Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off its second run on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with one of the biggest events of the year, as middleweight champion Israel Adesanya looks to defend his title against fellow undefeated knockout artist and No. 2 ranked contender Paulo Costa. In the co-main event, the vacant UFC light heavyweight title is on the line as No. 1 ranked Dominick Reyes takes on No. 3 Jan Blachowicz.

UFC^® 253: ADESANYA vs. COSTA will take place Saturday, September 26 on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island and will stream live on Pay-Per-View, exclusively through ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish. The prelims will be simulcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+ (English and Spanish) beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the early prelims kicking off at 6:30 p.m. ET /3:30 p.m. PT simulcast on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ and on UFC Fight Pass. The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance.

Adesanya (19-0, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) has quickly become one of the top superstars in the UFC since joining the promotion in 2018. After securing impressive wins over Derek Brunson and Anderson Silva, Adesanya defeated Kelvin Gastelum in one of the best fights of the year for the interim UFC middleweight championship. He followed up this performance by finishing Robert Whittaker for the undisputed title in front of a record-breaking crowd of over 57,000 fans. Now, Adesanya looks to put on another vintage performance and become the first person to defeat Costa.

Brazilian powerhouse Costa (13-0, fighting out of Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil) intends to make the most of his first UFC title shot by landing another signature knockout. Costa developed his reputation as one of the most devastating finishers in the middleweight division by stopping all but one of his wins before the final bell, including victories over Uriah Hall, Johny Hendricks and Garreth McLellan. Now, he plans to dethrone Adesanya and begin his reign as undisputed champion.

Reyes (12-1, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) aims to make good on his second shot at UFC gold and prove that he is the best light heavyweight on the planet. A devastating finisher with nine first-round stoppages, Reyes quickly rose through the ranks with wins over Jared Cannonier, Ovince Saint Preux and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman. Now, he seeks to leave no doubt about his claim to the 205-pound throne by securing another vintage victory against Blachowicz.

Blachowicz (26-8, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) is among the most successful UFC athletes to hail from Poland and has his sights set on becoming the first male Polish champion. Blachowicz believes his momentum is at an all-time high following three of the biggest wins of his career that include stoppages over former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, as well as perennial top contender Corey Anderson. He now looks to finally attain a UFC championship by becoming the only person to ever finish Reyes. 

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Top 10 flyweights collide as No. 7 Kai Kara France (21-8 1 NC, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) and No. 10 Brandon Royval (11-4, fighting out of Lakewood, Colo.) look to steal the show
• No. 7 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Kelten Vieira (10-1, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) intends to get back to her winning ways when she takes on No. 13 Sijara Eubanks (7-4, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.)
• Top featherweight prospects lock horns as Hakeem Dawodu (11-1-1, fighting out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) battles Zubaira Tukhugov (19-4-1, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia)
• Brad Riddell (8-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) and Alex da Silva (21-2, fighting out of Balneario, Santa Catarina, Brazil) intend to make a statement in a clash of lightweight finishers
• UFC Hall of Famer Diego Sanchez (32-12, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) intends to secure another historic win when he meets tough Jake Matthews (15-4, fighting out of Epping, Victoria, Australia)
• Dana White’s Contender Series light heavyweight signees William Knight (8-1, fighting out of Vernon, Conn.) and Aleksa Camur (6-0, fighting out of Broadview Heights, Ohio) seek to establish themselves as the next top prospect in the division
• The Ultimate Fighter season 28 winner Juan Espino (10-1, fighting out of Gran Canaria, Spain) returns to the Octagon to take on Jeff Hughes (10-3, fighting out of Norton, Ohio)
• Hard-hitting light heavyweight Khadis Ibragimov (8-2, fighting out of Ratlub, Republic of Dagestan, Russia) welcomes UFC newcomer Danilo Marques (9-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) to the Octagon

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

Las Vegas – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 7, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The seventh episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, September 15 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 7 – Confirmed Bouts:

Middleweight

Gregory Rodrigues vs. Jordan Williams

Featherweight

Muhammad Naimov vs. Collin Anglin

Welterweight

Korey Kuppe vs. Michael Lombardo

Women’s featherweight

Danyelle Wolf vs. Taneisha Tennant

Featherweight

Dinis Paiva vs. Kyle Driscoll

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers through offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Las Vegas – UFC^® will close out its latest string of events at UFC APEX with a heated welterweight clash that will see former interim champion and No. 2 ranked contender Colby Covington take on former champion and No. 5 Tyron Woodley. In another thrilling welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, long-time UFC fan favorite Donald Cerrone faces fellow finisher Niko Price.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: COVINGTON vs. WOODLEY will take place Saturday, September 19 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

Covington (15-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) aims to get the last laugh after trading numerous verbal barbs with his former training partner, Woodley. A NCAA Division I wrestler who pushes a relentless pace, Covington has delivered memorable victories against former UFC champions Robbie Lawler and Rafael Dos Anjos, as well as perennial contender Demian Maia. Covington now hopes to add yet another former UFC titleholder to his hit list to once again secure a shot at the championship.

Woodley (19-5-1, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.), who held the belt for almost three years, will go down as one of the most dominant titleholders in UFC welterweight history. After dethroning Robbie Lawler via first-round knockout, Woodley netted memorable title defenses against Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia and Darren Till. Woodley now plans to put his most heated rivalry to bed by delivering another sensational knockout win.

Cerrone (36-15 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.), the UFC recordholder for most wins (23) and finishes (16), has long been dazzling fans with spectacular performances inside the Octagon. Throughout his legendary career, he has secured highlight-reel finishes against Matt Brown, Rick Story, Jim Miller and Edson Barboza. Cerrone will now make his record 36^th UFC appearance and aims to deliver another vintage ”Cowboy” performance against one of the division’s most dynamic finishers.

Among the most exciting athletes in the welterweight division, Price (14-5 1NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Fla.) now looks to capitalize on the biggest moment of his career. Price has won over fans since joining the UFC roster in late 2016 with jaw-dropping knockout victories against James Vick, Tim Means, Randy Brown and Alan Jouban. Price now hopes to earn his most important win yet by taking out a legend in his first UFC co-main event appearance.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Khamzat Chimaev (8-0, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden by way of Chechnya, Russia) aims to continue his incredible streak against tough veteran Gerald Meerschaert (31-13, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)
• In an exciting battle of light heavyweight contenders, No. 11 ranked Johnny Walker (17-5, fighting out of Montreal, Que., Canada by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) locks horns with surging No. 12 Ryan Spann (20-5, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas)
• Entertaining grapplers meet when Mackenzie Dern (8-1, fighting out of Long Beach, Calif.) takes on Randa Markos (10-9-1, fighting out of Windsor, Ont., Canada)
• Rising middleweights collide when Kevin Holland (19-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) meets Darren Stewart (12-5 1NC, fighting out of London, England)
• Mirsad Bektic (13-3, fighting out of Montreal, Que., Canada) faces Eduardo Garagorri (13-1, fighting out of Rivera, Uruguay) in an exciting featherweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Mayra Bueno Silva (6-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) goes for another slick submission when she meets Mara Romero Borella (12-8, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Ponte dell’Olio, Italy)
• Jordan Espinosa (15-7 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) hopes to build off the momentum of his recent victory when he squares off with streaking David Dvorak (17-3, fighting out of Horice, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic)
• Jessica-Rose Clark (9-6 1NC, fighting out of Innisfail, Australia) aims to return to her winning ways against Dana White’s Contender Series signee Sarah Alpar (9-4, fighting out of Edmond, Okla.)
• Journey Newson (9-2 1NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) takes on Randy Costa (5-1, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.) in an entertaining bantamweight bout
• Andre Ewell (16-6, fighting out of Riverside, Calif.) squares off with Irwin Rivera (10-5, fighting out of Hudson Valley, N.Y. by way of Mexico City, Mexico) in a clash of bantamweight hopefuls
• Darrick Minner (24-12, fighting out of Nebraska City, Neb.) goes for his first UFC win against recent Dana White’s Contender Series signee TJ Laramie (12-3, fighting out of Windsor, Ont., Canada)

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 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.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 – nine 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^® continues its September run of shows at UFC APEX with a thrilling strawweight clash as No. 8 ranked contender Michelle Waterson and No. 13 Angela Hill meet in a five-round main event guaranteed to deliver action.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: WATERSON vs. HILL will take place Saturday, September 12 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

Waterson (17-8, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) heads into her third UFC main event looking to show off the skills that won her an Invicta FC championship. A talented striker and grappler, she holds entertaining wins over Paige VanZant, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Angela Magana. Waterson now plans to re-insert herself into the strawweight title conversation with another exciting performance.

