UFC on ESPN 43 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: ‘Chito’ tops card with $21k

UFC on ESPN 43 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

SAN ANTONIO – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 43 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $137,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 43 took place at AT&T Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 43 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Daniel Pineda[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Tucker Lutz[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Lucas Alexander[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Steven Peterson[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Preston Parsons[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Daniel Lacerda[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Victor Altamirano[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $43,000 while title challengers get $43,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-43 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,771,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,290,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

UFC on ESPN 43 play-by-play and live results

Get live play-by-play and official results from Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – UFC on ESPN 43 took place Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The main card aired on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

In the main event, Marlon Vera (20-8-1 MMA, 14-7 UFC) takes on Cory Sandhagen (16-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in a fight between bantamweight contenders. In the co-feature, former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) met Yana Santos (14-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC).

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN 43 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv ) on Twitter.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

Albert Duraev def. Chidi Njokuani at UFC on ESPN 43: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Albert Duraev’s split decision win over Chidi Njokuani at UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag]’s split decision win over [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 43 at AT&T Center in San Antonio. (Photos by Aaron Meullion, USA TODAY Sports)

UFC on ESPN 43 predictions: Vera or Sandhagen, Holm or Santos in San Antonio?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 43 main card in San Antonio, featuring Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen.

Vera
vs.
Sandhagen
Holm
vs.
Santos
Landwehr
vs.
Lingo
Barber
vs.
Lee
Kape
vs.
Perez
Duraev
vs.
Njokuani
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
32-22
vera2023
Vera
(62%)
holm2023
Holm
(80%)
landwehr2023
Landwehr
(74%)
barber2023
Barber
(72%)
kape2023
Kape
(63%)
njokuani2023
Njokuani
(79%)
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
34-20
vera2023
Vera
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Nolan King
@mma_kings
33-21/em>
sandhagen2023
Sandhagen
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
32-22
vera2023
Vera
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
perez2023
Perez
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Matt Erickson
@MattE
32-22
sandhagen2023
Sandhagen
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
duraev2023
Duraev
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
31-23
vera2023
Vera
holm2023
Holm
lingo2023
Lingo
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
30-24
sandhagen2023
Sandhagen
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
perez2023
Perez
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
30-24
sandhagen2023
Sandhagen
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
29-25
trophy copy 2014 Champion
vera2023
Vera
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
29-25
vera2023
Vera
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
29-25
trophy copy 2018, 2022 Champion
sandhagen2023
Sandhagen
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
28-26
trophy copy 2017 Champion
vera2023
Vera
holm2023
Holm
landwehr2023
Landwehr
barber2023
Barber
kape2023
Kape
njokuani2023
Njokuani

The UFC has touched down in the “Lone Star State” this week with four bantamweights at the top of the bill.

UFC on ESPN 43 takes place Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (20-7-1 MMA, 14-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in a fight between perennial bantamweight contenders. Sandhagen is a -170 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Vera is +145. But our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have slight underdog Vera ahead at 6-5 in the picks.

In the co-feature, former women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Holm just signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC and is a -250 favorite at the betting window. She’s also the only unanimous pick from our staff members.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) meets short-notice replacement [autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at featherweight. Landwehr is more than a 2-1 favorite and is a near-unanimous pick at 10-1.

Our second unanimous pick is the biggest favorite on the main card. [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is a -270 favorite at the sportsbook and has a shutout in our picks against [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) in their women’s flyweight bout.

[autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] (18-6 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is a nearly 2-1 favorite in his flyweight bout against [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC). He doesn’t have a shutout, but he has a big 9-2 lead in the picks.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag] (22-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is a near-unanimous pick in his middleweight fight against [autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC). Njokuani is the smallest favorite on the main card at -155, but he’s got a near-shutout in our picks at 10-1.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Vera (62 percent), Holm (80 percent), Landwehr (74 percent), Barber (72 percent), Kape (63 percent) and Njokuani (79 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

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UFC on ESPN 43’s Albert Duraev plans to show he’s not just a wrestler: ‘I can beat everyone in my division’

Albert Duraev aims to prove that he’s more than just a wrestler against noted striker Chidi Njokuani at UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – [autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag] aims to prove he’s more than just a wrestler at UFC on ESPN 43.

Duraev (15-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) faces Chidi Njokuani (22-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on Saturday’s main card opener at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

Duraev will be facing another knockout artist in Njokuani, but vows to show off a well-rounded game in the fight.

