Dustin Poirier shocked Conor McGregor in he 2nd round of their lightweight in Abu Dhabi.

McGregor had a solid round one with his strikes. In round two, Poirier started to get on track with Calf kicks. Poirier landed a hard shot that hurt McGregor. One more hard punch sent McGregor down, and the fight was stopped at 2:32.

Poirier, 156 lbs is 27-6 with 14 knockouts. McGregor, 155 lbs is 22-5.

Chandler Knocks Out Hooker in 1

Michael Chandler made a spectacular UFC debut with a 1st round stoppage over Dan Hooker in a lightweight bout.

 Chandler dropped down with a left hand and then and drilled Hooker with some hard Ground-and-Pound and the fight was stopped at 2:30.

Chandler, 156 lbs is 22-5 with 10 stoppages. Hooker of New Zealand is 20-10.

Calderwood Decisions Eye

Joanne Calderwood won a unanimous decision over Jessica Eye in a flyweight fight

Calderwood outlanded Eye 214-104 and won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 15-4. Eye is 15-9.

Muradov stops Sanchez in 3

Makhmud Muradov stopped Jason Sanchez in round three of their middleweight bout.

In round three, Muradov landed a big right hand that hurt Sanchez and then he landed flying knee and that pushed Sanchez up on the cage Muradov landed a big flurry, and the fight was stopped at 3:00.

Muradov, 186 lbs of Tajikistan is now 25-6 with his 17th stoppage. Sanchez, 186 lbs is 12-6.

Rodriguez stops Ribas in 2

Mariana Rodriguez stopped Amanda Ribas in round two of their flyweight bout.

Rodriguez dropped Ribas with a hard right. Several Ground-and-Pound shots later, and the fight was stopped at 54 seconds.

Rodriguez, 116 lbs of Brazil is now 13-2 with six stoppages. Ribas, 116 lbs of Brazil is 10-2.

Arman Tsaryukyan won a unanimous decision over Matt Frevola in a lightweight bout.

Tsaryukyan landed 116 of 185 punches; Frevola landed 51 of 95.

Tsaryukan, 155.5 lbs of the Georgia Republic won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 16-2. Frevola, 155.5 lbs is 8-2-1.

Brad Tavares won a unanimous decision over Antonio Carlos Jr. in a middleweight bout.

Tavares landed 75 of 139 strikes. Carlos landed 58 of 143.

Tavares, 185.5 lbs won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 18-7. Carlos, 185 lbs of Brazil is 11-5.

Juliana Pena submitted Sara McMann in round three of their bantamweigh clash.

Pena was able to make McMann submit from a rear-naked choke at 3:40.

Pena, 136 lbs of Chicago is 11-4 with her 5th stoppage. McMann, 135 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 12-6.

Marcin Prochnio won a unanimous decision over Kahlil Rountree Jr. in a light heavyweight bout.

Prachnio landed 108 of 229 strikes; Rountree was 59 of 155.

Prachnio, 205 lbs of Warsaw, POL won by scores of 29-28 on all cards, and is now 14-5. Rountree, 206 lbs of Las Vegas is 9-5.

Movsar Evloev won a split decision over Nik Lentz in a catchweight bout.

Lentz had swelling under his right eye in the opening round. By the end of round three, Lentz’ face was a bloody mess.

Evloev landed 124 of 234 strikes; Lentz was 50-143.

Evloev won two cards 29-28. Lentz on the strength of a good 1st round where he almost was able to be successful on a couple of choke attempts, took a card 29-28.

Evloev, 150 lbs of Russia, won by scores of and is now 14-0. Lentz, 150 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is 30-12-2

Amir Albazi won a unanimous decision over Zhalgas Zhumagulov in a flyweight bout.

Albazi landed 101 of 209 strikes; Zhumagulov was 72 of 149. Albazi had several near-miss choke opportunities in the 3rd round.

Albazi, 126 lbs of Iraq won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 14-1. Zhumagulov, 126 lbs of Kazakhstan is 13-5.

Dalcha Lungiambula won a unanimous decision over Markus Perez in a middleweight fight.

In round three, Perez was cut on his forehead.

Lungiambula outlanded Perez 60-38 and won by scores of 29-28 on all cards.

Lungiambula, 186 lbs of Cape Town, SA is 11-2. Perez, 186 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 12-5.

Francisco Figueiredo won a unanimous decision over Jerome Rivera

Rivera landed more strikes (85-39), but Figueiredo had four takedowns and won by scores of 29-28 on all cards .

Figueiredo of Brazil is 12-3-1. Rivera of New Mexico is 10-4.

Mike Davis won a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mason Jones in a lightweight bout.

Despite getting outstruck 147-122, Davis took all three cards by 29-28 cards.

Davis, 154.5 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is 9-2. Jones, 156 lbs of Wales is 10-1.

Umar Nurmagomedov remained perfect by choking out Sergey Morozov in round two of their bantamweight bout.

Nurmagomedov was very impressive with his striking and, in round two, got on Morozov’s back and choked him out along the fence at 3:39.

Nurmagomedov, 136 lbs of Russia is 13-0. Morozov, 135 lbs of Aktobe, KAZ is 16-4.

Nurmagomedov is the cousin of UFC Lightweight champion and Pound-For-Pound king Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Manon Fiorot stopped Victoria Leonardo in the 2nd round of their flyweight bout.

Fiorot staggered Leonardo with a hard right that drove Leonardo back to the cage. Fiorot finished the fight by landing a hard flurry of punches against the cage at 4:08.

Fiorot, 126 lbs of Nice, FRA is 6-1 with four stoppages. Leonardo, 125.5 lbs of Shreveport, LA is 8-4.

Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off its third run on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with two pivotal main event clashes guaranteed to deliver action. First, two of the best featherweights on the planet face off, as former champion and No. 1 ranked contender Max Holloway looks to earn another shot at the title by taking out No. 6 Calvin Kattar. Next, top welterweight contenders collide looking to break into the top 5 as No. 8 ranked Michael Chiesa meets No. 9 Neil Magny.    

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT on ESPN+: HOLLOWAY vs. KATTAR will take place Saturday, January 16 on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. For the first time ever, the main card will be televised live on ABC and simulcast on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes (Spanish), beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick things off at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+.

Holloway (21-6, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) intends to start the New Year by delivering another vintage performance and returning to the winner’s circle. Arguably the greatest featherweight in UFC history, he owns the division’s records for most stoppage victories, most wins and the longest win streak. During his reign as champion, Holloway defeated Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega and Frankie Edgar in dominant fashion. He now aims to cement himself as the clear No. 1 contender by becoming the first person to stop Kattar in the UFC.

