UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor
United States
Main Card • Final
Ireland
R2, 4:57
Interim Title Fight
Performance of the Night
R5, 1:00
Title Fight
Fight of the Night
Canada
R3, 0:32
Iceland
R1, 2:54
Brazil
R2, 0:29
Performance of the Night
United Kingdom
Prelims • Final
R1, 4:44
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Mexico
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Cuba
Official Event Results
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald each earned $50,000 for their legendary five-round welterweight championship battle, widely acclaimed as one of the greatest title fights in MMA history and inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Performance of the Night: Conor McGregor collected $50,000 for his dramatic second-round TKO of Chad Mendes to win the interim UFC Featherweight Championship.
Performance of the Night: Thomas Almeida earned $50,000 for his sensational second-round flying knee knockout over Brad Pickett in the main card opener.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $500,000 | — | $50,000 | $550,000 | |
| LOSS | $500,000 | — | — | $500,000 | |
| WIN | $150,000 | $150,000 | $50,000 | $350,000 | |
| LOSS | $59,000 | — | $50,000 | $109,000 | |
| WIN | $32,000* | $40,000 | — | $72,000 | |
| LOSS | $34,000 | — | — | $42,000* | |
| WIN | $29,000 | $29,000 | — | $58,000 | |
| LOSS | $22,000 | — | — | $22,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | $50,000 | $74,000 | |
| LOSS | $30,000 | — | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $46,000 | $46,000 | — | $92,000 | |
| LOSS | $23,000 | — | — | $23,000 | |
| WIN | $15,000 | $15,000 | — | $30,000 | |
| LOSS | $48,000 | — | — | $48,000 | |
| WIN | $21,000 | $21,000 | — | $42,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $15,000 | $15,000 | — | $30,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $13,000 | — | — | $13,000 |
*Disclosed purses reported by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Does not include pay-per-view dividends, locker-room discretionary bonuses, or Reebok athlete outfitting sponsorships. *Jeremy Stephens was fined 20% of his base purse ($8,000) for missing weight at 149.5 lbs; that amount was awarded directly to Dennis Bermudez, bringing Bermudez’s total earnings to $42,000 and reducing Stephens’ base purse to $32,000 ($72,000 total including win bonus). Total figures include official post-fight $50,000 bonus awards.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 189
UFC 189 generated an astonishing $7,201,648 at the gate, breaking the all-time live gate record for any mixed martial arts event held in the state of Nevada at that time.
An unprecedented crowd of 11,500 fans packed the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the Friday weigh-ins, shattering the promotional record for the highest attended weigh-in in UFC history.
Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald’s brutal co-main event was unanimously voted 2015 Fight of the Year across all major outlets, later officially inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing in 2023.
UFC 189 became the first event in promotional history to feature live musical walkout acts, with Sinéad O’Connor singing “The Foggy Dew” for McGregor and Aaron Lewis performing “Country Boy” for Mendes.
Driven by the explosive international promotion of Conor McGregor, UFC 189 pulled in an estimated 825,000 pay-per-view buys, marking the promotion’s highest-selling card in over 18 months.
Every single bout on the five-fight pay-per-view main card concluded via knockout, technical knockout, or submission, resulting in a rare 100% finish rate on a major numbered card.
With his dramatic second-round stoppage of Chad Mendes, Conor McGregor became the first fighter representing the Republic of Ireland to capture a UFC world title belt.
UFC 189 marked the official in-cage debut of the UFC Reebok Athlete Outfitting Kit program, ending independent fighter sponsorship banner displays inside the Octagon.
UFC 189 became one of the exceedingly rare pay-per-view events to feature two separate flying knee knockout finishes on the same main card (Thomas Almeida and Jeremy Stephens).
Brazilian striking phenom Thomas Almeida survived early knockdowns to brutally stop veteran Brad Pickett, advancing his undefeated professional record to 20-0 with 19 career stoppages.
Robbie Lawler rallied from behind on the judges’ scorecards (39-37 across all three cards) to stop Rory MacDonald at 1:00 of round 5, scoring one of the latest championship finishes in 170-pound history.
Icelandic submission specialist Gunnar Nelson secured his fourth first-round UFC stoppage by flooring Brandon Thatch with a left-hook combination before securing a rear-naked choke in just 2:54.
When and where did UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor take place?
UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor took place on Saturday, July 11, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes?
Conor McGregor defeated Chad Mendes via TKO (punches) at 4:57 of Round 2 to capture the interim UFC Featherweight Championship.
Why did Chad Mendes fight Conor McGregor instead of José Aldo?
Undisputed featherweight champion José Aldo was originally scheduled to defend his title against McGregor, but was forced to withdraw on June 30, 2015, after suffering a fractured rib in training. Chad Mendes stepped in on just 11 days’ notice to compete for the interim belt.
Who won the co-main event between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald?
UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler defeated Rory MacDonald via TKO (punches) at 1:00 of Round 5 to retain his title after a crushing straight left hand shattered MacDonald’s nose.
Why is Lawler vs. MacDonald 2 considered one of the greatest fights in history?
The rematch between Lawler and MacDonald was a breathtaking, back-and-forth bloodbath featuring dramatic momentum shifts and iconic stare-downs between rounds. Widely acclaimed as the 2015 Consensus Fight of the Year and one of the finest title fights in combat sports history, the bout was officially inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing in July 2023.
Who won the $50,000 post-fight bonus awards at UFC 189?
Four fighters earned $50,000 bonuses: Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald won Fight of the Night, while Conor McGregor and Thomas Almeida earned Performance of the Night honors.
What made the walkouts for the main event unique in UFC history?
UFC 189 was the first event in promotional history to incorporate live musical performances on stage during fighter walkouts. Acclaimed Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor performed “The Foggy Dew” live for Conor McGregor, while Aaron Lewis performed “Country Boy” live for Chad Mendes.
What was the live gate and attendance for UFC 189?
The event drew a sellout crowd of 16,019 fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, producing a live gate of $7,201,648, which set an all-time record for a mixed martial arts event in the state of Nevada at that time.
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 189 generate?
UFC 189 generated an estimated 825,000 pay-per-view buys in North America, becoming the biggest-selling UFC PPV event since UFC 168 in December 2013.
How many fans attended the official weigh-ins?
An estimated record crowd of 11,500 fans attended the Friday official weigh-in ceremony inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, setting a company benchmark for the largest weigh-in crowd in UFC history.
Did any main card fights go to a decision at UFC 189?
No. The main card saw a 100% finish rate, featuring four knockouts/TKOs (McGregor, Lawler, Stephens, Almeida) and one submission (Nelson).
Why was Jeremy Stephens fined at UFC 189?
Stephens missed the featherweight limit by 3.5 pounds, weighing in at 149.5 lbs. As a result, his bout with Dennis Bermudez proceeded at catchweight, and Stephens was fined 20% of his base purse ($8,000), which was awarded directly to Bermudez.
How did Thomas Almeida defeat Brad Pickett?
After being knocked down twice by Pickett in a wild opening round, undefeated Brazilian bantamweight Thomas Almeida landed a picture-perfect flying knee knockout just 29 seconds into Round 2.
Why was UFC 189 significant for fighter apparel?
UFC 189 marked the official promotional debut of the exclusive UFC Reebok Fight Kits, replacing individual fighter sponsorship shorts and banners inside the Octagon.
Who were the commentators and announcer for UFC 189?
The pay-per-view broadcast was called cage-side by Mike Goldberg and color commentator Joe Rogan, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
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