UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson

UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson (also known as UFC on ESPN 24 and UFC Vegas 26) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 8, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2][3]

UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson
The poster for UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateMay 8, 2021 (2021-05-08)
VenueUFC Apex
CityEnterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson UFC 262: Oliveira vs. Chandler

Background

A bantamweight bout between former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion T.J. Dillashaw and Cory Sandhagen was expected to serve as the main event.[4] It would be Dillashaw's first fight since his two-year suspension due to testing positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), which resulted in his title vacancy.[5][6] However, Dillashaw announced on April 27 that he had to pull out of the fight due to a cut he received from a headbutt in training.[7] Sandhagen was removed from the card as well, with the pairing remaining intact and rescheduled at a future event.[8] A women's flyweight bout between former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Michelle Waterson and Marina Rodriguez served as the new main event instead.[9] The pairing usually fights at strawweight, but due to the short notice of the booking, they met at a weight class above.[10]

A women's bantamweight bout between former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate bantamweight winner Julianna Peña was scheduled for the event.[11] However, Holm was forced to withdraw from the bout citing hydronephrosis.[12] In turn, Peña was also removed from the card in favor of a title bout against current champion Amanda Nunes (also the UFC Women's Featherweight Champion) at UFC 265.[13]

A heavyweight bout between Ben Rothwell and Philipe Lins was expected to take place at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad, but it was canceled due to an injury to Rothwell.[14] The pairing was then rescheduled for this event.[15] While Rothwell made weight without issue, Lins never showed up to the weigh-ins and withdrew from the bout due to an illness.[16]

A welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Geoff Neal was originally scheduled to take place at UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić, but Neal withdrew from the event due to a severe case of pneumonia that evolved to sepsis.[17] The pairing took place at this event.[18]

Former UFC Women's Flyweight Championship challenger Roxanne Modafferi was expected to face Taila Santos in a women's flyweight bout.[19] However, Modafferi was forced to pull out due to a meniscus tear a month before the event and the bout was scrapped.[20]

Jimmy Flick was expected to face Francisco Figueiredo in a flyweight bout at this event.[21] However on April 10, Flick announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.[22] Figueiredo was then expected to face JP Buys.[23] Buys eventually got injured and also had to pull out. He was replaced by Malcolm Gordon and the new pairing is expected to take place at UFC Fight Night 192 instead.[24]

Nikolas Motta and Damir Hadžović were expected to meet in a lightweight bout.[25] However, Motta pulled out in mid-April due to an injury[26] In turn, Hadžović was rescheduled and is expected to face Yancy Medeiros two weeks later at UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt.[27]

Former UFC Lightweight Championship challenger and The Ultimate Fighter 1 middleweight winner Diego Sanchez was expected to face fellow lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout.[28] However, Sanchez was removed from the fight on April 28 after being released by the UFC.[29] He was replaced by Alex Morono.[30]

At the weigh-ins, Carlos Diego Ferreira and Ryan Benoit missed weight for their respective bouts. Ferreira weighed in at 160.5 pounds, four and a half pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined 30% of his purse, which went to his opponent Gregor Gillespie.[31] Benoit weighed in at 129 pounds, three pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. His bout with Zarrukh Adashev was cancelled by the Nevada State Athletic Commission due to health concerns.[32]

A women’s strawweight bout between Amanda Ribas and former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Angela Hill was expected to take place at the event.[33] However, their bout was scrapped just hours before the event started due to Ribas testing positive for COVID-19.[34]

Results
Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Women's Flyweight Marina Rodriguez def. Michelle Waterson Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 49–46, 49–46) 5 5:00
Welterweight Alex Morono def. Donald Cerrone TKO (punches) 1 4:40
Welterweight Neil Magny def. Geoff Neal Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) 3 5:00
Heavyweight Marcos Rogério de Lima def. Maurice Greene Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (160.5 lb) Gregor Gillespie def. Carlos Diego Ferreira TKO (punches) 2 4:51
Middleweight Phil Hawes def. Kyle Daukaus Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 29–27) 3 5:00
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Featherweight Michael Trizano def. Ľudovít Klein Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) 3 5:00
Middleweight Jun Yong Park def. Tafon Nchukwi Decision (majority) (30–25, 29–26, 28–28) 3 5:00 [lower-alpha 1]
Welterweight Carlston Harris def. Christian Aguilera Technical Submission (anaconda choke) 1 2:52
  1. Nchukwi was deducted one point in round 2 due to repeated groin strikes.

[35]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[36]

  • Fight of the Night: Gregor Gillespie vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira1
  • Performance of the Night: Alex Morono and Carlston Harris
^ 1. Ferreira was disqualified for the Fight of the Night bonus due to missing weight, as a result his award was given to Gillespie.

