Tag: Ben Saunders

Video: 20 must-see Bellator ‘fire’ fights (in full)

If you’ve got nearly six hours to kill, here you go with some classic Bellator action.

Since its first event held in 2009, Bellator has given us some of the most memorable fights in MMA history.

While events remain on hold because of coronavirus pandemic, Bellator has put 20 of its greatest bouts – “fire” fights, if you will – all in one place, which you can watch in the video above.

The complete list, which goes for nearly six hours, includes:

  • 1. [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] 1 – Bellator 58 | 0:00
  • 2. [autotag]Joe Schilling[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Melvin Manhoef[/autotag] – Bellator 131 | 24:51
  • 3. [autotag]L.C. Davis[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Hideo Tokoro[/autotag] – Bellator 135 | 37:25
  • 4. Michael Chandler vs. [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] – Bellator 165 | 55:41
  • 5. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] – Bellator 238 | 1:31:16
  • 6. [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] – Bellator 138 | 1:56:41
  • 7. [autotag]Henry Corrales[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] – Bellator 214 | 2:09:58
  • 8. [autotag]Anatoly Tokov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gerald Harris[/autotag] – Bellator 218 | 2:17:18
  • 9. [autotag]Derek Campos[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brandon Girtz[/autotag] 3 – Bellator 181 | 2:29:29
  • 10. [autotag]Paul Daley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] – Bellator 170 | 2:49:20
  • 11. [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag] vs. Paul Daley – Bellator 158 | 2:59:15
  • 12. Douglas Lima vs. [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] – Bellator 221 | 3:18:09
  • 13. [autotag]Patricky Freire [/autotag]vs. [autotag]Roger Huerta[/autotag] – Bellator 205 | 3:33:28
  • 14. Patricio Freire vs. [autotag]Daniel Straus[/autotag] – Bellator 178 | 3:44:52
  • 15. [autotag]Saad Awad[/autotag] vs. Brandon Girtz – Bellator 219 | 3:57:46
  • 16. [autotag]AJ Agazarm[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Adel Altamimi[/autotag] – Bellator 238 | 4:19:31
  • 17. [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] – Bellator 233 | 4:36:10
  • 18. Douglas Lima vs. [autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag] 2 – Bellator 100 | 4:57:18
  • 19. Patricio Freire vs. [autotag]Emmanuel Sanchez[/autotag] – Bellator 209 | 5:11:22
  • 20. [autotag]Ricky Bandejas[/autotag] vs. [autotag]James Gallagher[/autotag] – Bellator 204 | 5:44:13

So sit back, relax and enjoy the action.

Despite UFC departure, Ben Saunders still possesses same drive he brought into the sport

Ben Saunders’ long-term goal has not changed over the course of an 18-year MMA journey.

[autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag] is no longer a member of the UFC roster, but he already seems at peace with that fact.

Saunders (22-13-2) parted ways with the promotion in January, the third time he’s done so. At age 38, his third UFC stint was likely his final one.

“I didn’t get fired or anything,” Saunders told MMA Junkie. “I fought my contract out. I knew what was most likely on the line when I fought that. I found out officially a week or two before news broke through the media. My management told me they weren’t going to re-sign me at this time – and I understood. I get it. It’s business. It’s nothing personal.”

Unlike other fighters who have a tough time dealing with leaving their famous three-lettered employer, Saunders is ready to let go and move on.

Why? For one thing, he was never in the game for the fame. When Saunders got into martial arts in 2002, he was unaware of the adventure upon which he was about to embark.

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Packing up and telling his family he was going to college, he secretly pursued MMA with the dream of compiling a fight resume so that one day he could instruct. Eighteen years later, that hasn’t changed.

“I did all of this solo for so long,” Saunders said. “Yeah, you have one major goal and one major dream, but this sport was supposed to be gone. They couldn’t figure out pay-per-view. It was taken out of almost every state. I thought my life was going to be flying to Brazil and Japan to train and fight overseas – just to get fighting experience. Eventually, I’d open up my own martial arts dojo and academy. I’d live an – at best – mediocre but super grateful, happy lifestyle. I’d be my own boss.

“That was my passion. Then, the sport blew up – and I stayed. I’ve been able to accomplish way more than I thought for a short period of time. My dreams never really changed. It’s just really been about my resume. All of this is my college (and) my degrees. When I do open my gym or I do go do a seminar or when I try to teach and help the-up-and-comers, you would probably be pretty smart to listen to at least some of the old, crazy babble that comes out of my mouth in the next many years. I’ve experienced it all.”

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As for what organization is next, Saunders is open to all options. However, there’s a certain noticeable excitement in his voice when discusses the prospect of overseas competition – RIZIN, perhaps.

