Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out these photos from Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Alex Polizzi at 2024 PFL 5 in Salt Lake City.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Alex Polizzi[/autotag]’s victory over Antonio Carlos Junior at 2024 PFL 5, which took place at Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL)
This marks the first time that PFL salaries have been revealed in 2022.
The back half of the 2022 PFL regular season recently took place in Atlanta with three cards in three weeks at Overtime Elite Arena.
Each card spotlighted two specific divisions. PFL 4 took place June 17 and featured men’s lightweights and light heavyweights. One week later, PFL 5 featured featherweights and heavyweights. Last Friday, PFL 6 consisted of welterweights and women’s lightweights.
On Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed show and win purses from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, the regulatory body that oversaw the events.
Former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] ($750,000) led all paydays despite a submission loss to [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag]. Two-time PFL season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] ($500,00) was second on the list, followed by former UFC title challenger and Bellator welterweight champion [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] ($250,000).
[autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag], [autotag]Lance Palmer[/autotag], [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag], and [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] also received six-figure disclosed payouts.
It’s important to note that the figures given do not reflect potential “locker room” bonuses, streaming points, or promotional sponsorship payments.
Scroll below to see the complete payouts for the most recent three PFL events.
Follow along for live results of 2022 PFL 4 in Atlanta, a card that features Clay Collard, Jeremy Stephens, Antonio Carlos Junior, and more.
The fourth event of the 2022 PFL season takes place on Friday at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, the venue and location which will host three straight cards.
The 2022 PFL 4 event featured 10 fights in the lightweight and light heavyweight divisions. The event aired on ESPN and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET following prelims on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
In the main event, former UFC fighter [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] (21-9) battles Canada’s [autotag]Alex Martinez[/autotag] (9-2). The co-main event features 2021 PFL light heavyweight champion [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] (14-5) against [autotag]Bruce Souto[/autotag] (15-4).
Rounding out the main card is [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (14-5) vs. [autotag]Raush Manfio [/autotag](16-3) and [autotag]Jeremy Stephen[/autotag]s (28-20) vs. Myles Price (11-8).
Up-to-the-minute 2022 PFL 4 results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
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Check out these photos from the 2022 PFL 4 ceremonial weigh-ins in Atlanta.
Check out these photos from the 2022 PFL 4 ceremonial weigh-ins and the fighter faceoffs. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL)
Check out our staff members’ picks for the PFL 2022, Week 4 main card, which features lightweights and light heavyweights.
| Collard vs. Martinez |
Junior vs. Souto |
Aubin-Mercier vs. Manfio |
Price vs. Stephens |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 90-50 |
 Collard (91%) |
 Junior (90%) |
 Manfio (61%) |
 Stephens (85%) |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 95-50  2018 Champion |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
 Price |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 94-51 2014 Champion |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 92-53 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 91-54 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 91-54 |
Collard |
Junior |
 Aubin-Mercier |
Stephens |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 90-55 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 87-58 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 87-58 2017 Champion |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 86-59 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 80-65 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 72-73 |
Collard |
Junior |
Manfio |
Stephens |
The PFL is back with the start of its second regular season fights in the lightweight and light heavyweight divisions.
PFL 2022, Week 4 takes place Friday at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. 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]Clay Collard[/autotag] (21-9) takes on [autotag]Alex Martinez[/autotag] (9-2) at lightweight. Collard and Martinez each have 3 points in the standings from decision wins in their first fights. Collard is about a 2-1 favorite, and he’s one of two unanimous picks on the main card from our 11 of our editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.
In the co-feature, [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] (14-5) will try to build on his 6 points from earlier in the season when he takes on [autotag]Bruce Souto[/autotag] (15-4) at light heavyweight. Junior is our other unanimous pick at 11-0.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (14-5) meets 2021 lightweight season winner [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (16-3). And though Aubin-Mercier is as much as a 2-1 favorite at some online sportsbooks, it’s Manfio who has a near-unanimous picks lead at 10-1.
And to open the main card, we have another near-unanimous pick in [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-20). He’ll try for his first points of the season when he takes on [autotag]Myles Price[/autotag] (11-8) at lightweight. Stephens has a 10-1 picks lead.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Collard (91 percent), Junior (90 percent), Manfio (61 percent) and Stephens (85 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
The next matchups for PFL’s lightweights and light heavyweights have been announced.
The next matchups for PFL’s lightweights and light heavyweights are set.
[autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] (21-9-1) vs. [autotag]Alexander Martinez[/autotag] (9-2) will headline 2022 PFL 4 on June 17 at OTE Arena in Atlanta, promotion officials announced Wednesday. In the co-main event, reigning light heavyweight champion [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] (14-5-2) meets 2022 PFL Challenger Series winner [autotag]Bruce Souto[/autotag] (15-4).
Rounding up the main card is 2021 lightweight season winner [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (16-3), who takes on ex-UFC fighter [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (14-5). Finally, [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-20-1) will look to rebound from his debut loss to Collard when he faces [autotag]Myles Price[/autotag] (11-8), who was defeated by Anthony Pettis at PFL 3.
PFL 4 airs Friday, June 17 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ with continued action at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. The remaining regular season events will take place the following weeks on June 24 and July 1.
The announced 2022 PFL 4 lineup:
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Watch Antonio Carlos Junior score a 29-second submission win at Wednesday’s 2022 PFL 1 event.
[autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] is off to a perfect start for his 2022 PFL campaign.
The 2021 PFL light heavyweight champion scored a quick, first-round submission win, tapping out his opponent Delan Monte with a D’arce choke in just 29 seconds. The 205-pound contest was part of the 2022 PFL 1 event that took place on Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas.
