UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | February 27, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane—also referred to as UFC Fight Night 186, UFC on ESPN+ 44, and UFC Vegas 20—was a mixed martial arts competition hosted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 27, 2021. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
Initially, the event was set to be headlined by a light heavyweight clash featuring former title contender Dominick Reyes against ex-Rizin Light Heavyweight Champion Jiří Procházka. However, this bout was canceled after Reyes sustained an injury and later rescheduled for UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka. As a result, the heavyweight contest between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Ciryl Gane, which was originally slated for two weeks afterward, was elevated to headline status.
In the bantamweight division, Raphael Assunção was prepared to face Raoni Barcelos but withdrew following a positive COVID-19 test. Marcelo Rojo stepped in at a 140-pound catchweight to replace Assunção; however, Barcelos also tested positive for COVID-19 and was subsequently removed from the card. Rojo was then matched up against Charles Jourdain at a later event.
A featherweight matchup between Alex Caceres and Kevin Croom proceeded after Croom had pulled out from an earlier scheduled fight.
The women's bantamweight bout featuring Marion Reneau and The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters winner Macy Chiasson experienced two postponements due to COVID-19 complications and injury concerns before being rescheduled for UFC on ESPN: Brunson vs. Holland.
In the strawweight division, Hannah Cifers was expected to compete against Emily Whitmire, but Cifers withdrew. Her replacement, Sam Hughes, ultimately saw the fight canceled when Whitmire also withdrew.
A bantamweight rematch between Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera occurred after several reschedulings caused by event adjustments and COVID-19 related disruptions.
Randy Brown was initially booked to fight Alex Oliveira, but Brown’s withdrawal led to Ramazan Kuramagomedov stepping in as a replacement. Kuramagomedov then fell ill, resulting in the bout’s cancellation.
The light heavyweight encounter between Alonzo Menifield and William Knight was postponed due to Menifield testing positive for COVID-19, with plans made to rearrange the fight.
During weigh-ins, Maxim Grishin exceeded the light heavyweight limit by 4.5 pounds; nevertheless, the bout proceeded at catchweight with Grishin fined 30% of his purse, which was awarded to his opponent, Dustin Jacoby.
A women's strawweight rematch involving former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Angela Hill and Ashley Yoder was added on short notice but postponed on event day when a cornerman tested positive for COVID-19. This fight was later rescheduled for UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad.
Bonus awards
Fighters who received $50,000 bonuses included:
- Fight of the Night: Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera
- Performance of the Night: Ronnie Lawrence