UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: ORTEGA vs. THE KOREAN ZOMBIE will take place Saturday, October 17 from UFC FIGHT ISLAND on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. The main card will begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT in English and Spanish on ESPN+, with the prelims kicking off at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. The event is in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
Former featherweight title challenger Ortega (14-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) returns to action for the first time in almost two years and hopes to deliver another show-stealing performance. Throughout the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt’s UFC run, he has earned spectacular finishes over Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, Renato Moicano and Clay Guida. He now seeks to get the last laugh against Jung and secure himself another world championship opportunity.
Perennial fan-favorite Jung (16-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) has been thrilling fans for years with exciting bouts and highlight-reel finishes. Having ended 14 of his 16 wins before the final bell, Jung has turned heads with sensational stoppage victories over Frankie Edgar, Dustin Poirier, Leonard Garcia and Mark Hominick. Jung now aims to put his rivalry with Ortega to bed and stake his claim as the next UFC featherweight title challenger.
Chookagian (14-3, fighting out of Kenilworth, N.J.) has her sights set on building off her most recent victory over Antonina Shevchenko and defending her spot atop the women’s flyweight rankings. During her UFC run, she has netted exciting victories over Jennifer Maia, Joanne Calderwood and Alexis Davis. Chookagian now aims to keep her momentum going by finishing a former UFC champion and earning another title opportunity.
Former strawweight champion Andrade (20-8, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to waste no time in her move up to flyweight by taking out the division’s top contender. A powerful grappler and heavy-handed striker, she has delivered incredible finishes against Rose Namajunas, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Joanne Calderwood. Andrade now hopes to make an immediate impact at 125 pounds by stopping Chookagian to secure herself a flyweight title shot.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- Undefeated No. 13 ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane (6-0, fighting out of Paris, France) takes on UFC newcomer Ante Delija (17-3, fighting out of Dubrovnik, Croatia)
- Jimmy Crute (11-1, fighting out of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia) goes for another show-stealing finish against streaking Modestas Bukauskas (11-2, fighting out of London, England by way of Klaipeda, Lithuania) in a light heavyweight contest
- Thomas Almeida (22-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) returns to the Octagon to take on Jonathan Martinez (12-3, fighting out of Plainview, Texas) in a featherweight bout
- Undefeated Mateusz Gamrot (17-0 1NC, fighting out of Poznan, Poland) takes on Guram Kutateladze (11-2, fighting out of Georgia) in a clash of lightweight newcomers
- No. 15 ranked women’s flyweight contender Gillian Robertson (8-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Ont., Canada) meets fellow finisher Poliana Botelho Lopes (8-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Claudio Silva (14-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) goes for his 15th straight victory against tough veteran James Krause (26-9, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.)
- Junyong Park (12-4, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) faces John Phillips (22-10 1NC, fighting out of Swansea, Wales) in what promises to be an entertaining middleweight bout
- In a battle of lightweight hopefuls, Jamie Mullarkey (12-3, fighting out of Central Coast, Australia) locks horns with Fares Ziam (10-3, fighting out of Givors, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)
- Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-7, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) aims to return to the win column against fellow light heavyweight Maxim Grishin (30-8-2, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia)
- Exciting bantamweight prospects collide when Said Nurmagomedov (13-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) takes on Mark Striegl (18-2-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, NV by way of Baguio City, Philippines)
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