UFC 271
UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that took place on February 12, 2022, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.[1] The event marked the UFC's return to Houston and featured 14 bouts across the main card, prelims, and early prelims, broadcast on ESPN+ PPV, ESPN, and UFC Fight Pass.[2] It drew an attendance of 17,872 spectators and generated a live gate of $4,300,000.[3] The main event was a UFC Middleweight Championship rematch between defending champion Israel Adesanya and former champion Robert Whittaker, who had previously lost the title to Adesanya via second-round knockout at UFC 243 in October 2019.[4] Adesanya, entering with a 21-1 record, sought his fourth title defense, while Whittaker, at 23-5, aimed for revenge after recovering from a knee injury that had sidelined him for over two years.[5] In a closely contested five-round fight, Adesanya retained the belt by unanimous decision with scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, improving his record to 22-1.[2] The co-main event pitted heavyweights Derrick Lewis against Tai Tuivasa in a matchup of knockout artists, with Tuivasa securing a stunning second-round TKO victory at 1:40 via punches, earning him a Performance of the Night bonus and propelling him toward a title contention spot.[2] Other notable results included Jared Cannonier's second-round TKO over Derek Brunson in a middleweight bout that also garnered a Performance of the Night award, and Bobby Green's unanimous decision win over Nasrat Haqparast in the lightweight division.[1] The Fight of the Night honors went to the bantamweight clash between Douglas Silva de Andrade and Sergey Morozov, which ended in a second-round submission victory for de Andrade.[2] Overall, the card showcased high-stakes action that highlighted the depth of the UFC's middleweight and heavyweight divisions.[6]Event Details
Date and Venue
UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 took place on February 12, 2022, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, United States.[1] This marked the 271st event in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history and served as a numbered pay-per-view production.[1] The Toyota Center, a multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of approximately 19,000, opened in 2003 and has hosted numerous major sporting and entertainment events.[7] UFC 271 represented the ninth time the promotion held an event at the venue, underscoring Houston's prominence as a key location for UFC activities.[8] Specifically, it was the third UFC pay-per-view at the arena within a span of about 10 months, succeeding UFC 262 in May 2021 and UFC 265 in August 2021.[9] The main card was available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, with preliminary bouts airing on ESPN and ESPN+.[10]Attendance and Revenue
UFC 271 attracted an announced attendance of 17,872 spectators to the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, marking one of the largest crowds for a UFC event at the venue.[11] The event generated a live gate revenue of $4,302,301.92 from ticket sales, reflecting strong local interest in the middleweight title rematch between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.[11] The prior encounter between Adesanya and Whittaker at UFC 243 achieved around 500,000 PPV purchases.[12] Compared to previous UFC events in Houston, UFC 271 outperformed prior records at the Toyota Center, surpassing the 17,401 attendance and $3.55 million gate of UFC 247 in 2020, as well as the 17,238 attendees and $2.5 million gate from UFC 166 in 2013.[11][13] These metrics underscored the event's commercial draw in the Texas market, approaching the venue's capacity of nearly 18,000 for combat sports configurations.[11]Background
Announcement and Promotion
