UFC on ESPN 35 - Font vs. Vera --- UFC on ESPN 36 - Blachowicz vs. Rakic
UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on May 7, 2022, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, United States.
Fight card
Main card
Lightweight Charles Oliveira (c) vs. Justin Gaethje Lightweight Championship (only Gaethje is eligible)
Women's Strawweight Rose Namajunas (c) vs. Carla Esparza Women's Strawweight Championship
Lightweight Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson
Light Heavyweight Maurício Rua vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Lightweight Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon
Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Welterweight Randy Brown vs. Khaos Williams
Welterweight Francisco Trinaldo vs. Danny Roberts
Catchweight (146.5 lb) Macy Chiasson vs. Norma Dumont
Flyweight Brandon Royval vs. Matt Schnell
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Heavyweight Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcos Rogério de Lima
Welterweight André Fialho vs. Cameron VanCamp
Women's Flyweight Tracy Cortez vs. Melissa Gatto
Flyweight Kleydson Rodrigues vs. C.J. Vergara
Women's Strawweight Ariane Carnelossi vs. Lupita Godinez
Bantamweight Journey Newson vs. Fernie Garcia
Background
The event was originally linked to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but the promotion eventually decided to move the event from that location. It is now expected to take place in Phoenix, Arizona. It will be the city's first event since UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Velasquez in February 2019.
A UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between current champion Glover Teixeira and former Rizin Light Heavyweight Champion Jiří Procházka was expected to take place at the event. However, the bout was pushed back to UFC 275 due to unknown reasons.
A UFC Lightweight Championship bout between current champion Charles Oliveira and former interim champion Justin Gaethje (also former WSOF Lightweight Champion) will headline the event. At the weigh-ins, Oliveira weighed in at 155.5 pounds, half a pound over the divisional title limit. As a result, upon commencement of the fight, Oliveira shall be officially stripped of the championship, and only Gaethje will be eligible to win the title.
A UFC Women's Strawweight Championship rematch between current two-time champion Rose Namajunas and former champion (also former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion) Carla Esparza will take place at the event. The pairing previously met 7 and a half years prior at The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale for the inaugural championship, which Esparza won by third round submission.
A lightweight bout between Joe Lauzon and former lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone was scheduled for UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Vera. However, the bout was moved to this event due to undisclosed reasons.
A light heavyweight rematch between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Maurício Rua (also 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion) and former interim title challenger Ovince Saint Preux is expected to take place at the event. The pairing previously headlined UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Saint Preux in 2014, where Saint Preux defeated Rua by first round knockout.
Amanda Ribas and former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Michelle Waterson were expected to meet at this event. They were originally expected to meet at UFC 257, but Waterson pulled out of the bout due to undisclosed reasons. They were then rescheduled for UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukaus, but an injury forced Waterson out of the pairing once again. Waterson announced in early March that her injury could potentially be "career ending" and would not compete at this event.
A lightweight bout between Michael Johnson and Alan Patrick was expected to take place at the event. However, the bout was pushed back one week to UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić due to unknown reasons.
At the weigh-ins, Norma Dumont weighed in at 146.5 pounds, half a pound over the women's featherweight non-title fight limit. The bout is expected to proceed at catchweight, with Dumont forfeiting 30% of her purse to her opponent, Macy Chiasson.
May 5 - Updated fight card & background
