuria fially got Hall on the ground and punched him out at 4:47.

Topuria, 145.5 lbs of Spain is now 11-0 with three knockouts. Hall, 146 lbs of Falls Church, VA is 8-2.

Dricus Du Plessis stopped Trevin Giles in round two of their middleweight fight.

In round one, Du Plessis was bleeding from his forehead. Replays showed it was from a clash of heads.

In round two, Giles landed a flurry on the cage, and then Du Plessis shot off and landed a booming right to the head that dropped Giles to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:41.

Du Plessis, 185.5 lbs of South Africa is now 16-2 with his 7th stoppage. Giles, 185.5 lbs of Houston, TX is 14-3.

Jennifer Maia won a unanimous decision over Jessica Eye in a battle of former title challengers.

In round two, Eye started to bleed down her face from her forehead from a clash of heads. The cut was deep.

Eye outlanded Maia 104-102.

Maia, 125.5 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 30-27 twice and is now 19-7. Eye, 125.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 15-10.

Brad Tavares won a split decision over Omari Akhmedov in a battle of top-15 middleweights.

In round two, both guys started to swelling around their eyes.

Tavares outstruck Akhmedov 76-50. Tavares one two cards 29-28. Akhmedov won a card 29-28.

Tavares, 184.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 19-7. Akhmedov, 185.5 lbs of Russia is 21-6-1.

Zhalgas Zhumagulov choked out Jerome Rivera in round one of their flyweight out.

Zhumagulov was able to get the rear-naked win at 2:02.

Zhumagulov, 125.5 lbs of Kazakhstan is now 14-5 with his first submission. Rivera, 125.5 bs of Santa Fe, NM is 10-6.

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced a multi-event partnership with Toyota Center in Houston, Texas following the record-breaking sell out of UFC 262: OLIVEIRA vs CHANDLER in May. The partnership, which includes a prospective Pay-Per-View event in 2022, kicks off with UFC 265: LEWIS vs GANE on Saturday, August 7, 2021. The main event will see Houston hometown hero and No. 2 ranked Derrick Lewis take on undefeated striking sensation and No. 3 ranked Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight championship. In the co-main event, the greatest women’s martial artist of all time graces the Octagon once again as UFC featherweight and bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes aims to retain her 135-pound title when she faces No. 6 ranked Julianna Pena.

“I love the city of Houston. We had a sold-out event in May, the city and fans are incredible, so we are heading right back in August,” UFC President Dana White said. “Working with Tilman and his team has been amazing and we will continue making Toyota Center a home for UFC, including bringing another PPV to the city next year.”

“We are fortunate to have a venue like Toyota Center in the great city of Houston,” said Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. “As the operator of Toyota Center, it is always going to be our goal to bring more exciting, high-quality entertainment to our community.”

UFC 265: LEWIS vs GANE will take place Saturday, August 7 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. All bouts will be simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with the UFC Fight Pass prelims. The prelims will continue exclusively on ESPN2 & ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT followed by the ESPN+ Pay-Per-View main card will kick off at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

UFC 265: LEWIS vs GANE tickets will go on sale at Friday, July 9 at 10 a.m. CT and are available for purchase at toyotacenter.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, July 7 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, July 8 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Houston’s own Lewis (25-7, fighting out of Houston, Texas) aims to put on a show for his hometown fans and finally wrap UFC gold around his waist. The record holder for most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history with 12, Lewis proved himself as one of the best in the world with a victory over current champion Francis Ngannou, as well as iconic wins over Alexander Volkov, Travis Browne and Curtis Blaydes. He now looks to secure the overall knockout record for the UFC by becoming the first man to finish Gane and then move on to once again vanquish Ngannou for the undisputed crown.

Gane (9-0, fighting out of Paris, France) competes in the shortest turnaround of his MMA career with his sights set on claiming his first UFC title. A professional in MMA for less than three years, Gane has had a meteoric rise through the heavyweight division, spurred on by dynamic victories over Junior Dos Santos, Don’Tale Mayes and most recently Alexander Volkov. Gane now looks to show off his ever-improving skillset by defeating Lewis to set up a future clash with champion and former training partner Francis Ngannou.

No. 1 women’s pound-for-pound fighter Nunes (21-4, fighting out of Coral Springs, Fla., by way of Bahia, Brazil) returns to the bantamweight division intent on delivering another remarkable title defense. Considered the greatest women’s athlete to compete in the Octagon, Nunes owns almost every notable record in women’s MMA, including most UFC wins, most knockouts and longest win streak. She further carved her name into the history books by defeating every former UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion, including Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm. Nunes now plans to raise the bar even higher by taking out Pena.

