UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis
| Industry | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 20, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
| Products | Mixed martial arts competition |
UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis—also identified as UFC Fight Night 185, UFC on ESPN+ 43, and UFC Vegas 19—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 20, 2021. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
The main event featured a heavyweight clash between Curtis Blaydes and former contender for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, Derrick Lewis. This fight was originally planned for November but was delayed after Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19.
In the women's bantamweight division, Ketlen Vieira faced off against Yana Kunitskaya, a former Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion and challenger for the UFC Women's Featherweight title. Their matchup had been postponed multiple times due to visa complications and earlier cancellations.
The heavyweight contest between Serghei Spivac and Jared Vanderaa was rescheduled from UFC 256 following Vanderaa’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Bantamweights Aiemann Zahabi and Drako Rodriguez competed after their initial meeting was canceled because Zahabi contracted COVID-19.
In the middleweight category, Phil Hawes and Nassourdine Imavov eventually fought after their original bout was called off shortly before UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar.
Featherweight competitor Michael Trizano withdrew owing to an ankle injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Pat Sabatini, who was set to battle Rafael Alves. However, Alves missed weight by an unprecedented 11.5 pounds, resulting in the cancellation of the fight—the largest weight miss recorded in UFC history.
Lightweight Jai Herbert pulled out of his scheduled fight against Drakkar Klose and was substituted by Luis Peña. Nevertheless, this bout was canceled just hours prior to the event due to a cornerman testing positive for COVID-19.
At the official weigh-ins, Ketlen Vieira (138 lbs), Jared Gordon (150 lbs), Drako Rodriguez (140.5 lbs), and Rafael Alves failed to make weight. Vieira, Gordon, and Rodriguez were penalized with fines deducted from their purses, which were awarded to their respective opponents. Alves’s extreme weight discrepancy led to his bout being called off.
A featherweight matchup between Chas Skelly and Jamall Emmers was scrapped moments before it commenced because Emmers experienced back spasms.
This event highlighted the UFC’s flexibility in managing scheduling obstacles amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic while delivering a competitive card featuring prominent heavyweights and emerging talents.
Bonus awards
The following athletes earned $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: No awards were given.
- Performance of the Night: Derrick Lewis, Chris Daukaus, Tom Aspinall, and Aiemann Zahabi