UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
| Founded | November 12, 1993 |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Key people | Dana White (President) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
| Owner | Endeavor Group Holdings |
| Website | www |
UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2—also referred to as UFC Fight Night 172, UFC on ESPN+ 30, and UFC Fight Island 2—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 19, 2020. The event took place at the du Forum located on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Background
This occasion marked the third installment out of four UFC Fight Island events hosted on Yas Island during July 2020, specifically arranged to accommodate fighters impacted by U.S. travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conducted without a live audience, the event was scheduled to align with prime time for North America's east coast, with the main card commencing at 5:00 am local time in Abu Dhabi and preliminary bouts beginning at 2:00 am Gulf Standard Time.
The event’s main attraction was a rematch for the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship featuring Deiveson Figueiredo against former title contender Joseph Benavidez. This followed Henry Cejudo's decision to relinquish the flyweight championship in December 2019. Earlier that year, Figueiredo defeated Benavidez via second-round TKO but failed to make weight, leaving the championship unclaimed.
Figueiredo initially tested positive for COVID-19 on July 11, casting doubt over his participation; however, after undergoing multiple subsequent tests and screenings in Abu Dhabi, he was cleared to travel and compete.
Additional significant matchups included a heavyweight bout between Sergey Spivak and Carlos Felipe, which had been postponed from UFC 249 due to prior cancellations.
A light heavyweight contest featuring Roman Dolidze versus Khadis Ibragimov was rescheduled for this event after initially being planned for UFC’s inaugural Kazakhstan card but delayed because of travel limitations related to the pandemic.
Lightweight fights on the card comprised Davi Ramos facing Arman Tsarukyan, transferred from a cancelled event, and Marc Diakiese matched against Rafael Fiziev following Alan Patrick’s withdrawal.
In flyweight action, Tagir Ulanbekov withdrew due to the passing of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov; Aleksander Doskalchuk also pulled out later. Their spots were filled by Malcolm Gordon and Amir Albazi respectively.
Bonus awards
Monetary rewards of $50,000 were granted to the following:
- Fight of the Night: Rafael Fiziev versus Marc Diakiese
- Performance of the Night: Deiveson Figueiredo along with Ariane Lipski