UFC 248
UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on March 7, 2020, at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas metropolitan area.[1] The event featured 11 bouts, headlined by a UFC Middleweight Championship defense for Israel Adesanya against Yoel Romero, and a co-main event for the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship between champion Weili Zhang and former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk.[2] In the main event, Adesanya retained his title via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) over five rounds against Romero, marking his second successful middleweight title defense in a closely contested but tactically cautious fight that drew boos from the crowd for its lack of action.[2] The co-main event, however, was a historic clash that showcased exceptional striking volume and durability, with Zhang retaining her title by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) after 25 minutes of intense exchanges, including a record 351 significant strikes landed between the two fighters.[2][3] This bout received a standing ovation and is widely regarded as one of the greatest women's title fights in UFC history due to its technical brilliance and competitive ferocity.[3] The card drew an announced attendance of 15,077 fans, generating a live gate of $2,742,906.20.[3] Post-fight bonuses included two Performance of the Night awards to Sean O'Malley and Beneil Dariush, while the Zhang–Jędrzejczyk matchup earned Fight of the Night honors, highlighting the event's emphasis on championship-level performances despite mixed reactions to the main event.[4] UFC 248 underscored the promotion's focus on high-stakes title defenses and international talent, contributing to the UFC's growing global appeal during the early ESPN era.[5]Background
Announcement and Promotion
UFC 248 was first referenced in early December 2019 when reports emerged of a planned strawweight title bout between champion Weili Zhang and former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk slated for the event on March 7, 2020.[6] The UFC officially revealed its first-quarter 2020 schedule on December 13, 2019, confirming UFC 248 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, though without specific matchups at that time.[7] The main event, a middleweight title defense for champion Israel Adesanya against Yoel Romero, was announced on January 16, 2020, completing the double-championship headline structure.[8] Promotional campaigns centered on the contrasting styles in the title fights, portraying Adesanya's precise striking and showmanship against Romero's explosive wrestling and knockout power, while highlighting Zhang's aggressive pressure versus Jędrzejczyk's technical kickboxing. Official trailers, such as the Axiom Films production released in early March 2020, dramatized these rivalries with cinematic footage of the fighters' training and past highlights.[9] The event poster, unveiled on January 28, 2020, featured the four title fighters in dynamic poses, emphasizing the high-stakes nature of the card and drawing comparisons to classic stylistic clashes in UFC history. Media hype intensified starting in January 2020 with embedded training segments and fighter interviews across UFC's digital platforms and ESPN broadcasts, focusing on the potential for defining moments in multiple divisions. UFC president Dana White actively promoted the lineup during press appearances. A media day event in late February 2020 included face-offs that amplified the personal stakes, with Adesanya and Romero engaging in verbal exchanges that underscored their bad-blood rivalry. Pre-event discussions included minor controversies around fighter preparations, particularly weight management. In February 2020, Adesanya publicly questioned Romero's history of missing weight in prior bouts, prompting Romero to defend his conditioning and affirm he would make the 185-pound limit without issue.[10] Jędrzejczyk addressed her own past struggles with strawweight cuts in interviews, noting improvements in her process but acknowledging the physical toll as a factor in recent performances. No significant injuries were reported during the promotional period, allowing the card to proceed as planned.Key Matchups and Storylines
The main event of UFC 248 pitted UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya against Yoel Romero in Adesanya's first title defense. Adesanya had claimed the undisputed championship six months earlier by knocking out Robert Whittaker in the second round at UFC 243.[11][12] Romero, entering the fight at age 42 following back-to-back losses, aimed to capture his first UFC title by drawing on his silver medal in freestyle wrestling from the 2000 Sydney Olympics and his explosive knockout power, which had produced 9 KO/TKO victories in his 13 professional wins.[13] The co-main event showcased a highly anticipated clash between women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili and former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk, marking Zhang's first title defense. Zhang had earned the belt with a stunning first-round knockout of Jessica Andrade at UFC Fight Night 158 in August 2019, capping a dominant run that included a unanimous decision victory over Tecia Torres at UFC 235 earlier that year.