The Ultimate Fighter season 18 winner Pena (11-4, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) looks to claim the biggest victory of her career and secure her first title. A well-rounded grappler, she cemented herself as one of the best fighters in the world by defeating former UFC champion Nicco Montano, as well as former title challengers Jessica Eye, Cat Zingano and Sara McMann. Now, Pena intends to ride the momentum of her recent victory over McMann to upset Nunes and shock the world.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former UFC featherweight champion and No. 4 ranked bantamweight Jose Aldo (29-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces off with No. 8 Pedro Munhoz (19-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a bout all but guaranteed to deliver action
• No. 5 ranked welterweight Vicente Luque (20-7-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) locks horns with No. 6 Michael Chiesa (18-4, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.) in a pivotal bout
• An intriguing bantamweight bout sees Song Yadong (16-5-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) take on standout grappler Casey Kenney (16-3-1, fighting out of Tucsan, Ariz.)
• Flyweights Manel Kape (15-6, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand by way of Porto, Portugal) and Ode’ Osbourne (9-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) intend to deliver standout performances and break into the rankings
• An exciting rematch in the women’s strawweight division sees No. 10 Tecia Torres (12-5, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) replicate her 2015 win over No. 12 Angela Hill (13-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Victoria Leonardo (8-4, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) aims to spoil the UFC debut of Melissa Gatto (6-0-2, fighting out of State of Paraná, Brazil)
• Alonzo Menifield (10-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) and Ed Herman (27-14, 1 NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) meet in a heavy handed light heavyweight bout
• Strawweight veterans lock horns as Karolina Kowalkiewicz (13-6, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) takes on Jessica Penne (13-6, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.)
• Vince Morales (9-6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Drako Rodriguez (7-2, fighting out of  Sioux City, Iowa) intend to put on a show-stealing performance at bantamweight
• Bantamweights Johnny Munoz (10-1, fighting out of Norco, Calif.) and Jamey Simmons (7-3, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) vie to secure their first UFC victories

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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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 Houston Toyota Center

Since opening in October 2003, Toyota Center has set a new standard for sports and entertainment, becoming one of the premier live entertainment venues in the nation. Laid over the span of six city blocks, Toyota Center is home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Toyota Center also plays host to the nation’s top concerts and touring shows. The arena’s playing surface is set nearly 32-feet below street level giving Toyota Center the largest lower level of any arena in the nation. Coupled with the exclusive Lexus Lounge, trendy Golden Nugget Club, Red and White Bistro’s superior food and service, Toyota Center offers something for everyone making it the hottest spot for sports and entertainment in Houston. For more information, visit ToyotaCenter.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 12.5 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Las Vegas with a pair of heavyweight bouts, headlined by a clash between elite strikers as No. 3 ranked contender Ciryl Gane battles No. 5 Alexander Volkov. In the co-main event Canadian standout Tanner Boser battles Ovince Saint Preux.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: GANE vs. VOLKOV will take place Saturday, June 26 from UFC APEX is Las Vegas. The entire card will be available in English and Spanish on ESPN+, starting with the prelims at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT and continuing with the main card at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Undefeated Gane (8-0, fighting out of Paris, France) is coming off his first successful UFC main event, having bested fellow contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik in February. The former kickboxer immediately turned heads upon joining the UFC roster in 2019, picking up sensational wins over former champion Junior Dos Santos, Don’Tale Mayesr and Raphael Pessoa. Gane now hopes to continue his momentum with another high-level performance to stake his claim for a title shot.

Seasoned veteran Volkov (33-8, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) kicked off his 2021 campaign with a spectacular TKO victory over Alistair Overeem this past February. With 22 knockout victories on his resume, Volkov has also stopped former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum, Walt Harris and Stefan Struve in emphatic fashion. Volkov now has his sights on cementing his status as a title threat by handing Gane his first career loss.

Dynamic striker Boser (19-8-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) is wasting no time returning to the Octagon with his sight set on delivering another spectacular KO win. Throughout his UFC run he has earned impressive finishes against Raphael Pessoa and Philipe Lins. Boser now hopes to make the most of his second co-main event spot by stopping Saint Preux.

