UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar

UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar (also known as UFC on ESPN 15) is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on August 22, 2020 at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.[1]

UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateAugust 22, 2020 (2020-08-22)
VenueUFC APEX
CityLas Vegas, Nevada, United States
Event chronology
UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3 UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar UFC Fight Night 175

Background

A bantamweight bout between Pedro Munhoz and former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar is expected to serve as the event headliner.[2] The matchup was briefly scheduled to take place at UFC 251, but it was then moved four days later to bolster UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige.[3] On July 6, it was announced that the bout was scrapped due to Munhoz testing positive for COVID-19.[4] The pairing remained intact nonetheless and was rescheduled for UFC 252.[5] However, the organization decided to move the contest one final time.[2]

UFC officials had initially targeted a welterweight bout between former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley and former interim champion Colby Covington 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.[6]

A light heavyweight bout between former interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship challenger Ovince Saint Preux and Shamil Gamzatov was initially scheduled for April 25, but Gamzatov was forced to pull out of the event due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] The pairing was rescheduled for this event.[8] However, Gamzatov pulled out of the bout on August 13 due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Alonzo Menifield.[9]

Former UFC Middleweight Championship challenger (as well as 2000 Olympic silver medalist and former world champion in freestyle wrestling) Yoel Romero was scheduled to face Uriah Hall at the event. However, Romero pulled out of the fight on August 11 for undisclosed reasons.[10] The pairing is expected to be rescheduled for a future event.[11]

Philip Rowe was briefly linked to a bout with promotional newcomer Matthew Semelsberger at the event.[12] However, Rowe pulled out of the bout citing a toe injury. Semelsberger will now face fellow newcomer Carlton Minus.[11]

A women's strawweight bout between former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Angela Hill and former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Michelle Waterson was scheduled for this event.[13] However, due to undisclosed personal reasons for Waterson, the bout was moved to UFC Fight Night 177.[14]

A light heavyweight bout between Jorge Gonzalez and Isaac Villanueva was expected to take a week earlier at UFC 252.[15][16] However, due to alleged visa issues for Gonzalez, the pairing was rescheduled for this event.[17]

Fight card
Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Bantamweight Pedro Munhoz vs. Frankie Edgar
Light Heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux vs. Alonzo Menifield
Light Heavyweight Marcin Prachnio vs. Mike Rodríguez
Welterweight Daniel Rodriguez vs. Takashi Sato
Preliminary Card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Women's Strawweight Amanda Lemos vs. Mizuki Inoue
Lightweight Austin Hubbard vs. Joe Solecki
Women's Flyweight Mariya Agapova vs. Shana Dobson
Welterweight Dwight Grant vs. Jared Gooden
Light Heavyweight Jorge Gonzalez vs. Isaac Villanueva
Bantamweight Timur Valiev vs. Mark Striegl

    [18]

    Announced bouts
    • Welterweight bout: Matthew Semelsberger vs. Carlton Minus[11]
    • Middleweight bout: Maki Pitolo vs. Impa Kasanganay[19]

    See also

    References
    1. Jesse Holland (2020-06-30). "Angela Hill vs Michelle Waterson on tap for UFC APEX on Aug. 22". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
    2. Raphael Marinho (2020-07-27). "Ultimate reschedules Pedro Munhoz vs. Frankie Edgar for August 22 as the main event". sportv.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-07-27. (in Portuguese)
    3. Ross Markey (2020-06-16). "Pedro Munhoz vs. Frankie Edgar moved to UFC event on July 15th". fightbookmma.com. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
    4. Guilherme Cruz (2020-07-06). "Pedro Munhoz tests positive for COVID-19, pulled from UFC 'Fight Island' bout with Frankie Edgar". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
    5. Nick Baldwin (2020-07-12). "Edgar-Munhoz rescheduled for UFC 252". thescore.com. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
    6. Ariel Helwani (2020-07-16). "Tyron Woodley open to Colby Covington fight, but not in August". abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
    7. Nolan King (2020-04-04). "Shamil Gamzatov out of UFC on ESPN+ 31 fight vs. Ovince Saint Preux". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
    8. Staff (2020-07-02). "Ovince St. Preux vs. Shamil Gamzatov scheduled again, this time for August 22". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-08-10. (in Dutch)
    9. Newswire (2020-08-13). "Shamil Gamzatov out of UFC on ESPN+ 31 fight vs. Ovince Saint Preux". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
    10. Staff (2020-08-11). "Yoel Romero out vs. Uriah Hall at UFC on ESPN 15". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
    11. Staff (2020-07-13). "No replacement for Romero, Waterson vs. Hill canceled and OSP's new opponent on August 22". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-08-14. (in Dutch)
    12. Edward Lee (2020-08-07). "Frederick County's Matthew Semelsberger signs contract with UFC, realizing childhood quest". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
    13. Nolan King (2020-06-30). "Angela Hill meets Michelle Waterson on UFC's Aug. 22 card". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
    14. Harry Davies (2020-08-13). "Report: Michelle Waterson vs. Angela Hill off UFC Vegas 7, rescheduled for September 12". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
    15. "UFC 252". slnboss.com.
    16. Nolan King (2020-07-29). "UFC debutant Jorge Gonzalez meets Ike Villanueva at UFC 252 in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
    17. Connor Northrup (2020-08-13). "Ike Villanueva vs. Jorge Gonzalez moved to Aug. 22 UFC event". mymmanews.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
    18. "UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
    19. Mike Heck (2020-08-11). "Maki Pitolo to welcome DWCS contract winner Impa Kasanganay at UFC event on Aug. 22". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
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