UFC 266
| Company type | Event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | September 25, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Paradise, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Las Vegas Metropolitan Area |
UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, held on September 25, 2021, at the T-Mobile Arena located in Paradise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area.
Background
Following a year-long pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, UFC brought back its International Fight Week in Las Vegas in conjunction with this event.
A Light Heavyweight Championship clash between reigning titleholder Jan Błachowicz and contender Glover Teixeira was initially planned but later deferred to UFC 267.
The main event showcased UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski defending his belt against former challenger Brian Ortega. This contest was originally set for UFC 260 but was postponed after Volkanovski tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently delayed again as both fighters served as head coaches on The Return of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Volkanovski vs. Team Ortega.
Co-headlining the card was a Women's Flyweight Championship fight featuring champion Valentina Shevchenko facing off against former Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion Lauren Murphy.
A significant middleweight bout included former UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler competing against ex-Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz. This marked only the second time a non-title, non-main event fight was scheduled for five rounds. Their previous encounter took place 17 years earlier at UFC 47. The bout was shifted from welterweight to middleweight shortly before the event.
A heavyweight matchup between Shamil Abdurakhimov and Chris Daukaus experienced multiple reschedulings due to COVID-19 protocols and other complications before finally occurring at UFC 266.
Tatiana Suarez, competing in women's flyweight, was slated to fight former title contender Roxanne Modafferi but withdrew because of a knee injury that required surgery; Taila Santos stepped in as her replacement. This matchup had also been canceled previously due to Modafferi’s meniscus injury.
Although a bantamweight fight between Timur Valiev and Ricky Simón was rumored for this event, it was never officially confirmed; Valiev instead faced Daniel Santos at UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont.
A women’s flyweight contest between Manon Fiorot and Mayra Bueno Silva was postponed from UFC 266 to UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont owing to COVID-19 protocols.
Karl Roberson had been booked to face Nick Maximov in a middleweight bout but pulled out for medical reasons; newcomer Cody Brundage was named as his replacement.
Bonus awards
The following athletes were awarded $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega
- Performance of the Night: Merab Dvalishvili and Chris Daukaus