Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to T-Mobile Arena with two thrilling world championship bouts. Undefeated middleweight champion Israel Adesanya goes for another show-stealing performance against No. 3 ranked contender Yoel Romero. Strawweight champion Zhang Weili will take on the toughest test of her career when she meets former titleholder and No. 4 ranked contender Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

UFC^® 248: ADESANYA vs. ROMERO will take place Saturday, March 7 at T-Mobile Arena 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 March.

Fans will be able to purchase UFC^® 248: ADESANYA vs. ROMERO 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 ESPN 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.

Among the standout fighters of 2019, Adesanya (18-0, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand by way of Lagos, Nigeria) capped off the year by dethroning middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in front of the largest-ever UFC live audience. The former kickboxer has also earned spectacular victories against Kelvin Gastelum, Anderson Silva and Derek Brunson. Adesanya now looks to kick off his 2020 with another highlight-reel finish to secure his first successful title defense.

A perennial contender at 185 pounds, Romero (13-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba) is considered one of the most dangerous competitors in the entire sport. The 2000 Olympic silver medalist wrestler has delivered sensational knockout wins over former UFC champions Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machida. Romero now aims to achieve his destiny by capturing UFC gold and handing Adesanya his first MMA loss.

The first Chinese UFC champion, Zhang (20-1, fighting out of Beijing, China) made history when she delivered a spectacular 42-second knockout against Jessica Andrade in August to capture the title. Riding a 20-fight win streak, Zhang has also netted impressive victories over Tecia Torres, Jessica Aguilar and Danielle Taylor since joining the UFC roster in 2018. Zhang now aims to secure her first successful title defense against the former strawweight queen.

The most dominant champion in UFC strawweight history, Jedrzejczyk (16-3, fighting out of Olsztyn, Poland) successfully defended her title five times during a reign that lasted more than two years. Throughout her career, she has delivered thrilling victories against Michelle Waterson, Claudia Gadelha (twice), Jessica Penne and Carla Esparza. Jedrzejczyk now aims to further add to her legacy by becoming the first fighter to reclaim the UFC’s 115-pound championship.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• In a pivotal middleweight bout, No. 8 ranked contender Derek Brunson (20-7, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) takes on undefeated No. 9 Edmen Shahbazyan (11-0, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.)
• Fan favorite Alex Oliveira (19-8-1 2NC, fighting out of Tres Rios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces Max Griffin (15-7, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) in an exciting welterweight bout
• Unbeaten grappling ace Rodolfo Vieira (6-0, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on Saparbek Safarov (9-2, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia)
• No. 15 ranked welterweight contender Neil Magny (21-8, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) meets surging Li Jingliang (16-5, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• In an exciting lightweight bout, Beneil Dariush (17-4-1, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) squares off with Drakkar Klose (11-1-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.)
• Emily Whitmire (4-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Polyana Viana (10-4, fighting out of São Geraldo do Araguaia, Para, Brazil) in a strawweight bout
• Danaa Batgerel (6-2, fighting out of Erdenetsagaan, Sukhbaatar, Mongolia) faces Guido Cannetti (8-4, fighting out of San Antonio de Padua, Buenos Aires, Argentina) 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^® 248: ADESANYA vs. ROMERO go on sale Friday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Jan. 23 starting at 10 a.m. PT. 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 T-Mobile Arena

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the 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.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, UFC star Conor McGregor and WBO Welterweight champion Terence Crawford could be in discussions for a possible two fight (MMA and Boxing) series.

“You’ve got an elite boxer in Terence Crawford fighting an elite MMA guy in Conor McGregor under MMA rules,” Crawford’s promoter Bob Arum told ESPN on Wednesday. “You don’t think that would be interesting and something the public would want to see? I think it’s very realistic.”

Arum said there have been some discussions between the sides but declined to specify which parties had talked.

“Whenever they are ready, we are ready,” Arum said. “We’d do the MMA fight first if that’s what they want.”

“I’m a fighter first. As a fighter, I would entertain it,” Crawford told ESPN. “I just have to have the proper time to prepare myself. It would be a little more than boxing training. I haven’t been in that [wrestling] environment in a long time, but most definitely I feel I can compete with anyone given the proper time to train on the MMA side, being that I have a wrestling background. McGregor would have to worry about my stand-up game as well. It would be interesting. He’s got good kicks and he’s strong. I’d have to prepare myself for those things, but I feel I would be all right.”

