UFC 207
UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) held on December 30, 2016, at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, featuring two UFC championship bouts on the main card.[1] The event headlined a women's bantamweight title fight between champion Amanda Nunes and former champion Ronda Rousey, marking Rousey's highly anticipated return to the Octagon after a 13-month absence following her upset loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193.[1] The co-main event pitted bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz against challenger Cody Garbrandt in a title defense that showcased Garbrandt's striking prowess.[2] Additional main card bouts included a flyweight matchup between TJ Dillashaw and John Lineker, as well as a welterweight contest featuring Dong Hyun Kim and Tarec Saffiedine.[1] In the main event, Nunes retained her title by knocking out Rousey via punches just 48 seconds into the first round, delivering a shocking and definitive end to Rousey's comeback bid and solidifying Nunes' status as a dominant force in the division.[1] Garbrandt defeated bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz via unanimous decision after five rounds, with judges scoring it 48-46, 48-46, and 48-47, highlighting Garbrandt's upset victory through superior volume striking and movement.[1] Dillashaw won his flyweight bout against Lineker by unanimous decision (30-26 on all cards), dominating with precise combinations and takedown defense, while Kim edged out Saffiedine via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30) in a closely contested welterweight fight marked by grappling exchanges.[1] The prelims featured notable performances, including a submission win for Kelvin Gastelum over Tim Kennedy and a decision victory for Aiemann Zahabi in his UFC debut against Reginaldo Vieira.[2] UFC 207 drew a record-breaking attendance of 18,533 fans to T-Mobile Arena, generating a live gate of $4.75 million and approximately 1.1 million pay-per-view buys, underscoring the event's massive draw driven by Rousey's return and the championship implications.[3] The card's outcomes had lasting impacts, with Nunes' quick finish earning her a Performance of the Night bonus and propelling her toward future multi-division dominance, while Garbrandt's win launched a brief but exciting title reign before his subsequent defenses.[2] Overall, the event served as the UFC's final pay-per-view of 2016, blending high-stakes title fights with emerging talents and delivering one of the promotion's most memorable nights in Las Vegas.[4]Event Details
Date and Location
UFC 207 took place on December 30, 2016.[2] The event was held at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, which is part of the Las Vegas metropolitan area.[2][5] T-Mobile Arena, which opened in April 2016, served as a relatively new venue for UFC events at the time, with a seating capacity of up to 20,000 in its configuration for mixed martial arts bouts.[6][7] The main card was scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m. EST (7:00 p.m. PST), aligning with the event's end-of-year timing to feature high-profile title fights.[8][9]Broadcast Details
The main card of UFC 207 was broadcast on pay-per-view (PPV) via UFC Fight Pass in the United States, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET on December 30, 2016.[10] The preliminary bouts aired on Fox Sports 1 starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, while the early prelims streamed exclusively on UFC Fight Pass from 7:00 p.m. ET.[10][11] The English-language broadcast featured Mike Goldberg on play-by-play, in what would be his final UFC event after over two decades with the promotion.[12] Goldberg was joined by color commentator Joe Rogan, providing analysis throughout the PPV portion.[13] Internationally, UFC 207 reached audiences through regional partnerships, including a broadcast in the United Kingdom on BT Sport, where the main card aired on BT Sport 3 and prelims on BT Sport 1, alongside UFC Fight Pass access.[10] The event was distributed to over 150 countries via localized networks and UFC's global streaming service, ensuring wide accessibility for the high-profile card.[10] UFC 207 marked the venue's third UFC event following its opening earlier that year.[14] The state-of-the-art arena served as a production hub, leveraging its advanced audio-visual capabilities for immersive broadcast coverage.Background
Announcement and Promotion
UFC officials announced UFC 207 on August 19, 2016, during a news conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, scheduling the event for December 30 at T-Mobile Arena, shortly after the blockbuster UFC 200 in early July.[4] The reveal positioned the numbered pay-per-view as a key end-of-year fixture in the UFC's calendar, emphasizing multiple title defenses to maintain momentum from the summer's high-profile programming. The promotional spotlight intensified on October 12, 2016, when UFC President Dana White revealed the main event: women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes defending against former champion Ronda Rousey, marking Rousey's return following her upset loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November 2015.[15] Marketed as a blockbuster comeback for the sport's biggest star, the "Nunes vs. Rousey" theme dominated campaigns, with UFC leveraging Rousey's global appeal to build hype around her quest for redemption and the division's ongoing evolution.[16] Marketing efforts included social media teasers highlighting Rousey's training footage and intense stare-downs with Nunes, alongside official posters prominently featuring the two fighters in dramatic poses against the Las Vegas skyline.[17] Press conferences in Las Vegas further amplified the narrative, though Rousey limited her media appearances, prompting UFC executives to step in with scrums to sustain buzz.[18] Timed for late December, the event capitalized on holiday season viewership, positioning it as the UFC's premier year-end pay-per-view to drive family and fan engagement during the festive period.Fight Card Changes and Storylines