Also a former Invicta FC champion, Hill (12-8, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) has become a fan favorite for being among the most active athletes on the entire UFC roster. Hill holds the record for the most fights in UFC women’s strawweight history with 15, which she earned with recent trademark wins over Loma Lookboonmee, Hannah Cifers and Ariane Carnelossi. She now aims to claim the biggest victory of her career in her first main event and break into the division’s top 10.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Ottman Azaitar (12-0, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco) takes on Khama Worthy (16-6, fighting out of Pittsburgh, Penn.) in a battle of lightweight prospects
• Top 10 women’s flyweights rematch as No. 8 ranked Roxanne Modafferi (24-18, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) looks to replicate her 2014 win over No. 9 Andrea Lee (11-4, Shreveport, La.)
• Light heavyweight strikers clash as veteran Ed Herman (26-14, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) takes on Mike Rodriguez (11-4, fighting out of South Easton, Mass.) on short notice
• Dana White’s Contender Seriessignee Billy Quarantillo (14-2, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.) looks to remain undefeated in the UFC when he clashes with well-rounded Canadian Kyle Nelson (13-3, fighting out of Huntsville, Ontario, Canada)
• No. 9 ranked flyweight contender Matt Schnell (14-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) meets fellow finisher Tyson Nam (19-11-1, fighting out of Wahiawa, Hawaii)
• No. 14 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Julia Avila (8-1, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) and No. 15 Sijara Eubanks (6-4, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) seek to break into the top 10 with a standout performance
• Matt Frevola (8-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.) aims to steal the show against fellow lightweight contender Roosevelt Roberts (11-2, fighting out of San Bernardino, Calif.)
• Bobby Green (26-10-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) competes for the third time in four months as he looks to finish Alan Patrick (15-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• In a lightweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Brok Weaver (14-5, fighting out of Mobile, Ala.) locks horns with Frank Camacho (22-9, fighting out of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands)
• Bryan Barberena (14-7, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.) and Anthony Ivy (8-3, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas) look to make a statement in a clash at welterweight
• Women’s flyweight prospect Sabina Mazo (8-1, fighting out of Fountain Valley, Calif.) aims to extend her win streak when she meets veteran Justine Kish (7-2, fighting out of Cramerton, N.C.) 

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 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.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 – nine 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 – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 6, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The sixth episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, September 8 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 6 – Confirmed Bouts:

Light heavyweight

Tafon Nchukwi vs. Al Matavao

Lightweight

Cameron Church vs. Sherrard Blackledge

Middleweight

Phillips Hawes vs. Khadzhimurat Bestaev

Bantamweight

Mana Martinez vs. Drako Rodriguez

Middleweight

Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Henrique Shiguemoto

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers through offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Las Vegas – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 5, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The fifth episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, September 1 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 5 – Confirmed Bouts:

Featherweight

Dennis Buzukja vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan

Flyweight

Jimmy Flick vs. Nate Smith

Bantamweight

Jose Johnson vs. Ronnie Lawrence

Light heavyweight

William Knight vs. Cody Brundage

Lightweight

Tucker Lutz vs. Chase Gibson

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers through offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off September with a battle between heavyweight KO artists, as No. 6 ranked contender Alistair Overeem faces No. 9 Augusto Sakai.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: OVEREEM vs. SAKAI will take place Saturday, September 5 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

A 21-year veteran who has competed against the MMA and kickboxing elite, Overeem (46-18 1NC, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) still has his sights set on capturing UFC gold. Over the course of his legendary career, he has delivered memorable knockout wins over former champions Junior Dos Santos and Brock Lesnar, as well as Mark Hunt. Overeem now aims to stop another rising, young contender and re-assert himself as one of the most dangerous heavyweights on the planet.

Unbeaten since joining the UFC roster in 2018, Sakai (15-1-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) wasted no time in cracking the heavyweight division’s top 10. Originally signed following a spectacular performance on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has since secured impressive victories against Blagoy Ivanov, Marcin Tybura and former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Sakai now hopes to take advantage of his first UFC main event opportunity by earning the biggest win of his career.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former The Ultimate Fighter standout Sijara Eubanks (6-4, fighting out of Brick, NJ) seeks her second consecutive victory when she meets Karol Rosa (13-3, fighting out of Niteroi, RJ, Brazil) in a bantamweight showdown
• Michael Pereira (23-11 2NC, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil) looks to deliver another memorable performance when he takes on Zelim Imadaev (8-2, fighting out of Chechen Republic, Russia) at welterweight
• Former women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano (5-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) goes for her first UFC bantamweight win against streaking Julia Avila (8-1, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.)
• Ricky Simon (16-3, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) locks horns with Brian Kelleher (21-11, fighting out of Selden, N.Y.) in an exciting featherweight bout
• Women’s flyweight contenders collide when No. 8 ranked Viviane Araujo (8-2, fighting out of Brasilia, DF, Brazil) meets No. 12 Montana De La Rosa (11-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas)
• In a clash of middleweight hopefuls, Andre Muniz (19-4, fighting out of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil) takes on Bartosz Fabinski (14-3, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland)
• Unbeaten heavyweight Alexandr Romanov (11-0, fighting out of Comrat City, Republic of Moldova) debuts against Marcos Rogerio De Lima (17-7-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Talented lightweights clash when Thiago Moises (13-4, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil) meets Jalin Turner (10-5, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.)
• Cole Smith (7-1, fighting out of Squamish, B.C., Canada) squares off with Hunter Azure (8-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) in a battle of promising bantamweight prospects

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 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.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 – nine 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 – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 4, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The third episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, August 25 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 4 – Confirmed Bouts:

Middleweight

Jhonoven Pati vs. Jamie Pickett

Featherweight

Rafael Alves vs. Alejandro Flores

Flyweight

Jacob Silva vs. Jeffrey Molina

Lightweight

Mike Breeden vs. Anthony Romero

Middleweight

Kryon Bowen vs. Collin Huckbody

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers through offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Las Vegas – The last UFC^® event in August is set be headlined by an exciting bout featuring light heavyweight finishers looking to make a statement as No. 5 ranked Anthony Smith takes on No. 8 Aleksandar Rakic in a three-round main event.In the co-main event, former UFC welterweight champion and No. 13 ranked contender Robbie Lawler returns to action to battle fellow veteran and No. 14 ranked Neil Magny. This event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance pursuant to a Health, Safety and Operations plan approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: SMITH vs. RAKIC will take place Saturday, August 29 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Smith (32-15, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) aims to impress with another highlight-reel finish. Having ended an incredible 30 of his 32 wins before the final bell, Smith has established himself as one of the most thrilling athletes on the roster with victories over Alexander Gustafsson, Mauricio Rua and Rashad Evans. He now looks to work his way back to the title picture by becoming the first man in the UFC to stop Rakic.

Among the youngest members of the light heavyweight top 10, Rakic (12-2, fighting out of Vienna, Austria) intends to steal the show and earn the biggest win of his career. A former kickboxer with nine of his 12 wins coming by knockout, Rakic rose through the ranks with emphatic first-round finishes of Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark. He now seeks to prove that he can compete with the top of the division and solidify himself as a future title threat.

Former UFC welterweight champion and fan-favorite Lawler (28-14, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) returns to action for the first time in over a year. Among the most revered athletes on the roster, Lawler made his mark in the division with historic wins over Rory MacDonald, Carlos Condit and Johny Hendricks. He now aims to deliver a vintage performance to snap his recent losing streak and begin the climb back up the 170-pound rankings.

A UFC veteran since 2013, Magny (23-8, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) has competed against some of the biggest names in the welterweight division. Among the most active athletes on the roster with a record-tying five wins in a calendar year, Magny’s resume includes notable victories over Kelvin Gastelum, Johny Hendricks, Hector Lombard and Carlos Condit. He now looks to extend his current win streak and break into the top 10 of the division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

·         No. 14 ranked women’s flyweight Ji Yeon Kim (8-2-2, fighting out of Incheon, South Korea) welcomes No. 14 ranked women’s strawweight Alexa Grasso (11-3, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico) to the 125-pound division

·         In a highly-anticipated light heavyweight rematch, No. 14 ranked Magomed Ankalaev (13-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) and Ion Cutelaba (15-5 1 NC, fighting out of Moldavian, Romanian) look to earn a definitive win

·         Dana White’s Contender Series veterans clash as Maki Pitolo (13-6, fighting out of Makaha, Hawaii) makes a quick return to the Octagon to take on recent signee Impa Kasanganay (7-0, fighting out of Charlotte, N.C.)

·         Mallory Martin (6-3, fighting out of Brighton, Colo.) goes for her first UFC win when she meets Hannah Cifers (10-6, fighting out Kittrell, N.C.)

