SALT LAKE CITY – UFC 291 takes place Saturday, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results.
UFC 291 takes place at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
The main event is a “BMF” title fight between former interim lightweight champions Dustin Poirier (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC). They meet in a rematch for the “BMF” belt. Poirier won their first meeting in 2018 by TKO. In the co-feature, former light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) welcomes ex-middleweight champ Alex Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) to 205 pounds.
Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 7 p.m. ET for the early prelims on ESPN+, 8 p.m. for the prelims on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view. You also can get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporters Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn ) on Twitter. and Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway ) on Twitter.
Enjoy the fights, everyone.
Priscila Cachoeira vs. Miranda Maverick
Round 1 – Clean left hook by Maverick to get things started. Cachoeira eats it well. Another left by Maverick. Body kick by Maverick! Maverick looking sharp so far, getting the better of the striking exchanges. Maverick takes down Cachoeira. Three minutes left. Maverick controlling only the legs against the fence, hasn’t put Cachoeira’s back to the mat. Two minutes left. Good control here by Maverick, but no damage. And there’s the full takedown. Maverick takes side control. Couple of shots land for Maverick. One minute left. Oh! Nasty elbows from Maverick. She ends the round on top.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Maverick.
Round 2 – Maverick comes up short in a couple of takedown attempts. Leg kick by Maverick. Cachoeira chasing, but not landing much yet. Maverick shoots and presses Cachoeira against the cage. Three minutes left. And there’s the takedown. Maverick controlling from half guard. Full control here by Maverick. Two minutes left. Maverick moves to full mount. Cachoeira escapes, but Maverick takes her back down. Some shots land for Maverick. The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Maverick.
Round 3 – Oh! Hard left hands land for Maverick! And there’s a takedown for Maverick. Maverick in side control. Now on north-south. Good elbows by Maverick. Three minutes left. Maverick goes for the armbar! Ther’s the tap! It’s over.
Result: Miranda Maverick def. Priscila Cachoeira via submission (armbar) – Round 3, 2;11
Recap: Miranda Maverick scores wicked armbar on Priscila Cachoeira
Photos: Miranda Maverick def. Priscila Cachoeira at UFC 291: Best photos
Records: Miranda Maverick (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Priscila Cachoeira (12-5 MMA, 4-5 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Dave Saljestad
Uros Medic vs. Matthew Semelsberger
Round 1 – Semelsberger takes down Medic with a leg kick! Oh crazy ground-and-pound from Semelsberger! He’s all over him! Medic gets up, but Semelsberger controls against the cage. Medic escapes, back to striking. Good left by Medic. Leg kick by Medic. Three minutes left. Huge left by Medic! Semelsberger eats it well. Medic having good success on the feet. Oh! Semelsberger drops Medic with a right hand! Medic hurts Semelsberger with an upkick, he gets up, but gets rocked by Semelsberger! What a crazy fight. They hit the ground, but back up. One minute left. They strike, but nothing lands super clean. The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Semelsberger.
Round 2 – Semelsberger comes out pressing Medic. Good leg kicks by Semelsberger. Big left by Semelsberger! Medic is landing some shots, but so far not the same impact as Semelsberger. Three minutes left. Medic pressing now. Leg kick by Medic. Big left by Medic. He’s making up for some lost ground. Medic throwing plenty of head kicks but hitting Semelsberger’s guard. `The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Semelsberger.
Round 3 – Leg kick by Semelsberger. Jab by Medic. They clinch and Medic lands a couple of left hooks. Back to striking. Good right by Semelsberger. Very competitive fight. Oh! Huge combo by Medic! Semelsberger is wobbled! Medic drops him with a spinning back fist! Ground-and-pound and it’s over! Great finish by Medic.
