STIPE MIOCIC and Francis Ngannou are clashing again in a massive heavyweight main event rematch at UFC 260 TONIGHT.
The pair first fought at UFC 220 in January 2018, when Miocic retained his UFC heavyweight title by a unanimous decision.
- Start times: Prelims 1am/ Main card 3am
- TV/ live stream: BT Sport 2 (UK)/ESPN+ (US)
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- Chisanga Malata
YOUR BROADCAST TEAM
Daniel Cormier, Joe Rogan and John Anik will be providing fans with commentary for the remainder of the card.
- Chisanga Malata
HERE WE GO!
UFC 260's main card is underway.
Kicking off the pay-per-view portion of the card is a tasty lightweight affair between Khama Worthy and Australia's Jamie Mullarkey.
UFC 260 main card
- Stipe Miocic (c) vs Francis Ngannou (main event – UFC heavyweight title)
- Tyron Woodley vs Vicente Luque (co-man – weltwerweight)
- Sean O’Malley vs Thomas Almeida (bantamweight)
- Gillian Robertson vs Miranda Maverick (women's flyweight)
- Khama Worthy vs Jamie Mullarkey (lightweight)
PRELIMS ARE OVER
UFC 260's main card will begin shortly. In the meantime, check out the tale of the tape for tonight's heavy-duty main event.
- Chisanga Malata
ONE AND DONE
Alonzo Menifield submits Fabio Cherant with a Von Flue choke.
Menifield, who suffered a second-round TKO defeat to Ovince Saint Preux in his last outing, came out like a bat out of hell and landed a big takedown early doors.
Cherant held on to a guillotine attempt with Menifield in side control and paid the price as he was placed in a nasty Von Flue choke that forced him to begrudgingly tap.
A nightmare debut for the UFC debut for the LFA graduate.
- Chisanga Malata
FINAL PRELIM IS ON DECK
Up next is a light-heavyweight bout between Alonzo Menifield and UFC new-boy Fabio Cherant.
There's no way this battle of heavy hitters goes the distance, folks.
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FIRST WIN OF HIS UFC CAREER
Abubakar Nurmagomedov defeats Jared Gooden via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27 in his favour.
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ROUND THREE
Jared Gooden comes out aggressive early in the third but misses with big looping punches.
Nurmagomedov shoots for a takedown but Gooden fends off the Russian's attempt to ground the fight.
A beautiful uppercut lands for Nurmagomedov, who lands another takedown.
Nurmagomedov is in Gooden's guard but has eaten a number of nasty, nasty elbows on his forehead.
Nurmagomedov keeps Gooden on his back until the buxxer goes.
That should be a unanimous decision victory for the Dagestani.
- Chisanga Malata
ROUND TWO
Abubakar Nurmagomedov showcases good elusiveness early in the first to avoid Jared Gooden's strikes.
Gooden needs to start throwing punches in bunches to have any chance of tagging the Russian.
Nurmagomedov lands a big body kick that puts Gooden into retreat mode.
A nice one-two lands for Nurmagomedov, who seems to be a step ahead of his American foe.
The buzzer goes and that's another round in the bank for Nurmagomedov.
- Chisanga Malata
ROUND ONE
Jared Gooden takes the centre of the octagon and puts Abubakar Nurmagomedov on the back foot.
Nurmagomedov already has swelling on his right eye from a stiff jab from Gooden.
A brief eye poke brings about a pause to the action.
Nurmagomedov lands a big one-two that hurts Gooden.
Gooden appears to have recovered but he'll be wary of getting tagged again.
A gazelle hook lands for Nurmagomedov, who takes the round 10-9.
- Chisanga Malata
NURMAGOMEDOV RETURNS
Not that one, folks. Don't get your hopes up.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov, cousin of the recently-retired Khabib, will make his return to the cage in just a matter of moments.
He'll be welcomed back to the cage by American Jared Gooden.
Abubakar has yet to taste victory inside the octagon, suffering a first-round submission defeat to David Zwada in his promotional debut in November 2019.
- Chisanga Malata
MIHAL OLEKSIEJCZUK GETS THE NOD
Mihal Oleksiejczuk defeats Modestas Bukauskas via split decision, with the judges' scoring the fight 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 in his favour.
I personally scored the fight in Bukauskas' favour, although my scorecard ultimately doesn't matter at the end of the day.
- Chisanga Malata
ROUND THREE
Modestas Bukauskas is on the back foot but stings Mihal Oleksiejczuk with agood right hand.
Oleksiejczuk, however, is continuing to show great durability and is coming forward with the same pace as in the first.
Oleksiejczuk briefly presses Bukauskas up against the cage but the Lithuanian breaks free.
Bukauskas has countered well throughout the night, in particular when he sits down on his punches.
Big right hook from Oleksiejczuk but returns fire with one of his own Bukauskas.
Huge uppercut from Oleksiejczuk hurts Bukauskas who is briefly on the back foot.
The buzzer goes. Great fight. Bukauskas should get the nod.
- Chisanga Malata
ROUND TWO
Mihal Oleksiejczuk is once again being relentless with his pressure, putting Modestas Bukauskas on the back foot.
Bukauskas was doing a good job of avoiding the Pole's left hand but eats two in quick succession.
