UFC 217
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Art Davie, Rorion Gracie |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Key people | Dana White (President) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
| Website | www |
UFC 217: Bisping vs. St-Pierre was a mixed martial arts spectacle organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 4, 2017, hosted at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
Background
This event marked the promotion's second occasion holding a card at Madison Square Garden.
The main attraction was a UFC Middleweight Championship clash featuring the reigning champion Michael Bisping against former two-time welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre. Although initially announced without a fixed date, the matchup encountered uncertainty as UFC President Dana White explored alternative title fights involving interim middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Following injuries and unsatisfactory title defenses, the original contest between Bisping and St-Pierre was reinstated, reflecting the preferences of both fighters.
A UFC Bantamweight Championship contest between reigning champion Cody Garbrandt and previous titleholder T.J. Dillashaw was postponed to this event after Garbrandt withdrew from their initial scheduling at UFC 213 due to a back injury.
The third championship bout featured the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship with champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk defending against former challenger Rose Namajunas.
Additional notable adjustments included:
- Injury forced Gadzhimurad Antigulov to pull out from his fight against Ion Cuțelaba, leading to newcomer Michał Oleksiejczuk stepping in. However, Cuțelaba was subsequently removed for a potential USADA violation, resulting in cancellation of the fight.
- A heavyweight matchup between Walt Harris and Mark Godbeer, originally scheduled for UFC 216 after Harris replaced an injured competitor, was moved to UFC 217.
- Due to a persistent staph infection, Patrick Cummins withdrew from his light heavyweight bout with Corey Anderson, with former interim title contender Ovince Saint Preux taking his place.
Bonus awards
The following competitors earned performance bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: No bonuses awarded
- Performance of the Night ($50,000): Georges St-Pierre, T.J. Dillashaw, Rose Namajunas
- Performance of the Night ($25,000): Ovince Saint Preux, Ricardo Ramos
Record set
This event became historic as the first UFC card where all three defending champions lost their belts simultaneously. It joins notable events such as UFC 33, UFC 205, and UFC 214, each featuring three championship bouts.