Justin Gaethje bloodied and battered top-ranked Tony Ferguson, and gained a 5th round stoppage to win the UFC Interim Lightweight title in front of an empty VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

Gaethje could not miss with power shots and his work started to show as early the 1st round as Ferguson has a bump on his forehead. His face started to swell up in the next round. Gaethje continued to land booming shots that continued to mark up Ferguson’s face. Ferguson had one brief moment in the fight when he landed a perfect uppercut that sent Gaethje down at the bell.

That was basically it for Ferguson as Gaethje continued to land booming shots that would have put lesser men down and out several times over. Ferguson hung in there to take a continuous beating.

In round five, with his face a bloody and swollen mess, Ferguson started having trouble standing due to Gaethje’s leg kicks. Gaethje landed one more hard combination that made Ferguson limp to the cage, and that forced referee Herb Dean stop the bout at 3:39.

Gaethje did not accept the Interim belt when UFC President Dana tried to put the hardware around his waist. Gaethje stated, “I am waiting for the real one.” That was a reference to a potential showdown with champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Gaethje, 155 lbs of Denver is 22-2. Ferguson, 155 lbs of Orange County, CA is 26-4

Henry Cejedo retained the UFC Bantamweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over former champion Dominick Cruz.

Cejudo featured a plethora of leg kicks in he opening frame. In round two, Cejudo was cut on his forehead from an accidental headbutt. Seconds later, Cejudo caught Cruz with a huge knee that sent Cruz to the canvas. Cejudo jumped on Cruz and landed about seven punches and the fight was stopped at 4:58.

Cejudo, 135 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 16-2. Cruz, 135 lbs of San Diego is now 22-3.

CEJUDO ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT AFTER THE FIGHT

Francis Ngannou annihilated Jairzhino Rozenstruik in just 20 seconds of the heavyweoght bout.

Ngannou landed a wild left hook that sent Rozenstruik plummeting on the cage and the fight was stopped while Ngannou was attempting to land land more punches on a prone Rozenstruik.

Ngannou, 261.5 lbs of Paris, FRA is 15-3. Rozenstruik, 261 lbs of Suriname is 10-1.

Calvin Kattar stopped Jeremy Stevens in the 2nd round of their featherweight bout.

After Stevens had a good 1st round, Kattar landed a vicious right that sent Stevens to the canvas. Kattar jumped on Stevens and the fight was halted after two ground strikes at 2:42

Kattar, 146 lbs of Methuen, MA is 21-4. Stevens, who was 4.5 pounds over the 146 pound weight limit, is now 28-18-1.

Former NFL star Greg Hardy won a unanimous decision over Yorgan De Castro in a heavyweight bout.

Hardy, 265.5 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, ans is now 6-2. De Castro, 262 lbs of Fall River, MA is 6-1.

Anthony Pettis made it two straight against Donald Cerrone as he won a unanimous decision in a welterweight bout.

Pettis, 170 1/2 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 23-10, Cerrone, 171 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 36-15-1.

Aleksei Oleinik won a split decision over former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum

Oleinik almost had Werdum out in the first round with punches. Werdum got the fight to the ground in the 2nd and 3rd frames, but Oleinik won by scores of 29-28 twice while Werdum took a card 29-28.

Oleinik, 227.5 lbs of Moscow, RUS is 59-13-1. Werdum, 243 lbs of Los Angeles is 23-9.

Carla Esparza won a split-decision over Michelle Waterson in a flyweight bout.

Esparza, 115.5 lbs of Irvine, CA won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28. Waterson took a card 30-27.

Esparza is now 17-6. Waterson, 115 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 17-8.

Vicente Luque stopped Niko Price in the 3rd round of their welterweight bout.

Price was cut under his right eye in round two. The fight was a war that saw Luque drop Price hard left hook. With blood streaming down the right side of Price’s face, the bout was stopped by the doctor at 3:37.

Luque is 18-7-1. Price is 17-4.

Bryce Mitchell dominated Charles Rosa and won a unanimous decision in a featherweight contest.

Mitchell had Rosa on his back basically the whole fight and almost converted submissions on three different occasions.

Mitchell, 145 lbs of Searcy, AK won by scores of 30-25 twice and 30-24 to raise his mark to 13-1. Rosa, 146 lbs of Boca Raton, FL is 12-4.

Ryan Spann won a unanimous decision over Sam Alvey in a light heavyweight contest.

Spann, 206 lbs of Beaumont, Texas won all three cards by 29-28 scores and is now 18-5. Alevey, 205 lbs of Temecula, CA is 33-14-1.

Follow all the action as it happens as Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje battle for the UFC Interim Lightweight title.  The Prelims kick off at 6 PM ET with main card beginning at 10 PM and the main card will also have Henry Cejudo defending the Bantamweight title against former champion Dominick Cruz

The page will update automatically every 60 seconds…NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1 Nice right from Gaethje…Leg kick from Ferguson..Left hook from Gaethje..Leg Kick..High kick and jab from Ferguson..Kick to body..Right from Gaethje..Good right..Right..2 left hooks

Round 2 Sharp right from Gaethje..Big left..Stinging left..Right over the top..1-2 from Ferguson..Hard left hook from Gaethje..Hard left..Gaethje landing heavy blows..Leg kicks from Ferguson…Big right from Gaethje..Huge Uppercut that rocks Gaethje at the bell

Round 3 Good right from Gaethje..Ferguson cut around the left eye…Right from gaethje..Ferguson right eye is very swollen..Counter right from Gaethje..Massie=ve right rocks Ferguson…another Huge right…Right from Gaethje..Left from Ferguson..Nice leg sweep..Hard right from Gaethje..Left hook

Round 4 Left hook from Gaethje…left…Good front kick to body from Ferguson..Both land big shots…Hard right hurts Ferguson..Body shot..Jab..Left hook..Leg kick from Gaethje

