Background
The event was the first featured official broadcast on CBS after the new media rights agreement with Paramount Skydance began in January, as the network will partially aired the card during the final hour of the prelims along with the first hour of the main card. The remainder of the main card including the main event aired exclusively on Paramount+. [3]
Former UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway defended his symbolic "BMF" (baddest motherfucker ) title against former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira in a lightweight bout serving as the event's headliner. [2] The two fighters previously met in August 2015 at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira, where Oliveira was defeated via first-round technical knockout in a featherweight bout after sustaining an apparent neck and shoulder injury during a takedown attempt, which rendered him unable to continue. [4] [5] The injury was later reported as a minor neck injury. [6]
Former UFC Middleweight Championship challenger Paulo Costa was initially expected to face Brunno Ferreira in a middleweight bout at the event. [7] However, Costa withdrew on December 26 for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by former LFA Middleweight Champion Gregory Rodrigues, setting up a rematch between them. [8] [9] The two previously met at UFC 283 in January 2023, where Rodrigues was defeated by first-round knockout. [10]
A bantamweight bout between Rob Font and Raul Rosas Jr. took place at the event. [11] The pairing was originally scheduled as the co-main event for UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva in September 2025, but Rosas Jr. withdrew due to a rib injury. [12] [13]
A lightweight rematch between former lightweight title challenger Renato Moicano and former featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega was scheduled for this event. [14] The pair had previously met in a featherweight bout at UFC 214 in July 2017, where Ortega won via third‑round guillotine choke. [15] In turn, Ortega withdrew due to injury with Moicano later being moved to headline UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Duncan one month afterward. [16] [17]
A middleweight bout between Duško Todorović and undefeated prospect Donte Johnson was scheduled for this event. [18] However, Todorović withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Cody Brundage. [19]
A featherweight bout between Yoo Joo-sang and Gaston Bolaños was scheduled for this event. [20] However, Yoo withdrew due to a foot injury and was replaced by Lee Jeong-yeong. [21] In turn, the pairing was cancelled during the weigh-ins due to weight management issues with Lee. [22]
During the event's broadcast, it was announced that the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship bout that took place in March 2020 at UFC 248 between then‑champion Zhang Weili and former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk would be inducted into the "fight wing" of the UFC Hall of Fame. It is the first women's bout to receive the honor and will be recognized during International Fight Week in Las Vegas. Zhang defended the title via unanimous decision in a bout widely regarded as one of the greatest women's fights in mixed martial arts history. [23]
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