Junior (14-5) earned six points – the maximum score – for his first-round stoppage win.
Below you can watch Junior’s first win of 2022:
28 Second D'Arce Choke for @caradesapatojr!
6 Points and Shoeface is back on TOP of the light heavyweight division standings!#2022PFL1 LIVE on ESPN & ESPN+
🌎 https://t.co/jPNvomkWj8 pic.twitter.com/VNPKQuXcEa— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 21, 2022
“Shoeface” is currently unbeaten in his past five bouts, which include four wins and one no contest. He’s yet to lose a bout since departing from the UFC in early 2021. Junior won the light heavyweight season in 2021, capturing the title and the $1 million prize.
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Check out the weigh-in results of 2022 PFL 1 in Arlington, Texas.
Fighters competing in the 2022 PFL season opener stepped on the scale Tuesday to record their official weight for their bouts.
The 10-fight 2022 PFL 1 card takes place Wednesday at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The event airs on ESPN and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET following prelims on ESPN+ beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.
The first week will see lightweights and light heavyweights compete as they aim to get a strong start to the new season. [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] (20-9) takes on [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-19) in the main event. The co-main will see 2021 PFL lightweight champion [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (15-3) against [autotag]Don Madge[/autotag] (10-3-1). Representing the light heavyweights in the feature bout, 2021 PFL champion [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] (13-5) will face [autotag]Delan Monte[/autotag] (8-1).
All fighters competing on Wednesday made weight with no issues, kicking off the season with a smooth start on the scales.
The full 202 PFL 1 weigh-in results are below:
Main Card (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
Preliminary card (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
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Check out our staff members’ picks for the PFL 2022, Week 1 card in Texas, featuring Clay Collard vs. longtime UFC fighter Jeremy Stephens.
| Collard vs. Stephens |
Madge vs. Manfio |
Junior vs. Monte |
Aubin-Mercier vs. Schulte |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 57-27 |
 Collard (50.1%) |
 Madge (54%) |
 Junior (83%) |
 Schulte (52%) |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 57-28 |
 Stephens |
 Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 56-29 |
Stephens |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 56-29 |
Collard |
Madge |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 56-29 |
Stephens |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 55-30 2014 Champion |
Collard |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 54-31 2018 Champion |
Collard |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 53-32 |
Stephens |
Manfio |
Junior |
 Aubin-Mercier |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 51-34 |
Collard |
Manfio |
Junior |
Aubin-Mercier |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 50-35 2017 Champion |
Collard |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 49-36 |
Stephens |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 38-47 |
Collard |
Manfio |
Junior |
Schulte |
The PFL is back for the start of another season, and lightweights and light heavyweights open the 2022 campaign.
PFL 2022, Week 1 takes place Wednesday at Esports Arena in Arlington, Texas. The main card airs on ESPN/ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, longtime UFC fighter [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-19) makes the move to the PFL for a shot at the lightweight title. He takes on [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] (20-9) in the season opener. It’s the most contentious fight in the picks from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, who have Collard with just a 6-5 lead.
In the co-feature, 2021 lightweight winner [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (15-3) meets [autotag]Don Madge[/autotag] (10-3-1) in the first fight in his quest to win another season. Manfio is a near-unanimous pick at 10-1.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] (13-5) opens the light heavyweight season against [autotag]Delan Monte[/autotag] (8-1). Junior is the only unanimous pick from our staff members at 11-0.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (13-5) takes on two-time lightweight winner [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] (21-4-1). Schulte has a big 9-2 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Collard (50.1 percent), Madge (54 percent), Junior (83 percent) and Schulte (52 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
PFL champion Antonio Carlos Junior reveals his one-year run with PFL outshined his entire UFC career financially.
[autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] enters the 2022 PFL season full of momentum.
The veteran fighter kicks off the new season having won the light heavyweight title and $1 million prize the year before in 2021. In his PFL debut season, Junior (13-5) went unbeaten three fights before submitting Marthin Hamlet with a rear-naked choke in the championship final back in October.
It was a big moment for Junior’s career, as he bounced back from a three-fight losing streak to become the champion of a major organization. But apart from the sporting accolades, it was also a big year for Junior financially.
“It was great,” Junior told MMA Junkie at Monday’s 2022 PFL 1 media day. “I didn’t change much, just the numbers got a little bigger on the bank account.”
On top of his regular fight purse earned for his four PFL bouts in 2021, Junior pocketed the $1 million prize awarded to the champions at the end of the season.
The Brazilian says he doubled what he made in his seven-year career with the UFC in just one year fighting for the PFL.
“Yeah this was crazy,” Junior said. “I think I made in UFC what I paid in taxes this year. The thing is that I had the contract from ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and it was 10 fights, so it was a lot. That’s what happened to me, you know. I didn’t have a great manager at the time to help me out with this. This cost me a lot of money.”
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Junior won season three of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ back in 2014. The victory punched his ticket into the UFC and kicked off a seven-year run with the promotion. He left the company in early 2021. Junior shared the octagon with many notable names such as Marvin Vettori, Uriah Hall, Brad Tavares, Tim Boetsch, and others.
Junior kicks off his second PFL season on Wednesday, as he takes on Delan Monte on the main card of 2022 PFL 1 in Arlington, Texas. The 32-year-old is eager to get started and take a crack at another title and $1 million prize.
“What a good feeling to come here with the belt, as a champion – it’s awesome,” Junior said. “I look forward to getting started. I’ve been training since the final, since I got the belt. I’ve been training a lot in different camps trying to improve my game and different aspects. I’m looking forward to the first fight.”
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