After the most tumultuous year in the organization’s history, the final UFC event of 2020 — UFC on ESPN+ 42 — is upon us at last. With the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it is a safe bet that the early fight cards of 2021 will struggle with the same scheduling difficulties as the events of 2020, but the UFC closes the year with a card filled with rising stars and grisled veterans.
The headlining affair was slated to pit breakout phenom Khamzat Chimaev against Leon Edwards, but alas, that fight fell through due to the coronavirus. In its place, Fortis MMA standout Geoff Neal now takes on former two-time title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in the evening’s main event.