After previously contesting two events at the nearby Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, the event was the first that the promotion held in Glendale. Zuffa had previously hosted the final World Extreme Cagefighting event, WEC 53 at the arena in December 2010.[2]
A lightweight bout between Gilbert Burns and Lando Vannata was linked to the event. However, the pairing never materialized as Vannata was unable to accept the fight for this date as he was still rehabilitating a recent arm injury.[4]
The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:[10]
Fight of the Night: Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje
Performance of the Night: Alex Oliveira and Adam Wieczorek
Reported payout
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Arizona Boxing and MMA Commission. It does not include sponsor money and also does not include the UFC's traditional "fight night" bonuses. The total disclosed payout for the event was $1,481,000.[11]