UFC 216

UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee
UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee
	The poster for UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee
Information
Promotion	Ultimate Fighting Championship
Date	October 7, 2017
Venue	T-Mobile Arena
City	Paradise, Nevada
Attendance	10,638
Total gate	$677,999.50
Buyrate	200,000
Event chronology

UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on October 7, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas metropolitan area.^[3]

Background

A UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between current champion Stipe Miocic and former two-time champion Cain Velasquez was initially targeted to headline this event.^[4] After that pairing failed to materialize, the promotion announced plans for an interim UFC Lightweight Championship bout between The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos welterweight winner Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee to serve as the main event.^[5]^[6]

A UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Demetrious Johnson and Ray Borg was expected to headline UFC 215.^[7] However, the fight was canceled a day before the event, as Borg was forced to withdraw from the fight due to illness. His illness was unrelated to his weight cut, sources say.^[8] The fight was later rescheduled for this event. If successful, Johnson would have the all-time most consecutive UFC title defenses in any division, with eleven.^[9]

Abel Trujillo was expected to face Lando Vannata at the event. However, Trujillo was removed from the card on August 14 for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Bobby Green.^[10]

Paige VanZant was expected to face Jessica Eye at the event. However, VanZant pulled out of the fight on September 25 citing a back injury and the bout was scrapped.^[11]

A women's flyweight bout between promotional newcomers Andrea Lee and Kalindra Faria was expected to be a late addition to this event, as it was announced on September 28.^[12] However a few hours later, it was revealed that Lee was pulled from the contest as she didn't go through the USADA testing pool for six months. Usually short notice fights do not need to follow such rule, but since she has failed a drug test in the past, Lee must fulfill that requirement.^[13] She was replaced by fellow promotional newcomer Mara Romero Borella.^[14]

A lightweight bout between Nik Lentz and former Bellator Lightweight Champion Will Brooks was slated for the preliminary portion of the card. However the pairing was scrapped during the weigh-ins for the event, as Lentz was stricken with "medical issues" and deemed unfit to compete.^[15]

A heavyweight bout between former heavyweight champion Fabrício Werdum and Derrick Lewis was slated for the main card. However, the fight was scrapped the day of the event when Lewis couldn't move due to back pain from a previous back injury. As a result, Walt Harris, who was originally scheduled to face Mark Godbeer in a preliminary bout, was tabbed as a short-notice opponent for Werdum.^[16]

Results

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Tony Ferguson	def.	Kevin Lee	Submission (triangle choke)	3	4:02	^[a]
Flyweight	Demetrious Johnson (c)	def.	Ray Borg	Submission (flying armbar)	5	3:15	^[b]
Heavyweight	Fabrício Werdum	def.	Walt Harris	Submission (armbar)	1	1:05
Women's Flyweight	Mara Romero Borella	def.	Kalindra Faria	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	2:54
Lightweight	Beneil Dariush	vs.	Evan Dunham	Draw (majority) (29–28, 28–28, 28–28)	3	5:00
Preliminary Card (FX)
Bantamweight	Cody Stamann	def.	Tom Duquesnoy	Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 30–27)	3	5:00
Lightweight	Lando Vannata	vs.	Bobby Green	Draw (split) (29–27, 27–29, 28–28)	3	5:00	^[c]
Women's Strawweight	Poliana Botelho	def.	Pearl Gonzalez	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Flyweight	Matt Schnell	def.	Marco Beltrán	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 30–27)	3	5:00
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Flyweight	John Moraga	def.	Magomed Bibulatov	KO (punch)	1	1:38
Middleweight	Brad Tavares	def.	Thales Leites	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–26, 30–26)	3	5:00

^ For the interim UFC Lightweight Championship.
^ For the UFC Flyweight Championship.
^ Vannata was deducted one point in round 1 due to an illegal knee.

^[17]

Bonus awards

The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:^[18]

Fight of the Night: Lando Vannata vs. Bobby Green
Performance of the Night: Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga

Reported payout

The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. It does not include sponsor money and also does not include the UFC's traditional "fight night" bonuses. The total disclosed payout for the event was $2,178,000.^[19]

Tony Ferguson: $500,000 (includes $250,000 win bonus) def. Kevin Lee: $250,000
Demetrious Johnson: $370,000 (no win bonus) def. Ray Borg: $100,000
Fabrício Werdum: $400,000 (includes $125,000 win bonus) def. Walt Harris: $28,000
Mara Romero Borella: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Kalindra Faria: $12,000
Beneil Dariush: $48,000 drew with Evan Dunham: $40,000
Cody Stamann: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Tom Duquesnoy: $23,000
Lando Vannata: $25,000 drew with Bobby Green: $24,000
Poliana Botelho: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Pearl Gonzalez: $10,000
Matt Schnell: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Marco Beltrán: $14,000
John Moraga: $68,000 (includes $34,000 win bonus) def. Magomed Bibulatov: $17,000
Brad Tavares: $74,000 (includes $37,000 win bonus) def. Thales Leites: $57,000

Although not included on the NSAC's initial report, Mark Godbeer ($15,000/$15,000) was paid his show purse and a win bonus after he was removed from his scheduled bout with Walt Harris on the day of the event.^[19]