BLOCKBUSTER BANTAMWEIGHT HEADLINER BETWEEN
(#2) CORY SANDHAGEN AND RETURNING TJ DILLASHAW
AT UFC® APEX IN LAS VEGAS
FEATURED BOUT:
(#3) AACY CHIASSON vs. (#9) MACY CHIASSON
UFC® delivers another action-packed card at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, headlined by a bantamweight thriller that will see No. 2 ranked contender Cory Sandhagen take on returning former champion TJ Dillashaw. The co-main event will see No. 3 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd square off with No. 9 Macy Chiasson.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: SANDHAGEN vs. DILLASHAW will take place Saturday, July 24 from UFC APEX is Las Vegas. All bouts will be available on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes beginning with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT and continuing with the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Sandhagen (14-2, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) is coming off consecutive Performance of the Night-earning knockouts over former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes. Among the most diverse and entertaining strikers at bantamweight, he also holds wins over Raphael Assuncao, John Lineker and Iuri Alcantara. Sandhagen now looks to add another former UFC champion to his resume to stake his claim for a title shot.
Former two-time bantamweight champion Dillashaw (17-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) returns to action for the first time in over two years. Throughout his UFC career, he has utilized his dynamic striking and grappling to secure memorable victories over Cody Garbrandt (twice), Renan Barao (twice) and John Lineker. Dillashaw now has his sights set on making a statement against one of the division’s top contenders while positioning himself for an opportunity to reclaim the belt.
Aggressive finisher Ladd (9-1, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) hopes to pick up where she left off following a 2019 TKO victory over fellow contender Yana Kunitskaya. During her UFC run she has also netted impressive stoppage wins against Tonya Evinger and Lina Länsberg. Ladd now aims to remind the 135-pound division that she’s more dangerous than ever.
The Ultimate Fighter season 28 winner Chiasson (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) looks to make the most of her first UFC co-main event opportunity. Since joining the UFC roster in 2018, she has earned notable victories against Marion Reneau, Shanna Young and Sarah Moras. Chiasson is now gunning for the biggest win of her career to crack the bantamweight top five.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- No. 14 ranked bantamweight contender Kyler Phillips (9-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) takes on surging Raulian Paiva (20-3, fighting out of Santana, Amapa, Brazil)
- Darren Elkins (26-9, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) faces Darrick Minner (26-11, fighting out of Nebraska City, Neb.) in a clash of gritty featherweights
- No. 14 ranked women’s flyweight contender Maycee Barber (8-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) locks horns with No. 13 Miranda Maverick (11-2, fighting out of Norfolk, Va.)
- Mickey Gall (6-3, fighting out of Green Brook, N.J.) squares off with Jordan Williams (9-4 1NC, fighting out of Santa Rosa, Calif.) at welterweight
- Undefeated Punahele Soriano (8-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Oahu, Hawaii) meets fellow Dana White’s Contender Series signee Brendan Allen (16-4, fighting out of Delray Beach, Fla. by way of Covington, La.) in a battle of rising middleweights
- In a pivotal heavyweight contenders’ bout, No. 7 ranked Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) faces No. 10 Chris Daukaus (11-3, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
- Nassourdine Imavov (9-3, fighting out of Paris, France) squares off with Ian Heinisch (14-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) in an intriguing middleweight contest
- Surging bantamweight prospects collide when Adrian Yanez (13-3, fighting out of Houston, Texas) meets Randy Costa (6-1, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.)
- Julio Arce (16-4, fighting out of Bayside, N.Y.) returns to bantamweight to battle with Andre Ewell (17-7, fighting out of Riverside, Calif.)
- No. 13 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Sijara Eubanks (7-6, fighting out of Brick, N.J. by way of Springfield, Mass.) returns to flyweight to take on Elise Reed (4-0, fighting out of Princeton, N.J.)
- Diana Belbita (13-6, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada) faces Hannah Goldy (5-1, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) in a women’s strawweight bout
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