UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai

UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai
The poster for UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai
Promotion	Ultimate Fighting Championship
Date	September 5, 2020 (2020-09-05)
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Enterprise, Nevada, United States
Attendance	None (behind closed doors)
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill

UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai (also known as UFC Fight Night 176, UFC on ESPN+ 34 and UFC Vegas 9) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 5, 2020 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.

Background

A heavyweight bout between the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger Alistair Overeem and Augusto Sakai served as the event headliner.

A women's bantamweight bout between former UFC Women's Flyweight Champion Nicco Montaño and Julia Avila was originally scheduled for UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Oleinik. However, due to Montaño's coach John Wood testing positive for COVID-19, the bout was rescheduled for this event instead. In turn, it was announced on August 29 that Montaño herself tested positive for the disease and the bout was pushed back to UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana in October.

A women's flyweight bout between Maryna Moroz and Montana De La Rosa was scheduled for this event. However, Moroz was forced to withdraw as she was unable to secure a visa due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and was replaced by Viviane Araújo.

A lightweight bout between Khama Worthy and Ottman Azaitar was previously scheduled to take place earlier this year at UFC 249. However, the event was cancelled in early April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pairing was rescheduled and took place at this event. In turn, the pair was moved to UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill for undisclosed reasons.

A women's flyweight bout between Mayra Bueno Silva and Mara Romero Borella was briefly linked to this event. However, promotion officials rescheduled the pairing for undisclosed reasons and the bout was expected to take place two weeks later at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley.

A light heavyweight bout between former interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship challenger Ovince Saint Preux and Alonzo Menifield was scheduled to take place two weeks earlier at UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar. However, the bout was removed from the card on the day of the event as Saint Preux tested positive for COVID-19. In turn, the pairing was targeted for this event.

A women's bantamweight bout between Macy Chiasson and Sijara Eubanks was scheduled for this event. However, Chiasson pulled out of the fight for undisclosed medical reasons and was replaced by Karol Rosa. Rosa pulled out on September 3 due to complications related to her weight cut. Eubanks is expected to compete a week later at UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill against Julia Avila.

A bantamweight bout between Ricky Simon and Brian Kelleher was scheduled for this event, but Simon's cornerman tested positive for COVID-19 and he was forced to withdraw from the event. He was replaced by promotional newcomer Kevin Natividad and they were expected to meet in a featherweight bout. In turn, Natividad was pulled from the matchup on the day of the event due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by fellow newcomer Ray Rodriguez, who weighed in as a backup on Friday.

A few hours before the event, American Top Team teammates Thiago Moisés and Marcos Rogério de Lima pulled out of their respective bouts at lightweight against Jalin Turner and heavyweight against Alexander Romanov due to testing positive for COVID-19, thus cancelling both matchups.

Due to the many unexpected changes and last minute cancellations, the event took place with only seven bouts on the card, making it the smallest UFC event since The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale in November 2005.

Event

All the fights were on the main card due to the many cancellations and changes. The card consisted of 7 mixed martial arts bouts, which were scheduled for for three five-minute rounds, except for the main event fight between Overeem and Sakai, which would consist of five five-minute rounds. The fights were held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and the event was broadcast on ESPN+.

Main card

The first fight of the night was between two bantamweights, Hunter Azure and Cole Smith. Azure won a 29-28 decision on all the judges scorecards. Azure dominated the first round after he knocked down Smith and rained down ground and pound strikes while on the back of the Canadian before Smith eventually stood up. In the second round, Azure employed takedowns to get the victory on the judges scorecards, while the final round was scored for Smith who chased a finish and looked to choke Azure twice before the round ended.

The next fight between Viviane Araújo and Montana De La Rosa was another decision. A close fought battle resulted in a win on all the judges scorecards for Araújo, whose cleaner striking won her the bout. Rosa chased takedowns throughout the fight but was only able to land one out of six, and she missed many of her punches.

Two featherweights Brian Kelleher and Ray Rodriguez clashed in the third fight of the night. The bout ended after only 39 seconds as the promotional newcomer Rodriguez shot in for a takedown against the fence and fell into a tight guillotine choke from Kelleher. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight after Rodriguez tapped.

The next fight saw another submission victory as André Muniz and Bartosz Fabiński fought at middleweight. The fight ended midway through the first round. Muniz put Fabiński into a guillotine choke but the Polish fighter managed to escape. Muniz continued to attack and threw up a triangle choke, but then switched to an armbar to submit 'The Butcher'.

Michel Pereira then fought Zelim Imadaev in a welterweight bout. Pereira used a variety of flashy techniques in the first round to dominate the Russian, throwing strikes such as a ‘Showtime’ kick, a spinning back kick and a flying knee. In the second round Pereira once again got the best of Imadaev in the striking battle, staggering the Russian with a right hand. The third round was much of the same. After Imadaev tried a spinning kick, Pereira suplexed the Russian onto the mat and secured a rear-naked choke. Referee Chris Tognoni stopped the fight after believing Imadaev had tapped but the loser protested, and claimed he was fighting Pereira’s hands. Regardless, Pereira won the bout after having lost his last two fights.

