UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | November 28, 2020 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark—also referred to as UFC on ESPN 18 and UFC Vegas 15'—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 28, 2020. The event took place at the UFC Apex venue located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
The event was originally set to be headlined by a heavyweight clash between Curtis Blaydes and former UFC Heavyweight Championship contender Derrick Lewis. Unfortunately, this matchup was canceled after Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19 just one day before the fight.
Shamil Gamzatov was initially scheduled to face Devin Clark but had to withdraw because of visa complications. He was replaced by former UFC Light Heavyweight Championship challenger Anthony Smith. What started as a three-round co-main bout between Clark and Smith was elevated to a five-round main event following Blaydes' withdrawal.
A featherweight contest featuring Sean Woodson against Jonathan Pearce was planned; however, Woodson pulled out a week before the event and was substituted by Kai Kamaka III.
The lightweight bout pairing Renato Moicano with Rafael Fiziev was postponed after Moicano tested positive for COVID-19, with the fight later rescheduled for UFC 256.
In addition, a flyweight match between Amir Albazi and Zhalgas Zhumagulov faced delays due to Zhumagulov’s visa issues and was subsequently moved to UFC 257.
During the weigh-in, Norma Dumont Viana failed to make weight by 3.5 pounds for her women's bantamweight fight. The matchup proceeded at catchweight, with Dumont fined 30% of her fight purse, which was awarded to her opponent Ashlee Evans-Smith.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were granted as follows:
- Fight of the Night: No award given.
- Performance of the Night: Anthony Smith, Miguel Baeza, Su Mudaerji, and Nathan Maness