“I can’t get none of these top welterweights in the ring to fight me, so whatever is clever. I’m with it all,” Crawford said of a potential major fight in MMA.

“Fighting Crawford would be great for McGregor because he has no chance in a boxing match except to pick up a check,” Arum said. “In an MMA match, he would be the favorite, but Crawford would have a chance because he’s one tough dude and because he has a wrestling background. I think that Crawford is the one boxer that can compete with an elite MMA guy under MMA rules. We’d do two fights so we can level the playing field by fighting in both disciplines. Mayweather and Pacquiao would never fight under MMA rules. Crawford would.”

“I always had the talent for wrestling, but I liked to throw my hands. I liked punching people in the face more than hugging them,” Crawford said. “My dad was a wrestler, my uncle and my grandfather wrestled, and they were always teaching me the moves. I just liked boxing more.

“A lot of people may say if Terence goes into the Octagon he will get crushed, but they don’t know me.”

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Norfolk with the vacant flyweight title up for grabs, as No. 1 ranked contender Joseph Benavidez and No. 3 ranked Deiveson Figueiredo battle to secure their first UFC championship. Also on the card, top women’s featherweight prospects meet to stake their claim for a title shot as Felicia Spencer takes on Zarah Fairn.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: BENAVIDEZ vs. FIGUEIREDO will take place Saturday, Feb. 29 at Chartway Arena with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET. Doors open at 4 p.m. ET.

A member of the flyweight roster since its inception in 2012, Benavidez (28-5, fighting out of Las Cruces, N.M.) hopes that his third UFC title challenge will be the charm to obtaining his first gold strap. A perennial top contender for most of his career, Benavidez has proven himself to be one of the best in the world with wins over Jussier Formiga, Henry Cejudo and Tim Elliot. He now looks to become the only person to stop Figueiredo and finally earn his long-awaited championship.

One of the most dangerous finishers in the flyweight division, Figueiredo (17-1, fighting out of Condor Belem, Para, Brazil) looks to leave no doubt in his first-ever title opportunity. Since joining the UFC roster in 2017, he has earned impressive stoppage wins against Tim Elliot, John Moraga and Joseph Morales. Now, he intends on delivering his most impressive performance yet in the biggest fight of his career.

Intending to start the new year with a statement, Spencer (7-1, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Montreal, Canada) looks to bounce back into the win column and declare herself the top contender for the featherweight belt. A former Invicta FC champion, Spencer impressed in her UFC debut with a first-round submission over Megan Anderson. Now, she aims to add another dominant stoppage to her record when she faces Fairn in the co-main event.

A striking specialist, Fairn (6-3, fighting out of Paris, France) looks to improve on her UFC debut and show that she can compete with the best in the world. With four knockouts and four first-round finishes in her MMA career, Fairn has proven that she is a dangerous test for anyone. Now, she intends on securing her first UFC win and announcing herself as the next contender to watch in the division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

Dana White’s Contender Series signee Aalon Cruz (8-2, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.) aims to impress in his UFC debut against the always-exciting Steven Peterson (18-9, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
Bantamweight prospects Gabriel Silva (7-1, fighting out of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) and Kyler Phillips (6-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) battle to secure their first official UFC win
Jordan Griffin (17-7, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to bounce back into the win column against debuting Dana White’s Contender Series signee TJ Brown (14-6, fighting out of Little Rock, Ark.)
Top middleweight prospects clash as Brendan Allen (12-3, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) meets Tom Breese (11-1, fighting out of Birmingham, England)
In a battle of featherweight strikers, Mike Davis (8-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) intends to take out Giga Chikadze (6-1, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.)
In further women’s featherweight action, Megan Anderson (10-4, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) looks to spoil the debut of Norma Dumont (4-0, fighting out of State of Minas Gerais, Brazil)
Undefeated Sean Brady (11-0, fighting out of Philadelphia, Pa.) intends to secure another impressive win when he takes on fellow top welterweight prospect Ismail Naurdiev (19-3, fighting out of Salzburg, Austria)
Marcin Tybura (17-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) and Serghei Spivac (10-1, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) meet in a battle of heavyweight hopefuls
In a light heavyweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, Ion Cutelaba (15-4, fighting out of Chisinau, Maldova) takes on Magomed Ankalaev (12-1, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia)

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+®: BENAVIDEZ vs. FIGUEIREDO go on sale Friday, Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase online at YnotTix.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Jan. 8 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, Jan. 9 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 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 Chartway Arena:

Chartway Arena is a 9,100-seat multi-purpose arena located on the campus of Old Dominion University. Operated by Spectra Venue Management since it opened in 2002, Chartway Arena is known as one of the premier mid-sized collegiate venues in the country. Chartway Arena is home to the Old Dominion Monarch Men’s and Women’s basketball and plays host to ODU Wrestling matches, a variety of family-oriented events as well as concerts, ODU commencement, career fairs, and lectures.

