UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced the first dates, locations, and distribution plans for UFC events in the first quarter 2019. This new schedule marks the beginning of the historic multi-year agreement between UFC and The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-To-Consumer & International segment and ESPN that makes ESPN+ and ESPN the exclusive media homes of UFC in the United States.

The first three months of 2019 features action-packed UFC events across ESPN+, the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service, and ESPN networks, every week for 11 consecutive weeks. ESPN+ will showcase more than 36 hours of exclusive UFC action and ESPN linear networks will add another 18 hours (with all 54 hours available in both English and Spanish).

On Saturday, Jan 19, UFC returns to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the “UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night” card will represent UFC’s debut on ESPN-branded platforms, with main card bouts streamed live on ESPN+ in both English and Spanish and prelims broadcast nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Also streamed live on ESPN+ will be the early prelims (prior to the ESPN television broadcast).

Following Brooklyn, UFC 233, the first Pay-Per-View of 2019, takes places at Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday, January 26. ESPN linear networks will televise the prelims, offering one of the most powerful promotional lead ins UFC has ever had for a Pay-Per-View.

The Octagon® then travels internationally, with “UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night” in Brazil on Saturday, February 2 (location TBD) with ESPN+ exclusively streaming all bouts.

UFC returns to the U.S. for another historic first, “UFC on ESPN Fight Night” on Sunday, February 17, from Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. The prelims and main card will be televised live to a national audience exclusively on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, while the early prelims will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Other confirmed events in the first quarter include UFC 235, the promotion’s first event of the year in its home venue, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, on Saturday, March 2, and a return to London, England’s O2 Arena for “UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night” on Saturday, March 16. The second “UFC on ESPN Fight Night” will take place on March 30, with the early prelims streamed live on ESPN+ and the prelims and main card televised live and exclusively on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Fight cards and ticket on-sale information will be announced at a later date.

Starting January, ESPN+ and ESPN will become the exclusive digital and linear distributors in the United States for UFC, showcasing 42 live events, 30 of which will feature a full card of 12 UFC bouts.

Events streamed live on ESPN+ will carry the “UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night” moniker, while events broadcast on ESPN will be branded “UFC on ESPN Fight Night.” ESPN+ will offer 20 exclusive events and all preliminary fights for “UFC on ESPN Fight Night” programs, while ESPN linear networks will broadcast 10 exclusive events as well as all UFC Pay-Per-View preliminary fights.

DATE EVENT LOCATION
Saturday, January 19 UFC ON ESPN+ FIGHT NIGHT (All Times ET)
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on ESPN+
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on ESPN, ESPN Deportes
10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. on ESPN+
Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, January 26 UFC 233 Honda Center – Anaheim, CA
Saturday, February 2 UFC ON ESPN+ FIGHT NIGHT TBD – Brazil

Saturday, February 9
UFC 234 TBD
Sunday, February 17 UFC ON ESPN FIGHT NIGHT Talking Stick Resort Arena – Phoenix, AZ
Saturday, February 23 UFC ON ESPN+ FIGHT NIGHT TBD
Saturday, March 2 UFC 235 T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, NV
Saturday, March 9 UFC ON ESPN+ FIGHT NIGHT TBD
Saturday, March 16 UFC ON ESPN+ FIGHT NIGHT The O2 Arena – London, England
Saturday, March 23 UFC ON ESPN+ FIGHT NIGHT TBD
Saturday, March 30 UFC ON ESPN FIGHT NIGHT TBD

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 440 events in 22 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories to 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional 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, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and 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) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation, delivering a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

18 October 2018 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held the official ONE: HEART OF THE LION Worldwide Conference Call last Thursday, 18 October. Members of the media from all across the globe took part in the conference call, with ONE Championship Vice President of PR & Communications Loren Mack moderating.
On the call was ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, and multiple-time mixed martial arts world champion “The Underground King” Eddie Alvarez.

Please click the link for the full audio of the Worldwide Conference Call: http://bit.ly/2NRFkr6

Ticket information for ONE: HEART OF THE LION is available at www.onefc.com.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated:

“ONE: HEART OF THE LION is trending to be the greatest evening of martial arts in Asian history. Two historic World Champion vs World Champion Super-Bouts are set to take place inside the ONE Championship cage. At the end of the day, it’s the fans who truly emerge as winners, as there should be no shortage of action on 9 November. Singapore will once again play host to a thrilling night of action, led by our favorite ONE Championship superstars.”

“In the main event, Singapore’s very own ‘Unstoppable’ Angela Lee attempts to make history and become the first female mixed martial arts superstar to simultaneously hold two World Title belts. But China’s confident champion, Xiong Jing Nan, looks to foil her plans and retain the title. In the co-main event, a highly-anticipated title unification bout is going down, as reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes will face ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin Belingon in a rematch that has been brewing for the past two years. Both men are hungry to win. It’s going to be an epic clash of wills in both contests. We will also have the latest signee of ONE Championship, Eddie Alvarez, as a special guest at the event.”

Xiong Jing Nan, ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion, stated:

“This title around my waist represents all the hard work I have put into my craft since the very beginning of my career. I have been practicing martial arts since I was a child. It is my passion, my livelihood, and my life. I will do everything in my power to keep the belt. Angela [Lee] is a tremendous fighter and champion, and I respect her as a martial artist. But this is my division and my belt, I will never give it up without a fight. On 9 November, the world will witness history, but I will leave the arena still champion.”

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated:

“Becoming a two-division world champion in the sport is something I wanted for so long, but I knew I had to earn it. The time has come to turn that dream into a reality. I am facing an outstanding champion in my next bout, and I am not taking Xiong Jing Nan lightly.”

“I live for challenges, this is why I do what I do, to test myself against the very best in the world. Now I am ready for a new challenge, and entering the strawweight division has lit a fire underneath me. On 9 November, prepare to see a more focused, faster, and stronger Angela Lee. I know the champion has very good striking and grappling skills, but so do I. And I believe I am continuously improving and growing. Everyday I’m working very hard to make sure I am in the best shape of my career. I believe in my team and my coaches, my Dad. I know what’s at stake here and I will do everything that I can to come out the winner. It’s time to make history.”

Bibiano Fernandes, ONE Bantamweight World Champion, stated:

“Kevin Belingon has improved immensely. I have seen him grow as a competitor over the past few years. I know that in our rematch, Kevin will be a completely different fighter. Nevertheless, I am very confident that my skills are enough to beat him again. Yes, he is dangerous, but I will control the pace of this fight and the outcome. I am not taking Kevin Belingon for granted, and I am training harder than ever to make sure that I triumph over his best version yet in Singapore.”

“I have held this World Title for a long time, and I’m not about to give it up now. I am ready to go the full five rounds, but I am also ready to finish the bout by knockout or submission when the opportunity presents itself. Thank you for the welcome in Singapore, thank you for the support. I look forward to putting on a show this 9 November.”