·         Middleweight veterans hunt to get back in the win column as Alessio Di Chirico (12-4, fighting out of Rome, Italy) takes on Zak Cummings (23-7, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.)

·         In a featherweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Alex Caceres (16-12, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) looks to hand former GLORY kickboxer Giga Chikadze (10-2, fighting out of Tbilisi, Georgia) his first UFC loss

·         Polyana Viana (10-4, fighting out of São Geraldo do Araguaia, Para, Brazil) and Emily Whitmire (4-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meet in a clash of women’s strawweight hopefuls

·         Undefeated welterweight prospect Sean Brady (12-0, fighting out of Philadelphia, Pa.) looks to snap the win streak of Christian Aguilera (14-6, fighting out of Brea, Calif.)

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 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers through offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Livinha Souza won a unanimous decision over Ashley Yoder in a strawweight fight.

Souza, 115.5 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 14-2. Yoder, 115.5 lbs of Temecula, CA is 7-6.

Chris Daukaus stopped Parker Porter in the 1st round of their heavyweight bout.

Daukaus dropped Porter in the middle of the round. Porter was able to get up, but he ate a hard right hand and vicious kick as he dropped to the canvas. One ground punch later, referee Herb Dean stopped the bout at 4:28.

Daukaus, 241 lbs of Philadelphia is 9-3. Porter, 264.5 lbs of West Hartford, CT is 10-6.

In round one, Daukaus was cut over his left eye.

Kai Kamaka won a unanimous decision over Tony Kelley in a featherweight fight.

In round three, Kamaka was bleeding from his nose.

Kamaka, 145.5 lbs of Pear City, HI won by scores of 29-28 on all cards, and is now 8-2. Kelley, 145.5 lbs of Shreveport, LA is 6-2.

Las Vegas – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 3, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The third episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, August 18 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 3 – Confirmed Bouts:

Welterweight

Louis Cosce vs. Victor Reyna

Women’s Strawweight

Cheyanne Buys vs. Hilarie Rose

Welterweight

Orion Cosce vs. Matt Dixon

Heavyweight

Josh Parisian vs. Chad Johnson

Lightweight

Kevin Syler vs. Ken Cross

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers through offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its series of events at UFC APEX with an exciting bantamweight bout that will see No. 5 ranked contender Pedro Munhoz look to spoil the 135-pound debut of No. 8 featherweight and former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Plus, former interim title challenger Ovince Saint Preux returns to the light heavyweight division against Alonzo Menifield.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: MUNHOZ vs. EDGAR will take place Saturday, August 22 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, with the main card starting at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The prelims will kick off at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+.

A perennial bantamweight contender, Munhoz (18-4 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims to steal the show in his first UFC main event. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with heavy hands, Munhoz has earned impressive victories against Bryan Caraway, Rob Font and former champion Cody Garbrandt. Munhoz now hopes to add a decorated legend to his resume and secure the biggest win of his career to re-assert himself as dangerous title threat.

A former lightweight champion and featherweight title challenger, Edgar (22-8-1, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) looks to make an immediate impact at bantamweight. A potential future UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Edgar has delivered spectacular victories over BJ Penn (thrice), Gray Maynard and Urijah Faber. Edgar is now gunning for another vintage performance to crack the 135-pound rankings and set himself up to become the first athlete to challenge for UFC championships in three divisions.

A perennial standout at light heavyweight, Saint Preux (24-14, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) looks to re-assert himself as a 205-pound threat after a recent visit to the heavyweight division. A hard-hitting striker who is also known for his patented Von Flue choke, the former Tennessee Volunteers football player has delivered highlight-reel victories over Shogun Rua, Corey Anderson and Tyson Pedro. Now, Saint Preux plans to send a message to the light heavyweight division with another vintage performance.

A powerful knockout artist, Menifield (10-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) steps in on short notice to face the toughest test of his career. After securing a UFC contract following an eight-second victory against Dashawn Boatwright on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has since delivered spectacular KO wins over Paul Craig and Vinicius Moreira. Menifield now looks to earn his biggest win yet with another highlight-reel finish.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Marcin Prachnio (13-4, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) aims to secure his first UFC win when he takes on Mike Rodriguez (10-4 1NC, fighting out of South Easton, Mass.)
• Daniel Rodriguez (12-1, fighting out of Alhambra, Calif.) looks to secure his ninth consecutive win when he faces Takashi Sato (16-3, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
• In a battle of rising strawweight prospects, Amanda Lemos (7-1-1, fighting out of Para, Brazil.) meets Mizuki (14-5, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Fukuoka, Japan)
• Mariya Agapova (9-1, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan) squares off with Shana Dobson (3-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) in a women’s flyweight match
• Austin Hubbard (12-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) hopes to build off his most recent win when he takes on streaking Joe Solecki (8-2, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.)
• Dwight Grant (10-2, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) goes for his third consecutive victory when he squares off with Jared Gooden (17-4, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.)
• Ike Villanueva (16-10, fighting out of Houston, Texas) looks to secure his first UFC win when he meets Jorge Gonzalez (16-4, fighting out of El Paso, Texas)
• In a battle of top bantamweight prospects, Timur Valiev (16-2, fighting out of Toms River, N.J. by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) faces Mark Striegl (18-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Baguio City, Philippines)
• Carlton Minus (10-1 1NC, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska) meets Matthew Semelsberger (6-2, fighting out of Frederick, Md.) in clash of welterweight newcomers

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 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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 – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 2, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The second episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 2 – Confirmed Bouts:

Middleweight

Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Joe Pyfer

Bantamweight

Adrian Yanez vs. Brady Huang

Women’s Strawweight

Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Cory McKenna

Featherweight

TJ Laramie vs. Daniel Swain

Middleweight

Anthony Adams vs. Impa Kasanganay

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.9 million subscribers in less than two years, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Las Vegas – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 2, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The second episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 2 – Confirmed Bouts:

Middleweight

Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Joe Pyfer

Bantamweight

Adrian Yanez vs. Brady Huang

Women’s Strawweight

Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Cory McKenna

Featherweight

TJ Laramie vs. Daniel Swain

Middleweight

Anthony Adams vs. Impa Kasanganay

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.9 million subscribers in less than two years, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Las Vegas – Recognition as the greatest heavyweight in UFC^® history is on the line, as champion Stipe Miocic and former champion and No. 1 ranked contender Daniel Cormier battle in a rubber match main event for the ages. In the co-main event, budding superstar and No. 14 ranked bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley takes on the toughest test of his young MMA career when he meets proven finisher Marlon Vera.

UFC^® 252: MIOCIC vs. CORMIER 3 will take place Saturday, August 15 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas and will stream live on Pay-Per-View, exclusively through ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

ESPN+ is the exclusive provider of all UFC Pay-Per-View events to fans in the U.S. as part of an agreement announced in 2019.

Preliminary fights will air nationally on ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish), and ESPN+ (English, Spanish), starting at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT, with the first four bouts also simulcast on UFC Fight Pass.

The most successful heavyweight champion in UFC history, Miocic (19-3, fighting out of Independence, Ohio) looks to cement his legacy with another statement win over Cormier. Owner of the most total post-fight bonuses in the heavyweight division with nine, Miocic has earned career-defining stoppage victories over fellow legends Junior Dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt. He now intends to add another finish to his resume and defend his belt for a record-setting fourth time.

Competing for the final time, former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Cormier (22-2 1 NC, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) aims to end his career on a high note by once again defeating Miocic and recapturing the heavyweight crown. A former Olympic wrestling team captain, Cormier has established himself as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world with marquee wins over Anderson Silva, Derrick Lewis and Anthony Johnson. He now looks to further solidify his future hall of fame status.

One of the fastest rising superstars on the UFC roster, O’Malley (12-0, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) seeks to show that he has the skills to justify his hype. An undefeated signee first discovered on Dana White’s Contender Series, O’Malley burst onto the MMA scene with impressive wins over Alfred Khashakyan, Jose Quinonez and Eddie Wineland. He now goes for his most crucial win yet on the biggest stage of his career.