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 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.

PROVIDENCE, RI (December 20, 2019) – Three title bouts, two new champions, and a fond farewell to mixed martial arts.

CES MMA kicks off 2020 with a tripleheader to remember Friday, January 24 featuring three world-title bouts live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS® from the Twin River Casino Hotel.
Former world featherweight champion Matt Bessette (23-9, 7 KOs) headlines CES MMA 60 in an attempt to reclaim the now vacant title when he faces Houston’s Charles Cheeks III (14-7, 1 KO) in a five-round CES MMA World Featherweight Championship bout.

Joining the title chase are Cromwell, CT, prospect Johnny Lopez (12-4) and Pennsylvania’s Blaine Shutt (7-4), who battle in a five-round bout for the promotion’s first World Flyweight Championship, while reigning CES MMA World Heavyweight Champion Greg Rebello (25-9, 16 KOs) puts his title on the line one last time in his retirement bout.

The championship tripleheader streams live on FIGHT PASS with play-by-play man Michael Parente and UFC veterans Tom Lawlor and Joe Lauzon on color commentary beginning at 9 pm ET. Doors open at 6 with the first preliminary bout scheduled for 7.

Tickets start at $47 and are available at www.cesmma.com or www.showclix.com or by phone at 401-724-2253. Subscriptions to FIGHT PASS are available at www.ufcfightpass.com.

CES MMA’s featherweight crown is again up for grabs with the former title-holder Bessette facing a tall order against Cheeks, a Legacy FC and LFA veteran. Bessette held the title from 2016 through 2018 and vacated it upon his promotion to the UFC. Bessette recently returned to CES MMA in March with a win over Tim Dooling at CES MMA 55 in Connecticut.

Lopez and Shutt collide for the inaugural flyweight championship, each boasting impressive wins on their respective resumes. The red-hot Lopez has won his last four while Shutt dominated the Pennsylvania circuit winning four consecutive bouts.

Win, lose, or draw, Rebello walks off into the sunset January 24, ending a storied career in which he’s 25 bouts, including 16 by knockout. A veteran of the Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, Rebello won the heavyweight title against Travis Wiuff at CES MMA 48 and defended it in July with a knockout win over Kevin Haley.

In addition to the three championship bouts, the main card on FIGHT PASS features the return of UFC light heavyweight William Knight who faces Rocky Edwards and the long-awaited return of red-hot undefeated welterweight prospect John Gotti III in a showdown with the dangerous Marcos Lloreda.

Atomweights Marisa Messer-Belenchia and Delaney Owen face off in the cage seven months removed from their professional boxing match against one another, which Messer-Belenchia won by unanimous decision. Popular strawweight Hilarie Rose returns in search of her fourth consecutive win and bantamweight Richie Santiago takes on vet Giorgi Kudakhashvili.

Highlighting the preliminary card is the return of local fan-favorite Thomas Evans who faces featherweight Zachary Johnson. Evans ends a seven-year layoff on January 24 as he returns to the cage in the midst of his campaign for City Councilman in Central Falls, RI. Also on the preliminary card are bantamweight Ashiek Ajim of Queens, NY; lightweight Eddie George of West Haven, CT making his professional debut; and welterweight Hugh McKenna of Syosset, NY.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, and follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA.
INFORMATION
CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional firm based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional mixed martial event in the state of Rhode Island on Sept. 17, 2010 at Twin River Casino Hotel. Since its inception, CES MMA has promoted and developed the careers of several current and former UFC contenders, including Charles Rosa, Rob Font, Calvin Kattar, Mike Rodriguez and Tony Gravely, among others. In October of 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista before signing a multi-year broadcast deal with AXS TV.
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

Las Vegas – UFC^® will kick off 2020 with a thrilling bout featuring former lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor and perennial fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Plus, former UFC lightweight champion and No. 11 ranked contender Anthony Pettis will return to 155 pounds against surging Diego Ferreira.

UFC^® 246: MCGREGOR vs. COWBOY will take place Saturday, Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena 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. as part of an agreement that continues through 2025.

