BLOCKBUSTER BANTAMWEIGHT HEADLINER BETWEEN (#2) AND RETURNING TJ DILLASHAW AT UFC® APEX IN

Las Vegas – UFC® delivers another action-packed card at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, headlined by a thriller that will see No. 2 ranked contenderCory Sandhagen take on returning former champion TJ Dillashaw. The co-main event will see No. 3 ranked women’s bantamweight contenderAspen Ladd square off with No. 9Macy Chiasson.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: SANDHAGEN vs. DILLASHAW will take place Saturday, July 24 from UFC APEX is Las Vegas. All bouts will be available on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes beginning with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT and continuing with the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Sandhagen (14-2, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) is coming off consecutive Performance of the Night-earning knockouts over former champion and . Among the most diverse and entertaining strikers at bantamweight, he also holds wins over Raphael Assuncao, and Iuri Alcantara. Sandhagen now looks to add another former UFC champion to his resume to stake his claim for a title shot.

Former two-time bantamweight championDillashaw (17-4, fighting out of , Colo.) returns to action for the first time in over two years. Throughout his UFC career, he has utilized his dynamic striking and to secure memorable victories over (twice), Renan Barao (twice) and John Lineker. Dillashaw now has his sights set on making a statement against one of the division’s top contenders while positioning himself for an opportunity to reclaim the belt.

Aggressive finisher Ladd (9-1, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) hopes to pick up where she left off following a 2019 TKO victory over fellow contender Yana Kunitskaya. During her UFC run she has also netted impressive stoppage wins against and Lina Länsberg. Ladd now aims to remind the 135-pound division that she’s more dangerous than ever.

The Ultimate Fighter season 28 winner Chiasson (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) looks to make the most of her first UFC co-main event opportunity. Since joining the UFC roster in 2018, she has earned notable victories against , Shanna Young and Sarah Moras. Chiasson is now gunning for the biggest win of her career to crack the bantamweight top five.

Additional bouts on the card include:

No. 14 ranked bantamweight contenderKyler Phillips (9-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) takes on surging Raulian Paiva (20-3, fighting out of Santana, Amapa, Brazil) Darren Elkins (26-9, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) faces Darrick Minner (26-11, fighting out of Nebraska City, Neb.) in a clash of gritty featherweights No. 14 ranked women’s contenderMaycee Barber (8-2, fighting out of , Ill.) locks horns with No. 13 Miranda Maverick (11-2, fighting out of Norfolk, Va.) Mickey Gall (6-3, fighting out of Green Brook, N.J.) squares off with Jordan Williams (9-4 1NC, fighting out of Santa Rosa, Calif.) at welterweight Undefeated Punahele Soriano (8-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Oahu, Hawaii) meets fellow ’s Contender Series signee Brendan Allen (16-4, fighting out of Delray Beach, Fla. by way of Covington, La.) in a battle of rising middleweights In a pivotal heavyweight contenders’ bout, No. 7 ranked Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) faces No. 10 Chris Daukaus (11-3, fighting out of , Penn.) Nassourdine Imavov (9-3, fighting out of Paris, France) squares off with Ian Heinisch (14-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) in an intriguing middleweight contest Surging bantamweight prospects collide whenAdrian Yanez (13-3, fighting out of Houston, Texas) meets Randy Costa (6-1, fighting out of Taunton, Mass.) Julio Arce (16-4, fighting out of Bayside, N.Y.) returns to bantamweight to battle withAndre Ewell (17-7, fighting out of Riverside, Calif.) No. 13 ranked women’s bantamweight contenderSijara Eubanks (7-6, fighting out of Brick, N.J. by way of Springfield, Mass.) returns to flyweight to take on Elise Reed (4-0, fighting out of Princeton, N.J.) Diana Belbita (13-6, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada) faces Hannah Goldy (5-1, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) in a women’s strawweight bout

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