UFC 212

UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway
The poster for UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateJune 3, 2017
VenueJeunesse Arena
CityRio de Janeiro, Brazil
Attendance15,412[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Teixeira UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt

UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on June 3, 2017, at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[2]

Background

A UFC Featherweight Championship unification bout between two-time champion José Aldo and interim champion Max Holloway served as the main event.[2][3]

The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner Kelvin Gastelum was expected to face former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva at the event. However, on April 6, 2017, he was pulled from the bout after he was flagged for a potential doping violation by USADA stemming from his most recent bout against Vitor Belfort. Gastelum tested positive for Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC) which is a metabolite of marijuana or hashish above the 180 ng/mL allowance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standard. The in-competition sample was collected on the night of Gastelum's fight on March 11 in Brazil. He has been placed on a provisional suspension as a result of the positive drug test and he will be afforded a full adjudication process.[4]

As of April 10, 2017, it was confirmed that former Strikeforce and UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold was offered the fight and accepted it.[5] In turn, Silva dismissed the idea a day later, citing that Rockhold was coming from a loss and because of that it wouldn't make sense. Instead, Silva floated potential matchups with Uriah Hall or a rematch with semi-retired Nick Diaz.[6] On May 1, Silva gave the UFC an ultimatum: he wants to fight 2000 Olympic silver medalist and former world champion in freestyle wrestling Yoel Romero for the interim title or he will retire.[7] In turn, despite having two months to secure an opponent, Silva and promotion officials confirmed on May 11 that he would not compete at the event.[8][9]

Felipe Arantes was expected to face Iuri Alcântara at the event. However, on May 11, Arantes was pulled from the fight due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by promotional newcomer Brian Kelleher.[10]

A lightweight bout between The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2 welterweight winner Leonardo Santos and Olivier Aubin-Mercier was scheduled for this event, but was scrapped on May 18 after Aubin-Mercier got injured and Santos decided to pull out of the event.[11]

Results

Main Card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Featherweight Max Holloway (ic) def. José Aldo (c) TKO (punches) 3 4:13 [a]
Women's Strawweight Cláudia Gadelha def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 3:03
Middleweight Vitor Belfort def. Nate Marquardt Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Paulo Costa def. Oluwale Bamgbose TKO (punches) 2 1:06
Welterweight Yancy Medeiros def. Erick Silva TKO (punches) 2 2:01
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
Bantamweight Raphael Assunção def. Marlon Moraes Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 30–27) 3 5:00
Middleweight Antônio Carlos Júnior def. Eric Spicely Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 3:49
Bantamweight Matthew Lopez def. Johnny Eduardo TKO (punches) 1 2:57
Bantamweight Brian Kelleher def. Iuri Alcântara Submission (guillotine choke) 1 1:48
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Women's Strawweight Viviane Pereira def. Jamie Moyle Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Welterweight Luan Chagas def. Jim Wallhead Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 4:48
Flyweight Deiveson Figueiredo def. Marco Beltrán TKO (corner stoppage) 2 5:00
  1. ^ UFC Featherweight Championship unification bout.

[12]

Bonus awards

The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:[13]

  • Fight of the Night: Max Holloway vs. José Aldo
  • Performance of the Night: Cláudia Gadelha and Brian Kelleher

See also

References

  1. ^ Staff (June 4, 2017). "UFC 212 attendance draws announced attendance of 15,412 for undisclosed live gate". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Iolando Neto (February 10, 2017). "UFC 212: José Aldo and Max Holloway set to unify title". foxsports.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  3. ^ Jim Edwards (February 10, 2017). "José Aldo vs. Max Holloway set for UFC 212 in Brazil". flocombat.com. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  4. ^ Damon Martin (April 6, 2017). "Kelvin Gastelum pulled from fight with Anderson Silva after testing positive for marijuana". foxsports.com. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  5. ^ Mike Bohn and Ken Hathaway (April 10, 2017). "Luke Rockhold offered to fight Anderson Silva at UFC 212; Dana White says it's 'a process'". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  6. ^ Mike Bohn (April 11, 2017). "Anderson Silva dismisses potential Rockhold, Belfort matchups at UFC 212, open to Romero or Diaz rematch". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  7. ^ Marc Raimondi (May 1, 2017). "Fired-up Anderson Silva says he'll retire if UFC doesn't book interim title fight against Yoel Romero". mmafighting.com. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  8. ^ Gabriel Carvalho (May 8, 2017). "Anderson Silva announces he will not fight at UFC 212" (in Portuguese). olimpomma.com. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  9. ^ Staff (May 11, 2017). "Yup, it's official: No Anderson Silva at UFC 212". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  10. ^ Marcelo Barone and Marcelo Russio (May 11, 2017). "Sertanejo out, Iuri Marajó will face newcomer Brian Kelleher at UFC Rio 8" (in Portuguese). sportv.globo.com. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  11. ^ Staff (May 18, 2017). "Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Leonardo Santos pulled from UFC 212 in Rio de Janeiro". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  12. ^ "UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  13. ^ Staff (June 4, 2017). "UFC 212 bonuses: Brian Kelleher gets that $50K he called for in epic post-fight interview". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved June 4, 2017.