UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark

UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark (also known as UFC on ESPN 18 and UFC Vegas 15) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on November 28, 2020, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]

UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark
The poster for UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateNovember 28, 2020 (2020-11-28)
VenueUFC Apex
CityEnterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC 255: Figueiredo vs. Perez UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori

Background edit

A heavyweight bout between Curtis Blaydes and former UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger Derrick Lewis was expected to serve as the event headliner.[3] However, Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19 a day before the event and the bout was cancelled.[4]

Shamil Gamzatov was briefly linked to a fight with Devin Clark at the event.[5] However, Gamzatov was removed from the bout in mid-October due to alleged visa issues and replaced by former UFC Light Heavyweight Championship challenger Anthony Smith.[6] Originally scheduled to be a three-round co-main event, this bout was promoted to serve as the new five-round headliner after the cancellation of the original main event.[7]

A featherweight bout between Sean Woodson and Jonathan Pearce was scheduled for the event.[8] However, Woodson withdrew a week before the event due to unknown reasons and was replaced by Kai Kamaka III.[9]

Renato Moicano and Rafael Fiziev were expected to meet in a lightweight bout at this event.[10] However, Moicano pulled out on November 21 after testing positive for COVID-19 and the bout was rescheduled for UFC 256.[11]

A flyweight bout between Amir Albazi and Zhalgas Zhumagulov was expected to take place at this event.[12] However, it was announced on November 24 that Zhumagulov pulled out due to visa issues and the bout was rescheduled for UFC 257.[13][14]

At the weigh-ins, Norma Dumont Viana weighed in at 139.5 pounds, three and a half pounds over the women's bantamweight non-title fight limit. Her bout proceeded at catchweight and she was fined 30% of her individual purse, which went to her opponent Ashlee Evans-Smith.[15]

Results edit

Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith def. Devin Clark Submission (triangle choke) 1 2:34
Welterweight Miguel Baeza def. Takashi Sato Submission (arm-triangle choke) 2 4:28
Heavyweight Parker Porter def. Josh Parisian Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–27, 29–28) 3 5:00
Featherweight Bill Algeo def. Spike Carlyle Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (139.5 lb) Norma Dumont def. Ashlee Evans-Smith Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) 3 5:00
Featherweight Jonathan Pearce def. Kai Kamaka III TKO (punches) 2 4:28
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Bantamweight Anderson dos Santos def. Martin Day Submission (guillotine choke) 1 4:35
Women's Flyweight Gina Mazany def. Rachael Ostovich TKO (body kicks) 3 4:10
Flyweight Su Mudaerji def. Malcolm Gordon KO (punches) 1 0:44
Catchweight (140 lb) Nate Maness def. Luke Sanders Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 2:29

[16]

Bonus awards edit

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[17]

  • Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
  • Performance of the Night: Anthony Smith, Miguel Baeza, Su Mudaerji and Nathan Maness

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Eduardo Solano (2020-11-25). "UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis main event odds and betting picks". sportsbookreview.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  2. ^ Staff (2020-10-07). "UFC announces upcoming event schedule through November". ufc.com. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  3. ^ Nolan King and Mike Bohn (2020-08-18). "Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis set to headline UFC event on Nov. 28". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  4. ^ Staff (2020-11-27). "Curtis Blaydes tests positive for COVID-19, UFC on ESPN 18 main event scrapped". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  5. ^ Nolan King and John Morgan (2020-10-12). "UFC targets Devin Clark vs. Shamil Gamzatov for Nov. 28 event in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  6. ^ Nolan King and Mike Bohn (2020-10-15). "Devin Clark vs. Anthony Smith added to UFC's Nov. 28 event in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  7. ^ Staff (2020-11-27). "Updates to UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Clark". ufc.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  8. ^ Mike Heck (2020-10-13). "Sean Woodson vs. Jonathan Pearce targeted for UFC event on Nov. 28". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  9. ^ Nolan King and Farah Hannoun (2020-11-21). "Kai Kamaka steps in for Sean Woodson, fights Jonathan Pearce at UFC on ESPN 18". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  10. ^ Raphael Marinho (2020-09-27). "Ultimate sets Renato Moicano x Rafael Fiziev for November 28th card". globoesporte.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21. (in Portuguese)
  11. ^ Damon Martin and Guilherme Cruz (2020-11-21). "Renato Moicano tests positive for COVID-19, fight against Rafael Fiziev rescheduled for UFC 256". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  12. ^ Staff (2020-10-16). "With Raulian Paiva out, Zhalgas Zhumagulov steps in to face Amir Albazi at UFC's Nov. 28 event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  13. ^ Staff (2020-11-24). "Amir Albazi vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov pulled from UFC on ESPN 18 lineup". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  14. ^ Steve Duncan (2020-11-25). "Amir Albazi vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov rescheduled for UFC 257". mma.uno. Retrieved 2020-11-25. (in Spanish)
  15. ^ Staff (2020-11-27). "UFC on ESPN 18 weigh-in results: Devin Clark, Anthony Smith set for new headliner". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  16. ^ "UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  17. ^ Stephie Haynes (2020-11-29). "UFC Vegas 15 post-fight bonuses: Smith nabs POTN for first round triangle". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29.