Tag: Anthony Birchak

‘The Ultimate Fighter 31’ rosters revealed, includes eight former UFC fighters

Check out the 16 fighters who made the cut for “TUF 31” – including eight former UFC fighters.

“The Ultimate Fighter” is back for a 31st season, which will be coached by lightweight stars [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag].

Set to debut May 30 on ESPN and run until Aug. 15, the series will include men’s bantamweights and lightweights, as first reported on MMA Junkie’s “Spinning Back Clique.” Filming began in February in Las Vegas.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) will square off after the conclusion of the series at a date and location yet-to-be-determined.

In addition to an announcement of rosters Saturday, the promotion announced the upcoming season will have a theme of “Redemption,” which pins former UFC fighters against rising prospects.

Dozens of fighters applied and only 16 were selected. Scroll below to see who made the cut.

UFC veterans in MMA, kickboxing and bareknuckle action Nov. 3-6

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in action this week.

The UFC is heading back to Las Vegas this week for UFC Fight Night 214 after UFC Fight Night 213 in the same venue.

In addition, there are a number of MMA, kickboxing, and bareknuckle boxing events taking place that feature many familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

These 10 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA and boxing this week from Nov. 3-6.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

UFC parts ways with Luke Sanders, four other fighters

Five fighters are no longer on the UFC roster.

[autotag]Luke Sanders[/autotag] and four others are the latest fighters to part ways with the UFC.

Multiple people with knowledge of the situation recently confirmed to MMA Junkie the roster moves after TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter and Sherdog’s Tom Feely noted that the fighters were missing from the promotion’s online fan-ranking eligibility. The people who confirmed the roster moves asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Check out the recent UFC departures below. The roster moves, unless explicitly noted, are not necessarily a “cut.” The UFC may have elected not to re-sign certain fighters who were at the end of their promotional deals.

UFC on ESPN 22 post-event facts: Andrei Arlovski joins 20-win club

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 22, which saw Robert Whittaker beat Kelvin Gastelum in Las Vegas.

UFC on ESPN 22 took place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and it was an oddly historic event.

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (23-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) beat [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) by unanimous decision in the main event, further pushing him further toward a 185-pound title fight.

Check below for 25 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 22.

UFC on ESPN 22 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Main event nets $32,000

UFC on ESPN 22 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 22 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $142,500.

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 22 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 22 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jacob Malkoun[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Alex Munoz[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Juan Espino[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jessica Penne[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Bartosz Fabinski[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Dakota Bush[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Anthony Birchak[/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 $4,500; 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 $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

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 2021 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

  • “UFC on ESPN 22: Whittaker vs. Gastelum” – $142,500
  • “UFC on ABC 2: Vettori vs. Holland” – $182,500

Year-to-date total: $325,000
Program-to-date total: $325,000

UFC on ESPN 21: Make your predictions for Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 21 event in Las Vegas.

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 21 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 21 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 21 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

Johnny Eduardo returns from 33-month layoff, fights Anthony Birchak at March 20 UFC event

Johnny Eduardo, 42, last competed June 1, 2018, when he was defeated by Nathaniel Wood.

[autotag]Johnny Eduardo[/autotag] hasn’t stepped foot in a UFC cage since June 1, 2018.

On March 20, that’ll change when Eduardo (28-12 MMA, 3-4 UFC) returns from a 33-month layoff to fight [autotag]Anthony Birchak[/autotag] (16-7 MMA, 2-3 UFC). The UFC Fight Night event is scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex and stream on ESPN+/ESPN.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Eduardo, 42, has lost three of his most recent four outings. He was finished in those three defeats against Aljamain Sterling, Matthew Lopez and, most recently, Nathaniel Wood. The victory in that stretch came against Manny Gamburyan at UFC Fight Night 100 in November 2016.

Birchak, 34, returned to the UFC in November following five fights outside the promotion, which included stops in RIZIN, Combate Americas and LFA. Upon his return, he was submitted by Gustavo Lopez with a first-round rear-naked choke.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night on March 20 lineup includes:

  • Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland
  • Cheyanne Buys vs. Kay Hansen
  • Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko
  • Max Griffin vs. Song Kenan
  • Gustavo Lopez vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Dricus Du Plessis vs. Trevin Giles
  • Paul Craig vs. Jamahal Hill
  • Don’Tale Mayes vs. Tai Tuivasa
  • Grant Dawson vs. Leonardo Santos
  • JP Buys vs. Bruno Silva
  • Anthony Birchak vs. Johnny Eduardo

UFC on ESPN+ 40 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $36.5 million

UFC on ESPN+ 40 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 40 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $146,500.

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+ 40 took place at UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 40 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Khalid Taha[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jamey Simmons[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Claudia Gadelha[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Darren Elkins[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Eduardo Garagorri[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Ramiz Brahimaj[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Gustavo Lopez[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Anthony Birchak[/autotag]: $4,000

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:

Year-to-date total: $5,550,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $36,555,000

Anthony Birchak’s UFC return vs. Gustavo Lopez finalizes UFC on ESPN+ 40 lineup

Anthony Birchak is set to enter the octagon for the first time since July 2016 at UFC on ESPN+ 40.

[autotag]Anthony Birchak[/autotag] will set foot in the octagon for the first time since July 2016 at UFC on ESPN+ 40 on Saturday.

Birchak (16-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is set to replace Felipe Colares, who was pulled from the card after a positive COVID-19 test, against [autotag]Gustavo Lopez[/autotag] (11-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a bantamweight matchup.

MMA Junkie verified the news with sources close to the situation, who wished to remain anonymous because the UFC has yet to make an official announcement. Fansided first reported the news.

Birchak, 34, parted ways with the UFC more than four years after splitting results over four fights. He’s since fought for Rizin FF, Combate Americas and LFA, and has won three-straight leading into his octagon comeback.

Lopez will attempt to log his first UFC victory. He dropped his promotional debut against Merab Dvalishvili on short notice at UFC on ESPN 10 in June.

UFC on ESPN+ 40 takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card is set to stream on ESPN+.

Birchak’s addition to UFC on ESPN+ 40 finalizes the 11-fight lineup, which can be seen below:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Thiago Santos vs. Glover Teixeira
  • Andrei Arlovski vs. Tanner Boser
  • Raoni Barcelos vs. Khalid Taha
  • Brendan Allen vs. Ian Heinisch
  • Claudia Gadelha vs. Yan Xiaonan

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Trevin Giles vs. Bevon Lewis
  • Giga Chikadze vs. Jamey Simmons
  • Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Alexandr Romanov
  • Darren Elkins vs. Eduardo Garagorri
  • Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Max Griffin
  • Anthony Birchak Gustavo Lopez