Kevin Belingon, ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion, stated:

“Fighting in Singapore is almost like fighting in Manila. Thousands of Filipinos are based there, and they never fail to show support when their fellow Filipino is scheduled to compete at a ONE Championship event. It’s an honor and a privilege to showcase my talent on the most prestigious stage of martial arts on 9 November in Singapore.”

“This is the most important bout of my career. I have worked very hard for this. It has taken me years to reach this level, and I have learned so much as a martial artist and as a competitor since I first met Bibiano [Fernandes] in 2016. Since that loss, I have kept my focus on improving my skills and working to erase my weaknesses. Right now, I can confidently say how much I have improved. One of the biggest improvements is my ground game. I know he is a BJJ black belt, I have had the privilege of experiencing his grappling first-hand before. But now, I am better equipped to handle anything he throws at me. I am looking to end matters early, and I vow to become the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion.”

Eddie Alvarez, newly-signed ONE Athlete, stated:

“First and foremost, I want to thank everyone at ONE Championship. I want to thank my coaches, my team and my family. It’s really an exciting time for everyone here. It was a decision well-made. You guys dealt with everything very professionally at ONE, and we appreciate that. I’m looking forward to competing with the best lightweights in the world once again. What really excites me is the idea of capturing my third world title in another major organization. I went all across the world and competed in all of the best promotions in the world, and what I really look forward to is winning a third world championship title in ONE Championship against the best lightweights.”

“My career has brought me all across the globe. I have surveyed the competition, and it looks fierce. I am excited to be able to test my skills against some of ONE Championship’s best talent. This is no doubt a huge move for my career, and I am proud to be able to represent the true authentic values of martial arts. I am a martial artist at heart, and ONE Championship stands for everything that I believe in this sport. It is an honor to join this incredible organization.”

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 is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship 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. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 138 countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.

17 October 2018 – Singapore: Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series, a subsidiary of ONE Championship™ (ONE), the largest global sports media property in Asian history, recently held another thrilling event in Singapore last Thursday, 11 October, where Asia’s finest up-and-coming young talents battled it out for a chance to win a US $100,000+ ONE Championship contract.

The live spectacle featured various athletes and prospects who participated during the show’s first and second seasons.

After an evening of spectacular ONE Warrior Series bouts, Warrior Bonuses were awarded to Zechariah Lange, Da Woon Jung, Lito Adiwang, Detchadin Sornsirisuphathin, Claudia Diaz and Jenelyn Olsim. In the end, it was Mark Abelardo of the Philippines who was able to secure the coveted ONE Championship contract.

Official photos of the event can be found at this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/j65STHJmejuUk15g9

Rich Franklin, CEO of ONE Warrior Series, stated: “After only 3 events, ONE Warrior Series is making waves in the martial arts community. I could not have predicted the level of talent we have been able to recruit. We awarded 6 Warrior bonuses, and win or lose, these athletes left everything in the ring. It is exciting to see the talent from OWS competing in ONE Championship. After another match that tested Mark Abelardo’s grit, he was well deserving of the ONE contract. We look forward to his debut.”

Jonathan Fong, Director of ONE Warrior Series, stated: “The athletes put on an incredible show for ONE Warrior Series 3. In the end, it was Mark Abelardo who proved most deserving of the ONE Championship contract. There were just so many highlights from that night! I’m excited to see most of the competitors back in February. It’s been an incredible journey so far and I am excited to keep pushing and discovering some fresh talent. I’ve got some ideas for matchups I’d like to see for our next run.”

Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series is a travel series talent search program. The show aims to discover new martial arts talent across Asia, providing promising young athletes with the platform to unleash their martial arts greatness. Franklin, who serves as the show’s host, travels across the Asian continent with co-host Jonathan Fong, searching for talent, experiencing local cultures and testing their boundaries.

Official Results for Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series:
Lightweight bout: Eto Kimihiro defeats JD Fairtex Hardwick by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 2:07 minutes of round 2
Women’s Strawweight Bout: Jenelyn Olsim defeats Claudia Diaz via Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Flyweight Bout: Detchadin Sornsirisuphathin defeats Mark Cuizon via Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Welterweight Bout: Emmanuel Onyedikachi defeats Xie Xiaoxiang via Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Bantamweight Bout: Ganbat Bayasgalan defeats Joohwan Kim via Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Bantamweight Bout: Hyunjin Lee defeats Michael Walker by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 3:29 minutes of round 2
Bantamweight Bout: Mark Fairtex Abelardo defeats Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 5:00 of round 1
Featherweight Bout: Jerry Olsim defeats Ernest Tang by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 2:00 minutes of round 1
Featherweight Bout: Anvar Amirli defeats Asuka Tsubaki by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:27 minutes of round 1
Women’s Atomweight Bout: Uyen Ha defeats Edilah Johany by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 3:46 minutes of round 2
Strawweight Bout: Lito Adiwang defeats Manuel Huerta by Knockout (KO) at 4:03 minutes of round 1
Bantamweight Bout: Zechariah Lange defeats Dawoon Jung by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Strawweight Bout: Ryuto Sawada defeats Ismael Bandiwan by Submission (Armbar) at 4:30 minutes of round 1
Welterweight Bout: De’von Morris defeats Fu Guo An by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 2:30 minutes of round 1
Featherweight Bout: Luo Zhuo Jiang Cuo defeats Mark Sumalag by Submission at 1:20 minutes of round 1
Bantamweight Bout: Punnya Sai defeats Krishna Lal Tamang by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 0:14 minutes of round 1
Women’s Atomweight Bout: So Yul Kim defeats Bayarmaa Munkhgerel by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 5:00 minutes of round 2

Episodes of Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series can be found on ONE Championship’s official YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/OneFCMMA.

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 is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship 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. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 138 countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.

About Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series™
Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series is a travel series talent search which aims to discover new martial arts talent across Asia, providing promising young athletes with the platform to unleash their martial arts greatness. Franklin, who serves as the show’s host, travels across the Asian continent with co-host Jonathan Fong, searching for talent, experiencing local cultures and testing their boundaries. Selected athletes will compete in professional bouts with a chance at earning a contract with ONE Championship exceeding US $100,000+.

Las Vegas – UFC® is coming for the first time to Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee’s new world-class venue, for a pivotal rematch between top lightweight contenders, as No. 5-ranked Kevin Lee battles No. 9 Al Iaquinta. UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: LEE vs. IAQUINTA 2 takes place at Fiserv Forum on Saturday, Dec.15 and will air live on FOX.