Round 5 Right over top from Gaethje..Hard combination..Ferguson hurt…Ferguson is limping from kicks..Hard 1-2 Jab..Leg kick from Ferguson..More hard shots..Ferguson is getting beat up..Big right and left..Ferguson limping bad…FIGHT OVER…GAETHJE SCORES THE WIN

 Round 1 Leg kick by Cejudo..another..another and another..Knee from Cruz, but Cejudo takes him down..Left from Cejudo..Leg kick..Kick from Cruz..Lg kick from Cejudo

Round 2 Leg kick from Cejudo..Right from Cruz…Right from Cejudo..another right..Right from Cruz..left..HEADBUTT AND CEJUDO IS BLEEDING FROM THE FOREHEAD..HARD KNEE KNOCKS CRUZ DOWN..CRUZ LOOKS HURT…CEJUDO JUMPS ON CRUZ..SEVERAL PUNCHES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

CEJUDO RETIRES IN THE OCTAGON AFTER THE FIGHT

Round 1 HUGE WILD LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES ROZENSTRUIK…FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Stevens lands a low kick and 2 punches..Nice Right..Body shot from Kattar..Nice low kick..Good low kick..Stevens lands a good low kick..Inside leg kick..Trading leg kicks…Good right from Stevens..left hook and body shot..Nice jab by Kattar…combination,,Huge right by Kattar..Big Body shot by Stevens

Round 2 Right from Kattar..Good low kick…Nice Combination..Hard uppercut..Good low kick…HUGE RIGHT DROPS STEVENS..2 FOLLOW UP ON THE GROUND AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…STEVENS LOOKS WOOZY AND IS BLEEDING FROM FOREHEAD

Round 1 Low kick by De Castro…Left hook..Low Kick…Hardy lands a low kick..Right from De Castro stings Hardy..Low Kick..Hardy stings De Castro with a right…Nice Kick

Round 2 Powerful leg kick by Hardy…

Round 3 Leg kick from Hardy..Hard leg kick..Right kick

30-27 on ALL CARDS FOR HARDY

Round 1 Pettis gets a good right to the body…Nice right..Leg kick from Cerrone..Right hand..Cerrone takes Pettis down after a Pettis kick…Combination from Cerrone..Good left by Pettis…Spinning back kick to the body..Good counter right..Left from Cerrone…Swelling from Cerrone Left eye

Round 2 Left from Cerrone..Stinging left from Pettis..Good low kick from Cerrone..Good right counter..Good combination from Pettis..Cerrone lands a kick to the body..Nice takedown..Knee to body….Short right from Pettis

Round 3  Cerrone lands a flush body kick..Nice combination..Pettis kicks to body, Cerrone catches it and then lands a knee to the body of his own…Low Kick..hard left from Pettis stuns Cerrone…Big high kick from Cerrone…Petts lands a left and a jab..

29-28 Pettis on all Cards

Round 1 Right from Oleinik..Leg kick from Werdum..Big right from Oleinik..Nice right from Werdum..Nice knee..Huge uppercuts from Oleinik..Werdum face is bleeding

Round 2 Spinning back-fist from Oleinik…Kick..Nice leg kick..Kick to head by Werdum..Big Knee..Right from Oleinik..Big right

Round 3 Take down by Werdum..Armbar..Punches by Olienik..

29-28 Werdum   29-28 Oleinik Twice

Round 1 Good right from Esparza..Kick by Waterson..Good right from Esparza..Kick to body from Waterson….Kick..

Round 2 Knee to the body from Waterson..Another..Flurry from Esparza..Knee from Waterson

Round 3 Good right from Esparza..Kick from Waterson..2 rights from Esparza,,Good knee..Good low kick..Big Right..Good knee to body from Waterson..Good flurry Esparza

30-27 Waterson  29-29 Esparza..30-27 Esparza

Round 1 Right from Price..Good right from Luque..Price swelling on right side of face..Counter right..Nice counter from Price….hard right,,..Submission attempt..Jab from Luque..good left hook..Hard right rocks Price at the bell

Round 2 Right and left from Price.Jab…Knee to the body..Right from Luque..Uppercut from Price..Price is cut under his right..left..Nice combination..Jab from Luque..Kick to body from Price..Nice body shot….Right to head

Round 3 Uppercut from Price..Lead kick…Huge left hook drops Price..Doctor looking at Price as he is cut very bad..FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1   Mitchell applies 2 Arm Triangles and Rosa was close to tapping both times

Round 2 Arm Triangle….Another by Mitchell…Hard elbows to the body and head

Round 3 Mitchell takes Rosa down again..

30-25 TWICE AND 30-24 FOR MITCHELL

Round 1 Spann takes down Alvey…Alvey gets back to his feet..Spann applies an arm triangle..Alvey stays calm and gets out of it..Alvey lands a lefr hand..Right and left..Leg kick..Good right hand from Spann..Nice right and follow up knee..Alvey lands a knee to the body

Round 2 Counter right hand from Spann..Big right from Alver..Spann lands a right and left hook…Alvey lands a Good left and right..Spann lands a nice front kick to the body…Left..Nice combination

Round 3 Front kick from Spann..Left from Alvey..Big leg kick to head from Spann..Left From Alvey..Combination from Spann..High kick from Alvey..Right hook hurts Spann..Alvey trying to choke out Spann..Left..Right hook hurts Spann

30-27 SPANN ON ALL CARDS

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns with one of the most stacked cards in recent history, set to be headlined by a bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks as No. 1 ranked lightweight contender Tony Ferguson and No. 4 ranked Justin Gaethje battle for the interim championship. In the co-main event, Henry Cejudo intends to prove that he is the greatest UFC bantamweight champion of all time as he looks to defeat multiple-time title holder Dominick Cruz. This will be the first of three events taking place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 13 and 16 respectively, future cards will be announced at a later date. These events will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance.

UFC 249: FERGUSON vs. GAETHJE will take place Saturday, May 9 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. All prelim bouts will be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET with the UFC Fight Pass prelims. The prelims will continue exclusively on ESPN & ESPN+ 8 p.m. ET and the ESPN+ Pay-Per-View main card will kick off at 10 p.m. ET.

