UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez Saturday, July 8, Exclusively on ESPN+ PPV

ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET
Prelims on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ and SiriusXM Fight Nation at 8 p.m. ET
Early Prelims Starting at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ and SiriusXM Fight Nation
ESPN+ available on ESPN.com and ESPN App for mobile and connected TV devices
To subscribe visit ESPNPlus.com/UFC
The UFC PPV action is in Las Vegas this weekend with UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez. The event will be live from the T-Mobile Arena this Saturday, July 8, at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+ PPV (English and Spanish). The Prelims will air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ and SiriusXM Fight Nation at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Early Prelims will air on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ and SiriusXM Fight Nation starting at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. UFC 290 caps the 11th annual UFC International Fight Week that includes the UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and UFC X, a two-day fan experience.
Live coverage begins Friday with a special DC & RC live from the UFC X at the Las Vegas Convention Center at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT on ESPN+, followed by UFC Live presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2. Coverage continues Saturday with the special UFC Live Presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez Pre-Show on ABC at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.
In the main event, UFC Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (25-2) returns to the 145-pound ranks to face interim champion Yair Rodriguez (16-3) in a winner-take-all champion vs. champion main event. Volkanovski aims to reaffirm his position as the best featherweight in the world. He remains unbeaten in his UFC featherweight career, securing 10-consecutive victories, with his last five being championship contests, including his last division bout at International Fight Week last year. A former winner on the UFC reality-series The Ultimate Fighter, Rodriguez claimed the interim title with a dynamic second-round submission win over Josh Emmett earlier this year and is looking to bring his unique attacks and unpredictable approach to reign atop the featherweight ladder.
The co-main event features the reigning and defending two-time UFC Flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (21-6) against bitter rival Alexandre Pantoja (25-5). After ending his rivalry with Deiveson Figueiredo in January, Moreno looks to defend his title in another rematch against an old foe. Pantoja enters the Octagon with two straight “Performance of the Night” finishes against top-ranked opponents, and three consecutive victories. Pantoja has defeated Moreno twice before, first in 2016 in an exhibition bout on Season 24 of the UFC reality-series The Ultimate Fighter and again inside the UFC Octagon in 2018.
In the PPV portion of the card, former UFC middleweight champion and current No. 2 ranked contender Robert Whittaker (25-6) takes on No. 5 Dricus Du Plessis (19-2) in a thrilling bout with title implications.
Jon Anik will call the action alongside Joe Rogan and UFC Hall of Famer and former two-division Champion Daniel Cormier. Megan Olivi will handle reporting duties.
As part of the Spanish-language coverage, ESPN Deportes’ UFC 290 Camino Al Octagono, a pre-show special that provides viewers in-depth analysis, interviews and the latest news around every UFC PPV fight week, will be produced from UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The show airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT and will feature one-on-one interviews with Mexican Champs Yair Rodriguez and Brandon Moreno.
ESPN.com
- UFC 290: Why the top three fights on the card could shake up the rest of 2023 for the UFC (By Megan Anderson)
- This movement is magical’ — Inside Mexico’s rise as the next MMA superpower (By Marc Raimondi)
- UFC 290 expert picks and best bets: Insiders split on Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja
- Out Friday: The best fights in the biggest fight cities (Jeff Wagenheim)
ESPNDeportes.com
- How an evening in September 2019 brought us to UFC 290
- Out Thursday: How Rodríguez beats Volkanovski and shocks the world
The keys for Moreno to (finally) beat Pantoja - Out Friday: Brandon Moreno’s best performances
UFC 290 and Mexico’s moment in the spotlight
@ESPNMMA: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter
Fans can sign-up for ESPN+ at any time at ESPN.com, ESPNPlus or on the ESPN App.
Programming (All times ET)
Thu, 7/6 | 6 p.m. | UFC 290 Press Conference | ESPN App/@ESPNMMA YouTube |
8 p.m. | UFC 290: Camino al Octágono | ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ | |
Fri, 7/7 | 2:15 p.m. | UFC 290 Pre-Show Live presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez | ESPN+ |
4 p.m. | DC & RC (Live) | ESPN+ | |
5:30 p.m. | UFC Live presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez | ESPN2 | |
7 p.m. | UFC 290 Ceremonial Weigh-In: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez | ESPN App/@ESPNMMA YouTube | |
Sat, 7/8 | 12 p.m. | UFC Live Presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez Pre-Show | ABC/ESPN3 |
6 p.m. | UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez Presented by Modelo (Early Prelims) | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ (simulcast, English & Spanish), SiriusXM Fight Nation Channel #156 |
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8 p.m. | UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez Presented by Modelo (Prelims) | ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ (simulcast, English & Spanish), SiriusXM Fight Nation Channel #156 | |
10 p.m. | UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez (Main Card) | ESPN+ PPV (English & Spanish) |
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1 a.m.* | UFC 290 Post Show Presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez | ESPN+ |
*Immediately following Main Event.
Main Card and Prelims (All times ET)
10 p.m. | Main | Alexander Volkanovski (C) vs. Yair Rodriguez (IC) | UFC Featherweight Championship |
Co-Main | Brandon Moreno (C) vs. Alexandre Pantoja | UFC Flyweight Championship | |
Undercard | Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis | ||
Undercard | Jalin Turner vs. Dan Hooker | ||
Undercard | Bo Nickal vs. Val Woodburn | ||
8 p.m. | Feature | Robbie Lawler vs. Niko Price | |
Undercard | Tatsuro Taira vs. Edgar Chairez | ||
Undercard | Yazmin Jauregui vs. Denise Gomes | ||
Undercard | Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield | ||
6 p.m. | Feature | Vitor Petrino vs. Marcin Prachnio | |
Undercard | Cameron Saaiman vs. Terrence Mitchell | ||
Undercard | Shannon Ross vs. Jesus Aguilar | ||
Undercard | Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics |
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