“The only thing I’ve talked to my management about reaching out to was RIZIN – not that I have any issues with any other organization,” Saunders said. “I’d be happy to fight for anybody if it seemed like a good mix and a good collaboration. My passion to fight in RIZIN is straight forward. PRIDE was easily hands-down, the greatest organization in existence. It seemed like the most historical organization in the history of this sport. RIZIN is really the closest thing to replicate and try to be like PRIDE. I like the rule set they have out there. As a good jiu-jitsu martial artist, it works in my favor.”

After a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 6,” competing in a Bellator tournament, and fighting on 20 separate occasions in the UFC, Saunders has a lot to be proud of. The accolades are nice, but Saunders finds the most comfort in knowing he made people happy. The outpouring of support since is release has humbled him, Saunders indicated.

“It’s probably the greatest achievement of my life,” Saunders said. “I feel it’s a greater achievement than my black belt. It’s a greater achievement than winning the best ‘Submission of the Year’ – the first omoplata in UFC history. At the end of the day if you look at my legacy and my fanbase, I was a fan favorite for how I fought.

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Saunders is uncertain what his future holds. Generally speaking, however, Saunders plans to keep on keeping on – living out a samurai’s dream.

“If you look at Street Fighter and the Ryu character, his entire purpose of life was to train and fight all around the world – to test his skills against the best in the world,” Saunders said. “Whether he won or he lost, it was something positive to look at to improve upon. That’s pretty much how I feel I live my life. I really do consider myself like a modern-day samurai.

“My whole purpose in life since I was a child was to do the unimaginable. At the time, it was probably the scariest thing in the world that anybody could ever try to become and do. At 10 years old, I said that’s what I was going to do. My dream was to fight for the UFC. Not only did I do that, I did it well. Now, we’ll see what happens.”

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UFC roster update: Ben Saunders, Brandon Davis among eight fighters released

The UFC is trimming its roster entering February, with eight fighters parting ways.

As the first quarter of 2020 progresses, the UFC has trimmed its roster. At least eight fighters have been released from their contracts or not re-signed, MMA Junkie has learned.

Each fighter listed has announced the release, or a member of his or her team has informed MMA Junkie of the news. The order in which they appear is alphabetical, not chronological.

The exact time frames and terms of the releases (i.e. end of contract vs. severance) were not disclosed to MMA Junkie.

Junior Albini.

Junior Albini | Heavyweight (14-6 MMA, 1-4 UFC)

Nicknamed “Baby,” [autotag]Junior Albini[/autotag] made quite the impression in his UFC debut in July 2016. Fresh off the Brazilian regional scene, Albini was an unknown to most North American viewers. In his promotional debut, it only took the big man 135 seconds to dismantle Timothy Johnson. His win in his UFC debut would be his last, however. Albini dropped four straight fights to Andrei Arlovski, Aleksei Oleinik, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Maurice Greene. He was subsequently cut from the promotion and has since signed with Serbian promotion SBC.

Nathan Coy | Welterweight (15-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC)

It took [autotag]Nathan Coy[/autotag] 24 professional fights and a stint on season 21 of The Ultimate Fighter to earn a crack at UFC notoriety. Debuting as a pro fighter in 2007, Coy’s road to the UFC wasn’t the quickest or easiest. He competed practically everywhere, from Strikeforce to Bellator to a plethora of regional promotions. After serving as one of the leaders of Team ATT on TUF 21, Coy made his UFC debut at the TUF 21 Finale. He lost to Danny Roberts that night. He picked up his elusive first UFC victory against Jonavin Webb in June 2016. Coy appeared once more in April 2017 and was submitted by Zak Cummings. After the loss, Coy walked away from MMA to pursue other endeavors – but he elected never to make a public announcement.

More roster updates on the next page:

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100 of the most fascinating UFC facts from the past decade

Some of the most significant in-fight moments and records in UFC history have occurred and been etched in stone over the past decade.

The past decade of UFC action has seen a lot unfold, and it is arguably the most important in the organization’s history from in terms of evolution.

Only within this era have statistics truly come to the forefront. After so many years of fights, the groundwork for what’s viewed as meaningful and the history attached has finally been laid out. The athletes and techniques have evolved, too, meaning new methods of causing damage and finishing fights are attempted and pulled off with a higher rate of frequency.

That evolution is apparent in the history books, because some of the most significant moments and records in UFC history have occurred over this past decade.

Let’s dig into the archives.

****

EVENT FEATS

Sajik Arena in South Korea

The UFC held 363 events in 159 difference venues across 26 countries over the past decade.