See also

References
  1. Mike Bohn (2021-05-09). "UFC on ESPN 24 post-event facts: Neil Magny closes in on Georges St-Pierre's record". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  2. Staff (2021-03-19). "Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw set for May 8". ufc.com. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  3. Steven Marrocco (2021-04-01). "UFC requests four events for May at UFC APEX in Las Vegas". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  4. Brett Okamoto (2021-03-19). "Former UFC champ TJ Dillashaw to make return in May against Cory Sandhagen, sources say". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  5. Ariel Helwani (2019-03-20). "Dillashaw gives up belt, suspended by NYSAC". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  6. Brett Okamoto (2019-04-09). "USADA suspends Dillashaw 2 years for EPO use". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  7. Mike Bohn (2021-04-27). "Facial cut forces T.J. Dillashaw from UFC comeback fight vs. Cory Sandhagen". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  8. Tristen Critchfield (2021-04-28). "T.J. Dillashaw out of UFC on ESPN 24; Waterson vs. Rodriguez targeted as new main event". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  9. Damon Martin (2021-04-27). "T.J. Dillashaw injured, UFC targets Michelle Waterson vs. Marina Rodriguez to headline UFC Vegas 26". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  10. Staff (2021-05-04). "Dana White: Marina Rodriguez vs. Michelle Waterson headlines Saturday's UFC on ESPN 24". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  11. Brett Okamoto (2021-02-19). "Holly Holm to fight Julianna Pena at UFC Fight Night on May 8". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  12. Farah Hannoun (2021-03-09). "Holly Holm reveals kidney swelling forced her out of Julianna Pena bout, set for surgery". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  13. Nolan King (2021-04-15). "Amanda Nunes moves back to bantamweight, defends title vs. Julianna Pena at UFC 265". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  14. Guilherme Cruz and Damon Martin (2021-03-09). "Ben Rothwell vs. Philipe Lins fight at UFC Vegas 21 postponed". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  15. Nolan King and John Morgan (2021-03-16). "After cancellation, UFC rebooks Philipe Lins vs. Ben Rothwell for May 8". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  16. Mike Bohn (2021-05-07). "Philipe Lins out of UFC on ESPN 24 fight with Ben Rothwell because of illness". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  17. Steven Marrocco (2020-08-10). "Coach: Geoff Neal expected to recover after mysterious ailment that caused staphylococcal pneumonia, sepsis". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  18. Mike Bohn (2021-04-07). "Neil Magny vs. Geoff Neal rebooked for UFC on ESPN 24". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  19. Marcelo Barone (2021-03-02). "In search of her third UFC win, Taila Santos will face Roxanne Modafferi in May". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2021-04-08. (in Portuguese)
  20. Alexander K. Lee (2021-04-07). "Roxanne Modafferi out of Taila Santos bout on May 8 due to meniscus injury". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  21. Alex Behunin (2021-03-02). "Jimmy Flick vs. Francisco Figueiredo set for May 8". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  22. Mike Heck (2021-04-11). "Jimmy Flick announces retirement: 'The UFC is not my dream no more'". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
  23. Staff (2021-04-12). "JP Buys replaces Jimmy Flick against Francisco Figueiredo on May 8". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2021-04-12. (in Dutch)
  24. Marcelo Barone (2021-04-20). "Francisco Figueiredo changes opponents for the third time and will fight on July 17". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2021-04-22. (in Dutch)
  25. Staff (2021-03-04). "New generation! Nikolas Motta debuts at Ultimate against veteran in May". uol.com.br. Retrieved 2021-04-15. (in Portuguese)
  26. Staff (2021-04-14). "Nikolas Motta is injured and postpones UFC Octagon debut". uol.com.br. Retrieved 2021-04-15. (in Portuguese)
  27. Farah Hannoun (2021-04-16). "With Nikolas Motta out, Yancy Medeiros steps in to face Damir Hadzovic at UFC Fight Night 188". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  28. Alex Chippin (2021-02-05). "Report: Cerrone booked for return bout vs. Sanchez". thescore.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  29. Mike Bohn and John Morgan (2021-04-30). "UFC releases 'TUF 1' winner Diego Sanchez, ending more than 16-year run". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  30. Nolan King and Mike Bohn (2021-05-03). "Donald Cerrone gets Alex Morono after Diego Sanchez removed from UFC on ESPN 24". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  31. Alexander K. Lee (2021-05-07). "UFC Vegas 26 weigh-in results: Marina Rodriguez, Michelle Waterson make weight for headliner, two other fights cancelled". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  32. Mike Bohn and Ken Hathaway (2021-05-07). "UFC on ESPN 24 video: Ryan Benoit held upright on scale for scary weigh-in; fight canceled". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  33. Guilherme Cruz and Damon Martin (2021-04-05). "Amanda Ribas vs. Angela Hill targeted for UFC event on May 8". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  34. Damon Martin and Guilherme Cruz (2021-05-08). "Amanda Ribas positive for COVID-19, removed from UFC Vegas 26 bout with Angela Hill". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  35. "UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  36. Staff (2021-05-09). "UFC on ESPN 24 bonuses: Gregor Gillespie gets $100,000 because Diego Ferreira missed weight". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
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