At the APEX Center in Las Vegas comes UFC Fight Night on ESPN 21. In women’s strawweight action, Cheyanne Buys (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Montserrat Ruiz 9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) both make their UFC debut, squaring off against each other.
https://twitter.com/espn_ufc/status/1372121379470864387?s=01
This is the only women’s bout on the main card. Buys has had a long journey, fighting through the amateur MMA ranks from 2013 through 2017. In her short career, she has fought in five different promotions before defeating Hilarie Rose in Dana White’s Contender Series back in August of 2020. Training in MMA for over the last decade, her 5-1 record is more than well earned.
As for Ruiz, the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu product has also fought in many fight promotions around the world before she’s about to make her UFC debut. She even had an eight-fight winning streak during her independent career. The Leon Guanajuato, México native is a seven-year MMA veteran who took the fight against Buys on one week notice. She replaces Kay Hansen who withdrew due to ongoing health issues. Hansen took to Twitter to voice her disappointment in missing out against Buys.
Devastated to say the least. In almost 13 professional fights I’ve never even had the thought of pulling out. I did absolutely everything in my power to try & make this work but my health wasn’t having it. My health and well being come first. I’ll be back❤️ https://t.co/nAfQE7YH6A
— Kay Hansen (@KayHansenMMA) March 12, 2021
UFC Fight Night will air on ESPN+ at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.