UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 (also known as UFC Fight Night 227, UFC on ESPN+ 85 and Noche UFC) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 16, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]
UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
Date | September 16, 2023 | |||
Venue | T-Mobile Arena | |||
City | Paradise, Nevada, United States | |||
Attendance | 18,766[1] | |||
Total gate | $2,265,537.16[1] | |||
Event chronology | ||||
|
Background
editThe event celebrated Mexico's independence Day, which included having a variety of fighters of Mexican descent compete at the event; the concept rode the coattails of Las Vegas having traditionally hosted major boxing matches involving Mexican fighters on or around Independence Day.[3]
A UFC Women's Flyweight Championship rematch between current champion Alexa Grasso and former champion Valentina Shevchenko headlined the event.[4] The pair previously met at UFC 285 in March 2023 in which Grasso captured the title via a fourth round submission upset.[5]
A welterweight bout between Shavkat Rakhmonov and former interim UFC Middleweight Championship challenger (also The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner) Kelvin Gastelum was expected to take place at the event.[6] However, Gastelum withdrew after sustaining a facial fracture.[7]
A middleweight bout between Chris Curtis and Anthony Hernandez was expected to take place at the event.[8] However, Curtis withdrew due to a rib injury and was replaced by Roman Kopylov.[9] In turn, Hernandez pulled out of the bout due to a torn ligament and was replaced by Josh Fremd.[10]
A welterweight bout between Daniel Rodriguez and Santiago Ponzinibbio was expected to take place at the event.[11] However, Rodriguez was pulled from the bout by USADA after testing positive for the banned substance ostarine.[12] Ponzinibbio then announced in early September that he would not be competing at the event after all.[13]
A women's strawweight bout between Elise Reed and Cynthia Calvillo was expected to take place at the event.[14] However, Calvillo pulled out due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Iasmin Lucindo in a catchweight bout of 120 pounds.[15] In turn, Reed was removed from the event for undisclosed reason and was replaced by Josefine Lindgren Knutsson.[16] Then, Lucindo withdrew from the event due to an undisclosed injury and newcomer Marnic Mann served as her replacement.[17]
A lightweight bout between Natan Levy and Alex Reyes was scheduled for the event.[18] However, Levy withdrew from the bout for undisclosed reasons and he was replaced by newcomer Charlie Campbell.[19]
Results
editMain card (ESPN+) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
Women's Flyweight | Alexa Grasso (c) | vs. | Valentina Shevchenko | Draw (split) (48–47, 47–48, 47–47) | 5 | 5:00 | [a] |
Welterweight | Jack Della Maddalena | def. | Kevin Holland | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
Bantamweight | Raul Rosas Jr. | def. | Terrence Mitchell | TKO (punches) | 1 | 0:54 | |
Lightweight | Daniel Zellhuber | def. | Christos Giagos | Submission (anaconda choke) | 2 | 3:26 | |
Featherweight | Kyle Nelson | def. | Fernando Padilla | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
Preliminary card (ESPN+) | |||||||
Women's Strawweight | Lupita Godinez | def. | Elise Reed | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 2 | 3:30 | |
Middleweight | Roman Kopylov | def. | Josh Fremd | KO (punch to the body) | 2 | 4:44 | |
Flyweight | Edgar Chairez | vs. | Daniel Lacerda | No Contest (premature stoppage) | 1 | 3:47 | [b] |
Women's Flyweight | Tracy Cortez | def. | Jasmine Jasudavicius | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
Lightweight | Charlie Campbell | def. | Alex Reyes | TKO (punches) | 1 | 3:38 | |
Women's Strawweight | Josefine Lindgren Knutsson | def. | Marnic Mann | Decision (unanimous) (30–24, 30–25, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 |
- ^ For the UFC Women's Flyweight Championship.
- ^ Originally a technical submission (anaconda choke) win for Cháirez; overturned after review due to a referee error.
Bonus awards
editThe following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[21]
- Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
- Performance of the Night: Raúl Rosas Jr., Daniel Zellhuber, Lupita Godinez, Roman Kopylov, and Charlie Campbell
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Mike Bohn (2023-09-17). "Noche UFC post-event facts: Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko fight to rare title draw". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
- ^ Staff (2023-06-24). "Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 2 UFC flyweight title rematch set for September". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ "UFC to hold event at Las Vegas Sphere in 2024". ESPN.com. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ Abhishek Nambiar (2023-06-29). "Breaking: Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 2 set to headline UFC card on Mexican Independence Day". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
- ^ Simon Samano (2023-03-05). "UFC 285 results: Alexa Grasso makes Valentina Shevchenko tap out, wins flyweight title in huge upset". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
- ^ Damon Martin (2023-06-28). "Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Kelvin Gastelum set as co-main event for UFC card on Sept. 16". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ Nolan King (2023-07-01). "Kelvin Gastelum out of UFC fight vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov due to injury". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ Matthew Wells and Nolan King (2023-06-25). "Chris Curtis set to face Anthony Hernandez at September UFC Fight Night event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
- ^ Alexander K. Lee (2023-08-15). "Roman Kopylov replaces Chris Curtis, fights Anthony Hernandez at Noche UFC". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
- ^ With Anthony Hernandez out of Noche UFC, Josh Fremd steps in to fight Roman Kopylov (2023-08-23). "With Anthony Hernandez out of Noche UFC, Josh Fremd steps in to fight Roman Kopylov". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
- ^ Curtis Calhoun (2023-07-27). "Daniel Rodriguez vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio added To UFC's Mexican independence day card". mmanews.com. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
- ^ Staff (2023-08-17). "Daniel Rodriguez announces positive drug test, out of Noche UFC fight with Santiago Ponzinibbio". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
- ^ Max Rhoades (2023-09-08). "Santiago Ponzinibbio out for September 16, Noche UFC: Grasso Vs. Shevchenko 2". nosmokesport.com. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ^ Nolan King (2023-07-14). "Cynthia Calvillo vs. Elise Reed targeted for UFC's Mexican Independence Day card". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
- ^ Nolan King (2023-08-21). "Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Aug. 14-20)". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
- ^ Jay Anderson (2023-08-29). "Josefine Knutsson signs with UFC after all, faces Iasmin Lucindo at Noche UFC". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
- ^ Jay Anderson (2023-09-08). "Marnic Mann replaces Iasmin Lucindo, faces Josefine Knutsson at Noche UFC". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ News Desk (2023-08-10). "Natan Levy vs Alex Reyes reported for Noche UFC on Sept 16". itnwwe.com. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ^ Vipin Raghuwanshi (2023-09-08). "Noche UFC: Natan Levy out, Charlie Campbell debuts vs Alex Reyes". itnwwe.com. Retrieved 2023-09-09.
- ^ "UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2". Ultimate Fighting Championship. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ Staff (2023-09-17). "Noche UFC post-fight bonuses: 5 get additional $50,000 performance bumps". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2023-09-17.