Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 18 lineup has lost one of the bouts scheduled for its main card.
Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 18 lineup has lost one of the bouts scheduled for its main card, as [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Zhalgas Zhumagulov[/autotag] has been removed from the lineup.
A passport issue has prevented Zhumagulov (13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) from facing Albazi (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in a flyweight bout at the upcoming event, which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The bout is expected to be postponed to a later date.
MMA Junkie verified the fight scratch with a person close to the situation who wished to remaining anonymous. Russian news outlet TASS first shared the news, reporting that Zhumagulov’s U.S. visa was approved, but he did not receive his passport in time to compete at UFC on ESPN 18.
That means Albazi will have to wait a bit longer to make his second octagon appearance after his debut at UFC Fight Night 172 in July, where he won by first-round submission.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 18 event in Las Vegas.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 18 event in Las Vegas.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN 18 event staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 18 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.
Make your picks for the six main card fights below.
A matchup between flyweight prospects Raulian Paiva and Amir Albazi is the latest addition to the UFC’s Oct. 31 event.
A matchup between flyweight prospects is the latest addition to the UFC’s Oct. 31 event.
[autotag]Raulian Paiva[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) will face [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC). No location or name designation has been announced for the event at this time.
MMA Junkie verified the booking with multiple people close to the situation following an initial report from Combate.
Albazi impressed in his UFC debut in July, when he submitted former TKO 125-pound champion Malcom Gordon in Round 1. The London Shootfighters prospect has only one career blemish to former UFC flyweight Jose Torres.
After dropping his first two UFC fights, Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Paiva rebounded with back-to-back wins over Mark De La Rosa and, most recently, Zhalgas Zhumagulov at UFC 251 in July.
Check out the full medical suspensions from UFC on ESPN+ 30.
New UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] won’t be held back by a medical suspension from his title conquest at UFC on ESPN+ 30.
On Wednesday, MMA Junkie obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commission’s official record keeper.
According to the list, Figueiredo (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who submitted [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] in the first round of their main event title bout, will only be suspended for seven days due to mandatory rest. On the other hand, Benavidez (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) faces 45 days. The longtime contender was dropped multiple times before he was submitted.
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The UFC on ESPN+ 30 competitor facing the longest potential suspension is [autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC). The Brazilian was suspended 180 days after suffering a kneebar submission defeat to [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag], which appeared to hyperextend her knee. Carolina can reduce the suspension down to 30 days if an MRI on her left knee is done and cleared by a doctor.
Below is the full list of UFC on ESPN+ 30 medical suspensions:
Deiveson Figueiredo: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
Joseph Benavidez: Suspended 45 days for forehead laceration with no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Rafel Fiziev[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or 30 days minimum with left knee MRI clearance by a doctor. Also, no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss with no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag]: Suspended for 30 days for left eyebrow laceration and with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Joseph Duffy[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for “hard bout” and with no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” and no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag]: Suspended for 45 days for multiple lacerations and no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Sergey Spivak[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the octagon the first time. How did the four newcomers perform Saturday?
Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For four athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event marked that special moment in their respective careers.
Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression they made on the sport’s biggest stage from Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
* * * * *
Carlos Felipe
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: (L-R) Carlos Felipe of Brazil punches Serghei Spivac of Ukraine in their heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Division: Heavyweight Result: Serghei Spivac def. Carlos Felipe via majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27) Record: (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) Grade: D
[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] bounded out of his corner for his UFC debut with bags of enthusiasm. But, despite an encouraging start, the Brazilian ended up on the wrong end of a majority decision against Moldovan Serghei Spivak.
Felipe looked full of energy at the start of the first round as he looked to establish his boxing straight away. He enjoyed some success with it, too, as he connected with a number of fast punches.
But as the fight wore on and Felipe’s pace started to ease off, Spivak got a foothold in the matchup and, when the Moldovan switched from striking to wrestling in the final round, the Brazilian had no answer as he lost an ill-tempered matchup on the scorecards.
The pair looked ready for a fourth round after the decision was read, but the damage had already been done and Felipe had suffered his first professional loss.
