UFC on ESPN 41: Vera vs Cruz start times and fight card

Las Vegas – UFC returns to San Diego for the first time since 2015 with a pivotal battle between top bantamweight contenders that will see No. 5 ranked Marlon Vera takes on former champion and No. 8 ranked Dominick Cruz. UFC on ESPN 41: Vera vs Cruz start times and fight card can be seen below.

This event will take place Saturday, August 13 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, Calif. All bouts will air on ESPN and will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Rising star Vera (19-7-1) fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador intends to deliver his best performance yet in his second consecutive UFC main event. A well-rounded martial artist, Vera owns the record for most finishes in UFC bantamweight history, including those earned in his victories over former champion Frankie Edgar, Sean O’Malley, and Brad Pickett. He now plans to insert his name into the UFC title picture for the first time by taking out Cruz.

Former UFC and WEC bantamweight champion Cruz (24-3) of San Diego, Calif. aims to make a statement in front of his hometown crowd. Owner of one of the most unique fighting styles in MMA, Cruz has cemented himself among the best to ever compete at 135-pounds with wins over fellow champions TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. He now looks to put a halt to Vera’s momentum and break back into the Top 5.

Top-ranked UFC women’s strawweights face off as #5 Alexa Grasso (14-3) fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico meets #7 Viviane Araujo (11-3) fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil. A flyweight bout sees Malcolm Gordon (14-5) fighting out of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada take on Allan Nascimento (19-6) fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

#7 ranked UFC women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd (9-3) fighting out of El Dorado Hill, Calif.) looks to defend her spot in the rankings against No. 8 Sara McMann (13-6) fighting out of Gaffney, S.C. Devin Clark (13-6, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D. plans to be the first to defeat Azamat Murzakanov (11-0) fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. by way of Nalchik, Russia in a light heavyweight bout

Bruno Silva (22-7) fighting out of Parana, Brazil aims for another signature finish when he faces veteran Gerald Meerschaert (34-15) fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc. in a middleweight bout. Heavyweight action sees Martin Buday (10-1) fighting out of Nitra, Slovakia collide with Lukasz Brzeski (8-1-1, 1 NC) fighting out of Małopolskie, Poland.

Yazmin Jauregui (8-0) fighting out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico intends to make a statement in her UFC debut against Istela Nunes (6-3, 1 NC\) fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Roberto Villa

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.