UFC 188
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | June 13, 2015 |
| Headquarters | Mexico City , Mexico |
| Products | Mixed martial arts fights |
UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum took place on June 13, 2015, at Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, showcasing a mixed martial arts event.
Background
This event was headlined by a unification match for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, featuring the reigning champion Cain Velasquez against the interim titleholder Fabrício Werdum. Originally planned for UFC 180, the bout was postponed after Velasquez sustained a knee injury. Consequently, an interim championship fight between Werdum and Mark Hunt occurred at UFC 180.
A lightweight contest between Francisco Treviño and Johnny Case, initially arranged for UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Siver, was moved to UFC 188 following Treviño’s withdrawal due to injury.
Héctor Urbina was slated to compete against Albert Tumenov but had to pull out because of an arm injury. Andrew Todhunter stepped in as Urbina’s replacement but was medically disqualified and released shortly before the event, resulting in the cancellation of the fight. Despite the cancellation, Tumenov was compensated with his contracted show money.
After the event, Gilbert Melendez tested positive for exogenous testosterone metabolites and received a one-year suspension effective from his fight with Eddie Alvarez. This positive test led to his removal from a scheduled bout against Al Iaquinta. Similarly, Augusto Montaño also tested positive for these substances and was handed a one-year suspension.
Results
{{MMAevent bout|Featherweight|Gabriel Benítez|def.|Clay Collard|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)|3|5:00|} }
Bonus awards
$50,000 bonuses were granted to:
- Fight of the Night: Yair Rodríguez vs. Charles Rosa
- Performance of the Night: Patrick Williams and Fabrício Werdum