Lee (17-3, fighting out of Las Vegas) believes he is finally breaking into his prime and he looks to re-insert himself into the lightweight title discussion with another impressive victory in Wisconsin. In his most recent outing, the 26-year-old earned an exciting TKO victory over elite striker, Edson Barboza. This marked his sixth victory in seven fights, with five coming by way of stoppage. Having already challenged for the interim title, Lee has established himself as a top talent to watch in one of UFC’s deepest divisions and is excited to avenge the first loss of his career.

Fan favorite Iaquinta (13-4-1, fighting out of Wantagh, N.Y.) is coming off an outstanding performance against current UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, after winning five fights in a row, four by way of KO. Iaquinta looks to take that experience and get back into the win column by proving his first victory over Lee in 2014 was no fluke. Coming from a wrestling base, Iaquinta has evolved throughout his MMA career. The majority of his victories have come via KO, taking out established UFC lightweight veterans Ross Pearson, Joe Lauzon, and Diego Sanchez along the way.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: LEE vs. IAQUINTA 2 will also feature another bout between world-class lightweights, as No. 6-ranked contender Edson Barboza welcomes fellow dangerous finisher No. 14 Dan Hooker to the deep end of the division.

One of the best strikers at 155 pounds, Barboza (19-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fl. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to return to his highlight KO-winning ways, as fans have seen with his spectacular finishes over Beneil Dariush, Evan Dunham and Terry Etim. Barboza is excited to share the Octagon® with an opponent who will test his standup and aims to break back into the top five with another signature finish.

Former featherweight Hooker (18-7, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) has been undefeated since moving up to lightweight, winning four fights in a row with all ending before the final horn. Fans are excited to see how far Hooker can go in the stacked 155 pound division, having already taken out established veterans Ross Pearson, Jim Miller and Gilbert Burns. Hooker looks to prove himself ready for the top 10 by taking on the toughest test of his career.

Additional bouts on the card include:

· No. 11-ranked bantamweight Rob Font (15-4, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) welcomes flyweight contender Sergio Pettis (17-4, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) to the 135-pound division.

· No. 10 flyweight contender Jessica-Rosa Clark (9-4, 1 NC, fighting out of Innisfail, Aus.) looks to get back in the win column against No. 15-ranked Andrea Lee (9-2, fighting out of Shreveport, La.).

· Dan Ige (9-2, fighting out of Haleiwa, Hawaii) takes on fellow DANA WHITE’S TUESDAY NIGHT CONTENDER SERIES alum Jordan Griffin (17-5, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.).

· Bobby Green (24-8-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) aims to be the first man to finish rising star Drakkar Klose (9-1-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.).

· Gerald Meerschaert (28-9, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to make it three wins in a row against fellow rising middleweight contender Jack Hermansson (17-4, fighting out of Oslo, Norway).

· Veteran Erik Koch (15-6, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.) intends to spoil the debut of DWTNCS stand out Dwight Grant (8-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.)

· Jared Gordon (14-2, fighting out of Astoria, N.Y.) meets Joaquim Silva (10-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil), with both looking to bounce back from the first losses of their UFC careers.

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

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

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: LEE vs. IAQUINTA 2 will air live on FOX at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Saturday, Dec. 15, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FS1 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: LEE vs. IAQUINTA 2 go on sale Friday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $170, $150, $120, $100, $80 USD (does not include fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Oct. 17 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, Oct. 18 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 440 events in 22 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell-out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories to 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About Fiserv Forum

Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,500 seats for basketball and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The new venue hosts a diverse variety of events, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Marquette University men’s basketball, major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include BMO Harris Bank, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls and Miller Brewing Company.

For more information on Fiserv Forum, please visit: fiservforum.com.

16 October 2018 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced that the promotion has signed former mixed martial arts lightweight world champion “The Underground King” Eddie Alvarez to a multiple bout contract. Alvarez joins a stacked ONE Championship roster, which is the most talent-rich martial arts roster in the industry including world champions from mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing, and the like.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am thrilled to announce that multiple-time world champion Eddie Alvarez will be joining ONE Championship on a multiple-bout contract. Eddie is one of the world’s best martial artists in the world, and is no doubt a tremendous addition to the ONE roster. The ONE Championship roster is incredibly deep with talents such as Shinya Aoki, Eduard Folayang, and Amir Khan, among others. I am excited to have Eddie in that mix and to see some amazing matchups and performances. This is no doubt one of the biggest athlete signings in the history of ONE Championship.”

Known as “The Underground King”, former multiple-time world champion Eddie Alvarez of the United States is a mixed martial arts legend who has competed for the world’s top mixed martial arts promotions. The experience he has gathered over a stellar 15 year professional career so far is beyond impressive, with wins over some of the biggest names in the sport. Alvarez’ most notable victories have come against the likes of Roger Huerta, Shinya Aoki, Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis, Rafael Dos Anjos, and most recently Justin Gaethje. Recognized for his well-rounded skills and unwavering will to win, Alvarez now joins the ONE Championship lightweight division looking to continue his legendary career in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

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 is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship 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. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 138 countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.

11 October 2018 – Yangon, Myanmar: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced additional bouts for ONE: HEART OF THE LION set for Friday, 9 November at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. In the main event, reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan of China will defend her title against ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee of Singapore in one of two epic World Champion vs. World Champion super-bouts on the evening. In the co-main event, reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil will defend his title against ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the Philippines in a highly-anticipated bantamweight title unification bout.

Ticket information for ONE: HEART OF THE LION is available at www.onefc.com.

“The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan began her career competing in professional boxing, and she was originally inspired to pick up the sport by her father, who imparted in her values of courage and integrity. Featuring a wide array of skills, she bagged a gold medal at the prestigious China Open Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament in 2017. Since winning the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship this past January, the Beijing, China native has made two successful title defenses. In her most recent bout, she defeated Samara Santos of Brazil to successfully retain her title and push her record to 16-1. Up next, the 30-year-old travels to Singapore to defend her championship against Angela Lee.

“Unstoppable” Angela Lee is considered one of ONE Championship’s most outstanding athletes. The Singaporean captured the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship with an awe-inspiring victory over Mei Yamaguchi in May 2016, and she has since defended the title successfully on multiple occasions. Lee’s beautiful combination of elite striking and grappling has proven to be a potent formula for success, as she has remained undefeated in her career. In her most recent bout, she beat Yamaguchi once again, showcasing her wide array of skills en route to a unanimous decision victory. Lee is now set to challenge Xiong Jing Nan for the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.

38-year-old Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil is the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion, and widely considered one of the best martial artists in the world bar none. He made his ONE Championship debut back in 2012 and captured the bantamweight world title in 2013. Since then, Fernandes has remained unbeaten inside the ONE Championship cage, showcasing tremendous striking and grappling ability and an unwavering will to win. In his most recent bout, Fernandes defeated two-division titleholder Martin Nguyen by split decision in a World Champion vs. World Champion super-bout. In his next title defense, Fernandes is set to face interim champion Kevin Belingon in a highly-anticipated bantamweight title unification bout.

