SUMMARY
- UFC returns to Mexico City this weekend after an infamous incident occurred last time out.
- In September 2019, UFC commentators Michael Bisping and Brendan Fitzgerald had to take cover from fans pelting trash toward the Octagon.
UFC will be returning to Mexico City, Mexico, on February 24, 2024, for UFC Fight Night 237. This will be the first time UFC visits Mexico after its debacle in the country over four years ago. UFC Fight Night 159 in September 2019 ended with some angry fans jeering and pelting bottles towards the Octagon forcing commentators to take cover.
Michael Bisping and Brendan Fitzgerald were on commentary duty in 2019 when several Mexican fighters took to the Octagon. Two unfavorable decisions in the co-main and the main event for the home crowd made them go violent.
In the co-main event, Carla Esparza defeated Mexican fighter Alexa Grasso. The current UFC Women’s Flyweight champion dominated the third round but lost the decision due to her poor performance in the first two rounds. Esparza was booed by the fans after the decision was announced. Moreover, beer was also thrown at her.
In the main event, Mexican Yair Rodriguez took on Jeremy Stephens. Only 15 seconds into the fight, Rodriguez poked Stephens in the eye which led the match to a halt. Stephens was being booed and after the fight was turned into a no-contest by referee Herb Dean, the crowd erupted into an even louder chorus of boos. They even hurled trash into the cage.
UFC returns to Mexico City for the first time since this incident this weekend 😂
pic.twitter.com/FxOkbzyLr4— ᴍᴍᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴄᴜs 🏝️ (@mmamarcuss) February 22, 2024
Commentators Fitzgerald and Bisping were also on the receiving end of the trash. Fitzgerald took cover under the table while fulfilling his duties. Bisping, on the other hand, felt ready to come out of retirement and face some of the displeased fans. The former UFC Middleweight champion saw a different side of the events as he recorded his view of the whole debacle.
UFC fighters Cain Velasquez and Brian Ortega joined the fans in denigrating behavior at UFC Fight Night 159
Brian Ortega and Cain Velasquez had no involvement in the Octagon on the night. However, they were involved outside of it. While the crowd booed and threw trash toward the Octagon, Ortega and Velasquez were busy leading the jeers.
Fans mistreating fighters makes me livid. Other fighters acting like fans and joining in on the abuse makes me sad. I like Cain Velasquez & Brian Ortega as fighters, & I can’t stand this behavior from them last night. There’s a lot packed in it, I’m sure, but it’s unfortunate. pic.twitter.com/IYb587aiKy
— Elias Cepeda (@EliasCepeda) September 22, 2019
Ortega even posted about it on his Instagram Story. The fighters enjoyed mistreating Stephens. On the other hand, after medical results were released it was revealed that Stephens suffered a corneal abrasion due to Rodriguez’s eye poke. Rodriguez had also perched atop the Octagon and joined the fans in disgraceful taste.
UFC returns to Mexico City for UFC Fight Night 237
After the successful UFC 298 PPV, the promotion moves to Mexico for UFC Fight Night 237. The event will take place at Arena CDMX in Mexico City and several Mexican fighters will be on the card. Brandon Royval will take on Brandon Moreno in the headliner in a flyweight bout. The pair previously met at UFC 255 and Moreno earned the win via first-round TKO.
It’s UFC Mexico fight week. Rate this card from 1-10 🤔 #UFCMexico #UFC pic.twitter.com/gAtdHBN883
— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) February 23, 2024
The co-main event sees Yair Rodriguez take on Brian Ortega in a featherweight bout. This is also a rematch as the pair previously met at UFC on ABC: Ortega vs. Rodriguez. The former interim featherweight champion, Rodriguez, had won the first match via first-round TKO.
Other fights on the main card include a lightweight bout between Daniel Zellhuber and Francisco Prado, a bantamweight bout between Raul Rosas Jr. and Ricky Turcios, a women’s strawweight bout between Yazmin Jauregui and Sam Hughes, and another lightweight bout between Manuel Torres and Chris Duncan.