UFC® KICKS OFF 2019 ON ESPN+ WITH FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP SUPERFIGHT BETWEEN (C) HENRY CEJUDO AND (C – BW) TJ DILLASHAW

Las Vegas – UFC® debuts on ESPN+ in Brooklyn, NY with a championship superfight that will see newly crowned flyweight titleholder Henry Cejudo make his first title defense against current bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw. Also, fan favorite Paige VanZant returns to the Octagon to take on The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion veteran Rachael Ostovich. UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: CEJUDO vs. DILLASHAW takes place Saturday, Jan. 19 at Barclays Center and will stream live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off the evening at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and the early prelims on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will be available in English and Spanish.

An Olympic wrestling gold medal winner, Cejudo (13-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) put on his most spectacular performance to date in August when he dethroned dominant flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson. During his UFC career, he has also earned impressive victories over Sergio Pettis, Wilson Reis, Jussier Formiga and Chris Cariaso. Cejudo now looks to make his first successful title defense in the biggest fight of his career.

Dillashaw (17-3, fighting out of Angels Camp, Calif.) aims to make history by joining Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier as only the third fighter to simultaneously hold championships in two UFC divisions. Dillashaw most recently defended his bantamweight belt against heated rival Cody Garbrandt by sensational KO. He also holds incredible wins against Renan Barao, John Lineker and Raphael Assuncao. Dillashaw is now poised to etch his name among the all-time UFC greats.

Looking for her first win at flyweight, VanZant (7-4, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) finally returns to action after a year off due to injury. A fan favorite for her time on season 22 of Dancing with the Stars where she placed second, VanZant is still one of the youngest fighters on the roster. She intends to show off her constantly-evolving mixed martial arts skills by outdoing her highlight reel knockout of Bec Rawlings and earning the third post-fight bonus of her career.

Ostovich (4-4, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) looks to start 2019 off on a high note by earning her second UFC win in the biggest opportunity of her career. A quarterfinalist on her season of The Ultimate Fighter, Ostovich has won half of her fights by submission, most recently tapping out fellow TUF competitor Karine Gevorgyan in under two minutes. She is now positioned to break into the top-15 rankings with an impressive win.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No.11-ranked light heavyweight contender and former title challenger Glover Teixeira (27-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Governador Valadares, Brazil) goes to war with power-punching Ion Cutelaba (14-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova)
Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Allen Crowder (9-3, fighting out of Mebane, N.C.) looks to spoil the highly-anticipated debut of ex-NFL star Greg Hardy (3-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.)
No. 11-ranked Joanne Calderwood (12-3, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland) intends to defend her top-15 rank against the debuting Ariane Lipski (11-3, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
New York’s Randy Brown (10-3, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) looks to rebound against Chance Rencountre (12-3, fighting out of Pawhuska, Okla.)
In a battle of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series contract winners, Alonzo Menifield (7-0, fighting out of Dallas, Tex.) takes on Vinicius Moreira (9-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil)
Belal Muhammad (14-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) meets Geoff Neal (10-2, fighting out of Dallas, Tex.) in a welterweight thriller

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.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: CEJUDO vs. DILLASHAW go on sale Friday, Dec 14 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $200, $150, $120, $100 and $90 (not including fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Saturday, Dec. 15 at noon. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Dec. 12 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, Dec. 13 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 450 events in 24 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 165 countries and territories to more than 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+, 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.

ESPN+ will offer UFC fans 20 exclusive UFC on ESPN+ Fight Nights per year, as well as an extensive lineup of on-demand UFC programming, original shows (including “Dana White’s Contender Series”), classic fights and more. In addition to live and on-demand UFC content included in the ESPN+ subscription, fight fans will be able to purchase and watch UFC PPV events via ESPN+ and within the ESPN app, for a separate cost.

In addition to UFC, ESPN+ offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 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 available across nearly all major mobile and connected device platforms and delivers a rich, personalized experience that curates ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

About BSE Global:

BSE Global, formerly Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, develops and operates state-of-the-art venues and manages premier sports franchises, delivering dynamic content and experiences for audiences. BSE oversees programming, marketing, sales, and operations for Barclays Center; NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum; LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theatre; and Webster Hall. BSE manages and controls the Brooklyn Nets and its NBA G League team, the Long Island Nets, as well as the business operations of the NHL’s New York Islanders.

Barclays Center, which opened on September 28, 2012, offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and Parm Italian Restaurant & 40/40 CLUB by Tanduay Rum.

NYCB LIVE reopened on April 5, 2017 after undergoing an extensive renovation. The venue offers 14,500 seats for basketball, MMA and boxing, 13,900 for hockey, up to 15,000 for concerts, and 4,500 seats for its theater configuration.

With a focus on emerging businesses, BSE identifies and creates alliances, strategic partnerships and other business opportunities to ensure the success of its assets.




Video: UFC 231 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 3




VIDEO: UFC 231 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 2




Video: UFC 231: Pre-fight Press Conference




Video: UFC 231 Countdown: Full Episode




Video: UFC 231 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 1




UFC® ENDS YEAR WITH TWO THRILLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS

Las Vegas – UFC® will put an exclamation point on 2018 with a pair of blockbuster world championship fights. In a bout to crown a new light heavyweight champion, former titleholder Jon Jones will take on No.1 contender Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch of their 2013 classic. Also, women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg aims for her third successful defense against bantamweight titleholder Amanda Nunes. UFC® 232: JONES vs. GUSTAFSSON 2 takes place Saturday, Dec. 29 from T-Mobile Arena and will air live on Pay-Per-View.

