BLOCKBUSTER LIGHTWEIGHT REMATCH BETWEEN

(#2) DUSTIN POIRIER AND (#4) CONOR MCGREGOR

HEADLINES UFC^® 257 ON UFC FIGHT ISLAND

FEATURED BOUTS:

(#6) DAN HOOKER vs. MICHAEL CHANDLER

(#6) JESSICA EYE vs. (#7) JOANNE CALDERWOOD

UFC^® 257: POIRIER vs. MCGREGOR 2 AT ETIHAD ARENA

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON ESPN+ PAY-PER-VIEW

Las Vegas – The first UFC^® Pay-Per-View of 2021 will feature a thrilling lightweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 2 ranked Dustin Poirier look to even the score with No. 4 Conor McGregor. In the co-main event, No. 6 ranked lightweight contender Dan Hooker looks to spoil the highly anticipated debut of Michael Chandler.

UFC^® 257: POIRIER vs. MCGREGOR 2 will take place Saturday, January 23 at Etihad Arena on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island and will stream live on Pay-Per-View, exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English on ESPN and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, as well as be simulcast in both languages on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ (in English and Spanish) at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT. The event is in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

ESPN+ is available on ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com and the ESPN App for mobile connected TV devices. To subscribe, visit espnplus.com/ufc.

Former interim lightweight champion Poirier (26-6, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) looks to continue his momentum following his thrilling victory against Dan Hooker. Throughout his decorated career, Poirier has also secured impressive victories over Max Holloway (twice), Anthony Pettis and Justin Gaethje. Poirier now aims to make the most of his 25^th UFC appearance by taking out one of the biggest names in MMA history.

A former two-division UFC champion, McGregor (22-4, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) returns to action for the first time since his spectacular KO win against Donald Cerrone one year ago. As charismatic as he is skilled in the Octagon, McGregor has delivered iconic KO victories over Eddie Alvarez, Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. McGregor now has his sights on once again stopping Poirier to stake his claim for another lightweight title shot.

Hooker (20-9, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) has proven himself to be among the most dangerous finishers in the lightweight division. During his run in the UFC 155-pound division, he has stopped Gilbert Burns, Jim Miller and James Vick in emphatic fashion. He has also netted impressive wins over contenders Paul Felder and Al Iaquinta. Hooker now hopes to kick off 2021 with another vintage performance by derailing Chandler to re-assert himself in the title picture.

Chandler (21-5, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) looks to make an immediate impact in his UFC debut by stopping Hooker to send a message to the lightweight division. A three-time champion outside the UFC, he has delivered memorable victories over Benson Henderson (twice), Eddie Alvarez and Patricky Freire (twice). Chandler now aims to take advantage of his biggest spotlight yet by staking his claim as the next UFC title challenger.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Women’s flyweight contenders collide when No. 6 ranked Jessica Eye (15-8 1NC, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio) squares off with No. 7 Joanne Calderwood (14-5, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland)
• Exciting lightweights meet when Matt Frevola (8-1-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.) faces undefeated Ottman Azaitar (13-0, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco)
• No. 8 ranked women’s flyweight contender Marina Rodriguez (12-1-2, fighting out of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) faces surging No. 9 Amanda Ribas (10-1, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil)
• Arman Tsarukyan (15-2, fighting out of Krasnodar, Russia, by way of Phuket, Thailand) goes for his third consecutive win against KO artist Nasrat Haqparast (12-3, fighting out of Hamburg, Germany)
• No. 14 ranked middleweight contender Brad Tavares (17-7, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) returns against submission ace Antonio Carlos Junior (11-4 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. and João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil)
• Women’s bantamweight contenders meet when No. 7 ranked Julianna Pena (10-4, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) locks horns with No. 9 Sara McMann (12-5, fighting out of Gaffney, S.C.)
• Khalil Rountree Jr. (9-4 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Marcin Prachnio (13-5, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) in an exciting battle of light heavyweight strikers
• The Ultimate Fighter season 23 winner Andrew Sanchez (13-5, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) goes for another highlight-reel finish against Makhmud Muradov (24-6, fighting out of Bukhara, Uzbekistan)
• Nik Lentz (30-11-2 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) faces Movsar Evloev (13-0, fighting out of Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) in an exciting featherweight bout
• Amir Albazi (13-1, fighting out of London, England by way of Baghdad, Iraq) takes on Zhalgas Zhumagulov (13-4, fighting out of Aktobe, Kazakhstan) in an entertaining flyweight bout

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

A full line of UFC FIGHT ISLAND products, including t-shirts, hats, water bottles, tote bags, and more are available now on UFCStore.com.

