UFC 212
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
| Website | www |
UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 3, 2017, hosted at the Jeunesse Arena located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Background
The highlight of this event was a unification match for the UFC Featherweight Championship featuring two-time titleholder José Aldo facing off against the interim champion Max Holloway.
Kelvin Gastelum, the victor of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen, was initially scheduled to compete against former Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Nevertheless, on April 6, 2017, Gastelum was withdrawn after testing positive for Carboxy-THC beyond the permissible limit, leading to a provisional suspension.
Subsequently, on April 10, former Strikeforce and UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold agreed to step in and challenge Silva. Silva declined this proposed matchup, instead suggesting other opponents such as Uriah Hall or a potential rematch with semi-retired fighter Nick Diaz. By May 1, Silva insisted on an interim title bout against Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero, threatening to retire if this demand was not met. Despite ongoing discussions, Silva ultimately confirmed on May 11 that he would not participate in UFC 212.
Felipe Arantes was set to battle Iuri Alcântara, but withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was substituted by promotional newcomer Brian Kelleher.
A lightweight contest between Leonardo Santos and Olivier Aubin-Mercier was called off on May 18 after Aubin-Mercier sustained an injury, prompting Santos to also withdraw.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were awarded as follows:
- Fight of the Night: Max Holloway vs. José Aldo
- Performance of the Night: Cláudia Gadelha and Brian Kelleher