UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos
{{short description|UFC mixed martial arts event in 2019}}
{{Infobox MMA event
|name= UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos
|image= UFConESPN3.jpg
|promotion=Ultimate Fighting Championship
|date={{start date|2019|06|29}}
|venue= Target Center
|city= Minneapolis, Minnesota
|previousevent=UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. The Korean Zombie
|followingevent=UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos
}}
UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos (also known as UFC on ESPN 3) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on June 29, 2019, at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/3/3/18248174/ufc-announces-dates-for-second-quarter-of-2019|title=UFC announces dates for second quarter of 2019|date=March 3, 2019|publisher=MMA Fighting|access-date=March 4, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2019/03/ufc-announces-new-events-in-rochester-new-york-greenville-south-carolina-minneapolis-las-vegas|title=UFC announces new May–June events including Rochester, Greenville, Minneapolis|website=MMA Junkie|date=March 4, 2018|access-date=March 4, 2019}}
Background
The event was the promotion's third visit to Minneapolis and the first since UFC on FX: Browne vs. Bigfoot in October 2012.
A welterweight rematch between the former UFC Welterweight Champions Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler was expected to be the event headliner.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/26375093/woodley-lawler-highlight-june-29-fight-night|title=Woodley-Lawler to highlight June 29 Fight Night|website=ESPN|author=Brett Okamoto|date=March 27, 2019|access-date=March 27, 2019}} Woodley won the title in their first encounter via first-round knockout in July 2016 at UFC 201.{{cite news|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/07/ufc-201-results-tyron-woodley-blasts-robbie-lawler-to-win-welterweight-title-with-ko|title=UFC 201 results: Tyron Woodley blasts Robbie Lawler to win welterweight title with KO|website=MMA Junkie|author=Steven Marrocco|date=July 31, 2016|access-date=March 27, 2019}} However, it was reported on May 16, 2019, that Woodley had suffered a hand injury and was pulled out of the fight. As a result, Lawler was removed from the card as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lowkickmma.com/tyron-woodley-pulls-out-of-ufc-minneapolis-headliner/|title=Tyron Woodley pulls out of UFC Minneapolis headliner|author=Andrew Ravens|website=LowKick MMA|date=May 17, 2019|access-date=May 17, 2019}} Subsequently, a heavyweight bout between the former UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos and former title challenger Francis Ngannou was scheduled as the event headliner instead. The pairing had been scheduled twice before, first at UFC 215 and then at UFC 239, but in both instances the fights were scrapped.{{cite news|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2017/08/junior-dos-santos-potential-doping-violation-pulled-ufc-215/|title=Junior Dos Santos notified of potential doping violation, pulled from UFC 215|author=John Morgan|website=MMA Junkie|date=August 18, 2017|access-date=May 21, 2019}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/26794549/dos-santos-ngannou-moved-june-29|title=Sources: dos Santos-Ngannou moved to June 29|website=ESPN|author=Brett Okamoto|date=May 21, 2019|access-date=March 27, 2019}}
A light heavyweight bout between Roman Dolidze and Vinicius Moreira was scheduled to take place at the event. However, an unknown reason saw Dolidze pull out of the fight on May 7 and he was replaced by Eryk Anders.{{Cite web|url=http://mmadna.nl/ya-boi-eryk-anders-pakt-short-notice-gevecht-tegen-vinicius-moreira-tijdens-ufc-minneapolis/|title="Ya Boi" Eryk Anders takes short notice fight against Vinicius Moreira during UFC Minneapolis|author=Marcel Dorff|website=MMA DNA|date=May 7, 2019|access-date=May 7, 2019}} {{in lang|nl}}
A featherweight bout between Chas Skelly and Jordan Griffin was originally scheduled for this event. However, on June 13, Skelly pulled out of the fight citing injury.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2019/06/chas-skelly-injured-out-jordan-griffin-ufc-on-espn-3-minneapolis|title=UFC on ESPN 3: Chas Skelly says he's injured, out of Jordan Griffin fight in Minneapolis|date=June 11, 2019|website=MMA Junkie|access-date=June 13, 2019}} Griffin was then booked to face promotional newcomer Vince Murdock.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2019/06/ricardo-ramos-jordan-griffin-get-new-opponents-for-ufc-on-espn-3|title=Ricardo Ramos, Jordan Griffin get new opponents for UFC on ESPN 3|website=MMA Junkie|date=June 18, 2019|access-date=June 18, 2019}}