As UFC^® 246: MCGREGOR vs. COWBOY approaches, fans will be able to purchase itonline 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 ESPN 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.

Arguably the biggest star in mixed martial arts history, McGregor (21-4, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) became the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold championships in two divisions. Throughout his legendary career, he has earned spectacular victories over Eddie Alvarez, Nate Diaz, Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes and Dustin Poirier. McGregor now aims to take out another legend and prove he is still among the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet.

The record holder for most wins and finishes in UFC history, Cerrone (36-13 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) is no stranger to delivering iconic MMA moments. During his storied run, he has netted incredible finishes against Mike Perry, Matt Brown, Rick Story, Edson Barboza and Charles Oliveira. Cerrone now looks to continue building his legacy by securing another highlight-reel knockout in the biggest fight of his career.

A former UFC and WEC champion, Pettis (22-9, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) returns to lightweight after an exciting run at 170 pounds. Among the most dynamic finishers in MMA, he has earned sensational stoppage victories over Stephen Thompson, Gilbert Melendez, Benson Henderson and Charles Oliveira. He now has his sights set on another big win against one of the division’s toughest budding contenders.

A lightweight division mainstay since 2014, Ferreira (16-2, fighting out of Pharr, Texas by way of Terra Nova, Brazil) is currently riding a tremendous five-fight win streak. During this run, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has secured impressive victories against Mairbek Taisumov, Rustam Khabilov, Jared Gordon and Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Ferreira now hopes to add a former champion to his resume and crack the 155-pound top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 6 ranked women’s strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha (17-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to continue building her momentum against rising No. 11 Alexa Grasso (11-3, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico)
• Former women’s bantamweight champion and No. 3 ranked contender Holly Holm (12-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) takes on No. 6 Raquel Pennington (10-8, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) in a highly anticipated rematch
• Andre Fili (20-6, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) meets Sodiq Yusuff (10-1, fighting out of Bladensburg, Md. by way of Lagos, Nigeria) in an exciting battle of featherweight prospects
• In a pivotal clash of women’s flyweight contenders, No. 7 ranked Roxanne Modafferi (23-17, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces undefeated No. 9 Maycee Barber (7-0, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)
• Talented lightweights collide when Drew Dober (21-9 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) squares off with Nasrat Haqparast (11-2, fighting out of Hamburg, Germany)
• In a clash of heavyweight contenders, No. 12 ranked heavyweight contender Aleksei Oleinik (57-13-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) locks horns with Maurice Greene (8-4, fighting out of St Cloud, Minn.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Aleksa Camur (5-0, fighting out of Broadview Heights, Ohio) debuts against Justin Ledet (9-2 1NC, fighting out of Rosharon, Texas)
• Chas Skelly (18-4, fighting out of Arlington, Texas) faces Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Grant Dawson (14-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) in a featherweight bout
• Sabina Mazo (7-1, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Medellin, Colombia) squares off with JJ Aldrich (8-3, fighting out of Westminster, Colo.)
• No. 7 ranked flyweight contender Tim Elliott (16-9-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) takes on unbeaten No. 12 Askar Askarov (10-0-1, fighting out of Khasavyurt, Dagestan, Russia)
• Brian Kelleher (19-10, fighting out of Selden, N.Y.) meets newcomer Ode Osbourne (7-2 1NC, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)

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^® 246: MCGREGOR vs. COWBOY go on sale Friday, Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Dec. 19 starting at 10 a.m. PT. 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 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 T-Mobile Arena

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the 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® is set to make its debut at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M. with a critical rematch in the light heavyweight division, No. 5 ranked Corey Anderson and No. 6 Jan Blachowicz each look to secure the first title shot of their UFC careers.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: ANDERSON vs. BLACHOWICZ will stream live from Santa Ana Star Center with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 15, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET. Doors open at 4 p.m. ET.

Currently riding the longest winning streak of his UFC career, Anderson (14-4, fighting out of Robbinsville, N.J.) aims to prove that his first win over Blachowicz was no fluke. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 19, Anderson has been a perennial contender for much of his career and has recently netted impressive victories over Glover Teixeira, Ilir Latifi and Johnny Walker. He now looks to make it five wins in a row and finally earn his shot at UFC gold.

Coming off the two biggest victories of his UFC career, Blachowicz (25-8, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) intends to avenge his 2015 loss to Anderson in impressive fashion. One of the most successful Polish athletes in UFC history, Blachowicz holds wins over Jacare Souza, Luke Rockhold, Jimi Manuwa and Jared Cannonier. Now, he aims to cement himself as the clear No. 1 contender in the division by snapping Anderson’s win streak.

