UFC on ABC 7 video: Azamat Murzakanov moves to 14-0 with thunderous KO of Alonzo Menifield

Azamat Murzakanov knocked out Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ABC 7 to move to 14-0, then called for a top five name at light heavyweight.

[autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag] was confident in his ability to knock out [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] at UFC on ABC 7, and he did exactly that.

After both men traded shots and got their licks in over the course of more than a round, a final back-and-forth exchange in the second stanza saw Murzakanov (14-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) land a slick multi-punch combination that dropped Menifield (15-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) to the mat for the knockout finish at the 3:18 mark.

The Russian elevated his undefeated record with the result, which you can watch below (via X):

After the performance, Murzakanov declared himself as ready for the elite of the light heavyweight division.

“I’d like to ask UFC a question: 14-0, nobody is worried about that?” Murzakanov told Daniel Cormier through an interpreter in his post-fight interview. “Maybe you want to give me someone in the top five next?”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ABC 7 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 7.

Azamat Murzakanov vs. Alonzo Menifield in the works for UFC on ABC 7

A battle between rising UFC light heavyweight contenders Azamat Murzakanov and Alonzo Menifield is headed to Abu Dhabi.

A battle between rising light heavyweight contenders is headed for UFC on ABC 7 as [autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] is in the works to take place Aug. 3 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to MMA Junkie following an initial report from Vestnik MMA.

Murzakanov (13-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) hasn’t competed since defeating Dustin Jacoby in April 2023. Prior to that, the undefeated Russian knocked out his past four opponents. He was scheduled to face Khalil Rountree last December at UFC on ESPN 52 but withdrew due to pneumonia.

Menifield (15-4-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC) suffered his first setback in five fights when he was knocked out by Carlos Ulberg in just 12 seconds earlier this month at UFC on ESPN 56. He will make a less than three-month turnaround to face Murzakanov.

Below is the updated card for UFC on ABC 7:

  • Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
  • Nick Diaz vs. Vicente Luque
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Tony Ferguson
  • Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Marlon Vera
  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez
  • Alonzo Menifield vs. Azamat Murzakanov

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 7.

UFC on ESPN 56 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2024 total passes $3 million

UFC on ESPN 56 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

ST. LOUIS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 56 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,000.

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 56 took place at Enterprise Arena. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 56 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Rodrigo Nascimento[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Nursulton Ruziboev[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Diego Ferreira[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Mateusz Rebecki[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Waldo Cortes-Acosta[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Robelis Despaigne[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Viacheslav Borshchev[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Tabatha Ricci[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tecia Pennington[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Trey Waters[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Billy Ray Goff[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]JJ Aldrich[/autotag]: $6,000

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 $4,560; 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 $56,000 while title challengers get $56,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-56 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,106,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $25,843,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 56.

UFC on ESPN 56 video: Carlos Ulberg extends streak, KOs Alonzo Menifield in 12 seconds

Carlos Ulberg scored the third-fastest finish in light heavyweight history with a 12-second knockout of Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ESPN 56.

[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] punched his ticket into the light heavyweight rankings Saturday with a statement performance against [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 56

Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) needed just 12 seconds to catch and badly rock an incoming Menifield (15-4-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC). It was a frantic scene, but a few more punches and the light heavyweight bout at Enterprise Center in St. Louis was over before many people realized it had began.

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It was tied for the third-fastest finish in 205-pound history, and you can watch the replay below (via X):

The performance from Ulberg extended his winning streak to six fights. He’s likely to have a spot in the official UFC rankings next week, and said he’s coming for the top 10 names.

“We did expect something like that, and he did catch me, but you wake a lion up,” Ulberg said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “I know I’m ranked now. … Anyone in that top 10, I’ll destroy anyone in my way.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 56 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 56.

UFC on ESPN 56 Performance of the Night: Best photos from Carlos Ulberg’s KO of Alonzo Menifield

Check out the best photos from Carlos Ulberg’s 12-second KO of Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ESPN 56, a Performance of the Night bonus winner.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag]’s first-round knockout win over [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 56 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. (Fight and venue photos by Jeff Le, USA Today Sports)

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ESPN 56

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom takes a quick look at the UFC on ESPN 56 bout between Alonzo Menifield and Carlos Ulberg.

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 56 from Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.  

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg UFC on ESPN 56 preview

Menifield (15-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) and Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) look to keep their light heavyweight hot streaks alive. … Menifield has gone unbeaten in his last five outings, picking up four wins and a draw result. During this run, he has recorded two stoppages, submitting Jimmy Crute and knocking out Askar Mozharov. … Ulberg’s current winning streak is five, which includes four straight stoppages. After a decision over Fabio Cherant, Ulberg went on to finish Tafon Nchukwi, Nicolae Negumereanu, Ihor Potieria and Da Un Jung.

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg expert pick, prediction

Filling out the main card is a light heavyweight showdown between Menifield and Ulberg.

Menifield, who has been experiencing a bit of a resurgence under the wing of Pat Barry, is quietly riding a four-fight winning streak since coming up short to the thick-set William Knight.

Although Menifield has the power to score the upset with a single shot, I’m not sure I can overlook the improvements and precision of Ulberg.

