UFC 277
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
| Founded | November 12, 1993 |
| Founder | Art Davie, Rorion Gracie |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas, Nevada , United States |
Key people | Dana White (President) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
| Website | ufc |
UFC 277: Peña vs. Nunes 2 was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 30, 2022, held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, United States.
Background
The main event featured a rematch for the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship between the reigning titleholder Julianna Peña and former champion Amanda Nunes, who simultaneously held the UFC Women's Featherweight belt. Peña had previously dethroned Nunes at UFC 269 in December 2021 with a submission victory in the second round. Both athletes also took on the roles of head coaches for the 30th season of The Ultimate Fighter. This encounter represented the seventh occasion in UFC history where champions from separate weight divisions contested for a single title.
An interim UFC Flyweight Championship contest showcased former titleholder Brandon Moreno facing off against Kai Kara-France, revisiting their initial matchup from December 2019 at UFC 245, which Moreno won via unanimous decision. Alexandre Pantoja was designated as the backup fighter and potential substitute for this bout.
A middleweight showdown involving ex-Strikeforce and UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold and previous title contender Paulo Costa was planned but deferred to UFC 278. Likewise, a middleweight fight between Sean Strickland and former Glory Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira was rescheduled to take place at UFC 276.
The welterweight matchup between Orion Cosce and Mike Mathetha proceeded after several postponements caused by injuries. In the women's flyweight division, Ji Yeon Kim competed against Joselyne Edwards, who stepped in for Mariya Agapova following her knee injury.
In lightweight competition, Carlos Diego Ferreira pulled out due to injury, with Rafa García stepping in to face Drakkar Klose. A lightweight bout scheduled between Ignacio Bahamondes and Ľudovít Klein was canceled after Bahamondes withdrew; Klein had previously fought Mason Jones earlier at UFC Fight Night.
Heavyweight debutant Hamdy Abdelwahab replaced Justin Tafa to fight Don'Tale Mayes after Tafa's withdrawal. At welterweight, Adam Fugitt filled in for Ramiz Brahimaj due to injury to challenge Michael Morales.
During weigh-ins, Joselyne Edwards (137.5 lbs) and Orion Cosce (172.5 lbs) each missed their weight limits by 1.5 pounds; both fights proceeded at catchweight with penalties amounting to 20% of their purses awarded to their respective opponents Ji Yeon Kim and Mike Mathetha.
Results
{{MMAevent bout |Heavyweight |Hamdy Abdelwahab |vs. |Don'Tale Mayes |No Contest (overturned) |3 |5:00 |} Initially declared a split decision victory for Abdelwahab; later reversed following a positive drug test.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were granted to fighters:[1]
- Fight of the Night: Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara-France
- Performance of the Night: Alexandre Pantoja and Drew Dober
Crypto.com "Fan Bonus of the Night" prizes distributed in bitcoin:[2]
- First Place: Brandon Moreno
- Second Place: Amanda Nunes
- Third Place: Derrick Lewis
Aftermath
On February 3, 2023, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) imposed a two-year suspension on Hamdy Abdelwahab after detecting the anabolic substance methenolone and its metabolites in two separate tests, along with a violation related to tampering. As a result, his win was changed to a no contest, and he will be permitted to compete again starting July 30, 2024, marking two years from the date of the initial positive test.