Tag: Carlos Mota

Nevada suspends UFC flyweight Carlos Mota two years for failed drug test

Flyweight Carlos Mota won’t be eligible to fight until late 2024 because of a failed drug test stemming from his UFC debut.

UFC flyweight [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] has been suspended two years for a positive drug test.

Mota (8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) tested positive for meldonium, a metabolic modulator that is banned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. In addition to a two-year suspension, Mota was fined a total of $2,848, which includes $448.25 in legal fees. Mota will be eligible to return to competition Oct. 29, 2024.

The sanction was announced by Nevada Attorney General’s Office representative Joel Bekker at Wednesday’s meeting of the Nevada Athletic Commission in Las Vegas. The failed drug test stems from his Oct. 29 bout against Cody Durden, which he lost by unanimous decision. Mota, who was the reigning LFA flyweight champion at the time, took the bout on short notice. It was his UFC debut.

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Mota, 27, was regarded by many as one of the best flyweight up-and-comers in the world when he entered the UFC. He won back-to-back fights, including a brutal knockout of Rizvan Abuev at LFA 140 two months before the fight with Durden.

Flyweight prospect [autotag]Cobey Fehr[/autotag] (amphetamine) and Power Slap fighter [autotag]Jon Kennedy[/autotag] (cocaine) were also suspended for nine months each and fined, announced at Wednesday’s hearing.

UFC flyweight Carlos Mota suspended by NSAC for failed drug test

UFC flyweight Carlos Mota has been temporarily suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

UFC flyweight [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] has been temporarily suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

Mota (8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) allegedly tested positive for Meldonium, a metabolic modulator that is banned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The temporary suspension was announced at Tuesday’s meeting of the Nevada State Athletic Commission in Las Vegas.

Nevada Attorney General’s Office representative Joel Bekker announced the continuance of the suspension and said Mota was temporarily suspended Dec. 15. Mota will learn the length of his suspension at a future hearing.

Mota’s failed test came after his unanimous decision loss to Cody Durden at UFC Fight Night 213 on Oct. 29, 2022. Mota lost the fight, which was his UFC debut, by unanimous decision.

Mota punched his ticket to the UFC after he knocked out Rizvan Abuev to win LFA’s vacant flyweight title in August 2022. The Brazilian went 3-1 for that promotion before he took the UFC’s offer to replace Kleydson Rodrigues to fight Durden on short notice.

Fresh Ink: Meet the 5 fighters the UFC signed in October 2022

The UFC added five fighters to its roster last month. Find out who joined and learn more about them here.

The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.

Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, Dana White’s Contender Series signees, or the increasingly rare straight-up additions. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.

UFC Fight Night 213 post-event facts: Arnold Allen makes history with 10-0 octagon start

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 213, where Arnold Allen became just the sixth in history to go 10-0 in the octagon.

The UFC closed its October schedule Saturday with UFC Fight Night 213, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

In the main event, [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) kept his perfect octagon record intact when he picked up a second-round injury TKO win over [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in their featherweight bout.

For more on the numbers to come out of the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 213.

UFC Fight Night 213 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2022 total passes $7 million

UFC Fight Night 213 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 Fight Night 213 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $166,500.

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 Fight Night 213 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 213 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Tim Means[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Waldo Cortes-Acosta[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Jared Vanderaa[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Tresean Gore[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Phil Hawes[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Junyong Park[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Joseph Holmes[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Joshua Weems[/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 2137 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2131 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 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,095,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $13,273,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

UFC Fight Night 213 play-by-play and live results

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC Fight Night 213 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene and reported live from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 213 event, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

In the main event, Calvin Kattar (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) took on Arnold Allen (17-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) at featherweight. In the co-feature, Max Griffin (19-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) met Tim Means (32-14-1 MMA, 14-11 UFC) at welterweight.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC Fight Night 213 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway ) on Twitter.

LFA flyweight champion Carlos Mota signs with UFC, faces Cody Durden in Las Vegas

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 213 was hit with a change as Carlos Mota is now set to make his promotional debut weeks after winning LFA gold.

Another LFA champion is headed to the UFC.

Current titleholder [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] has signed with the promotion, stepping in on short notice to replace [autotag]Kleydson Rodrigues[/autotag] against [autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]. The bout takes place Saturday as part of UFC Fight Night 213 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking Monday to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MMA Fighting first reported the booking.

