Music & Entertainment

UFC Trio of Events Returns to Action on FOX Sports

ByPress ReleaseMay 8, 20204 Mins read102

The UFC 249 battle for the interim championship, headlined by top lightweight contenders Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, will air live exclusively on FOX Sports channels across Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia, 4 May 2020 – Television network broadcaster FOX Sports presents the return of major live sports events with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on 10 May, delivering one of the most stacked cards in recent history – the UFC 249.

The UFC 249 main event will be headlined by a bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, as No.1 ranked lightweight contender Tony Ferguson and No. 4 ranked Justin Gaethje battle for the interim championship. In the co-main event, Henry Cejudo intends to prove that he is the greatest UFC bantamweight champion of all time, as he looks to defeat multiple-time title holder Dominick Cruz.

UFC 249: FERGUSON vs. GAETHJE will air live exclusively on FOX Sports channels across Southeast Asia in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam on Sunday, 10 May, SIN/HK 10am (JKT/TH 9am). Channel transmission information for the respective countries can be found here.

This will be the first of three events taking place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 10, 14 and 17 (Asia time) respectively. These events will be closed to the public and produced with only essential personnel in attendance.

FOX Sports channels across Southeast Asia will also air UFC Fight Night: Smith vs Teixeira and UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Harris on 14 May and 17 May respectively at SIN/HK 9am (JKT/TH 8am). The main event on 14 May will be headlined by a clash of light heavyweight contenders between No. 3 ranked Anthony Smith and No. 8 ranked Glover Teixeira. In the co-main event, Ovince Saint Preux makes his heavyweight debut against Ben Rothwell.

On May 17, the Octagon will play host to the heavyweight showdown between No. 9 ranked Walt Harris and No. 8 ranked Alistair Overeem, as well as the strawweight matchup between No. 6 ranked Claudia Gadelha and Angela Hill.

“I can’t wait to deliver some great fights for the fans,” said UFC President Dana White. “I want to give a big thanks to Mayor Curry, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and Florida State Boxing Commission Executive Director Patrick Cunningham for getting this thing done and giving us a venue to put on these incredible cards, as well our media partners including ESPN and ESPN+, for bringing it to fans. My team is ready to go and the fighters are excited to get back in there with these back-to-back events.”

One of the most exciting and unpredictable athletes on the roster, Ferguson (26-3, fighting out of Orange County, Calif.) is on the verge of becoming the first two-time interim lightweight champion in UFC history. Currently on an incredible 12-fight winning streak, Ferguson has defeated the likes of Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis and Rafael Dos Anjos. He now looks to notch his record-setting 13th win in a row and raise UFC gold once again.

Known for his unrelenting fight style, Gaethje (21-2, fighting out of Arvada, Colo.) has earned a post fight bonus in every single one of his UFC bouts. One of the best knockout artists in the division’s history, Gaethje has earned stoppage wins over Donald Cerrone, Edson Barboza and James Vick. He now looks to secure another iconic finish and earn his first UFC championship.

Cejudo (15-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) is one of only four athletes in UFC history to hold two championships at the same time. To accomplish this feat, he netted impressive victories Demetrious Johnson, TJ Dillashaw and Marlon Moraes. After recently relinquishing the flyweight belt, Cejudo now plans to reassert his dominance over the bantamweight division by taking out one of its greatest champions.

Returning to action for the first time in three years, Cruz (22-2, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) intends to prove that he is still the best bantamweight in the world. A former UFC and WEC champion, Cruz holds wins over Urijah Faber, TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. He now looks to be the first person to defeat Cejudo at 135-pounds and regain his lost crown.

Additional bouts on the UFC: 249 card include:

No. 2 ranked heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou (14-3, fighting out of Paris, France by way of Batie, Cameroon) meets No. 6 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (10-0, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) in a battle of KO artists
In a clash of featherweight contenders, No. 7 ranked Jeremy Stephens (28-17, 1 NC, fighting out of San Diego California by way of Des Moines, Iowa) takes on No. 9 Calvin Kattar (20-4, fighting out of Methuen, Massachusetts)
Fan favorites meet, as Donald Cerrone (36-14, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) takes on Anthony Pettis (22-10, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a welterweight bout
Greg Hardy (6-2, 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida) squares off with undefeated Yorgan De Castro (5-0, fighting out of Fall River, Massachusetts by way of Mindelo, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde) in an exciting heavyweight bout
Heavyweight grapplers look to make a statement as Aleksei Oleinik (58-13, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) welcomes back former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum (23-7, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.)
Ryan Spann (17-5, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) aims to continue his momentum against crafty veteran Sam Alvey (33-13, 1NC, fighting out of Temecula, California)
Former UFC women’s strawweight champion and No. 7 ranked Carla Esparza (16-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) takes on No. 8 Michelle Waterson (17-7, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
Uriah Hall (16-9, fighting out of Queens, New York) goes for his third straight win against decorated grappler Jacare Souza (26-8, 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Welterweight finishers collide when No. 13 ranked contender Vicente Luque (17-7-1, fighting out of Westwood, New Jersey by way of Brasilia, Brazil) faces Niko Price (14-3, 1NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Florida)
Exciting featherweight grapplers go to war as Bryce Mitchell (12-1, fighting out of Sherwood, Ark.) meets Charles Rosa (12-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.)