Former Light Heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux clashed with Alonzo Menifield in the co-main event. A close first round saw Saint Preux throw body kicks and jabs while Menifield rocked ‘OSP’ with a right hand. The second round started well for Saint Preux as he attacked Menifield with low kicks and body kicks. Menifield swung a right hand that stumbled ‘OSP’, and the former light heavyweight challenger found his back on the fence. Menifield ran at him, but a short left hook from Saint Preux knocked Menifield out.

Overeem vs. Sakai

The main event saw former Heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem clash with Augusto Sakai, who was unbeaten in the UFC. Sakai and Overeem spent almost a minute finding range as neither manage to land a strike. The round saw Overeem blitz Sakai on occasion and land some strikes. The Brazilian unloaded on Overeem with knees and hammerfists when the older man turtled up against the cage. The following exchange in the clinch had both men landing strikes, and the two both kicked each other’s leg after separating. Overeem then cracked Sakai with an overhand right to which Sakai replied by firing multiple punches at Overeem and connected with an uppercut. Overeem then connected with a leg kick before Sakai attacked with more punches. Sakai retreated after his barrage and Overeem struck the Brazilian with a groin strike that paused the fight for a moment. Sakai landed once more before the round ended.

The second round began with the two men trading front kicks. Sakai landed some punches that caused a hematoma on Overeem’s head and then targeted the area with a kick that was blocked. Sakai pressed Overeem to the fence and again unloaded punches on the Dutchman who managed to block a few. Overeem hit Sakai with knees from the clinch and then a short right hand, to which Sakai retaliated with knees. Overeem then cracked the Brazilian with a left hand that cut him and Sakai again retaliated, this time with a pair of elbows to the face. With ten seconds left Sakai blitzed in, but Overeem tied him up in the clinch and kneed his body.

Sakai started the third round with punches that all missed. They then traded punches until Overeem missed wildly and Sakai took advantage by putting together combinations while Overeem turtled up against the fence. Overeem was able to move away, then threw a jumping switch kick to the body. Overeem tripped Sakai to the floor and landed on top of the Brazilian, allowing him to throw some punches on the grounded Sakai. Sakai managed to push the Dutchman off him, and connected with an upkick. Sakai used his legs to kick at Overeem and keep him at bay as the Dutchman stood over him. Overeem eventually pushed past Sakai’s legs and attacked with an elbow. Sakai tried to attack Overeem with hammerfists but Overeem used his favourable position to land strikes and Sakai began to bleed badly and the round ended.

In between rounds, Sakai’s cuts closed, but Overeem targeted them beginning the fourth. A tired looking Sakai threw strikes that all missed or Overeem blocked, but pushed the Dutchman to the fence. Overeem sent a right hook toward Sakai with such force it took him off balance and Sakai took advantage and landed some shots. Overeem kicked the body but Sakai then cut him open with an elbow to the forehead, and blood poured into the Dutchman’s eyes. Overeem landed a spinning back kick to the groin that stopped the action, then sent a kick to the body that Sakai argued was again to the groin, but Herb Dean did not see it and the fight continued. Overeem entered a clinch and was able to take Sakai down for the second time in the fight. The Dutchman landed an elbow and punches from guard until Sakai kicked him off. Overeem continued his attack, throwing powerful punches and an elbow as Sakai rolled to his knees. Overeem was able to attain half guard and he began to smash Sakai with elbows. The horn blew to end the round before Overeem could finish the Brazilian.

Almost immediately in the fifth and final round, Overeem took Sakai down and began to smash the Brazilian with elbows. Herb Dean called for Sakai to fight back as Overeem continued to land heavy elbows and punches and Dean stopped the fight after seeing that Sakai was unable to defend himself. Overeem won via technical knockout and ended Sakai’s undefeated UFC career.

Results

Main card (ESPN+)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Heavyweight	Alistair Overeem	def.	Augusto Sakai	TKO (elbows and punches)	5	0:26
Light Heavyweight	Ovince Saint Preux	def.	Alonzo Menifield	KO (punch)	2	4:07
Welterweight	Michel Pereira	def.	Zelim Imadaev	Submission (rear-naked choke)	3	4:39
Middleweight	André Muniz	def.	Bartosz Fabiński	Submission (armbar)	1	2:42
Featherweight	Brian Kelleher	def.	Ray Rodriguez	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	0:39
Women's Flyweight	Viviane Araújo	def.	Montana De La Rosa	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)	3	5:00
Bantamweight	Hunter Azure	def.	Cole Smith	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.

• Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
• Performance of the Night: Ovince Saint Preux, Michel Pereira, André Muniz and Brian Kelleher

See also

• List of UFC events
• List of current UFC fighters
• 2020 in UFC