Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. London O2, Fight Pass Exclusive & The Numbering Quirk
3. Quick Stats
4. Main Event: Manuwa KOs Anderson R1
5. Pickett’s Farewell, Edwards’ Rise, Allen’s Debut & The Card
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 107: Manuwa vs. Anderson took place on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at The O2 Arena in London, England — broadcast exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. The card drew 15,761 fans for a gate of $2,015,777 — over $2 million, one of the strongest gates for a UFC Fight Night in European history. This event was expected to be numbered UFC Fight Night 108, but a planned Las Vegas event that would have been FN106 never materialised, advancing the London card’s number by one.
Jimi Manuwa stopped Corey Anderson with a first-round KO at 3:05 and earned Performance of the Night. Gunnar Nelson’s guillotine choke of Alan Jouban, Marlon Vera’s third-round TKO of Brad Pickett (Pickett’s retirement fight), and Marc Diakiese’s 30-second KO of Teemu Packalén also earned Performance of the Night. No Fight of the Night bonus was awarded — the second consecutive UFC Fight Night without a FotN. Leon Edwards defeated Vicente Luque in an early career welterweight contest. Arnold Allen made his UFC debut with a split decision win over Makwan Amirkhani.
London O2, Fight Pass Exclusive & The Numbering Quirk
The O2 Arena in London is one of the most commercially robust venues in the UFC’s European rotation: its 20,000 capacity and London’s deep MMA fan base consistently produce strong gates. The FN107 gate of $2,015,777 was north of $2 million, placing the London card in the upper tier of UFC Fight Night commercial results globally. The UFC Fight Pass exclusive format — no Fox Sports 1 broadcast — reflected the card’s positioning as a European market product rather than a US commercial broadcast priority.
The card carried the weight of Brad Pickett’s retirement narrative. The 37-year-old British bantamweight — a veteran of multiple London UFC cards and one of the British MMA crowd’s most beloved fighters — announced his fight against Marlon Vera would be his last. The London crowd’s response to Pickett before and after the fight reflected his standing. Vera’s TKO of Pickett in round three was a competitive upset that ended the evening on an emotionally complicated note for the British crowd.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, March 18, 2017 (numbered FN107 after Las Vegas event cancellation; was expected to be FN108)
📍 Venue: The O2 Arena, London, England (one of UFC’s strongest European commercial venues)
👥 Attendance: 15,761
💰 Gate: $2,015,777 (over $2 million; among the strongest UFC Fight Night European gates)
📺 Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass EXCLUSIVE (no US television broadcast)
🏆 Main Event: Jimi Manuwa vs. Corey Anderson — Light Heavyweight (Manuwa, 37, British fan favourite; Anderson 27, TUF winner; striker vs. wrestler)
✅ Result: Manuwa def. Anderson via KO (punch) — R1, 3:05 (PoN $50k; Anderson tried single-leg TD; scramble; Manuwa landed punch for emphatic home crowd KO)
Main Event: Manuwa KOs Anderson R1
Manuwa’s London performance was set up by Anderson’s wrestling opening: Anderson attempted a single-leg takedown that was defended, producing a scramble from which Manuwa extracted positioning. The striking exchanges that followed were the domain of the British knockout artist. Manuwa’s previous UFC losses had come against Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson — two legitimate UFC LHW title challengers — giving his losses credibility in the context of a career arc. His form heading into London had been improving: the OSP TKO at UFC 204 in October 2016 was his most recent performance.
The KO at 3:05 of round one produced the kind of moment that Manuwa’s London fights consistently generated: a hometown finish that gave the O2 Arena’s British crowd the cathartic result they were present for. Post-fight, Manuwa issued two separate challenges: a UFC LHW title shot against the winner of the upcoming Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson fight, and a boxing match against British heavyweight David Haye. Neither materialised on the timeline he suggested; his subsequent UFC career included a loss to Jan Blachowicz and a KO of Corey Anderson rematch before career decline.
