Another fighter has been fined and suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission due to marijuana.
[autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag] is the latest fighter to be suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for a positive marijuana test.
At the governing body’s monthly meeting held Wednesday, the NAC suspended Lewis (7-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC) for six months and fined him a total of $1,345.36 ($1,200 fine + $145.36 in legal fees) due to a positive urine test on Nov. 7. Lewis will be eligible to compete again on May 7 should all fines and fees be paid.
The test was conducted the same date as Lewis’ most recent UFC fight – a third-round TKO loss to Trevin Giles. Following the loss, the UFC parted ways with Lewis.
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Lewis joins a laundry list of fighters suspended by the NAC for marijuana in the the past year. Niko Price, Kevin Croom, Trevin Jones, Jamahal Hill, Tim Elliott, and Luis Pena were among those suspended by the NAC for positive marijuana tests in 2020.
Three of the athletes have fought for the UFC, while the other had yet to debut after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The UFC has parted ways with four fighters.
Multiple people with knowledge of the situation confirmed to MMA Junkie that [autotag]Collin Huckbody[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Ledet[/autotag], [autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag], and [autotag]Cole Smith[/autotag] are no longer on the UFC roster. Three of those athletes have competed for the UFC, while the other had yet to debut after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
For Ledet, Lewis and Smith, it’s unclear if they fought out their contracts and weren’t re-signed – or if they were released by the promotion. Huckbody never got to compete in the UFC after being awarded a contract on DWCS.
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:
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:
At UFC on ESPN+ 31, Trevin Giles fainted moments prior to his supposed-to-be walkout.
Three weeks after fainting just prior to his planned walk to the cage on Aug. 1, [autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag] is booked for his next fight.
Giles (12-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will take on [autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a middleweight bout at a UFC event on Nov. 7. The location and venue of the event has not been officially announced at this time.
Multiple people with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Giles also mentioned the fight on his official Instagram page.
Ahead of his fight against Kevin Holland at UFC on ESPN+ 31, Giles fainted in the runway, causing the bout to be called off moments before the main card broadcast begun. Prior to his syncopal episode, Giles had snapped a two-fight losing streak by defeating James Krause at UFC 247 in February.
Lewis picked up his first UFC win at UFC on ESPN 24 in January, defeating Dequan Townsend by unanimous decision. Prior to that, Lewis, a UFC development deal signee, lost his first two UFC fights to Uriah Hall and Darren Stewart.
UFC on ESPN+ 24 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
RALEIGH, N.C. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $169,000.
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+ 24 took place Saturday at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 24 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $20,000
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:
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 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 on ESPN+ 24 went with as their backing tracks in Raleigh, N.C.
The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 24, which features a Curtis Blaydes vs. Junior Dos Santos main event.
The UFC makes its sixth trip to North Carolina on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 24. Its the promotion’s debut in Raleigh, and is set to stream on ESPN+ from PNC Arena.
In the main event, heavyweight contenders clash. [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will attempt to extended his two-fight winning streak against former UFC champion [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag] (21-6 MMA, 15-5 UFC), who looks to rebound from a loss in his most recent outing.
The matchup tops the 12-fight card, which also features one more former UFC titleholder as well as former title challenger.
* * * *
Main event
Curtis Blaydes
Blaydes absorbs 1.9 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Blaydes’ 45 takedowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Blaydes completes 60 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Cheick Kongo (63.2 percent).
Blaydes’ takedown rate of 7.05 per 15 minutes of fighting is highest in UFC history.
Blaydes’ 10 takedowns landed against Mark Hunt at UFC 221 tied the record for second most in a single UFC heavyweight fight behind Cain Velasquez’s 11 takedowns landed at UFC 155.
Blaydes’ three knockout victories stemming from elbow strikes in UFC competition are tied with Paul Felder for most in company history.
Junior Dos Santos
Dos Santos competes in his 13th UFC headliner. He’s 8-4 in his previous main event bouts.
Dos Santos’ total fight time of 3:44:34 in UFC heavyweight competition is second most in company history behind Andrei Arlovski (4:33:42).
