UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum

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UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum
The poster for UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateApril 17, 2021 (2021-04-17)
VenueUFC Apex
CityEnterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC on ABC: Vettori vs. Holland UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum UFC 261: Usman vs. Masvidal 2

UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum (also known as UFC on ESPN 22 and UFC Vegas 24) was a

Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]

Background

A middleweight bout between former

flu.[4] He was replaced by former interim title challenger and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner Kelvin Gastelum.[5] They were head coaches on The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters and Whittaker was expected to defend his title against Gastelum at UFC 234 in February 2019, but pulled out hours before that event due to a collapsed bowel and an internal hernia that required emergency surgery.[6]

A bantamweight bout between Tony Gravely and Nate Maness was scheduled to take place at the event.[7] However, Maness was removed from the bout for undisclosed reasons and replaced by Anthony Birchak.[8]

Former

Lupita Godinez.[11]

A heavyweight bout between

UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski.[13]

Natan Levy was expected to face Austin Hubbard in a lightweight bout at this event.[14] However, Levy pulled out of the bout a week before it took place due to an injury.[15] Hubbard faced promotional newcomer Dakota Bush instead.[16]

Ricardo Ramos was scheduled to face Bill Algeo in a bantamweight bout at the event.[17] However, Ramos was pulled from the fight during the week leading up to the event after testing positive for COVID-19 and the contest was cancelled. The pairing remained intact and was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt[18]

At the weigh-ins,

Zarah Fairn Dos Santos missed weight for their respective bouts. Cortez weighed in at 126.5 pounds, half a pound over the women's flyweight non-title fight limit. Her bout proceeded at a catchweight and she was fined 20% of her individual purse, which went to her opponent Justine Kish.[19] Fairn weighed in at 147 pounds, eight pounds over the pre-established limit of 139 pounds (the bout was originally set for the women's bantamweight division, but was shifted to a catchweight prior to the start of the weigh-ins). Her bout against Josiane Nunes was cancelled due to the weight discrepancy, as Nunes weighed in at 136 pounds.[20]

A lightweight bout between Jeremy Stephens and Drakkar Klose was expected to take place as the co-main event.[21] However, Klose withdrew citing injuries that he claimed were triggered by a Stephens shove at the weigh-ins and the bout was pulled from the card just hours before the event.[22]

Results

Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Middleweight Robert Whittaker def. Kelvin Gastelum Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) 5 5:00
Heavyweight Andrei Arlovski def. Chase Sherman Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Jacob Malkoun def. Abdul Razak Alhassan Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (126.5 lb) Tracy Cortez def. Justine Kish Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 30–27) 3 5:00
Lightweight Luis Peña def. Alexander Munoz Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Heavyweight Alexander Romanov def. Juan Espino Technical Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) 3 1:05 [a]
Women’s Strawweight Jessica Penne def.
Lupita Godinez
 Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Gerald Meerschaert def. Bartosz Fabiński Technical Submission (guillotine choke) 1 2:00
Lightweight Austin Hubbard def. Dakota Bush Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Tony Gravely def. Anthony Birchak TKO (punch) 2 1:31
  1. ^ Accidental knee to the groin rendered Romanov unable to continue.

[23]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[24]

  • Fight of the Night: Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum
  • Performance of the Night: Gerald Meerschaert and Tony Gravely

See also

References

  1. ^ Mike Bohn (2021-04-18). "UFC on ESPN 22 post-event facts: Andrei Arlovski joins 20-win club". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  2. ^ a b Brent Brookhouse (2021-02-26). "Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa middleweight bout set to headline UFC Fight Night event in April". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  3. ^ Ross Markey (2021-02-15). "Paulo Costa rejects rescheduling against Robert Whittaker, clash still set for April 17". lowkickmma.com. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  4. ^ Guilherme Cruz (2021-03-16). "Paulo Costa ill, unable to fight Robert Whittaker at April 17 UFC event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  5. ^ Brett Okamoto (2021-03-16). "Sources: Kelvin Gastelum to replace Paulo Costa, fight Robert Whittaker on April 17". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  6. ^ Brendan Bradford (2019-02-09). "UFC 234: Robert Whittaker forced off UFC 234 with hernia, requires immediate surgery". sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  7. ^ Nolan King and Farah Hannoun (2019-02-18). "UFC books Tony Gravely vs. Nate Maness for April 17 event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  8. ^ Staff (2021-03-26). "Anthony Birchak replaces Nate Maness against Tony Gravely at UFC event on April 17th". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2021-03-26. (in Dutch)
  9. ^ Adam Martin (2021-03-24). "Hannah Goldy tests positive for COVID-19, fight with Jessica Penne at UFC 260 off". Bjorne.com. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  10. ^ Staff (2019-03-26). "Updates to UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou 2". ufc.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  11. ^ Farrah Hannoun (2021-04-01). "LFA champ Lupita Godinez signs with UFC, meets Jessica Penne on April 17". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  12. ^ Farrah Hannoun (2021-01-30). "Chase Sherman vs. Parker Porter added to UFC Fight Night on April 17". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  13. ^ Mike Heck and Damon Martin (2021-04-07). "With Parker Porter out, Andrei Arlovski steps in to face Chase Sherman at UFC Vegas 24". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  14. ^ Nolan King and Farah Hannoun (2021-02-22). "Israeli submission specialist Natan Levy to make UFC debut April 17 vs. Austin Hubbard". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  15. ^ Jack Wannan (2021-04-11). "Injury forces Natan Levy out of April 17th UFC debut against Austin Hubbard". knockdownnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  16. ^ Mike Heck (2021-04-12). "With Natan Levy out, Austin Hubbard welcomes newcomer Dakota Bush at UFC Vegas 24". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  17. ^ Nolan King and Farah Hannoun (2021-03-18). "Bill Algeo vs. Ricardo Ramos set for UFC event on April 17". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  18. ^ Guilherme Cruz and Mike Heck (2021-04-14). "Ricardo Ramos withdraws from UFC Vegas 24 after positive COVID-19 test". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  19. ^ Staff (2021-04-16). "UFC on ESPN 22 weigh-in results: Two fighters miss, one bout scrapped". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  20. ^ Nolan King and John Morgan (2021-04-16). "Zarah Fairn vs. Josiane Nunes scrapped from UFC on ESPN 22 after 11-pound weight discrepancy". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  21. ^ Ryan Truland (2021-02-25). "Drakkar Klose vs Jeremy Stephens added to April 17th card". overtimeheroics.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  22. ^ John Morgan (2021-04-17). "Jeremy Stephens vs. Drakkar Klose off UFC on ESPN 22; Klose says shove caused withdrawal". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  23. ^ "UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  24. ^ John Morgan (2021-04-18). "UFC on ESPN 22 bonuses: Robert Whittaker, Kelvin Gastelum deliver 'Fight of the Night'". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
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