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2021 in UFC

From Alfawiki
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Company typePrivate
IndustryMixed martial arts promotion
Founded1993
Headquarters
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Dana White (CEO)

The year 2021 represented the 29th anniversary of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a premier mixed martial arts organization headquartered in the United States.

2021 UFC Honors Awards

Beginning in 2019, the UFC has annually recognized outstanding achievements with its year-end awards. Among these are the "UFC Honors President's Choice Awards," where CEO Dana White personally selects winners for categories like "Performance of the Year" and "Fight of the Year." Additionally, fans participate in choosing winners for the "UFC Honors Fan Choice Awards," which include distinctions such as "Knockout of the Year," "Submission of the Year," "Event of the Year," "Comeback of the Year," and, introduced in 2020, "Debut of the Year."

Recipients of these accolades are presented with a commemorative trophy alongside a set of tires provided by sponsor Toyo Tires.

2021 UFC Honors Awards
Performance of the Year Fight of the Year Knockout of the Year Submission of the Year Debut of the Year Event of the Year Comeback of the Year
Winner Julianna Peña
overcomes
Amanda Nunes 1
UFC 269 		Justin Gaethje
defeats
Michael Chandler
UFC 268 		Kamaru Usman
defeats
Jorge Masvidal 2
UFC 261 		Brandon Moreno
defeats
Deiveson Figueiredo 2
UFC 263 		Michael Chandler
overcomes
Dan Hooker
UFC 257 		UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 Charles Oliveira
defeats
Michael Chandler 1
UFC 262
Nominee Rose Namajunas
defeats
Zhang Weili 1
UFC 261 		Max Holloway
defeats
Yair Rodríguez
UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez 		Rose Namajunas
defeats
Zhang Weili 1
UFC 261 		Khamzat Chimaev
defeats
Li Jingliang
UFC 267 		Terrance McKinney
defeats
Matt Frevola
UFC 263 		UFC 267: Błachowicz vs. Teixeira Anthony Hernandez
defeats
Rodolfo Vieira
UFC 258

2021 UFC.com Awards

2021 UFC.COM Awards
No The Fighter The

Upsets

The

Submissions

The Newcomers The

Knockouts

The

Fights

1 Kamaru Usman Julianna Peña defeats Amanda Nunes 1 UFC 278 André Muniz defeats Ronaldo Souza UFC 262 Casey O'Neill Kamaru Usman defeats Jorge Masvidal 2 UFC 261 Justin Gaethje defeats Michael Chandler UFC 268
2 Charles Oliveira Anthony Hernandez defeats Rodolfo Vieira UFC 258 Anthony Hernandez defeats Rodolfo Vieira UFC 258 Manon Fiorot Jiří Procházka defeats Dominick Reyes UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka Alexander Volkanovski defeats Brian Ortega UFC 266
3 Ciryl Gane Gerald Meerschaert defeats Makhmud Muradov UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Chikadze Vicente Luque defeats Tyron Woodley UFC 260 Michael Chandler Cory Sandhagen defeats Frankie Edgar UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov Max Holloway defeats Yair Rodríguez UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez
4 Rose Namajunas Terrance McKinney defeats Matt Frevola UFC 263 Brandon Moreno defeats Deiveson Figueiredo 2 UFC 263 Chris Curtis Rose Namajunas defeats Zhang Weili 1 UFC 261 Petr Yan defeats Cory Sandhagen UFC 267
5 Islam Makhachev Jan Błachowicz defeats Israel Adesanya UFC 259 Amanda Nunes defeats Megan Anderson UFC 259 Erin Blanchfield Ignacio Bahamondes defeats Roosevelt Roberts UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Gastelum Jiří Procházka defeats Dominick Reyes UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka


Releases and retirements

The following athletes have either been released from their UFC agreements, retired from competition, or signed with alternative organizations:


  • Aalon Cruz – Contract terminated in May – Lightweight division
  • Al Iaquinta – Announced retirement in November – Lightweight division
  • Alan Jouban – Retired as of May – Welterweight division
  • Adam Yandiev – Released in March – Middleweight division
  • Aleksandra Albu – Released in February – Women's Strawweight division
  • Alex Chambers – Released in February – Women's Strawweight division
  • Alexander Yakovlev – Released in June – Lightweight division
  • Alexey Kunchenko – Joined PFL – Welterweight division
  • Alistair Overeem – Released in March – Heavyweight division
  • Ali Alqaisi – Released in February – Bantamweight division
  • Anderson dos Santos – Released in August – Bantamweight division
  • Andrew Sanchez – Released in October – Middleweight division
  • Antônio Carlos Júnior – Released in February – Middleweight division
  • Anthony Birchak – Released in May – Bantamweight division
  • Anthony Ivy – Released in February – Welterweight division
  • Anthony Rocco Martin – Transitioned to another promotion in January – Welterweight division
  • Antônio Arroyo – Released in October – Middleweight division
  • Antônio Braga Neto – Released in September – Middleweight division
  • Bartosz Fabiński – Released in May – Middleweight division
  • Bethe Correia – Retired as of October – Women's Bantamweight division
  • Bharat Khandare – Released in November – Featherweight division
  • Bojan Mihajlović – Released in February – Light Heavyweight division
  • Brok Weaver – Released in March – Lightweight division
  • Carlos Condit – Retired as of September – Welterweight division
  • Carlton Minus – Released in February – Lightweight division
  • Chris de la Rocha – Released in February – Heavyweight division
  • Christian Aguilera – Released in May – Welterweight division
  • Cláudia Gadelha – Retired December– Women's Strawweight division
  • Cole Williams – Released in February– Welterweight division
  • Dan Hardy – Released as of May– Welterweight division
  • Darren Stewart–Released August– Middleweight division
  • Demian Maia–Contract expired; departed UFC roster– Welterweight division
  • Diego Sanchez–Released April– Welterweight division
  • Dmitry Sosnovskiy–Released February– Heavyweight division
  • Don Madge–Signed with PFL– Lightweight division
  • Drako Rodriguez–Released August– Bantamweight division
  • Emil Weber Meek–Released June– Welterweight division
  • Emily Whitmire–Released September– Women's Flyweight division
  • Felicia Spencer–Retired December– Women's Featherweight division
  • Gabriel Silva–Released March– Bantamweight division
  • Geraldo de Freitas–Released March– Bantamweight division
  • Gian Villante–Retired November– Heavyweight division
  • Gökhan Saki–Released February– Light Heavyweight division
  • Impa Kasanganay–Released December– Welterweight division
  • Irwin Rivera–Released January– Bantamweight division
  • Jamey Simmons–Released August– Bantamweight division
  • Jacob Kilburn–Released February– Featherweight division
  • Jerome Rivera–Released August– Flyweight division
  • Jimmie Rivera–Contract expired; left UFC roster– Bantamweight division
  • Jimmy Flick–Retired April– Flyweight division
  • Joe Ellenberger–Released July– Lightweight division
  • John Allan–Released November– Light Heavyweight division
  • Johnny Eduardo–Released October– Bantamweight division
  • Jordan Espinosa–Released March– Flyweight division
  • Jordan Griffin–Released May– Featherweight division
  • José Alberto Quiñónez–Released March-Bantamweight division
  • Joseph Benavidez–Retired September-Flyweight division
  • Junior Dos Santos–Released March-Heavyweight division
  • Justin Jaynes-Released August—Featherweight category
  • Justine Kish—Released April—Women's Flyweight category
  • Kai Kamaka III—Contract expired August—Featherweight category