Widely regarded as one of the best unsigned flyweights in the world, Mota (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) knocked out Rizvan Abuev to claim LFA gold in August. Outside of a loss in January 2022 to current UFC flyweight Charles Johnson, Mota has not been defeated. Four of his eight wins have come by knockout.

Durden (13-4-1 MMA, 2-2-1 UFC) enters the fight off a 68-second knockout victory over JP Buys in June. The win returned Durden into the win column after a 58-second submission loss to Muhammad Mokaev in March.

With the change, the UFC Fight Night 213 lineup includes:

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

  • Calvin Kattar vs. Arnold Allen
  • Max Griffin vs. Tim Means
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Jared Vanderaa
  • Josh Fremd vs. Tresean Gore
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Khalil Rountree

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

  • Roman Dolidze vs. Phil Hawes
  • Andrei Arlovski vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
  • Joseph Holmes vs. Junyong Park
  • Steve Garcia vs. Chase Hooper
  • Cody Durden vs. Carlos Mota
  • Christian Rodriguez vs. TBA

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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LFA 140 video: Carlos Mota folds Rizvan Abuev with hellacious left hand to win flyweight strap

Carlos Mota’s left hook pulverized Rizvan Abuev, who was down for several minutes thereafter.

[autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] is a bad man.

At LFA 140, Mota (8-1) crumpled opponent [autotag]Rizvan Abuev[/autotag] (12-4) with a brutal, one-punch knockout to claim flyweight gold. The fight served as the main event of the card which took place Friday at 4 Bears Lodge & Casino in New Town, N.D.

The knockout blow, a wicked left hook, caused a stoppage at 3:14 of Round 1. Upon impact, Abuev was out cold. He thudded on the canvas with his left arm awkwardly tucked behind his back.

Abuev, 30, was down on the canvas for an unusually long amount of time as medical professionals attended to him. Eventually, he made his way to his feet to congratulate Mota.

“We’ve been training a lot,” Mota said in his in-cage interview. “I’ve been training with a lot of high-level boxers back in Vegas. Again, my coaches and I put the perfect game plan together. The belt is mine.”

With the win, Mota wins the promotion’s vacant 125-pound title in his second career attempt. Outside of a loss to current UFC flyweight Charles Johnson, Brazil’s Mota, 27, is unbeaten as a professional with four finishes in eight wins.

The full LFA 140 results include:

  • Carlos Mota def. Rizvan Abuev via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:14
  • Bahatebole Batebolati def. Ryan Leininger via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Richie Miranda def. Elijah Harris via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:34
  • Ray Waters def. Leivon Lewis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Braden Pagaoa def. Dillion Cox via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Carlos Trinidad def. D’Ante Arnett via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:53

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LFA 122 results: Charles Johnson retains title in all-time, all-action classic against Carlos Mota

After one of the best LFA fights of all time, Charles Johnson told Dana White (in the third-person) to “sign that motherf*cker right now.”

When [autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] stepped into the LFA cage, they put on a fight for the ages.

The LFA 122 main event Friday toed the line between a high-level, technical striking match and an all-out-wild brawl. Johnson (11-2) finished Mota (6-1) with punches at 0:45 of Round 5 to retain the LFA flyweight championship.

Both fighters had their moments in the bout, with the first four rounds closely contested. Mota, 26, showed some signs of brilliance and bloodied the champion midway through the bout. However, Johnson, 31, proved to be too much with his relentless pressure and crisp boxing.

As the fight progressed, the tempo increased. In the opening minute of the final round, Johnson stunned Mota in a frenetic exchange. When he saw his opponent hurt, he went for the kill and did not let Mota off the hook. Johnson dipped in and out and chased Mota down to secure the TKO finish with punches – much to the delight of his home-state crowd.

After the fight, Johnson, who has won four straight fights against opponents with a combined record of 27-7 at the time of competition, called for the UFC to sign him. In 11 wins, Johnson has eight finishes.

“Everybody knows what I want next, baby,” Johnson said. “I mean, look, this is what I need. I hear y’all. I hear y’all, but this is what I need. I need everybody in here who watched this fight, who believes in me to hashtag Dana White. Charles Johnson. LFA. Sign that mother*cker right now.”

In a lightweight co-main event, former LFA title challenger [autotag]Arthur Estrazulas[/autotag] punched (and kicked) his way back into the winning column when he made quick work of highly-touted Glory MMA & Fitness prospect [autotag]Brant Moore[/autotag].

A key member of Kings MMA, Estrazulas (13-6) finished the fight at 2:48 of Round 1 after a kick and punch to the body crumpled Moore (9-2) to the canvas.