UFC 271 was initially reported to be scheduled for February 12, 2022, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on December 6, 2021.[14] The main event, a middleweight title rematch between champion Israel Adesanya and former champion Robert Whittaker, was first targeted for the card on November 11, 2021, before being officially confirmed on December 11, 2021.[15][16] The promotional timeline progressed with the full main card lineup announced on January 23, 2022, as additional bouts were added to the undercard through early February 2022. Several bouts were canceled prior to the event, including Alex Perez vs. Matt Schnell and Mark Madsen vs. Vinc Pichel, without replacements.[17] The event experienced no major injury-related fighter replacements, though minor adjustments occurred, such as weight miss penalties for select competitors.[18] The UFC marketed UFC 271 as a premier pay-per-view attraction, centering campaigns on the high-stakes Adesanya-Whittaker rematch to draw significant viewer interest.[19] Efforts included the release of an official trailer on January 24, 2022, which emphasized the fighters' rivalry and stylistic clash; a pre-fight press conference held on February 10, 2022, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston featuring key participants; and robust social media promotions, such as UFC's official announcement post on December 11, 2021.[20][21] These initiatives aimed to build anticipation for the event's return to Houston, a city with a strong history of hosting UFC pay-per-views.[22]Key Storylines and Fighter Profiles
The main event at UFC 271 featured a highly anticipated rematch between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and former champion Robert Whittaker, reigniting a rivalry that originated in Melbourne, Australia. Their first clash at UFC 243 in October 2019 saw Adesanya claim the vacant title with a second-round knockout via strikes, marking Whittaker's first defeat in the division after a dominant run that included wins over Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold.[23] Adesanya, a striking specialist with a kickboxing background, had defended the belt three times since, solidifying his status as the division's top technician. Whittaker, motivated by redemption, underwent significant personal and professional changes post-loss, including a period of recovery; he returned with victories over Darren Till in 2020 and Kelvin Gastelum in 2021 to position himself for the rematch.[5] The buildup included subtle trash talk from Adesanya, who aimed to "shut [Whittaker] up worse than the first time," contrasting Whittaker's preference for respectful competition over verbal sparring.[24][25] In the co-main event, heavyweight contenders Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa represented a clash of knockout artists, with Lewis bringing his record-setting power—holding the most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history at the time—and Tuivasa riding a surge of momentum. Lewis, a fan favorite known for his explosive finishes, sought to rebound from recent inconsistent performances while leveraging his one-punch knockout ability against taller opponents.[26] Tuivasa, an Australian prospect, entered on a two-fight winning streak in the UFC, both by knockout, including stoppages of Augusto Sakai and Greg Hardy, positioning him as a rising threat in a division craving fresh contenders.[27] Their mutual goal of a highlight-reel finish added intensity, as both fighters emphasized head-hunting strategies in pre-fight interviews.[28] A key undercard matchup pitted grappling ace Derek Brunson against striking powerhouse Jared Cannonier, highlighting contrasting styles in the middleweight division. Brunson, a durable veteran with elite wrestling and submission skills, aimed to control the fight on the ground, drawing from his history of upsetting higher-ranked opponents like Israel Adesanya in 2018.[29] Cannonier relied on his Muay Thai background and knockout power, having recently defeated Edmen Shahbazyan by third-round TKO in May 2021 to establish himself as a top contender.[30][31] This bout carried implications for title contention, with Brunson's pressure grappling testing Cannonier's improved takedown defense. On the preliminary card, undefeated flyweight prospect Muhammad Mokaev made his UFC debut, bringing a strong wrestling pedigree from his Dagestani roots and an unblemished 6-0 professional record built on freestyle wrestling and submission grappling. Trained in England after fleeing war as a child, Mokaev's background emphasized ground control and resilience, positioning him as a potential future star in the division.[32] While no major weight cut issues were reported across the card, the event's promotional narrative included light-hearted trash talk from Adesanya toward Whittaker, underscoring their shared Australasian connection without escalating to personal attacks.[33]Fight Card
Main Card