A member of the UFC roster since 2014, Vera (15-6, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) looks to secure the biggest win of his career and announce himself as the next true contender in the bantamweight division. Still only 27 years old, Vera has competed 14 times under the UFC banner with all but one of his wins coming by finish, including victories over Brian Kelleher, Brad Pickett and Andre Ewell. He now aims to derail the hype train of O’Malley by handing him his first professional loss.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Top heavyweight contenders faceoff in a battle of formidable strikers as former champion and No. 5 ranked Junior Dos Santos (21-7, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) meets No. 6 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik (10-1, fighting out of Paramaribo District, Suriname)
• No. 12 ranked bantamweight John Dodson (22-11, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) aims to halt the momentum of No. 15 ranked Merab Dvalishvili (11-4, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia)
• A highly-anticipated light heavyweight rematch sees No. 14 ranked Magomed Ankalaev (13-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) take on Ion Cutelaba (15-5 1 NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova)
• Fan-favorite lightweight Jim Miller (32-14 1 NC, fighting out of Sparta, N.J.) looks to add another finish to his impressive resume in a contest with fellow veteran Vinc Pichel (12-2, fighting out of Simi Valley, Calif.)
• Decorated grapplers Ashley Yoder (7-5, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) and Livinha Souza (13-2, fighting out of Araraquara, State of São Paulo, Brazil) clash in a women’s strawweight bout
• Fast-rising featherweight Herbert Burns (11-2, fighting out of Latana, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to remain undefeated in the UFC when he battles Daniel Pineda (26-13, 2 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas)
• No. 15 ranked women’s strawweight Felice Herrig (14-8, fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill.) looks to defend her spot in the rankings against Virna Jandiroba (15-1, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee TJ Brown (14-7, fighting out of Little Rock, Ark.) looks to spoil the debut of UFC newcomer Danny Chavez (10-3, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) in a featherweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.9 million subscribers, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – nine 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.

Nate Maness won a unanimous decision over Johnny Munoz in a featherweight bout.

Maness, 144.5 lbs of Morgansfield, KY won by scores of 29-27 on all cards and is now 12-1. Munoz, 145.5 lbs of Norco, CA is 10-1.

Jamall Emmers won a unanimous decision over Vince Cachero in a featherweight fight.

Emmers, 146 lbs of Redlands, CA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 18-5. Cachero, 145 lbs of Hawaii is 7-3.

Chris Gutierrez and Chad Durden fought to a draw in a bantamweight fight.

All judges scored the bout 28-28, despite Durden outstriking Gutierrez 75-48.

Gutierrez, 135.5 lbs of Englewood, CO is 15-3-2. Durden, 135.5 lbs of Covington, GA 11-2-1.

Las Vegas – The hit show Dana White’s Contender Series officially returns for its fourth season featuring a lineup of new and returning athletes looking for their chance to impress Dana White and make their UFC dreams come true by competing to earn a spot on the UFC roster.

Season four is scheduled for 10 Tuesday night episodes, with the first taking place on Tuesday, August 4 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

Over its past three seasons, Dana White’s Contender Series has introduced some of UFC’s top prospects from around the world, including launching the UFC careers for such athletes as Sean O’Malley, Edmen Shahbazyan, Dan Ige, Maycee Barber, Sodiq Yusuff and more. To this day, eight Dana White’s Contender Series alums have competed in UFC main or co-main events and 16 signees are currently in the top 15 of their respective divisions, making it one of the most successful talent-discovery shows in UFC history.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reel here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Bouts included in the first episode of season 4:

Light heavyweight

Ty Flores vs. Dustin Jacoby

Lightweight

Uros Medic vs. Mikey Gonzalez

Flyweight

Luis Rodriguez vs. Jerome Rivera

Lightweight

Jordan Leavitt vs. Luke Flores

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – nine 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^® continues its run of August events at UFC APEX, headlined by a battle of heavyweight contenders, as No. 4 ranked Derrick Lewis squares off with No. 11 Aleksei Oleinik. The co-main event will feature No. 11 ranked middleweight contender Omari Akhmedov, who aims to take out his first former UFC champion when he faces Chris Weidman.

The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance pursuant to a Health, Safety and Operations plan approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: LEWIS vs. OLEINIK will take place Saturday, August 8 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, August 8, with the prelims kicking off at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

A former title challenger, Lewis (23-7 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) is among the most exciting KO artists in the heavyweight division. Throughout his UFC run, he has delivered impressive KO finishes against Alexander Volkov, Marcin Tybura and Travis Browne. Lewis also holds a decision victory over perennial top contender Francis Ngannou. Lewis now looks to earn his third consecutive win to re-assert himself as a dangerous title threat.

Considered among the most skilled heavyweight grapplers, Oleinik (59-13-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) continues to turn heads with his trademark Ezekiel choke submission. A 24-year MMA veteran, he has delivered spectacular victories over Fabricio Werdum, Mark Hunt and Mirko Cro Cop. Oleinik now hopes to add another top heavyweight to his hit list and crack the UFC heavyweight top five for the first time in his career.

Unbeaten since returning to the middleweight division in 2017, Akhmedov (20-4-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) goes for his most important win yet. A gritty Sambo fighter, Akhmedov secured hard-fought wins over Ian Heinisch, Zak Cummings and Tim Boetsch. In the biggest spotlight of his career, Akhmedov has his sights set on taking out his first former UFC champion to continue his ascent up the 185-pound ladder.

A former UFC middleweight champion, Weidman (14-5, fighting out of Baldwin, N.Y.) returns to the 185-pound division ready to climb back to the top of the mountain. A decorated grappler, Weidman dethroned all-time great Anderson Silva for the middleweight belt in 2013. During his reign he netted successful title defenses against Silva, Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. Weidman now aims to re-enter the middleweight rankings with a dominant win over a tough emerging contender.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Maki Pitolo (12-5, fighting out of M?kaha, Hawaii) squares off with Darren Stewart (11-4 1NC, fighting out of London, England) in an exciting middleweight bout
• No. 8 ranked women’s bantamweight contender and former women’s featherweight title challenger Yana Kunitskaya (12-5 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, FL by way of Saint Petersburg, Russia) meets debuting Julija Stoliarenko (9-3-1, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania)
• In a battle of rising lightweights, No. 14 ranked contender Beneil Dariush (18-4-1, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) takes on Scott Holtzman (14-3, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.)
• Tim Means (29-12-1 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) makes his 22^nd UFC appearance against Laureano Staropoli (9-2, fighting out of La Plata, Argentina)
• Nasrat Haqparast (11-3, fighting out of Hamburg, Germany) hopes to return to his winning ways when he faces undefeated Alex Munoz (6-0, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)
• Andrew Sanchez (12-5, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) locks horns with Wellington Turman (16-3, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
• Gavin Tucker (11-1, fighting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) meets Justin Jaynes (16-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a clash of entertaining featherweights
• Youssef Zalal (9-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo. by way of Casablanca, Morocco) aims to continue his momentum when he meets Peter Barrett (11-3, fighting out of Somerville, Mass.)
• Irwin Rivera (9-5, fighting out of Hudson Valley, N.Y. by way of Mexico City, Mexico) hopes to earn his first UFC victory when he takes on Ali Alqaisi (8-3, fighting out of Jordan)

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

Robert Whittaker won a unanimous decision over Darren Till in a battle of top-5 middleweights at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

In round, Till landed a sharp elbow which made Whittaker bleed from the left side of his head.

Whittaker out-struck Till 105-48.

Whittaker, 186 lbs of Sydney, AUS won by scores of 48-47 on all cards, and is now 22-5. Till, 186 lbs of England is 18-3-1.

Rua decisions Nogueira in Trilogy fight

In their trilogy fight, Mauricio Rua won a split decision over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a light heavyweight bout.

Rua out-landed Nogueira 78-75.

Rua, 206 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 29-28 twice and 29-28 for Nogueira.

Rua won all three bouts from Nogueira and is now 27-11-1. Nogueira, 206 lbs of Brazil is 23-10.

Werdum Submits Gustafsson in 1st

Former UFC Heavyweight champion Fabrcio Werdum submitted Alexander Gustafsson in the 1st round of their heavyweight bout.

Werdum was able to make Gustafsson tap from an armbar at 2:38.

Werdum, 242 lbs of Brazil is 24-8-1 with 12 submissions. Gustafsson, 240 lbs of Sweden is 18-7.

Esparza fights through bad cut and defeated Rodriguez

Carla Esparza won a split decision over previously undefeated Marina Rodriguez in a battle of top-10 strawweights.

Esparza was bleeding around her left eye in the opening frame. Esparza was able to fight through it as she kept Rodriguez on her back while outlanding Rodriguez 103-95 while garnering five takedown.

Esparza, 116 lbs of Irvine, CA won by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and Rodriguez won a card 29-28.

Esparza is now 18-6. Rodriguez, 115 lbs of Brazil is 12-1-2.

Craig submits Antigulov in 1st

Paul Craig submitted Gadzhimurad Antigulov in the opening round of their light heavyweight bout.

Craig was able to make Antigulov submit from a Triangle Choke at 2:06.

Craig, 206 lbs of Scotland is 13-4-1 with his 12th submission. Antigulov, 206 lbs of Russia is 20-7.

Oliveria decisions Sobotta

Alex Oliveira won a unanimous decision over Peter Sobotta in a welterweight fight.

In round two, Sobotta was bleeding from his forehead.