Talented finisher Saint Preux (25-15, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) has proven to be just as skilled at striking as he is on the mat. A former interim light heavyweight title challenger, he has netted memorable wins against Tyson Pedro, Corey Anderson and Shogun Rua. Saint Preux now aims to deliver another highlight-reel victory to secure his first UFC win at heavyweight.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Kennedy Nzechukwu (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) goes for his third consecutive win when he faces Danilo Marques (11-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a light heavyweight bout
• Featherweight finishers collide as Andre Fili (21-8, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) returns to the Octagon against Daniel Pineda (27-14, 2 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas).
• Renato Moicano (14-4-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) meets Jai Herbert (10-2, fighting out of Wolverhampton, England) in an intriguing lightweight bout
• Raoni Barcelos (16-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces Timur Valiev (17-2 1NC, fighting out of Toms River, N.J. by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) in a battle of promising bantamweights
• Unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov (13-0, fighting out of Kokshetau, Kazakhstan) takes on returning Michel Prazeres (26-3, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil) at welterweight
• Nicolas Dalby (19-3-1 2NC, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark) squares off with Tim Means (31-12-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in a welterweight bout
• Marcin Prachnio (14-5, fighting out of Krasnodar, Russia) meets Ike Villanueva (17-11, fighting out of Houston, Texas) at light heavyweight
• No. 15 women’s bantamweight contender Julia Avila (8-2, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) battles Julija Stoliarenko (9-5-1, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania)
• Charles Rosa (13-5, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Peabody, Mass.) takes on Justin Jaynes (16-7, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a featherweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• An exciting lightweight fight sees veteran Yancy Medeiros (15-7, 1 NC, fighting out of Makaha, Hawaii) lock horns with Damir Hadzovic (13-6, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark)

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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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 13.8 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine 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 a thrilling featherweight matchup, as fan favorite and No. 4 ranked contender Chan Sung Jung looks to add another exciting victory to his resume when he faces No. 8 Dan Ige. In the co-main event, heavyweight grapplers clash as No. 15 Aleksei Oleinik meets Serghei Spivac.  

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: THE KOREAN ZOMBIE vs. IGE will take place Saturday, June 19 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ will carry the entire event, with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT.

Featherweight star Jung (16-6, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) intends to deliver another impressive performance and continue working towards a UFC title shot. Beloved for his aggressive fighting style, Jung has finished an impressive 14 of his 16 wins, including his last nine victories in a row over the likes of Frankie Edgar, Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano. He now looks to start his 2021 campaign on a high note by becoming the first person to stop Ige.

Ige (15-3, fighting out of Haleiwa, Hawaii) has wasted little time propelling himself towards the top of the stacked UFC featherweight division. He established himself as one of the best in the world with a highly entertaining six-fight win streak that featured victories over Edson Barboza, Mirsad Bektic and Danny Henry. Ige now looks to follow up his devastating 22-second knockout of Gavin Tucker from earlier this year with another highlight-reel performance in his second UFC main event.

No. 15 ranked heavyweight Oleinik (59-15-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) aims to get back to his winning ways and prove that he is still one of the elite of the division. Among the most prolific grapplers in heavyweight MMA history, Oleinik has secured a staggering 46 submissions in his career, including his Performance of the Night-earning victories over Junior Albini, Mark Hunt and Maurice Greene. He now has his sights set on taking out another up-and-coming contender and defending his spot in the rankings.

Spivac (12-2, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) plans on making a statement and show that he is the next top contender at heavyweight. One of the youngest athletes in the division, he debuted in the UFC at only 24 years old and quickly separated himself from the pack with wins over Tai Tuivasa, Carlos Felipe and, most recently, Jared Vanderaa. Spivac now intends to add the biggest name yet to his resume and breaking into the top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Welterweight veterans clash as Tim Means (31-12-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) faces Danny Roberts (17-5, fighting out of Liverpool, England)
• No. 15 ranked UFC bantamweight contenderMarlon Vera (16-7-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) returns to action against Davey Grant (13-4, fighting out of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England)
• Wellington Turman (16-4, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) and Bruno Silva (19-6, fighting out of Paraiba, Brazil) meet in a middleweight bout
• Fan favorite Matt Brown (24-18, fighting out of Columbus, Ohio) locks horns with fellow veteran Dhiego Lima (17-8, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) at welterweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Aleksa Camur (6-1, fighting out of Broadview Heights, Ohio) battles Nicolae Negumereanu (9-1, fighting out of Brasov County, Romania) at light heavyweight
• An exciting women’s strawweight bout sees No. 13 ranked Virna Jandiroba (16-2, fighting out of Feira De Santano, Brazil) defend her spot in the rankings against Kanako Murata (12-1, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
• Khaos Williams (11-2, fighting out of Jackson, Mich.) aims for another signature knockout against Matthew Semelsberger (8-2, fighting out of Ijamsville, Md.) in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• Featherweights Julian Erosa (25-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and SeungWoo Choi (9-3, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) look to steal the show
• Josh Parisian (13-4, fighting out of Howell, Mich.) and Roque Martinez (15-7-2, fighting out of Tamuning, Guam) collide at heavyweight
• Submission specialist Joaquim Silva (11-2, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) hopes to add another post-fight bonus to his resume when he takes on Ricky Glenn (21-6, fighting out of Des Moines, Ia.)
• Women’s flyweights look to make a statement as Casey O’Neill (6-0, fighting out of Gold Coast, Australia) matches up with Lara Procopio (7-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, 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 13.8 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine 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.

