UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega Full Card Preview
Two title fights and a rematch 17 years in the making headline UFC 266 on Saturday, Sept. 25, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. At the top of the card, Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight belt against Brian Ortega, while Valentina Shevchenko seeks another flyweight title defense against Lauren Murphy.
In another five-round fight, UFC fans welcome the long-awaited return of Nick Diaz, who takes on Robbie Lawler in his first appearance inside the Octagon in more than six years. Curtis Blaydes and Jairzhinho Rozenstruik and Jessica Andrade and Cynthia Calvillo make this a loaded 13-fight card.
The pay-per-view is scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET with the prelims will start on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET. Make sure to check out Question Mark Kicks, live on YouTube at 4 p.m. ET for Matt and Craig’s final thoughts. Then join them for the UFC 266 Fight Companion, set to go live alongside the pay-per-view.
Featherweight
Omar Morales (-153)
Record: 11-1 (3-1 UFC) | Age: 35
Height: 5-11 | Reach: 74″
Wins: 2 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Recent fights: def. Shane Young (un. dec.); L to Giga Chikadze (un. dec.); def. Gabriel Benitez (un. dec.)
Jonathan Pearce (+127)
Record: 10-4 (1-1 UFC) | Age: 29
Height: 6-0 | Reach: 71.5″
Wins: 8 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB
Recent fights: def. Kai Kamaka III (R2 TKO); L to Joe Lauzon (R1 TKO); def. Jacob Rosales (R3 KO)
Welterweight
Matt Semelsberger (-488)
Record: 8-3 (2-1 UFC) | Age: 28
Height: 6-1 | Reach: 75″
Wins: 5 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB
Recent fights: L to Khaos Williams (un. dec.); def. Jason Witt (R1 KO); def. Carlton Minus (un. dec.)
Martin Sano (+357)
Record: 4-2-1 (UFC debut) | Age: 30
Height: 5-11 | Reach: 74″
Wins: 1 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Recent fights: Draw with Diego Herzog (maj. dec.); L to Don Mohammed (R1 TKO); L to Dominic Waters (un. dec.)
Middleweight
Nick Maximov (-178)
Record: 6-0 (UFC debut) | Age: 23
Height: 6-0 | Reach: 76″
Wins: 2 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: n/a
Recent fights: def. Oscar Cota (un. dec.); def. Johnny James Jr. (R2 RNC); def. Robert Allensworth (R1 RNC)
Cody Brundage (+149)
Record: 6-1 (UFC debut) | Age: 27
Height: 6-1 | Reach: 72″
Wins: 3 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Recent fights: def. Joseph Kropschot (R3 arm triangle); L to William Knight (R1 TKO); def. Erick Lozano (R1 arm triangle)
Lightweight
Uros Medic (-124)
Record: 7-0 (1-0 UFC) | Age: 28
Height: 6-1 | Reach: 71″
Wins: 5 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: n/a
Recent fights: def. Aalon Cruz (R1 TKO); def. Mikey Gonzalez (R1 TKO); def. Alonzo Leisholmn Jr. (R1 TKO)
Jalin Turner (+102)
Record: 10-5 (3-2 UFC) | Age: 26
Height: 6-3 | Reach: 75.5″
Wins: 8 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 3 KO
Recent fights: def. Brok Weaver (R2 RNC); def. Joshua Culibao (R2 TKO); L to Matt Frevola (un. dec.)
Women’s Flyweight
Roxanne Modafferi (+315)
Record: 25-18 (4-6 UFC) | Age: 38
Height: 5-7 | Reach: 69″
Wins: 4 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 3 SUB
Recent fights: L to Viviane Araujo (un. dec.); def. Andrea Lee (un. dec.); L to Lauren Murphy (un. dec.)
Taila Santos (-412)
Record: 17-1 (2-1 UFC) | Age: 28
Height: 5-6 | Reach: 68″
Wins: 10 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Recent fights: def. Gillian Robertson (un. dec.); def. Molly McCann (un. dec.); L to Mara Borella (split dec.)
Heavyweight
Shamil Abdurakhimov (+172)
Record: 20-5 (5-3 UFC) | Age: 40
Height: 6-3 | Reach: 76″
Wins: 9 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 3 KO, 1 SUB
Recent fights: L to Curtis Blaydes (R2 TKO); def. Marcin Tybura (R2 TKO); def. Andrei Arlovski (un. dec.)
