''UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 15'' and ''UFC Vegas 7'') was a
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
event produced by the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
that took place on August 22, 2020, at the
UFC Apex
UFC Apex (stylised as UFC APEX) is a live events and production center in Enterprise, Nevada, operated and owned by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The facility was chosen in part due to its close proximity to the UFC Performance Instit ...
facility in
Enterprise, Nevada
Enterprise is an Unincorporated towns in Nevada, unincorporated town in the Las Vegas Valley in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 221,831 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, up from 14,676 at the United Stat ...
, part of the
Las Vegas Metropolitan Area
The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area is ...
, United States.
Background
A bantamweight bout between
Pedro Munhoz
Pedro Munhozhttp://boxing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/boxingnvgov/content/results/2014_Results/02-22-14MMA.pdf (born September 7, 1986) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Champion ...
and former
UFC Lightweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
Frankie Edgar
Frankie Edgar (born October 16, 1981) is an American retired professional mixed martial artist, who most recently competed in the Bantamweight (MMA), Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Beginning his career in the L ...
served as the event headliner.
[ ] The matchup was briefly scheduled to take place at
UFC 251
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
, but it was then moved four days later to bolster
UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige. On July 6, it was announced that the bout was scrapped after Munhoz
tested positive for COVID-19. The pairing remained intact nonetheless and was rescheduled for
UFC 252
''UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on August 15, 2020 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United Sta ...
.
However, the promotion decided to move the contest one final time.
Promotion officials had initially targeted a welterweight bout between former
UFC Welterweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
Tyron Woodley
Tyron Woodley (born April 17, 1982) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion who defended his title four times. A professional since 2009, Woodley also competed at Strikeforce and was an NCAA Di ...
and former interim champion
Colby Covington
Colby Ray Covington (born February 22, 1988) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Welterweight Champ ...
to serve as the event headliner, but Woodley announced that the date did not provide him with time suitable enough to prepare because of injuries incurred during his most recent fight.
A light heavyweight bout between former interim
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
challenger
Ovince Saint Preux
Ovince Saint Preux (born April 8, 1983) is a Haitian-American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor since 2008, Saint Preux has also formerly competed for Strikef ...
and
Shamil Gamzatov
Shamil Radzhabovich Gamzatov (russian: Шамиль Раджабович Гамзатов; born August 9, 1990, in Dagestan) is a Russian mixed martial artist competing in the Light Heavyweight division. A professional since 2012, he has compet ...
was initially scheduled for
April 25
Events Pre-1600
* 404 BC – Admiral Lysander and King Pausanias of Sparta blockade Athens and bring the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion.
* 775 – The Battle of Bagrevand puts an end to an Armenian rebellion against the ...
, but Gamzatov was forced to pull out of the event due to
travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and regions imposed quarantines, entry bans, or other travel restrictions for citizens of or recent travelers to the most affected areas. Some countries and regions imposed global restrictions th ...
. The pairing was rescheduled for this event. However, Gamzatov pulled out of the bout on August 13 due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by
Alonzo Menifield
Alonzo Menifield (born October 18, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2015, he has formerly fought in Bellator and the ...
.
Just hours before the event was scheduled to begin, it was announced that the bout was cancelled due to Saint Preux testing positive for COVID-19. The bout was then targeted for September 5 at
UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai.
Former
UFC Middleweight Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
challenger (as well as
2000 Olympic silver medalist and former world champion in
freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling ...
)
Yoel Romero
Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division for Bellator MMA. Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division ...
was scheduled to face
Uriah Hall at the event, but pulled out of the fight on August 11 for undisclosed reasons.
The pairing was then expected to be rescheduled for a future event.
[ ]
Philip Rowe
Philip Rowe (born July 18, 1990) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Rowe went to Daytona State College, eventually becoming a Well Logging Engineer befo ...
was briefly linked to a bout with promotional newcomer
Matthew Semelsberger
Matthew Semelsberger (born November 23, 1992) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Semelsberger is a 2011 graduate of Urbana High School, where he compete ...
at the event. However, Rowe pulled out of the bout citing a toe injury. Semelsberger faced fellow newcomer Carlton Minus.
A women's strawweight bout between former
Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Angela Hill
Angela Patrice Hill (born January 12, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the strawweight division. She was formerly signed with the Invicta Fighting Championships, of which she was the strawweight champion. She is also ...
and former
Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Michelle Waterson
Michelle Eileen Waterson (born January 6, 1986) is an American mixed martial artist and model who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. Between 2013 and 2014, she was ranked the ...
was scheduled for the event. However, due to undisclosed personal reasons for Waterson, the bout was rescheduled for September 12 and ultimately served as the main event of
UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill.
