UFC 266 RESULTS, PRESSER, MEDIA DAY, WEIGH-IN VIDEO, ODDS & THE RETURN OF NICK DIAZ
Las Vegas, NV (September 24th, 2021)– UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega will stream exclusively on ESPN+ PPV this Saturday, Sept. 25, at 10 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The main card features a thrilling pair of world championship bouts when the coaches of the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter — UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and No. 2 ranked-contender Brian Ortega — collide. The co-main will feature UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko facing No.3 ranked contender Lauren Murphy. The third fight of the main event will feature one of UFC’s most highly anticipated returns when Nick Diaz, one of UFC’s perennial fan favorites, returns to the Octagon in a rematch 17 years in the making, against Robbie Lawler.
UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega will begin with early prelims at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass, with prelims at 8 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+, and the PPV main card at 10 p.m. ET, exclusively on ESPN+ (English, Spanish). Live coverage begins Friday with UFC Live presented by DraftKings: Volkanovski vs. Ortega on Friday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2. UFC Live provides fans with exclusive insights and views on the biggest stories heading into UFC 266.
On Saturday, ESPN will debut a new live sports betting show that will proceed all PPV events. “The UFC 266 Betting Show,” will be hosted by MMA Insider Brett Okamoto and MMA and sports betting expert Ian Parker. The show streams live on ESPN’s MMA YouTube channel and will provide the latest information fans need to know ahead of the PPV.
Undisputed UFC featherweight champion Volkanovski is unbeaten in almost eight years, including nine straight wins in the UFC. He proved himself as one of UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighters with two title fight victories over Max Holloway, along with dominant performances against Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes and Darren Elkins.
Ortega is determined to make 2021 the year his UFC title dreams become a reality. He won seven fights in the UFC, with six of them coming by knockout or submission, tied for third most in featherweight division history. In his first championship opportunity, Ortega was on the wrong end of a record-breaking performance by Holloway, but worked his way back to a title shot with a win over Chan Sung Jung last October.
In the co-main, Shevchenko will seek to tie Ronda Rousey for the longest title defense streak in UFC women’s history when she makes the sixth defense of her UFC women’s flyweight championship against the streaking Murphy.
The third bout of the night will see the return of Diaz for the first time in over six years to face Lawler in a rematch of their first fight in April 2004. Diaz has not fought since a no contest against Anderson Silva in January 2015 but has been a fan favorite to mixed martial arts fans over the past 20 years.
Calling the action will be play-by-play announcer Jon Anik, alongside analysts former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier and former UFC lightweight contender Paul Felder. Megan Olivi will handle reporting duties.
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
- Champ Alexander Volkanovski (144.5) vs. Brian Ortega (144) – for featherweight title
- Champ Valentina Shevchenko (124) vs. Lauren Murphy (125) – for women’s flyweight title
- Nick Diaz (185.5) vs. Robbie Lawler (184)
- Curtis Blaydes (261) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (257)
- Jessica Andrade (126) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (126)
PRELIMINARY CARD ( ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
- Marlon Moraes (135.5) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (135.5)
- Nasrat Haqparast (154.5) vs. Dan Hooker (155.5)
- Shamil Abdurakhimov (258) vs. Chris Daukaus (231)
- Roxanne Modafferi (125.5) vs. Taila Santos (125)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
- Uros Medic (156) vs. Jalin Turner (156)
- Cody Brundage (185.5) vs. Nick Maximov (185.5)
- Martin Sano (170) vs. Matthew Semelsberger (170.5)
- Omar Morales (145.5) vs. Jonathan Pearce (145.5)
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