Episode 1 “New Beginnings” —  The Return of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF29) premieres tonight as UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and No. 2 contender Brian Ortega evaluate and draft their respective teams of fighters. After moving into the fighter house, the competition kicks off with a bout in the middleweight division. 

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a pair of thrilling heavyweight contenders’ bouts, as No. 6 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik battles No. 9 Augusto Sakai. The co-main event will see No. 8 Walt Harris take on surging No. 11 Marcin Tybura.

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

Former kickboxing standout Rozenstruik (11-2, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) made waves upon joining the UFC roster in early 2019, securing four consecutive knockouts within a 10-month span. He has delivered spectacular KO victories over heavyweight legends Junior Dos Santos, Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski to crack the division’s top five. Rozenstruik now hopes to defend his spot in the rankings by turning away a dangerous rising contender.

After turning heads on Dana White’s Contender Series to secure a UFC contract, Sakai (15-2-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) immediately began ascending the heavyweight ladder. Throughout his Octagon run he has earned memorable wins against Blagoy Ivanov, Andrei Arlovski and Chase Sherman. Sakai now has his sights set on making the most of his second UFC main event by netting the biggest victory of his career to enter the heavyweight top five.

KO artist Harris (13-9 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) is gunning for another highlight-reel finish to cement his status as one of the top heavyweights in the world. The heavy-handed striker has finished each of his career wins, including standout performances against Aleksei Oleinik, Sergey Spivak and Chase Sherman. Harris now looks to send a message with another thrilling KO.

Tybura (21-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) enters his fifth year on the UFC roster riding an impressive four-fight win streak. Coming off a Performance of the Night earning win over Greg Hardy in December, he has also delivered notable victories over Ben Rothwell, Stefan Struve and Andrei Arlovski. Tybura now aims to continue his momentum by taking out another hard-hitting contender.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Roman Dolidze (8-1, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia) faces Laureano Staropoli (9-3, fighting out of La Plata, Argentina), who is stepping in for injured Alessio Di Chirico at middleweight
• Welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio (28-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) aims to become the first fighter to stop undefeated Miguel Baeza (10-0, fighting out of Davie, Fla.)
• Dusko Todorovic (10-1, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia) squares off with replacement Gregory Rodrigues (9-3, fighting out of Los Angeles), who is replacing injured Maki Pitolo at middleweight
• Tom Breese (12-3, fighting out of Birmingham, England) meets Antonio Arroyo (9-4, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil) in a clash of middleweight strikers
• Makwan Amirkhani (16-5, fighting out of Turku, Finland by way of Kurdistan) locks horns with replacement Kamuela Kirk (11-4, fighting out of Peoria, Ariz.) at featherweight, due to an injury sustained by Nate Landwehr
• Montana De La Rosa (11-6-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) faces Ariane Lipski (13-6, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) in a women’s flyweight contest
• Tanner Boser (19-7-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alta., Canada) meets Ilir Latifi (15-8 1NC, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) in a battle of budding heavyweight contenders
• Francisco Trinaldo (26-7, fighting out of Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil) makes his welterweight debut when he takes on Muslim Salikhov (17-2, fighting out of Buynaksk, Dagestan, Russia)
• Alan Patrick (15-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to return to his winning ways against Mason Jones (10-1, fighting out of Blaenavon, Wales) at lightweight
• Manon Fiorot (6-1, fighting out of Nice, France) looks to build off the momentum of her impressive debut when she takes on tough Maryna Moroz (10-3, fighting out of Volnogorsk, Ukraine) at flyweight
• Sean Woodson (7-1, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) takes on Youssef Zalal (10-4, fighting out of Englewood, Colo. by way of Casablanca, Morocco) in a clash of promising featherweights
• Claudio Puelles (10-2, fighting out of Lima, Peru) hopes to hand unbeaten Jordan Leavitt (8-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) his first career loss in a lightweight 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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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 13.8 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine 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^® is set to deliver another entertaining card at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, headlined by a bantamweight bout all but guaranteed to deliver action as No. 3 ranked contender Rob Font takes on former champion and No. 4 Cody Garbrandt. Also on the card, top five women’s strawweights collide with title aspirations on the line as No. 3 ranked contender Yan Xiaonan battles former champion and No. 4 Carla Esparza.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: FONT vs. GARBRANDT will take place Saturday, May 22 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will be available exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims kicking off the action at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Font (18-4, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) is the newest member of the UFC bantamweight top five following his first round knockout of former title challenger Marlon Moraes. A member of the UFC roster since 2014, he rose up the ranks with a series of impressive stoppage wins, including victories over Thomas Almeida, Matt Schnell and Douglas Silva de Andrade. Font now intends to secure the biggest win over his career by taking out Garbrandt.