“UFC 243: Whittaker vs. Adesanya” in October 2019 had the highest announced attendance in company history at 57,127.

“UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor” in November 2016 sold a largest live gate in company history at $17.7 million.

“UFC Fight Night 121: Werdum vs. Tybura” in November 2017 had the most total fight time of any event in company history at 3 hours, 4 minutes and 18 seconds.

“UFC Fight Night 55:: Rockhold vs. Bisping” in November 2014 had the least total fight time of those events at 1 hour, 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

The UFC canceled four events over the decade: UFC 151 in September 2012; UFC 176 in August 2014; UFC Fight Night 97 in October 2016 and UFC 233 in January 2019.

Michael Bisping def. Luke Rockhold at UFC 199

“UFC Fight Night 55: Rockhold vs. Bisping” and “UFC 224: Nunes vs. Pennington” in May 2018 each featured 11 stoppage results, the most for any card in company history.

“UFC on FOX 7: Henderson vs. Melendez” in April 2013, “UFC Fight Night 45: Cerrone vs. Miller” in July 2014, “UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2,” in June 2016 and “UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2” in December 2017 each featured eight knockout results, the most of the decade.

“UFC on FUEL TV 10: Werdum vs. Nogueira” in June 2013 featured eight submission results, the most for any card in company history.

Seven events each featured 10 decision results, the most for any card in company history.

“UFC Fight Night 134: Shogun vs. Smith” in July 2018 and “UFC on ESPN 4: Dos Anjos vs. Edwards” each featured nine consecutive decision results, the longest streak on a card in company history.

“UFC Fight Night 79: Henderson vs. Masvidal” in November 2015 and “UFC 222: Cyborg vs. Kunitskaya” in March 2018 each featured five split-decision results, the most for any card in company history.

Henry Cejudo def. Marlon Moraes at UFC 238

“UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes” in June 2019 featured a total of 1,818 significant strikes landed, a single-event record for the company.

“UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta” in April 2018 featured seven fighters who landed 100 or more significant strikes, a single-event record for the company.

“UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2” in June 2016 featured 15 knockdowns, a single-event record for the company.

“UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor” in July 2015 was the only event in company history to feature two knockouts stemming from flying knee strikes.

“UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till” in September 2018 was the only event in company history to feature two kneebar submission results.

“UFC 217: Bisping vs. St-Pierre” in November 2017 marked the only event in history to feature three title changes.

Next page: General feats

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UFC 245 salaries: Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington top list of disclosed paydays

A total of 12 fighters made north of six figures Saturday at UFC 245, and that number increases when post-fight bonuses are factored in.

Main event combatants [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] each pocketed $500,000 for their respective efforts at UFC 245.

MMA Junkie recently obtained the list of the disclosed paydays for Saturday night’s card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which oversaw the event.

UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovksi[/autotag], who won the belt in the evening’s co-main event, earned $250,000 for his performance. Former champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag], who lost the belt, took home a $350,000.

UFC women’s double champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] pocketed $450,000 for her bantamweight title defense against [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag]. Dutch challenger de Randamie earned $100,000.

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Former UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] was the fourth highest-paid athlete on the card. Despite losing to [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] in his drop to bantamweight, Aldo earned $400,000.

The total disclosed payroll for the event was $4,096,000.

The full list of disclosed UFC 245 paydays included:

  • Kamaru Usman: $500,000 (no win bonus)
    def. Colby Covington: $500,000
  • Alexander Volkanovski: $250,000 (no win bonus)
    def. Max Holloway: $350,000
  • Amanda Nunes: $450,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus)
    def. Germaine de Randamie: $100,000
  • Marlon Moraes: $220,000 (includes $110,000 win bonus)
    def. Jose Aldo: $400,000
  • [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]: $122,000 (includes $66,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag]: $250,0000
  • [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]: $62,000 (includes $31,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag]: $90,000
  • [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag]: $33,000
  • [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag]: $110,000 (includes $28,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: $50,000
  • [autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag]: $160,000 (includes $80,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag]: $35,000
  • [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Daniel Teymur[/autotag]: $18,000
  • [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag]: $62,000 (includes $31,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Kai Kara-France[/autotag]: $25,000
  • [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag]: $96,000 (includes $48,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: $45,000
  • [autotag]Puna Soriano[/autotag]: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Oskar Piechota[/autotag]: $20,000

The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC 245 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay. They also do not include any other “locker room” or special discretionary bonuses the UFC sometimes pays. They also do not include pay-per-view cuts that some top-level fighters receive.

For example, UFC officials handed out additional $50,000 UFC 245 fight-night bonuses to Yan and Aldana for “Performance of the Night,” and Usman and Covington for “Fight of the Night.”