LFA 122 finished with nine finishes in 11 fights. The event took place Friday at The Factory at the District in St. Louis. The main card streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

The full LFA 122 results include:

  • Charles Johnson def. Carlos Mota via TKO (punches) – Round 4, 0:45
  • Arthur Estrazulas def. Brant Moore via TKO (body shots) – Round 1, 2:48
  • Glaucio Eliziario def. William Starks via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Sarek Shields def. Jeremiah Curtwright via TKO (retirement) – Round 2, 5:00
  • Dan Moriarty def. Jett Shell via submission (heel hook) – Round 2, 0:48
  • Brittney Cloudy def. Annette Nichols via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 1, 3:14
  • Elmar Ulmarov def. Turner Williams via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:57
  • Will Monroe def. Avery Wilson def. TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 1, 2:38
  • Zac Moore def. Jared Medley via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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LFA 112 results: Improbable one-night tournament final leads to new welterweight champion

When three fighters were deemed unable to progress to the second round, an alternate bout loser advanced to the tournament final.

A new LFA welterweight champion was crowned as the promotion held a four-man, one-night tournament Friday – but the road to get there was winding, long, and unusual.

In the end, [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (14-3) took home the title at LFA 112 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil when he defeated [autotag]Junior Marques[/autotag] (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). While Leal’s road to the top was typical, the opposing side of the bracket was the furthest thing from normal.

The tournament began with two quarterfinal fights of three three-minute rounds. The first matchup was a back and forth brawl, in which [autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag] (11-0) finished [autotag]Brenner Alberth[/autotag] (8-1) via punches at 0:38 of Round 3. On the other side of the bracket, Leal only needed 69 seconds to finish [autotag]Diego Dias[/autotag] (13-4) with a violent knockout punch.

Bonfim vs. Real was lined up for the tournament final – until it wasn’t. Due to concussion like symptoms, Bonfim was removed from the matchup and the promotion turned to two alternates, [autotag]Quemuel Ottoni[/autotag] and [autotag]Wendell Giacomo[/autotag], who won on the non-broadcasted prelims.

However, neither Ottoni and Giacomo received medical clearance. In an unusual turn of events, Marques, who lost to Ottani, was named the No. 3 alternate and was placed into the final against Leal.

While he lasted all three rounds, Marques ultimately lost his second fight of the night when he was swept on all three judges’ scorecards by Leal.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Otto Rodrigues[/autotag] snapped [autotag]Carlos Augusto da Silva[/autotag]’s eye-popping 17-fight winning streak via a unanimous decision that earned six 10-8 rounds across the three judges’ scorecards. Prior to the bout, Rodrigues had not competed since April 2017.

The most violent finish, perhaps occurred when [autotag]Kayan Krushewsky[/autotag] brutally knocked out [autotag]Junior Luiz[/autotag] with a pair of punishing punches. The stoppage came 62 seconds into the fight.

Also on the main card, hyped flyweight standout [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] (6-0) made his long-awaited return to the cage when he won a fairly one-sided unanimous decision over [autotag]Jefferson Oliveira[/autotag] (5-1).

Check out the full LFA 112 results below:

MAIN CARD (UFC Fight Pass)

  • Carlos Leal (14-3) def. Uyran Carlos (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Otto Rodrigues (13-1) def. Carlos Augusto da Silva (19-3) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-24)
  • Rafael Ramos (10-0) def. Filipe Esteves (7-1) via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 2:19
  • Kayan Kruschewsky (11-1) def. Junior Luiz (7-4) via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:02
  • Carlos Mota (6-0) def. Jefferson Oliveira (5-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Dayane Souza (8-1) def. Elaine Lopes (4-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:45
  • Carlos Leal (13-3) def. Diego Dias (13-4) via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:39 – welterweight tournament semifinal
  • Gabriel Bonfim (11-0) def. Brenner Alberth (8-1) via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:38 – welterweight tournament semifinal

DARK PRELIMS (Not broadcasted)

  • Quemuel Ottoni (10-3) def. Junior Marques (9-3) via unanimous decision – welterweight tournament alternate bout #1
  • Wendell Giacomo (9-2) def. Uryan Carlos (11-5) via unanimous decision – welterweight tournament alternate bout #2
  • Gabriel Alves Braga (6-0) def. Jonathan Cordeiro (5-2) via TKO (strikes)
  • Brena Cardozo (5-0) def. Vania Caceres (3-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

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