Fan favorite Kattar (22-4, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.) looks to step up and impress in the biggest fight of his career and inject himself into the title conversation. An exciting and dangerous striker, Kattar rose through the featherweight ranks with memorable knockouts over Shane Burgos, Ricardo Lamas and Jeremy Stephens. He now looks to stay undefeated on UFC FIGHT ISLAND and prove that he is one of the best in the world against his first former champion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Welterweight veterans finally meet as former interim champion Carlos Condit (31-13, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) faces off with Matt Brown (24-17, fighting out of Denver, Colo.)
• Welterweight standout Santiago Ponzinibbio (28-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) returns to action for the first time in over two years when he takes on the durable Li Jingliang (17-6, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• 2020 breakout star Joaquin Buckley (12-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) intends to keep his momentum going when he battles Alessio Di Chirico (12-5, fighting out of Rome, Italy) at middleweight
• Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Seriesveterans lock horns as Punahele Soriano (6-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces Dusko Todorovic (10-0, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia) in a middleweight contest
• Rising women’s bantamweight prospect Wu Yanan (10-3, fighting out of Xi’an, China) looks to deliver her most impressive performance yet against newcomer Joselyne Edwards (9-2, fighting out of Panama City, Panama)
• Dana White’s Contender Series standout Phil Hawes (9-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) seeks to hand Nassourdine Imavov (9-2, fighting out of Paris, France) his first UFC loss
• No. 13 ranked middleweight Omari Akhmedov (20-5-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) plans to defend his place in the rankings when he battles Tom Breese (12-2, fighting out of Birmingham, England)
• Heavyweights Carlos Felipe (9-1, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) and Justin Tafa (4-1, fighting out of Brisbane, Australia) intend to steal the show
• Featherweight grapplers go to war as Nik Lentz (30-11-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Mike Grundy (12-2, fighting out of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England) look to bounce back into the win column
• Jacob Kilburn (8-3, fighting out of Woodlawn, Tenn.) and Austin Lingo (7-1, fighting out of Mesquite, Texas) battle to secure their first UFC wins in a featherweight bout
• Women’s bantamweight veteran Sarah Moras (6-7, fighting out of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) intends to stop Vanessa Melo (10-8, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) from achieving her first UFC victory
• David Zawada (17-5, fighting out of Düsseldorf, Germany) and Ramazan Emeev (19-4, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) clash in an exciting welterweight bout

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT on ESPN+: CHIESA vs. MAGNY will take place Wednesday, January 20 on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. All bouts will air live on ESPN, ESPN Desportes and ESPN+ in the U.S. with the main card beginning at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT and the prelims starting at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT.

Chiesa (17-4, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.) has his sights set on continuing his ascent up the welterweight ranks by taking out one of the division’s toughest competitors. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 15, Chiesa established himself as one of the best lightweights in the world with victories over Beneil Dariush and Jim Miller before moving up to welterweight in 2018. Since the move, Chiesa has gone undefeated with wins over Rafael Dos Anjos, Diego Sanchez and Carlos Condit. He now looks to make it four in a row and stake his claim for a spot in the top 5. 

A member of the UFC roster since 2013, Magny (24-8, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) has faced the who’s who of the welterweight division. Among the most active athletes on the roster with a record-tying five wins in a calendar year in 2014, Magny’s resume includes victories over former UFC champions Robbie Lawler, Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit. He now seeks to begin the New Year with a major win and work his way towards his first UFC title shot.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 winner Warlley Alves (13-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) matches up with Mounir Lazzez (10-1, fighting out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
• Featherweight standout Lerone Murphy (9-0-1, fighting out of Manchester, England) plans to stay undefeated when he takes on durable veteran Douglas Silva (26-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil)
• Ike Villanueva (16-11, fighting out of Katy, Texas) faces Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil veteran Vinicius Moreira (9-4, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) at light heavyweight
• In a middleweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2, fighting out of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) takes on submission artist Markus Perez (12-4, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• No. 8 ranked women’s flyweight contender Roxanne Modafferi (25-18, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets No. 9 Viviane Araujo (9-2, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) in a battle to break into the top 5
• In a contest of flyweight prospects, Su Mudaerji (13-4, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China) aims to stop Zarrukh Adashev (3-2, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan) from earning his first UFC win
• Francisco Figueiredo (11-3-1, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil), brother of UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, intends to make a statement in his debut against Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Jerome Rivera (10-3, fighting out of Santa Fe, N.M.) at flyweight
• Lightweight Mike Davis (8-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) looks to spoil the highly anticipated debut of Mason Jones (10-0, fighting out of Blaenavon, Wales)
• In an exciting matchup of top 15 flyweights, No. 9 ranked Matt Schnell (14-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) meets No. 13 Tyson Nam (20-11-1, fighting out of Wahiawa, Hawaii)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Victoria Leonardo (8-2, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) and Manon Fiorot (5-1, fighting out of Nice, France) battle at flyweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 11.5 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® closes out the year with a welterweight bout that will see No. 5 ranked contender Stephen Thompson take on surging No. 11 Geoff Neal. In a co-main event bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, No. 7 ranked bantamweight contender Jose Aldo faces No. 15 Marlon Vera

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: THOMPSON vs. NEAL will take place Saturday, December 19 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off on ESPN+ starting at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Two-time UFC welterweight title challenger Thompson (15-4-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) looks to make the most of his sole 2020 appearance by securing another highlight-reel KO. Throughout his career, Thompson has earned memorable wins over Jorge Masvidal, Rory MacDonald and Robert Whittaker. Thompson now looks to defend his position in the welterweight top five by stopping the momentum of another rising contender.

Neal (13-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) hopes to capitalize on his first UFC main event spot by taking out a former UFC title challenger. After securing a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Neal rattled off a series of memorable wins to enter the welterweight top 15. He holds thrilling KO victories over Mike Perry, Niko Price and Frank Camacho. Neal is now gunning for his eighth consecutive win to stake his claim as a dangerous title threat.

Two-time UFC featherweight champion Aldo (28-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to prove he still has another title run ahead of him. Throughout his storied career, he has netted sensational victories against Frankie Edgar (twice), Chad Mendes (twice), Chan Sung Jung and Urijah Faber. Aldo now has his sights set on becoming the first fighter to finish Vera by delivering a vintage performance.