FEATURED BOUTS:

(#1) MAX HOLLOWAY vs. (#6) CALVIN KATTAR

(#8) MICHAEL CHIESA vs. (#9) NEIL MAGNY

Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off its third run on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with two pivotal main event clashes guaranteed to deliver action. First, two of the best featherweights on the planet face off, as former champion and No. 1 ranked contender Max Holloway looks to earn another shot at the title by taking out No. 6 Calvin Kattar. Next, top welterweight contenders collide looking to break into the top 5 as No. 8 ranked Michael Chiesa meets No. 9 Neil Magny.    

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT on ESPN+: HOLLOWAY vs. KATTAR will take place Saturday, January 16 on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. For the first time ever, the main card will be televised live on ABC and simulcast on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes (Spanish), beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick things off at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+.

Holloway (21-6, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) intends to start the New Year by delivering another vintage performance and returning to the winner’s circle. Arguably the greatest featherweight in UFC history, he owns the division’s records for most stoppage victories, most wins and the longest win streak. During his reign as champion, Holloway defeated Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega and Frankie Edgar in dominant fashion. He now aims to cement himself as the clear No. 1 contender by becoming the first person to stop Kattar in the UFC.

Fan favorite Kattar (22-4, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.) looks to step up and impress in the biggest fight of his career and inject himself into the title conversation. An exciting and dangerous striker, Kattar rose through the featherweight ranks with memorable knockouts over Shane Burgos, Ricardo Lamas and Jeremy Stephens. He now looks to stay undefeated on UFC FIGHT ISLAND and prove that he is one of the best in the world against his first former champion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Welterweight veterans finally meet as former interim champion Carlos Condit (31-13, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) faces off with Matt Brown (24-17, fighting out of Denver, Colo.)
• Welterweight standout Santiago Ponzinibbio (28-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) returns to action for the first time in over two years when he takes on the durable Li Jingliang (17-6, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• 2020 breakout star Joaquin Buckley (12-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) intends to keep his momentum going when he battles Alessio Di Chirico (12-5, fighting out of Rome, Italy) at middleweight
• Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Seriesveterans lock horns as Punahele Soriano (6-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces Dusko Todorovic (10-0, fighting out of Belgrade, Serbia) in a middleweight contest
• Rising women’s bantamweight prospect Wu Yanan (10-3, fighting out of Xi’an, China) looks to deliver her most impressive performance yet against newcomer Joselyne Edwards (9-2, fighting out of Panama City, Panama)
• Dana White’s Contender Series standout Phil Hawes (9-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) seeks to hand Nassourdine Imavov (9-2, fighting out of Paris, France) his first UFC loss
• No. 13 ranked middleweight Omari Akhmedov (20-5-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) plans to defend his place in the rankings when he battles Tom Breese (12-2, fighting out of Birmingham, England)
• Heavyweights Carlos Felipe (9-1, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) and Justin Tafa (4-1, fighting out of Brisbane, Australia) intend to steal the show
• Featherweight grapplers go to war as Nik Lentz (30-11-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Mike Grundy (12-2, fighting out of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England) look to bounce back into the win column
• Jacob Kilburn (8-3, fighting out of Woodlawn, Tenn.) and Austin Lingo (7-1, fighting out of Mesquite, Texas) battle to secure their first UFC wins in a featherweight bout
• Women’s bantamweight veteran Sarah Moras (6-7, fighting out of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) intends to stop Vanessa Melo (10-8, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) from achieving her first UFC victory
• David Zawada (17-5, fighting out of Düsseldorf, Germany) and Ramazan Emeev (19-4, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) clash in an exciting welterweight bout

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT on ESPN+: CHIESA vs. MAGNY will take place Wednesday, January 20 on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. All bouts will air live on ESPN, ESPN Desportes and ESPN+ in the U.S. with the main card beginning at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT and the prelims starting at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT.

Chiesa (17-4, fighting out of Spokane Valley, Wash.) has his sights set on continuing his ascent up the welterweight ranks by taking out one of the division’s toughest competitors. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 15, Chiesa established himself as one of the best lightweights in the world with victories over Beneil Dariush and Jim Miller before moving up to welterweight in 2018. Since the move, Chiesa has gone undefeated with wins over Rafael Dos Anjos, Diego Sanchez and Carlos Condit. He now looks to make it four in a row and stake his claim for a spot in the top 5. 