31-year-old Filipino superstar Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of Team Lakay hails from Kiangan, Ifugao province. He made his professional cage debut in 2007, winning his first nine bouts while capturing a local flyweight title. After joining ONE Championship in 2012, Belingon put together a series of tremendous performances, including several highlight-reel finishes, to earn a shot at ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes in early 2016. Although Belingon failed to capture the title, he has since been on a warpath back to world title contention, putting together a sensational win streak which includes huge knockout wins over several former world title challengers. In his most recent outing, Belingon scored one of the biggest wins of his career, defeating two-division ONE World Champion Martin Nguyen to become the ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion. Up next for Belingon is a bantamweight title unification bout against Bibiano Fernandes.

32-year-old Giorgio Petrosyan of Italy is known as “The Doctor” due to the surgical precision of his strikes. He is considered by many to be the greatest kickboxer of his generation. Petrosyan began his professional Muay Thai career at the age of 16 competing between bantamweight and middleweight, winning multiple titles across each division. He sports a professional kickboxing record of 97-2-2, 1NC and is known for his incredible six-year 42-bout win streak which is considered one of the most dominant reigns in middleweight history. Petrosyan returns to action in a ONE Super Series Kickboxing contest against Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy.

25-year-old Thai kickboxer Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy is one of Thailand’s best Muay Thai practitioners in the modern era. A former Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, Sorgraw sports a kickboxing record of 36-17, and made a successful ONE Super Series debut last June when he marched to a majority decision over Samy Sana of France. Featuring fiery combinations and superb defense, Sorgraw is now looking forward to further testing his skills in ONE Super Series. He faces the renowned Giorgio Petrosyan in his next assignment.

Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a third-degree black belt and Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion feared for his relentless pursuit of submission finishes. He is a technical grappling specialist with a penchant for securing highlight-reel submissions. With steadily increasing confidence, Silva is a winner of six of his last seven bouts, the majority of which have ended with submissions. He defeated Yoshitaka Naito in December 2017 to capture the ONE Strawweight World Championship, but surrendered the title in a rematch months later. Now, Silva is looking to retrace his steps to return to title contention, but he must get past his next challenge which comes against Pongsiri Mitsatit.

Chiang Mai Muay Thai Champion Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit hails from the North East of Thailand and was raised in humble surroundings. After repeated encounters with childhood bullying, Mitsatit decided to pick up Muay Thai to learn how to protect himself. Through his hard work and talent, he soon ran up an impressive 72-17 record, and even won a Muay Thai championship in the process. Mitsatit then made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2014, and has since rapidly emerged as one of Thailand’s most exciting talents. At just 22 years of age, Mitsatit already holds a stellar professional record, including several TKO wins in ONE Championship. Now training at the prestigious Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Mitstatit will see action next against former champion Alex Silva.

Multiple-time No Gi BJJ World Champion Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon of New Jersey, USA began his martial arts career as a wrestler, competing extensively throughout grade school. He was introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu at age 14, enrolling at Tom DeBlass’ Ocean County BJJ and became one of DeBlass’ most dedicated students. He won his first BJJ world title in 2008 in the juvenile blue belt division. Today, he is one of the world’s most decorated grapplers, having won multiple tournaments across the globe. He is a former IBJJF World Champion, two-time IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, and four-time Eddie Bravo Invitational Champion. He made his professional mixed martial arts debut in early 2018, stopping Filipino Richard Corminal by second-round TKO. Tonon now makes his way back to face Sung Jong Lee in his third ONE Championship bout.

Sung Jong Lee of Cheonan, South Korea, is a 33-year-old mixed martial artist who competes and showcases his skills in the talented lightweight division of ONE Championship. A former NAGA No Gi Grappling Champion, Lee holds a professional record of 4-2 in the cage. Always looking to finish on the mat, Lee is a dangerous grappler who is capable of ending matches in a variety of ways. Making his ONE Championship debut last May in Singapore, Lee fell short of victory against local star Amir Khan. This time Lee seeks redemption, as he takes on Garry Tonon.

Adrian “The Hunter” Pang is a martial arts veteran from Queensland, Australia, with a 22-12-2 professional record. The veteran Pang has decimated opponents with his incredible power and no-frills approach to striking in nearly two decades as a professional. He is known for his astounding durability and overwhelming strength, with the ability to walk through opponents with little to no resistance. Pang will need to muster all of his strength however, when he looks to reinsert himself in the winner’s column after a string of unfortunate setbacks. He returns against Kota Shimoishi.

31-year-old martial arts veteran Kota Shimoishi of Osaka, Japan is one of his country’s top-ranked lightweight contenders. Representing Blows Gym, he has a professional mixed martial arts record of 21-6, and is a part of ONE Championship’s deep and talented lightweight division. Shimoishi is known for his well-rounded striking and grappling skills, as well as his ability to deliver victories using his craftiness. A former Shooto Welterweight Tournament Champion, Shimoishi looks to score a big win over a veteran in his next outing. He will face Adrian Pang next.

Tiffany “No Chill” Teo of Singapore is a rising female martial arts star who competes in ONE Championship’s women’s strawweight division. She holds a professional record of 7-1, which includes three submissions and two knockouts. Teo began training in taekwondo before moving on to compete in boxing and Muay Thai and eventually transitioning to the ONE Championship cage. In her last bout, Teo fell short of capturing the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Title, succumbing to eventual champion Xiong Jing Nan. Up next, Teo returns to take on Michelle Nicolini.

Women’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Michelle Nicolini is a martial artist competing in the ONE Championship women’s strawweight division. An eight-time BJJ world champion and Hall-of-Famer, Nicolini’s elite grappling skills have brought her great success since transitioning to the cage, as she now owns a solid 5-1 professional record which includes five impressive submission victories. Nicolini made her ONE Championship debut in November of 2016, figuring in a first-round submission victory over Mona Samir. An extremely technical grappler, Nicolini is scheduled to take on Tiffany Teo in her next appearance.

Former amateur standout “Jungle Cat” Muhammad Aiman of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is one of the country’s fastest rising martial arts talents. Featuring a well-rounded skill set, Aiman has impressed in his time inside the ONE Championship cage thus far, defeating Hisyam Samsudin by unanimous decision in his first match in the promotion before stopping Brazilian grappler Eduardo Novaes in his second outing. In his most recent contest, Aiman thoroughly dominated Chen Lei to win by submission in the second round. The 23-year-old former MIMMA Featherweight Champion based out of Bali, Indonesia is now set to take on his next challenge in Shuya Kamikubo.

