UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | December 5, 2020 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori—also referred to as UFC on ESPN 19 and UFC Vegas 16—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 5, 2020. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
Originally, the main event was scheduled to feature a middleweight clash between former UFC Welterweight Championship contender Darren Till and Jack Hermansson. However, Till withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Kevin Holland. Subsequently, Holland tested positive for COVID-19, prompting Marvin Vettori, who had been slated to compete at UFC 256, to step in as his replacement. Holland's fight was then rescheduled for UFC 256.
The bout between John Allan and Roman Dolidze, which had been postponed from UFC 255, was rescheduled to occur at this event.
A bantamweight contest between Cody Stamann and Merab Dvalishvili was planned but fell through when Stamann withdrew. He was succeeded by Raoni Barcelos, who later had to be removed due to a medical suspension.
The featherweight matchup featuring Gabriel Benítez versus Justin Jaynes, initially postponed from UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos because of Benítez’s positive COVID-19 test, was held during this event.
A bantamweight fight between Louis Smolka and José Alberto Quiñónez, previously canceled due to Smolka’s difficulties with weight cutting, was rescheduled for this card.
In the women’s flyweight division, Maryna Moroz pulled out and was replaced by Montana De La Rosa. However, the bout was canceled just hours before the event after a cornerman tested positive for COVID-19. Subsequently, Taila Santos was matched against Gillian Robertson at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal.
A women’s bantamweight fight between former title challenger Bethe Correia and Wu Yanan was deferred to UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar due to visa complications.
At the weigh-ins, former interim light heavyweight title contender Ovince Saint Preux missed weight by 1.5 pounds. His fight proceeded at catchweight after he agreed to forfeit 20% of his purse to his opponent, Jamahal Hill.
In addition to the De La Rosa/Santos cancellation, two other matchups were removed from the card: featherweights Nate Landwehr versus Movsar Evloev (canceled after Evloev tested positive for COVID-19) and flyweights Cody Durden versus Jimmy Flick (Durden withdrew due to a medical issue). Both fights were later rescheduled for upcoming events.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were awarded to fighters:[1]
- Fight of the Night: Marvin Vettori vs. Jack Hermansson
- Performance of the Night: Gabriel Benítez and Jordan Leavitt
See also
References
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