A light heavyweight bout between Jorge Gonzalez and
Ike Villanueva
Isaac "Ike" James Villanueva (born April 4, 1984), is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Starting his career in 2008, Vi ...
was expected to take a week earlier at UFC 252. However, due to alleged
visa
Visa most commonly refers to:
*Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company
** Visa Debit card issued by the above company
** Visa Electron, a debit card
** Visa Plus, an interbank network
*Travel visa, a document that allows ...
issues for Gonzalez, the pairing was rescheduled for this event. In turn, Gonzalez was removed from the card for undisclosed reasons and replaced by promotional newcomer
Jordan Wright
Jordan Michael Wright (born October 7, 1991) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division. He formely fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Wright started gymnastics at age 4, but after watchin ...
.
Promotional newcomer
Jared Gooden
Jared Alexander Gooden (born December 5, 1993) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2015, Gooden most notably competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Bac ...
was scheduled to face
Dwight Grant
Dwight Lamont Grant (born September 14, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist (MMA) who competes in the welterweight division. He had previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Background
Born and raised in the Bedfor ...
in a welterweight bout at the event, but pulled out of the fight during the week leading up to the event with an undisclosed injury. In turn, promotional newcomer Calen Born was announced as the replacement. However, Born pulled out of the fight on the day of the weigh-ins due to undisclosed personal issues.
Meanwhile, another welterweight bout between
Takashi Sato
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. A professional since 2013, he currently competes in the Welterweight (MMA), Welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Early life
Born to a Japanese father and Taiwanese mother, Sato ...
and
Daniel Rodriguez was scrapped after the weigh-ins. Despite making the required weight, Sato was not cleared to fight by
Nevada State Athletic Commission
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (also known as the Nevada Athletic Commission or NSAC) regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, ...
(NSAC) medical personnel and Rodriguez faced Grant instead.
A middleweight bout between
Maki Pitolo
Maki Ikaika Maleko Pitolo (born November 24, 1990) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2013, Pitolo has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and B ...
and promotional newcomer
Impa Kasanganay
Impa Armond Kasanganay (born January 17, 1994) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Light heavyweight division of Professional Fighters League (PFL). He formerly competed in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of Ultimat ...
was briefly linked to the event. However, promotion officials elected to move the pairing a week later to
UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić for undisclosed reasons.
Promotional newcomer Mark Striegl was expected to face fellow newcomer
Timur Valiev
Timur Arsenovich Valiev (born January 19, 1990) is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. Valiev previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Background ...
at the event. However, Striegl was removed from the fight on August 20 after testing positive for COVID-19 and replaced by
Trevin Jones
Trevin Anthony Jones (born August 4, 1990) is an American mixed martial artist living on the US Territory of Guam, who competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Jones started his MMA career when he fi ...
. The bout was contested at a catchweight of 140 pounds.
Results
Bonus awards
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.
*Fight of the Night: Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz
*Performance of the Night: Shana Dobson and Trevin Jones
Aftermath
On October 7, it was announced that the NSAC issued a four and a half month suspension for
Trevin Jones
Trevin Anthony Jones (born August 4, 1990) is an American mixed martial artist living on the US Territory of Guam, who competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Jones started his MMA career when he fi ...
, after he tested positive for
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
in a drug test related to his fight. They also announced that Jones' victory was overturned to a no contest due to the violation. He was fined $1,800 and before he is relicensed in Las Vegas, Jones will also have to pay a prosecution fee of $145.36.
See also
*
List of UFC events
This is a list of events held and scheduled by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. UFC's first event, UFC 1, took place on November 12, 1993. Each UFC event contains several fight ...
*
List of current UFC fighters
This list of current UFC fighters records current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters' information, country origins, recent fighter signings and departures, fight schedules and results and the champion of each division. , the UFC roster ...
*
2020 in UFC
The year 2020 was the 28th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Partnership
Starting in 2021, a partnership between the UFC and Dapper Labs's Flow platform ...
References
{{2020 in mixed martial arts
UFC on ESPN
2020 in mixed martial arts
2020 in sports in Nevada
Mixed martial arts in Las Vegas
Sports competitions in Las Vegas
August 2020 sports events in the United States