The most dominant light heavyweight champion ever, Jones (23-1 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) is looking to regain his spot atop the division. During his previous reign, he earned spectacular victories over Daniel Cormier, Glover Teixeira, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson. His first encounter with Gustafsson yielded arguably the greatest light heavyweight championship fight in UFC history. He’s now ready to run it back against one of the toughest tests of his career.

A two-time title challenger, Gustafsson (18-4, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) is hoping the third time will prove to be the charm. A talented and devastating striker, he has netted incredible wins against Glover Teixeira, Jimi Manuwa, Shogun Rua, Vladimir Matyushenko and Matt Hamill. Though he came up short against Jones in their first bout, he came close to edging the then-champ on judges’ scorecards. He is now gunning to even the score and capture UFC gold.

The first and only women’s featherweight champion, Cyborg (20-1 1NC, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Curitiba, Brazil) has not lost a bout in over 13 years. Throughout her storied career, she has secured thrilling victories over former bantamweight champ Holly Holm, Yana Kunitskaya, Tonya Evinger, Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano. She’s now poised to put on another vintage performance and deliver her 18th career knockout victory.

Nunes (16-4, fighting out of Miami, Fla. by way Salvador, Brazil) looks to make history by becoming the first female two-division champ in UFC history. During her current run of dominance, she’s picked up impressive wins against UFC Hall of Fame inductee and inaugural titleholder Ronda Rousey, former champ Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko, Raquel Pennington and Sara McMann. She now plays the role of underdog against the most destructive women’s fighter the sport has ever seen.

Additional bouts on the card include:

Former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit (30-12, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) welcomes dangerous finisher Michael Chiesa (14-4, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.) to the 170-pound division
In a clash of light heavyweight contenders, No.4-ranked Ilir Latifi (15-5 1NC, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) looks to keep his momentum rolling against surging No.7 Corey Anderson (12-4, fighting out of Robbinsville, N.J.)
Two-time featherweight title challenger and No.5-ranked contender Chad Mendes (18-4, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) squares off with rising No.11 Alexander Volkanovski (18-1, fighting out of Windang, Australia)
Former heavyweight champ and No.13-ranked contender Andrei Arlovski (27-17 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill. by way of Minsk, Belarus) aims to rebound against hard-hitting Walt Harris (11-7, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.)
No.6-ranked women’s bantamweight contender Cat Zingano (9-3, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) moves up to featherweight to face former Invicta champ Megan Anderson (8-3, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo. by way of Gold Coast, Australia)
Former two-division champion BJ Penn (16-12-2, fighting out of Hilo, Hawaii) returns against The Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Hall (6-1, fighting out of Falls Church, Va.)
No.14-ranked bantamweight contender Douglas Silva de Andrade (25-2 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Brazil) takes on fellow hot prospect Petr Yan (10-1, fighting out of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia)
Tom Duquesnoy (15-2 1NC, fighting out of Paris, France) meets Nathaniel Wood (14-3, fighting out of London, England) in a battle of bantamweight prospects
No.12-ranked middleweight contender Uriah Hall (14-9, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) meets Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series contract winner Bevon Lewis (5-0, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
Curtis Millender (16-3, fighting out of Fullerton, Calif.) locks horns with seasoned veteran Siyar Bahadurzada (23-6-1, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands by way of Kabul, Afghanistan)

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® 232: JONES vs. GUSTAFSSON 2 will air live from T-Mobile Arena on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, Dec. 29, 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® 232: JONES vs. GUSTAFSSON 2 go on sale Friday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1,255, $1,005, $805, $655, $505, $430, $355, $285, $235, $190 and $140 (not including fees). 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, Nov. 7 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, Nov. 8 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 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 at T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.




LIVE VIDEO: UFC 230: Post-fight Press Conference




UFC® EVENT DATES AND LOCATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR FIRST QUARTER 2019

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.




VIDEO: UFC 230 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 6




VIDEO: UFC 230 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 5




Video: UFC 230: Weigh-in




VIDEO: UFC 232: Jones vs Gustafsson 2 Press Conference




VIDEO: UFC 230 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 4




Video: UFC 230 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 3




Video: UFC 230 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 2




Video: UFC 230 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 1




Video: UFC 230 Countdown: Full Episode




A REMATCH BETWEEN TOP LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDERS (#5) KEVIN LEE AND (#9) AL IAQUINTA HEADLINES INAUGURAL UFC® EVENT AT MILWAUKEE’S NEW WORLD-CLASS FISERV FORUM

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.




UFC® RETURNS TO TORONTO WITH PAIR OF BLOCKBUSTER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS

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.

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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.




LIVE VIDEO: UFC 229 POST-FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE




Khabib chokes out McGregor in 4th; Khabib starts brawl in stands and in cage

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.




VIDEO: UFC 229 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 5




Video: UFC 229 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 4




LIVE VIDEO: UFC 229: Khabib vs McGregor Weigh-in




Video: UFC 229 Pre-fight Press Conference: Khabib vs McGregor




VIDEO: UFC 229 Embedded: – Episode 3




VIDEO: UFC 229 Embedded: – Episode 2 (kHABIB VS MCGREGOR)




(#3) RAFAEL DOS ANJOS vs. (#6) KAMARU USMAN WELTERWEIGHT WAR HEADLINES THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®: HEAVY HITTERS FINALE

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.




VIDEO: UFC 229 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 1–KHABIB VS MCGREGOR