“I can’t wait to deliver some great fights for the fans, “said UFC President Dana White. “I want to give a big thanks to Mayor Curry, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and Florida State Boxing Commission Executive Director Patrick Cunningham for getting this thing done and giving us a venue to put on these incredible cards, as well our media partners including ESPN and ESPN+, for bringing it to fans. My team is ready to go and the fighters are excited to get back in there with these back-to-back events.”

“As we move step-by-step on the path toward economic recovery, we are proud to host these UFC events at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena,” said Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry. “The UFC organization is a renowned entertainment brand that’s presented a safe and sensible plan to use this Jacksonville location, and we are thrilled to have our city highlighted nationally on ESPN and ESPN+. With Jacksonville continuing to outpace other cities and regions, we are excited to continue to lead as host to these world-class, international sports entertainment organizations.”

“Florida’s State Commission and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation have been in continued coordination with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to identify options for bringing the UFC to Florida for upcoming events,” said Florida State Boxing Commission Executive Director, Patrick Cunningham. “Florida welcomes the UFC to the Sunshine State, and our commission stands ready to sanction the events to be held on May 9, 13 and 16. Health and safety protocols will be in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all individuals who are helping to make these events possible.  With this triple date feature of UFC events coming in May, Florida is continuing to build a strong collaboration with UFC that sets the foundation for more opportunities that we hope UFC will choose to host in our state in the months to come.”

One of the most exciting and unpredictable athletes on the roster, Ferguson (26-3, fighting out of Orange County, Calif.) is on the verge of becoming the first two-time interim lightweight champion in UFC history. Currently on an incredible 12-fight winning streak, Ferguson has defeated the likes of Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis and Rafael Dos Anjos. He now looks to notch his record-setting 13^th win in a row and raise UFC gold once again.

Known for his unrelenting fight style, Gaethje (21-2, fighting out of Arvada, Colo.) has earned a post-fight bonus in every single one of his UFC bouts. One of the best knockout artists in the division’s history, Gaethje has earned stoppage wins over Donald Cerrone, Edson Barboza and James Vick. He now looks to secure another iconic finish and earn his first UFC championship.

Cejudo (15-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) is one of only four athletes in UFC history to hold two championships at the same time. To accomplish this feat, he netted impressive victories Demetrious Johnson, TJ Dillashaw and Marlon Moraes. After recently relinquishing the flyweight belt, Cejudo now plans to reassert his dominance over the bantamweight division by taking out one of its greatest champions.

Returning to action for the first time in three years, Cruz (22-2, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) intends to prove that he is still the best bantamweight in the world. A former UFC and WEC champion, Cruz holds wins over Urijah Faber, TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. He now looks to be the first person to defeat Cejudo at 135-pounds and regain his lost crown.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 2 ranked heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou (14-3, fighting out of Paris, France by way of Batie, Cameroon) meets No. 6 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (10-0, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) in a battle of KO artists
• In a clash of featherweight contenders, No. 7 ranked Jeremy Stephens (28-17, 1 NC, fighting out of San Diego California by way of Des Moines, Iowa) takes on No. 9 Calvin Kattar (20-4, fighting out of Methuen, Massachusetts)
• Fan favorites meet, as Donald Cerrone (36-14, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) takes on Anthony Pettis (22-10, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a welterweight bout
• Greg Hardy (6-2, 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida) squares off with undefeated Yorgan De Castro (5-0, fighting out of Fall River, Massachusetts by way of Mindelo, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde) in an exciting heavyweight bout
• Heavyweight grapplers look to make a statement as Aleksei Oleinik (58-13, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) welcomes back former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum (23-7, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.)
• Ryan Spann (17-5, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) aims to continue his momentum against crafty veteran Sam Alvey (33-13, 1NC, fighting out of Temecula, California)
• Former UFC women’s strawweight champion and No. 7 ranked Carla Esparza (16-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) takes on No. 8 Michelle Waterson (17-7, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
• Uriah Hall (16-9, fighting out of Queens, New York) goes for his third straight win against decorated grappler Jacare Souza (26-8, 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Welterweight finishers collide when No. 13 ranked contender Vicente Luque (17-7-1, fighting out of Westwood, New Jersey by way of Brasilia, Brazil) faces Niko Price (14-3, 1NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Florida)
• Exciting featherweight grapplers go to war as Bryce Mitchell (12-1, fighting out of Sherwood, Ark.) meets Charles Rosa (12-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.)

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 80 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 170 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 VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, nominated for the 2020 Academy of Country Music Award’s ‘Arena of the Year,’ is North Florida’s premier arena for entertainment greats such as Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews Band, Elton John, Jason Aldean, P!nk and is home to the Jacksonville IceMen and the Arena Bowl Champions Jacksonville Sharks. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena is managed by ASM Global, the world’s leading venue management and services company connecting people through the power of live experience. ASM Global manages over 300 sports and entertainment stadium, arenas, theaters and convention centers worldwide and is committed to bringing its guests the ultimate event experience in Northeast Florida.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment in conjunction with ESPN. It reached 7.6 million subscribers in less than two years and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content. 

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

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

About Disney’s Direct-To-Consumer & International

Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment includes Disney’s international media operations stretching from Europe to Asia to Latin America and the Company’s direct-to-consumer streaming businesses, including Hulu, Hotstar, ESPN+, and the recently launched Disney+ service. DTCI also manages global advertising sales and ad technology for Disney media properties which include ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX Networks, National Geographic, and the Disney Channels. The Company’s media distribution operations are also part of the Direct-to-Consumer & International business segment.

About ESPN

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

By Norm Frauenheim-

At first, Dana White said he was going to stage the UFC’s next event on an island. Then, there was news that he decided on Native-American land in Central California, instead.

Guess Rikers Island wasn’t available.

Turns out, nothing was.

White can bully reporters, but he couldn’t bully his bosses at ESPN and parent-company Disney to go forward with his plans for UFC 249 on April 18. They said no.