Chris Daukaus (-211)
Record: 11-3 (3-0 UFC) | Age: 31
Height: 6-3 | Reach: 76″
Wins: 9 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 1 SUB
Recent fights: def. Aleksei Oleinik (R1 TKO); def. Rodrigo Nascimento (R1 KO); def. Parker Porter (R1 TKO)
Lightweight
Dan Hooker (-149)
Record: 20-10 (10-6 UFC) | Age: 6-0
Height: 6-0 | Reach: 75.5″
Wins: 10 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 2 SUB
Recent fights: L to Michael Chandler (R1 TKO); L to Dustin Poirier (un. dec.); def. Paul Felder (split dec.)
Nasrat Haqparast (+123)
Record: 13-3 (5-2 UFC) | Age: 26
Height: 5-10 | Reach: 72″
Wins: 9 KO | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB
Recent fights: def. Rafa Garcia (un. dec.); def. Alex Munoz (un. dec.); L to Drew Dober (R1 TKO)
Bantamweight
Marlon Moraes (+207)
Record: 23-8-1 (5-4 UFC) | Age: 33
Height: 5-6 | Reach: 66.5″
Wins: 10 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 5 KO, 2 SUB
Recent fights: L to Rob Font (R1 TKO); L to Cory Sandhagen (R2 KO); def. Jose Aldo (split dec.)
Merab Dvalishvili (-260)
Record: 13-4 (6-2 UFC) | Age: 30
Height: 5-6 | Reach: 68″
Wins: 2 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 SUB
Recent fights: def. Cody Stamann (un. dec.); def. John Dodson (un. dec.); def. Gustavo Lopez (un. dec.)
Women’s Flyweight
Jessica Andrade (-268)
Record: 21-9 (12-7 UFC) | Age: 29
Height: 5-1 | Reach: 62″
Wins: 8 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 4 KO, 2 SUB
Recent fights: L to Valentina Shevchenko (R2 TKO); def. Katlyn Chookagian (R1 TKO); L to Rose Namajunas (split dec.)
Cynthia Calvillo (+212)
Record: 9-2-1 (6-2-1 UFC) | Age: 34
Height: 5-4 | Reach: 64″
Wins: 2 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC
Recent fights: L to Katlyn Chookagian (un. dec.); def. Jessica Eye (un. dec.); Draw with Marina Rodriguez (maj. dec.)
Heavyweight
Curtis Blaydes (-312)
Record: 14-3 (9-3 UFC) | Age: 30
Height: 6-4 | Reach: 80″
Wins: 9 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 3 KO
Recent fights: L to Derrick Lewis (R2 KO); def. Alexander Volkov (un. dec.); def. Junior dos Santos (R2 TKO)
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (+246)
Record: 12-2 (6-2 UFC) | Age: 33
Height: 6-4 | Reach: 78″
Wins: 11 KO | Losses: 1 KO
Recent fights: def. Augusto Sakai (R1 TKO); L to Ciryl Gane (un. dec.); def. Junior dos Santos (R2 TKO)
Middleweight
Robbie Lawler (-131)
Record: 28-15 (13-9 UFC) | Age: 39
Height: 5-11 | Reach: 74″
Wins: 20 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 6 SUB
Recent fights: L to Neil Magny (un. dec.); L to Colby Covington (un. dec.); L to Ben Askren (R1 bulldog choke)
Nick Diaz (+108)
Record: 26-9 (7-6 UFC) | Age: 38
Height: 6-0 | Reach: 76″
Wins: 13 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 2 KO
Recent fights: NC with Anderson Silva (L by un. dec.); L to Georges St. Pierre (un. dec.); L to Carlos Condit (un. dec.)
Women’s Flyweight Championship
Valentina Shevchenko (-1509)
Record: 21-3 (10-2 UFC) | Age: 33
Height: 5-5 | Reach: 65.5″
Wins: 7 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Recent fights: def. Jessica Andrade (R2 TKO); def. Jennifer Maia (un. dec.); def. Katlyn Chookagian (R3 TKO)
Lauren Murphy (+818)
Record: 15-4 (7-4 UFC) | Age: 38
Height: 5-5 | Reach: 68″
Wins: 8 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 5 DEC
Recent fights: def. Joanne Calderwood (split dec.); def. Liliya Shakirova (R2 RNC); def. Roxanne Modafferi (un. dec.)
Featherweight Championship
Alexander Volkanovski (-175)
Record: 22-1 (9-0 UFC) | Age: 32
Height: 5-6 | Reach: 71.5″
Wins: 11 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Recent fights: def. Max Holloway (split dec.); def. Max Holloway (un. dec.); def. Jose Aldo (un. dec.)
Brian Ortega (+146)
Record: 15-1 (7-1 UFC) | Age: 30
Height: 5-8 | Reach: 69″
Wins: 3 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Recent fights: def. Chan Sung Jung (un. dec.); L to Max Holloway (R4 doctor stoppage); def. Frankie Edgar (R1 TKO)
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