Former bantamweight champion Garbrandt (12-3, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) plans to continue his journey back to the title by delivering a vintage performance against Font. Among the most dangerous strikers in the division’s history, he showed off his power with statement knockouts over Raphael Assuncao, Thomas Almeida and Marcus Brimage. Garbrandt now aims to put together another long win streak and prove that he is still among the best bantamweights in the world.

Chinese contender Yan (13-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Beijing, China) seeks to maintain her undefeated record in the UFC and add the first former champion to her resume. A Sanda expert with all of her finishes coming by knockout, Xiaonan announced herself as a top prospect in the division with wins over perennial contenders Angela Hill, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Claudia Gadelha. She now looks to cement herself as the next in line for the title with a standout performance.

Esparza (18-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) became the first UFC women’s strawweight champion in history after winning the 20^th season of The Ultimate Fighter. Currently on the longest win streak of her UFC career, she fought her way back into the title conversation with wins over Alexa Grasso, Michelle Waterson and Marina Rodriguez. Esparza now plans to earn a chance to regain her belt and repeat her victory over current champion Namajunas.  

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 7 ranked middleweight Jack Hermansson (21-6, fighting out of Oslo, Norway) looks to return to the winner’s circle when he meets No. 12 Edmen Shahbazyan (11-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.)
• Heavyweight finishers collide as Justin Tafa (4-2, fighting out of North Lakes, Australia) meets Jared Vanderaa (11-5, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.)
• Former women’s featherweight title challenger Felicia Spencer (8-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla., by way of Montreal, Canada) intends to bounce back into the win column against short notice replacement Norma Dumont (5-1, fighting out of Minas Gerais, Brazil)
• Top 15 flyweights David Dvorak (19-3, fighting out of Horice, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) and Raulian Paiva (20-3, fighting out of State of Amapa, Brazil) vie to break into the top 10 of the division
• In an entertaining featherweight bout, Ricardo Ramos (14-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) locks horns with Bill Algeo (14-5, fighting out of King of Prussia, Pa.)
• Heavyweight veteran Ben Rothwell (38-13, fighting out of Kenosha, Wisc.) competes in his 52^nd professional MMA bout against UFC newcomer Chris Barnett (21-6, fighting out of Athens, Ga.)
• The Ultimate Fighter season 11 winner Court McGee (20-10, fighting out of Orem, Utah) takes on submission specialist Claudio Silva (14-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at welterweight
• Veteran flyweight Bruno Silva (11-5-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) plans to stop Victor Rodriguez (7-3, fighting out of Soldotna, Ala.) from earning his first UFC victory
• Josh Culibao (8-1-1, fighting out of New South Wales, Australia) aims to secure his first UFC win against the debuting Sha Yilan (19-6, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• Exciting lightweights Yancy Medeiros (15-7, 1 NC, fighting out of Makaha, Hawaii) and Damir Hadzovic (13-6, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark) look to deliver bonus-earning performances
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Rafael Alves (19-9, fighting out of Miami, Fla. by way of Belem, Para, Brazil) aims for a successful UFC debut against Damir Ismagulov (19-2, fighting out of Orenburgskaia, Russia) at lightweight
• In a women’s bantamweight bout, Stephanie Egger (5-2, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland) faces off with Sarah Alpar (9-5, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.)

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 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 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 11.5 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine 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.