In other words, the above figures are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

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UFC 245 medical suspensions: Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, others face potential lengthy layoffs

As you might expect, Colby Covington is going to be out awhile after UFC 245. But Kamaru Usman could be on the shelf as well.

Seven fighters are facing lengthy medical suspensions after a hard-hitting night of action at UFC 245.

Both main event combatants, [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag], face 180-day suspensions for injuries sustained in their back-and-forth main event.

Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) retained his welterweight championship, but not without sacrificing his well-being. “The Nigerian Nightmare” has been suspended 180 days or until X-ray of left thumb is cleared by physician.

Meanwhile, Covington (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has been suspended 180 days or until his nondisplaced midline mandibular fracture is cleared by oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

Additionally, newly crowned UFC featherweight champ [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] is up for a potential 180 days suspension as well, for a potentially broken hand suffered against Max Holloway in the evening’s co-main event.

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Four other fighters could see 180-day suspensions for various injuries, including bantamweight contender [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag], [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag], and [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag].

MMA Junkie acquired the full list of medical suspensions from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which you can read below:

  • [autotag]Puna Soriano[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Oskar Piechota[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days or until eye injury is cleared by physician; no contact for 21 days due to cut on left cheek
  • [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray/MRI of right hand and x-ray of right foot and left tibia/fibia are cleared by physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Kai Kara-France[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Daniel Teymur[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to cut on left eyebrow
  • [autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Ian Henisch[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag]: No Suspension
  • [autotag]Ketlen Viera[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • Geoff Neal: Suspended for 180 days or until x-ray of left ribs is cleared by physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • Mike Perry: Suspended 180 days or until nasal x-ray is cleared by physician; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • Petr Yan: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of right foot is cleared by an orthopedic physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 21 days due to cut on left eyelid
  • [autotag]Jose Aldo/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • Alexander Volkanovski: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of right hand is cleared by orthopedic physician; also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to leg pain
  • Kamaru Usman: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of left thumb is cleared by physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • Colby Covington: Suspended 180 days or until nondisplaced midline mandibular fracture is cleared by oral and maxillofacial surgeon; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days

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UFC 245 post-event facts: Max Holloway makes history, even in defeat

The best facts and figures to come out of UFC 245, which saw Kamaru Usman beat Colby Covington in the main event.

The UFC’s final numbered event of the year took place Saturday at UFC 245 went down at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with a main card that aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

Three championship bouts were featured on the card, but it was Kamaru Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) who closed the show in dramatic fashion when he stopped Colby Covington (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) by fifth-round TKO to defend his welterweight title for the first time in the main event.

It was a memorable finish to close a memorable card, and for more on the numbers, check below for 60 post-event facts to come out of UFC 245.

* * * *

General

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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $369,500.

Usman, Covington, [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] and [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC 245 fight-night bonuses.

Debuting fighters went 2-0 on the card.

UFC 245 drew an announced attendance of 16,811 for a live gate of $4,041,119.14.

Betting favorites went 8-5 on the card.

Betting favorites improved to 22-17 (one fight had even odds, one ended in a no contest) in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 13-bout card was 2:49:00.

Main card

Usman extended his winning streak to 15 fights. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since May 2013.

Usman’s 11-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Usman became the fourth fighter in UFC history to start 11-0 with the promotion. Anderson Silva, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Royce Gracie also accomplished the feat.

Usman is the only welterweight in history to start his UFC career with 11 consecutive victories.

Usman’s 11-fight UFC winning streak is the third longest active streak in the company behind Nurmagomedov (12) and Tony Ferguson (12).

Usman’s 11-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Usman’s 11-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the second longest in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (12).

Covington suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) became the fourth undisputed featherweight champion in UFC history.

Volkanovski became the first Australian-born champion in UFC history.

Volkanovski’s six-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is tied with Arnold Allen and Zabit Magomedsharipov for the longest active streak in the division.

Volkanovski extended his winning streak to 18 consecutive fights. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since May 2013.

Volkanovski has earned five of his eight UFC victories by decision.

Volkanovski has outlanded his eight UFC opponents by a 650-301 margin in total strikes.

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC) has suffered four of his five career losses by decision.

Holloway landed 100+ significant strikes for the 10th time in UFC competition, the most in company history. No other fighter has more than seven such performances.

Holloway became the third fighter in UFC history to complete 22 octagon appearances without suffering a knockdown.

[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]’ (19-4 MMA, 12-1 UFC) five consecutive UFC title defenses are most among current champions.

Nunes’ seven victories in women’s UFC title fights are most in company history.