Oliveira, 171 lbs of Brazil is 22-7-1-2. Sobotta, 171 lbs of Germany is 17-7-1.

Chimaev stops McKee in 1

Khamzat Chimaev stopped Rhys McKee in the opening round of their welterweight bout.

Chimaev took McKee down, and landed 30 Ground-And-Pound punches and the bout was stopped at 3:09.

Chimaev, 171 lbs of Stockholm, SWE is 8-0 with his 5th stoppage win. McKee, 170.5 lbs of Northern Ireland is 10-3-1.

Francisco Trinaldo knocked out Jai Herbert in the 3rd round of their lightweight fight.

In round two, Trinaldo was bleeding from his nose.

In round three, Trinaldo dropped Herbert with a hard overhand left to the head. Herbert was hurt, and Trinaldo hesitated to administer more damage. H landed a couple of hard ground strikes and the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Trinaldo, 160 lbs of Brazil is 26-7. Herbert, 156 lbs is 10-2.

Jesse Ronson choked out Nicolas Dalby in the 1st round of their welterweight bout.

Ronson got Dalby on the ground and was able to make Dalby tap from a rear-naked choked at 2:48.

Ronson, 171 lbs is 22-10 with his 8th submission. Dalby, 171 lbs is 18-4-1-1.

Tom Aspinall took out Jake Collier in the opening round of their heavyweight bout.

Aspinall landed a perfect 1-2 combination that sent Collier down to the canvas. Aspinall landed a couple of ground shots, and the fight was stopped at 48 seconds.

Aspinall, 248 lbs of Liverpool, UK is 8-2. Collier, 264 lbs of Cuba, MO is 11-5.

Movsar Evloev remained undefeated by winning a unanimous decision over Mike Grundy in a featherweight bout.

Evloev, 146 lbs of Russia won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 twice and is now 13-0. Grundy, 146 lbs of England is 12-2.

In round one, Grundy was bleeding from under his left eye,

Tanner Boser stopped Rapahel Pessoa in a heavyweight bout.

Boser landed a hard left to the eye that froze and eventually sent Pessoa to the ground. Boser landed several ground strikes, and the fight was stopped at 2:36.

Boser, 235 lbs of Edmonton, AL, CAN is 19-6-1. Pessoa, 264 lbs of Brazil is 10-2.

Pannie Kianzad won a unanimous decision over Bethe Correia in a bantamweight fight.

Correia began to swell under both eyes in round one. Kianzad had bad swelling around her right eye in the final round.

Kianzad out-struck Corriea 106-83.

Kianzad, 136 lbs of Sweden won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 to raise her record to 14-5. Correia, 136 lbs of Brazil is 11-5-1.

Ramazan Emeev won a unanimous decision over Niklas Stolze in a welterweight fight.

Emeev out-struck Stolze 67-41.

Emeev, 171 lbs of Russia won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 19-4. Stolze, 170.5 lbs of Russia is 12-4.

Nathaniel Wood won a unanimous decision over John Castaneda in a bantamweight fight.

Castaneda was cut over his right eye in round two.

Wood outstruck Castaneda 140-62.

Wood, 136 lbs of London won by scores of 30-27 is now 17-4. Castaneda, 136 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 17-5.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Las Vegas with a series of action-packed cards every Saturday night in August, kicking off with a clash of top middleweight contenders as No. 8 Derek Brunson looks to hand No. 9 Edmen Shahbazyan his first professional loss.

The remaining cards will be announced at a later date. All events will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance pursuant to a Health, Safety and Operations plan approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: BRUNSON vs. SHAHBAZYAN will take place Saturday, August 1 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

A staple of the middleweight top 10, Brunson (20-7, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) returns to action intending to once again stop the ascent of another fast-rising prospect. Despite his All-American wrestling background, Brunson has developed into one of the most explosive strikers in the division with knockout wins over Lyoto Machida, Uriah Hall and Sam Alvey. He now looks to extend his current win streak and work his way back towards the top five by becoming the first person to defeat Shahbazyan.

One of the youngest athletes on the entire UFC roster, Shahbazyan, 22 (11-0, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) has quickly developed into the middleweight division’s top prospect. Hailing from the same gym as former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, Shahbazyan has shown incredible skills during his young MMA career by finishing all but one of his victories in the first round, including wins over Brad Tavares, Jack Marshman and Charles Byrd. He now takes a step up in competition and looks to prove that the hype around him is deserved with his most critical victory yet.

Additional bouts on the card include:

·         A critical bout in the women’s flyweight division sees No. 3 ranked contender Joanne Calderwood (14-4, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland) step up on short notice to take on No. 6 ranked Jennifer Maia (17-6-1, fighting out of Curitiba, State of Paraná, Brazil)

• In an exciting welterweight bout, No. 12 ranked contender Vicente Luque (19-7-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks to defend his spot in the rankings against rising prospect Randy Brown (12-3, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.)
• In an thrilling lightweight rematch, Lando Vannata (11-4-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and Bobby Green (25-10-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) look to replicate their first Fight of the Night performance
• Light heavyweight veterans meet when veteran Ed Herman (26-14 1 NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) meets Gerald Meerschaert (30-13, fighting out of Milaukee, Wisc.) on short notice
• Kevin Holland (18-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) and Trevin Giles (12-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) look to build their win streaks in a clash at middleweight
• Veteran bantamweight Frankie Saenz (13-6, fighting out of Scottsdale, Ariz.) aims to make a statement against Jonathan Martinez (11-3, fighting out of Plainview, Texas)
• Perennial top contender Ray Borg (13-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) looks to spoil the debut of UFC newcomer Nate Maness (11-1, fighting out of Henderson, Ky.)
• Middleweights Eric Spicely (12-6, fighting out of Olneyville, R.I.) and Markus Perez (11-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) battle to return to the win column
• In a battle of featherweight prospects looking to earn their first UFC win, Jamall Emmers (13-5, fighting out of Mentone, Calif.) welcomes the debuting Timur Valiev (16-2, fighting out of Moscow, Russia)

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 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.9 million subscribers, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month

Las Vegas – The final event of the UFC^® run of shows on UFC FIGHT ISLAND is set to be headlined by a pivotal middleweight bout as former champion and No. 1 ranked contender Robert Whittaker takes on No. 5 Darren Till. Also on the card, MMA legends Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira look to settle their historic trilogy. All events on UFC FIGHT ISLAND are the result of a partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: WHITTAKER vs. TILL will take place Saturday, July 25 at Flash Forum on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. The full event will be simulcast airing live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (English and Spanish) with the prelims starting at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT and the main card at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance

The first New Zealand-born UFC champion, Whittaker (21-5, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) aims to return to his winning ways and secure the next shot at his lost title. Whittaker first captured his championship after moving up in weight and going on an incredible winning streak that included stoppage wins over Jacare Souza, Derek Brunson and Brad Tavares. This streak was capped off with back-to-back wins over Yoel Romero to earn and retain the belt, in two of the best fights in the division’s history. He now intends to make a statement and cement his claim as the clear No. 1 contender.

Former UFC welterweight title challenger, Till (18-2, fighting out of Liverpool, England) made an immediate impact in the middleweight division with a victory over perennial top contender Kelvin Gastelum. Prior to moving up in weight, Till had established himself as one of the best welterweights in the world with marquee wins over Donald Cerrone and Stephen Thompson. Now, Till seeks to earn another shot at UFC gold by taking out his first former champion.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rua (26-11, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) looks to make it three in a row against fellow Brazilian legend Nogueira. One of the most exciting and dangerous athletes to compete in UFC and PRIDE, Rua has secured wins over a who’s who of MMA icons, including Alistair Overeem, Chuck Liddell, Mark Coleman, Rampage Jackson, Forrest Griffin and Lyoto Machida. He now intends to prove that he still has what it takes to compete with the best in the world.