Announced bouts on the card include:

Fan favorite Diego Sanchez (31-12, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) meets Michel Pereira (23-10, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil) in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
No. 7 ranked flyweight contender Rogerio Bontorin (16-1, fighting out of State of Paraná, Brazil) battles hometown hero Ray Borg (12-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
Women’s featherweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters and No. 12 ranked bantamweight Macy Chiasson (6-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) takes on former UFC flyweight champion Nicco Montano (5-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
Top women’s flyweight contenders clash as No. 11 Montana De La Rosa (10-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) and No. 13 Mara Romero Borella (13-6, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) each look to break into the top 10
No. 14 ranked flyweight and Jiu Jitsu black belt Mark De La Rosa (11-3, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) meets No. 15 ranked Raulian Paiva (18-3, fighting out State of Amapá, Brazil)
Devin Clark (10-4, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) looks to bounce back into the win column against Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-6, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) in a light heavyweight bout

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+®: ANDERSON vs. BLACHOWICZ go on sale Friday, December 20 at 10 a.m. MST. 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, December 18 at 10 a.m. MST via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, December 19 starting at 10 a.m. MST. 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.

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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 Santa Ana Star Center

The Santa Ana Star Center is the premier place to be for live events in New Mexico. Located in central New Mexico, approximately 10 miles outside of Albuquerque in Rio Rancho, the Event Center is easily accessible to everyone throughout the state. This $47 million facility, opened in 2006, is a multi-functional arena with sound, lighting, and concert quality acoustics. The Santa Ana Star Center leads the field among venues in New Mexico and hosts over 120 events a year including: concerts, sporting events, conferences, and cultural programs.

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 Toyota Center with two blockbuster world championship fights. UFC light heavyweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Jon Jones looks to continue his dominance when he meets undefeated No. 4 ranked contender Dominick Reyes. UFC women’s strawweight champion and No. 11 pound-for-pound Valentina Shevchenko aims for her third successful title defense when she faces battle-tested No. 1 contender Katlyn Chookagian.

UFC^® 247: JONES vs. REYES will take place Saturday, Feb. 8 at Toyota Center 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. as part of an agreement announced in March and continuing through 2025.

As UFC^® 247: JONES vs. REYES approaches, fans will be able to purchase itonline 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 ESPN 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.

The most dominant light heavyweight champion in UFC history, Jones (25-1 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) aims to tie the UFC record for total title defenses at 11. Throughout his storied career, Jones has earned impressive victories over world champions Daniel Cormier, Rashad Evans, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Shogun Rua. He now looks to put on another show-stealing performance to further etch his name in the history books.

A dangerous finisher sporting a perfect record, Reyes (12-0, fighting out of Victoriaville, Calif.) looks to become the first fighter to stop Jones. Since joining the UFC roster in 2017, he has delivered memorable wins against Chris Weidman, Volkan Oezdemir, Ovince Saint Preux and Jared Cannonier. He now hopes to become the 14^th undefeated fighter to earn a UFC world championship by dethroning one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts.

Undefeated since moving to the UFC flyweight division in 2018, Shevchenko (18-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) has proven to be a force at 125 pounds. After capturing the vacant championship last year against Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the former kickboxer has delivered successful title defenses over Jessica Eye and Liz Carmouche. Shevchenko aims to keep her spot at the top with another spectacular performance.