“My opponent is tall, which makes him a little inconvenient for me, but I’ve been working and I’ve been preparing for that,” Duraev told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “Honestly, he cannot do anything with me. I’m the dangerous one.

“You only see me as a wrestler. But trust me: I can hit, I can work standing up, and I can beat everyone in my division. My opponent is not an excuse, but if I get a chance to use my wrestling, of course I will do that.”

[lawrence-related id=1507758,2626987,2626862]

Duraev will look to rebound from a doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley, which snapped a 10-fight winning streak.

“During my last fight, a lot of mistakes were done, and that was not a surprise to me that I lost that fight,” Duraev said. “But getting ready for this fight, I worked a lot on my defense. I worked a lot in general.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

Video: UFC on ESPN 43 media day live stream, interviews

Watch Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 43 media day live from San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – The UFC is making its return to the great state of Texas, and they’re doing it with a pivotal bantamweight matchup leading the event.

Marlon Vera (20-7-1 MMA, 14-6 UFC) vs. Cory Sandhagen (15-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) headlines UFC on ESPN 43. On the co-main event of the card, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC).

UFC on ESPN 43 takes place Saturday night at AT&T Center. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+. Below is the expected schedule for Wednesday’s media day (ET times):

  • 11:30 a.m. Cory Sandhagen
  • 12 p.m. [autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag]
  • 12:15 p.m. [autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag]
  • 12:30 p.m. [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]
  • 1 p.m. Yana Santos
  • 1:15 p.m. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]
  • 1:45 p.m. Marlon Vera
  • 1 p.m. [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag]
  • 2:15 p.m. Holly Holm
  • 2:30 p.m. [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]
  • 2:45 p.m. [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]
  • 3:15 p.m. [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]
  • 3:30 p.m. [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Dec. 12-18)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Dec. 12-18.

With Albert Duraev out, Cody Brundage steps in to face Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC Fight Night 216

Cody Brundage will look to round out his 2022 with one more win when he steps in to face Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC Fight Night 216.

[autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag] will look to round out his 2022 with one more win.

[autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag] has been forced out of UFC Fight Night 216 and Brundage (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will step in on short notice to face [autotag]Michal Oleksiejczuk[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) on Dec. 17 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the booking confirmed it to MMA Junkie on Friday. The people asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

After dropping his promotional debut in Nick Maximov at UFC 266, Brundage rebounded with back-to-back first-round finishes of Dalcha Lungiambula and Tresean Gore in 2022.

Winner of three of his past four, Oleksiejczuk is coming off a first-round TKO of Sam Alvey at UFC on ESPN 40 in August. Six of the Polish fighter’s past seven wins have come in the first round.

The latest UFC Fight Night 216 lineup now includes:

  • Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland
  • Damir Ismagulov vs. Arman Tsarukyan
  • Julian Marquez vs. Deron Winn
  • Tafon Nchukwi vs. Jamal Pogues
  • Sergey Morozov vs. Journey Newson
  • Amir Albazi vs. Brandon Royval
  • Cody Brundage vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
  • Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. opponent TBA
  • Rafa Garcia vs. Hayisaer Maheshate
  • Saidyokub Kakhramonov vs. Said Nurmagomedov
  • Alex Caceres vs. Julian Erosa
  • Tafon Nchukwi vs. Vitor Petrino
  • Jake Matthews vs. Matt Semelsberger

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UFC on ESPN 37 medical suspensions: Josh Emmett among 6 fighters suspended indefinitely by Texas commission

Six fighters were handed indefinite medical suspensions after what many fans are calling the most violent UFC card of the year.

UFC on ESPN 37 took place Saturday at Moody Center in Austin, Texas where the promotion put on what many fans are calling one of the most violent cards of 2022.

With violence, however, comes injuries. Tuesday, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the commissioning body that regulated the event, released a list of medical suspensions for UFC on ESPN 37 fighters. The TDLR does not give injury specifics, but reveals the duration of suspensions.

Among those handed indefinite suspensions were main event winner Josh Emmett, co-main event loser Tim Means, Albert Duraev, Julian Marquez, Deron Winn, and Kyle Daukaus. Note: fighters can return sooner than the date listed if they receive medical clearance from a physician prior to completion of their suspension.

Check out the full list of medical suspensions below.

Photos: UFC on ESPN 37 ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs

Check out these photos from the UFC on ESPN 37 ceremonial weigh-ins in Austin, Texas.

Check out these photos from the UFC on ESPN 37 weigh-ins and faceoffs from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photos by Matthew Wells, MMA Junkie)