“The powers that be there asked me to stand down and not do this event,” White said Thursday in an interview with ESPN, which was contracted to televise the event.

It was a surprising move. ESPN is desperate for live content. White is nothing if not defiant and defiance defines the UFC, even more so than boxing.

White expressed it in a style both pugnacious and pigheaded throughout the last several days. The cage czar sounded as if he still believes that coronavirus is either a hoax or as harmless as the common cold.

A mounting death toll says something else.

Defiance isn’t a vaccine

Yet, the cage czar marched on, a man who behaved like an island, even though it didn’t look as if he had found one.

He was a character out of an old movie, Apocalypse Now, a film loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, a novel with a title that sums up the times. White is a composite, two characters in one.

He looks like Marlon Brando’s version of Colonel Kurtz, an eccentric and deranged version of a Green Beret officer hidden in the jungle at the end of a Viet Nam river. He often behaves and sounds like Robert Duvall’s version of an Air Cavalry commander who blows away a Viet Nam village with his helicopter gunships, surfs to celebrate and then says:

“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.’’

Translation: The risk of a few more body bags is just the price of doing business. But the potential cost in terms of perception and public health was just too steep for the network.

White was trying to cross a line that not even boxing could. Boxing, never a role model, has done business with notorious dictators and regimes.

There was George Foreman-versus-Muhammad Ali in 1974 in then Zaire in a deal with despot Mobutu Sese Seko.

In 1975, there was the third Ali-Joe Frazier fight in Manila in a deal Don King negotiated with Ferdinand Marcos.

Last October, Eddie Hearn took the Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Jr. rematch to Saudi Arabia in a deal arranged by a monarchy seeking to distract from its history of repression. The bout was called part of the Kingdom’s “sports wash” policy.

Nothing new about tyrants and thugs in boxing. They are a known risk. Caveat emptor. For now, however, coronavirus is a different kind of risk. A very different kind of tyranny. Only a fool messes around with Mother Nature. She never taps out.

But White, perhaps like his friend President Donald Trump, didn’t appear to have much respect for nature. Trump, an ex-boxing promoter and current promoter of controversial hydroxychloroquine, had been as serious about coronavirus as he has been about climate change.

Trump’s attitude appears to have to have been altered, perhaps by experts or scientific data or just the simple fact that his soul mate, British Premier Boris Johnson, spent a few days in intensive care.

But the stubborn White tried to move forward anyway, with a pay-per-view show on April 18 at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort near Fresno. White didn’t plan the move because Tribal land is somehow immune.

It’s not.

On the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona and western New Mexico, there were 384 infections, according to reports late Thursday. A reservation-wide curfew was ordered through Easter weekend, April 10-April 13.

The reason White wanted to move onto Native-American real estate is all about jurisdiction, jurisdiction, jurisdiction. It’s not subject to state law. There’s an ongoing ban of boxing and mixed-martial arts throughout California. But that doesn’t apply to Tribal land.

White’s attempted move to property outside traditional regulation isn’t new. It happened in June 2007. Tommy Morrison, a former heavyweight champion, made his MMA debut at the Yavapai-Apache Nation in a hillside arena on the east side of the freeway from Phoenix to Flagstaff, AZ.

Morrison was found to be HIV-positive in 1996. A decade later, however, he insisted he was HIV-free, even amid questions about the validity of the blood tests he underwent.

On Apache land, he was not subject to testing. Before the bout, Morrison’s former agent Randy Lang told me, then a sportswriter for The Arizona Republic, that Morrison had tested positive for HIV as late as January 2007.

But the bout went on anyway, including rule changes. Morrison was allowed to wear shoes. His opponent, John Stover, a Native American from South Dakota, was not allowed to strike with his knees or feet. Morrison won, breaking Stover’s nose within two minutes.

Morrison left the ring, still insisting he was HIV-free.

Nearly 69 months later – Sept. 1, 2013 – Morrison, 44, was dead, just weeks after Morrison’s mom told ESPN that her son had full-blown AIDS.

“He’s too far gone,” she said. “He’s in the end stages. That’s it.”

It’s a sad story. It’s an important one to remember. Important not to repeat, too. Not on Native-American land. Not on an island. Not here. Not anywhere.  And, above all, not now.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Oklahoma City for the third time with a thrilling middleweight bout between No. 6 ranked contender Jack Hermansson and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman. In a pivotal strawweight bout, No. 6 ranked contender Claudia Gadelha squares off with undefeated No. 9 Marina Rodriguez.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: HERMANSSON vs. WEIDMAN will take place Saturday, May 2 at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN in English and the ESPN App in Spanish. Doors open at 5 p.m. ET.

Known for his devastating ground-and-pound attack, Hermansson (20-5, fighting out of Oslo, Norway) emerged as a middleweight contender following a four-fight win streak that saw him earn spectacular victories over “Jacare” Souza, David Branch, Gerald Meerschaert and former title challenger Thales Leites. Hermansson now aims to add a former UFC champion to his resume and further stake his claim as title threat in the stacked middleweight division.

Weidman (14-5, fighting out of Baldwin, N.Y.) etched his name in the history books by dethroning long-reigning UFC champion Anderson Silva in 2013. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has also netted impressive wins against Kelvin Gastelum and Demian Maia, as well as former UFC champions Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida. Weidman now returns to middleweight and aims to re-assert himself as one of the best fighters at 185 pounds.

A former women’s strawweight title challenger, Gadelha (17-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has fought the who’s who in the 115-pound division. Throughout her UFC run, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has earned exciting wins over Carla Esparza, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Jessica Aguilar. Gadelha now hopes to be the first fighter to beat Rodriguez and take another step towards title contention.