A member of the UFC roster since 2013, Magny (24-8, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) has faced the who’s who of the welterweight division. Among the most active athletes on the roster with a record-tying five wins in a calendar year in 2014, Magny’s resume includes victories over former UFC champions Robbie Lawler, Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit. He now seeks to begin the New Year with a major win and work his way towards his first UFC title shot.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 winner Warlley Alves (13-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) matches up with Mounir Lazzez (10-1, fighting out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
• Featherweight standout Lerone Murphy (9-0-1, fighting out of Manchester, England) plans to stay undefeated when he takes on durable veteran Douglas Silva (26-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil)
• Ike Villanueva (16-11, fighting out of Katy, Texas) faces Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil veteran Vinicius Moreira (9-4, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) at light heavyweight
• In a middleweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2, fighting out of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) takes on submission artist Markus Perez (12-4, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• No. 8 ranked women’s flyweight contender Roxanne Modafferi (25-18, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets No. 9 Viviane Araujo (9-2, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) in a battle to break into the top 5
• In a contest of flyweight prospects, Su Mudaerji (13-4, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China) aims to stop Zarrukh Adashev (3-2, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan) from earning his first UFC win
• Francisco Figueiredo (11-3-1, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil), brother of UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, intends to make a statement in his debut against Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Jerome Rivera (10-3, fighting out of Santa Fe, N.M.) at flyweight
• Lightweight Mike Davis (8-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) looks to spoil the highly anticipated debut of Mason Jones (10-0, fighting out of Blaenavon, Wales)
• In an exciting matchup of top 15 flyweights, No. 9 ranked Matt Schnell (14-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) meets No. 13 Tyson Nam (20-11-1, fighting out of Wahiawa, Hawaii)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Victoria Leonardo (8-2, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) and Manon Fiorot (5-1, fighting out of Nice, France) battle at flyweight

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UFC^® EXTENDS LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO CLEVELAND CLINIC’S PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES BRAIN HEALTH STUDY

UFC Provides $1 Million Contribution to Fund Research for the Next Five Years

Study Examines Effect of Head Impacts on Long-term Brain Health

Media kit available here

Las Vegas – UFC^®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced a five-year extension of its longstanding collaboration with Cleveland Clinic and its continued support of the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study.

This multi-year commitment, which is supported by a $1 million contribution to the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, ensures that research will continue to help determine the long-term effects of repetitive head trauma and factors that put certain individuals at higher risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Since joining the landmark study in 2011, UFC has committed more than $2 million via three rounds of financial support.

Now entering its 10^th year, this study – led by Cleveland Clinic’s Charles Bernick, M.D., and Aaron Ritter, M.D. – is the largest of professional athletes exposed to repetitive head trauma and the first to include retired and active male and female fighters concurrently.

“UFC is proud to continue its support of both Cleveland Clinic and the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study,” UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein said. “UFC has supported this study since its inception, and we take pride in standing at the forefront of helping set new standards for athlete health and safety in all sports. Dr. Bernick and Dr. Ritter are doing an amazing job, and we look forward to helping them advance their research.”

The Professional Athletes Brain Health Study (formerly the Professional Fighters Brain Health Study) was established in 2011 to examine the cumulative effects of repetitive concussive and sub-concussive impacts to the brain in a group of professional fighters. The study has since expanded to include athletes in other sports exposed to repetitive head impacts (RHI), including professional bull riders. Information from this project will help guide new policies and practices that can improve brain health in sports and others exposed to RHI in military or civilian populations. 

“The support provided by UFC has been fundamental to the success of the study, allowing us to reach this 10-year milestone in our research,” said Dr. Bernick, founder and primary investigator of the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study. “Not only has their financial commitment helped to sustain the infrastructure needed for this ongoing project, the encouragement they have given fighters to participate and the expertise they have offered in regards to mixed martial arts has been invaluable.”

UFC’s commitment to aid in the funding of the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study is provided in conjunction with other organizations in the combat sports industry and facilitates ongoing progress in answering critical questions regarding the long-term effects of exposure to RHI that affect both athletes competing in sports and active-duty military personnel.

To date, the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study has enrolled more than 800 active and retired athletes. Participation is voluntary. Athletes in the study receive free, ongoing assessments of brain health and function, including MRI scans. Individual tests are repeated annually for a minimum of four years.

The longer an athlete is assessed, the more valuable information will be amassed. However, during the past 10 years, researchers have detected subtle effects of RHI on brain structure and proteins released in the blood following impact. These changes can be measured over time and may be early indicators of brain injury, bringing researchers one step closer to helping athletes proactively make informed decisions about their careers based on personal brain health data. Additionally, as CTE researchers nationwide prepare to begin clinical trials, the Repetitive Head Impact Composite Score developed from data in the study will be critical in determining the effectiveness of new therapies.

As the study embarks on the next decade of research, investigators will focus on social determinants to better understand how one’s environment impacts the onset of CTE pathology, as well as the role of neuroinflammation within the brain in the immediate aftermath of head trauma.

“Exposure to repetitive head trauma puts a person at risk for the development of cognitive changes that may occur years after an athlete has retired,” said Dr. Ritter, co-primary investigator of the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study. “The science coming out of the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study is clearly showing us that not all individuals experience cognitive changes and each individual may be affected in different ways.

“Our study is unique because we are attempting to look at all of these factors — whether they are genetic, inflammatory, based on the number of fights, time between fights, etc.— simultaneously to determine which are most important in keeping an athlete’s brain healthy. The key for the next 10 years is to discover which factors are most crucial in each individual. The Professional Athletes Brain Health Study is the largest and longest-lasting study to look at this issue. Without the support of the UFC, a study like this would never happen.”