UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3
United States
Main Card • Final
R5, 5:00
Title Fight
Ecuador
R1, 4:40
Suriname
R2, 3:47
Brazil
R2, 4:37
Performance of the Night
Georgia
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R1, 1:44
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
R1, 4:28
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
Official Event Results
Title Bout
$50k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Kai Kamaka III and Tony Kelley each took home $50,000 for their back-and-forth three-round war in the featherweight preliminary division.
Performance of the Night: Daniel Pineda earned $50,000 for his second-round stoppage finish against Herbert Burns in his triumphant return to the Octagon.
Performance of the Night: Virna Jandiroba earned $50,000 for her swift first-round armbar submission over Felice Herrig.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $750,000 | — | — | $790,000 | |
| LOSS | $500,000 | — | — | $530,000 | |
| LOSS | $500,000 | — | — | $520,000 | |
| WIN | $100,000 | $100,000 | — | $205,000 | |
| WIN | $65,000 | $65,000 | — | $145,000 | |
| LOSS | $111,000 | — | — | $131,000 | |
| WIN | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $105,000 | |
| WIN | $24,000 | $24,000 | $50,000 | $102,000 | |
| WIN | $40,000 | $40,000 | — | $85,000 | |
| LOSS | $70,000 | — | — | $75,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 | $73,500 | |
| LOSS | $60,000 | — | — | $70,000 | |
| WIN | $30,000 | $30,000 | — | $65,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | $50,000 | $63,500 | |
| LOSS | $40,000 | — | — | $45,000 | |
| WIN | $20,000 | $20,000 | — | $44,000 | |
| LOSS | $25,000 | — | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $26,900 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $23,500 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $19,500 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $13,500 | |
| LOSS | $9,600 | — | — | $13,100 |
*Purses and estimated figures compiled from contractual baselines and industry payouts. Herbert Burns and TJ Brown were fined 20% of their base purses for missing weight, which were awarded to their respective opponents Daniel Pineda and Danny Chavez. Total estimated payouts include UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay and official $50,000 post-fight performance bonus awards.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 252
Stipe Miocic notched his sixth career UFC heavyweight championship bout victory, surpassing Randy Couture (5) to take sole possession of the all-time division record.
Veteran lightweight Jim Miller made his 36th Octagon appearance, establishing the undisputed promotional record for the most total bouts in UFC history at the time.
UFC 252 settled the rivalry between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier, marking the first trilogy in UFC history contested exclusively with both men as reigning or former undisputed multi-division champions.
Daniel Cormier completed his historic Octagon career at UFC 252, retiring as the only fighter in UFC history to defend both the light heavyweight and heavyweight belts.
Marlon Vera earned his 8th finish in the UFC bantamweight division by stopping Sean O’Malley, tying TJ Dillashaw for second-most finishes in division history.
By landing 115 significant strikes over five rounds, Stipe Miocic became only the second heavyweight in UFC history to land over 1,500 career total strikes inside the Octagon.
Merab Dvalishvili attempted 20 takedowns against John Dodson, marking his fourth consecutive UFC bout attempting 10 or more takedowns—the longest such streak in bantamweight history.
Virna Jandiroba secured an armbar finish over Felice Herrig in just 104 seconds, recording the second-fastest armbar submission in UFC women’s strawweight history.
Returning to the UFC for the first time since 2014, Daniel Pineda scored a second-round TKO against Herbert Burns, capturing his first promotional performance bonus in 2,275 days.
UFC 252 was the first numbered Pay-Per-View in company history hosted entirely within the UFC Apex 25-foot Octagon, accelerating rapid-fire action and five stoppage finishes.
Promotional newcomers Kai Kamaka III and Tony Kelley connected with 228 combined significant strikes, establishing one of the highest strike totals for a UFC featherweight debut bout.
Marlon Vera stopped the heavily favored Sean O’Malley via first-round ground-and-pound, snapping O’Malley’s unblemished 12-0 professional MMA winning streak.
When and where did UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3 take place?
UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3 took place on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada (Las Vegas Metropolitan Area).
Who won the main event between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier?
Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier via unanimous decision (48–47, 49–46, 49–46) after five hard-fought rounds to retain the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship and win their trilogy series 2-1.
What was the historical significance of the Miocic vs. Cormier trilogy?
The trilogy settled the greatest heavyweight rivalry in UFC history. Cormier knocked out Miocic at UFC 226, Miocic evened the series via TKO at UFC 241, and Miocic settled the debate at UFC 252 with a unanimous decision victory.
Who won the co-main event between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera?
Marlon Vera defeated Sean O’Malley via TKO (elbows and punches) at 4:40 of Round 1, capitalizing after O’Malley suffered a peroneal nerve injury to his leg.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC 252?
Four fighters received $50,000 performance bonuses: Kai Kamaka III vs. Tony Kelley earned Fight of the Night, while Daniel Pineda and Virna Jandiroba each took home Performance of the Night honors.
Did Daniel Cormier retire after UFC 252?
Yes. Following his unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier confirmed his retirement from professional mixed martial arts, concluding a legendary Hall of Fame career as a two-division champion.
What were the attendance and live gate figures for UFC 252?
Due to safety restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, UFC 252 was held behind closed doors with 0 fans in attendance, generating $0 in gate revenue.
How did Jairzinho Rozenstruik defeat Junior dos Santos?
Jairzinho Rozenstruik defeated former champion Junior dos Santos via TKO (punches) at 3:47 of Round 2 after hurting him with a rapid two-punch combination against the cage.
Which bout was awarded Fight of the Night at UFC 252?
The early preliminary featherweight clash between promotional debutants Kai Kamaka III and Tony Kelley was awarded the Fight of the Night bonus after an electric three-round scrap.
Did any fighters miss weight at UFC 252?
Yes. Herbert Burns (149.5 lb) and TJ Brown (146.5 lb) missed the featherweight limit. Both bouts proceeded at catchweights, with Burns and Brown forfeiting 20% of their purses to Daniel Pineda and Danny Chavez, respectively.
What milestone did Jim Miller set at UFC 252?
Jim Miller competed in his 36th UFC fight, which set the all-time promotional record for the most Octagon appearances in UFC history at that time.
Who were the commentators and cage announcer for UFC 252?
The broadcast desk featured play-by-play caller Jon Anik alongside color analysts Joe Rogan and Dominick Cruz (stepping in for Daniel Cormier), with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 252 generate?
UFC 252 generated an estimated 500,000 pay-per-view buys globally via ESPN+ PPV and international carriers.
How did Daniel Pineda perform in his UFC return?
In his first Octagon appearance in over six years, Daniel Pineda dominated Herbert Burns on the ground, securing a second-round TKO via elbows from the crucifix position at 4:37 of Round 2.
What record streak did Merab Dvalishvili extend at UFC 252?
Merab Dvalishvili attempted 20 takedowns against John Dodson, recording his fourth consecutive UFC bout with double-digit takedown attempts and earning a dominant 30–27 unanimous decision victory.
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