Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from May 8-15.
Check out the numbers to come out of UFC 286, where Justin Gaethje made more history with another Fight of the Night effort.
The UFC hosted its fourth numbered event of the year on Saturday with UFC 286, which took place at The O2 in London and saw home country hero [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] compete in the main event.
Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) registered his first welterweight title defense when he edged rival [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC) by majority decision in their trilogy bout, giving him a 2-1 lead in their series.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 286.
Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 286 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,500.
LONDON – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 286 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,500.
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 286 took place at The O2. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.
The full UFC 286 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag]: $32,000
[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Casey O’Neill[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Chris Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Sam Patterson[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Jafel Filho[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Gabriel Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Christian Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Joanne Wood[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Juliana Miller[/autotag]: $4,000
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 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $1,634,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,153,000
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
Gunnar Nelson showed off his slick submission skills by tapping Bryan Barberena in the final seconds of the first round at UFC 286.
After a year away from the octagon, UFC welterweight [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag] returned to remind everyone of his elite grappling skills.
On the main card of UFC 286, Nelson (19-5-1 MMA, 10-5 UFC) stepped into the cage at The O2 in London to face Bryan Barberena (18-10 MMA, 9-8 UFC). It was a near-flawless performance for Nelson, who secured victory at 4:51 of the first round by way of a beautiful armbar.
Nelson’s wide-based karate stance caused Barberena to be a little hesitant to engage early in the fight, but landed a few solid leg kicks. When Nelson saw his opening to close the distance, he got into the clinch and took the fight to the ground.
From there, it was a clinic on the mat.
Nelson threatened a number of submissions including a straight armlock, an Americana, a kimura, and arm triangle choke – all while slowly transitioning into full mount.
After sneaking in a few short elbows in dominant position, Nelson committed to an armbar as time was running short in the round. The submission was locked in and it didn’t take long for Barberena to tap.
He's just too crafty on the ground 😮💨@GunniNelson with the armbar finish! #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/qDOp1FwtLm
— UFC (@ufc) March 18, 2023
Nelson entered Saturday’s contest a year removed from a unanimous decision win over Takashi Sato. Eight of Nelson’s 10 victories in the UFC have come by submission.
Barberena drops his second straight by submission. In his previous outing in December, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos submitted Barberena with a rear-naked choke. That loss snapped a three-fight win streak for “Bam Bam.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC 286 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
Check out the best photos from Gunnar Nelson’s first-round submission win over Bryan Barberena at UFC 286 in London.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag]’s first-round submission win over [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag] at UFC 286 at The O2 in London. (Photos by Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC 286 main card in London, featuring a Leon Edwards-Kamaru Usman welterweight title rematch.
| Edwards vs. Usman |
Fiziev vs. Gaethje |
Barberena vs. Nelson |
Maia vs. O’Neill |
Dolidze vs. Vettori |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 30-19 |
 Usman (59%) |
 Fiziev (52%) |
 Nelson (62%) |
 O’Neill (73%) |
 Vettori (59%) |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 33-16 |
Usman |
 Gaethje |
 Barberena |
O’Neill |
 Dolidze |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 30-19/em> |
Usman |
Fiziev |
Nelson |
 Maia |
Vettori |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 30-19 |
Usman |
Gaethje |
Nelson |
O’Neill |
Dolidze |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 30-19 |
Usman |
Fiziev |
Nelson |
O’Neill |
Dolidze |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 29-20 |
 Edwards |
Gaethje |
Nelson |
O’Neill |
Dolidze |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 29-20  2018, 2022 Champion |
Usman |
Fiziev |
Barberena |
O’Neill |
Dolidze |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 28-21 |
Usman |
Fiziev |
Barberena |
O’Neill |
Vettori |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 27-22 2014 Champion |
Usman |
Fiziev |
Nelson |
O’Neill |
Vettori |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 27-22 |
Usman |
Gaethje |
Nelson |
O’Neill |
Vettori |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 26-23 2017 Champion |
Usman |
Gaethje |
Barberena |
O’Neill |
Vettori |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 26-23 |
Edwards |
Gaethje |
Nelson |
O’Neill |
Vettori |
The UFC is back in London for the third time in about a year this week with a welterweight trilogy rematch atop the card.