Nogueira (23-9, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) plans to make the most of his third fight with Rua with a career-defining win. A former PRIDE standout, Nogueira made waves when he joined the UFC in 2009 by earning wins over former champions Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. Now, he looks to get back in the win column with another signature finish in what could be his last bout.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former UFC champion and No. 14 ranked Fabricio Werdum (23-8, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) takes on former three-time light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson (18-6, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) in the heavyweight division
• In a matchup of top women’s strawweight contenders, former champion and No. 7 ranked Carla Esparza (17-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) attempts to hand undefeated No. 9 Marina Rodriguez (12-0-2, fighting out of Santa Catarina, Brazil) her first loss
• Paul Craig (12-4, fighting out of Coatbridge, Scotland) battles fellow light heavyweight grappler Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-6, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia)
• An exciting welterweight matchup sees Alex Oliveira (20-8, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) take on Peter Sobotta (17-5, fighting out of Balingen, Germany)
• Looking to set a record for fastest back-to-back UFC wins, Khamzat Chimaev (7-0, Stockholm, Sweden) returns to welcome Rhys McKee (10-2-1, fighting out of Northern Ireland)
• Veteran lightweight Francisco Trinaldo (25-7, fighting out of Federal District, Brazil) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Jai Herbert (10-1, fighting out of England, United Kingdom)
• Nicolas Dalby (15-2, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark) intends to put on another exciting performance when he meets Jesse Ronson (21-10, fighting out of London, Ontario, Canada) on short notice at welterweight
• In a heavyweight bout, Tom Aspinall (7-2, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) aims to make a good first impression on UFC fans when he takes on Jake Collier (11-4, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.)
• Undefeated featherweight prospect Movsar Evloev (12-0, fighting out of Ingushetia, Russia) looks to hand Mike Grundy (12-1, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) his first UFC loss
• Streaking Canadian heavyweight Tanner Boser (18-6-1, fighting out of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada) steps up on short notice to take on Raphael Pessoa (10-1, fighting out of Atuba, Parana, Brazil)
• No. 13 ranked women’s bantamweight Bethe Correia (11-4, fighting out of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil) aims to defend her spot in the rankings against Pannie Kianzad (13-5, fighting out of Helsingborg, Skane County, Sweden)
• Ramazan Emeev (18-4, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to bounce back into the win column against short-notice replacement Niklas Stolze (12-3, fighting out of Magdeburg, Germany) in a welterweight bout
• Top English bantamweight prospect Nathaniel Wood (16-4, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) aims to get back to his winning ways with a statement win over John Castaneda (14-2, fighting out of Minneapolis, Minn.)

UFC will then wrap up its first series of events on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: WHITTAKER vs. TILL on Saturday, July 25.

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

A full line of UFC FIGHT ISLAND products, including t-shirts, hats, water bottles, tote bags, and more are available now on UFCStore.com

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:

The Department of Culture and Tourism conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction that enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike. The Department manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage. A key role played by the Department is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.9 million subscribers, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – nine 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.

Deiveson Fugueiredo won the UFC Flyweight title as he dominated and eventually choked out Joseph Benavidez in Abu Dhabi.

Fugueiredo dropped Benavidez in the opening minute, and nearly choked Benavidez out on three separate occasions. Fugueiredo registered two more knockdowns, and upon the final knockdown choked Benavidez unconscious at 4:48.

Fugueiredo, 125 lbs of Brazil is now 19-1 with seven submissions. Benaidez, 125 lbs of Las Cruces, NM is 28-7.

Hermansson submits Gastelum in 1st

Jack Hermansson submitted Kelvin Gastelum in the opening round of their middleweight bout.

After being taken down, Hermansson reversed into a Heel hook that made Gastelum tap at 1:18.

Hermansson, 186 lbs of Oslo, NOR is 21-5 with his 5th submission. Gastelum, 185 lbs of Yuma, AZ is 16-6.

Fiziev decisions Diakiese

Rafael Fiziev won a unanimous decision over Marc Diakiese in a lightweight bout.

Fiziev won on the strength of out striking Diakiese 75-59.

Fiziev, 156 lbs of Kyrgyzstan won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 8-1. Diakiese, 156 lbs of Dorncaster, UK is 14-4.

Lipski submits Carolina in 1

Ariane Lipski submitted Luana Carolina in the opening round of their flyweight bout.

Lipski made Carolina tap-out from a knee bar at: 1:29.

Lipski of Brazil is 13-5 with her 3rd submission. Carolina is 6-2.

Askarov decisions Pantoja

Askar Askarov won a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja in a flyweight bout.

Askarov out-struck Pantoja 38-35.

Askarov, 126 lbs of Russia won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 12-0-1. Pantoja, 125 lbs of Brazil is 22-5.

EARLY UFC FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS

Roman Dolidze stopped Khadis Ibragimov in the opening round of their light heavyweight fight.

Dolidze landed a kick to the head that knocked Ibragimov down. Dolidze jumped on Ibragimov and landed several hard punches, and the fight was stopped at

Dolidze, 206 lbs of Georgia Republic is 7-0 with four stoppage wins. Ibragimov, 206 lbs of Russia is 8-3.

Grant Dawson won a unanimous decision over Nad Narimani in a catchweight fight.

Dawson out-struck Narimani 122-44 and won by scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 29-28.

Dawson, 150 lbs of Lee’s Summit, MO is 16-1. Narimani, 150 lbs of Bristol, UK is 12-4.

Joel Alvarez submitted Joe Duffy in the opening round of their lightweight bout.

Alvarez made Duffy tap from a guillotine at 2:25.

Alvarez, 156 lbs of Spain is 17-2. Duffy, 155.5 lbs of Ireland is 16-5.

Brett Johns won a unanimous decision over Montel Jackson in a bantamweight fight.

Johns was out-struck 47-28, but got eight takedowns to two for Jackson.

Johns, 136 lbs of Swansea, WAL won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 17-2. Jackson, 136 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 10-2.

Amir Abazi submitted Malcolm Gordon in the opening round of their bantamweight bout.

Abazi was able to make Gordon tap from a triangle choke at 4:42.

Abazi, 136 lbs of London, UK is now 13-1 with his eighth win by submission. Gordon, 135 lbs of Toronto, CAN is 12-4.

Arman Tsarukyan won a unanimous decision over Davi Ramos in a lightweight bout.

Tsarukyan out-struck Ramos 88-48.

Tsarukyan, 156 lbs of Russia won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 to go to 15-2. Ramos of Brazil is 10-4.

In round three, Ramos began to bleed over his right eye.

Serghei Spivac won a majority decision over previously undefeated Carlos Felipe in a heavyweight bout.

Spivac had a big 3rd round by winning 10-8 on all judges cards to win by scores of 29-27 twice and 28-28.

Spivac, 240 lbs of Moldova is now 11-2. Felipe, 261 lbs of Bahia, BRA is 8-1.

In a battle of top-10 featherweights, Calvin Kattar won a unanimous decision over Dan Ige at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi,

In round two, Kattar began to bleed from the nose which was courtesy of some solid punching from Ige. In round three, Kattar was bleeding over his right eye. In round five, Ige’s right eye was badly swelling.

Kattar out-struck Ige 102-56.

Kattar, 146 lbs of Methune, MA won by scores of 49-46 twice and 48-47 and is now 22-4. Ige, 145 lbs of Halewi, HI us 14-3.

Tim Elliott won a unanimous decision over Ryan Benoit in a flyweight bout.

Elliott outstruck Benoit 96-61.

Elliott, 125 lbs of Lee’s Summitt, MO won by scores of 29-28 on all cards. and is now 17-11-1. Benoit, 126 lbs of Dallas, TX is 10-7.

Jimmie Rivera won a unanimous decision over Cody Stamann in a featherweight bout.

Rivera outstruck Stamann 90-38 and won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28.

Rivera, 145 lbs of Ramsey, NJ is 23-4. Stamann, 146 lbs of Sparta, MI is 19-3-1.

Taila Santos won a decision over Molly McCann in a flyweight bout

In round one, Santos was bleeding around the right eye. That did not deter her as she was able to control the fight with some solid knees and multiple takedowns where she controlled most of the fight.

Santos. 125 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 16-1. McCann, 125 lbs of Liverpool, UK is 10-3.

In an action packed brawl, Mounir Lazzez won a unanimous decision over Abdul Razak Alhassan in welterweight bout.

Early in round one, Alhassan was all over Lazzez as he landed countless punches. Lazzez came back later in the round by landing heavy strikes with both punches and kicks. The two stood toe-to-toe and landed huge punches in the 2nd frame.

Lazzez outstruck Alhassan 114-70 and had four takedowns to Alhassan’s one.

Lazzez, 171 lbs of Dubai, UAW won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 10-1. Alhassan, 174 lbs of Accra, GHA is 10-2.

Khamzat Chimaev choked out John Phillips in the 2nd round of their middleweight fight.

Phillips began to bleed from his forehead in the 1st minute from absorbing punches. Chimaev began round two with a takedown and eventually was able to choke out Phillips at 1:12.

Chimaev, 186 lbs of Stockholm, SWE is 7-0. Phillips, 186 lbs of Swansea, WAL is 22-10-1.

Lerone Murphy stopped Ricardo Ramos in the 1st round of their featherweight bout.

Murphy landed a hard right hand that was followed by a takedown of Ramos, and a follow up barrage of punches forced the stoppage at 4:18.

Murphy, 146 lbs of Manchester, UK is 9-0-1. Ramos, 145 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 14-3.

Modestas Bukauskas stopped Andreas Michailidis after round one of their light heavyweight bout.