[14][15] Jędrzejczyk, seeking to become a five-time champion after losing the title to Andrade via second-round TKO at UFC 237 in May 2019, brought her elite Muay Thai striking to challenge Zhang's power and grappling.[16] The pairing carried added intrigue from their shared backgrounds in kickboxing promotions like Kunlun Fight, where both had competed prior to entering the UFC.[15] On the undercard, bantamweight prospect Sean O'Malley, undefeated at 13-0 with a reputation for highlight-reel knockouts and unorthodox striking, faced Jose Quinonez in his return from a two-year suspension due to a positive drug test.[17] In the lightweight division, veteran Beneil Dariush, riding a four-fight winning streak and showcasing renewed finishing ability, met Drakkar Klose.[1] Broader storylines at UFC 248 emphasized generational contrasts, particularly in the main event where Romero's veteran resilience tested Adesanya's youthful athleticism and precision. The card also highlighted international diversity, with Romero representing Cuban wrestling heritage clashing against Adesanya's Nigerian-born striking flair, alongside global talents like China's Zhang Weili and Poland's Jędrzejczyk.[5]Event Details
Venue and Attendance
UFC 248 took place on March 7, 2020, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, located in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The multi-purpose arena, which opened in 2016, has a seating capacity of approximately 20,000 for mixed martial arts events like UFC fights.[18] The event attracted an announced attendance of 15,077, reflecting strong interest in the card's championship bouts. Ticket sales generated a live gate revenue of $2,742,906.20, contributing significantly to the event's financial performance. Held just days before widespread sports shutdowns due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, UFC 248 proceeded without special health protocols or capacity restrictions, operating under standard venue and regulatory guidelines from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The setup emphasized a full live audience experience for the pay-per-view headlined event.[19]Broadcasting and Logistics
In the United States, the main card of UFC 248 was broadcast on pay-per-view via ESPN+ for a price of $64.99, requiring an existing ESPN+ subscription.[20] The preliminary card aired live on ESPN and ESPN+ starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, while the early prelims were available on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass from 6:30 p.m. ET.[21] Internationally, coverage varied by region, with the full event broadcast live on BT Sport in the United Kingdom without an additional pay-per-view fee, starting at 1:00 a.m. GMT on BT Sport 2.[22] UFC Fight Pass served as the global streaming platform for the event, providing access to international audiences outside of local broadcast deals.[23] The production for UFC 248 was handled by the UFC's standard broadcast team at T-Mobile Arena, featuring play-by-play announcer Jon Anik alongside color commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier for the English-language telecast.[24] This setup included multi-camera coverage to capture the action within the Octagon, with venue-specific logistics such as arena lighting and audio integration tailored to the T-Mobile Arena's configuration for optimal viewer experience.[1]Fight Card and Results
Main Card
The main card of UFC 248 featured five bouts, headlined by two championship fights, broadcast on ESPN+ pay-per-view from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1] In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya defended his title against Yoel Romero, who weighed in at 186.25 pounds, 0.25 pounds over the non-title limit, resulting in a catchweight bout where Romero forfeited 30% of his purse but Adesanya remained eligible to retain the belt.[25] Adesanya won by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) after five rounds, relying on a higher volume of striking to edge out Romero's power shots and late grappling attempts.[2] Adesanya landed 48 of 132 significant strikes (36% accuracy), including 25 to the legs, while Romero connected on 40 of 89 (44%), with notable uppercuts in the later rounds; Romero attempted 3 takedowns but secured none.[26] The co-main event saw women's strawweight champion Weili Zhang defend against former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk in a grueling five-round war marked by intense striking exchanges and visible damage to both fighters.[27] Zhang won by split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48), outlanding Jędrzejczyk slightly in total volume while absorbing heavy fire.[2] Zhang landed 165 of 408 significant strikes (40% accuracy), with 96 to the head and a pivotal third-round elbow that broke Jędrzejczyk's nose; Jędrzejczyk responded with 186 of 360 (51% accuracy), including 96 head strikes, in what was described as one of the most damaging strawweight title fights in UFC history.[28] Opening the main card, lightweight contenders Beneil Dariush and Drakkar Klose engaged in a chaotic back-and-forth battle, with Klose rocking Dariush early before a stunning comeback finish.