UFC 256 - Figueiredo vs. Moreno --- UFC on ABC 1 - Holloway vs. Kattar
UFC Fight Night 183: Thompson vs. Neal (also known as UFC Vegas 17) is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on December 19, 2020, at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Fight card
Main card (ESPN+)
Welterweight Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal
Bantamweight José Aldo vs. Marlon Vera
Welterweight Michel Pereira vs. Khaos Williams
Bantamweight Marlon Moraes vs. Rob Font
Women’s Flyweight Gillian Robertson vs. Taila Santos
Heavyweight Marcin Tybura vs. Greg Hardy
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Welterweight Anthony Pettis vs. Alex Morono
Women's Bantamweight Sijara Eubanks vs. Pannie Kianzad
Catchweight (195 lb) Deron Winn vs. Antônio Arroyo
Bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi vs. Drako Rodriguez
Middleweight Tafon Nchukwi vs. Jamie Pickett
Lightweight TBD vs. Carlton Minus
Announced bouts
Flyweight Jimmy Flick vs. Cody Durden
Middleweight Karl Roberson vs. Dalcha Lungiambula
Background
A welterweight bout between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev was initially scheduled to serve headline this event. On November 29, it was announced that Chimaev had tested positive for COVID-19, but was expected to be able to compete. In turn, Edwards pulled out two days later after also testing positive. His case was worse than Chimaev's and he was still suffering from severe symptoms of the disease. The promotion is expected to keep the bout intact and reschedule the pairing for a future event in early 2021.
The original co-main event, a welterweight bout between former UFC Welterweight Championship challenger Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal is now expected to serve as the event headliner.
A flyweight bout between Matt Schnell and Tyson Nam was expected to take place at the event. The pairing was previously scheduled to take place in September at UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill. However, the fight was cancelled on the day of the event's weigh-in as Schnell was deemed medically unfit to compete due to complications related to his weight cut. They are now expected to meet at UFC Fight Night 185.
A welterweight bout between Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady was expected to take place at this event. However in late October, Muhammad revealed that Brady had a broken nose and had to pull out of their bout. He was replaced by Dhiego Lima. Subsequently, Muhammad was diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week leading up to the event and the bout was scrapped. The pairing is expected to be left intact and rescheduled for a future event in early 2021.
Deron Winn and Antônio Braga Neto were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at the event. In turn, Braga Neto was removed from the contest due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Antônio Arroyo, thus changing the contest to a catchweight of 195 pounds.
A flyweight bout between Alexandre Pantoja and former Rizin FF Bantamweight Champion Manel Kape was scheduled for the event. However, Pantoja pulled out of the fight in early December due to COVID-19 sequelae. The promotion is expected to keep the pairing intact and reschedule it for an event in early 2021. Kape served as a potential replacement for the UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno a week earlier at UFC 256.
Misha Cirkunov was expected to face Ryan Spann in a light heavyweight bout at this event. However, Cirkunov pulled out in early December due to an injury and the bout was postponed to a future date.
A flyweight bout between Jimmy Flick and Cody Durden was initially scheduled for UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori two weeks earlier, but the pairing was canceled on the day of the event after Durden had conjunctivitis. The matchup was left intact and is expected to take place at this event.
Also rescheduled for this event is a middleweight bout between Karl Roberson and Dalcha Lungiambula. They were expected to meet at UFC 256, but Roberson tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was postponed.
A lightweight bout between Rick Glenn and Carlton Minus was scheduled for this event. However during fight week, it was announced that Glenn had to be pulled out of the bout and a replacement is being sought for Minus.
Dec 17 - Updated fight card & background