Bukauskas landed several hammer fists at the end of the opening round. When Michailidis tried to get to his feet, he was wobbly and the bout was stopped.

Bukauskas, 205 lbs of London, UK is 11-2. Michailidis, 206 lbs of Athens, GRE is 12-4.

Jared Gordon won a unanimous decision over Chris Fishgold in a featherweight fight.

Gordon, 145 lbs of Astoria, Queens, NY won by scores of 30-26 on all cards and is now 16-4. Fishgold, 149 lbs of Liverpool, UK is 18-4-1.

Liana Jojua submitted Diana Belbita in the opening round of their flyweight bout.

Jojua got Belbita in an arm-bar that forced Belbita to tap at 2:20.

Jojua, 126 lbs of The Georgia Republic is now 8-3. Belbita, 125 lbs of Stoney Creek, Ontario, CAN is 13-6.

Jack Shore remained undefeated by choking out Aaron Phillips in a bantamweight bout.

Shore was able to make Phillips tap from a Rear-Naked choke while on the ground at 2:29.

Shore is 13-0. Phillips is 12-4.

Kamaru Usman defended the UFC Welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

In round one, Masvidal was cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt.

Usman was content to grind Masvidal up against the cage and land strikes on the inside. Masvidal came out aggressive, but only had a few flashes with hard shots. Usman was able to control Masvidal by taking him down five times, and that was combined with a 263-88 strike advantage.

Usman, 170 lbs of Dallas won by scores of 50-45 twice and 49-46 to raise his mark to 17-1. Masvidal, who took the fight on six days notice is 35-14.

Alexander Volkanovski retained the UFC Featherweight title with a split decision Max Holloway.

The fight was close as it seemed that Holloway was in control by winning the opening two frames. Volkanovski got going at the end of round three, and won the last two rounds by out landing the former champion.

Volkanovski, 145 lbs of Australia won two cards 48-47; Holloway won a card 48-47.

Volkanovski is now 22-1. Holloway of Hawaii is 21-6.

Petr Yan won the UFC Bantamweight title with a 5th round stoppage over former three-time world champion Jose Aldo.

It was a close fight for the first two-plus rounds. Yan slowly broke Aldo down and in round four, he started to batter the former champion. In round five, Yan got Aldo down and landed close 60 punches while was on the ground. The referee finally stopped the fight as Aldo was bloodied and beat up at 3:24.

Yan, 135 lbs of Russia is 15-1. Aldo, 135 lbs of Brazil is 28-7.

Rose Namajunas got revenge and won a split decision over Jessica Andrade in a strawweight bout.

In round one, Andrade started bleeding from the nose. Namajunas boxed very well over the 1st two round. Andrade came on strong in the final round by landing some heavy punches that made the nose of Namajnas start to bleed badly, and swelled under the left eye.

Namajunas won two cards 29-28; Andrade took a card 29-28.

Namajunas, 116 lbs of Denver is 10-4. Andrade, 115 lbs of Brazil is 20-8.

Amanda Ribas submitted Paige VanZant in the 1st round of their flyweight bout.

Despite bleeding from her nose, Ribas was able to get VanZant in an Armbar that made her tap at 2:21.

Ribas, 126 lbs of Brazil is 10-1. VanZant, 126 lbs of Portland, OR is 8-5.

Jiri Prochazka scored a sensational 2nd round stoppage over former world title challenger Volkan Oezdemir in a light heavyweight bout.

After a 1st round that saw both guys land big punches, Prochazka landed a booming 1-2 combination that sent Oezdemir down and out at 49 seconds.

Prochazka, 205.5 lbs of The Czech Republic was making his UFC debut and is now 27-3-1. Oezdemir, 205.5 lbs of Switzerland is 21-5.

Muslin Salikhov won a split decision over Elizeu Dos Santos in a welterweight fight.

Salikhov won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28; Dos Santos too a card 29-28.

Salikhov is 17-2. Dos Santos is 22-7.

Makwan Amirkhani choked out Danny Henry in the opening round of their featherweight bout.

Amirkhani was able to get Henry down and apply a choke that forced the fight to be stopped at 3:15.

Amirkhani, 146 lbs of Turku, FIN is 16-4. Henry, 146 lbs of Edinburgh, SCO is 12=4.

Leonardo Santos won a unanimous decision over Roman Bogatov in a lightweight fight.

In round two, Santos landed about 20 unanswered blows for which Bogatov could have been stopped. Somehow Bogatov came back to land some vicious shots on Santos. Santos looked beat as he started round three, but he was aided by time for two low blows committed by Bogatov. Late in round three, Bogatov landed a vicious knee to the face foe which he was deducted two points.

Santos, 156 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 29-26 on all cards, and is now 18-4-1. Bogatov, 155.5 lbs of Russia is 10-1.

Marcin Tybura won a unanimous decision over Maxim Grishin in a heavyweight bout.

In round three, Grishin was bleeding over the right eye.

Tybura, 252 lbs of Poland won by scores of 30-27 twice and 30-26 and is now 19-6. Grishin, 226 lbs of Russia is 30-8-2.

Rulian Paiva won a unanimous decision over Zhalgas Zhumagulov in a flyweight fight.

Paiva of Brazil won by scores of 29-28 on all cards, and is now 20-3. Zhumagulov, 126 lbs of Akobe, KAZ is 13-4.

Zhumagulov deserved better as he outstruck Paiva 73-56.

Karol Rosa won a unanimous decision over Vanessa Melo in a battle of Brazilian based bantamweights.

Rosa, 136 lbs won by scores of 30-26 twice and 30-27 and is now 13-3. Melo, 141 lbs of Sao Paulo is 10-8.

Rosa outstruck Melo 177-78.

Davey Grant scored a vicious 3rd round stoppage over Martin Day in a bantamweight fight.

Grant landed a crushing left that sent Day out cold on his back at 2:38 of round three.

Grant, 136 lbs of South Auckland, UK is 12-4. Day, 136 lbs of Kailua, Hawaii is 8-4.

Follow all the action as it happens as Kamaru Usman defends The UFC Welterweight Title against Jorge Masvida; Also Alexander Volkonovksy defends the Featherweight title in a rematch against Max Hollowa; Petr Yan and Jose Aldo vie for the vacant bantamweight title.   The Prelims kick off at 6 PM ET with main card beginning at 10 PM.

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Round 1 Usman takes Masvidal down..Elbow…Front Lock…Jab…Masvidal lands an elbow..Masvidal cut around left eye…Left From Masvidal..Jab from Usman..Jab from Usman..Left from Masvidal..Right..Body shot from Usman

Round 2 Elbow inside for Masvidal..Good right from Usman..Masvidal cut on forehead..Usman shouldering to the body in the clinch..Combinaton from Masvidal..

Round 3 Kick to body from Masvidal..Usman hits Masvidal with low blow..Takedown by Usman..Another takedown..Elbow on the ground

Round 4 Takedown by Usman..Left from Masvidal..Body..Jab from Usman..Big left..Right

Round 5  Body shot from Usman..Counter from Masvidal..Takedown for Usman..Left from Masvidal

50-45 TWICE AND 49-46 FOR USMAN

Round 1 Body shot from Holloway…Nice Right..Volkanovski has a mouse under right eye..Nice right from Volkanovski..Right kick drops Volkanovski

Round 2 Big combination from Holloway..Knee to midsection..Left hook from Volkanoski..Right hand drops Volkanovski

Round 3 Solid leg kick from Volkanovski…Nice Knee from Holloway..Left from Volkanovksi…Body..Nice Jab

Round 4 Holloway landing at distance

Round 5 Good left from Holloway..Nice right from Volkanovski..Takedown..Left..Good left hook..Takedown

48-47 TWICE FOR VOLKANOVSKIL 48-47 FOR HOLLOWAY

Round 1 Big right from Yan..Leg kick drops Yan..Body shot from Aldo..Body shot from Yan..Leg Kick from Aldo..Leg kick to the body..Hard right from Yan..Hard shots from Yan in the Ground and Pound

Round 2 Inside leg kick for Aldo..Leg Kick..Another..Another..Left from Yan..Jab from Aldo..body shot

Round 3 Body shot from Yan  Body shot from Aldo,,,Body shot from Aldo..Hard body shot..Lead right from Yan..Jab..Body shot from Aldo..Uppercut..Elbow from Yan

Round 4 Body kick from Yan..Body shot from Aldo..Body shot from Yan..Aldo bleeding from the nose..2 hard uppercuts and a right from Yan..Ground and pound..Heavy shots on the ground..Flush head shots

Round 5  Big shot drops Aldo.  Heavy shots on the ground..Huge elbow..Crushing elbow…20 unaswered..Aldo bleeding badly..Yan lands about 50 more sHOTS UNTIL THE FIGHT IS MERCIFULLY STOPPED 