The main event for UFC 207 was confirmed on October 12, 2016, when UFC President Dana White announced that former women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey would challenge current champion Amanda Nunes in a title bout, marking Rousey's Octagon return after her November 2015 upset loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193.[15][16] This matchup generated significant anticipation, as Rousey had maintained a low media profile since her defeat, avoiding interviews and public appearances to focus on training, which fueled speculation about her mindset and readiness for the high-stakes rematch opportunity.[19] The co-main event, a UFC bantamweight title fight between champion Dominick Cruz and undefeated contender Cody Garbrandt, was officially added to the card on October 24, 2016.[20] Garbrandt, a rising star with explosive striking and a 10-0 record entering the bout, positioned himself as a potential upset threat to the technically savvy Cruz, who was defending his title for the second time after reclaiming it in January 2016; the pairing highlighted a generational clash between Cruz's elusive footwork and Garbrandt's power punching.[21] The fight card underwent several modifications leading up to the event. A heavyweight bout between former champion Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum was scheduled but removed on December 24, 2016, after the Nevada State Athletic Commission denied Velasquez medical clearance due to ongoing back issues, including sciatic nerve pain that required post-event surgery; no replacement opponent was found, leaving Werdum off the card entirely.[22] Welterweight matchups Johny Hendricks versus Neil Magny and Matt Brown versus Tarec Saffiedine were added on October 18, 2016, bolstering the undercard with veteran contenders seeking rebounds from recent setbacks.[23] On the preliminary card, a flyweight clash between Louis Smolka and Ray Borg was booked on October 24, 2016, following Smolka's recent loss and Borg's push for ranking contention.[24] Additional shifts included the December 7 replacement of Maryna Moroz with Angela Hill in a strawweight bout, only for Hill to be withdrawn due to UFC anti-doping policy restrictions on short-notice opponents, and the removal of Jessica Andrade after failing to secure a late opponent.[25] Weigh-ins on December 29, 2016, proceeded smoothly for the main card, with all title and featured fighters—including Nunes, Rousey, Cruz, and Garbrandt—making weight without incident.[26] However, preliminary card issues arose when Hendricks weighed in at 173.5 pounds for his 170-pound welterweight limit bout against Magny, resulting in a 20 percent purse fine to his opponent and a catchweight agreement, while Borg came in at 129.5 pounds for the non-title flyweight limit of 126 pounds against Smolka, incurring a 30 percent fine and also fighting at catchweight.[27][26] These misses underscored ongoing weight management challenges for both fighters, with Hendricks having struggled on the scale in prior events.Fight Results
Main Card Outcomes
In the main event, Amanda Nunes retained her UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship by defeating Ronda Rousey via TKO (punches) at 0:48 of the first round. Nunes overwhelmed Rousey, who was returning after a year-long hiatus following her upset loss to Holly Holm, with a barrage of strikes that dropped the former champion and prompted referee Herb Dean to stop the fight amid ground-and-pound.[28] This quick finish marked one of the most shocking outcomes in women's MMA history, as Nunes landed 27 of 47 significant strikes before the stoppage.[29] The co-main event saw Cody Garbrandt capture the UFC Bantamweight Championship with a unanimous decision victory over defending champion Dominick Cruz (48-46, 48-46, 48-47).[30] Garbrandt, an undefeated prospect entering on a 10-fight win streak, utilized superior striking volume and two knockdowns to control the pace over five rounds, landing 85 of 207 total strikes while outlanding Cruz 41 percent to 34 percent. Despite Cruz's technical footwork and counters, Garbrandt's aggressive pressure and the lone takedown of the fight secured the upset, ending Cruz's second reign at just under a year. T.J. Dillashaw defeated John Lineker by unanimous decision (30-26 x3) in a non-title bantamweight bout. Dillashaw dominated with wrestling, securing five takedowns and controlling 6:53 of ground time, while limiting Lineker to 38 significant strikes landed.[31] The performance positioned Dillashaw as the next title challenger, highlighting his improved grappling against Lineker's aggressive style.[32] In a welterweight matchup, Dong Hyun Kim won a split decision over Tarec Saffiedine (29-28, 29-28, 27-30). Kim's relentless pressure and grappling, including two takedowns, neutralized Saffiedine's crisp striking, though Saffiedine outlanded him 52-36 in significant strikes; the close verdict reflected Kim's control in two rounds despite a strong third for Saffiedine. This victory extended Kim's winning streak to three, showcasing his durability in a tactical affair.[1] The main card opener was a catchweight bout (171 lbs) where Neil Magny defeated Johny Hendricks by unanimous decision (29-28 x3). Magny countered Hendricks' wrestling with effective top control and a late flurry in the third round, reversing multiple takedown attempts to secure the win despite Hendricks landing four takedowns overall. The decision, booed by the crowd favoring Hendricks' aggression, marked Hendricks' third straight loss and boosted Magny's welterweight momentum.Preliminary Card Outcomes
The preliminary card at UFC 207 featured several competitive bouts across flyweight, middleweight, and welterweight divisions, showcasing a mix of decisions, finishes, and one controversial stoppage. These undercard fights, broadcast on UFC Fight Pass and Fox Sports 1, highlighted emerging talents and veteran performers without the high stakes of the main card title implications.[2]| Fighter 1 | vs. | Fighter 2 | Result | Method | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelvin Gastelum | vs. | Tim Kennedy | Gastelum def. Kennedy | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 3 | 2:27 | |
| Aiemann Zahabi | vs. | Reginaldo Vieira | Zahabi def. Vieira | Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) | 3 | 5:00 | Zahabi UFC debut |
| Ray Borg | vs. | Louis Smolka | Borg def. Smolka | Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) | 3 | 5:00 | Catchweight (129.5 lb) |
| Antônio Carlos Júnior | vs. | Marvin Vettori | Júnior def. Vettori | Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Alex Garcia | vs. | Mike Pyle | Garcia def. Pyle | KO (punch) | 1 | 3:34 | |
| Niko Price | vs. | Brandon Thatch | Price def. Thatch | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 1 | 4:30 | |
| Alex Oliveira | vs. | Tim Means | No Contest | Illegal knees to grounded opponent | 1 | 3:33 |