Cain Velasquez was pulled from UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey due to the Nevada Athletic Commission determining he is unfit to fight with a back injury. So he will not be fighting Fabricio Werdum on Friday, but the card is still packed with big bouts from top to bottom.
UFC 207 fight card: Full list of matches at Rousey vs. Nunes
It’s taken some hits, but the UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey fight card is still stacked.
Ronda Rousey, in her first fight since November 2015, will return to action against Amanda Nunes in a bantamweight championship bought. Rousey is coming off her first loss as a professional mixed martial artist, a knockout loss to Holly Holm, who promptly lost the title to Miesha Tate, who promptly lost the title to Nunes in July.
Nunes is riding a four-fight winning streak, which includes a TKO, two submissions and a unanimous decision win. Her fight with Tate went just 3:16 in the first round before she won via rear-naked choke. Rousey’s return to the UFC has been hotly anticipated and it would be a huge card even if the rest of it wasn’t great.
Fortunately, it’s still a strong card beyond that fight. Dominick Cruz, who has not lost since falling to Urijah Faber in 2007, will defend his bantamweight championship against Cody Garbrandt. Cruz has looked great this year, a great sign given in 2011 he had to give up the bantamweight belt after a succession of injuries.
There was doubt he’d be able to return to fighting, but he looks better than ever, and in his last fight avenged his loss to Faber.
The main card will get underway with a bout between Ray Borg and Louis Smolka, though Borg came in over the weight limit and will forfeit a portion of his purse accordingly. Johny Hendricks, the former UFC welterweight champion, will also be fined a portion of his purse for coming in overweight. Hendricks will face Neil Magny in the main event of the preliminary card on Fox Sports 1.
In other main card action, former bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw will face John Lineker and Dong Hyun Kim will take on Tarec Saffiedine. That fight was originally supposed to be between Matt Brown and Saffiedine, but that fight was scrapped when Brown was moved to UFC 206 against Donald Cerrone.
Below is a full look at the fight card and all the information you need to watch Friday’s event.
All Times Eastern
PPV Main Card (10 p.m.)
Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey
Dominick Cruz vs. Cody Garbrandt
T.J. Dillashaw vs. John Lineker
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Ray Borg vs. Louis Smolka
Fox Sports 1 Preliminary Card (8 p.m.)
Johny Hendricks vs. Neil Magny
Alex Garcia vs. Mike Pyle
Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Marvin Vettori
Niko Price vs. Brandon Thatch
Fight Pass Preliminary Card (7:30 p.m.)
Tim Means vs. Alex Oliveira
UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey schedule and coverage for Friday
Time: Prelims 1 at 7:30 p.m.; prelims 2 at 8 p.m.; main card at 10 p.m.
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: Fox Sports 1 (prelims 2), PPV (main card)
Online streaming: UFC Fight Pass, UFC.TV, UFC YouTube
