| UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | December 2, 2023 (2023-12-02) | |||
| Venue | Moody Center | |||
| City | Austin, Texas, United States | |||
| Attendance | 14,485[1] | |||
| Total gate | $2,450,000[1] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan (also known asUFC on ESPN 52) was a mixed martial arts event produced by theUltimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 2, 2023, at theMoody Center inAustin,Texas, United States.[2]
This event was originally targeted to take place at theTarget Center inMinneapolis, Minnesota.[3] However the event was instead moved to theMoody Center inAustin, Texas for unspecified reasons. This also marked the promotion's fifth visit to Austin and first sinceUFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Emmett in June 2022.[2]
A lightweight bout betweenBeneil Dariush andArman Tsarukyan headlined the event.[4]
A five round lightweight bout betweenBobby Green andDan Hooker was expected take place in the co-main event, which would have marked the sixth time a non-main event and non-title bout has been scheduled for five rounds.[4] However, the week before the event, Hooker withdrew due to a broken arm and was replaced byJalin Turner in a three round bout.[5][6][7]
A middleweight bout between formerUFC Middleweight Championship challengerJared Cannonier andRoman Dolidze was expected to take place at the event.[8] However, Cannonier suffered aMCL tear in October during training and the bout was cancelled.[9][10]
A light heavyweight bout betweenAzamat Murzakanov andKhalil Rountree Jr. was expected to take place at the event.[11] However, Murzakanov was diagnosed withpneumonia and pulled from the event. Rountree was instead matched up with formerUFC Light Heavyweight Championship challengerAnthony Smith atUFC Fight Night: Song vs. Gutiérrez a week later.[12]
A featherweight bout betweenSteve Garcia and Melquizael Costa was expected to take place at the event.[13] However, the bout was scrapped when Garcia withdrew the day before due to illness.[14] The bout was rescheduled forUFC Fight Night: Song vs. Gutiérrez a week later.[15]
| Main card (ESPN / ESPN+) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Lightweight | Arman Tsarukyan | def. | Beneil Dariush | KO (knee and punches) | 1 | 1:04 | |
| Lightweight | Jalin Turner | def. | Bobby Green | KO (punches) | 1 | 2:49 | |
| Bantamweight | Deiveson Figueiredo | def. | Rob Font | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Welterweight | Sean Brady | def. | Kelvin Gastelum | Submission (kimura) | 3 | 1:43 | |
| Lightweight | Joaquim Silva | def. | Clay Guida | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Dustin Stoltzfus | def. | Punahele Soriano | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 2 | 4:10 | |
| Preliminary card (ESPN+) | |||||||
| Women's Bantamweight | Miesha Tate | def. | Julia Avila | Submission (face crank) | 3 | 1:15 | |
| Middleweight | Cody Brundage | def. | Zachary Reese | KO (slam and punches) | 1 | 1:49 | |
| Lightweight | Drakkar Klose | def. | Joe Solecki | KO (slam) | 1 | 1:41 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Rodolfo Bellato | def. | Ihor Potieria | TKO (punches) | 2 | 4:17 | |
| Welterweight | Jared Gooden | def. | Wellington Turman | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 2 | 1:11 | |
| Women's Flyweight | Veronica Hardy | def. | Jamey-Lyn Horth | Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[17]
