Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira Headlines UFC Nashville

LockerRoom Team

05 Jun 2025

The UFC is set to return to Nashville with a clash of heavyweight knockout artists, as former title challenger and No. 9 ranked contender Derrick Lewis faces off against No. 14 ranked Tallison Teixeira in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira on Saturday, July 12, at Bridgestone Arena.

The card also features an exciting featherweight matchup between No. 15 ranked Calvin Kattar and rising striker Steve Garcia. The entire event will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as in English and Spanish on ESPN+. Preliminary bouts begin at 7 p.m. ET, with the main card scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.

Lewis (28-12, 1 NC), fighting out of Houston, Texas, owns the most knockouts in UFC history with 15. A staple in the division since 2014, he’s delivered memorable finishes against Curtis Blaydes, Alexander Volkov, and most recently, Rodrigo Nascimento. The fan favorite returns for his 10th UFC main event with plans to defend his ranking and add another highlight-reel finish to his résumé.

Teixeira (8-0), an undefeated prospect out of São Paulo, Brazil, steps into his first UFC main event with a perfect 100% first-round finishing rate. A Dana White’s Contender Series standout, Teixeira earned UFC victories over Justin Tafa and Arthur Lopes, quickly building momentum as one of the most dangerous newcomers in the division.

In the co-main event, Massachusetts native Kattar (23-9) looks to rebound and reassert himself as a top contender in the featherweight division. Known for his durability and elite boxing, Kattar holds wins over Giga Chikadze, Dan Ige, and Jeremy Stephens.

Garcia (17-5), fighting out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, aims to break into the top 15. With five consecutive UFC knockouts—tying him for the fourth-most in promotional history—he hopes to continue his rise by finishing one of the division’s most seasoned veterans.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 30, at 10 a.m. CT through Ticketmaster.com. UFC Fight Club members will have early access on Wednesday, May 28, followed by a special internet presale for UFC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, May 29.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Jake Matthews vs. Chidi Njokuani (Welterweight)
• Junior Tafa vs. Tuco Tokkos (Light Heavyweight)
• Ateba Gautier vs. Robert Valentin (Middleweight)
• Vitor Petrino vs. Austen Lane (Heavyweight debut for Petrino)
• Max Griffin vs. Chris Curtis (Welterweight)
• Fatima Kline vs. Melissa Martinez (Strawweight)
• Lauren Murphy vs. Eduarda Moura (Flyweight)

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira promises a night of explosive action as knockout artists and rising stars collide in the Music City.