KB Bhullar—Released May—Middleweight category Kevin Lee (fighter)—Released November—Welterweight category Khama Worthy—Released November—Lightweight category Lara Procópio—Released July—Women's Flyweight category Laureano Staropoli—Released November—Middleweight category Liana Jojua—Released November—Women's Flyweight category Liliya Shakirova—Released September—Women's FlyWeight category Lívia Renata Souza—Released November—Women's StrawWeight category Luis Peña (fighter)—Released October—LightWeight category Luke Sanders—Released May—Bantamweigt category Marion Reneau—Retired July—Women's Bantamweigt category Markus Perez—Released February—Middleweigtht category Martin Day (fighter)—Released February—Bantamweigt category Maurice Greene (fighter)—Released May—Heavyweigtht category Megan Anderson (fighter)—Contract ended March—Women's Featherweigtht category Michel Prazeres —Released December —Welterweigtht category Mike Perry (fighter)—Signed with BKFC —Welterweigtht category Mike Rodríguez (fighter)—Released October —Light Heavyweigtht category Mirsad Bektić —Retired July —Featherweigtht category Modestas Bukauskas —Released October —Light Heavyweigtht category Nicco Montaño —Released August —Women's Flyweigtht category Nik Lentz —Retired January —Featherweigtht category Omari Akhmedov —Released July —Middleweigtht category Paul Felder —Retired May —Lightweigtht category Peter Barrett —Released February —Featherweigtht category Randa Markos —Released November —Women's Strawweigtht category Raphael Pessoa —Released July —Heavyweigtht category Ray Rodriguez —Released April —Bantamweigt category Rhys McKee —Released January —Welterweigtht category Ronaldo Souza —Released May —Middleweigtht category Roosevelt Roberts —Released August —Lightweigtht category Roque Martinez —Released June —Heavyweigtht category Ryan Benoit —Released August —Flyweitght category Sarah Alpar —Released October –Women’s Flyweitght category Sarah Moras –Released February –Women’s Bantamweigt category Shana Dobson –Released March –Women’s Flyweitght category Spike Carlyle –Released February –Featherweitght category Stefan Sekulić –Released July –Welterweitght category Stefan Struve –Retired February –Heavyweitght category Suman Mokhtarian –Released February –Featherweitght category Syuri Kondo –Released February –Women’s Strawweitght category Teemu Packalén –Retired November –Lightweitght category Thomas Almeida –Released October –Bantamweigt category Tyron Woodley –Contract ended April –Welterweitght category Vanessa Melo –Released February –Women’s Bantamweigt category Vince Cachero –Released March –Bantamweigt category Vinicius Moreira –Released February –Light Heavyweitght category Yancy Medeiros –Released August –Welterweitght category Yorgan De Castro –Released April –Heavyweitght category

Debut UFC fighters

The athletes listed below entered the UFC for the first time during 2021:


Jesse Strader - UFC on ESPN 21

Josiane Nunes - UFC on ESPN 29 JP Buys - UFC on ESPN 21 Juancamilo Ronderos - UFC Fight Night 188 Kamuela Kirk - UFC Fight Night 189 Kris Moutinho - UFC 264 Leomana Martinez - UFC on ESPN 30 Liudvik Sholinian - UFC Fight Night 191 Luana Pinheiro - UFC on ESPN 23 Luis Saldaña - UFC on ABC 2 Lupita Godinez - UFC on ESPN 22 Mandy Böhm - UFC Fight Night 192 Manel Kape-UFC Fight Night 184 Manon Fiorot-UFC on ESPN 20 Marcelo Rojo-UFC Fight Night 187 Maria de Oliveira Neta-UFC Fight Night196 Martin Sano Jr.-UFC266 Mason Jones (fighter)-UFC on ESPN20 Melissa Gatto-UFC265 Melsik Baghdasaryan-UFC on ESPN28 Michael Chandler-UFC257 Micheal Gillmore-UFC on ESPN30 Mike Breeden-UFC Fight Night193 Montserrat Ruiz-UFC on ESPN21 Na Liang-UFC261 Natan Levy-UFC Fight Night198 Nick Maximov-UFC266 Paddy Pimblett-UFC Fight Night191 Pat Sabatini-UFC261 Philip Rowe-UFC258 Preston Parsons-UFC on ESPN26 Orion Cosce-UFC on ESPN28 Rafa García (fighter)-UFC Fight Night187 Rafael Alves (fighter)-UFC Fight Night188 Ricky Turcios-UFC on ESPN30 Rong Zhu-UFC261 Ronnie Lawrence-UFC Fight Night186 Saidyokub Kakhramonov-UFC on ESPN29 Sergey Morozov (fighter)-UFC on ESPN20 Shayilan Nuerdanbieke-UFC Fight Night188 Silvana Gómez Juárez-UFC Fight Night194 Tabatha Ricci-UFC Fight Night189 Terrance McKinney-UFC263 Tucker Lutz-UFC262 Umar Nurmagomedov-UFC on ESPN20 Uroš Medić-UFC259 Vanessa Demopoulos-UFC on ESPN30 Victoria Leonardo-UFC on ESPN20 Zviad Lazishvili-UFC Fight Night196

Suspended fighters

The following competitors have been prohibited from competition by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), regional athletic commissions, or the UFC due to doping infractions or other violations.

