ESPN+ Coverage Includes Live Weigh-in, Pre- and Post Shows

Pay-Per-View Available for Purchase on ESPN.com

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UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker makes his first title defense this Saturday, Feb. 9, at UFC 234 against Kelvin Gastelum, nearly 18 months since Whittaker won the middleweight title in July 2017. Live from Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, the main card is on UFC pay-per-view, starting at 10 p.m. ET, with four preliminary bouts on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 8 p.m. Early prelims begin at 6:15 on UFC Fight Pass. Fans will be able to purchase the PPV on ESPN.com.

ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of UFC 234 includes live weigh-in, pre- and post shows, Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show and Ariel & the Bad Guy.

Calling the live action will be lead play-by-play man, Jon Anik alongside color commentator Dominick Cruz. Megan Olivi is on all reporting duties. Jon Anik will also host both UFC pre- and post shows on ESPN+. ESPN’s MMA team, including analysts Chael Sonnen and Gilbert Melendez and reporter Brett Okamoto, will be providing analysis live on location. Sonnen coached Gastelum in The Ultimate Fighter 17 (which Gastelum won) and fought Anderson Silva twice for the UFC Middleweight Championship.

Unlocking Victory, an original ESPN series which airs throughout fight week on ESPN television networks and is available anytime on the ESPN app for on-demand viewing, features breakdowns of Gastelum, Whittaker, Silva and Israel Adesanya. Hosted by UFC fighters Cruz and Melendez, Unlocking Victory breaks down the main and co-main events of each UFC pay-per-view event. The show is shot at the UFC Performance Institute in the Octagon with the fighters in their workout gear. UFC Countdown is also available now on the ESPN App for on-demand viewing with segments featuring Adesanya, Gastelum, Whittaker and Silva.

For analysis and how to watch UFC 234, go to ESPN.com. Other ESPN.com features for UFC 234 include an exclusive video and feature on Anderson Silva by Stephania Bell and a full preview and guide to the fight from Brett Okamoto.

For live companion coverage of UFC 234, go to MMA Fightcenter on the ESPN App and ESPN.com. MMA Fightcenter is ESPN’s new live, data-driven digital experience featuring live fight statistics (including strikes – by significance and body region, time in control, takedowns, and more), fight cards for every fight from UFC events, fighter profile cards and more. For ESPN+ subscribers, MMA Fightcenter also includes integrated live streaming video during live events (and when UFC action is on ESPN, viewers with “TV Everywhere” access have integrated streaming video).

Fans can also check out the UFC’s must-see moves in an interactive format filled with photos and video.

UFC 234: Whittaker vs. Gastelum (ET)

Date Time (ET) Content Platform Thu, 2/7 9 p.m. UFC 234 Press Conference ESPN+ (Live) Fri, 2/8 7 p.m. Weigh-in ESPN+ (Live) 9 p.m. UFC 234 Pre-Show ESPN+ (Live) Sat, 2/9 3 p.m. Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show ESPN Radio 7 p.m. Ariel & the Bad Guy YouTube, Twitter (Live) 6:15 p.m. UFC 234 (Early Prelims) UFC Fight Pass 8 p.m. UFC 234 (Prelims) ESPN, ESPN Deportes 10 p.m. UFC 234 (Main Card) UFC PPV 1 a.m. est. UFC 234 Post Show ESPN+ (Live)

Fans can join the @ESPNMMA conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Following UFC 234, the Octagon travels to Phoenix, AZ’s Talking Stick Resort Arena for the first UFC Fight Night on ESPN for Ngannou vs. Velasquez, Sunday, Feb. 17, starting on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET, followed by TV coverage starting at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com

Access more UFC on ESPN+ and ESPN releases.

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