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt under Renzo Gracie, Chookagian (13-2, fighting out of Kenilworth, N.J.) has proven herself to be one of the toughest fighters on the UFC flyweight roster. Throughout her career, she has secured impressive wins against Jennifer Maia, Joanne Calderwood and Alexis Davis. Chookagian looks to stop Shevchenko and achieve her dream of winning a UFC championship.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 5 ranked contender Derrick Lewis (22-7 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) goes for another highlight-reel KO when he welcomes Ilir Latifi (15-7 1NC, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) to the heavyweight division
• In a pivotal flyweight contenders’ bout, No. 6 ranked Lauren Murphy (11-4, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) takes on No. 8 Andrea Lee (11-3, fighting out of Shreveport, La.)
• Heavyweight prospects collide when Juan Adams (5-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) faces Justin Tafa (3-1, fighting out of Brisbane, Australia)
• Mirsad Bektic (13-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada by way of Srebrenica, Bosnia) squares off with Dan Ige (12-2, fighting out of Haleiwa, Hawaii) in an exciting featherweight 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^® 247: JONES vs. REYES go on sale Friday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.toyotacenter.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Dec. 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, Dec. 12 starting at 10 a.m. CT. 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 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 Toyota Center:
Since opening in October 2003, Toyota Center has set a new standard for sports and entertainment, becoming one of the premier live entertainment venues in the nation. Laid over the span of six city blocks, Toyota Center is home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Toyota Center also plays host to the nation’s top concerts and touring shows. The arena’s playing surface is set nearly 32-feet below street level giving Toyota Center the largest lower level of any arena in the nation. Coupled with the exclusive Lexus Lounge, trendy Golden Nugget Club, Red and White Bistro’s superior food and service, Toyota Center offers something for everyone making it the hottest spot for sports and entertainment in Houston. For more information, visit ToyotaCenter.com.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the 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 – For the first time ever, UFC^® heads to PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. with a pivotal bout in the heavyweight division as No. 3 ranked contender Curtis Blaydes looks to secure the most important victory of his career when he takes on former UFC heavyweight champion and No. 4 ranked Junior Dos Santos.Also on the card, former UFC lightweight champion and featherweight title challenger Frankie Edgar drops down for his first fight at bantamweight when he takes on top up-and-coming contender, No. 3 ranked Cory Sandhagen.

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

The record-holder for most takedowns in UFC heavyweight history, Blaydes (12-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) returns to action following a dominant victory over fellow top-ranked contender Shamil Abdurakhimov in September. Still one of the youngest heavyweights on the roster, Blaydes already holds a number of impressive victories over legendary names such as Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt. He now looks to secure the first title shot of his career by taking out his first former champion. 

Former champion and perennial fan favorite Dos Santos (21-6, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) looks to get back into the title conversation with another signature knockout victory. The record-holder for the most knockdowns in UFC heavyweight history, Dos Santos has wins over some of the biggest names in the sport, including former UFC champions Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, as well as current champion Stipe Miocic. He now aims to secure his 16^th victory in the Octagon and stake his claim as the next title contender.

Undefeated in the UFC, Sandhagen (12-1, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) goes for the most significant win of his young career. A professional mixed martial artist for less than five years, Sandhagen has already proven himself with wins over Raphael Assuncao, John Lineker and Iuri Alcantara. With his biggest challenge yet in front of him in former champion Edgar, Sandhagen looks to rise to the occasion and secure the next shot at the bantamweight title.

Always looking for a new challenge, Edgar (22-7, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) wastes no time by jumping straight into the deep end of his new division. One of the biggest fan favorites on the roster, Edgar holds some of the most iconic wins in UFC history, including those over B.J. Penn, Gray Maynard and Urijah Faber. With a win over Sandhagen, Edgar looks to become the first athlete in UFC history to challenge for a title in three different weight classes.

Announced bouts on the card include:

• Top featherweight contenders look to extend their win streaks and climb into the title conversation when No. 10 ranked Josh Emmett (15-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) meets No. 14 Arnold Allen (15-1, fighting out of Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk, England)
• Former Olympic silver medalist and No. 9 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Sara McMann (11-5, fighting out of Gaffney, S.C.) returns to the Octagon after almost two years off to take on No. 11 ranked Lina Lansberg (10-4, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden)
• Dana White’s Contender Seriesveterans meet in a battle of ranked flyweights as No. 10 Jordan Espinosa (14-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and No. 11 Alex Perez (22-5, fighting out of Lemoore, Calif.) look to break into the top of the division.
• Hannah Cifers (10-3, fighting out of Durham, N.C.) aims to make her home state fans proud by snapping the win streak of former Invicta FC strawweight champion, Brianna Van Buren (9-2, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.)
• Debuting featherweights look to impress as Dana White’s Contender Series signee Herbert Burns (9-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by way of Lantana, Fla.) takes on Nate Landwehr (13-2, fighting out of Clarksville, Tenn.)
• Brett Johns (15-2, fighting out of Swansea, Wales) intends to bounce back into the win column against debuting Dana White’s Contender Series signee Tony Gravely (19-5, fighting out of Radford, Va.)
• Montel Jackson (9-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) and Felipe Colares (9-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meet in a clash of bantamweight prospects
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Jamahal Hill (6-0, fighting out of Kentwood, Mich.) looks to remain undefeated when he battles hard-hitting Darko Stosic (13-3, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia)
• Bevon Lewis (7-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and Alen Amedovski (8-2, fighting out of Rome, Italy) look to snap their losing streaks in a critical middleweight bout
• Women’s flyweight action seesJustine Kish (6-2, fighting out of Cramerton, N.C.) defend her home state against Lucie Pudilova (8-5, fighting out of Pribram, Czech Republic)

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+^®: BLAYDES vs. DOS SANTOS go on sale Friday, December 6 at 10 a.m. ET. 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, December 4 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, December 5 starting at 10 a.m. ET. 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.