A contract winner on Dana White’s Contender Series, Rodriguez (12-0-2, fighting out of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) has impressed since joining the UFC roster. During this time, she has netted emphatic victories against Tecia Torres and Jessica Aguilar. Rodriguez is now poised to continue her ascent up the strawweight rankings as she sets her sight on one of the toughest contenders in the division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 13 ranked featherweight contender Ryan Hall (8-1, Falls Church, Va.) goes for another show-stealing finish when he meets former title challenger Ricardo Lamas (19-8, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.)
• Bryce Mitchell (12-1, fighting out of Searcy, Ark.) takes on Charles Rosa (12-3, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Peabody, Mass.) in a thrilling featherweight bout
• Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (28-19 2NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Minsk, Belarus) faces debuting Philipe Lins (14-3, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil)
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Alonzo Menifield (10-0, fighting out of Dallas, Tex.) aims to remain undefeated when he rakes on Devin Clark (11-4, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.)
• The Ultimate Fighter season three veteran Ed Herman (26-14 1NC, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) squares off with surging Da-un Jung (13-2, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Sarah Alpar (9-4, fighting out of Edmond, Okla.) debuts against Vanessa Melo (10-7, fighting out of Taboao da Serra, Sao Paulo, Brazil)

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: HERMANSSON vs. WEIDMAN go on sale Friday, March 13 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 11 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, March 12 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 80 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 170 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 Chesapeake Energy Arena

Chesapeake Energy Arena is Oklahoma City’s premier entertainment facility and home to NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Located in downtown OKC, the facility can hold over 18,000 fans for basketball games and over 16,000 for concerts. Consistently listed on Pollstar’s Top Arenas Worldwide, the arena hosts numerous concerts, family shows, and sporting events creating memories for thousands of guests each year and consistently lands on Pollstar’s Top Arenas Worldwide list. Chesapeake Energy Arena is owned by the City of Oklahoma City and managed by ASM Global. For more information and a full list of events, visit www.chesapeakearena.com.

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 7.6 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. 

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.

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that the classic 2013 fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Fight Wing’ as part of the Class of 2020. The 2020 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place on Thursday, July 9, at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Going into the first Jones vs. Gustafsson fight, fans and media didn’t care about the fight, because they didn’t believe Gustafsson deserved a title shot, and this thing ended up being the greatest light heavyweight title fight in UFC history,” UFC President Dana White said. “To be there and watch it live was amazing. It was an incredible fight and both athletes gave everything they had for all five rounds. This fight was such a classic it was named the 2013 Fight of the Year and will always be considered one of the greatest fights in combat sports history. This fight showed what a true champion Jon Jones was, as this was the first time he was taken into deep waters and truly tested. This fight also put Gustafsson on the map and showed his true potential. Congratulations to Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson on being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame ‘Fight Wing’ for such an epic fight.”

As the main event of UFC^® 165: JONES vs. GUSTAFSSON, which took place on September 21, 2013 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, both athletes entered the matchup on extensive winning streaks. This event would also mark the third consecutive year that Jones would defend his title inside the iconic venue.

Jones entered the Octagon with an impressive 18-1 record and a nine-fight winning streak that included victories over former UFC light heavyweight champions Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. This streak also included victories over former 2005 WEC^® heavyweight grand prix champion Brandon Vera and Chael Sonnen, with only one of those nine wins coming via decision.

Having successfully defended the UFC light heavyweight title five consecutive times, a victory against Gustafsson at UFC 165 would set a new record for most successive light heavyweight title defenses in UFC history, passing UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz.

Gustafsson, competing for the first time in Canada, entered the arena with a 15-1 record and a six-fight winning streak that also included a victory over former UFC light heavyweight champion Rua.

Both Jones and Gustafsson traded a series of high and low kicks, as well as punches and elbows, throughout the majority of the first round, until a right hook by the Sweden native opened up a cut over Jones’ right eye with two minutes remaining in the round. Following 59 seconds of trading additional strikes, Jones would be taken down by Gustafsson for the first time in his career, as he had effectively stopped 13 previous attempts during his first 19 professional fights. Alexander would end the round having landed eight significant head strikes to Jones’ five, with Jon landing eight body strikes compared to Gustafsson’s four.

Round two began similarly to round one, with both Jones and Gustafsson continuously moving around the Octagon while connecting via punches and low kicks. With 2:30 remaining in the round, Jones connected on a left head kick, backing Gustafsson off from a takedown attempt. Alexander would employ skills from his amateur boxing background for the remainder of the round, thwarting Jones’ takedown attempts in the process. Gustafsson would land 16 significant head and body strikes, compared to Jon’s eight during the round.

Gustafsson opened the third round with a big combination to set the tone. With Jones having problems from the cut over his right eye, Alexander would continue his boxing attack, changing levels, and landing jabs and uppercuts with Jon countering by connecting on a series of low and high kicks. During the round, Alexander landed 24 significant head and body strikes compared to 19 from Jon. Jones and Gustafsson combined for 55 significant strikes in round three, setting a new record for a UFC light heavyweight title fight.

Round four marked the first time that Gustafsson had ever fought past three rounds in his professional MMA career. With both athletes pushing the pace, Alexander took the early advantage by landing several jabs and hooks, stuffing Jones’ takedown attempts in the process. Jones, bleeding heavily from his right eye, connected on a series of left elbows, stunning Gustafsson by landing a reverse elbow with 35 seconds remaining and capitalizing with elbows and knees with Alexander against the cage. Jones ended the round with an elbow and a flying knee, taking control of the round and the fight in the process. Jones and Gustafsson combined for 53 significant strikes in the fourth frame, which ranked as second-most in a light heavyweight title fight in UFC history at the time.

Jon and Alexander each entered the final round bleeding heavily and they each stayed in the center of the Octagon exchanging punches. Jones secured his first takedown of Gustafsson with 3:00 remaining, but both athletes quickly stood up. Jon would connect on a left head kick with 2:22 left in the round, but Alexander kept moving without showing any effects. With Gustafsson physically exhausted, Jones advanced, landing a series of high kicks and punches as Alexander struggled to stay on his feet. Jon would land three consecutive head kicks, an elbow and a flying knee to conclude the fight.

Jones would win the bout via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46), setting a new record for most consecutive title defenses in UFC light heavyweight history.