All the notable stats and figures to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 30, which saw Deiveson Figueiredo submit Joseph Benavidez in the main event.
The third event in the UFC’s four-card July stretch on “Fight Island” went down Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 30, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a main card that streamed on ESPN+.
After more than six months with the belt vacant, a new flyweight champion was crowned in the main event when [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) brutalized [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) en route to a first-round submission victory. With the win, he became the first Brazilian to hold 125-pound gold.
For more on the numbers behind the 12-fight card, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 30.
* * * *
General
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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $165,000.
Debuting fighters went 2-2 at the event.
Figueiredo, [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag], [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] and [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 30 fight-night bonuses.
UFC on ESPN+ 30 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.
Betting favorites went 7-5 on the card.
Betting favorites improved to 13-6 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:33:56.
Main card
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil celebrates after defeating Joseph Benavidez in their UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Figueiredo became just the third flyweight champion in UFC history, joining Henry Cejudo and Demetrious Johnson.
Figueiredo has earned 16 of his 19 career victories by stoppage. That includes six of his eight UFC wins.
Figueiredo’s six stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Benavidez for second most ind divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (seven).
Figueiredo’s eight knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Figueiredo lands 52.5 percent of his significant strike attempts in UF
Benavidez became the first in UFC history to go 0-4 in undisputed championship fights.
Benavidez suffered the first submission loss of his career.
[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has earned 17 of his 21 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) fell to 4-4 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in December 2016. He’s 5-4 (with one no contest) in the organization at 185 pounds.
Gastelum has suffered both his career stoppage losses by submission.
Fiziev (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
Diakiese (14-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: (R-L) Ariane Lipski of Brazil secures a knee bar submission against Luana Carolina of Brazil in their flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Lipski (13-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has earned nine of her 13 career victories by stoppage.
Lipski’s victory at 1:28 of Round 1 marked the second fasted stoppage in UFC women’s flyweight history. Veronica Macedo holds the record with a 69-second win at UFC on ESPN+ 14.
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) suffered the first submission loss of her career.
[autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] (12-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has suffered all five of his career losses by decision.
Preliminary card
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: (L-R) Roman Dolidze of Georgia knocks out Khadis Ibragimov of Russia in their light heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all seven of his career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 0-3 UFC) has suffered three consecutive losses after starting his career 8-0.
Ibragimov suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
[autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.
[autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag]’s (16-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2017.
[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] (17-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned all 17 of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 15 of those wins by submission.
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by decision.
[autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by stoppage.
Gordon suffered the first submission loss of his career.
[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by decision.
[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 2-2 earned the first decision victory of his career.
[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had his eight-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
UFC on ESPN+ 30 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $165,000.
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+ 30 took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island. The main card streamed ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 30 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC on ESPN+ 30: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2” – $165,000
Take a look inside Amir Albazi’s submission of Malcolm Gordon at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Abu Dhabi.
ABU DHABI – [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] beat Malcolm Gordon with first-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Abu Dhabi.
Take a look inside the fight with Albazi, who had to go into quarantine just three hours after he accepted the fight for his UFC debut.
“The victory felt amazing – exactly what I’ve been working on. It went exactly to plan. (The) plan was to stand up a bit, feel him out, take him down and finally put him to sleep with a choke hold or a submission. I’ve been training jiu-jitsu since the age of 14, both back home in Sweden and in London Shoot Fighters in London, so I feel very comfortable on the ground.”
Albazi on getting his shot in the UFC
“‘Fight Island’ has been really an amazing experience. A lot of people talk about the UFC, but the staff, the organization, how everything is run – it’s top of the mountain. Now I understand why it’s the biggest promotion in the world.”
Albazi on what he wants next
“To be honest, nothing really surprised me. I prepare with all type of opponents, so when I’m in there, I feel at home and it’s just another puzzle to solve. If Dana (White) gives me that 50 Gs, I’ll stick around and do another fight next week – celebrate, have fun, but also go back to training.”
To hear more from Albazi, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 30 went with as their backing tracks in Abu Dhabi.
