UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | November 13, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (via broadcast) |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez—also referred to as UFC Fight Night 197, UFC Vegas 42, and UFC on ESPN+ 55—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 13, 2021. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas metropolitan region.
Background
On October 19, the UFC revealed updated international travel protocols for the United States, effective November 8. These new regulations required foreign athletes to be fully vaccinated with one of seven vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization and to provide a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within 72 hours before traveling. This event marked the inaugural UFC card conducted under these conditions.
The main event featured a featherweight contest between former UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway and The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America featherweight titleholder Yair Rodríguez. This fight was previously arranged but postponed due to an injury sustained by Holloway.
A light heavyweight matchup between Kennedy Nzechukwu and Da Un Jung was carried over from a prior card. In the women's flyweight division, a bout originally scheduled between former title challenger Jessica Eye and Andrea Lee was altered when Eye withdrew because of illness, with Cynthia Calvillo stepping in as her replacement.
Middleweight clashes involving Kevin Holland versus Kyle Daukaus and Eryk Anders facing Roman Dolidze encountered disruptions due to injuries and withdrawals. This led to a proposed Daukaus versus Dolidze fight, which was ultimately canceled following COVID-19 related protocols.
A lightweight contest between Marc Diakiese and Rafael Alves, initially postponed after Alves pulled out from an earlier event for undisclosed reasons, was rescheduled and took place at this event.
Featherweight competitor Lando Vannata was slated to fight Tucker Lutz; however, Lutz was reassigned to another card where he faced Pat Sabatini. Additionally, former interim light heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux withdrew from his scheduled bout with Philipe Lins, resulting in the cancellation of that fight.
A light heavyweight bout featuring Danilo Marques against newcomer Jailton Almeida was delayed due to Marques sustaining an injury and later rescheduled for a future event.
During weigh-ins, two fighters failed to make weight: Joel Álvarez, weighing in at 157.5 pounds, and Liana Jojua, at 128.5 pounds. Both were penalized with fines amounting to 30% of their fight purses, which were awarded to their respective opponents.
This event matched the UFC record by delivering eight knockout finishes, underscoring its significance in terms of fight conclusions.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were granted as follows:
- Fight of the Night: Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodríguez
- Performance of the Night: Khaos Williams and Andrea Lee