DEEP Future King 2014 Tournament Champion Shuya Kamikubo is a former collegiate judoka who was born and raised in Yokohama, a part of Japan’s Kawasaki prefecture. During his studies at Nihon University, Kamikubo dedicated himself to his judo training, achieving several top finishes in major tournaments. Kamikubo was then inspired to compete in the cage, following the success of fellow judoka and Japanese martial arts legend Shinya Aoki. The man known as “Stealth” has put together an impressive 8-1-1 record in under four years as a professional, competing mostly in Japanese regional promotions such as Pancrase and Tribe Tokyo Fight. Now, he showcases his skills in ONE Championship. His next assignment is against Muhammad Aiman.

Hisyam “Zephyrus” Samsudin of Malaysia is a former WBF Asia-Pacific Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion who now represents EWAKO MMA gym in Sabah. Samsudin likes to pepper opponents with heavy handed strikes, utilizing his world-class boxing base. A boxing stylist with powerful hands, the 28-year-old returns to action in search of victory. His next challenge is against Xie Bin.

ONE Hefei Bantamweight Tournament Finalist “The Stalker” Xie Bin grew up in Hunan, China. He is part of a new breed of Chinese athletes who have been training in mixed martial arts since the beginning of their careers. At just 20 years old, Xie has tremendous potential to make an impact on ONE Championship’s bantamweight division. With skills in boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai, Xie is determined to become China’s first-ever male mixed martial arts world champion. He faces Hisyam Samsudin in his next outing.

Undefeated Indonesian mixed martial artist Abro Fernandes is a ONE Championship newcomer set to make his promotional debut. A former Indonesian bantamweight champion, Fernandes owns a perfect professional mixed martial arts record of 7-0 and is known for his strong grappling skills. Looking to make a statement in his first outing in ONE, Fernandes will for an exciting victory against Chan Rothana.

32-year-old Chan Rothana of Phnom Penh, Cambodia is a former Khun Khmer practitioner who transitioned to mixed martial arts in 2014. He currently sports a 4-3 professional mixed martial arts record record which includes one submission victory and three wins by knockout. A former ONE Cambodia Featherweight GP finalist, Rothana is known as a devastating and relentless striker. He returns to action against Abro Fernandes.

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.

Toronto, Canada – UFC® hits Toronto with a pair of thrilling world title fights, headlined by featherweight champion Max Holloway going for his second defense against undefeated No.1 contender Brian Ortega. Also, in a bout for the vacant women’s flyweight championship, former strawweight titleholder Joanna Jedrzejczyk battles No.1-ranked contender Valentina Shevchenko. UFC® 231: HOLLOWAY vs. ORTEGA takes place Saturday, Dec. 8 from Scotiabank Arena and will air live on Pay-Per-View.

Currently riding one of the most impressive win streaks in UFC history, Holloway (19-3, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) secured his first successful title defense with a spectacular TKO win over former titleholder Jose Aldo in December. During his run, he’s earned victories against former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis, Ricardo Lamas, Jeremy Stephens and Cub Swanson. Holloway aims to continue his dominant ways by dispatching an undefeated title threat.

Ortega (14-0 1NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) has been on a tear since joining the UFC in 2014. In his last three outings, he’s taken home four Fight Night bonuses, and in March, he became the first fighter to finish former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar. Known for his incredible grappling and evolving striking, he’s also finished Cub Swanson, Renato Moicano, Clay Guida and Thiago Tavares. With a UFC title in his sights, Ortega plans to hand Holloway his first loss in more than five years.

In the co-main event, former kickboxing rivals throw down for UFC gold.

The most dominant strawweight champ in UFC history, Jedrzejczyk (15-2, fighting out of Olsztyn, Poland) focuses her attention on the burgeoning 125-pound division. An aggressive and devastating Muay Thai striker, she’s delivered crowd-pleasing victories against Tecia Torres, Jessica Andrade, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Claudia Gadelha (twice). She’s now on the cusp of becoming the first female two-division champion in UFC history.

A former bantamweight title challenger, Shevchenko (15-3, fighting out of Lima, Peru by way of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) put the flyweight division on notice with a vicious submission win over Priscila Cachoeira in February. The 17-time world Muay Thai champion also holds spectacular victories against former women’s bantamweight champ Holly Holm, Julianna Pena and Sarah Kaufman. She now looks to make good on her second UFC championship opportunity.

Additional bouts on the card include:

No.5-ranked light heavyweight contender Jimi Manuwa (17-4, fighting out of London, England)battles fellow KO artist Thiago Santos (19-6, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Strawweight contenders collide when No.3-ranked Claudia Gadelha (16-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on No.11 Nina Ansaroff (9-5, fighting out of Weston, Fla., USA)
No.13-ranked Elias Theodorou (16-2, fighting out of Toronto, Canada) battles hard-hitting Eryk Anders (11-2, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala., USA)
In an exciting lightweight bout, Olivier Aubin-Mercier (12-3, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) meets Gilbert Burns (14-3, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., USA by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: UNDEFEATED® winner Brad Katona (8-0, fighting out of Winnipeg, Canada) locks horns with Matthew Lopez (10-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo., USA)
Chad Laprise (14-3, fighting out of Chatham, Ont., Canada) faces Dhiego Lima (14-7, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga., USA) in a clash of welterweight strikers
John Makdessi (16-6, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) goes for his third straight victory when he takes on Diego Ferreira (13-2, fighting out of Pharr, Texas, USA by way of Amazonas, Brazil)
Hakeem Dawodu (8-1-1, fighting out of Calgary, Canada) aims to keeps momentum rolling against gritty Kyle Bochniak (8-3, fighting out of Boston, Mass., USA)
Devin Clark (9-2, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D., USA) looks to turn back surging Aleksandar Rakic (9-1, fighting out of Vienna, Austria)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change. Holloway is currently pending medical examination by the Ontario Athletics Commission.

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

UFC® 231: HOLLOWAY vs. ORTEGA will air live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, Dec. 8, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC® 231: HOLLOWAY vs. ORTEGA go on sale Friday, Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $378.50, $288.50, $193.50, $153.50, $133.50, $98.50, $83.50 CAD (does not include fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Oct. 10 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, Oct. 11 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 440 events in 22 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell-out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories to 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About Scotiabank Arena

Scotiabank Arena is Canada’s premier sports and entertainment venue and home to the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, NBA’s Toronto Raptors and the NLL’s Toronto Rock. Owned and operated by MLSE, Scotiabank Arena opened its doors in February 1999 and has been recognized with more than 40 industry awards highlighting the venue’s security, accessibility, fan service, environmental commitment, sales and box office service. It has also hosted over 39 million fans at over 2,600 events including multiple NHL and NBA playoff runs, the 2016 NHL World Cup of Hockey, 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, 2015 IIHF World U20 Championship, 2003 Liberal Party Convention and 2000 NHL All-Star Game. Scotiabank Arena’s external space has also become a Toronto entertainment destination with the installation of the Leafs Legends Row, bronzed statues honouring the hockey club’s greatest players, the gathering of thousands of Raptors fans in ‘Jurassic Park’ for each of the team’s post season games and other significant international events.

