UFC 259
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | March 6, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
UFC 259: Błachowicz vs. Adesanya represented a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 6, 2021, hosted at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
The main event showcased a title clash for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship featuring reigning champion Jan Błachowicz (previously KSW Light Heavyweight Champion) facing off against the Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. Should Adesanya have triumphed, he would have become the fourth fighter to simultaneously hold two UFC belts and the eighth overall to secure championships in multiple weight classes. This occasion marked the sixth instance of UFC champions from different divisions battling for a single title. Former contender Glover Teixeira was designated as the official backup for this matchup.
The co-headlining bout involved a contest for the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship, where titleholder Amanda Nunes—also the UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion—defended her belt against former Invicta FC Featherweight Champion Megan Anderson. This encounter was originally scheduled for UFC 256 but was postponed due to an injury sustained by Nunes.
Completing the trio of championship fights at UFC 259 was the bantamweight title defense featuring current UFC Bantamweight Championship holder Petr Yan against challenger Aljamain Sterling. Their fight had been deferred from UFC 256 because of visa complications affecting Yan.
Other significant matchups included a flyweight bout between ex-title contender Tim Elliott and Jordan Espinosa, which was rescheduled following Espinosa’s positive COVID-19 test that delayed their initial arrangement. Additionally, a lightweight contest between Islam Makhachev and Drew Dober took place; their originally planned 2016 meeting was canceled after Makhachev failed a drug screening.
In bantamweight competition, Randy Costa withdrew due to injury and was substituted by Mario Bautista, who faced off against Trevin Jones.
During weigh-ins, Askar Askarov exceeded the flyweight limit by one pound ahead of his bout with former title challenger Joseph Benavidez. The fight proceeded at catchweight, with Askarov penalized by forfeiting a portion of his purse to Benavidez.
Bonus awards
The following athletes were awarded $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Carlos Ulberg
- Performance of the Night: Kai Kara-France and Uroš Medić