{{short description|UFC cancelled mixed martial arts event in 2016}} {{Infobox MMA event |name=UFC Fight Night: Lamas vs. Penn |image=UFC_Manila_poster.jpg |promotion=Ultimate Fighting Championship |date=October 15, 2016 (cancelled) |venue=Mall of Asia Arena |city=Pasay, Philippines |attendance= |buyrate= |previousevent=UFC 204: Bisping vs Henderson 2 |followingevent=The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson }} '''''UFC Fight Night: Lamas vs. Penn''''' (also known as '''''UFC Fight Night 97''''') was a planned mixed martial arts event that was set to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 15, 2016, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Philippines.<ref name="UFC Fight Night Manila 2">{{cite web|url=http://cnnphilippines.com/sports/2016/06/23/UFC-Fight-Night-Manila-2016-October.html|title=UFC returns to PH for Fight Night Manila|publisher=cnnphilippines.com|author=CNN Philippines Staff|date=2016-06-23|access-date=2016-06-23|archive-date=2016-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626122709/http://cnnphilippines.com/sports/2016/06/23/UFC-Fight-Night-Manila-2016-October.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.ufc.com/news/Penn-vs-Lamas-Headlines-Manila-Event|title=Penn vs. Lamas headlines Manila event|publisher=au.ufc.com|author=UFC Press Release|date=2016-08-15|access-date=2016-08-15}}</ref>
==Background== The event in Pasay was supposed to be the second that the organization hosted in the Philippines, with the first being UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber on May 16, 2015.<ref name="UFC Fight Night Manila 2" /> The entire event was supposed to stream live on UFC Fight Pass.<ref name="UFC Fight Night Manila 2" />
A featherweight bout between former title challenger Ricardo Lamas and former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight Champion B.J. Penn was expected to serve as the main event.<ref name="Pasay">{{cite web|url=http://themmareport.com/2016/08/ricardo-lamas-vs-b-j-penn-official-as-main-event-of-ufc-fight-night-97/|title=Ricardo Lamas vs. B.J. Penn official as main event of UFC Fight Night 97|publisher=themmareport.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2016-08-15|access-date=2016-08-15}}</ref> However, on October 4, Penn pulled out of the fight citing an injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/10/injury-forces-b-j-penn-out-of-ufc-fight-night-97|title=Injury forces B.J. Penn out of UFC Fight Night 97 headliner|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=John Morgan|date=2016-10-04|access-date=2016-10-04}}</ref> In turn, the promotion announced on October 6 that they had cancelled the event entirely.<ref name="UFC Fight Night 97 cancelled">{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/10/after-b-j-penns-withdrawal-ufc-cancels-next-weeks-ufc-fight-night-97-event-in-philippines|title=After B.J. Penn's withdrawal, UFC cancels next week's UFC Fight Night 97 event in Philippines|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2016-10-06|access-date=2016-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/10/7/13197506/philippine-commission-gab-issues-statement-on-rumors-concerning-ufc-manila|title=Philippine commission issues statement on rumors concerning UFC Manila|publisher=bloodyelbow.com|author=Anton Tabuena|date=2016-10-07|access-date=2016-10-07}}</ref>
The remaining fighters on the card were all awarded their contracted show money despite not competing. All of the fighters on the card were rebooked for future events. This was the third time, following UFC 151 in September 2012, and UFC 176 in August 2014 that the promotion elected to cancel an event because of a lack of a high-profile fight to fill a main event spot.<ref name="UFC Fight Night 97 cancelled" />
A lightweight bout between Damir Hadžović and Yusuke Kasuya, initially scheduled for UFC 203, was postponed after Hadžović experienced an issue with his travel visa. The pairing was rescheduled and was expected to take place at this event.<ref name="delay">{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/09/saturdays-ufc-203-event-opener-moves-to-ufc-fight-night-97-in-philippines|title=Saturday's UFC 203 event-opener moves to UFC Fight Night 97 in Philippines|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2016-09-05|access-date=2016-09-05|archive-date=2016-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905235149/http://mmajunkie.com/2016/09/saturdays-ufc-203-event-opener-moves-to-ufc-fight-night-97-in-philippines|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Mehdi Baghdad was expected to face Jon Tuck at the event. However, Baghdad pulled out of the fight in mid-September citing injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Alexander Volkanovski.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fightnewsaustralia.com/alex-volkanovski-set-to-face-jon-tuck-at-ufc-fight-night-97/|title=Alex Volkanovski set to face Jon Tuck at UFC Fight Night 97|publisher=fightnewsaustralia.com|author=Chris|date=2016-09-15|access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref>