On June 27, Murdock announced that he was not medically cleared to compete and the bout was removed from the card.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2019/06/vince-murdock-out-of-ufc-on-espn-3-fight-jordan-griffin|title=Vince Murdock Out of UFC on ESPN 3 fight|date=June 27, 2019|website=MMA Junkie|access-date=June 27, 2019}} On September 5, 2019, it was reported that Murdock had received a 20-month suspension by USADA, having tested positive for GW1516, better known as Cardarine and often sold on the black market as Endurobol, on a sample collected on July 6, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2019/09/vince-murdock-accepts-suspension-prohibited-substance-ufc-on-espn-3-team-alpha-male|title=Team Alpha Male's Vince Murdock accepts suspension for prohibited substance|date=September 5, 2019|website=MMA Junkie|access-date=September 5, 2019}} Later in 2019, Murdock revealed that the reason behind withdrawing from the bout was initially high grade stenosis which was later diagnosed as Moyamoya disease.{{cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/11/5/20944130/vince-murdock-dealing-with-brain-condition-that-forced-him-out-of-ufc-debut|title=Vince Murdock dealing with brain condition that forced him out of UFC debut|author=Alexander K. Lee|website=MMA Fighting|date=November 5, 2019}}
A bantamweight bout between Sergio Pettis and Ricardo Ramos was scheduled to take place at this event but, on June 15, it was reported that Pettis had pulled out of the bout for undisclosed reasons and had been replaced by newcomer Journey Newson.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmanews.com/ufc-minneapolis-sergio-pettis-out-of-ricardo-ramos-bout/|title=UFC Minneapolis: Sergio Pettis out of Ricardo Ramos bout|author=Clyde Aidoo|date=June 15, 2019|website=MMA News|access-date=June 16, 2019}}
A light heavyweight bout between Justin Ledet and Dalcha Lungiambula was scheduled to take place at this event but, on June 24, it was announced that Ledet was removed from the card.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2019/06/justin-ledet-out-vs-dalcha-lungiambula-ufc-on-espn-3-minneapolis|title=Justin Ledet out, promotion seeks replacement for Dalcha Lungiambula at UFC on ESPN 3|date=June 24, 2019|website=MMA Junkie|access-date=June 24, 2019}} He was replaced by promotional newcomer Dequan Townsend.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2019/06/dequan-townsend-in-for-justin-ledet-vs-dalcha-lungiambula-ufc-on-espn-3-minneapolis|title=Newcomer Dequan Townsend in for Ledet, meets Dalcha Lungiambula at UFC on ESPN 3|author=Matt Erickson|date=June 26, 2019|website=MMA Junkie|access-date=June 26, 2019}}
Results
{{MMAevent}}
{{MMAevent card|Main card (ESPN)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Heavyweight
|def.
|TKO (punches)
|1
|1:11
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Flyweight
|def.
|TKO (head kick and punches)
|2
|4:47
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Welterweight
|def.
|Decision (majority) (29–28, 29–28, 28–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|KO (punches)
|1
|1:07
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|KO (punches)
|1
|3:19
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary Card (ESPN)|header=no}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|KO (punches)
|1
|1:18
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Dan Moret
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|TKO (punches and elbows)
|3
|0:42
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Strawweight
|def.
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|2
|2:10
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Heavyweight
|def.
|TKO (punches)
|1
|3:38
|
}}
{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}
Bonus awards
See also
{{Portal|Martial arts|United States}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{UFC Events}}
{{2019 in mixed martial arts}}
Category:2019 in mixed martial arts
Category:Mixed martial arts in Minnesota
Category:Sports competitions in Minneapolis