15 November 2019 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), in partnership with the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), is set to host the 2019 GAMMA World Championship this 18-23 November at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The event brings together over 40 teams from GAMMA member nations consisting of world-class amateur mixed martial arts athletes and coaches.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “ONE Championship is excited to host the 2019 GAMMA World Championship in Singapore this 18-23 November. As the world’s largest martial arts organization, we are committed to providing all amateur mixed martial arts athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills on the largest most prestigious global platform for martial arts competition. Working with GAMMA in this initiative is very important for us here at ONE Championship. Our athletes are the very foundation of the sport, who inspire the world with their incredible stories, and stand as role models for society. As a lifelong martial artist, I am personally invested in ensuring that all athletes have the right support to pursue a viable professional career in the mixed martial arts industry.”

Teams from over 40 countries have been confirmed to participate in the tournament, including over 300 top amateur athletes and 100 coaches.

Athletes will be competing for national pride in the discipline of mixed martial arts across 16 weight divisions, both male and female. At the end of the tournament, the top male and female athletes will earn a contract with ONE Championship worth USD $100,000 each. In addition, the winner of each weight division will earn a one year training scholarship at Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

8 November 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), once again electrified the crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Last Friday night, 8 November, ONE: MASTERS OF FATE played host to a series of action-packed and compelling contests, delivered by the absolute best in world-class martial arts talent.

Visit the official ONE: MASTERS OF FATE photo gallery by clicking: https://bit.ly/onephotos

In the main event, Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines turned in a dominant performance, submitting compatriot Rene “D’ Challenger” Catalan in the second round to retain his ONE Strawweight World Championship. Pacio survived an early submission scare from Catalan to impose his will on the ground. In the second round, Pacio stuffed a takedown from Catalan and worked his way into mount, before securing a masterful arm-triangle choke, leaving the challenger with no choice but to tap out.

In the co-main event of the evening, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of the Philippines earned a technical decision victory over Mongolia’s Amarsanaa “Spear” Tsogookhuu after an unintentional clash of heads brought the bout to an abrupt end. Folayang was on fire in the opening round, turning up the aggression with his strikes. A collision of heads midway into the second round was ruled as an unintentional foul, leading to a technical decision being made, which went in favor of the Filipino martial arts hero.

Multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Sangmanee “The Million Dollar Baby” Sathian Muaythai of Thailand impressed in his ONE Championship debut, defeating Azize “The Magician” Hlali of Morocco by unanimous decision. Sangmanee outstruck Hlali over the course of the three-round affair to walk away with the judges’ nod on all three scorecards, earning him a spectacular victory in his maiden appearance on the ONE stage.

Former ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio barged back into the win column with a thrilling knockout victory over Finland’s Toni “Dynamite” Tauru. In the first round, it looked as if Tauru was going to pick up an early submission win, but Eustaquio survived getting his back taken and proceeded to turn the tide in his favor. After a rocky opening stanza, Eustaquio rallied back in the second round by using his superior striking to do heaps of damage. The former flyweight king finished things off in the third round with a spinning back kick to the midsection that sent Tauru crashing to the mat for the highlight-reel stoppage win.

Reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand took another big step forward in her mixed martial arts career, picking up a huge win over Vietnamese-American star Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen. Stamp used her top-notch striking to pick Nguyen apart in the standup, while showing off her improved grappling to defend against Nguyen’s takedown attempts. Nguyen stood right in front of Stamp, but had difficulty finding her mark. After three rounds of fast-paced action, Stamp walked away with the clear-cut decision win and remained unbeaten in her ONE Championship career.

Chinese spitfire “The Underdog” Li Kai Wen returned to the ONE Championship ring in style with a first-round knockout victory over Indonesia’s Paul “The Great King” Lumihi. Li was aggressive right off the bat, charging at Lumihi to unleash a flying knee to open the action. After an exciting exchange between the two warriors, Li unloaded a three-punch combination, capped off by a right uppercut to put Lumihi to sleep.

