Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 30 went with as their backing tracks in Abu Dhabi.
Arman Tsarukyan spoke to the media following his win at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Abu Dhabi.
Arman Tsarukyan spoke to the media following his win at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Abu Dhabi.
The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 30, which features a Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez title rematch in the main event.
The third event of the UFC’s four-card August stretch on “Fight Island” takes place Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 30 at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
A title-fight rematch takes place in the main event when the UFC takes a second attempt at crowning a new flyweight champion. [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will attempt to repeat his February knockout of [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) when they run it back, but this time Figueiredo hopefully will be eligible for the belt by making weight.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 30.
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Figueiredo becomes the second Brazilian to fight for the UFC flyweight title. Wilson Reis also accomplished the feat.
Figueiredo has earned 15 of his 18 career victories by stoppage. That includes five of his UFC wins.
Figueiredo’s five stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for third most ind divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (seven) and Benavidez (six).
Figueiredo’s four knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Benavidez (five).
Figueiredo’s six knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind John Lineker (seven).
Figueiredo lands 52.5 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Figueiredo attempts 2.36 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Benavidez, 35, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Benavidez, 35, can become the oldest fighter to claim a UFC title at welterweight or below.
Benavidez is one of seven fighters in UFC history to go 0-3 in title fights. Another loss would make him the lone fighter to go 0-4.
Benavidez competes in his 18th UFC flyweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Benavidez’s total fight time of 3:10:24 in UFC flyweight competition is second most in divisional history behind Johnson (4:39:12).
Benavidez’s 13 victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson for most in divisional history.
Benavidez’s six stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Johnson (seven).
Benavidez’s six knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Lineker (seven).
Benavidez’s five knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Benavidez’s four fight-night bonuses for UFC flyweight bouts are second most in divisional history behind Johnson (nine).
[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has earned 16 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his seven UFC wins.
Hermansson lands 5.13 significant strikes per minute in UFC middleweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Paulo Costa (8.43) and Martin Kampmann (5.35).
Hermansson has the highest significant strike differential rate in UFC middleweight history (+2.87).
Hermansson landed 148 significant strikes against Ronaldo Souza at UFC on ESPN+ 8, the most in a five-round UFC middleweight fight.
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is 4-3 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in December 2016. He’s 5-3 (with one no contest) overall at 185 pounds.
[autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2017.
Duffy has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 13 opponents in the first round and eight in less than two minutes each.
[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all 16 of his career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has earned one of two calf-slicer submissions in UFC history. Charles Oliveira also accomplished the feat.
Johns’ 30-second submission of Joe Soto at the TUF 26 Finale was second fastest in UFC/WEC combined bantamweight history behind Patrick Williams’ 23-second finish at UFC 188.
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) submission victory at 1:40 of Round 1 at UFC 232 is the second fastest D’Arce choke finish in UFC history. Only Chas Skelly’s 19-second win at UFC Fight Night 94 was faster.
[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since May 20, 2017. The 1,155-day layoff is the longest of his nearly six-year career.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
“Fight Island” is real, and now the four cards that will take place there are real, as well.
“Fight Island” is real, and now the four cards that will take place there are real, as well.
UFC president Dana White today announced the complete lineup for the four cards that will take place next month in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The unique setup has been necessitated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has made it difficult to get international fighters into the U.S. to compete.
“I think this is going to be a really unique experience, not just for the fighters, but for us,” UFC president Dana White said during the announcement. “It’s going to be cool. It’s going to be something different. It’s never been done before, and however long this thing goes on, and however long it’s hard to get people in from other countries, we will have these fights at ‘Fight Island’ – Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.”
First up, it’s UFC 251 on July 11, which features a trio of title fights.
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)
The promotion then returns on July 15 with an event headlined by featherweight contenders [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC).
The complete lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY (7 p.m. ET)
Three days later, on July 18, the promotion hosts its third card in eight days, when top flyweight contenders [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) meet for a second time with the vacant UFC flyweight title on the line.
The full card includes:
MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (6 p.m. ET)
Finally, the UFC’s run in Abu Dhabi ends on July 25 with a much-anticipated middleweight contest between former champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and former welterweight title challenger [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC).
That night’s full lineup includes:
MAIN CARD
PRELIMINARY CARD
Davi Ramos vs. Arman Tsarukyan has been rebooked.
[autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] has been rebooked.
Ramos (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) vs. Tsarukyan (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), a lightweight fight, will now take place July 18. The UFC event will take place on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi – also known as “Fight Island.”
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie after an initial report from MMA DNA. The person asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Ramos also confirmed the bout on his Instagram page Thursday.
The two fighters were originally scheduled to fight April 11 in Portland, Ore. However, the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ADCC world champion grappler Ramos is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 242. Before the defeat, he had won four fights in a row, which included three submissions.
In his promotional debut, Tsarukyan also suffered a loss to Makhachev. However, he rebounded with his first UFC win last July when he out-grappled Olivier Aubin-Mercier at UFC 240.
With the addition, the current July 18 lineup includes:
[vertical-gallery id=409452]
[vertical-gallery id=426194]
A grappler’s delight between Davi Ramos and Arman Tsarukyan is headed to UFC Portland.
A grappler’s delight is headed to the Pacific Northwest.
[autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag] will take on [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 30. MMA Junkie confirmed the booking after an initial report from ESPN.
UFC on ESPN+ 30 takes place April 11 at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. The card will stream on ESPN+.
ADCC world champion grappler Ramos (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 242. Prior to that, he won four fights in a row, which included three submissions.
In his promotional debut, Tsarukyan (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) also suffered a loss to Makhachev, but rebounded with his first UFC win last July, when he out-grappled Olivier Aubin-Mercier at UFC 240.
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Also joining the UFC on ESPN+ 30 lineup is a welterweight bout between “Dana White’s Contender Series” winner [autotag]Phil Rowe[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and [autotag]Cole Williams[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC).
With the additions, the current UFC on ESPN+ 30 lineup includes:
[vertical-gallery id=426194]
