UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje

UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje (also known as UFC on ESPN 2) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on March 30, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^[2]

UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje
The poster for UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje
Promotion	Ultimate Fighting Championship
Date	March 30, 2019 (2019-03-30)
Venue	Wells Fargo Center
City	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance	11,123[1]
Total gate	$1,102,542.16[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Pettis UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje UFC 236: Holloway vs. Poirier 2

Background

This was the third UFC event in Philadelphia and the first since UFC 133 in August 2011.^[2]

A lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and former WSOF Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje served as the event headliner.^[3][4]

A strawweight bout between Alexa Grasso and Marina Rodriguez was scheduled at UFC Fight Night: Assunção vs. Moraes 2. However, it was reported on December 17, that Rodriguez pulled out of the event due to a hand injury.^[5] The pairing was left intact and rescheduled for this event.^[6] In turn, it was reported that Grasso was pulled from the bout due to injury and replaced by former WSOF Women's Strawweight Champion Jessica Aguilar.^[7]

A bantamweight bout between former UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Ray Borg and Liu Pingyuan was scheduled to take place at the event.^[8] However, it was reported on March 13, that Liu was replaced by newcomer Kyler Phillips for an undisclosed reason.^[9] In turn, Phillips was removed from the card on March 25 for undisclosed reasons and replaced by Casey Kenney.^[10]

At the weigh-ins, Borg weighed in at 137.75 lb, 1.75 lb over the bantamweight non-title fight limit of 136 lb. He was fined 20% of his fight purse and his bout against Kenney proceeded at catchweight.^[11]

Results

Main Card (ESPN)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Justin Gaethje	def.	Edson Barboza	KO (punch)	1	2:30
Middleweight	Jack Hermansson	def.	David Branch	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	0:49
Featherweight	Josh Emmett	def.	Michael Johnson	KO (punch)	3	4:14
Women's Strawweight	Michelle Waterson	def.	Karolina Kowalkiewicz	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Light Heavyweight	Paul Craig	def.	Kennedy Nzechukwu	Submission (triangle choke)	3	4:20	[a]
Featherweight	Sodiq Yusuff	def.	Sheymon Moraes	Decision (unanimous) (29–27, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00
Preliminary Card (ESPN)
Women's Strawweight	Marina Rodriguez	def.	Jessica Aguilar	Decision (unanimous) (29–26, 29–27, 29–27)	3	5:00	[b]
Lightweight	Desmond Green	def.	Ross Pearson	TKO (punches)	1	2:52
Featherweight	Kevin Aguilar	def.	Enrique Barzola	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00
Middleweight	Kevin Holland	def.	Gerald Meerschaert	Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 30–27)	3	5:00
Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+)
Catchweight (137.75 lb)	Casey Kenney	def.	Ray Borg	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)	3	5:00
Women's Flyweight	Maryna Moroz	def.	Sabina Mazo	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00
Bantamweight	Alex Perez	def.	Mark De La Rosa	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00

1. Nzechukwu was deducted one point in round 3 due to repeated eye pokes.
2. Rodriguez was deducted one point in round 1 due to repeated eye pokes.

^[12]

Bonus awards

The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:^[13]

• Fight of the Night: Justin Gaethje vs. Edson Barboza
• Performance of the Night: Jack Hermansson and Paul Craig

See also

• martial arts portal
• Pennsylvania portal

• List of UFC events
• 2019 in UFC
• List of current UFC fighters