Both athletes combined to land 244 significant strikes, which set a new UFC light heavyweight record at the time and currently ranks second all-time in the division (260 – UFC 192 – Cormier vs. Gustafsson). Jon would also set two new UFC light heavyweight title fight records by landing 53 leg kicks and 134 significant strikes, surpassing his previous record of 105.

Gustafsson’s 110 significant strikes landed against Jones were the second-most by a light heavyweight in a UFC title fight in history at the time and ranked as the most strikes absorbed by Jones in any of his 20 fights, with 45 being the previous high. Alexander attempted 288 significant strikes during the fight, besting the previous high against Jon of 151 by Rashad Evans at UFC 145.

Gustafsson provided Jones with the toughest test of his career to date, while also matching Jon in some of his more favorable areas. A decorated wrestler in high school and junior college, Jones was unable to take Alexander down on 10 of his 11 attempts, with Gustafsson utilizing skills learned from training with former NCAA Division I National Champion wrestler (2008) Phil Davis.

An instant classic, this fight would earn 2013 Fight of the Year Award honors by ESPN, Sherdog, FOX Sports, Yahoo! Sports, MMA Junkie, MMA Fighting, MMA Weekly and the World MMA Awards.

The pair met in a rematch with the vacant UFC light heavyweight title on the line in the main event of UFC 232^®: JONES vs. GUSTAFSSON 2 on December 29, 2018 in Los Angeles. Jones would defeat Gustafsson for a second time, via TKO in the third round, to regain the UFC light heavyweight crown. Since recapturing the title at UFC 232, Jones has defended his title three times and recently set a new record for most championship victories in UFC history, with 14, following his unanimous decision victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247^®: JONES vs. REYES on February 8, 2020 in Houston.

Gustafsson returned to the Octagon on June 1, 2019, in the main event of UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: GUSTAFSSON vs. SMITH, in his hometown of Stockholm, Sweden. Anthony Smith defeated Alexander via rear-naked choke submission in the fourth round. Following his defeat, Gustafsson retired inside the Octagon, ending an 11-year career with a record of 18-6 (10-6 UFC).

The remaining inductees of the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will be announced in the coming weeks leading to the 9^th Annual UFC International Fight Week™, which takes place from Tuesday, July 9 through Sunday, July 12 in Las Vegas.

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

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 80 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 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 countries. The organization’s 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. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

LAS VEGAS – UFC^® returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. for the second time in two years with an exciting main event guaranteed to deliver action, as No. 3 ranked light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith looks to defend his home state territory against No. 9 Glover Teixeira.Also on the card, No. 10 ranked strawweight Cynthia Calvillo aims to make a statement when she moves up in weight to take on No. 12 ranked flyweight Antonina Shevchenko.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: SMITH vs. TEIXEIRA will stream live from Pinnacle Bank Arena with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET.  Doors open at 4 p.m. ET.

Competing in his home state for the first time under the UFC banner, Smith (32-14, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) looks to get back into the title conversation with another highlight-reel victory. After joining the light heavyweight division in 2018, Smith quickly established himself as a top contender with impressive first-round knockouts over former champions Rashad Evans and Mauricio Rua. He now looks to put on a show for his fans by taking out his third former-title challenger in a row.

A perennial top contender since joining the UFC in 2012, Teixeira (30-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn.) aims to spoil the homecoming of Smith and notch his fourth win in a row. Tied with champion Jon Jones for the most stoppages in light heavyweight division history, Teixeira has scored emphatic finishes over Rashad Evans, Ovince Saint Preux and Ion Cutelaba. He now plans on breaking back into the top 5 with a record-setting performance.

The older sister of women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, Shevchenko (8-1, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) looks to keep building her own legacy in the UFC. A former K-1 and Muay Thai world champion, Shevchenko holds wins over Ji Yeon Kim and Lucie Pudilova. She now intends to build the first win streak of her UFC career with another bonus-earning performance.

A top contender in the strawweight division, Calvillo (8-1-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) moves up in weight for the first time in her UFC career in order to compete at her full potential. A dangerous submission specialist, she has locked in finishes against Amanda Cooper, Pearl Gonzalez and Poliana Botelho. Calvillo now aims to make a statement by being the first person to stop Shevchenko.

Announced bouts on the card include:

• Light heavyweight finishers battle as Ovince Saint Preux (24-13, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) attempts to hand Shamil Gamzatov (14-0, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) his first loss
• Evan Dunham (18-7-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) returns to the Octagon against Michael Johnson (20-15, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) in a clash of lightweight veterans
• Brazilian women’s strawweight prospects meet as grappling ace Mackenzie Dern (7-1, fighting out of Long Beach, Calif.) hunts for another submission against Ariane Carnelossi (12-2, fighting out of Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Anthony Rocco Martin (17-5, fighting out of St. Cloud, Minn.) and David Zawada (17-5, fighting out of Düsseldorf, Germany) look to make a statement to the rest of the welterweight division
• Middleweights Andrew Sanchez (12-5, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) and Zak Cummings (23-7, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) compete to climb back into the win column
• Rising lightweight talents meet as Roosevelt Roberts (9-1, fighting out of San Bernardino, Calif.) takes on Matt Frevola (8-1-1, fighting out of Long Island, NY)
• Alexander Romanov (11-0, fighting out of Gagauzia, Moldova) intends to make a statement when he makes his UFC debut against Raphael Pessoa (10-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Lightweights Christos Giagos (17-8, fighting out of Hawthorne, Calif.) and Alan Patrick (15-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) look to bounce back into the win column

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: SMITH vs. TEIXEIRA go on sale Friday, February 21 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, February 19 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, February 20 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

To sign up for ESPN+, go to www.ESPNplus.com/UFC.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 300 million fans and 75 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 170 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+ grew quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, 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.

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Portland, Ore. for the first time in over three years with a battle of heavyweight contenders, as No. 8 ranked Alistair Overeem takes on No. 9 Walt Harris. In a pivotal strawweight contenders’ bout, former champion and No. 7 ranked Carla Esparza takes on No. 8 Michelle Waterson.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: OVEREEM vs. HARRIS will take place Saturday, April 11 at Moda Center. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the prelims kicking off on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 7 p.m. ET. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET.