Dos Santos’ 15 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Arlovski (17) and Frank Mir (16).
Dos Santos’ 10 knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Velasquez and Derrick Lewis for most in divisional history.
Dos Santos’ 14 knockdowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Dos Santos has landed 1,068 significant strikes in UFC heavyweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Dos Santos and Ben Rothwell combined for 234 significant strikes landed at UFC Fight Night 86, the third most in a single UFC heavyweight fight behind Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier (304) at UFC 241 and Fabricio Werdum vs. Marcin Tybura (282) at UFC Fight Night 121.
Dos Santos’ 157 significant strikes landed against Rothwell are second most in a UFC heavyweight fight behind Miocic (181) at UFC 241.
Dos Santos’ 92 significant body strikes landed against Rothwell are the UFC heavyweight record for a single fight.
Dos Santos defends 80.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the fourth-best rate in divisional history behind Alexander Volkov (82.8 percent), Marcin Tybura (81.5 percent) and Arlovski (80.6 percent).
Co-main event
Rafael dos Anjos
[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (30-12 MMA, 18-10 UFC) is the only Brazilian lightweight champion in UFC history.
Dos Anjos is 4-3 since he moved up to the UFC welterweight division in June 2017.
Dos Anjos’ average fight time of 19:39 in UFC welterweight competition is the longest in divisional history.
Dos Anjos’ 18 UFC wins are tied for seventh most in company history. Donald Cerrone holds the all-time record with 23.
Dos Anjos lands 54.4 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Gunnar Nelson (56.8 percent).
Dos Anjos became just the second fighter in history to challenge for a UFC title and win a 50-45 decision on all three judges’ scorecards when he beat Anthony Pettis at UFC 185. Randy Couture also accomplished the feat against Tim Sylvia at UFC 68.
Dos Anjos’ 66-second victory over Cerrone at UFC on FOX 17 is the fastest stoppage in UFC lightweight title fight history.
Michael Chiesa
[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) is 2-0 since he moved up to the welterweight division in December 2018.
Chiesa’s five submission victories via rear-naked choke in UFC competition are tied for third most in company history behind Demian Maia (nine) and Kenny Florian (seven).
Chiesa has completed at least one takedown against 12 of his 13 UFC opponents.
Remaining main card
Alex Perez
[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 123.
[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag] (10-7 MMA, 5-7 UFC) competes in her 13th UFC strawweight bout, tied with Randa Markos for the most appearances in divisional history.
Hill is 4-5 since she returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2017.
Hill’s two knockdowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Rose Namajunas (three).
Hill has landed 100 or more significant strikes in five separate UFC strawweight fights, the second most in divisional history behind Joanna Jedrzejczyk (seven).
[autotag]Darko Stosic[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) is 1-2 since he dropped to the light heavyweight division in July 2018. He went 12-1 at heavyweight.
Preliminary card
Bevon Lewis
[autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career on a six-fight winning streak.
[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s (15-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) six-fight UFC winning streak in featherweight competition is tied with Zabit Magomedsharipov and Alexander Volkanovski for the longest active streak in the division.
Allen is one of four featherweights in UFC history to open his career with six straight wins. Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor and Yair Rodriguez also accomplished the feat.
Allen absorbs 1.78 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Rani Yahya (1.05) and Mirsad Bektic (1.7).
Nik Lentz
[autotag]Nik Lentz[/autotag] (30-10-2 MMA, 14-7-1 UFC) returns to the featherweight division for the first time since May 2015. He went 4-2 during his first stint in the weight class.
Lentz’s 68 takedowns landed in UFC competition are tied for fourth most in company history behind Georges St-Pierre (90), Gleison Tibau (84) and Demetrious Johnson (74).
Lentz’s 20 guillotine choke attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.
Lentz and Charles Oliveira are one of three pairs of fighters in UFC history to have a trilogy in which all three fights were not for a title. Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz and Sam Stout vs. Spencer Fisher also accomplished the feat.
[autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Jan. 27, 2018. It’s the third time in her career she’s had a layoff of at least 23 months.
Kish has suffered consecutive losses after starting her career on a six-fight winning streak.
[autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag] (8-5 MMA, 2-4 UFC), 25, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Pudilova’s three-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.
Pudilova is 0-2 since she dropped to the UFC women’s flyweight division in February.
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) submission victory at 1:40 of Round 1 at UFC 232 is the second fastest D’Arce choke finish in UFC history. Only Chas Skelly’s 19-second win at UFC Fight Night 94 was faster.
Sara McMann
[autotag]Sara McMann[/autotag] (11-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC), 39, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
McMann returns to competition for the first time since Feb. 24, 2018. The 700-day layoff is the longest of her nearly nine-year career.
McMann competes in her 11th UFC women’s bantamweight bout, the third-most appearances in divisional history behind Amanda Nunes (12) and Raquel Pennington (12).
McMann’s two submission victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for the second most in divisional history behind Ronda Rousey (three).
McMann’s 2017 victory over Gina Mazany at 1:14 of Round 1 marked the second fastest submission in UFC women’s bantamweight history behind Ronda Rousey’s 14-second finish of Cat Zingano at UFC 184.
[autotag]Lina Lansberg[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) enters the event on the first winning streak of her UFC career.
Lansberg lands 57.7 of her significant strikes in UFC women’s bantamweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Lansberg has earned all four of her UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career on a 15-fight winning streak.
Johns has earned one of two calf-slicer submissions in UFC history. Charles Oliveira also accomplished the feat.
Johns’ 30-second submission of Joe Soto at the TUF 26 Finale was second fastest in UFC/WEC combined bantamweight history behind Patrick Williams’ 23-second finish at UFC 188.
Johns’ 11 takedowns landed at UFC Fight Night 99 are tied for the single-fight record for a UFC/WEC bantamweight bout.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Bevon Lewis has a new opponent for his third UFC appearance.
[autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag] has a new opponent for his third UFC appearance.
Originally scheduled to fight [autotag]Alen Amedovski[/autotag], Lewis (6-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) now will face [autotag]Dequan Townsend[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 24.
Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking, but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The reason for Amedovski’s removal or withdrawal is unknown at this time.
UFC on ESPN+ 24 takes place Jan. 25 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. The card is expected to stream on ESPN+.
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Lewis hopes a third time will be the charm, as he was unable to earn a victory in either of his two UFC outings to date. After being signed off of Dana White’s Contender Series, Lewis was knocked out by Uriah Hall in his debut in December 2018.
Lewis’ bad luck continued in June, when he lost an unanimous decision to Darren Stewart at UFC 238.
Like Lewis, Townsend also will be seeking his first UFC victory. Moving down from light heavyweight, Townsend takes his second short-notice fight in as many bouts with the promotion. Townsend made his UFC debut in June, losing to Dalcha Lungiambula at UFC on ESPN 3.
With the change, the current UFC on ESPN+ 24 lineup includes:
Five more fights have been made official for the UFC’s first trip to Raleigh, N.C.
The card for the UFC’s first trip to Raleigh is starting to take shape.
The recently announced event will feature a heavyweight clash between Curtis Blaydes and Junior Dos Santos in the night’s headliner, and Cory Sandhagen will welcome Frankie Edgar to the bantamweight division in the co-main event.
UFC Raleigh will take place on Jan. 25 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., which is expected to stream on ESPN+.
Also officially announced is a women’s flyweight bout between [autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and [autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag] (8-5 MMA, 2-4 UFC), a middleweight contest between [autotag]Alen Amedovski[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) and [autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC), a light heavyweight clash between [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and [autotag]Darko Stosic[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC), a bantamweight bout of [autotag]Felipe Colares[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) against [autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and lightweight fight between newcomers [autotag]Herbert Burns [/autotag](9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
All five bouts have been made official by the UFC, with the bout between Landwehr and Burns first reported by Cageside Press.
The latest lineup for the Jan. 25 fight card includes:
