UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai

UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai (also known as UFC Fight Night 176, UFC on ESPN+ 34 and UFC Vegas 9) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 5, 2020, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]

UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai
The poster for UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateSeptember 5, 2020 (2020-09-05)
VenueUFC Apex
CityEnterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill

Background

A heavyweight bout between the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger Alistair Overeem and Augusto Sakai served as the event headliner.[2]

A women's bantamweight bout between former UFC Women's Flyweight Champion Nicco Montaño and Julia Avila was originally scheduled for UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Oleinik.[3] However, due to Montaño's coach John Wood testing positive for COVID-19, the bout was rescheduled for this event instead.[4] In turn, it was announced on August 29 that Montaño herself tested positive for the disease and the bout was pushed back to UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana in October.[5]

A women's flyweight bout between Maryna Moroz and Montana De La Rosa was scheduled for this event. However, Moroz was forced to withdraw as she was unable to secure a visa due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and was replaced by Viviane Araújo.[6]

A lightweight bout between Khama Worthy and Ottman Azaitar was previously scheduled to take place earlier this year at UFC 249.[7] However, the event was cancelled in early April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] The pairing was rescheduled and took place at this event.[9] In turn, the pair was moved to UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill for undisclosed reasons.[10]

A women's flyweight bout between Mayra Bueno Silva and Mara Romero Borella was briefly linked to this event.[11] However, promotion officials rescheduled the pairing for undisclosed reasons and the bout was expected to take place two weeks later at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley.[12]

A light heavyweight bout between former interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship challenger Ovince Saint Preux and Alonzo Menifield was scheduled to take place two weeks earlier at UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar.[13] However, the bout was removed from the card on the day of the event as Saint Preux tested positive for COVID-19. In turn, the pairing was targeted for this event.[14]

A women's bantamweight bout between Macy Chiasson and Sijara Eubanks was scheduled for this event.[15] However, Chiasson pulled out of the fight for undisclosed medical reasons and was replaced by Karol Rosa.[16] Rosa pulled out on September 3 due to complications related to her weight cut. Eubanks is expected to compete a week later at UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill against Julia Avila.[17]

A bantamweight bout between Ricky Simon and Brian Kelleher was scheduled for this event, but Simon's cornerman tested positive for COVID-19 and he was forced to withdraw from the event.[18] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Kevin Natividad and they were expected to meet in a featherweight bout.[19] In turn, Natividad was pulled from the matchup on the day of the event due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by fellow newcomer Ray Rodriguez, who weighed in as a backup on Friday.[20]

A few hours before the event, American Top Team teammates Thiago Moisés and Marcos Rogério de Lima pulled out of their respective bouts at lightweight against Jalin Turner and heavyweight against Alexander Romanov due to testing positive for COVID-19, thus cancelling both matchups.[21][22]

Due to the many unexpected changes and last minute cancellations, the event took place with only seven bouts on the card, making it the smallest UFC event since The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale in November 2005.[23]

Event

All the fights were on the main card due to the many cancellations and changes. The card consisted of 7 mixed martial arts bouts, which were scheduled for three five-minute rounds, except for the main event fight between Overeem and Sakai, which would consist of five five-minute rounds. The fights were held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and the event was broadcast on ESPN+.

Results
Main card (ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Heavyweight Alistair Overeem def. Augusto Sakai TKO (elbows and punches) 5 0:26
Light Heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux def. Alonzo Menifield KO (punch) 2 4:07
Welterweight Michel Pereira def. Zelim Imadaev Submission (rear-naked choke) 3 4:39
Middleweight André Muniz def. Bartosz Fabiński Submission (armbar) 1 2:42
Featherweight Brian Kelleher def. Ray Rodriguez Submission (guillotine choke) 1 0:39
Women's Flyweight Viviane Araújo def. Montana De La Rosa Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Hunter Azure def. Cole Smith Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00

    [24]

    Bonus awards

    The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[25]

    • Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
    • Performance of the Night: Ovince Saint Preux, Michel Pereira, André Muniz, and Brian Kelleher

    See also

    References
    1. Eduardo Solano (2020-09-02). "UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai main event odds and picks". sportsbookreview.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
    2. Brett Okamoto (2020-07-14). "Sources: UFC eyeing Overeem-Sakai for Sept. 5". espn.com. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
    3. Staff (2020-06-18). "Nicco Montaño will meet Julia Avila again after three years, this time on August 8 in the UFC". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-06-18. (in Dutch)
    4. Paarth Pande (2020-07-12). "Nicco Montaño vs Julia Avila delayed after coach tests positive". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
    5. Mike Heck and Damon Martin (2020-08-29). "Nicco Montano tests positive for COVID-19, rematch with Julia Avila moved to Oct. 3 UFC event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
    6. Farah Hannoun (2020-08-11). "Viviane Araujo replaces Maryna Moroz against Montana De La Rosa at Sept. 5 UFC Fight Night". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
    7. Newswire (2020-01-29). "Khama Worthy vs. Ottman Azaitar join UFC 249 lineup". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
    8. Damon Martin (2020-04-09). "UFC 249, upcoming events postponed due to coronavirus pandemic, Dana White promises 'Fight Island' will proceed". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
    9. Staff (2020-08-12). "Khama Worthy vs. Ottman Azaitar rescheduled for September 5th in Las Vegas". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-08-12. (in Dutch)
    10. Staff (2020-08-29). "Worthy vs. Azaitar and Simón vs. Kelleher not parties during UFC event on Sept 5". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-08-30. (in Dutch)
    11. Staff (2020-07-17). "Mayra Bueno Silva will face Mara Romero Borella at UFC event on September 5". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-07-17. (in Dutch)
    12. Guilherme Cruz (2020-08-20). "Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Mara Romero Borella set for Sept. 19 UFC event in Las Vegas". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
    13. Newswire (2020-08-13). "Ovince Saint Preux vs. Alonzo Menifield booked as co-main event for Aug. 22 UFC event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
    14. Tristen Critchfield (2020-08-22). "Ovince Saint Preux tests positive for COVID-19, bout vs. Alonzo Menifield postponed to Sept. 5". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
    15. Staff (2020-07-17). "Macy Chiasson vs. Sijara Eubanks scheduled for UFC event on September 5th". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-07-18. (in Dutch)
    16. Raphael Marinho (2020-08-26). "With less than two weeks to go, Karol Rosa wins a spot and faces Sijara Eubanks in the UFC". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-08-26. (in Portuguese)
    17. Danny Segura (2020-09-03). "Sijara Eubanks loses UFC on ESPN+ 34 bout vs. Karol Rosa, now meets Julia Avila on Sept. 12". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
    18. Staff (2020-08-29). "Ricky Simon says he's out of Brian Kelleher fight after cornerman's positive COVID-19 test". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
    19. Nolan King (2020-08-30). "Brian Kelleher targeted to meet newcomer Kevin Natividad at UFC on ESPN+ 34". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
    20. Mike Heck and Damon Martin (2020-09-05). "With Kevin Natividad out, Ray Rodriguez in to face Brian Kelleher at UFC Vegas 9". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
    21. Ana Hissa (2020-09-05). "Thiago Moisés tests positive for COVID-19 and his bout against Jailin Turner is cancelled". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05. (in Portuguese)
    22. Ana Hissa (2020-09-05). "Marcos Pezão tests positive for COVID-19 and leaves the UFC: Overeem vs. Sakai card". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05. (in Portuguese)
    23. Marc Raimondi (2020-09-05). "Late cancellations leave UFC Fight Night with just seven bouts and smallest card since 2005". espn.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
    24. "UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
    25. Stephie Haynes (2020-09-05). "UFC Vegas 9 post-fight bonuses: OSP stops Menifield for POTN honors". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
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