UFC returns to L.A. with two thrilling championship rematches

Las Vegas – UFC® will return to Los Angeles with a blockbuster bantamweight championship rematch that will see T.J. Dillashaw defend against former champ and No.1 contender Cody Garbrandt. In the co-main event, UFC flyweight champion and No.1 pound-for-pound fighter Demetrious Johnson will run it back with No.2-ranked contender Henry Cejudo. UFC® 227: DILLASHAW vs. GARBRANDT 2 goes down Saturday, August 4 at STAPLES Center and will air live on Pay-Per-View.

Among the most heated rivals in UFC history, Dillashaw (16-3, fighting out of Angels Camp, Calif.) and Garbrandt (11-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) first locked horns last November. Following a series of exciting back-and-forth exchanges, Dillashaw delivered a spectacular second-round KO to recapture the 135-pound title.

Dillashaw now looks to get the last laugh over his former teammate. A diverse striker and talented grappler, he’s earned victories over a who’s who in the bantamweight division. Over the course of his UFC career, he’s bested Renan Barao (twice), Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker. Another impressive victory will allow him to close the book on his feud with Garbrandt.

As for Garbrandt, the former titleholder aims for a measure of revenge. Known for his highlight-reel knockouts, he tore a path of destruction through the division en route to dethroning Dominick Cruz in 2016. During his UFC stint, the heavy-handed striker has stopped Takeya Mizugaki, Thomas Almeida and Augusto Mendes. Garbrandt now aims to even the score and reclaim the bantamweight championship.

Also, at UFC® 227: DILLASHAW vs. GARBRANDT 2, flyweight champion Johnson (27-2-1, fighting out of Parkland, Wash.) will see a familiar face in Cejudo (12-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.), as he goes for his record 12th consecutive title defense. The two originally met two years ago, with Johnson defending his title via impressive TKO.

Since then, Johnson has picked up three more sensational wins, including highlight-reel submissions against Wilson Reis and Ray Borg. The latter set a new record for UFC title defenses. Johnson has also bested Joseph Benavidez (twice), John Dodson (twice) and Kyoji Horiguchi. He now plans to notch another defense and continue building his already impressive legacy.

An Olympic gold medalist wrestler, Cejudo is gunning for his first UFC championship. A decorated grappler with heavy hands, he’s topped Sergio Pettis, Henry Cejudo and Jussier Formiga during his climb up the flyweight ranks. With the 125-pound title in his sights, Cejudo not only plans to reach his destiny, but also plans to hand Johnson his first loss in almost seven years.

Additional bouts on the card include:

In a clash of featherweight contenders, No.5-ranked Cub Swanson (25-8, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) faces No.9 Renato Moicano (12-1-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil).
No.6-ranked middleweight contender Derek Brunson (18-6, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) looks to turn back surging No.12 Antonio Carlos Junior (11-2 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Joao Pessoa, Brazil)
Former women’s bantamweight title challenger and No.10-ranked contender Bethe Correia (10-3-1, fighting out of Campina Grande, Brazil) locks horns with No.12 Irene Aldana (7-4, fighting out of Culiacan, Mexico)
Polyana Viana (10-1, fighting out of Sao Geraldo do Araguaia, Brazil) looks to keep the momentum going when she meets rising star JJ Aldrich (6-2, fighting out of Westminster, Colo.)
Ricardo Ramos (11-1, fighting out of Campinas, Brazil) goes for another highlight-reel KO against streaking Kyung Ho Kang (13-7 1NC, fighting out of Busan, South Korea)
Danielle Taylor (9-3, fighting out of Van Nuys, Calif.) aims to get back in the win column against debuting Weili Zhang (16-1, fighting out of Hebei, China)
Buren Wuliji (10-5, fighting out of Beijing, China) takes on fellow prospect Bharat Khandare (5-3, fighting out of Mumbai, India)
In a battle of exciting prospects, Benito Lopez (9-0, fighting out of Oroville, Calif.) meets Ricky Simon (10-1, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

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UFC® 227: DILLASHAW vs. GARBRANDT 2 will air live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, August 4, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC® 227: DILLASHAW vs. GARBRANDT 2 go on sale Friday, June 15 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $362.25, $284.60, $232.90, $196.65, $165.60, $134.55, $103.50, $82.80 and $62.10 (does not include fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, June 13 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, June 14 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.