Among the most decorated strikers in MMA, Overeem (45-18 1NC, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) has his sights set on another highlight-reel knockout. Over the course of his career, he has earned thrilling victories over former UFC heavyweight champions Junior Dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum and Andrei Arlovski. Overeem is now poised to re-assert himself as a title threat with a specular performance.

A heavy-handed striker, Harris (13-7 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) has earned all his MMA victories via knockout. His two most recent outings saw him finish both Aleksei Oleinik and Sergey Spivak in under one minute each. Harris also holds wins over Daniel Spitz and Chase Sherman. Harris now hopes to continue his rise up the division by netting the biggest win of his career.

The inaugural UFC women’s strawweight champion, Esparza (16-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) looks to take another step back towards title contention. Winner of The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned, she holds impressive victories over Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso and Cynthia Calvillo. Esparza is now gunning for her third consecutive win against one of the division’s perennial contenders.

A former Invicta FC atomweight champion, Waterson (17-7, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) aims to take out her first former UFC titleholder. A talented striker and grappler, she holds entertaining wins against Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Paige VanZant and Felice Herrig, and she hopes a win over Esparza will continue her ascent up the strawweight ladder.

Additional bouts on the card include:

No. 13 ranked welterweight contender Vicente Luque (17-7-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks for another highlight-reel finish against surging Randy Brown (12-3, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.)
Eryk Anders (13-4, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) collides with Krzysztof Jotko (21-4, fighting out of Orneta, Poland) in an entertaining middleweight bout
Niko Price (14-3 1NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Fla.) takes on Muslim Salikhov (16-2, fighting out of Buynaksk, Dagestan, Russia) in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks
Tristan Connelly (14-6, fighting out of Vancouver, Canada) aims to continue the momentum from his Fight of the Night debut victory when he meets Alex da Silva (21-2, fighting out of Balneario Camboriu, SC, Brazil)
Don’Tale Mayes (7-3, fighting out of Louisville, Ky.) faces Rodrigo Nascimento (7-0, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Brazil) in a clash of Dana White’s Contender Series signees
Markus Perez (11-3, fighting out Sao Paulo, Brazil) meets Alessio Di Chirico (12-4, fighting out of Rome, Italy) in an exciting middleweight bout
Julia Avila (7-1, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) squares off with Karol Rosa (12-3, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: OVEREEM vs. HARRIS go on sale Friday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Feb. 20 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

To sign up for ESPN+, go to www.ESPNplus.com/UFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Barclays Center with one of the most anticipated title fights in UFC history, as undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov looks to defend his crown against No. 1 ranked contender Tony Ferguson. Also on the card, former strawweight champions rematch as Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas aim to secure another shot at the title.

UFC^® 249: KHABIB vs. FERGUSON will take place Saturday, April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. and will stream live nationally on Pay-Per-View, exclusively through ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

ESPN+ is the exclusive provider of all UFC Pay-Per-View events to fans in the U.S.

Fans will be able to purchase UFC^® 249: KHABIB vs. FERGUSON online at ESPNPlus.com/PPV or on the ESPN App on mobile and connected-TV devices. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English on ESPN2 and on ESPN Deportes (in Spanish) starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the early prelims simulcast on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT.

One of the most dominant athletes in UFC history, Nurmagomedov (28-0, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) returns to the arena where he captured the then-vacant UFC lightweight championship. The No. 2-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Nurmagomedov holds victories over Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor and Rafael Dos Anjos. He now attempts to prove that he is the greatest lightweight of all-time by snapping the impressive winning streak of Ferguson.

A former interim lightweight champion, Ferguson (26-3, fighting out of Orange County, Calif.) aims to finally capture his first undisputed title. Currently on an incredible 12-fight winning streak, Ferguson has defeated the likes of Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis and Dos Anjos. He now aims to secure his greatest victory yet by becoming the first man to defeat Nurmagomedov.

The first Brazilian strawweight champion, Andrade (20-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) intends to replicate her spectacular knockout victory over Namajunas from 2019. The owner of the most knockouts in strawweight history, Andrade holds stoppage wins over Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Joanne Calderwood and Jessica Penne. She now seeks to get back to her winning ways and earn a shot at revenge against current champion Zhang Weili.

One of the biggest fan favorites on the roster, Namajunas (9-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) rose to fame by dethroning longtime strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Throughout her career, she has also delivered thrilling victories against Michelle Waterson, Paige VanZant, and Tecia Torres. She now aims to even the score with Andrade and secure the next shot at the 115-pound crown.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Sijara Eubanks (5-4, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) and Sarah Moras (6-6, fighting out of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) clash in a battle of women’s bantamweights
• Khama Worthy (15-6, fighting out of Pittsburgh, Pa.) looks to replicate his incredible knockout debut against the undefeated Ottman Azaitar (12-0, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco)
• Gian Villante (17-11, fighting out of Bellmore, N.Y.) makes his UFC heavyweight debut against veteran Ben Rothwell (37-12, fighting out of Kenosha, Wisc.)
• Top middleweights battle as No. 10-ranked Uriah Hall (16-9, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) welcomes back Jacare Souza (26-8, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• No. 10-ranked heavyweight Shamil Adurakhimov (20-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) will try to derail the hype train of undefeated Ciryl Gane (6-0, fighting out of Paris, France)

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

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

Tickets for UFC^® 249: KHABIB vs. FERGUSON go on sale Friday, January 31 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, January 29 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, January 30 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 80 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 170 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 Barclays Center

In the heart of Brooklyn, at the crossroads of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues, Barclays Center is home of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and the NHL’s New York Islanders, and boasts one of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed for a modern multi-purpose arena.

Since its opening on September 28, 2012 with the first of eight consecutive sold-out shows by JAY Z, Barclays Center has continued to host the world’s most renowned performers, including Barbra Streisand, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen. The success of these events has made Barclays Center one of the most popular arenas in the world, ranked top ten nationally in 2018 for gross revenue and attendance by Billboard and Pollstar.

