Mixed martial arts event in 2021
UFC 259: Błachowicz vs. Adesanya was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 6, 2021 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada , part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area , United States.[3] [4]
Background
Błachowicz (left) made his first title defense. Meanwhile, then undefeated Adesanya (right) aspired to become the first fighter to hold the light heavyweight and middleweight titles simultaneously.
The event was headlined by a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between then champion Jan Błachowicz (also former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion ) and UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya .[5] If successful, Adesanya would become the fourth man to be champion in two divisions simultaneously and fifth fighter overall (after Conor McGregor at UFC 205 , Daniel Cormier at UFC 226 , Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 and Henry Cejudo at UFC 238 ), as well as the eighth person overall to win a title in different divisions. This was the sixth time in UFC history that champions in different divisions fought for the same title, following UFC 94 , UFC 205 , UFC 226 , UFC 232 and UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw .[6] [7] Former title challenger Glover Teixeira served as backup and a potential replacement for this fight.[8] [9]
A UFC Women's Featherweight Championship bout between the current champion Amanda Nunes (also the current UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion ) and former Invicta FC Featherweight Champion Megan Anderson served as the co-main event.[10] The pairing was initially scheduled for UFC 256 , but Nunes pulled out due to an undisclosed injury and the bout was postponed.[11]
A UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between current champion Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling completed the triad of title fights.[12] They were also scheduled for UFC 256, but Yan pulled out due to visa and travel issues, leading to the postponement.[13] [14]
A flyweight bout between former UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Tim Elliott (also The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions flyweight winner) and Jordan Espinosa was expected to take place at UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar .[15] However, Espinosa tested positive for COVID-19 in late December and the pairing was moved to this event.[16]
A lightweight bout between Islam Makhachev and Drew Dober took place at this event.[17] They were previously scheduled to meet in April 2016 at UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans , but the bout was scrapped after Makhachev failed an out-of-competition drug screening, testing positive for the banned anti-ischemic meldonium .[18]
Randy Costa was expected to face Trevin Jones in a bantamweight bout at the event.[19] However on February 16, Costa withdrew due to an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Mario Bautista .[20] [21]
At the weigh-ins, Askar Askarov weighed in at 127 pounds, one pound over the flyweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at a catchweight and he was fined a percentage of his individual purse, which went to his opponent, former flyweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez .[22]
Results
Main card
Weight class
Method
Round
Time
Notes
Light Heavyweight
Jan Błachowicz (c)
def.
Israel Adesanya
Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–45, 49–45)
5
5:00
[a]
Women’s Featherweight
Amanda Nunes (c)
def.
Megan Anderson
Submission (triangle armbar)
1
2:03
[b]
Bantamweight
Aljamain Sterling
def.
Petr Yan (c)
DQ (illegal knee)
4
4:29
[c]
Lightweight
Islam Makhachev
def.
Drew Dober
Submission (arm-triangle choke)
3
1:37
Light Heavyweight
Aleksandar Rakić
def.
Thiago Santos
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)
3
5:00
Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Bantamweight
Dominick Cruz
def.
Casey Kenney
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 30–27)
3
5:00
Bantamweight
Kyler Phillips
def.
Song Yadong
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
3
5:00
Catchweight (127 lb)
Askar Askarov
def.
Joseph Benavidez
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)
3
5:00
Flyweight
Kai Kara-France
def.
Rogério Bontorin
KO (punches)
1
4:55
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Flyweight
Tim Elliott
def.
Jordan Espinosa
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–25)
3
5:00
Light Heavyweight
Kennedy Nzechukwu
def.
Carlos Ulberg
KO (punches)
2
3:19
Welterweight
Sean Brady
def.
Jake Matthews
Submission (arm-triangle choke)
3
3:28
Women’s Strawweight
Amanda Lemos
def.
Lívia Renata Souza
TKO (punches)
1
3:39
Lightweight
Uroš Medić
def.
Aalon Cruz
TKO (punches)
1
1:40
Bantamweight
Trevin Jones
def.
Mario Bautista
TKO (punches)
2
0:40
[23]
Bonus awards
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[24]
Fight of the Night: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Carlos Ulberg
Performance of the Night: Kai Kara-France and Uroš Medić
See also
References
Upcoming events are in italics
Flagship events Fight Nights (on Spike TV) UFC on Versus/UFC Live UFC on Fox UFC on FX UFC on Fuel TV Fight Nights (on FS1, FS2, FXX, or UFC Fight Pass) UFC on ESPN (or ESPN2) Fight Nights (on ESPN+) UFC on ABC The Ultimate Fighter Finales