Result: Uros Medic def. Matthew Semelsberger via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 3, 2:36
Recap: Uros Medic spinning elbow leads to TKO of Matthew Semelsberger in slugfest
Photos: Uros Medic def. Matthew Semelsberger at UFC 291: Best photos
Records: Uros Medic (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Matthew Semelsberger (11-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Tyler Tomlinson
Darrius Flowers vs. Jake Matthews
Round 1 – Flowers pressuring Matthews right off the bat. Good jabs, leg kick by Matthews. Flowers with an insane amount of pressure! These two are swinging! Body shot by Matthews. Another one. Leg kick by Matthews. Couple of wild hooks land for Flowers. More body shots by Matthews. Flowers slowing down a bit. Two minutes left. Body kick by MatthewsLeg kick by Matthews. Flowers is slowing down a lot. Right hook wobbles Flowers! Flowers played possum. He wasn’t hurt. One minute left. More body shots by Matthews. Flowers shoots for a takedown and gets it. Flowers on side control. Matthews recovers guard. The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Matthews.
Round 2 – Matthews throw a kick to the body, but it appears to land low. Flowers goes down in pain and the fight is paused. The replay seems to show that it was a clean shot, the commentators agree, and the crowd is booing the pause. The fight resumes after a few minutes. Flowers with crazy pressure again. More body shots by Matthews. Good knee to the body by Flowers. Flowers shoots for a takedown and gets stuffed. Matthews with top control. He’s got a kimura locked! Three minutes left. Matthews lets it go and gets mount. Ground-and-pound from Matthews. Flowers gives up his back! Matthews sinks in the rear-naked choke. It’s over!
Result: Jake Matthews def. Darrius Flowers via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:37
Recap: Jake Matthews submits Darrius Flowers after controversial low kick
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Records: Jake Matthews (19-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC), Darrius Flowers (12-6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Tyler Tomlinson
Roman Kopylov vs. Claudio Ribeiro
Round 1 – Leg kick by Ribeiro. Both guys very hesitant, with Kopylov doing most of the pressing. More leg kick by Robeiro. Couple of body kick by Ribeiro. Kopylov with his own body kick. Couple of hooks semi connect for Kopylov. Two minutes left. Good right hand by Ribeiro. Body kick by Kopylov. Oh! Clean left stuns Ribeiro! Kopylov upping the pressure. Good jab by Kopylov. Ribeiro seems to have recovered, although not badly hurt. Big right-hand wobbles Kopylov! Robeiro shoots for a takedown, but unable to get it before bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Kopylov.
Round 2 – Oh! NASTY head kick by Kopylov! Ribeiro goes down and has no idea where he is. The fight is over. What a finish.
Result: Roman Kopylov def. Claudio Ribeiro via KO (head-kick) – Round 2, 0:33
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Records: Roman Kopylov (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Claudio Ribeiro (11-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Marc Goddard
Vinicius Salvador vs. CJ Vergara
Round 1 – Salvador chasing Vergara and connecting several leg kicks. More leg kicks by Salvador. One, two by Salvador. Three minutes left. Vergara has yet to land anything significant. Jab by Salvador. Vergara complained about an eye poke and the referee pauses the bout. Vergara says he can’t see. The replay seems to show it was a punch, not an eye poke. The fight resumes. Leg kick by Salvador. Jabs by Salvador. Hard left by Salvador. One minute left. Leg kick by Vergara. Leg kick by Salvador. Vergara not throwing much. The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Salvador.
Round 2 – Couple of hooks by Salvador and then a jab. Leg kick by Salvador. Vergara is pressing Salvador a bit more here in the second. Body kick by Vergara. Capoeira kick by Salvador. Leg kick by Vergara. Body kick by Salvador. Three minutes left. Knee to the head by Salvador. Salvador, easily outpointing Vergara so far. Body kick by Salvador. Good left hook by Vergara. Leg kick by Vergara. A nice left hook lands for Vergara. Vegara making up for lost ground here. Nasty left hooks connects for Salvador at the end.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Salvador.
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Records: Vinicius Salvador (14-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC), CJ Vergara (11-4-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Dave Seljestad
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Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trevin Giles
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Records: Gabriel Bonfim (14-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Trevin Giles (16-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
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Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
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Records: Michael Chiesa (16-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC), Kevin Holland (24-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
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Records: Tony Ferguson (25-8 MMA, 15-6 UFC), Bobby Green (29-14-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
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Records: Derrick Lewis (26-11 MMA, 17-9 UFC), Marcos Rogerio de Lima (21-8-1 MMA, 10-6 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
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Records: Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC), Alex Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje
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Records: Dustin Poirier (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC), Justin Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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