UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | May 1, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (via broadcasting) |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka—also referred to as UFC on ESPN 23 and UFC Vegas 25'—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. This event took place on May 1, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area.
Background
The headline bout showcased a light heavyweight clash between former UFC Light Heavyweight Championship contender Dominick Reyes and ex-Rizin Light Heavyweight Champion Jiří Procházka. Initially slated for February 27, the fight was postponed due to an injury sustained by Reyes.
A welterweight matchup featuring Mike Jackson versus Dean Barry was originally scheduled for January but faced two delays before being rescheduled for this card.
Gavin Tucker was once considered as an opponent for Cub Swanson, but Tucker was reassigned to a last-minute bout at a separate event. Consequently, Swanson competed against Giga Chikadze instead.
The bantamweight contest between Merab Dvalishvili and Cody Stamann experienced several postponements due to injuries and COVID-19 recovery issues, ultimately occurring at this event.
A women's strawweight fight initially booked between Ji Yeon Kim and Poliana Botelho underwent multiple opponent substitutions because of injuries. Eventually, Luana Carolina stepped in for Kim; however, Carolina later withdrew as well, leading Botelho to face Carolina.
The matchup featuring Randa Markos and newcomer Luana Pinheiro, postponed from UFC 260 after Markos tested positive for COVID-19, was rescheduled for this event.
Featherweights T.J. Laramie and Damon Jackson were set to compete; following Laramie’s withdrawal, Luke Sanders replaced him. When Jackson pulled out due to injury, Sanders was paired with bantamweight Felipe Colares, whose original opponent had also withdrawn.
Heavyweights Augusto Sakai and Shamil Abdurakhimov were planned to meet; however, Abdurakhimov withdrew because of visa complications. Sakai then fought Jairzinho Rozenstruik at a different event.
A light heavyweight bout between Ion Cuțelaba and Devin Clark saw Clark withdraw due to injury and be replaced by Dustin Jacoby.
During weigh-ins, Luana Carolina came in 2.5 pounds over the limit; her fight proceeded at catchweight with a penalty imposed. Gabriel Benítez weighed in 4.5 pounds above the limit. His opponent, Jonathan Pearce, refused to accept the bout under those conditions, leading to its cancellation.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were awarded as follows:
- Fight of the Night: Jiří Procházka vs. Dominick Reyes
- Performance of the Night: Jiří Procházka and Giga Chikadze