==Cancelled fight card== {{MMAevent}} {{MMAevent card|Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)}} {{MMAevent bout |Featherweight |Ricardo Lamas |vs. |B.J. Penn | | | |Lamas booked against Charles Oliveira. Moved to The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/10/12/13264346/ricardo-lamas-vs-charles-oliveira-booked-to-ufc-fight-night-98-in|title=Ricardo Lamas vs. Charles Oliveira booked for UFC Fight Night 98 in Mexico|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Guilherme Cruz|access-date=2016-10-13|date=2016-10-12}}</ref> Penn booked against Yair Rodríguez. Moved to UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Penn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ufc.com/news/Rodriguez-vs-Penn-to-Headline-Phoenix-Event|title=Rodríguez vs Penn to headline Phoenix event|publisher=ufc.com|author=Thomas Gerbasi|access-date=2016-11-21|date=2016-11-21}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Heavyweight |Derrick Lewis |vs. |Marcin Tybura | | | |Lewis booked against Shamil Abdurakhimov. Moved to UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Abdurakhimov<ref name="Albany">{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/10/ufc-fight-night-102-gets-eight-new-fights-including-derrick-lewis-vs-shamil-abdurakhimov-headliner-1|title=UFC Fight Night 102 gets eight new fights, including Derrick Lewis vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov headliner|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2016-10-14|access-date=2016-10-14}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Flyweight |Jenel Lausa |vs. |Yao Zhikui | | | |Moved to UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/10/12/13254876/ufc-manila-jenel-lausa-vs-yao-zhikui-re-booked-melbourne-rockhold-vs-jacare-2|title=UFC Manila's Lausa vs Zhikui re-booked for UFN: Rockhold vs Jacare 2|publisher=bloodyelbow.com|author=Anton Tabuena|access-date=2016-10-12|date=2016-10-12|archive-date=2016-10-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012225820/http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/10/12/13254876/ufc-manila-jenel-lausa-vs-yao-zhikui-re-booked-melbourne-rockhold-vs-jacare-2|url-status=dead}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Featherweight |Cole Miller |vs. |Mizuto Hirota | | | |Moved to UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/11/cole-miller-vs-mizuto-hirota-joins-ufc-on-fox-22-lineup|title=Cole Miller vs. Mizuto Hirota joins UFC on FOX 22 lineup|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|access-date=2016-11-21|date=2016-11-21}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent card|Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)|header=no}} {{MMAevent bout |Middleweight |Sam Alvey |vs. |Alex Nicholson | | | |Moved to The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/10/sam-alvey-vs-alex-nicholson-moves-to-ufc-fight-night-98-in-mexico|title=Sam Alvey vs. Alex Nicholson moves to UFC Fight Night 98 in Mexico|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|access-date=2016-10-11|date=2016-10-11}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Lightweight |Jon Tuck |vs. |Alexander Volkanovski | | | |Tuck booked against Damien Brown; Volkanovski booked against Kasuya. Both moved to UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson<ref name="Tuck&Kasuya">{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2016/10/ufc-fight-night-101-in-australia-gets-3-new-additions|title=UFC Fight Night 101 in Australia gets 3 new additions|publisher=mmajunkie.com|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|access-date=2016-10-12|date=2016-10-12}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Middleweight |Yang Dongi |vs. |Ryan Janes | | | |Janes booked against Keith Berish. Moved to UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Abdurakhimov<ref name="Albany"/> }} {{MMAevent bout |Women's Strawweight |Seo Hee Ham |vs. |Danielle Taylor | | | |Moved to UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spotvnews.co.kr/?mod=news&act=articleView&idxno=82565&sc_code=1419317435|title=Seo Hee Ham vs Taylor go to November UFC tournament in Australia (Korean)|publisher=spotvnews.co.kr|author=Gimgeonil reporters|access-date=2016-10-13|date=2016-10-13}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Welterweight |James Moontasri |vs. |Alex Morono | | | |Moved to UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson<ref name="Moontasri/Morono">{{cite web|url=http://www.whittierdailynews.com/sports/20161017/james-moontasri-vs-alex-morono-added-to-ufc-on-fox-22|title=James Moontasri vs. Alex Morono added to UFC on Fox 22|publisher=whittierdailynews.com|author=Brian Martin|access-date=2016-10-17|date=2016-10-17}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Flyweight |Kyoji Horiguchi |vs. |Ali Bagautinov | | | |Moved to UFC Fight Night: Mousasi vs. Hall 2<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsjoe.ie/mma/ufc-belfast-benefits-greatly-cancelled-manila-event-exciting-flyweight-bout-finds-new-home/98867|title=UFC Belfast benefits greatly from cancelled Manila event as exciting flyweight bout finds new home|publisher=sportsjoe.ie|author=Ben Kiely|access-date=2016-10-13|date=2016-10-13|archive-date=2016-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014063725/http://www.sportsjoe.ie/mma/ufc-belfast-benefits-greatly-cancelled-manila-event-exciting-flyweight-bout-finds-new-home/98867|url-status=dead}}</ref> }} {{MMAevent bout |Lightweight |Damir Hadžović |vs. |Yusuke Kasuya | | | |Kasuya booked against Volkanovski and moved to UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson<ref name="Tuck&Kasuya"/> }} {{MMAevent end|notes=yes}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-fight-night-manila-2016#/fight|title=UFC Fight Night: Lamas vs. Penn|publisher=Ultimate Fighting Championship|access-date=2016-07-01}}</ref>
==See also== *List of UFC events *2016 in UFC
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{UFC Events}}
Category:UFC Fight Night Category:Cancelled Ultimate Fighting Championship events Category:2016 in mixed martial arts Category:2016 in Philippine sport Category:Mixed martial arts in the Philippines Category:October 2016 sports events in Asia