Pickett’s Farewell, Edwards’ Rise, Allen’s Debut & The Card
Brad Pickett’s retirement fight against Marlon Vera was the card’s most emotionally significant non-main event. Pickett — a 37-year-old British bantamweight veteran of 12 UFC appearances — had announced London would be his final fight. He was a crowd favourite across multiple UK cards for his aggressive style and durability. Vera, a 24-year-old Ecuadorian BW who had appeared just five weeks earlier at FN103 in Phoenix, spoiled the send-off with a third-round TKO via head kick and follow-up punches at 3:50. The London crowd gave Pickett a long standing ovation after the fight.
Leon Edwards’ unanimous decision over Vicente Luque was an early data point in a UFC WW career that later produced the UFC Welterweight Championship. Marc Diakiese’s 30-second KO of Teemu Packalén was the card’s fastest finish — a single punch at 0:30 of round one that earned Performance of the Night. Arnold Allen’s split decision over Makwan Amirkhani was his UFC debut; Allen was a 23-year-old British featherweight who built one of the UFC FW division’s longest unbeaten streaks from this London starting point. Gunnar Nelson’s guillotine choke of Alan Jouban at 0:46 of round two was an efficient grappling finish.
Full Results
Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Jimi Manuwa def. Corey Anderson — KO (punch) — R1, 3:05 — LHW (PoN $50k; Anderson tried TD; scramble; Manuwa landed KO punch for O2 crowd)
Gunnar Nelson def. Alan Jouban — Sub (guillotine choke) — R2, 0:46 — WW (PoN $50k; Nelson’s efficient grappling)
Marlon Vera def. Brad Pickett — TKO (head kick and punches) — R3, 3:50 — BW (PoN $50k; PICKETT’S RETIREMENT FIGHT; Vera spoiled the send-off with R3 TKO; crowd gave Pickett standing ovation after)
Arnold Allen def. Makwan Amirkhani — Split Decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27) — FW (ALLEN’S UFC DEBUT; future top-5 FW with long unbeaten streak)
Joseph Duffy def. Reza Madadi — Unanimous Decision (30-27x3) — LW
Francimar Barroso def. Darren Stewart — Unanimous Decision (29-28x3) — MW/LHW
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Timothy Johnson def. Daniel Omielanczuk — Split Decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28) — HW
Leon Edwards def. Vicente Luque — Unanimous Decision (29-28x3) — WW (EARLY LEON EDWARDS CAREER; future UFC WW champion)
Marc Diakiese def. Teemu Packalén — KO (punch) — R1, 0:30 — LW (PoN $50k; 30-SECOND KO; fastest finish on the card)
Brad Scott def. Scott Askham — Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) — MW
Lina Länsberg def. Lucie Pudilóvá — Unanimous Decision — Women’s BW/HW
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Fight of the Night: NOT AWARDED (second consecutive UFC Fight Night without FotN; four PoN instead)
🥇 Performance of the Night: Jimi Manuwa + Gunnar Nelson + Marlon Vera + Marc Diakiese — $50,000 each
Records & Milestones
• $2,015,777 gate — one of the strongest Fight Night European gates; over $2 million.
• No Fight of the Night for the second consecutive UFC Fight Night (also none at FN106 Fortaleza).
• Brad Pickett’s retirement fight — the farewell card for one of British MMA’s most beloved veterans.
• Arnold Allen’s UFC debut — future top-five FW with one of the division’s longest unbeaten streaks.
Legacy & Impact
Leon Edwards’ London win over Luque was step six in a UFC WW career that produced 10 consecutive wins before his fight against Kamaru Usman for the title. His trajectory from the London preliminary card to the UFC WW championship against Usman at UFC 278 in August 2022 — where he KO’d Usman with a head kick in round five from an apparently losing position — is one of UFC welterweight history’s most dramatic individual arcs. The London card appears in hindsight as an early-career developmental fight for a future champion.
