UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana

UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana (also known as UFC on ESPN 16 and UFC Fight Island 4) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 4, 2020 at the du Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[2][3]

UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana
The poster for UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateOctober 4, 2020 (2020-10-04)
Venuedu Forum
CityAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen

Background

Without fans in attendance, the promotion did not have to worry about the local timing of the event, so the plan was to proceed with normal timing for prime time hours on the east coast of North America. The main card was scheduled to begin at 6:30 am (October 4) local time in Abu Dhabi, with a full preliminary card beginning at approximately 3:30 am Gulf Standard Time.[4]

A women's bantamweight bout between former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm and Irene Aldana served as the event headliner.[5] The pairing was originally scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan. However, it was reported on July 22 that Aldana had pulled out of the fight due to testing positive for COVID-19.[6] Holm was also removed from the card as well, with the pairing left intact and ultimately rescheduled for this event.[7]

Ben Sosoli was briefly linked to a heavyweight bout with Yorgan de Castro. However, Sosoli pulled out of the fight in late July citing an eye surgery and was replaced by Carlos Felipe.[8]

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.[9] However, due to Montaño’s coach John Wood testing positive for COVID-19, the bout was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai.[10] In turn, it was announced on August 29 that Montaño herself tested positive for the disease and the bout was once again pushed back to this event.[11] On September 3, it was announced that Montaño withdrew from the bout due to travel restrictions. In turn, Avila was rescheduled to face Sijara Eubanks at UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill on September 12.[12][13]

A light heavyweight bout between former UFC Light Heavyweight Championship challengers Thiago Santos and Glover Teixeira was initially scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill.[14] However, the pairing was rescheduled for this event after Teixeira tested positive for COVID-19 a week prior to the fight.[15] On September 15, the bout was postponed again as Santos tested positive for the disease.[16]

Charles Oliveira was expected to face Beneil Dariush in a lightweight bout at the event. However, Oliveira pulled out of the fight in early September for undisclosed reasons and the bout was scrapped.[17]

A bantamweight bout between Casey Kenney and Alateng Heili was originally expected to take place a week earlier at UFC 253.[18] However, it was later moved to this event due to undisclosed reasons.[19]

Danaa Batgerel was expected to face Kyler Phillips in a bantamweight bout at the event. However, it was announced on September 21 that Batgerel pulled out due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia.[20] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Cameron Else.[21]

A heavyweight bout between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski and Tanner Boser was briefly scheduled for this event, but was later moved to UFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Teixeira due to Arlovski being ill.[22]

A middleweight bout between Tom Breese and Roman Kopylov was originally scheduled for this event, but Kopylov was removed from the bout on September 27 due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by KB Bhullar. The bout subsequently took place a week later at UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen.[23][24]

Results
Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Women's Bantamweight Holly Holm def. Irene Aldana Decision (unanimous) (50–44, 50–45, 50–45) 5 5:00
Heavyweight Carlos Felipe def. Yorgan de Castro Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women’s Bantamweight Germaine de Randamie def. Julianna Peña Technical Submission (guillotine choke) 3 3:25
Bantamweight Kyler Phillips def. Cameron Else TKO (punches and elbows) 2 0:44
Middleweight Duško Todorović def. Dequan Townsend TKO (punches) 2 3:15
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Welterweight Carlos Condit def. Court McGee Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Featherweight Charles Jourdain vs. Joshua Culibao Draw (split) (30–27, 28–29, 28–28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Nassourdine Imavov def. Jordan Williams Decision (unanimous) (29–27, 29–27, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women’s Strawweight Loma Lookboonmee def. Jinh Yu Frey Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Casey Kenney def. Alateng Heili Decision (unanimous) (30–25, 30–26, 30–27) 3 5:00
Lightweight Luigi Vendramini def. Jessin Ayari TKO (head kick and punches) 1 1:12

    [25]

    Bonus awards

    The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[26]

    • Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
    • Performance of the Night: Germaine de Randamie, Kyler Phillips, Duško Todorović, and Luigi Vendramini

    See also

    References
    1. Marc Williams (2020-09-14). "UFC schedule 2020: Every upcoming event including Israel Adesanya's UFC 253 fight in Abu Dhabi and Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Justin Gaethje". talksport.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
    2. Guilherme Cruz (2020-09-04). "UFC 253 kicks off Fight Island return in Abu Dhabi". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
    3. Brett Okamoto (2020-09-04). "Sources: UFC 253, 254 to be held at Fight Island". espn.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
    4. Press Release (2020-09-17). "UFC Fight Island - Everything you need to know". ufc.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
    5. David Tees (2020-07-22). "Irene Aldana tests positive for coronavirus, bout with Holly Holm reportedly rescheduled for October". fightful.com. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
    6. Steven Marrocco (2020-07-22). "Irene Aldana: COVID-19 positive scratched fight with Holly Holm at Aug. 1 UFC event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
    7. Danny Segura (2020-07-22). "Brunson vs. Shahbazyan promoted to UFC on ESPN+ 31 headliner after Holm vs. Aldana postponed". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
    8. Raphael Marinho and Zeca Azevedo (2020-07-30). "UFC confirms fight between Carlos Boi and Yorgan de Castro for event in October". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-07-30. (in Portuguese)
    9. 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)
    10. Mike Heck (2020-07-11). "Nicco Montano vs. Julia Avila matchup moved to UFC event on Sept. 5 following coach's positive COVID-19 test". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. Mike Heck and Guilherme Cruz (2020-09-03). "With Karol Rosa out, Sijara Eubanks now faces Julia Avila at UFC event on Sept. 12". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
    14. Mike Bohn (2020-07-07). "Thiago Santos vs. Glover Teixeira in the works to headline UFC's Sept. 12 event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
    15. Damon Martin (2020-09-03). "Glover Teixeira tests positive for COVID-19, fight against Thiago Santos rescheduled for UFC event on Oct. 3". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
    16. Alexander K. Lee and Guilherme Cruz (2020-09-15). "Thiago Santos tests positive for COVID-19, Oct. 3 fight against Glover Teixeira canceled". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
    17. Tristen Critchfield (2020-09-08). "Beneil Dariush announces Charles Oliveira is out of UFC on ESPN 16 lightweight bout". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
    18. Farah Hannoun (2020-07-19). "Casey Kenney vs. Heili Alateng added to UFC 253 lineup". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
    19. Matthew Scott (2020-09-07). "UFC: China's 'Mongolian Knight' Heili Alateng looking to carve up bantamweight division". scmp.com. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
    20. Nolan King (2020-09-21). "Danaa Batgerel out of Oct. 3 fight, UFC seeking new opponent for Kyler Phillips". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
    21. Nolan King (2020-09-24). "Kyler Phillips gets UFC debutant Cameron Else as new opponent for Oct. 3 event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
    22. Kristen King (2020-09-16). "Tanner Boser vs. Andrei Arlovski reportedly moved to November UFC Fight Night card". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
    23. Staff (2020-09-27). "KB Bhullar makes short notice debut against Tom Breese at UFC on ESPN 16 in Abu Dhabi". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-09-28. (in Dutch)
    24. Canadian Press (2020-09-28). "Edmonton's K.B. Bhullar to make UFC debut on Fight Island in October". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
    25. "UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
    26. Ryan Galloway (2020-10-04). "UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Aldana bonuses". lowkickmma.com. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
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