Unbeaten in his last six bantamweight bouts, Vera (16-6-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) is ready to stake his claim as a dangerous title threat. Since joining the UFC roster in 2014, Vera has secured impressive KO wins over Sean O’Malley, Andre Ewell, Frankie Saenz and Brad Pickett. Vera now intends to enter the bantamweight top 10 by finishing his first former UFC champion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Michel Pereira (24-11 2NC, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil) locks horns with Khaos Williams (11-1, fighting out of Detroit, Mich.) in an all-action welterweight bout
• No. 3 ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes (23-7-1, fighting out of Parkland, Fla. by way of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on No. 11 Rob Font (17-4, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) in a battle of talented strikers
• Marcin Tybura (20-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) squares off with Greg Hardy (7-2 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) at heavyweight
• No. 12 ranked women’s flyweight contender Gillian Robertson (9-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Canada) goes for another highlight-reel finish against tough Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil alum Taila Santos (16-1, fighting out of Jaraguá do Sul, SC, Brazil)
• Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (23-10, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) faces Alex Morono (18-6 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) at welterweight
• No. 13 ranked contender Belal Muhammad (17-3, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) battles Dhiego Lima (17-7, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) in an entertaining welterweight contest
• Women’s bantamweight contenders collide when No. 13 ranked Sijara Eubanks (7-5, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) meets No. 14 Pannie Kianzad (14-5, fighting out of Helsingborg, Sweden, by way of Ahwaz, Iran)
• Middleweight finishers Karl Roberson (9-3, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) and Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2, fighting out of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) vie for a post-fight bonus
• Deron Winn (6-2, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) faces Antonio Arroyo (9-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in a 195-pound catchweight bout
• Aiemann Zahabi (7-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) ends a 19-month hiatus to square off with Dana White’s Contender Series signee Drako Rodriguez (7-1, fighting out of Sioux City, Iowa) at bantamweight
• Tafon Nchukwi (4-0, Temple Hills, Md. by way of Bamenda, Cameroon) meets fellow Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Jamie Pickett (11-4, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) in a middleweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Jimmy Flick (15-5, fighting out of Tulsa, Okla.) debuts against Cody Durden (11-2-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
• Rick Glenn (21-6-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) takes on Carlton Minus (10-2 1NC, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska) at lightweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 10.3 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – The final UFC^® Pay-Per-View of the year promises to be an historic one, as flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo looks to set the record for fastest consecutive UFC title defenses when he faces No. 1 ranked contender Brandon Moreno. Also on the card, former interim lightweight champion and No. 3 ranked contender Tony Ferguson battles No. 7 Charles Oliveira.

UFC^® 256: FIGUEIREDO vs. MORENO will take place Saturday, December 12 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas and will stream live on Pay-Per-View, exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

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

Fans will be able to purchase UFC^® 256: FIGUEIREDO vs. MORENO online at ESPNPlus.com/PPV or on the ESPN App on mobile and connected-TV devices. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English on ESPN2 and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, as well as being simulcast in both languages on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ (in English and Spanish) at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Figueiredo (20-1, fighting out of Soure, Pará, Brazil) looks to follow up his recent first-round defense of the UFC flyweight title by delivering another spectacular performance less than a month later. A well-rounded finisher, he caught the attention of the MMA world with emphatic stoppages over Joseph Benavidez (twice), Tim Elliot and John Moraga. Figueiredo now aims to continue building his reputation as one of the best fighters on the planet by becoming the first person to finish Moreno.

Moreno (18-5-1, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) intends to make the most of his first UFC title shot by derailing Figueiredo. He returns to action on the same short-notice turnaround as the champion, after an impressive first-round finish of fellow top contender Brandon Royval. Undefeated since his return to the UFC, Moreno distinguished himself with victories over Jussier Formiga and Kai Kara-France, and now plans on capturing UFC gold.

Former interim UFC lightweight champion Ferguson (26-4, fighting out of Orange County, Calif.) seeks to place himself back at the top of the rankings with another signature victory. Among the most entertaining athletes on the UFC roster, he worked his way up the pound-for-pound ranks with thrilling wins over Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis and Kevin Lee. Ferguson now has his sights set on securing another shot at the undisputed title by snapping the win streak of Oliveira.

Submission ace Oliveira (29-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) goes for his eighth win in a row in the most important bout of his career. The record holder for most submissions in UFC history, he proved himself to be one of the most dangerous competitors in the lightweight division with finishes of Kevin Lee, Nick Lentz and Jim Miller. Oliveira now intends to deliver his most remarkable performance yet and insert his name into the title conversation.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Exciting lightweights clash as Renato Moicano (14-3-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) takes on Rafael Fiziev (8-1, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand)
• Fan favorite middleweight Kevin Holland (21-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) seeks to secure the biggest win of his career when he takes on dangerous veteran Jacare Souza (26-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Ranked heavyweights lock horns as former UFC champion and No. 7 ranked Junior Dos Santos (21-8, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) looks to hand No. 14 Ciryl Gane (6-0, fighting out of Paris, France) his first loss
• Li Jing Liang (17-6, fighting out of Beijing, China) challenges fellow welterweight striker Dwight Grant (10-3, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Cub Swanson (26-11, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) meets Daniel Pineda (27-13, 2 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a matchup of featherweight veterans
• Ranked women’s strawweights aim to break into the top 10 as No. 11 Mackenzie Dern (9-1, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) takes on No. 13 Virna Jandiroba (16-1, fighting out of  Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil)
• Women’s strawweight veterans intend to steal the show as No. 9 Tecia Torres (11-5, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) faces off with No. 12 Angela Hill (12-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• No. 11 ranked women’s flyweight Andrea Lee (11-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) plans on getting back to her winning ways against submission specialist and No. 12 ranked Gillian Robertson (9-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Canada)
• In a battle of featherweight hopefuls, Gavin Tucker (12-1, fighting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) meets Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Billy Quarantillo (15-2, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.)
• Serghei Spivac (11-2, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) answer the callout of Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Jared Vanderaa (11-4, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.) in a heavyweight bout
• Middleweight finishers Karl Roberson (9-3, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) and Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2, fighting out of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) vie for a post-fight bonus
• Dana White’s Contender Series veterans look to bounce back into the win column as Chase Hooper (9-1-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) faces Peter Barrett (11-4, fighting out of East Bridgewater, Mass.)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 10.3 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its series of events in Las Vegas with an intriguing middleweight bout that will see No. 4 ranked contender Jack Hermansson take on surging Kevin Holland. Also, former interim light heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux faces undefeated Jamahal Hill.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN: HERMANSSON vs. HOLLAND will take place Saturday, December 5 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire event will air on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes (in English and Spanish), and be simulcast on ESPN+.  The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT and the prelims at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Hermansson (21-5, fighting out of Oslo, Norway) hopes to make the most of his third UFC main event by stopping Holland’s momentum in highlight-reel fashion. Known for his devastating ground-and-pound, Hermansson has netted memorable victories against Kelvin Gastelum, Jacare Souza, David Branch and Thales Leites. Hermansson is now poised to defend his spot in the middleweight top five with another vintage performance.

Holland (20-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) looks to enter his name in the record books as only the third modern-era UFC athlete to win five bouts in a calendar year—joining Roger Huerta and Neil Magny. The talented striker and grappler has so far bested Charlie Ontiveros, Darren Stewart, Joaquin Buckley and Anthony Hernandez in 2020. Holland now aims for the biggest win of his career to crack the middleweight rankings.

Saint Preux (25-14, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.), who is among the most entertaining finishers in MMA, looks to build off the momentum of his recent KO victory against Alonzo Menifield. Throughout his UFC run, Saint Preux has earned impressive stoppage wins over Tyson Pedro, Corey Anderson and Shogun Rua. He now has his sights set on another show-stealing performance to once again tie Glover Teixeira for most light heavyweight finishes.

Hill (7-0 1NC, fighting out of Grand Rapids, Mich.) aims to remain unbeaten as he continues his ascent up the light heavyweight ladder. Since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series with a TKO victory over Alexander Poppeck last year, Hill secured a spectacular win against Darko Stosic. Hill now looks to shine in his first UFC co-main event by taking out a seasoned veteran for the most important win of his career.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 15 ranked women’s flyweight contender Montana De La Rosa (11-6, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) faces Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil alum Taila Santos (16-1, fighting out of Jaraguá do Sul, SC, Brazil)
• Undefeated light heavyweight Roman Dolidze (7-0, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia) hopes to continue his winning ways against John Allan (13-5 1NC, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
• Lightweight veteran Matt Wiman (16-9, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) aims to hand Jordan Leavitt (7-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) his first professional loss
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Jimmy Flick (15-5, fighting out of Tulsa, Okla.) debuts against Cody Durden (11-2-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
• Nate Landwehr (14-3, fighting out of Clarksville, Tenn.) meets Movsar Evloev (13-0, fighting out of Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) in a clash of featherweight hopefuls
• Ilia Topuria (9-0, fighting out of Alicante, Spain) hopes to remain unbeaten when he faces Damon Jackson (18-3-1 1NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) in a featherweight bout
• Entertaining bantamweights collide when Louis Smolka (16-7, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) takes on Jose Quinonez (9-4, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Gian Villante (17-12, fighting out of Bellmore, N.Y.) goes for his first UFC heavyweight win when he locks horns with Jake Collier (11-5, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.)
• Gabriel Benitez (21-9, fighting out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico) faces Justin Jaynes (15-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in an action-packed featherweight contest

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 10.3 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that UFC Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, has been named to the UFC Hall of Fame class for 2020 as a Contributor. The UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will be officially inducted next year alongside the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

“Marc Ratner is the most influential and respected regulator in combat sports history,” UFC President Dana White said. “Marc was instrumental in getting the sport of mixed martial arts sanctioned and regulated globally and the tireless work he did educating athletic commissions about MMA paved the way for us to host events around the world. It will be an honor for me to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2020.”

Born in Phoenix, Ariz., Ratner was raised in Las Vegas and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Nevada. Following graduation from Reno, Ratner began officiating high school sports in Southern Nevada, a role he continues to this day. During his career as an official, he served as Commissioner of Officials for all high schools in Southern Nevada for more than 25 years and an NCAA Division I football official for over 20 years. As a collegiate football official, he was selected to officiate three bowl games: the 2000 Independence Bowl, the 2003 Aloha Bowl, and the 2006 Cotton Bowl.

“Marc Ratner is the most experienced and respected combat sports regulator in history,” UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein said. “The sport of mixed martial arts and UFC do not exist in its current form without his contributions.”

A lifelong boxing enthusiast, Ratner joined the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) as an inspector in 1985. In 1987, he was named Chief Inspector before being promoted to Executive Director in 1992. During his tenure with the NSAC, Ratner oversaw the commission during some of the most memorable boxing matches in history, including when the infamous “Fan Man” incident occurred during the heavyweight championship fight between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe at Caesars Palace in 1993 and when Mike Tyson faced Evander Holyfield in their 1997 rematch. Under Ratner’s guidance, the NSAC was held in the highest regard and considered the gold standard of excellence by the boxing community.

“Marc Ratner is one of the most significant figures responsible for the continued growth and popularity of combat sports,” said former UFC Chief Executive Officer Lorenzo J. Fertitta. “As one of the most influential and respected regulators in combat sports, Marc’s contributions to boxing and mixed martials arts over the past three decades are immeasurable, and his impact will continue to shape the landscape for years to come.  He is a friend of great character and integrity, and he will be a great addition to the UFC Hall of Fame.”

Ratner joined UFC as an executive in May 2006, following two decades with the NSAC. When he first joined UFC, 22 states in the U.S. regulated the sport of mixed martial arts for competition. Today, MMA is legal in all 50 states, as well as Canada, Mexico and Western Australia. He was instrumental in the historic 2016 legalization of professional MMA in New York State, ending a decade-long battle for regulation in the country’s largest media market. Ratner also leads UFC’s self-regulated operations in countries without formal commissions, following the guidelines of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

As one of the most respected individuals in both boxing and MMA, Ratner is universally known for his honesty and fairness by fighters, managers, and promoters. In 2005, he was inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, followed by his induction into the inaugural class of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2016, he was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

A die-hard fan of the UNLV Running Rebels, Marc has served as the shot clock operator during men’s basketball games for more than 35 years. He resides in Las Vegas with his wife, Jody, and the couple are parents of two adult children and three grandchildren. 

