UFC 248

A UFC Middleweight Championship bout between the current champion Israel Adesanya and former interim title challenger (as well as 2000 Olympic silver medalist and former world champion in freestyle wrestling) Yoel Romero headlined the event.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/israel-adesanya-vs-yoel-romero-ufc-248-title-fight-booked|title=Israel Adesanya defends middleweight title against Yoel Romero at UFC 248|date=2020-01-16|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Mike Bohn and Nolan King|access-date=2020-01-17}}

A UFC Women's Strawweight Championship bout between the current champion Zhang Weili and former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk took place as the co-main event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/mma-ufc/strawweight-champ-weili-zhang-to-fight-at-ufc-248-in-las-vegas-1913787/|title=Strawweight champ Weili Zhang to fight at UFC 248 in Las Vegas|date=2019-12-13|publisher=reviewjournal.com|author=Adam Hill|access-date=2019-12-14}}

A middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker (also The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes welterweight winner) and Jared Cannonier was expected to take place at this event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/boxing-mma/robert-whittaker-to-make-his-ufc-return-against-jared-cannonier-on-march-7/news-story/71ad8f50d72e647362f7f6eece5b805a|title=Whittaker's next UFC bout confirmed|date=2019-12-20|publisher=dailytelegraph.com.au|author=Nick Walshaw|access-date=2020-01-15}} However, it was announced on January 15 that Whittaker pulled out of the bout.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/ufc-248-robert-whittaker-out-jared-cannonieir-fight-report|title=Robert Whittaker out of UFC 248 fight against Jared Cannonier|date=2020-01-15|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Nolan King|access-date=2020-03-02}} Subsequently, promotion officials announced that Cannonier would be on standby in the event that one of the main event participants were to pull out of that contest.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmamania.com/2020/2/9/21130999/ufc-taps-jared-cannonier-as-backup-fighter-for-ufc-248-adesanya-vs-romero-main-event|title=UFC taps Jared Cannonier as backup fighter for UFC 248 Adesanya vs. Romero main event|author=Ryan Harkness|date=2020-02-08|publisher=mmamania.com|access-date=2020-02-10}} In turn, Cannonier indicated in mid-February that he had suffered a torn pectoral injury while training and would be sidelined for several months.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Middleweight-Contender-Jared-Cannonier-Targets-Fall-Return-After-Suffering-Torn-Pectoral-170167|title=Middleweight contender Jared Cannonier targets Fall return after suffering torn pectoral injury|author=Tristen Critchfield |date=2020-02-15|publisher=sherdog.com|access-date=2020-02-17}}

A bantamweight bout between Sean O'Malley and The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America bantamweight winner José Alberto Quiñónez was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 229. However, it was scrapped after O'Malley failed a United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug test.{{cite news|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/9/30/17921592/sean-omalley-announces-hes-failed-usada-drug-test-out-of-ufc-229|title=Sean O'Malley announces he's failed USADA drug test, out of UFC 229|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Marc Raimondi|date=2018-09-30|accessdate=2020-01-05}} The bout was then expected to take place at UFC 247, but it was eventually moved to this event for unknown reasons.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/sean-omalley-jose-quinonez-moved-to-ufc-248-las-vegas|title=Sean O'Malley vs. Jose Quinonez moved to UFC 248 in Las Vegas|author=Farah Hannoun and John Morgan|date=2020-01-03|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|access-date=2020-01-05}}

While not officially announced by the organization, a featherweight bout between Calvin Kattar and Jeremy Stephens was expected to take place at the event.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/calvin-kattar-vs-jeremy-stephens-featherweight-ufc-248-las-vegas|title=Calvin Kattar, Jeremy Stephens agree to UFC 248 clash in Las Vegas|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Mike Bohn and Nolan King|access-date=2020-01-05|date=2020-01-05}} However, Stephens was removed from the card in mid-January with an injury.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/jeremy-stephens-injured-out-ufc-248-fight-calvin-kattar|title=Jeremy Stephens injured, out of planned UFC 248 bout vs. Calvin Kattar; rescheduling expected|author= Nolan King|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|access-date=2020-01-16|date=2020-01-16}} The pairing was left intact and rescheduled for UFC 249.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/calvin-kattar-vs-jeremy-stephens-ufc-249|title=Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens in the works for UFC 249|author=Nolan King|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|access-date=2020-01-23|date=2020-01-23}}

A featherweight bout between Douglas Silva de Andrade and Movsar Evloev was scheduled to take place at the event. However, de Andrade withdrew from the bout due to injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Jamall Emmers.{{Cite web|url=https://mmadna.nl/jamall-emmers-pakt-short-notice-partij-tegen-movsar-evloev-tijdens-ufc-248-in-las-vegas/|title=Jamall Emmers takes short notice game against Movsar Evloev during UFC 248 in Las Vegas|publisher=mmadna.nl|author=Redactie|date=2020-02-12|access-date=2020-02-12}} {{in lang|nl}} Subsequently, Evloev pulled out of the fight in late February citing injuries sustained in a road accident.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/2/27/21156410/movsar-evloev-out-of-ufc-248-after-motorcycle-accident|title=Movsar Evloev out of UFC 248 after motorcycle accident|author=Newswire|date=2020-02-27|publisher=mmafighting.com|access-date=2020-02-28}} He was replaced by Giga Chikadze.{{Cite web|url=https://mmadna.nl/giga-chikadze-vervangt-movsar-evloev-tegen-jamall-emmers-tijdens-ufc-248-in-las-vegas/|title=Giga Chikadze replaces Movsar Evloev against Jamall Emmers during UFC 248 in Las Vegas|author=Redactie|publisher=mmadna.nl|date=2020-02-27|access-date=2020-02-27}} {{in lang|nl}}