Barclays Center opened to extensive critical acclaim and was recognized with several major awards, including the 2012 Pollstar Award for Best New Major Concert Venue, 2013 Sports Business Awards Facility of the Year, Architizer A+ Building of the Year Award and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Brooklyn Building Award for Economic Development.

A model for sustainable design and construction, Barclays Center has earned LEED© Silver Certification for New Construction from the U.S. Green Building Congress, becoming the first professional sports and entertainment venue in the New York metro area to achieve this status.

The arena offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, and an array of bars, lounges and clubs including the 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express, and Qatar Airways Courtside Club.

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+ grew quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, 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.

28 January 2020 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), today held the ONE: FIRE & FURY Official Open Workout in Pasay City. The world’s best martial arts talent came out to showcase their incredible skills in front of fans and media.

In attendance was reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines, who faced off with the challenger, former champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil. Also at the open workout were top Filipino athletes Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, Danny “The King” Kingad, Lito “The Thunder Kid” Adiwang, Gina “Conviction” Iniong, and Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres.

Athletes are set to compete at ONE: FIRE & FURY, scheduled for this Friday night, 31 January at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.

Photos of the event can be downloaded at this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-hha2Bci9wQgUMs4FGzkVO5jTAcTTap2

A high-res copy of the highlight video can be downloaded here: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ot_J2M8d8OJuyJtd7cU4qq4KPPC_Mc1Z/

More information on ONE: FIRE & FURY is available at www.onefc.com.

LAS VEGAS – UFC^® returns to Columbus, Ohio for the first time in 11 years with a thrilling heavyweight contenders’ bout featuring No. 2 ranked Francis Ngannou and undefeated No. 5 Jairzinho Rozenstruik. In an exciting clash of top bantamweights, No. 5 ranked contender Raphael Assuncao faces former champion and current No. 9 Cody Garbrandt.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: NGANNOU vs. ROZENSTRUIK will air live from Nationwide Arena on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 28. Prelims will kick off at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Doors open at 3 p.m. ET.

A former heavyweight title challenger, Ngannou (14-3, fighting out of Paris, France by way of Batié, Cameroon) has delivered some of the most spectacular knockouts in the division’s history. Over the course of his career, he has earned stoppage victories over Junior Dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem and Curtis Blaydes (twice). Ngannou now looks to be the first fighter to defeat Rozenstruik and re-assert himself as the top contender for a heavyweight title shot.

The breakout UFC star of 2019, Rozenstruik (10-0, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) wasted no time cracking the heavyweight division’s top five. Since debuting on the roster last February, he has delivered four consecutive knockout victories—including a dramatic comeback win against Overeem with four seconds left on the clock. Rozenstruik now hopes to secure his first title shot with another show-stealing knockout against one of the division’s most feared strikers.

A perennial bantamweight contender, Assuncao (27-7, fighting out of Alpharetta, Ga. by way of Recife, Brazil) has bested many of the top 135-pound fighters in the UFC. Throughout his career, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has netted victories against TJ Dillashaw, Aljamain Sterling, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font. With Garbrandt in his sights, Assuncao now looks to regain momentum by going behind enemy lines and taking out another former UFC champion.

A native of Uhrichsville, Ohio, Garbrandt (11-3, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) aims to begin his ascent back to the top of the 135-pound division with a highlight-reel win in his home state. Known for his spectacular knockout power, he has finished the likes of Takeya Mizugaki and Thomas Almeida. In 2016, he became the first fighter to defeat former champion Dominick Cruz in almost a decade. Garbrandt now aims to get back on the winning track and re-stake his claim as one of the top bantamweights in the world.

Announced bouts on the card include:

• In a pivotal clash of bantamweight contenders, No. 3 ranked Aspen Ladd (9-1, fighting out of El Dorado Hills, Calif.) meets No. 4 Julianna Peña (10-3, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.)
• Hard hitting heavyweights collide when Greg Hardy (6-2 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) squares off with Yorgan De Castro (5-0, fighting out of Fall River, Mass. by way of Mindelo, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde)
• No. 12 ranked strawweight contender Tecia Torres (10-5, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) takes on Mizuki (14-5, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Fukuoka, Japan)
• 15-year MMA veteran, and Columbus’ own, Matt Brown (24-16, fighting out of Columbus, Ohio) looks to blow the roof off Nationwide Arena when he takes on undefeated prospect Miguel Baeza (7-0, fighting out of Davie, Fla.)
• Louis Smolka (16-6, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) faces Davey Grant (11-4, fighting out of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England) in an exciting bantamweight bout
• Khalil Rountree Jr. (9-4 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) locks horns with Sam Alvey (33-13 1NC, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) in a battle of light heavyweight strikers
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Punahele Soriano (6-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) goes for another big finish against battle-tested Eric Spicely (12-6, fighting out of Olneyville, R.I.)
• Undefeated heavyweight Carlos Felipe (8-0, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) debuts against Ohio’s own Jeff Hughes (10-3 1NC, fighting out of Independence, Ohio)
• Laureano Staropoli (9-2, fighting out of La Plata, Argentina) squares off with Dana White’s Contender Series signee Philip Rowe (7-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.)
• Martin Day (9-3, fighting out of Kailua, Hawaii) takes on Randy Costa (5-1, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.) in a bantamweight bout

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

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: NGANNOU vs. ROZENSTRUIK go on sale Friday, January 31 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com or through the Nationwide Arena box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, January 29 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, January 30 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 80 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 170 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 Nationwide Arena

Nationwide Arena is the centerpiece of the downtown Arena District featuring an exciting mixture of restaurants, business, entertainment and residential space that attracts visitors from across the country.   Located on the corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Front Street, the venue opened to great fanfare in September of 2000 and has since hosted the NHL All-Star Game, regular season and playoff hockey, NCAA championships, local, regional and national conferences and a multitude of concerts and touring events.

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.