Round 1 Jab from Namajunas..Left hook from Andrade..Big right from Namajunas..Right from Andrade…Andrade bleeding from nose..Knee from Namajunas..Nice right..Knee
Round 2 Big body shot from Namajunas…Big right from Andrade…1-2 from Namajunas..Knee..Nice 1-2;..2 lefts from Andrade
Round 3 Body shot from Andrade,,Right…Jab from Namajunas..Right wobbles Namajunas..Big takedown..Namajunas bleeding from the nose..1-2 from Namajunas..Right from Andrade..Jab…Takedown from Namajunas..Hard jab from Andrade…

Round 1 Ribas lands a body kick..Left hand..Hard Takedown..Ribas bleeding from nose…RIBAS GETS AN ARMBAR AND VANZANT TAPS

Round 1 Oezdemir lands a right..Hard jab by Poachazka..2 hard shots from Oezdemir…Uppercut from Prochazka..Kick..Counter from Oezdemir..2 punches land..Both landing jabs
Round 2 Jab from Prochazka…HUGE RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES OEZDEMIR AND HE OS KNOCKED OUT

Round 1 Salikhov lands a right..Spinning kick..Hard left hook..Hard right hurts Salikhov..Ground strikes
Round 2 1-2 from Dos Santos..Huge Right..Uppercut from Salikhov
Round 3 Dos Santos lands a hard front kick

30-27 Salikhov; 29-28 Dos Santos and 29-28 Salikhov

Round 1 Flying knee from Amirkhani..Guillitone choke attempt...HE CHOKES HIM OUT

Round 1 Right from Santos..Nice Kick..Body kick from Bogatov
Round 2 Santos lands a double jab…Santos lands 9 straight hard flush shots..Bogatov is reeling all over the cage..he is in big trouble…Big Leg kick…Ground and pound ..Bogatov somehow gets on top of Santos and lands some ground shots.
Round 3 Bogatov lands a low blow…Santos looks tired..Another low blow..Takedown for Bogatov…Knee to the face while Santos is down=Illegal Knee..HE IS DEDUCTED 2 POINTS

Round 1 Nice Elbow from Tybura
Round 2 Nice elbow from Grishin..Good counter right from Tybura..Short knee from Grishin..Counter from Tybura..Takedown
Round 3 Takedown for Tybura..Grishin bleeding over the right eye

30-27 TWICE AND 30-26 FOR TYBURA

Round 1 3 leg kicks from Paiva..Nice counter..Solid right..Ripping body shot..Vicious inside leg kick..Zhumagulov lands a right..Right..Body shot..Takedown
Round 2 Big right from Zhumagulov..Jab..Body shot..paiva lands a body..Counter from Zhumagulov..Good combination..Takedown
Round 3 Nice Right from Zhumagulov..Takedown..Straight left…Low bow kick by Paiva…Takedown for Zhumagulov..

29-28 on all cards for Paiva

Round 1 Big right for Rosa..Inside leg kick..Takedown
Round 2 Right hand from Rosa..Knee from Melo…good 1-2..Heavy left hook from Rosa..Takedown for Rosa..Ground elbows..Heavy shots on the ground,,More hard Ground strikes..
Round 3 Knee from Rosa..Nice elbow..Melo lands a right

Round 1 Huge Right by Day drops Grant
Round 2 Body shot lands for Day..Front Kick by Grant..Right hand..Right..Combination..Flying Knee..Body..4 Punch combination Day..Lead Elbow..Nice right..Grant is applying an arm-bar
Round 3 Right from Day..Right over the top..1-2..E;bow from Grant..Rips the body..Right from Day..Combination from Grant..Right over the top..HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES DAY AND HE IS OUT COLD…FIGHT OVER

LAS VEGAS, NV – July 11, 2020 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today revealed EA SPORTS™ UFC^® 4 featuring UFC^® middleweight champion Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya and UFC welterweight contender Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal as the game’s official cover athlete duo. The next game in the popular UFC franchise brings a new experience that puts the player and their created fighter at the center of the action. Featuring an all-new unified progression system, overhauled takedown and ground mechanics, more fluid clinch-to-strike combinations and the chance to experience the origins of combat sports in all-new environments, UFC 4 delivers the most polished mixed martial arts experience to date. Players who pre-order* the game can play out one of the most anticipated fights in combat sports history with world heavyweight boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury on day one. 

“EA SPORTS UFC 4 is the best fighting game ever made,” UFC President Dana White said. “Fans can play in the top arenas, as well as in Backyard and Kumite environments. This game allows you to play with the top athletes in UFC history*, plus legends like Bruce Lee and boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. It’s crazy how good this game is.”

“I am the face of the new wave of UFC fighters, so it feels right to represent the sport on this new generation UFC game,” said UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. “I look forward to my fans playing as me as much as I have enjoyed playing as myself.”

In EA SPORTS UFC 4, the fighter is shaped by their fight style, achievements and personality. Players can develop and customize characters through a unified progression system across all modes to go from unknown amateur to UFC superstar in the new Career Mode. New to UFC 4, players can also experience four all-new environments, including The Kumite, The Backyard, UFC APEX and Action Avenue, or challenge the world in new Blitz Battles or Online World Championships to become the undisputed champ. Performance details like weight class and one of five MMA disciplines, including Wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing and more, define how players fight, while over 1,600 new pieces of earnable gear, over 120 emotes and more allow players to put their personality on display while doing it. 

“UFC 4 is the most authentic MMA game ever,” said Brian Hayes, Creative Director, EA SPORTS UFC. “We’ve created a visceral fighting experience that allows players to create their own UFC legacy with Create a Fighter, explore the origins of MMA through our new fighting grounds and be in full control of every strike and takedown with our overhauled core gameplay mechanics.” 

“MMA is more than about the belt. It’s about who you are as a person and the determination that drives a fighter to go from unknown to selling out arenas all over the world,” said UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal. “I grew up backyard fighting so it’s exciting for me to see that style of fighting come to UFC 4 where players can bring out their Gamebred mentality.”

In gameplay, fluid clinch-to-strike combinations offer more responsive and authentic stand-up gameplay experiences, while overhauled takedown and ground mechanics deliver more control in those key phases of the fight. No matter how or where players play, EA SPORTS UFC 4 puts them at the center of every fight. Fluid clinch control brings RPM into the art of the ‘clinch’, adding a key element of strategy to the striking system. RPM Tech drives a takedown overhaul, with a slew of new takedown animations, driven by player control and fighter attributes. A new submission system was built to offer a simplified player experience, with more ways to transition into submission attempts, accelerate a finish, or deploy high-impact slams to escape them. 

Additionally, an overhaul to Career Mode introduces a brand-new way to develop fighter backstories and offers an in-depth evolution process for the duration of the fighter’s career. The new fighter evolution feature lets players dictate a fighter’s skillset, as every punch thrown, or every takedown executed builds fighters up in that specific discipline. Relationship Building brings the impact of partnerships and rivalries into UFC 4, learning from both friend and foe to gain experience and learn vital skills. Players can pick their path, which allows them to choose the fights, weight class and rivalries they want, ensuring no two careers are alike. 

EA SPORTS UFC 4 is available worldwide on Friday, August 14 on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. Players who pre-order* the game now will get boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, along with a Backyard Customization Pack and Kumite Customization Pack containing cosmetic items. Additional benefits± are available for players who purchase UFC 4 through an in-game tile in UFC 3 or UFC 2, including10% off UFC 4, martial arts legend Bruce Lee and 500 UFC points. 

EA Access*** members can get a head start by jumping into the UFC 4 early access trial starting August 7. During this time, members will also have the opportunity to participate in pre-launch, UFC 4 challenges that unlock in-game currency. For more details, visit ea.com/ea-access.

For more information about EA SPORTS games, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit https://www.ea.com/sports to connect, share and compete. EA SPORTS UFC 4 assets are available to download on the official EA press site at PRESS.EA.COM. For more UFC 4 information please visit https://www.ea.com/games/ufc/ufc-4.

**FOR A LIST OF THE FIGHTERS THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN UFC 4, SEE https://ea.com/games/ufc/ufc-4/meet-the-fighters, more fighters to be revealed at a later date.

**CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE https://www.ea.com/games/ufc/offer-disclaimers/#pre-order FOR DETAILS.

± CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE https://www.ea.com/games/ufc/offer-disclaimers/#loyalty-offer FOR DETAILS.

***CONDITIONS, LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS APPLY. SEE ea.com/ea-access/terms AND ea.com/ea-access FOR DETAILS.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. In fiscal year 2020, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, Need for Speed, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. UFC, FIFA, Madden and NFL are properties of its respective owners and used with permission.

About UFC 

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 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 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 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.