... (Additional entries continue similarly, abbreviated here for conciseness) ... Template:Flags |Kevin Lee |'The Motown Phenom' |Welterweight |
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ISO Name Nickname Weight Class Suspended Since Suspension Length Violation / Details Authority Return Eligibility Ref. Remarks
Template:Flags T.J. Dillashaw Bantamweight
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 1 year (NYSAC)
2 years (USADA) 		Use of Erythropoietin (EPO) NYSAC and USADA
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Template:Flags Michel Prazeres Welterweight
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 2 years Presence of exogenous boldenone and its metabolite USADA
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Template:Flags Bruno Silva 'Blindado' Middleweight
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 2 years Detection of boldenone and metabolites USADA
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Template:Flags Giacomo Lemos Heavyweight
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 2 years (Drostanolone) and related metabolites identified USADA
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Template:Flags Istela Nunes "Women's Strawweight"
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 2 years (Stanozolol) metabolites detected (USADA) (dts 2021-07-22)

|6 months |Use of Adderall |NSAC |

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|$19,526 Fine

Template:Flags |Michel Prazeres |'Tractor' |Welterweight |

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|4 years |Clomiphene, Oxandrolone metabolites, exogenous testosterone and/or precursors found |NSAC |

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|Second USADA offense; retired post-suspension

Template:Flags |Raphael Pessoa|'Bebezão' |Heavyweight |

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|2 years |7-Keto-DHEA, AOD-9064, Hydrochlorothiazide and metabolites detected |USADA |

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|Second USADA violation; multiple positives and evasion attempts

Template:Flags |Łukasz Brzeski|'The Bull' |Heavyweight |

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|9 months |Clomiphene use confirmed |NSAC |Template:Dts 2022 Jun 14 |\$750 fine

{{flags USA}} ||Raquel Pennington ||'Rocky' ||Women's Bantamweight ||Template:Dts 2020 Nov 7 ||6 months ||7-Keto-DHEA and AOD-9064 detected ||USADA ||Template:Dts 2021 May 7 ||Violation self-reported due to prescribed medication

This compilation underscores significant suspensions affecting fighter participation and UFC scheduling considerations.

The Ultimate Fighter

The seasons of The Ultimate Fighter aired during 2021 include:

Season Weight Division Champion Runner-up
The Ultimate Fighter 29 Middleweight Bryan Battle Gilbert Urbina
Bantamweight Ricky Turcios Brady Hiestand

Title fights

    {{MMAtitle bout	Light Heavyweight	Glover Teixeira	def.	Jan Błachowicz (c)	Submission (rear-naked choke)	2	3:02	UFC 267	For the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. }} {{MMAtitle bout	Women's Strawweight	Rose Namajunas (c)	def.	Zhang Weili	Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 49–46)	5	5:00	UFC 268	For the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship. }} {{MMAtitle bout	Welterweight	Kamaru Usman (c)	def.	Colby Covington	Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46)	5	5:00	UFC 268	For the UFC Welterweight Championship. }} {{MMAtitle bout	Women's Bantamweight	Julianna Peña	def.	Amanda Nunes (c)	Submission (rear-naked choke)	2	3:26	UFC 269	For the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship. }} {{MMAtitle bout	Lightweight 	Charles Oliveira (c)	def.	Dustin Poirier	Submission (rear-naked choke)	3	1:02	UFC 269	For the UFC Lightweight Championship. }}

Events list

... [Events continue in similar compressed format] ...
# Event Date Location City Country Attendance Reference Fight of the Night Performance of the Night Bonus Amount Reference
589 UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus
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 UFC Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/A [1] Amanda Lemos vs. Angela Hill Cub Swanson Melissa Gatto $50,000 [2]
588 UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier
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 T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, Nevada United States Template:Nts [3] Dominick Cruz vs. Pedro Munhoz Charles Oliveira Julianna Peña $50,000 [4]
Kai Kara-France Sean O'Malley
Tai Tuivasa Bruno Silva
587 UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Aldo
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 UFC Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/A [5] Cheyanne Vlismas vs. Mallory Martin Rafael Fiziev Jamahal Hill $50,000 [6]
Clay Guida Chris Curtis
586 UFC Fight Night: Vieira vs. Tate
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 UFC Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/A [7] Adrian Yanez vs. Davey Grant Taila Santos — $50,000 [8]
585 UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez
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 UFC Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/A [9] Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodríguez Khaos Williams Andrea Lee $50,000 [10]


See also

External links

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