There’s a lot on the line for Felicia Spencer, who will look to leave no doubt on Saturday against Zarah Fairn.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – There’s a lot on the line for [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag], who will look to leave no doubt on Saturday.
Spencer (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN+ 27 in Norfolk, Va., in a pivotal featherweight fight.
There’s another 145-pound matchup between Megan Anderson and Norma Dumont earlier in the night. Whoever looks most impressive on the night could wound up being the No. 1 contender for UFC featherweight champion Amanda Nunes.
Although Fairn is coming off a quick submission loss to Anderson, former Invicta FC 145-pound champion Spencer won’t take her lightly.
“I have a lot of respect for her skills,” Spencer told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “I know she brings a lot to the table and I feel like she’s being underestimated a lot, which is to be expected with how the debut went. She only had a couple of minutes to show, and it didn’t go her way, so it makes sense. But I know she has a lot to offer, a lot to the table that I need to be aware of, and I know she’s more known as a striker. But she’s also good on the ground. She has her moments, and I’m ready to dominate and not let her have her way at all.”
Dual-champ Nunes hasn’t fought at 145 pounds since capturing the title in December 2018, but has mentioned intentions of defending the title.
And with the UFC’s women’s featherweight doubleheader of sorts getting high billing Saturday, Spencer thinks a solid win over Fairn should secure a shot at the title.
“I think it’s possible to get a title shot after Saturday,” Spencer said. “I guess it depends on how things go, who wins on the other end of the card, and if there are any other featherweights that they’re going to be bringing in – because otherwise, there aren’t that many options.”
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping once said he’d “(expletive) strangle” Joseph Benavidez. Now Bisping calls his title fight at UFC on ESPN+ 27.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A new flyweight champion will be crowned Saturday when the UFC returns to Virginia for the fifth time in company history.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The entire card streams on ESPN+.
In the main event, either [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) or [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) will claim the 125-pound belt relinquished by Henry Cejudo late last year and become just the third fighter in company history to hold that belt, joining Cejudo and Demetrious Johnson.
Elsewhere on the card, the future of the women’s featherweight division will be sorted with [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) vs. [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and [autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) likely fighting to determine who will next challenge divisional queen Amanda Nunes.
Ahead of the card, former UFC middleweight champion turned UFC analyst [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] talked to MMA Junkie to break down all the top storylines on the card.
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Ahead of UFC on ESPN+ 27, check out the preview video above.
Zarah Fairn believes a win at UFC on ESPN+ 27 will put her in line for a shot at Amanda Nunes’ featherweight title.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] sees UFC on ESPN+ 27 as a four-person audition for who gets to challenge [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] for the featherweight title, and she intends to come out ahead.
Although Fairn (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) can’t control what happens in the other matchup between Megan Anderson and Norma Dumont, she does have power over her own performance in Saturday’s co-headliner against Felicia Spencer (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC).
If Fairn can match her own expectations, she said she will put herself at the forefront of the conversation to fight dual-champ Nunes (19-4 MMA, 12-1 UFC) for 145-pound gold.
“I believe strategically the UFC put all the girls on the same card to see what’s at stake and make a decision based on the results that are going to happen,” Fairn told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at today’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 media day. “But there could be another girl jumping in as well, so I’m going to have to perform.”
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Should Fairn deliver, she would be fighting for a UFC title in just her third octagon appearance. He debut went terribly, with a first-round submission against Anderson at UFC 243 in October.
The loss was a blemish in Fairn’s career, but she said it shouldn’t serve as an indictment of her abilities. Nunes has been on a serious run of success across two divisions, but Fairn sees herself as a threat.
“I will be ready to take on Amanda Nunes,” Fairn said. “Obviously there’s going to be some adjustments to make and some serious training to put in, but I feel like I signed with UFC with that goal in mind and obviously I will definitely be ready.”
First things first, though, Farin must net her first UFC win. It will be an uphill climb, because Spencer is the biggest betting favorite on the card at as high as -900. Farin, however, is eager for the challenge.
“I want to display my standup skills,” Farin said. “What’s interesting about this fight is there’s many different styles. Felicia is a wrestler, I’m a striker, so that’s what MMA is about. People from two different styles and I’me excited to display all those skills.”
The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 27, which features a Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo main event.
The UFC hosts an event in Virginia for the fifth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 27, which goes down at Chartway Arena in Norfolk and streams on ESPN+.
A new flyweight champion will be crowned in the main event. [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) attempts to complete his long journey to UFC gold when he meets the once-beaten [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) for the vacant strap.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 27.
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Main event
Joseph Benavidez
Benavidez, 35, can become the oldest fighter to claim a UFC title at welterweight or below.
Benavidez competes in his fourth UFC/WEC title fight. He’s 0-3 in previous opportunities.
Benavidez competes in his 17th UFC flyweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Benavidez’s total fight time of 3:03:30 in UFC flyweight competition is second most in divisional history behind Demetrious 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 John 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).
Deiveson Figueiredo
Figueiredo becomes the second Brazilian to fight for the UFC flyweight title. Wilson Reis also accomplished the feat.
Figueiredo has earned 14 of his 17 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his UFC wins.
Figueiredo lands 52.7 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Figueiredo attempts 2.4 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Remaining main card
Zarah Fairn
[autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 36, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 12 of those wins by knockout.
Cutelaba has earned eight of his career victories in 30 seconds or less.
Cutelaba lands 5.27 significant strikes per minute in UFC light heavyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]’s (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Glover Teixeira and Ryan Spann for the second longest active streak in the division behind Jon Jones (four).
Ankalaev is the only light heavyweight in UFC history to earn multiple knockout victories stemming from kicks.
Megan Anderson
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) competes in her fifth UFC women’s featherweight bout, tied with Cris Cyborg for the most appearances in divisional history.
Anderson’s two victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Cyborg (four).
Anderson’s two stoppage victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are tied with Cyborg for most in divisional history.
Anderson has the only triangle choke submission finish in UFC women’s featherweight history. She accomplished the feat at UFC 243.
Preliminary card
Brendan Allen
[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished both of his UFC wins by submission.
[autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) competes for just the second time since June 2016.
Breese was successful in his UFC middleweight debut at UFC Fight Night 130 in May 2018.
[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to June 2017.
Tybura defends 81.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Alexander Volkov (82.8 percent) and Junior Dos Santos (81.8 percent).
[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished eight of those wins in Round 1.
[autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN+ 27 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.
Make your picks for all six main card fights inside:
Felicia Spencer vs. Zarah Fairn is the second women’s featherweight fight added to UFC Norfolk.
The UFC doesn’t put on many women’s featherweight fights. However, at UFC Norfolk not one, but two 145-pound bouts are on tap.
A fight between former Invicta FC champ [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] and French fighter [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] is the latest addition to the card.
Canada’s Spencer (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has split her UFC outings since signing with the promotion in early 2019. In her promotional debut, she made quick work of Anderson. Overcoming a six-inch height disadvantage, Spencer submitted Anderson by rear-naked choke in the first round.
Fighting in the United States for the first time, Fairn will look to rebound from a loss in her promotional debut. Her first fight for the promotion came at UFC 243 in October in Melbourne. Taking on the aforementioned Anderson in the Aussie’s backyard, Fairn was submitted by first-round triangle choke.