Both men have mean left hooks, but I suspect that Ulberg’s more educated lead hand and footwork will win the day.

From a betting perspective, it’s dog-or-pass, but my official pick is Ulberg by second-round knockout.

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the native of New Zealand, listing Ulberg (-265) and Menifield (+210) via FanDuel. It’s familiar territory for Menifield, who entered as an underdog in three straight fights, going 2-0-1 in that stretch. Over the same number of previous fights, Ulberg has been a consistent favorite, as he continued to rack up wins on his current five-fight winning streak.

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg start time, how to watch

As the fourth bout on the main card, Menifield and Ulberg are expected to make their walk to the octagon around 9:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. PT). The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 56.

For more detailed analysis from Dan Tom, check out his weekly show, “The Protect Ya’ Neck Podcast.”

UFC on ESPN 56: Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 56 odds between Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg, with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 3-round light heavyweight bout on the main card, Alonzo Menifield and Carlos Ulberg meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 56 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 56: Menifield vs. Ulberg odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET and can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Records: Menifield (15-3-1) | Ulberg (10-1-0)

Menifield has posted a 4-0-1 record across his past 5 bouts, including a unanimous-decision win against Dustin Jacoby last time out at UFC 296. He also has 2 KO/TKO wins against Misha Cirkunov and Askar Mozharov since June 4, 2022. His last loss came Dec. 4, 2021, in a unanimous-decision setback to William Knight.

Ulberg, representing Team City Kickboxing, enters on a 5-bout win streak since losing his company debut at UFC 259 against Kennedy Nzechukwu. He picked up a 3rd-round submission win over Da Woon Jung at UFC 293 last time out in early September. Each of his past 4 fights have finished inside the distance, too, including three 1st-round KO/TKO victories.

Ulberg stands 4 inches taller than the veteran Menifield, and he has holds a slight 1-inch reach advantage. Ulberg has a big 7.29-to-3.92 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, while Menifield is slightly more accurate at 64.26% on those strikes to just 60.61% for Kiwi.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC on ESPN 56: Menifield vs. Ulberg odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Menifield +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Ulberg -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
  • Over/Under: 1.5 rounds (Over -150 | Under +115)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +200 | No -300)

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UFC on ESPN 56: Menifield vs. Ulberg picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

The 33-year-old Ulberg (-275) will cost you nearly 3 times your potential return if you bet him straight up on the 2-way line. That’s too much risk for not nearly enough reward.

While Ulberg is a punching machine, and a good play, you need to get more specific and choose the method of victory, too. Menifield (+220) is a veteran, so this won’t be easy. Menifield hasn’t been knocked out since Ovince Saint Preux dropped him in the 2nd round in Sept. 2020.

However, ULBERG BY KO/TKO, DQ OR SUBMISSION (-115) on the 7-way line is the way to go. It gives you a little wiggle room if you aren’t sold on just the knockout alone.

Over/Under (O/U)

No: Will the fight go the distance? (-300) will cost you 3 times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk for not enough reward.

OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-150) is a strong play, however, as Menifield has been through the wars. He won’t be a pushover and will make Ulberg work before ultimately bowing out.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.

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Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ESPN 56 fight

Alonzo Menifield and Carlos Ulberg will collide in the UFC on ESPN 56 featured bout. Here’s what you need to know.

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] will square off in a featured light heavyweight clash at UFC on ESPN 56.

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg preview

Menifield (15-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) has been on a roll since 2022, winning four of his past five fights. His lone blemish was a majority draw against Jimmy Crute, which came about because a fence grab caused a one-point deduction. Aside from that, Menifield has wins over Askar Mozharov, Misha Cirkunov, Jimmy Crute, and most recenly Dustin Jacoby last December.

Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) also has been streaking upward since 2022 as he’ll enter UFC on ESPN 56 on a five-fight winning streak. Of those five wins, four in a row have been by stoppage (two knockouts, two submissions). Ulberg is coming off a third-round rear-naked choke submission win over Da Un Jung last September at UFC 293.

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg odds

With the fight drawing near, Menifield is listed as a -166 favorite and Ulberg a slight +130 underdog, according to DraftKings.

How to watch Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg at UFC on ESPN 56

  • When: Saturday, May 11, 2024
  • Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis
  • Broadcast/streaming: ESPN/ESPN+

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 56.

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg moves from UFC Atlantic City to new date

One UFC card’s loss is another card’s gain.

The light heavyweight bout between [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] is still on the books. It’ll just take place later than expected.

Initially scheduled for March 30 in Atlantic City, N.J., the bout now will take place at UFC Fight Night event on May 11.

Two people with knowledge of the change recently informed MMA Junkie of the shift but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Menifield (15-3-1 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is on one of the best streaks of his career as he’s 4-0-1 in his most recent five. He most recently competed at UFC 296 in December when he defeated Dustin Jacoby in a thrilling striking battle.

Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has won five straight since a failed UFC debut against Kennedy Nzechukwu. Wins in that stretch include Fabio Cherant, Tafon Nchukwi, Nicolae Negumereanu, Ihor Potieira, and Da Un Jung.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night card for May 11 includes:

  • Jake Hadley vs. Charles Johnson
  • Terrance McKinney vs. Esteban Ribovics
  • Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 22-28)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights 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, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 22-28.