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Japan kept his momentum going with a three-round unanimous decision victory over Thailand’s Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit. The Japanese grappler imposed his game plan well, as he was able to ground Mitsatit at will. The Thai star looked to reverse his fortunes by pressuring Naito with his striking, but it wasn’t enough as the former strawweight king remained unstoppable with his takedowns. After three rounds of action, Naito walked away with the decision win.

Multiple-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Kongsak “Left Savage” PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym put on a striking clinic as he defeated Top King Muay Thai World Champion and former ONE World Title challenger Han Zi Hao of China to win by unanimous decision. The Thai stalwart controlled the action throughout the three-round bout, using crisp combinations to score points on the judges’ scorecards. Han had no answer for Kongsak, as the Thai warrior cruised to a dominant decision win.

The Philippines’ own Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan sent the Mall of Asia Arena into a frenzy after scoring an explosive knockout victory over Cuba’s Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart. Catalan was on point with his striking throughout the bout, and was able to hold his own against the high-level grappling of the Olympian wrestler Balart. Late in the second round, Catalan uncorked a well-timed right high kick that connected and took Balart out instantly, much to the delight of Catalan’s hometown crowd.

Multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Tukkatatong Petpayathai picked up a gritty split decision win over former ONE World Title challenger Hiroaki “Kaibutsukun” Suzuki of Japan in his return to the ONE Championship ring. It was an exciting back-and-forth affair between the two strikers, with Tukkatatong scoring points with his body kicks. After three rounds of action, it was the Thai veteran who walked away with the decision.

“The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong of South Korea announced his arrival in the ONE Championship featherweight division in exciting fashion with a technical knockout victory over Brazilian veteran Rafael “Indio” Nunes. Kim picked Nunes apart in the striking department, and was able to survive the Brazilian grappler’s submission attempts. In the final round, Kim landed a punch to the body that ultimately spelled the end for Nunes, leading to a gutsy win for the South Korean inside the distance.

South Korea’s Kim Kyu Sung bounced back in spectacular fashion with a quick knockout win over ONE Warrior Series contract winner Akhiro “Superjap” Fujisawa of Japan. Kim needed only 68 seconds to stop Fujisawa, after landing a well-placed right uppercut to earn the highlight reel finish.

Kicking things off at ONE: MASTERS OF FATE in Manila, India’s Roshan Mainam put on an impressive performance in his ONE Championship debut, submitting Cambodia’s Khon Sichan via first-round Americana. Mainam wasted little time in getting the action to the ground, taking Sichan down with ease. Once on the mat, Mainam imposed his will on Sichan, getting into mount before finishing the bout with a slick armlock.

Official results for ONE: MASTERS OF FATE
ONE Strawweight World Championship: Joshua Pacio defeats Rene Catalan by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 2:29 minutes of round 2
Mixed Martial Arts Lightweight: Eduard Folayang defeats Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu by Technical Decision
Muay Thai Catchweight (68.0 KG) Sangmanee Sathian Muaythai defeats Azize Hlali by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Geje Eustaquio defeats Toni Tauru by Knockout (KO) at 2:11 minutes of round 3
Mixed Martial Arts Atomweight: Stamp Fairtex defeats Bi Nguyen by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight: Li Kai Wen defeats Paul Lumihi by Knockout (KO) at 2:39 minutes of round 1
Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight: Yoshitaka Naito defeats Pongsiri Mitsatit by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Muay Thai Bantamweight: Kongsak PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym defeats Han Zi Hao by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight: Robin Catalan defeats Gustavo Balart by Knockout (KO) at 4:43 minutes of round 2
Muay Thai Bantamweight: Tukkatatong Petpayathai defeats Hiroaki Suzuki by Split Decision (SD) after 3 rounds
Mixed Martial Arts Featherweight: Kim Jae Woong defeats Rafael Nunes by TKO (Strikes) at 0:38 minutes of round 3
Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Kim Kyu Sung defeats Akihiro Fujisawa by Knockout (KO) at 1:08 minutes of round 1
Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Roshan Mainam defeats Khon Shichan by Submission (Armlock) at 3:22 minutes of round 1

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About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

Lyman Good stopped Chance Rencountre in the 3rd round of their welterweight fight.

Good landed a kick that knocked Renciuntre down and follow up punchs ended it at 2:03.

Good is 21-5. Rencounte is 14-4.

Hakeem Dawodu defeated Julio Arce by split decision in their flyweight fight.

Dawodu won by two counts of 29-28 and Arce took a card 29-28. Dawodu is 11-1-1. Arce is 16-4.