XX October 2018 – Yangon, Myanmar: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the complete card for ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS, set for Friday, 26 October, at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar. In the main event, reigning ONE Middleweight World Champion “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang of Myanmar will defend his title against Mohammad Karaki of Lebanon.

Ticket information for ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS is available at www.onefc.com.

Aung La N Sang is Myanmar’s most successful athlete in history, whose impressive submission skills has earned him the moniker of ”The Burmese Python.” Born in Myitkyina in the mountainous Kachin State, he belongs to an ethnic minority known as the Kachin. Aung La N Sang captured the ONE Middleweight World Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Vitaly Bigdash in June 2017. In February 2018, he defeated Brazil’s Alexandre Machado to be crowned the ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion. Next up, the 33-year-old is set to defend his middleweight title against Mohammad Karaki.

Undefeated Lebanese mixed martial arts star Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki is a 27-year-old athlete with an unblemished professional record of 9-0. The Phoenix Middleweight Champion, Karaki is considered one of the greatest mixed martial artists from the Middle East. He also formerly held the Desert Force Light Heavyweight and Middleweight titles. Of his nine victories, only one bout reached the final bell. With five submissions and three captivating knockouts to his name, Karaki is a feared finisher who is expected to bring the firepower when he meets “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang for the ONE Middleweight World Championship.

30-year-old Rafael “Indio” Nunes is a mixed martial artist from Sao Paulo, Brazil with a record of 11-2. He is the former Premier FC Lightweight Champion and has steamrolled through the competition in his home country with a knack for winning by exciting finish. All but one of Nunes’ wins have ended within the distance. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, Nunes is equally comfortable finishing his opponents by submission or by strikes. He looks to showcase his multifaceted skill set in his next bout, as he is scheduled to face Movlid Khaibulaev.

28-year-old Movlid “Killer” Khaibulaev is a mixed martial artist who hails from Moscow, Russia and is currently undefeated with an immaculate 13-0 professional record. A combat sambo specialist, Khaibulaev combines both striking and grappling skills very well, giving his opponents different looks both on offense and on defense. Having spent the majority of his career competing in his home country, Khaibulaev is determined to find success in Asia. He will be putting his unblemished win-loss slate on the line against Rafael Nunes.

An unbeaten 33-year-old mixed martial artist from Yangon, Phoe Thaw is one of the fastest rising stars in Myanmar. Combining multiple expertise in lethwei, aikido, and kyokushin karate, Phoe Thaw currently competes professionally both in lethwei and in mixed martial arts. He sports a 3-0-2 record in lethwei, and a perfect 6-0 record in ONE Championship. So far in his career, the Yangon native has showcased a penchant for scoring highlight-reel stoppages, winning five of his six bouts by knockout. He will return to action in front of his hometown crowd against Keanu Subba.

Former MIMMA Featherweight Champion Keanu Subba is the younger brother of Gianni Subba, who is one of ONE Championship’s top flyweights. Following in his older brother’s footsteps, Keanu became interested in mixed martial arts in 2005, after watching a reality TV show which centered around the sport. Today, he is one of the most highly-regarded featherweight prospects in ONE Championship. Since making his promotional debut in October 2015, Subba has stopped several opponents, all in the first round. Next up, he faces local hero Phoe Thaw in Myanmar.

Ibrahim El Bouni is of Moroccan-Dutch descent, and was born and raised in Haarlem, a part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area. Known as “Mr. Cool,” El Bouni has developed into a true knockout artist with almost all of his wins coming by way of spectacular stoppage. He has put that overwhelming power to good use, even winning a one-night, eight-man tournament to become the A1WCC World Champion. A young man still just at the beginning of his career, a confident El Bouni says his biggest wins are yet to come, and is intent to rule over the heavier weight classes in ONE Super Series. He returns to action against Tarik Khbabez.

Tarik Khbabez is a professional kickboxer from the Netherlands, and he is one of the most popular martial artists in his home country. Training out of Arj Trainingen gym, and with a professional kickboxing record of 43-5-1, Khbabez is the former two-time Heavyweight Superkombat World Champion. Making his way back to action after a successful ONE Super Series debut, the 26-year-old will now take on Ibrahim El Bouni.

Former SFC Bantamweight Champion Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia is originally from Miami, Florida, where he earned his purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and embarked on a successful amateur martial arts career. In 2013, Urrutia decided to travel to Thailand to prepare for his professional debut, but ended up falling in love with Asia and making the move permanent. In just four years, he has competed in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, accumulating an impressive amount of experience in such a short amount of time. Currently, the 31-year-old is one of the top featherweight talents in ONE Championship, and he will face Kazuki Tokudome in his next contest.

Former Pancrase Lightweight Champion Kazuki Tokudome is a martial artist from Tokyo, Japan. Training out of Paraestra Hachioji, Tokudome owns a professional mixed martial arts record of 18-9-1, and is considered one of Japan’s most highly-touted featherweight talents. With a background in multiple martial arts disciplines including judo, jiu-jitsu, and kickboxing, Tokudome earned nine wins by knockout and three by submission. The 31-year-old is set to return to ONE Championship looking for victory against Emilio Urrutia.

Top King Muay Thai World Champion Han Zi Hao of China is a Muay Thai practitioner who is based out of Bangkok, Thailand. The 23-year-old already owns an impressive professional Muay Thai record of 58-15 early in his career. A representative of Mad Muay Thai Gym, Han now finds himself looking to display his incredible striking skills on the global stage of martial arts competition, joining elite athletes in the world of stand-up martial arts as part of ONE Super Series. Han’s next appearance for the promotion will be a difficult one, however, as the Chinese stalwart is set to face Ryan Jakiri in a ONE Super Series Kickboxing contest.

Ryan “The Filipino Assassin” Jakiri of Zamboanga City, Philippines is 26-year-old kickboxer with a professional record of 9-3. A representative of the Muay Thai Association of the Philippines, Jakiri is known for his calculated but aggressive offense, which has excited fans all throughout his home country. A six-time National Muay Thai Champion, Jakiri now joins the prestigious ONE Super Series and aims to make a name for himself among the world’s best strikers. He makes his promotional debut against Han Zi Hao.

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke is a three-time Lumpinee Stadium World Champion with a Muay Thai record of 282-65-3 and an 8-4 professional mixed martial arts record. He is known as a technical striker with lightning-quick hands and feet, and he employs some of the most unique and creative offensive combinations. As a martial artist with over 25 years of competitive experience, Dejdamrong is a seasoned veteran. Next, the Thai warrior goes up against Himanshu Kaushik.