The main card for UFC 271 featured five high-profile bouts, headlined by a middleweight championship rematch and including ranked contenders across multiple divisions. Broadcast on pay-per-view, these fights were scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m. EST on February 12, 2022, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.[1] The headline attraction was the middleweight title fight between champion Israel Adesanya, holding a record of 21-1 and ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, defending against former champion Robert Whittaker, who entered with a 23-5 record and was ranked No. 3 in the division. This rematch stemmed from Adesanya's second-round knockout victory over Whittaker in 2019 to claim the belt. Pre-fight odds heavily favored Adesanya at -600, with Whittaker as a +430 underdog.[4] In the co-main event, heavyweight contenders Derrick Lewis (25-7, ranked No. 6) faced Tai Tuivasa (13-3, unranked), both known for their knockout power, with Tuivasa opening as a -145 favorite.[1] The middleweight undercard included a pivotal matchup between No. 5-ranked Jared Cannonier (14-5) and No. 6-ranked Derek Brunson (22-7), positioning the winner as a likely title contender, with Cannonier favored at -185.[1] Another bout was a lightweight matchup between Alexander Hernandez (13-6) and Renato Moicano (16-5-1), with Moicano favored.[1] Rounding out the main card was a lightweight clash between Bobby Green (28-12-1) and Nasrat Haqparast (13-3), serving as a test for ranked contender Haqparast.[1]| Bout | Weight Class | Fighters (Record) | Stakes | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Event | Middleweight Championship | Israel Adesanya (21-1) vs. Robert Whittaker (23-5) | Title defense; No. 1 P4P vs. No. 3 ranked MW | Adesanya -600 / Whittaker +430 |
| Co-Main Event | Heavyweight | Derrick Lewis (25-7) vs. Tai Tuivasa (13-3) | No. 6 vs. unranked | Lewis +125 / Tuivasa -145 |
| Middleweight | Middleweight | Jared Cannonier (14-5) vs. Derek Brunson (22-7) | No. 5 vs. No. 6 ranked; Title eliminator potential | Cannonier -185 / Brunson +160 |
| Lightweight | Lightweight | Alexander Hernandez (13-6) vs. Renato Moicano (16-5-1) | Contender implications | Hernandez +200 / Moicano -240 |
| Lightweight | Lightweight | Bobby Green (28-12-1) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (13-3) | No. 13 vs. No. 15 ranked | Green +150 / Haqparast -180 |
Preliminary Card
The preliminary card for UFC 271 featured six bouts that showcased emerging talents and mid-tier matchups across various divisions, providing a platform for debuting fighters and veterans seeking momentum. These fights were televised on ESPN and ESPN+, highlighting prospects with strong regional records and UFC newcomers looking to establish themselves in the promotion.[34]| Weight Class | Fighter 1 (Record) | vs. | Fighter 2 (Record) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Andrei Arlovski (51-20) | vs. | Jared Vanderaa (10-5) | Vanderaa UFC debut; Arlovski veteran with 30+ UFC fights.[35] |
| Women's Flyweight | Roxanne Modafferi (25-16) | vs. | Casey O'Neill (6-0) | O'Neill undefeated entering UFC debut; Modafferi multi-division veteran.[35] |
| Bantamweight | Kyler Phillips (8-1) | vs. | Marcelo Rojo (16-1) | Rojo UFC debut; Phillips on three-fight win streak.[35] |
| Light Heavyweight | Carlos Ulberg (13-1) | vs. | Fabio Cherant (13-3) | Both UFC debuts; Ulberg on five-fight win streak.[35] |
| Bantamweight | Ronnie Lawrence (7-1) | vs. | Mana Martinez (9-2) | Both on win streaks; Lawrence via Contender Series.[35] |
| Middleweight | Jacob Malkoun (5-1) | vs. | AJ Dobson (6-1) | Both recent UFC signees via Contender Series.[1] |
Early Preliminary Card
The early preliminary card for UFC 271 featured three opening bouts across bantamweight, welterweight, and light heavyweight divisions, streamed exclusively on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass starting at 6 p.m. ET.[10] Bantamweight bout: Douglas Silva de Andrade (27-4) vs. Sergey Morozov (17-4)Silva de Andrade, a Brazilian veteran, faced Morozov, who was making his UFC debut after a strong run in regional promotions.[1] Welterweight bout: Jeremiah Wells (9-2) vs. Mike Mathetha (3-0)
Wells, signed via Contender Series, tested against undefeated debutant Mathetha.[1] Light heavyweight bout: Maxim Grishin (28-7-2) vs. William Knight (9-2)
Grishin, a seasoned Russian fighter with experience in promotions like KSW, faced Knight, an American prospect coming off a Contender Series win.[1]