UFC president Dana White announced on Friday the official lineups for UFC Fight Night events on May 13 and May 16 in Jacksonville, Florida.
The two cards are part of the UFC’s effort to resume normal operations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic shutting down much of the sports world. The plan includes three live events in an eight-day span, beginning with UFC 249 on May 9.
A light heavyweight matchup between former title challengers Anthony Smith (33-14) and Glover Teixeira (30-7) will headline UFC Fight Night on May 13. A heavyweight bout featuring another former title challenger in Alistair Overeem (45-18) and Walt Harris (13-7) will headline the UFC Fight Night on May 16.
Both headliners were originally scheduled for different dates and locations, before being postponed due to COVID-19. Smith was supposed to face Teixeira on April 25 in Smith’s home state of Nebraska, while Overeem and Harris were slated to headline an event on April 11 in Portland.
White said last month that all three events in May will take place without a live audience.
The UFC has been forced to postpone a total of six events, but has been adamant it will be the first major sports organization to return — and still hold its entire 42-event schedule in 2020. The UFC is the only MMA organization with concrete plans to hold an event in the near future. Bellator MMA has postponed its schedule through June, and the PFL, a tournament-based promotion, suspended its entire 2020 season.
An interim lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson (25-3) and Justin Gaethje (21-2) will headline UFC 249 on May 9. That event is a pay-per-view, and will air on ESPN+.
The fights for the May 13 event are:
Featherweight bout: Hunter Azure vs. Brian Kelleher
W. Bantamweight bout: Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras
Lightweight bout: Michael Johnson vs. Thiago Moises
Heavyweight bout: Andrei Arlovski vs. Philipe Lins
Main card
Middleweight bout: Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori
Bantamweight bout: Ricky Simon vs. Ray Borg
Lightweight bout: Alexander Hernandez vs. Drew Dober
Heavyweight bout: Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira
The fights for the May 16 event are:
Middleweight: Anthony Hernandez vs. Kevin Holland
Middleweight: Eryk Anders vs. Krzysztof Jotko
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Edson Barboza
W. Strawweight: Claudia Gadelha vs. Angela Hill
Heavyweight Main Event: Alistair Overeem vs. Walt Harris