Indian bantamweight contender Himanshu Kaushik, who hails from Delhi, is a mixed martial artist with a professional record of 4-2. The 26-year-old Delhi Wushu Academy representative joined ONE Championship in February 2017, looking to prove himself on the global stage of martial arts competition. Although Kaushik has competed mostly in his native India, the former Indian National Wushu Champion believes that this is his chance to strike gold. With a wushu record of 71-7, Kaushik will put his quick strikes to the test against Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in his next contest.

Now a veteran of over 70 professional bouts, Luis Santos made his mixed martial arts debut in 2000, entering an eight-man open weight tournament. Some of the athletes weighed in at over 100kg, but “Sapo” still triumphed, as he stopped all three of his opponents in the opening round to claim the first title of his incredible career. Though Santos holds a black belt in judo, as well as a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the veteran warrior is best known for his fearsome striking prowess. More than half of Santos’ victories have come by knockout, owing to the otherworldly power in his strikes. With the ability to finish opponents in a myriad of ways, the 38-year-old is one of the top contenders in ONE Championship’s welterweight division. He takes on Daichi Abe next.

Daichi Abe is a professional mixed martial artist hailing from Tokyo, Japan. A professional kickboxer with a kickboxing record of 10-1, Abe is known for his rapid strikes and the ability to attack from multiple angles. The former Pancrase Welterweight Champion, Abe brings a mixed martial arts record of 6-2 into ONE Championship, joining a stacked welterweight division. The 26-year-old makes his promotional debut against the very dangerous Luis Santos.

Veteran Lethwei star and martial artist Ye Thway Ne of Myanmar made his ONE Championship debut in 2016, and has since gone 3-1 in his professional cage career. He also owns a stellar professional Lethwei record of 42-1-33 and is a two-time Lethwei Gold Belt Champion. Known as a solid stand-up technician and an aggressive striker, Ye Thway Ne is as good a striker as he is a mixed martial artist, and he is out to prove that point when he makes his highly-anticipated return to action. The 21-year-old will take on countryman Mite Yine next in what should be an exciting toe-to-toe battle.

28-year-old Mite Yine from Kayin State, Myanmar is a professional mixed martial artist with a 1-0 record. He is a former two-time Lethwei Gold Belt Champion who sports a professional lethwei record of 35-8-15. After a successful career in Myanmar’s national martial art, Mite Yine made his mixed martial arts debut at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR last June, impressing with a first-round technical knockout. Up next, he faces fellow countryman Ye Thway Ne at home in Yangon.

“Tank” Ma Xu Dong is a 27-year-old professional mixed martial artist from Xi’an, China. He is a sanda specialist known for his smooth combination of striking and grappling. With a professional mixed martial arts record of 5-2, Ma is a bantamweight prospect looking to make waves in one of ONE Championship’s deepest divisions. In his most recent outing, Ma fell short of victory against Zhao Zhi Kang, and is looking to redeem himself against Ahmad Qais Jasoor.

29-year-old “Lycan” Ahmad Qais Jasoor is a mixed martial artist from Kabul, Afghanistan who sports a professional record of 4-1. The former HFC Bantamweight Champion, Jasoor mixed together multiple disciplines including combat sambo and boxing, among others. He joined ONE Championship last June, falling just short of victory against China’s Chen Lei. Now he is set to face Ma Xu Dong and will look to claim his first victory in ONE.

A product of the flourishing Muay Thai scene in Milan, Italy, 27-year-old Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri has become one of Europe’s most well-respected kickboxing competitors. Under the tutelage of Diego Calzolari, the first Italian to ever win at the world-famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, Lasiri has captured the WBA Super Bantamweight and interim WBC Super Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championships over his career. Lasiri made his first ONE Super Series appearance last January in a historic bout against Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, the first-ever Muay Thai bout inside the ONE Championship cage. In his next outing, Lasiri seeks victory as he takes on Josh Tonna.

30-year-old Muay Thai practitioner and professional kickboxer Josh “Timebomb” Tonna is set for his second ONE Super Series appearance. Representing Stockade Training Centre in Canberra, Australia, Tonna is the former WMC International Muay Thai Champion with a professional Muay Thai record of 31-16-0. Tonna makes his way to the prestigious global stage of martial arts competition in ONE Championship. He will meet Joseph Lasiri in a flyweight battle.

Rudy “The Golden Boy” Agustian is a professional mixed martial artist with a record of 4-2. Hailing from Tangerang, Indonesia, Agustian is a Muay Thai specialist and former Indonesian Flyweight Champion. The 33-year-old joins ONE Championship’s stacked flyweight division, and gets his first assignment in the form of Bangladesh’s Asraful Islam.

Asraful “Warrior” Islam of Dhaka, Bangladesh is a professional mixed martial artist with a 2-1 record. A practitioner of the Bruce Lee-developed martial art of Jeet Kune Do, Islam is also a professional boxer with a record of 11-3. Representing Warriors Academy of MMA, Islam is a former National Boxing and Wushu Champion. The 22-year-old is also the former UFI Bantamweight Champion. Specializing in multiple disciplines, Islam is incredibly well-rounded and ready to put his skills on full display when he takes on Rudy Agustian next.

ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS
Friday, 26 October
Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar

Main Event
ONE Middleweight World Championship
Aung La N Sang (C) vs Mohmmad Karaki
Mixed Martial Arts: 93.0kg

Rafael Nunes vs Movlid Khaibulaev
Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg

Phoe Thaw vs Keanu Subba
Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg

Ibrahim El Bouni vs Tarik Khbabez
ONE Super Series Kickboxing: 102.1kg

Emilio Urrutia vs Kazuki Tokudome
Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg

Han Zi Hao vs Ryan Jakiri
ONE Super Series Kickboxing: 65.8kg

Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke vs Himanshu Kaushik
Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg

Luis Santos vs Daichi Abe
Mixed Martial Arts: 83.9kg

Ye Thway Ne vs Mite Yine
Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg

Ma Xu Dong vs Ahmad Qais Jasoor
Mixed Martial Arts: 65.8kg

Joseph Lasiri vs Josh Tonna
ONE Super Series Kickboxing: 61.2kg

Rudy Agustian vs Asraful Islam
Mixed Martial Arts: 61.2kg

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 is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship 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. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 138 countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.

