UFC 230

UFC 230: Cormier vs. Lewis was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on November 3, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.

Background

A UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between champion Daniel Cormier (also the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion) and Derrick Lewis headlined the event.

A bout for the vacant UFC Women's Flyweight Championship between former UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship challenger Valentina Shevchenko and Sijara Eubanks was expected to serve as the event headliner. Shevchenko was initially expected to face former UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 231 for the title, but due to UFC 230 being in need of a main event, she was booked against Eubanks sooner. Eubanks was expected to face Jessica Eye at UFC 232, before being moved to this bout. After the UFC announced Cormier/Lewis on October 9, they confirmed this bout was canceled and that Shevchenko would return to her original bout at UFC 231. Eubanks remained on the card and faced former title challenger Roxanne Modafferi.

A middleweight bout between former interim UFC Middleweight Championship challenger (as well as 2000 Olympic silver medalist and world champion in freestyle wrestling) Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa was scheduled for the event. However, Romero indicated in mid-August that while he has been cleared to fight, his doctors have recommended that he wait another four to five months (early 2019) to allow facial injuries incurred during his most recent fight to fully heal.

A lightweight bout between Dustin Poirier and former UFC Lightweight Championship challenger and The Ultimate Fighter 5 lightweight winner Nate Diaz was expected to take place at the event. However, on October 10, it was reported that Poirier pulled out due to injury and the bout was cancelled.