Arnold Allen’s debut split decision over Amirkhani opened a UFC FW career that produced eight consecutive wins before his first UFC loss to Ilia Topuria in 2023. His London starting point was the debut of one of UFC FW’s most quietly built unbeaten streaks of the 2017-2022 period. Marlon Vera’s spoiling of Brad Pickett’s retirement was Vera’s second UFC appearance in five weeks (after Phoenix on January 15). His London TKO added to his growing BW credentials. Pickett’s retirement was honoured by the O2 crowd with the kind of sustained appreciation that his career warranted.
FAQ
Why was this a Fight Pass exclusive and not on Fox Sports 1?
The UFC’s European Fight Night cards were positioned as Fight Pass content for subscription-based international audiences rather than US network broadcast events. Fox Sports 1 broadcast agreements were primarily structured around cards with recognisable US market draws. The London card’s predominantly British and European roster — Manuwa, Pickett, Allen, Diakiese, Nelson — had limited US commercial appeal relative to cards featuring American or globally recognised stars. The Fight Pass platform’s subscription model allowed the UFC to monetise European cards without competing for scarce Fox Sports 1 broadcast slots.
Who was Brad Pickett and why was his retirement significant?
Pickett was a 37-year-old British bantamweight who had competed in the UFC from 2009 to 2017. He had fought on multiple UK Fight Night cards and was a consistent crowd favourite for his aggressive, forward-pressure style and willingness to engage in competitive exchanges at all ranges. His UFC record included fights against top-ranked BW competitors throughout his 12-fight UFC career. His retirement at the O2 — announced in advance as his final fight — was a ceremonial farewell to one of British MMA’s most well-liked practitioners. Vera’s third-round TKO was competitive rather than dominant; Pickett had been in the fight through two rounds.
Who was Leon Edwards before this fight?
Edwards was a 25-year-old British welterweight who had won four of his last five UFC fights entering the London card. He had lost to Claudio Silva in August 2015 in his most recent loss. His London win over Luque was his fifth UFC appearance. He was physically strong, defensively disciplined, and technically improving but not yet a recognisable mainstream name. His subsequent career produced 10 consecutive UFC wins — a streak that produced his UFC WW title fight booking against Kamaru Usman — and eventually the championship at UFC 278 in August 2022.
Who was Arnold Allen before his UFC debut?
Allen was a 23-year-old British featherweight from Ipswich who had compiled a 10-0 professional record on British and European regional circuits before his UFC signing. He was known for technical striking, defensive competence, and a calm competitive temperament that contrasted with the more aggressive styles of many featherweights. His split decision debut over Amirkhani — a veteran UFC FW with a known submission game — was a contested but successful professional first step. His subsequent UFC career produced eight consecutive wins before a loss to Ilia Topuria in 2023.
What was Manuwa’s call-out of David Haye about?
After the Anderson KO, Manuwa issued a dual challenge: a UFC LHW title shot and a boxing match against David Haye — a British heavyweight boxing world champion who had held the WBA, WBO, and WBC heavyweight titles. The dual challenge reflected the commercial ambition of British MMA fighters who existed in a media environment where boxing crossover events were commercially viable. The David Haye challenge was never formally negotiated; Manuwa’s subsequent career remained in UFC competition. The LHW title shot was also not materialised at the time — the Cormier vs. Johnson rematch at UFC 214 in July 2017 was the division’s next title fight.
Why was there no Fight of the Night for two consecutive events?
The FN106 Fortaleza card’s main event was voided by a drug test result, and the remaining card did not produce a bilateral fight that met the internal threshold for FotN designation. The FN107 London card’s four Performance bonuses — Manuwa, Nelson, Vera, Diakiese — reflected individual excellence rather than a competitive bilateral exchange that merited the FotN category. The UFC’s bonus criteria reward the best individual performances and the best bilateral fight separately; on the London card, the competitive quality was distributed across individual finishes rather than concentrated in one bilateral exchange.