Follow all the action as it happens as Khabib Nurmagomedov defends the UFC Lightweight title against former two-division champion Conor McGregor

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

Round 1: Conor lands a left…Khabib gets Conor’s Ankle..Conor gets taken down against the cage..Khabib on top od Conor…

Round 2 Khabib lands a huge right.  He takes Conor down again..Khabib landing ground and pound..Big rights from Khabib…Khabib landing huge shots on the ground..He is going for a choke..Conor gets up..Huge round for Khabib

Round 3  Conor starting to land left hands…Big right from Khabib..Conor landing…good exchanging..Conor blocks 2 take-downs

Round 4 Front kicks from Conor…Take down from Khabib,..REVERSE CHOKE AND CONOR TAPS OUT

In what should have been the most shining moment in the career of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s career might very well be it’s darkest moment.

Nurmagomedov choked out UFC superstar Conor McGregor in the 4th round to retain the lightweight championship, but what happened after well overshadow a great performance from the undefeated Russian.

Nurmagomedov took McGregor down in round’s one, two and four, almost getting a coveted stoppage in round two as he pounded away at a prone McGregor.  McGregor inched back in the fight in round three by landing some good left hands.

In round four, Khabib got McGregor down and was able to get the rear choke and McGregor tapped out at 4:04.

After the fight, Khabib climbed the cage and leaped into the crowd where McGregor’s cornermen where situated.  A melee ensued and spilled out into the crowd, causing a scary situation.  Then part of Khabib’s entourage leaped into the cage and a couple landed sucker punches on McGregor.

The situation should produce major infractions Khabib, risking his title because a lengthy suspension is warranted.

Khabib is 27-0.  McGregor is 21-4.

Tony Furguson stopped Anthony Pettis after round two of their lightweight war.

After a good round one, Furguson got caught with a huge right hand the jaw but Pettis’ head was bleeding..  The doctor came into check, but Pettis was allowed to continue.  Furgison came back to land some hard punches which caused a massive cut around the left eye of Pettis.

After the round, Pettis claimed he may have broke his hand, and the fight was stopped.

Furguson, 155 lbs of Orange County, CA is 25-3.  Pettis, 156 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 21-8.

Dominick Reyes won a unanimous decision over former world title challenger Ovince Saint Preux in a light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Reyes rocked Saint Preux several times with hard kicks and punches.  In round three, Saint Preux was cut over his left eye from an elbow.  Reyes drilled Saint Preux with a massive left hand just as the bell sounded to end the fight.

Reyes, 204.5 lbs of Victorville, CA won by scores of 30-27 and is now 10-0.  Saint Preux, 205 lbs of Knoxville, TN is 23-12.

Derrick Lewis saw his UFC title shot going down the drain until he was somehow able comeback and same Alexander Volkoff in the final round of their heavyweight fight.

Lewis was lethargic and losing the first two-plus rounds until he landed a massive right hand the rocked Volkoff to the canvas.  Lewis pounded Volkoff until the bout was stopped at 4:49.

Lewis of Houston is now 21-5-1.  Volkoff is now 30-7.

Michelle Waterson won a unanimous decision over Felice Herrig in a strawweightbout.

Waterson won by scores of 30-27, 30-26 and 29-28 to raise her mark to 16-6.  Herrig is 14-8.

Justin Formiga won a unanimous decision over Sergio Pettis in a flyweight bout.

Formiga won by tallies of 30-26 and 29-28 twice and is now 22-5.  Pettis is 17-4.

Vicente Luque stopped Jalin Turner in the 1st round of their welterweight bout.

Luque dropped Turner with a left hand and perched to land several hard and unanswered punches until the bout was stopped at 3:47.

Luque is now 14-6-1. Turner is 7-4.

Aspen Ladd stopped Tonya Evinger in round one of their bantamweight bout.

Ladd got Evinger on the ground and pounded away until the bout was stopped at 3:26.

Ladd is now 7-0. Evinger is 19-7-1.

Scott Holtzman stopped Alan Patrick at in round three of their lightweight bout.

Holtzman pounded Patrick while on the ground, and the bout was stopped at 3:42.

Holtzman is 12-2. Patrick is 15-2.

Las Vegas – UFC® announced today that a pivotal welterweight contender battle between No.3-ranked welterweight contender Rafael Dos Anjos and No.6 Kamaru Usman will headline THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®: HEAVY HITTERS FINALE. The culmination of this season of the popular reality series will see heavyweight and women’s featherweight tournament winners crowned. The event goes down Friday, Nov. 30 and will air live from The Pearl on FS1.

A former lightweight champion, Dos Anjos (28-10, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) found new life upon jumping to the welterweight division last year. He immediately tore through the ranks by earning impressive wins over former champ Robbie Lawler, Neil Magny and Tarec Saffiedine. After coming up short in his bid to capture the interim title earlier this year, Dos Anjos now aims to reassert himself among the top welterweights in the world.

The winner of the 21st season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®, Usman (13-1, fighting out of Dallas, Tex. by way of Auchi, Nigeria) has turned heads in the 170-pound weight class since joining the UFC roster in 2015. During this run, he’s netted dominant victories against Demian Maia, Emil Meek, Sergio Moraes, Sean Strickland and Warlley Alves. He now looks to add a former world champion to his resume and secure a shot at the welterweight title.

Additional bouts on the card include:

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® heavyweight tournament final
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® women’s featherweight tournament final
No.9-ranked bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz (16-3 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) locks horns with Bryan Caraway (21-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)
Former Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez (22-7, fighting out of San Francisco, Calif.) returns against surging Arnold Allen (13-1, fighting out of Suffolk, England)
No.11-ranked women’s flyweight contender Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-3, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) welcomes DANA WHITE’S TUESDAY NIGHT CONTENDER SERIES contract earner Antonina Shevchenko (6-0, fighting out of Lima, Peru by way of Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan)
Debuting DWTNCS winner Roosevelt Roberts (6-0, fighting out of San Bernardino, Calif.) takes on Darrell Horcher (13-3, fighting out of Shermansdale, Penn.)
Darren Stewart (9-3 1NC, fighting out of London, England) looks to keep his momentum rolling against DWTNCS victor Edmen Shahbazyan (6-0, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.)
Tim Means (27-10 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) aims to rebound against tough Ricky Rainey (13-5, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.)

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

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

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®: HEAVY HITTERS FINALE will air live on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 30, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Tickets for THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®: HEAVY HITTERS FINALE go on sale Friday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $330.50, $230.50 and $155.50 (does not include fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Oct. 3 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, Oct. 4 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 440 events in 22 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories to 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About Pearl Concert Theater

The Pearl is Las Vegas’ premier concert theater boasting accommodations for up to 2,500 ticket holders. The newly renovated venue features a stage just four feet from the floor with the farthest seat a mere 120 feet back, offering the utmost in intimate concert viewing. Private and semi-private skyboxes are located on each side of the venue offering private bars, lounges, and restrooms. The Pearl is a marvel of modern technology boasting top-of-the-line sound and video equipment throughout. Hard wired to Studio at the Palms, The Pearl allows artists to create a cost-effective live album with efficiency. For more information, please visit www.palms.com.