UFC 215: Johnson vs Borg

UFC 215: Johnson vs. Borg is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will be held on September 9, 2017 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta

Background
The promotion was initially planning a  event for August 19 at a venue to be in announced in the United States (presumably Seattle), possibly with UFC Flyweight Champion and Seattle-area resident Demetrious Johnson. However, those plans were nixed on June 26, though an exact reason wasn’t given. Therefore, an  UFC 216 to be held at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on September 9 was renamed as UFC 215.

While the UFC has hosted many events across Canada, the event will be the first held in Edmonton (second in Alberta, after UFC 149 in 2012). Zuffa hosted a World Extreme Cagefighting event, WEC 49, at Rexall Place in Edmonton in June 2010.

A UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Demetrious Johnson and Ray Borg is expected to serve as the event headliner. If successful in his title defense, Johnson would become the UFC fighter with most title defenses of all time, with a total of eleven.

A UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship bout between current champion Amanda Nunes and multiple-time muay thai world champion Valentina Shevchenko is expected to take placed at this event.The pairing met previously in March 2016 at UFC 196, with  winning by unanimous decision.The pairing was initially expected to meet at UFC 213. However, the bout was canceled just hours before the event started as Nunes pulled out, citing an illness despite being medically cleared to fight

The August 19 event had two announced bouts, including a welterweight bout between Mike Perry and former UFC Welterweight Championship challenger Thiago Alves, as well as a middleweight bout between former Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombardand Anthony Smith. In turn, both fights are expected to take place the following week at UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Branch.

A women's bantamweight bout between Sara McMann and Ketlen Vieira was expected to take place at UFC 214, but on July 7 it was announced that the bout was moved to this event.

Cain Velazquez was expected to face Francis Ngannou, but on August 18 it was announced that he was pulled from the card after being notified by USADA of a potential doping violation. He was flagged after an out-of-competition drug test conducted August 10. Velazquez tested positive for hydrochlorothiazideand his team is currently working on testing 2 supplements as a possible source for it. In turn, Ngannou was removed from the card after promotion officials deemed that a suitable opponent could not be arranged.

Fight card

 * 1) Jump up^ For the UFC Flyweight Championship.
 * 2) Jump up^ For the UFC Bantamweight Championship.