[29] Dariush won by knockout (punches) at 1:00 of round two, dropping Klose with a counter right hand after surviving a barrage.[2] Dariush landed 12 of 20 significant strikes overall (60% accuracy), highlighting his resilience before the finish.[30] In the welterweight bout, Neil Magny returned from a 16-month layoff to dominate Li Jingliang with superior wrestling and striking output over three rounds. Magny won by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), controlling the fight on the ground and outstriking his opponent decisively.[2] Magny landed 123 total strikes to Li's 16, including 74 significant strikes (53% accuracy), while securing five takedowns and 7:32 of control time.[31] The main card's bantamweight opener pitted Sean O'Malley against Jose Quiñonez in a high-paced striking affair that ended abruptly. O'Malley won by TKO (knee and punches) at 2:02 of round one, crumpling Quiñonez with a knee to the body followed by ground strikes.[2] O'Malley landed 18 of 22 significant strikes (81% accuracy) in the short bout, showcasing his speed and precision before the referee intervention.[32]Preliminary Card
The ESPN-televised preliminary card for UFC 248 featured four mid-tier matchups in the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight divisions, showcasing a mix of veteran strikers, grapplers, and prospects vying for momentum in the Octagon. These bouts, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, highlighted technical wrestling, submission threats, and striking exchanges, setting the stage for the main card without the high stakes of title contention.[1] In the lightweight opener, Danish Olympian Mark Madsen dominated American Austin Hubbard en route to a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Madsen, leveraging his Greco-Roman wrestling background, secured multiple takedowns in the first round, controlling Hubbard on the mat for over four minutes and landing ground-and-pound strikes to establish early dominance. Hubbard, a durable striker from Nebraska, absorbed the pressure but struggled to reverse position, spending much of the second round in defensive posture as Madsen mixed in short elbows from top control. The third round saw Hubbard mount a late rally with crisp boxing and a brief reversal, but Madsen's superior grappling and cardio preserved his undefeated record in the UFC. Despite Hubbard outlanding him 41-15 in significant strikes, Madsen achieved 8:01 of control time.[33][34] The welterweight clash between Brazilian veteran Alex Oliveira and German newcomer Niklas Stolze ended in a second-round submission win for Oliveira via guillotine choke at 2:57. Stolze, making his UFC debut, started aggressively with leg kicks and a takedown attempt in the opening frame, but Oliveira countered with sharp counterstrikes and reversed into top position, threatening with punches from guard. As the fight returned to the feet in round two, Stolze pressed forward with combinations, but a scramble led to Oliveira pulling guard and locking in the guillotine, forcing the tap from a deep position under the cage. Oliveira's resilience shone through as he capitalized on his submission expertise to snap a two-fight skid, improving to 7-5 in the UFC. The finish highlighted Oliveira's opportunistic grappling in transitions.[35][36] Fellow welterweights Jason Witt and Takashi Sato delivered a grappling-heavy affair, with American newcomer Witt submitting the Japanese striker via anaconda choke at 2:37 of the second round. Sato, riding a 4-1 record entering the bout, controlled the striking in round one with knees in the clinch and a knockdown from a right hand. Witt, however, absorbed the damage and reversed momentum early in round two with a double-leg takedown, transitioning seamlessly to the anaconda choke from the bottom during a scramble—a rare variation that caught Sato off-guard and forced the immediate tap. The victory marked Witt's UFC debut win, emphasizing his BJJ black belt credentials in a fight where he achieved 4:15 of control time despite trailing in strikes. This upset finish demonstrated Witt's ability to turn defensive positions into high-risk submissions. Closing the ESPN prelims, middleweight Brad Tavares outpointed submission specialist Antonio Carlos Jr. by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), frustrating the Brazilian's grappling attempts over three rounds. Carlos Jr., known for his ADCC gold medal pedigree, shot for takedowns repeatedly but was stuffed on 8 of 9 attempts by Tavares' sprawl defense, allowing the Hawaiian to dictate range with jabs and low kicks. In round two, Carlos Jr. briefly secured a body lock but couldn't advance to a dominant position, while Tavares landed 54 significant strikes to Carlos Jr.'s 34. Tavares' tactical striking and takedown defense neutralized Carlos Jr.'s ground game, ending the latter's two-fight win streak and affirming Tavares' status as a durable gatekeeper at 185 pounds.[35][37]Early Preliminary Card