Nunes’ 12 victories in UFC competition are most for any female in company history.

Nunes’ 11 victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Nunes’ 10-fight UFC winning streak in women’s competition is the longest in company history.

Nunes’ nine-fight UFC winning streak at women’s bantamweight is the longest active streak in the division.

[autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) fell to 2-1 since she returned to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in September 2017.

De Randamie suffered her first decision loss since June 24, 2011 – a span of 3,115 days and nine fights.

[autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] (23-6-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) improved to 18-2 in his past 20 fights dating back to December 2011.

[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) was unsuccessful in his bantamweight debut.

Aldo fell to 3-5 in his past eight fights after going undefeated for more than a decade.

Yan’s (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) six-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Yan has earned all three of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.

[autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] (35-11 MMA, 11-7 UFC) suffered just the fourth knockout loss of his career.

Preliminary card

[autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]’s (13-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Usman (11), Leon Edwards (eight) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (seven).

Neal has earned 10 of his 12 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his five UFC wins.

Neal became the first welterweight since Usman to start 5-0 in the UFC.

[autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 6-6 UFC) fell to 2-5 in his past seven fights dating back to December 2017.

Perry suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

Aldana’s (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) five victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Nunes (11), Raquel Pennington (eight) and Ronda Rousey (six).

[autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) had her 10-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.

[autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag] (19-4-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) improved to 3-0-1 since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in December 2017. He’s 4-0-1 in the weight class overall under the UFC banner.

Akhmedov’s five-fight UFC unbeaten streak at middleweight is tied with Paulo Costa for the second longest active streak in the division behind Israel Adesanya (seven).

[autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since May.

Heinisch has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision.

[autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag]’s (22-16 MMA, 15-10 UFC) 15 victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (19) and Matt Hughes (16).

Brown has earned 20 of his 22 career victories by stoppage. That includes 13 of his 15 wins under the UFC banner.

Brown’s 13 stoppage victories in UFC welterweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Brown’s 11 knockout victories in UFC competition are tied for second most in company history behind Vitor Belfort (12).

Brown’s 11 knockout victories in welterweight competition are the most in divisional history.

[autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag] (22-13-2 MMA, 8-10 UFC) fell to 5-7 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in August 2014; it includes one win in an outside promotion.

Saunders’ four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2018.

Saunders is 1-6 in his past seven UFC appearances dating back to May 2017.

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag] (7-0-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned five of his seven career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Daniel Teymur[/autotag] (7-4 MMA, 1-4 UFC) fell to 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to December 2016.

Teymur suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] (16-5-1 MMA, 4-2-1 UFC) improved to 1-0-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September.

Moreno snapped his three-fight winless skid in UFC competition for his first octagon victory since April 2017.

[autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of her career.

[autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned six of his seven career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Oskar Piechota[/autotag] (11-3-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has suffered three consecutive losses after starting his career on a 12-fight unbeaten streak.

Piechota suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

UFC 245 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Second highest event payout in program history

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 245 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $369,500.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 245 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $369,500.

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 245 took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

The full UFC 245 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag]: $40,000
def. [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]: $30,000
def. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]: $40,000

[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]: $40,000
def. [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Daniel Teymur[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Kai Kara-France[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Oskar Piechota[/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 2019 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,249,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $30,883,500

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC 245 with Billie Eilish and a ‘Game of Thrones’ appearance

Check out the complete list of fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC 245 event.

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 245 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13, Page 14

Watch Matt Brown finish Ben Saunders with strikes in his return at UFC 245

Longtime fan favorite Matt Brown returned in style at UFC 245, finishing Ben Saunders.

[autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag] returned to the cage in style at UFC 245.

A UFC welterweight division mainstay, Brown (22-16 MMA, 15-10 UFC) competed in his first fight in more than two years Saturday, when he took on [autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag]. Brown defeated Saunders (22-13-2 MMA, 9-10 UFC) with strikes at 4:55 of Round 2.

After getting stuck in Saunders’ guard for nearly the entirety of the first round, Brown had better luck keeping the fight standing in the second.

As the clock wound down in Round 2, Saunders pulled guard. Instead of letting the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt up to his feet, Brown dove into the guard.

A brutal elbow from Brown stunned Saunders. It also opened “Killa B” up for more shots. As Brown pounded away, referee Keith Peterson dove in and waved off the fight.

Brown has won back-to-back fights, turning around his luck after losses in five out of six.

As for Saunders, the Floridian has lost six out of his past seven bouts. All six defeats have come inside the distance, with five by knockout.

Check out Brown’s finish of Saunders at UFC 245 in the video clip below:

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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