The UFC aims for 13 events per card, but Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 31 ended up with eight. For some, including undoubtedly, the commentators, it’s a more compelling experience. But for UFC president Dana White, not so much. For him, it was something like Rangar Lothbrook’s death scene – snake bitten beyond anything in memory.
Holly Holm vs. Irene Aldana was the intended headliner, but Aldana tested positive for COVID-19, and on July 22 the bout was rescheduled. Derek Brunson vs. Edmen Shahbazyan had been scheduled for UFC 248 on March 7 but was moved to an event on April 11 that was canceled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, and finally landed at Saturday’s show in the main event.
Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araujo was originally scheduled for UFC on ESPN 12 on June 27, but was moved to Saturday’s event as both fighters faced travel restrictions due to the pandemic. Then Araujo tested positive for COVID-19, and JoJo Calderwood gamely stepped in instead of waiting for a title shot, and was armbarred in Round 1. JoJo fainted after the fight, and was rushed to the hospital, where she posted a message of thanks on her social network. Calderwood was released from the hospital on Sunday and is well and resting at home.
Maia got a $50,000 performance bonus and at the post-fight press conference, White said she’s the new #1 contender at 125 pounds.
I have a lot of respect for JoJo, said White. She’s been working hard and taking her career very serious, and has been back on track since she moved to Vegas. Jennifer looked damn good tonight, so yeah it makes sense for her and Valentina to fight.
South Korea’s Jun Yong Park and Da Un Jung were scheduled to fight Trevin Giles and Ed Herman, respectively, but both were unable to fly due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Herman was given Gerald Meerschaert, who tested positive for COVID-19 on the day of the event and the fight was scrapped. Giles was given Kevin Holland, but fainted for approximately 15 seconds right before his walkout, and the bout was scrapped. White tried to make the middleweight Holland vs. the light heavyweight Herman, but Herman had already started boozing and had broken quarantine.
“Holland couldn’t have had a better attitude about the fight pulling out,” said White. “He was ready to fight tonight if we ended up getting Ed Herman back, and he wants to fight next week or the week after. The kid couldn’t have had a better attitude about it, and I’m excited to see him come back and fight.
White said doctors attending to Giles think that his anxiety went through the roof [prior to fainting]. That was one of those fights tonight to be, ‘If you don’t know, now you know.’ There was a lot of pressure, and who knows what he was dealing with, and he fainted.
Giles corner said the fighter was actually maybe more calm than he’s ever been before a fight, and added that the weight cut wasn’t an issue either. Giles posted on his social network that he’s all good.
Timur Valiev was scheduled to make his big show debut vs. Jamall Emmers, but was removed two days before the event for undisclosed reasons, and was replaced by Vincent Cachero, who eventually lost. Ray Borg was scheduled to fight Nathan Maness, but was removed the day before the event for undisclosed reasons, and was replaced by Johnny Munoz, who lost.
Eric Spicely was scheduled to return after a 13-month layoff vs. Markus Perez, but was hospitalized during his final weight cut, reportedly due to cutting while taking antidepressants he was taking due to a concussion suffered in his last fight. Spicely was replaced by Charles Ontiveros at a catchweight, but Ontiveros was deemed ineligible to compete before the weigh-ins.
Jonathan Martinez missed the non-title bantamweight cut off by 4.5 pounds, and was allowed to continue with a 30% of purse fine vs. Frankie Saenz, and won. There oughta be a law.
White summed up the turmoil accurately
“This was the f***ing craziest week ever, he said. We got through it. We’re here.”
https://youtu.be/rSf5AwQ7iUs?t=1452
h/t Steven Marrocco for MMA Fighting, Ryan Harkness for MMA Mania