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of events in Las Vegas with a classic grappler versus striker matchup of heavyweight finishers as No. 2 ranked contender Curtis Blaydes and No. 4 Derrick Lewis look to make their cases for the next shot at the UFC heavyweight belt. Also on the card, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger and No. 6 ranked Anthony Smith steps in on short notice to take on Devin Clark.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: BLAYDES vs. LEWIS will take place Saturday, November 28 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes in English and in Spanish, and simulcast on ESPN+, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Blaydes (14-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) plans to cement himself as the next contender for the belt with another dominant performance. Despite only being 29 years old, he already holds the record for most takedowns in UFC heavyweight history, which he earned with statement wins over Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt and Junior Dos Santos. Blaydes now intends to show off his ever-growing skill set by snapping Lewis’ win streak and making a statement to the rest of the division. 

Fan favorite Lewis (24-7, 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) crowned himself as the greatest knockout artist in UFC heavyweight history in his last bout after landing a record-setting 11^th KO by besting Aleksei Oleinik. A former boxer under the tutelage of George Foreman, Lewis holds additional impressive finishes over Alexander Volkov, Travis Browne and Gabriel Gonzaga. He now aims to secure another shot at the title by becoming only the second person to stop Blaydes.

Former light heavyweight title challenger Smith (33-16, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) proves that he will compete against anyone, anywhere, at any time by stepping in on short notice against rising prospect Clark. A longtime middleweight standout with 30 of his 33 wins coming by finish, Smith quickly rose up the light heavyweight ranks with defining stoppages over Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua and Volkan Oezdemir. He now seeks to secure his first victory of 2020 with a vintage performance.

Clark (12-4, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) looks to make 2020 his most successful year to date by clinching his third victory against the toughest opponent of his career. A product of the first season of Dana White: Looking for a Fight, Clark has found his footing in the UFC with back-to-back wins over Dequan Townsend and Alonzo Menifield. Clark now has his sights set on earning his first promotional finish against Smith and breaking into the rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Exciting lightweight strikers battle when Renato Moicano (14-3-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) meets Rafael Fiziev (8-1, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan by the way of Phuket, Thailand)
• Luke Sanders (13-3, fighting out of Nashville, Tenn.) returns to the Octagon after almost two years to take on Nate Maness (12-1, fighting out of Henderson, Ky.) in a 140-pound catchweight bout
• Flyweight action sees Amir Albazi (12-1, fighting out of Alperton, England, United Kingdom) square off with Zhalgas Zhumagulov (13-4, fighting out of Aktobe, Kazakhstan)
• Martin Day (8-4, fighting out of Kailua, Hawaii) and Anderson Dos Santos (20-8, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) seek to secure their first UFC wins at bantamweight
• Rising welterweight strikers Miguel Baeza (9-0, fighting out of Davie, Fla.) and Takashi Sato (16-4, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) vie to steal the show with an impressive performance
• Su Mudaerji (11-4, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China) has his sights set on delivering a dominant performance in his flyweight debut against Malcolm Gordon (12-3, fighting out of Markham, Ontario, Canada)
• In a clash of heavyweights looking to make a statement, Josh Parisian (13-3, fighting out of Howell, Mich.) battles Parker Porter (10-6, fighting out of West Hartford, Conn.)
• Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-4, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) plans to keep Norma Dumont (4-1, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil) from claiming her first UFC win at bantamweight
• Entertaining featherweights Spike Carlyle (9-2, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) and Bill Algeo (13-5, fighting out of King of Prussia, Pa.) compete to bounce back into the win column
• Gina Mazany (5-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) aims to spoil the Octagon return of Rachael Ostovich (4-5, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) at flyweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 10.3 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® will continue its year-end run of shows at UFC APEX with two exciting world championship bouts in the 125-pound divisions. Deiveson Figueiredo will look to secure his first successful flyweight title defense when he takes on No. 4 ranked contender Alex Perez. Women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko hopes to continue her dominant reign when she faces Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and No. 3 ranked contender Jennifer Maia.

UFC^® 255: FIGUEIREDO vs. PEREZ will take place Saturday, November 21 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas and will stream live on Pay-Per-View, exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

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

Fans will be able to purchase UFC^® 255: FIGUEIREDO vs. PEREZ online at ESPNPlus.com/PPV or on the ESPN App on mobile and connected-TV devices. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English on ESPN2 and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, as well as being simulcast in both languages on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes (Spanish) and ESPN+ (in English and Spanish) at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Figueiredo (19-1, fighting out of Soure, Pará, Brazil) is coming off his dominant submission win over Joseph Benavidez to capture the vacant flyweight championship in July. A heavy-handed striker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has also earned thrilling victories against Tim Elliott, Alexandre Pantoja and John Moraga. Figueiredo now aims to secure his first successful title defense with another show-stealing performance.

Perez (24-5, fighting out of Lemoore, Calif.) has wasted no time since joining the UFC roster in 2017, as he becomes the first Dana White’s Contender Series signee to challenge for a UFC title. Following exciting wins against Jordan Espinosa and Mark De La Rosa, Perez turned heads with his calf-kick TKO victory over perennial contender Jussier Formiga in June. Perez now aims to continue his rapid ascent by dethroning Figueiredo to achieve his dream of being UFC flyweight champion.

No. 3 ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter Shevchenko (19-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) hopes to continue her dominant title reign with another highlight-reel finish. Throughout her career, she has netted impressive wins over Holly Holm, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Julianna Pena and Jessica Eye. Shevchenko now has her sights set on delivering a spectacular victory to secure her fourth consecutive title defense.

Skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Maia (18-6-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) feels she has the tools to shock the world and dethrone Shevchenko. An 11-year MMA veteran and former Invicta FC Flyweight champion, Maia has secured sensational victories against Joanne Calderwood, Alexis Davis and Roxanne Modafferi (twice). Maia now aims to take home UFC gold by becoming the first fighter to defeat Shevchenko at 125 pounds.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 2 ranked contender Katlyn Chookagian (14-4, fighting out of Amity Harbor, NY) squares off with No. 4 Cynthia Calvillo (9-1-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) in a pivotal women’s flyweight contest
• No. 2 ranked flyweight contender Brandon Moreno (17-5-1, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) takes on No. 6 Brandon Royval (12-4, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) in a bout with serious title implications
• No. 14 ranked light heavyweight contender Shogun Rua (27-11-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) runs it back with No. 15 Paul Craig (13-4-1, fighting out of Coatbridge, Scotland) following their entertaining draw one year ago
• Hot on the heels of his viral spinning back kick KO victory over Impa Kasanganay, Joaquin Buckley (11-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) makes a quick turnaround against unbeaten Jordan Wright (11-0 1NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) in a middleweight clash
• In a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, Mike Perry (14-6, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) takes on Tim Means (30-12-1 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
• No. 15 ranked contender Antonina Shevchenko (8-2, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) faces Ariane Lipski (13-5, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) in what is expected to be an entertaining women’s flyweight bout
• Middleweight hopefuls collide when Kyle Daukaus (9-1, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) meets Dana White’s Contender Series signee Dustin Stoltzfus (13-1, fighting out of Germersheim, Germany)
• Alan Jouban (16-7, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) returns against debuting Jared Gooden (17-4, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) in a welterweight bout
• Daniel Rodriguez (13-1, fighting out of Alhambra, Calif.) steps in to face Nicolas Dalby (18-4-1 1NC, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark) in an entertaining welterweight bout
• Recent Dana White’s Contender Series Louis Cosce (7-0, fighting out of Arcata, Calif.) takes on Sasha Palatnikov (5-2, fighting out of Hong Kong, China) in a battle of welterweight newcomers