A middleweight bout between Derek Brunson and Edmen Shahbazyan was scheduled to take place at the event. However, it was announced on February 20 that the bout had moved to UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris.{{Cite web|url=https://mmadna.nl/derek-brunson-vs-edmen-shahbazyan-verplaatst-van-ufc-248-naar-ufc-portland/|title=Derek Brunson vs. Edmen Shahbazyan moved from UFC 248 to UFC Portland|author=Redactie|publisher=mmadna.nl|date=2020-02-20|access-date=2020-02-20}} {{in lang|nl}}

At the weigh-ins, Emily Whitmire weighed in at 117.5 pounds, 1.5 pounds over the strawweight non-title fight limit of 116 pounds. She was fined 20% of her purse and her bout with Polyana Viana was expected to proceed as scheduled at a catchweight.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/03/ufc-248-israel-adesanya-yoel-romero-zhang-weili-joanna-jedrzejczyk-weigh-in-results-live-video-stream|title=UFC 248 weigh-in results: champions, challengers hit marks; one undercard fighter misses|author=Nolan King|date=2020-03-06|publisher=mmajunkie.com|access-date=2020-03-06}} However, Whitmire was hospitalized the day of the event and the fight was cancelled.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ufc-248-preliminary-bout-scratched-194153259.html|title=UFC 248 preliminary bout scratched last minute due to medical concerns|author=Staff|publisher=yahoo.com|date=2020-03-07|access-date=2020-03-07}}

{{MMAevent}}

{{MMAevent card|Main Card}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Middleweight

|Israel Adesanya (c)

|def.

|Yoel Romero

|Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46)

|5

|5:00

|For the UFC Middleweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Women's Strawweight

|Zhang Weili (c)

|def.

|Joanna Jędrzejczyk

|Decision (split) (48–47, 47–48, 48–47)

|5

|5:00

|For the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Lightweight

|Beneil Dariush

|def.

|Drakkar Klose

|KO (punch)

|2

|1:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Welterweight

|Neil Magny

|def.

|Li Jingliang

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

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Welterweight

|Alex Oliveira

|def.

|Max Griffin

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

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent card|Preliminary Card (ESPN)|header=no}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|Sean O'Malley

|def.

|José Alberto Quiñónez

|TKO (head kick and punches)

|1

|2:02

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Lightweight

|Mark Madsen

|def.

|Austin Hubbard

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

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Middleweight

|Rodolfo Vieira

|def.

|Saparbek Safarov

|Submission (arm-triangle choke)

|1

|2:58

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Middleweight

|Gerald Meerschaert

|def.

|Deron Winn

|Submission (rear-naked choke)

|3

|2:13

|

}}

{{MMAevent card|Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+)|header=no}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Featherweight

|Giga Chikadze

|def.

|Jamall Emmers

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

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|Danaa Batgerel

|def.

|Guido Cannetti

|KO (punches)

|1

|3:01

|

}}

{{MMAevent end|notes=yes|MMAevent bout=}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-248|title=UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero|date=13 December 2019 |publisher=Ultimate Fighting Championship|access-date=2019-12-14}}

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/03/ufc-248-bonuses-zhang-weili-vs-joanna-jedrzejczyk-fight-of-night|title=UFC 248 bonuses: If Zhang-Jedrzejczyk wasn't 'Fight of the Night,' people would've rioted|author=Dan Hiergesell|date=2020-03-08|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|access-date=2020-03-08}}

• Fight of the Night: Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk
• Performance of the Night: Beneil Dariush and Sean O’Malley

The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). It does not include sponsor money and also does not include the UFC's traditional "fight night" bonuses. The total disclosed payout for the event was $2,086,000.{{cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/03/ufc-248-salaries-israel-adesanya-pay-zhang-weili-total|title=UFC 248 salaries: Israel Adesanya takes home good chunk of total payout|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=Staff|date=2020-03-09|accessdate=2020-03-09}}

• Israel Adesanya: $500,000 (no win bonus) def. Yoel Romero: $350,000
• Zhang Weili: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus) def. Joanna Jędrzejczyk: $106,000
• Beneil Dariush: $140,000 (includes $70,000 win bonus) def. Drakkar Klose: $40,000
• Neil Magny: $152,000 (includes $76,000 win bonus) def. Li Jingliang: $64,000
• Alex Oliviera: $128,000 (includes $64,000 win bonus) def. Max Griffin: $35,000
• Sean O'Malley: $70,000 (includes $35,000 win bonus) def. José Alberto Quiñónez: $33,000
• Mark Madsen: $66,000 (includes $33,000 win bonus) def. Austin Hubbard: $12,000
• Rodolfo Vieira: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. Saparbek Safarov: $22,000
• Gerald Meerschaert: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus) def. Deron Winn: $12,000
• Giga Chikadze: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Jamall Emmers: $10,000
• Danaa Batgerel: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Guido Cannetti: $14,000

On September 3, it was announced that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NAC) suspended Deron Winn for nine months and fined him fined $1,800 after he tested positive for amphetamines in relation to this event. The suspension is retroactive to the date of the positive test.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/29802516/four-ufc-fighters-suspended-fined-positive-drug-tests|title=Four UFC fighters suspended, fined for positive drug tests|work=espn.com|author=Marc Raimondi|date=2020-09-03|access-date=2020-09-03}}

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