Background info on the event from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_Fight_Night:_Bisping_vs._Gastelum
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After previously contesting three events in Macau (a Special administrative region of China) since 2012, the event will mark the first that the promotion will hold on Mainland China.[1]
A middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner Kelvin Gastelum was expected to serve as the main event.[2] The pairing was previously scheduled to meet in June 2017 at UFC 212. However, Gastelum was pulled from the bout after he tested positive for Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC) which is a metabolite of marijuana or hashish above the 180 ng/mL allowance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standard.[3] In turn, despite having two months to secure an opponent, Silva and promotion officials confirmed on May 11 that he would not compete at that event.[4][5]
On November 10, it was announced that Silva had failed an out of competition drug test stemming from a sample collected on October 26 and as a result had been pulled from the card.[6] A day later, former middleweight champion and The Ultimate Fighter 3 light heavyweight winner Michael Bisping was secured as a replacement opponent for Gastelum.[7] Bisping had fought 21 days prior to this event at UFC 217, where he lost the championship to former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre.[8] Bisping was serving a medical suspension issued by NYSAC, but as China isn't under the purview of the Association of Boxing Commissions, he was allowed to fight.[9]
On November 18, it was announced that James Mulheron had failed an out-of-competition drug test stemming from sampled collected on November 10 and as a result he was pulled from the card.[10] His scheduled opponent, Cyril Asker, remains on the card and is expected to face promotional newcomer Yaozong Hu.[11]
A pair of promotional newcomers, Liu Pingyuan and Bharat Khandare were expected to face each other at the event. However, Pingyuan pulled out in November and was replaced by fellow newcomer Yadong Song.[12]
A middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner Kelvin Gastelum was expected to serve as the main event.[2] The pairing was previously scheduled to meet in June 2017 at UFC 212. However, Gastelum was pulled from the bout after he tested positive for Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC) which is a metabolite of marijuana or hashish above the 180 ng/mL allowance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standard.[3] In turn, despite having two months to secure an opponent, Silva and promotion officials confirmed on May 11 that he would not compete at that event.[4][5]
On November 10, it was announced that Silva had failed an out of competition drug test stemming from a sample collected on October 26 and as a result had been pulled from the card.[6] A day later, former middleweight champion and The Ultimate Fighter 3 light heavyweight winner Michael Bisping was secured as a replacement opponent for Gastelum.[7] Bisping had fought 21 days prior to this event at UFC 217, where he lost the championship to former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre.[8] Bisping was serving a medical suspension issued by NYSAC, but as China isn't under the purview of the Association of Boxing Commissions, he was allowed to fight.[9]
On November 18, it was announced that James Mulheron had failed an out-of-competition drug test stemming from sampled collected on November 10 and as a result he was pulled from the card.[10] His scheduled opponent, Cyril Asker, remains on the card and is expected to face promotional newcomer Yaozong Hu.[11]
A pair of promotional newcomers, Liu Pingyuan and Bharat Khandare were expected to face each other at the event. However, Pingyuan pulled out in November and was replaced by fellow newcomer Yadong Song.[12]
I don't have many notes on this event.
-If I remember right, Bobby Nash may have deliberately kicked his last opponent in the groin to give himself time to rest. I hope he can fight clean this time without fouls.
-Tim Kennedy beat Michael Bisping. Kelvin Gastelum beat Tim Kennedy. If Bisping can beat Kelvin he can avenge his loss to Kennedy to some degree.
-Muslim Salikhov may be the only dagestani fighting in the UFC who doesn't have a comprehensive wrestling background. I'm not 100% certain on this but it is a possibility.
