By Fans who have treated the UFC’s ESPN+ cards as a safe opportunity to take a week off from diligently watching every card and instead caught-up with the highlights after may need to start clearing space in their schedule as the UFC has just announced its first ever title fight on an ESPN+ card. Heavyweights Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes will throw down for the inaugural UFC on ESPN+ Heavyweight Championship on April 22, fighting for the chance to take home some of that ever-prestigious UFC gold.
“This is such an opportunity for us as a promotion and a brand,” said UFC Senior Director of Public Relations Dave Lockett. “Obviously there are big changes afoot in the organization and we’re taking this as an opportunity to learn how to grow and expand in exciting new ways, and we know the fans are going to love it, too.”
Lockett also announced that a middleweight bout on the card between Brad Tavares and Bruno Silva will now take place in a “Falls Count Anywhere” format with an unlocked cage. Unfortunately, the transition has not been fully smooth, with one pair of unnamed fighters apparently refusing efforts to institute a bra and panties match. The organization is expected to release the fighters at the first available opportunity.