Bukauskas needs to create distance and get back to utilising his kicks.
Moments after I say that, Bukauskas lands a nice lead elbow before being clinched by his Polish foe.
Bukauskas hurts Oleksiejczuk moments before the buzzer with a flurry of punches and a head kick.
I have the Lithuanian winning by two rounds.
- Chisanga Malata
ROUND ONE
Modestas Bukauskas starts off fast but eats a big right hand from Michal Oleksiejczuk.
Oleksiejczuk, as usual, being relentless with his pressure, pressing forward and constantly moving his head off centre line.
Bukauskas lands a big right hand that hurts the Pole.
Oleksiejczuk was briefly in retreat mode but is now back on the front foot.
Big left hook lands for Oleksiejczuk but Bukauskas takes it well.
Bukauskas lands a stinging straight right after eating a left hand to the body.
Bukauskas lands a spinning back kick seconds before the buzzer brings an end to the round.
- Chisanga Malata
THE BALTIC WARRIOR IS UP NEXT
Former Cage Warriors light-heavyweight champion Modestas Bukauskas is about to take on Michal Oleksiejczuk.
The Lithuanian will look to bounce back from his first-round TKO defeat to Jim Crute last October.
- Chisanga Malata
BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN
Omar Morales defeats Shane Young via unanimous decision, with all three the judges scoring the contest 30-27 in his favour.
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ROUND THREE
Shane Young comes out swinging after the final restart but Omar Morales returns fire with a telegraphed overhand right.
Morales is beginning to find a home for his jab but is now fending off a takedown attempt on the fence.
But he secures his own takedown with a beautiful body lock, although he was unable to do anything with it as Young works his way back to his feet.
Morales is continuing to pepper Young's face with his long jab and is beginning to find a home for his straight right.
Young is struggling to close the distance and land his strikes.
The buzzer brings an end to a thoroughly entertaining 145lb bout. I have it 2-1 to Morales. Let's see how the judges scored it.
- Chisanga Malata
ROUND TWO
Shane Young immediately takes the centre of the octagon and puts Omar Morales on the back foot.
Young catches a kick and secures a big takedown, but he wastes the position with a leg lock attempt.
Morales seems tentative to exchange in the pocket and is more than happy to operate at kicking range.
The Venezuelan has found success late in the round, landing a big right hand and putting Young on the back foot.
Omar Morales fires a left high kick at Shane YoungCredit: Getty - Chisanga Malata
ROUND ONE IN THE BOOKS
Shane Young has been the aggressor, looking to close the distance and utilise his grappling up against the clinch.
Omar Morales done well to fend off the Kiwi's takedown attempts and ends the round with a nice scything elbow on the break.
- Chisanga Malata
WE MOVE TO THE FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISISON
Up next is a 145lbs showdown between New Zealand's Shane Young and Venezuela's Omar Morales.
Young, 27, will be looking to bounce back from a first-round TKO defeat to Ľudovít Klein at UFC 254.
Morales, meanwhile, will look to erase the memory of his decision defeat to Giga Chikadze last October.
- Chisanga Malata
FIGHT CARD DETAILS
Here's the full rundown of remaining fights on he UFC 260 card.
- Stipe Miocic (c) vs Francis Ngannou (main event – UFC heavyweight title)
- Tyron Woodley vs Vicente Luque (co-man – weltwerweight)
- Sean O’Malley vs Thomas Almeida (bantamweight)
- Gillian Robertson vs Miranda Maverick (women's flyweight)
- Khama Worthy vs Jamie Mullarkey (lightweight)
Prelims – from 1am UK / 9pm ET
- Alonzo Menifield vs William Knight (light-heavyweight)
- Jessica Penne vs Hannah Goldy (women's strawweight)
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs Jared Gooden (welterweight)
- Modestas Bukauskas vs Michał Oleksiejczuk (light-heavyweight)
Early prelims – from 11pm UK / 7pm US
- Shane Young vs Omar Morales (featherweight)
- Chisanga Malata
IT'S OVER!
Marc-Andre Barriault defeats Abu Azaitar via third-round TKO with just seconds to go.
The Canadian put an absolute beatdown on Azaitar for the majority of the round, punishing him with relentless ground-and-pound.
In truth, the ref could've stopped it a lot earlier than he actually did.
Victory over Azaitar is Barriault's first victory inside the octagon.
- Chisanga Malata
THIS HAS TURNED INTO A WAR
Marc-Andre Barriault and Abu Azaitar went to war in that second round.
Fatigue has set in for both men but seems to be plaguing Azaitar more.
Canada's Barriault had a lot more success with his striking, in particular in close, but Azaitar also had his moments.
I have it one apiece going into the third.
- Chisanga Malata
AZAITAR IS LOOKING GOOD IN ROUND ONE
You wouldn't be able to tell Abu Azaitar has been away from the octagon for nearly three years.
The Moroccan's striking, in particular his low leg kicks, are sharp and accurate and his clinch work has been excellent.
I give him the first.
- Chisanga Malata
WE ARE LIVE!
The UFC 260 prelims are underway, folks. A middleweight bout between Marc-Andre Barriault and Abu Azaitar is ongoing.
Azaitar, brother of lightweight standout Ottman, is fighting for the first time in nearly three years.
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