UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal

UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal (also known as UFC Fight Night 183, UFC on ESPN+ 41 and UFC Vegas 17) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 19, 2020 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]

UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal
The poster for UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateDecember 19, 2020 (2020-12-19)
VenueUFC Apex
CityEnterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC 256: Figueiredo vs. Moreno UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar

Background

A welterweight bout between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev was initially scheduled to headline this event.[3] On November 29, it was announced that Chimaev had tested positive for COVID-19, but was expected to be able to compete.[4] In turn, Edwards pulled out two days later after also testing positive. His case was worse than Chimaev's and he was still suffering from severe symptoms of the disease. The promotion was expected to keep the bout intact and reschedule the pairing for a future event in early 2021, but Chimaev's lingering symptoms prevented him from returning until UFC 267.[5]

The original co-main event, a welterweight bout between former UFC Welterweight Championship challenger Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal served as the event headliner.[6]

A flyweight bout between Matt Schnell and Tyson Nam was expected to take place at the event.[7] The pairing was previously scheduled to take place in September at UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill.[8] However, the fight was canceled on the day of the event's weigh-in as Schnell was deemed medically unfit to compete due to complications related to his weight cut.[9] The bout was subsequently rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 20.[10]

A welterweight bout between Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady was expected to take place at this event.[11] However in late October, Muhammad revealed that Brady had a broken nose and had to pull out of their bout.[12] He was replaced by Dhiego Lima.[13] Subsequently, Muhammad was diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week leading up to the event and the bout was scrapped. The pairing is expected to be left intact and rescheduled for a future event in early 2021.[14]

Deron Winn and Antônio Braga Neto were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at the event.[15] In turn, Braga Neto was removed from the contest due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Antônio Arroyo, thus changing the contest to a catchweight of 195 pounds.[16]

A flyweight bout between Alexandre Pantoja and former Rizin FF Bantamweight Champion Manel Kape was scheduled for the event. However, Pantoja pulled out of the fight in early December due to COVID-19 symptoms.[17][18] Kape served as a potential replacement for the UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno a week earlier at UFC 256.[19]

Misha Cirkunov was expected to face Ryan Spann in a light heavyweight bout at this event.[20] However, Cirkunov pulled out in early December due to an injury and the bout was postponed to a future date.[21]

A flyweight bout between Jimmy Flick and Cody Durden was initially scheduled for UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori two weeks earlier, but the pairing was canceled on the day of the event after Durden had conjunctivitis.[22] The matchup was left intact and took place at this event.[23]

Also rescheduled for this event was a middleweight bout between Karl Roberson and Dalcha Lungiambula. They were expected to meet at UFC 256, but Roberson tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was postponed.[23] A day before the event, they suffered a second cancellation due to Roberson's COVID-19 related issues.[24]

A lightweight bout between former WSOF Featherweight Champion Ricky Glenn and Carlton Minus was scheduled for this event.[25] However, it was announced that Glenn pulled out during fight week due to undisclosed reasons.[26] He was replaced by Christos Giagos and the bout took place at a catchweight of 160 pounds.[27]

Aiemann Zahabi was expected to face Drako Rodriguez in a bantamweight bout at this event.[28] However, the bout was scrapped on December 17 due to Zahabi testing positive for COVID-19.[29]

Results
Main card (ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Stephen Thompson def. Geoff Neal Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) 5 5:00
Bantamweight José Aldo def. Marlon Vera Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Welterweight Michel Pereira def. Khaos Williams Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Rob Font def. Marlon Moraes TKO (punches) 1 3:47
Heavyweight Marcin Tybura def. Greg Hardy TKO (punches) 2 4:31
Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Welterweight Anthony Pettis def. Alex Morono Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women's Bantamweight Pannie Kianzad def. Sijara Eubanks Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Catchweight (195 lb) Deron Winn def. Antônio Arroyo Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women’s Flyweight Taila Santos def. Gillian Robertson Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 29–28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Tafon Nchukwi def. Jamie Pickett Decision (unanimous) (30–25, 30–26, 30–26) 3 5:00
Flyweight Jimmy Flick def. Cody Durden Submission (flying triangle choke) 1 3:18
Catchweight (160 lb) Christos Giagos def. Carlton Minus Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 29–27, 29–28) 3 5:00

    [30]

    Bonus awards

    The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[31]

    • Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
    • Performance of the Night: Stephen Thompson, Rob Font, Marcin Tybura, and Jimmy Flick

    See also

    References
    1. Eduardo Solano (2020-12-16). "UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal main event odds and betting picks". sportsbookreview.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
    2. Brent Brookhouse (2020-11-15). "2020 UFC event schedule: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Alex Perez, Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis among events". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
    3. Mike Bohn (2020-10-23). "UFC books Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev, expected to headline Dec. 19". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
    4. Ryan Harkness (2020-11-29). "Khamzat Chimaev has COVID-19, December 19 fight in jeopardy". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
    5. Ariel Helwani (2020-12-01). "Sources: Leon Edwards-Khamzat Chimaev fight off after Edwards tests positive for COVID-19". espn.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
    6. Nick Baldwin (2020-12-01). "Report: Thompson-Neal moved to Dec. 19 main event". thescore.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
    7. Nolan King (2020-10-25). "UFC books Matt Schnell vs. Tyson Nam for Dec. 19 event in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
    8. Farah Hannoun (2020-07-03). "Matt Schnell vs. Tyson Nam joins UFC's September 12 lineup". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
    9. Staff (2020-09-11). "Weight-cutting issues scrap Tyson Nam from Matt Schnell fight at UFC on ESPN+ 35". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
    10. Farah Hannoun and Nolan King (2020-12-11). "Matt Schnell vs. Tyson Nam rebooked for UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
    11. Farah Hannoun (2020-10-07). "Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady added to UFC's Dec. 19 event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
    12. Farah Hannoun (2020-10-30). "Belal Muhammad says Sean Brady is out of their fight, wants Mike Perry as a replacement". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
    13. Farah Hannoun (2020-11-16). "With Sean Brady out, Belal Muhammad faces Dhiego Lima at UFC Fight Night on Dec. 19". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
    14. Staff (2020-12-15). "COVID-19 takes Belal Muhammad out of Dhiego Lima bout at UFC Fight Night 183". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
    15. Staff (2020-09-29). "Deron Winn meets Antonio Braga Neto at UFC event on December 19 in Las Vegas". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-09-30. (in Dutch)
    16. Staff (2020-11-22). "The UFC has unveiled a fantastic list of fights for its last event in 2020!". fightsite.hr. Retrieved 2020-11-22. (in Croatian)
    17. Steven Marrocco and Guilherme Cruz (2020-12-03). "Alexandre Pantoja vs. Manel Kape scratched from UFC Vegas 17". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
    18. Guilherme Cruz (2020-12-04). "Alexandre Pantoja 'felt really bad for a week' due to COVID-19 infection, eyes February return vs. Manel Kape". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
    19. Daniel Cunningham (2020-12-05). "Manel Kape to serve as UFC 256 backup". empiresportsmedia.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
    20. Jay Anderson (2020-11-18). "Ryan Spann vs. Misha Cirkunov added to UFC's December 19 card". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
    21. Staff (2020-12-05). "Updates to December 19 UFC Fight Night". ufc.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
    22. Dan Hiergesell (2020-12-05). "UFC Vegas 16 just lost three bouts in the final hours". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
    23. Farah Hannoun (2020-12-07). "UFC Fight Night 183 reaches 16 bouts after Gillian Robertson vs. Taila Santos, two others added". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
    24. Staff (2020-12-18). "COVID-19 claims another at UFC Fight Night 183: Lungiambula-Roberson scrapped again". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
    25. Nolan King (2020-10-23). "Rick Glenn returns from 25-month layoff, fights Carlton Minus at UFC event on Dec. 19". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
    26. Newswire (2020-12-17). "Rick Glenn vs. Carlton Minus scratched from UFC Vegas 17". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
    27. Jay Pettry (2020-12-17). "Report: Christos Giagos replaces Rick Glenn at UFC Fight Night 183 against Carlton Minus". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
    28. Nolan King (2020-11-17). "UFC targeting Drako Rodriguez vs. Aiemann Zahabi for Dec. 19 in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
    29. Nolan King (2020-12-17). "Aiemann Zahabi announces removal from UFC Fight Night 183 due to COVID-19". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
    30. "UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal". Ultimate Fighting Championship. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
    31. Tristen Critchfield (2020-12-20). "UFC Fight Night 183 bonuses: Thompson, Font, Tybura, Flick receive $50K checks". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
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