The early preliminary card for UFC 248, broadcast exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, featured two bouts that opened the event with a mix of striking exchanges and a debut performance.[1] In the bantamweight opener, Danaa Batgerel secured his first UFC victory by knocking out Guido Cannetti at 3:01 of the first round via punches. After absorbing an early low kick from Cannetti, the Mongolian fighter from Jackson Wink MMA pressed forward aggressively, landing a powerful left hand that floored his opponent before following up with ground-and-pound strikes to prompt the referee stoppage. This win improved Batgerel's UFC record to 1-1 following a debut loss by decision in August 2019.[2] The subsequent featherweight matchup saw Giga Chikadze edge out UFC newcomer Jamall Emmers via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. The Georgian kickboxer controlled much of the standup with precise striking and effective takedown defense, though Emmers mounted pressure in the third round with a late takedown attempt. Chikadze's victory marked his second consecutive win in the Octagon, showcasing his technical kickboxing base against the debuting American's aggressive wrestling-oriented style.[2]Post-Event Recognition
Bonus Awards
At UFC 248, the organization distributed $200,000 in total bonus awards, consisting of four $50,000 payouts for Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night, as announced by UFC President Dana White during the post-event press conference.[38][39] The Fight of the Night bonus was awarded to Zhang Weili and Joanna Jędrzejczyk for their co-main event strawweight title fight, a back-and-forth battle that spanned all five rounds and featured a combined 351 significant strikes landed in an intense display of resilience and technical striking.[38][40][28] Performance of the Night bonuses were given to two fighters on the preliminary card: Beneil Dariush, who overcame early adversity to knock out Drakkar Klose with a devastating left hand at 1:00 of the second round, and Sean O'Malley, who dominated Jose Quinonez with a head kick and follow-up punches for a TKO at 2:02 of the first round.[38][41][42] These merit-based awards, standard across UFC events, recognize exceptional skill, excitement generated for fans, or dominant performances that exemplify the promotion's emphasis on high-level competition and entertainment value.[43]Reported Payouts
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) requires promoters like the UFC to disclose fighters' base pay and any win bonuses for events held in Nevada, providing transparency into a portion of earnings while excluding pay-per-view (PPV) points, sponsorship deals, and performance-based bonuses.[44] For UFC 248, held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the total disclosed fighter payroll amounted to $2,086,000, representing guaranteed compensation for the 22 combatants on the card.[45] These figures do not capture additional revenue streams, particularly PPV shares for headliners like Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero, which can significantly boost top earners' overall take-home pay but remain confidential under NSAC guidelines.[45] Among the top earners, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya received $500,000 for his main event victory over Yoel Romero, with no separate win bonus reported.[44] Romero, the challenger, earned $350,000 despite the loss.[44] In the co-main event, strawweight champion Zhang Weili took home $200,000, including a $100,000 win bonus for her win over Joanna Jędrzejczyk, who earned a base pay of $106,000.[44] Other notable payouts included welterweight Neil Magny at $152,000 (including a $76,000 win bonus), lightweight Beneil Dariush at $140,000 (including a $70,000 win bonus), and bantamweight Sean O'Malley at $70,000 (including a $35,000 win bonus).[44] The full disclosed payouts, as reported by the NSAC, are as follows:| Fighter | Opponent | Base Pay | Win Bonus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Israel Adesanya | Yoel Romero | $500,000 | - | $500,000 |
| Yoel Romero | Israel Adesanya | $350,000 | - | $350,000 |
| Zhang Weili | Joanna Jędrzejczyk | $100,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| Joanna Jędrzejczyk | Zhang Weili | $106,000 | - | $106,000 |
| Beneil Dariush | Drakkar Klose | $70,000 | $70,000 | $140,000 |
| Drakkar Klose | Beneil Dariush | $40,000 | - | $40,000 |
| Neil Magny | Li Jingliang | $76,000 | $76,000 | $152,000 |
| Li Jingliang | Neil Magny | $64,000 | - | $64,000 |
| Alex Oliveira | Max Griffin | $64,000 | $64,000 | $128,000 |
| Max Griffin | Alex Oliveira | $35,000 | - | $35,000 |
| Sean O'Malley | Jose Quinonez | $35,000 | $35,000 | $70,000 |
| Jose Quinonez | Sean O'Malley | $33,000 | - | $33,000 |
| Mark Madsen | Austin Hubbard | $33,000 | $33,000 | $66,000 |
| Austin Hubbard | Mark Madsen | $12,000 | - | $12,000 |
| Rodolfo Vieira | Saparbek Safarov | $14,000 | $14,000 | $28,000 |
| Saparbek Safarov | Rodolfo Vieira | $22,000 | - | $22,000 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | Deron Winn | $30,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| Deron Winn | Gerald Meerschaert | $12,000 | - | $12,000 |
| Giga Chikadze | Jamall Emmers | $12,000 | $12,000 | $24,000 |
| Jamall Emmers | Giga Chikadze | $10,000 | - | $10,000 |
| Batgerel Danaa | Guido Cannetti | $10,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Guido Cannetti | Batgerel Danaa | $14,000 | - | $14,000 |