UFC 198

The event was initially announced as a Fight Night event with a middleweight bout between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort and former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo Souza scheduled to serve as headliner.{{cite news|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/1/19/10794196/vitor-belfort-vs-jacare-souza-announced-for-ufc-event-in-brazil|title=Vitor Belfort vs. Jacare Souza announced for UFC event in Brazil|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Shaun Al-Shatti|date=2016-01-19|access-date=2016-01-19}} However, it was reported by Brazilian media that this event would become UFC 198 following a series of events in January 2016 that led to the originally planned UFC 196 becoming a UFC Fight Night following a series of cancellations.{{cite web|url=http://sportv.globo.com/site/combate/noticia/2016/02/ultimate-altera-edicao-no-brasil-para-ufc-198-e-quer-werdum-x-miocic.html|title=Ultimate altera edição no Brasil para UFC 198 e quer Werdum x Miocic (Brazilian Portuguese)|publisher=sportv.globo.com|author=Evelyn Rodrigues, Marcelo Barone and Raphael Marinho|access-date=2016-02-04|date=2016-02-04}}

On March 4, it was confirmed that the event was indeed changed to PPV and it would be headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between champion Fabrício Werdum and top contender Stipe Miocic. They were briefly scheduled to meet at the original UFC 196, as Miocic replaced former two-time champion Cain Velasquez. In turn, Werdum announced on the following day that he was pulling out of the event due to injury as well as he wasn't comfortable with the opponent change while dealing with injuries of his own.{{cite news|url=http://fansided.com/2016/01/24/cain-velasquez-out-fabricio-werdum-stipe-miocic-ufc-196/|title=Cain Velasquez out, Stipe Miocic to fill in at UFC 196|publisher=fansided.com|author=Mike Dyce|date=2016-01-24|access-date=2016-02-24}}{{cite news|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/1/25/10828922/fabricio-werdum-pulls-out-of-ufc-196-with-injury|title=Fabricio Werdum pulls out of UFC 196 with injury|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Guilherme Cruz|date=2016-01-25|access-date=2016-02-24}}

The event was the first that the promotion hosted in Curitiba. It was the fourth stadium venue to host a UFC event after UFC 129 at the Rogers Centre in Canada, UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson at the Tele2 Arena in Sweden and UFC 193 at the Etihad Stadium in Australia.

A lightweight bout between Evan Dunham and The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2 winner Leonardo Santos, originally scheduled for this event, was moved to UFC 199 after a minor injury to Dunham delayed the matchup a few weeks.{{cite news|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/3/15/11242150/evan-dunham-suffers-small-injury-fight-with-leonardo-santos-moved-to|title=Evan Dunham suffers 'small injury', fight with Leonardo Santos moved to UFC 199|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Guilherme Cruz|date=2016-03-15|access-date=2016-03-15}}

The event featured the long anticipated debut of Curitiba native Cris Cyborg, former Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Champion and current Invicta FC Featherweight Champion, in a catchweight bout of 140 lb against Leslie Smith.{{cite news|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/03/cyborg-justino-meets-leslie-smith-at-ufc-198-in-brazil|title='Cyborg' Justino meets Leslie Smith at UFC 198 in Brazil|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=Staff|date=2016-03-28|access-date=2016-03-28}}

Kamaru Usman was expected to face Sérgio Moraes at the event. However, he pulled out two weeks before the event due to injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Luan Chagas.{{cite news|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/05/kamaru-usman-out-of-ufc-198-bout-with-sergio-moraes|title=Kamaru Usman out of UFC 198 bout with Sergio Moraes|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=Staff|date=2016-05-01|access-date=2016-05-01}}

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva was expected to face Uriah Hall at the event. However, Silva pulled out just four days before the event with a clinical condition that indicated acute cholecystitis and required surgical intervention.{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/anderson-silva-out-of-ufc-189--may-need-gall-bladder-surgery-005830365.html|title=Anderson Silva out of UFC 198, may require gall bladder surgery|publisher=sports.yahoo.com|author=Kevin Iole|date=2016-05-10|access-date=2016-05-10}} The UFC wanted to find a replacement for him, but Hall opted against that.{{cite news|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/5/11/11656276/uriah-hall-of-ufc-198-fight-card|title=Uriah Hall off UFC 198 fight card|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Luke Thomas|date=2016-05-11|access-date=2016-05-11}}

During the main card broadcast, the UFC announced that former interim UFC Heavyweight Champion and Pride Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira would be inducted to the UFC's Hall of Fame at the "International Fight Week" in July, one day after UFC 200.{{cite news|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/05/ufc-announces-antonio-rodrigo-nogueira-as-newest-member-of-ufc-hall-of-fame|title=UFC announces Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira as newest member of UFC Hall of Fame|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=Staff|date=2016-05-14|access-date=2016-05-14}}

{{MMAevent}}

{{MMAevent card|Main Card}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Heavyweight

|Stipe Miocic

|def.

|Fabrício Werdum (c)

|KO (punch)

|1

|2:47

|For the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Middleweight

|Ronaldo Souza

|def.

|Vitor Belfort

|TKO (punches)

|1

|4:38

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Catchweight (140 lb)

|Cris Cyborg

|def.

|Leslie Smith

|TKO (punches)

|1

|1:21

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Light Heavyweight

|Maurício Rua

|def.

|Corey Anderson

|Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Welterweight

|Bryan Barberena

|def.

|Warlley Alves

|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent card|Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)|header=no}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Welterweight

|Demian Maia

|def.

|Matt Brown

|Submission (rear-naked choke)

|3

|4:31

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Middleweight

|Thiago Santos

|def.

|Nate Marquardt

|KO (punches)

|1

|3:39

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Lightweight

|Francisco Trinaldo

|def.

|Yancy Medeiros

|Decision (unanimous) (29–26, 30–27, 30–26)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|John Lineker

|def.

|Rob Font

|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 30–26)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent card|Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)|header=no}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Light Heavyweight

|Antônio Rogério Nogueira

|def.

|Patrick Cummins

|TKO (punches)

|1

|4:52

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Welterweight

|Sérgio Moraes

|vs.

|Luan Chagas

|Draw (split) (29–28, 28–29, 28–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Featherweight

|Renato Moicano

|def.

|Zubaira Tukhugov

|Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.ufc.com/event/UFC198|title=UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic|publisher=Ultimate Fighting Championship|access-date=2016-03-04}}

The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:{{cite web|url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-198-Bonuses-Miocic-Jacare-Trinaldo-Medeiros-Take-Home-3650K-104993|title=UFC 198 bonuses: Miocic, "Jacare", Trinaldo, Medeiros take home $50k|publisher=sherdog.com|author=Tristen Critchfield|access-date=2016-05-15|date=2016-05-15}}

• Fight of the Night: Francisco Trinaldo vs. Yancy Medeiros
• Performance of the Night: Stipe Miocic and Ronaldo Souza

• List of UFC events
• 2016 in UFC

{{Reflist}}

{{UFC Events}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:UFC 198}}

Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship flagship events

Category:2016 in mixed martial arts

Category:Mixed martial arts in Brazil

Category:2016 in Brazilian sport

Category:Sport in Curitiba

Category:May 2016 sports events in South America

Category:21st century in Curitiba