UFC 286 takes place Saturday at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, welterweight champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) takes on former champ [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) in a trilogy title rematch. Usman had little issue with Edwards for nearly 25 minutes when they fought this past August, but Edwards pulled off a stunning late head-kick knockout to take the title.
Usman is a -250 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Edwards is +200. It’s not a shutout, though it is a blowout. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Usman ahead at 9-2.
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In the co-feature, [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) takes on former interim lightweight champ [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (23-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC). Fiziev is more than a 2-1 favorite, but it’s Gaethje who has the slimmest possible picks lead at 6-5.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag] (18-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) meets [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag] (18-5-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in a welterweight bout. Nelson is the biggest favorite on the main card at -360, but he has just a 7-4 lead in the picks from our staff members.
[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (20-9-1 MMA, 5-5 UFC) takes on the unbeaten [autotag]Casey O’Neill[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. O’Neill is a -170 favorite – the smallest favorite on the main card. Yet she is our closest thing to a unanimous pick at 10-1.
And to open the main card, former middleweight title challenger [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] (18-5-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC) fights [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Vettori nearly is a 3-1 favorite at the betting window, but he only has a 6-5 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Usman (59 percent), Fiziev (52 percent), Nelson (62 percent), O’Neill (73 percent) and Vettori (59 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
Bryan Barberena is excited for the opportunity to fight Gunnar Nelson at UFC 286.
LONDON – [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag] is excited about the opportunity to fight [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag] at UFC 286.
Barberena (18-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) stepped in for Daniel Rodriguez to take on Nelson (18-5-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) on Saturday’s main card at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Having fought Matt Brown, Robbie Lawler and Rafael dos Anjos in his past three fights, Barberena puts Nelson in a similar class to his recent opposition.
“Actually, I pumped about the name,” Barberena said at Wednesday’s UFC 286 media day. “After the last fight and everything, I was bitter about it, bitter about my performance. I went right back to work and I think this fight kind of lines up perfectly for what I want to display and what I want to show.
“Gunnar is a legend in himself, especially in Europe and all over here. Now they’re bringing in another legend, legend vs. legend fight, so that’s exciting. And honestly I think for the fanbase and everything, I think this is a bigger fight than the original one.”
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Nelson has only fought once in the past four years, but Barberena doesn’t think his inactivity will have an impact on his performance.
“I’m familiar with layoffs as well so I expect him to be the best version of himself,” Barberena said. “I expect the best Gunnar, I think he’s going to come out firing, I think he’s going to come out ready to extend his win streak and make a run for the top again. He’s a legend and I think he’s still held high in the fighting community, in the world, and in the rankings. So, it’s a big deal, it’s a big fight, and like I said, I’m ready to go.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
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Check out the numbers behind UFC 286, including Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3, Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev and more.
The UFC brings a numbered event back to England for the first time since October 2016 on Saturday with UFC 286, which takes place at The 02 in London with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.
A highly anticipated trilogy bout for the UFC welterweight title takes center stage in the main event. After avenging a unanimous decision loss to [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) from December 2015 with a shocking head kick knockout at UFC 278 in August, [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) will attempt to make his first title defense in the rubber match on his home soil.
For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 286.
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All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Feb. 20-26.
Bryan Barberena will step in on short notice against Gunnar Nelson when the UFC returns to London next month.
[autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag] will step in on short notice against [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag].
With [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] out, Nelson (18-5-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) now will face Barberena (18-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) at UFC 286 on March 18 at The O2 in London, promotion officials announced. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Daniel Rodriguez is out! ❌@GunniNelson will now face @Bryan_Barberena at #UFC286 in London! 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/uTea2uJv64
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) February 24, 2023
Barberena is coming off a second-round submission loss to former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 42 in December. Prior to that, “Bam Bam” was enjoying his best octagon run with three straight wins, including a TKO of ex-welterweight champ Robbie Lawler at UFC 276.
Nelson has split his past four appearances. In his most recent octagon outing, the 34-year-old returned from a two-and-a-half year layoff when he defeated Takashi Sato at UFC Fight Night 204 last March. The win snapped a two-fight losing skid.
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With the change, the current lineup for UFC 286 includes:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