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 8.5 million subscribers.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC events, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, college sports (including football, basketball and nearly a dozen other sports from 20 conferences), top domestic and international soccer (Bundesliga, Serie A, FA Cup, MLS, Copa Del Rey, EFL Championship, Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), Golf (coverage from PGA Tour, The Masters and PGA Championship), Top Rank Boxing, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series and studio shows (including ESPN+ NFL PrimeTime, Peyton’s Places, Detail, Bettor Days, ESPN FC, Our Time, Dana White’s Contender Series, and many more), plus exclusive access to the entire library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of events in Las Vegas with a pivotal lightweight main event as surging No. 12 ranked Islam Makhachev welcomes No. 12 ranked welterweight Rafael Dos Anjos back to the weight class he once ruled as champion. In the co-main event, explosive welterweight strikers clash as Abdul Razak Al-Hassan meets Khaos Williams.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: MAKHACHEV vs. DOS ANJOS will take place Saturday, November 14 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, starting with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Khabib Nurmagomedov prodigy Makhachev (18-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) intends to make the most of his first UFC main event and insert himself into the title conversation. Considered by many to be the dark horse of the lightweight division, Makhachev is currently riding an impressive six-fight win streak that includes victories over Davi Ramos, Arman Tsarukyan and Gleison Tibau. He now seeks to secure the biggest victory of his career by taking out his first former world champion with a vintage performance.

Dos Anjos (29-13, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns to lightweight for the first time since 2016 and looks to make a statement to the rest of the division. He first captured the title following a dominant win streak that included victories over Donald Cerrone, Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz. After moving up to welterweight, he continued to prove himself with wins over Robbie Lawler and Neil Magny. Dos Anjos now aims to show he can still compete with the best in the world and make another run at the championship.

Knockout artist Al-Hassan (10-2, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) has captured the attention of the welterweight division and MMA fans alike with his impressive 100 percent, first-round finishing rate. Despite holding a black belt in Judo, Al-Hassan prefers to let his hands do the talking, as seen with his remarkable stoppages over Niko Price, Sabah Homasi and Charlie Ward. He now looks to reclaim his momentum with another statement victory over Williams.

Williams (10-1, fighting out of Jackson, Mich.) intends to follow up his emphatic UFC debut with another dominant performance. An undefeated pro boxer, he announced himself to fans with a 27-second knockout of veteran Alex Morono earlier this year. Williams now plans to stay undefeated in the UFC by becoming the first person to finish Al-Hassan.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• In a middleweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Julian Marquez (7-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) locks horns with Saparbeg Safarov (9-3, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia)
• Heavyweights Don’Tale Mayes (7-4, fighting out of Louisville, Ky.) and Roque Martinez (15-6-2, fighting out of Tamuning, Guam) seek to secure their first UFC wins
• Daniel Rodriguez (13-1, fighting out of San Gabriel, Calif.) intends to stay undefeated in the UFC when he takes on veteran Bryan Barberena (15-7, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.)
• Eryk Anders (13-5, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) and Antonio Arroyo (8-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Nazare, Para, Brazil) meet in a clash of middleweight finishers
• Rising strawweight prospects face off as Kay Hansen (7-3, fighting out of La Mirada, Calif.) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series signee Cory McKenna (5-1, fighting out of Wales, United Kingdom)
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specialist Ashley Yoder (7-6, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) intends to bounce back into the win column against Miranda Granger (7-1, fighting out of Arlington, Wash.) at strawweight
• Alex Morono (17-6 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Rhys McKee (10-3-1, fighting out of Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) plan on delivering statement performances at welterweight
• Jose Quinonez (9-4, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) takes on Louis Smolka (16-7, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) in an exciting bantamweight matchup
• Women’s strawweight veteran Randa Markos (10-10-1, fighting out of Windsor, Ontario, Canada) intends to spoil the UFC debut of Invicta FC champion Kanako Murata (11-1, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
• Geraldo de Freitas (12-5, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to stop Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Tony Gravely (19-6, fighting out of Pompano Beach, Fla.) from getting his first UFC win at bantamweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

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

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of events in Las Vegas with a thrilling light heavyweight bout with title implications, as No. 1 ranked contender Thiago Santos squares off with No. 3 Glover Teixeira. Also, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski looks to halt the momentum of rising Tanner Boser.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: SANTOS vs. TEIXEIRA will take place Saturday, November 7 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN2 and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, and simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Santos (21-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to continue building his reputation as the most aggressive striker in the light heavyweight division and cement himself as the next challenger for the belt. After moving up to 205 pounds in 2018, Santos quickly rose through the rankings with devastating knockout wins over Eryk Anders, Jimi Manuwa and newly crowned champion Jan Blachowicz. He now looks to snap the win streak of Teixeira with another signature performance.

Tied for the most finishes in UFC light heavyweight history, Teixeira (31-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn.) intends to continue his impressive run and secure his second shot at UFC gold. A member of the UFC roster since 2012, Teixeira established himself as one of the best in the world with wins over former champions Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans, as well as former title challenger Anthony Smith. He now seeks to take sole ownership of the light heavyweight stoppage record by finishing Santos. 

Arlovski (29-19 2NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) hopes to continue his winning ways in 2020 with a vintage KO win. A 21-year MMA veteran who has fought the top names in MMA, Arlovski holds impressive victories over former UFC champions Fabricio Werdum, Frank Mir and Tim Sylvia. Arlovski now aims to stop another budding contender and prove his among the top heavyweights on the planet.

Boser (19-6-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alta., Canada) is on the cusp of cracking the competitive heavyweight rankings. At talented karate striker, he turned heads this summer with a pair of sensational KO victories against Raphael Pessoa and Philipe Lins over the span of one month. Boser now looks to take out his first former UFC champion to continue his ascent up the ladder.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 15 ranked middleweight contender Ian Heinisch (14-3, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) faces Brendan Allen (15-3, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a meeting of Dana White’s Contender Series veterans
• No. 4 ranked women’s strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha (18-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) goes for her third consecutive win when she meets surging No. 8 Yan Xiaonan (12-1 1 NC, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• Trevin Giles (12-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) faces Bevon Lewis (7-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in what promises to be an entertaining middleweight bout
• Raoni Barcelos (15-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) locks horns with fellow bantamweight prospect Khalid Taha (13-2 1NC, fighting out of Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
• Max Griffin (15-8, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) welcomes UFC newcomer Ramiz Brahimaj (8-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) at welterweight
• Darren Elkins (25-9, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) aims to return to the win column when he takes on tough Eduardo Garagorri (13-1, fighting out of Rivera, Uruguay)
• Undefeated heavyweight prospect Alexandr Romanov (12-0, fighting out of Comrat City, Republic of Moldova) aims to continue his winning ways against Marcos Rogerio De Lima (17-7-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Felipe Colares (9-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meets Gustavo Lopez (11-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a battle of bantamweight hopefuls

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

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

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

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

Khabib Nurmagomedov proved once again his dominance by submitting top-ranked contender Justin Gaethje in round two to retain his UFC Lightweight title in Abu Dhabi.

After a fast-paced 1st round, Nurmagomedov scored a takedown and applied a triangle choke that made Gaethje tap at 1:34 of round two.

Nurmagomedov, 155 lbs of Dagostan, RUS is 29-0 with 12 submission wins. Gaethje, 155 lbs of Denver, CO is 22-3.

After the fight, Khabib announced his retirement

Whittaker Decisions Cannonier

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker may have solidified another title shot with a unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier.

Whittaker sealed up the fight by landing a big shot that hurt and dropped Cannonier. Cannonier was adept with leg kicks, while Whittaker landed more strikes to the tune of 74-46 with one knockout.

Whittaker, 186 lbs of Sydney, AUS won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 23-5. Cannonier, 185 lbs of Glendale, AZ is 13-5.

Volkoff stops Harris in 2

Alexander Volkoff stopped Walt Harris in the 2nd round of their heavyweight fight.

Volkoff landed a kick to the stomach the hurt Harris. Volkoff followed up with some hard punches on the injured Harris and the bout was stopped at 1:15.

Volkoff, 265 lbs of Moscow, RUS is 32-8 with 21 knockouts. Harris, 254 lbs of Birmingham, AL is 13-9-1.

Hawes Destroys Malkoun in 18 Seconds

Phil Hawes destroyed Jacob Malkoun in 18 seconds of their middleweight bout.

Hawes landed a huge right that rocked and hurt Malkoun. Hawes landed three more punches as Malkoun fell to the canvas, and the fight was stopped as Hawes landed another shot on the ground.

Hawes, 186 lbs of North Bergen, NJ is 9-2 with seven knockouts. Malkoun, 186 lbs of Sydney, AUS is 4-1.

Murphy submits Shakirova in 2

Lauren Murphy chokes out Liliyan Shakirova in round two of their flyweight bout.

Murphy got a takedown in round two, and moments later got the back of Shakirova and applied a rear-naked choke that made Shakirova tap at 3:31.

Murphy, 126 lbs of Houston, TX 14-4 with her 1st submission. Shakirova, 126 lbs of Uzbekistan is 8-2.

Ankalaev stops Cutelaba in 1st in Rematch

Magomed Ankalaev knocked out Ion Cutelaba in the opening round of their light heavyweight bout.

Ankalaev knocked Cutelaba down with a huge left. Ankalaev landed nine flush Ground and Pound Strikes and the bout was called at 4:19.

Ankalaev, 205.5 lbs of Russia is 14-1 with nine knockouts, Cutelaba, 205.5 lbs of Moldova is 15-6-1.

Follow all the action LIVE as Khabib Nurmagomedov defends the UFC Lightweight Title against Justin Gaethje

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Round 1 Big right from Khabib..Counter from Gaethje..Jab from Khabib..Leg Kick from Gaethje..Right..Body kick from Khabib..Knee…Left….Body Kick..Body shot and left hook From Gaethje..Right over the top..Counter left,,Takedown by Khabib..Khabib has an armbar

Round 2 Leg Kick from Khabib..Left from Gaethje..Leg Kick..Takedown by Khabib…Triangle Choke…GAETHJE TAPS

Round 1 Leg kick by Whittaker..Leg Kick by Cannonier drops Whittaker..He gets up…Upper body kick by Whittaker..Nice Jab..2 kicks by Cannonier..Counter by Whittaker…Combination…High Kick..

Round 2 Double jab from Whittaker…Counter right from Cannonier..Swelling around right eye of Cannnier..Right..Straight for Whittaker..Double jab–right hand

Round 3 1-2 then a big kick rocks Cannonier…Cannonier is down…Taking shots on the ground…Body shot from Cannonier..Right hurts Whittaker..

Round 1 Body shot from Harris…Head punch..Straight from Volkoff..Jab..big Left…Right from Harris..Nice right..Right hurts Harris.

Round 2 Volkoff LANDS A KICK TO THE BODY..HE HIS HURT…VOLKOFF LANDS SOME SOLID SHOTS AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 HAWES LANDS A HUGE RIGHT THAT KNOCKS MALKOUN DOWN AND THE FIGHT IS OVER IN LESS THEN 20 SECONDS

Round 1 Shakirova lands a right..Spinning back fist..Good counter right from Murphy..Right from Shakirova…Elbows from Murphy..2 Kicks to the body from Shakirova

Round 2 Combination from Murphy..Takedown….Murphy gets the CHOKE AND SHAKIROVA TAPS

Round 1 Front Kick by Ankalaev..Right Hook..Over hand right by Cutelaba..Ankalaev lands a knee…STRAIGHT LEFT KNOCKS DOWN CUTELABA….HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES CUTELABA..9 HUGE GROUND AND POUND STRIKES AND FIGHT IS OVER

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Las Vegas with a Halloween treat for fans as No. 10 ranked middleweight Uriah Hall takes on legendary former champion Anderson Silva in a clash of two of the most dynamic strikers in the sport. In the co-main event, No. 15 ranked featherweight Bryce Mitchell looks to defend his spot in the rankings against the always-entertaining Andre Fili.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: HALL vs. SILVA will take place Saturday, October 31 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream live on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims kicking off at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Hall (16-9, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) first made waves as a standout on season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, where he put his highlight reel striking on display with some of the most devastating finishes in the show’s history. Since joining the UFC, Hall has continued to develop his elite reputation with stoppages of Gegard Mousasi, Chris Leben and Bevon Lewis. He now intends to claim the biggest victory of his career when he takes on personal idol and former UFC middleweight champion Silva.

Longtime middleweight king Silva (34-10 1 NC, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) is considered by many to be the greatest mixed martial arts athlete of all time. The record holder for the longest win streak in UFC history, Silva established himself as one of the best ever with extraordinary stoppage wins over Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin and Dan Henderson. He now seeks to deliver a vintage performance in what could be the final bout of his career.

Rising featherweight prospect Mitchell (13-1, fighting out of Sherwood, Ark.) has quickly become a fan favorite for his relentless fighting style and unique personality. First discovered on The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated, Mitchell turned heads when he became just the second athlete in UFC history to secure a twister submission against fellow prospect Matt Sayles. Now, Mitchell looks to stay undefeated in the UFC and move towards the top 10 rankings with another dominant showing.

Fili (21-7, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) aims to take out his second prospect in a row and break into the featherweight rankings. A member of the UFC since 2013, Fili has consistently proven himself to be among the most entertaining athletes on the roster with victories over Sheymon Moraes, Artem Lobov and Gabriel Benitez. He now plans to become the first person in the UFC to defeat Mitchell and make a statement to the rest of the division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Middleweight fan favorite Kevin Holland (20-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) intends to hand Makhmud Muradov (24-6, fighting out of Bukhara, Uzbekistan) his first UFC loss
• Heavyweight prospects clash as Maurice Greene (9-5, fighting out of St. Cloud Minn.) meets former NFL pro Greg Hardy (8-2 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.)
• In a lightweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Bobby Green (27-10-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) takes on Thiago Moises (13-4, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil)
• Chris Gruetzemacher (14-3, fighting out of New Bern, N.C.) returns to the Octagon to battle Alexander Hernandez (11-3, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas) at lightweight
• Middleweights Sean Strickland (20-3-1, fighting out of Corona, Calif.) and Jack Marshman (23-9, fighting out of South Wales, United Kingdom) plan to put on show stealing performances
• Welterweights Cole Williams (11-2, fighting out of Madison, Wisc.) and Jason Witt (17-6, fighting out of Overland Park, Kan.) face off to secure their first UFC victories
• Light heavyweight Dana White’s Contender Series signee Dustin Jacoby (12-5, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.) looks to impress in his second UFC run when he meets Justin Ledet (9-3 1 NC, fighting out of Rosharon, Texas)
• Cortney Casey (9-8, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) seeks to get back into the win column against Priscila Cachoeira (9-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at flyweight
• Miles Johns (9-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) intends to spoil the UFC debut of Kevin Natividad (9-1, fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

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

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

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

UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje streams exclusively on ESPN+ PPV this Saturday, October 24 at a special 2 p.m. ET start time from UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The top of the fight card features one of the most anticipated fights of the year ? two lightweight champions facing off in the main event to determine the undisputed king of one of UFC’s most competitive weight divisions.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, the UFC lightweight champion, enters the Octagon with a perfect, undefeated record (28-0-0) and is coming off two dominating defenses of his title – most recently in a third-round submission of Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in September 2019. Justin Gaethje (22-2-0) has won four fights in a row, including three first-round finishes, capped by a fifth-round TKO of then-No. 1 contender Tony Ferguson in May – a victory that earned Gaethje the interim UFC lightweight title.

Nurmagomedov will be looking to take the fight to the ground where his unrelenting wrestling and ground-and-pound has been the end of many of the best fighters in the world. Gaethje will be looking to keep the fight on its feet and in the middle of the Octagon, where his knockout power and striking speed may give him the edge.

The co-main event pits former UFC middleweight champion and No. 1-ranked contender Robert Whittaker(22-5-0) against No. 3-ranked contender Jared Cannonier (13-4-0). The winner is likely to have a future date with UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who has already said he wants Cannonier if he can win this bout. Whittaker lost his belt to Adesanya a year ago, only to bounce back with a win over Darren Till in July and is looking to be in position for a chance to reclaim the title. Cannonier last fought over a year ago in September 2019, when he knocked out Jack Hermansson for his third straight early TKO.

Elsewhere on the main card, two top-10 heavyweights match up as No. 6-ranked Alexander Volkov (31-8-0) and No. 8-ranked Walt Harris (13-8-0) both try to move up the rankings in hopes of title contention. Plus, a light heavyweight rematch between Magomed Ankalaev(13-1-0)and Ion Cutelaba (15-5-0) will see the two fighters run it back after a controversial first-round stoppage in February, which Cutelaba appealed.  

Saturday’s coverage begins with the early prelims beginning on ESPN+ at 11 a.m. The prelims begin at Noon across ESPN2, ESPN Deportes (Spanish), and ESPN+ (English and Spanish).

On Friday, UFC Live will air on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m., providing fans with exclusive insights and views on the biggest stories heading into UFC 254.

UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje content on ESPN+:

• Unlocking Victory: UFC 254 — Dominick Cruz and Gilbert Melendez break down the keys to victory for the fighters competing at UFC 254
• UFC 254 Embedded – Go inside the lives of the fighters in the build-up to UFC 254 – Eps. 1  Eps 2
• UFC Fight Island Declassified: Four-part docuseries chronicles the story behind the scenes of the creation of “UFC Fight Island” on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
   

ESPN.com:

• “Father’s Plan” – Brett Okamoto examines how Khabib honors his dad’s memory
• “Something I’ve never felt before” — What’s it like to fight Khabib? Hear from some of those that have done it.
• UFC 254 Main Event Breakdown
• Brett Okamoto goes inside Justin Gaethje’s journey from a mining town to MMA stardom
• Marc Raimondi examines the story behind the hat that helped shape Khabib’s identity
• UFC 254: Why confusion over takedowns might affect Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje

ESPN’s UFC 254 Pick’Em – play for FREE and compete for a chance to win $5,000

Social: @ESPNMMA Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Fans can sign-up for ESPN+ at any time at ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or on the ESPN App and purchase UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje PPV.

UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje Programming (All times ET)

Main Card, Prelims and Early Prelims (All times ET)

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About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 8.5 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.