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In the promotion’s first show in nearly two months, Tony Ferguson will meet Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in the UFC 249 main event on Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Meanwhile, Henry Cejudo defends the undisputed bantamweight crown against former champion Dominick Cruz in the co-headliner.
Ferguson has rattled off 12 consecutive victories since his unanimous decision loss to Michael Johnson eight years ago, emerging as one of the sport’s true power brokers at 155 pounds. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 winner has delivered 20 of his 25 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission, aided by a wide array of offensive skills and a seemingly endless gas tank. Ferguson last appeared at UFC 238, where he prompted a second-round doctor stoppage against Donald Cerrone in June.
A former World Series of Fighting champion, Gaethje enters the cage with momentum of his own, the wind of a three-fight winning streak in his sails. The 31-year-old Genesis Training Center rep has only gone the distance twice in 23 career appearances, establishing himself as an action hero for the ages. Gaethje last competed at UFC Fight Night 158 on Sept. 14, when he put away the aforementioned Cerrone with first-round punches.
UFC 249 “Ferguson vs. Gaethje”—which streams to ESPN+ pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT—will also feature a featherweight clash pitting Jeremy Stephens against Calvin Kattar and a pair of heavyweight battles, as Francis Ngannou locks horns with the unbeaten Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Greg Hardy throws hands with Yorgan De Castro. UFC Fight Pass (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) and ESPN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) will share coverage of the six-fight undercard.
A closer look at the UFC 249 “Ferguson vs. Gaethje” particulars:
THE LINEUP
155: Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje135: Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz
265: Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
145: Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar
265: Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro
170: Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis
265: Fabricio Werdum vs. Alexey Oleynik
115: Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson
170: Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price
145: Bryce Mitchell vs. Charles Rosa
205: Ryan Spann vs. Sam Alvey
THE RUNDOWN
• Preview• Weigh-in Report
• Prime Picks
• Pre-Fight Stock Report
• Rivalries: Justin Gaethje
• Rivalries: Francis Ngannou
• Rivalries: Anthony Pettis
• By The Numbers: Pettis vs. Cerrone
• By The Numbers: Kattar vs. Stephens
• By The Numbers: Cejudo vs. Cruz
• By The Numbers: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik
• By The Numbers: Justin Gaethje
• 5 Defining Moments: Francis Ngannou
Related Coverage »
• The Bottom Line: There Will Be Blood
• Debets: UFC 249 a Test of UFC Exceptionalism