UFC Fight Night 200 pre-event facts: Sean Strickland has elite defensive numbers

Sean Strickland enters Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 200 main event with the best striking defense in middleweight history.

The UFC returns to its home base of Las Vegas on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 200 at the UFC Apex. The entire event streams on ESPN+.

A matchup of middleweight contenders is set to headline the card. [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (22-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) will return to the main event scene for the fourth time in his career when he takes on the surging [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] (24-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC), who has won his past five bouts.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 200.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Nov. 22-28)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken 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 Nov. 22-28.

Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Carlston Harris added to UFC Fight Night on Feb. 5

A battle between welterweight prospects Shavkat Rakhmonov and Carlston Harris is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night on Feb. 5.

A battle between welterweight prospects is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night on Feb. 5.

[autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will take on [autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in an event which doesn’t yet have a publicly known venue or location.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Freak MMA Instagram page was first to report the booking.

Unbeaten in his pro MMA career, Kazakhstan’s Rakhmonov is 2-0 to kick off his UFC tenure, submitting Alex Oliveira at UFC 254 and Michel Prazeres in June. He has finished all 14 of his wins.

Since punching his ticket to the UFC on “‘Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight,” Harris has picked up back-to-back first-round finishes over Christian Aguilera, and most recently Impa Kasanganay in September.

With the addition, the current Feb. 5 lineup includes:

  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Chidi Njokuani
  • Phil Rowe vs. Jason Witt
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Danilo Marques
  • John Castaneda vs. Miles Johns
  • Denys Bondar vs. Malcolm Gordon
  • Hakeem Dawodu vs. Mike Trizano
  • Sam Alvey vs. Ian Heinisch
  • Bryan Battle vs. Tresean Gore
  • Nick Maximov vs. Punahele Soriano
  • Carlston Harris vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

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UFC Fight Night 192 post-event facts: Anthony Smith becoming an all-time great finisher

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC Fight Night 192, which saw Anthony Smith extend his winning streak with a main event finish.

UFC Fight Night 192 featured a rare first-round submission finish in the main event as [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] put away [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag].

Saturday’s event, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, featured a key light heavyweight matchup in the headliner. Smith (35-16 MMA, 11-6 UFC) shined once again to close a fight card, as he managed to hurt Spann (19-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) on the feet before closing the show with a rear-naked choke.

“Lionheart” almost never sees the judges, and that track record is starting to show itself on his overall UFC resume.

For more on the numbers, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC Fight Night 192.

UFC Fight Night 192 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Anthony Smith’s $16k tops card

UFC Fight Night 192 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 192 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $162,000.

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 Fight Night 192 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 192 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mandy Bohm[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Christos Giagos[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nate Maness[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Antonio Arroyo[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Tafon Nchukwi[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Rong Zhu[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Brandon Jenkins[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]JP Buys[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Sarah Alpar[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Gustavo Lopez[/autotag]: $4,500
vs. [autotag]Heili Alateng[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Hannah Goldy[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Emily Whitmire[/autotag]: $6,000

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 2021 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,592,500
Program-to-date total: $3,592,500

UFC Fight Night 192 video: Carlston Harrison cracks Impa Kasanganay for quick TKO

Carlston Harris has consecutive first-round finishes to start his UFC career after beating Impa Kasanganay at UFC Fight Night 192.

[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag] continued the strong start to his octagon tenure Saturday with another first round stoppage at UFC Fight Night 192.

Harris (17-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC) showed the power in his hands was too much for Impa Kasanganay (9-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) to handle when he connected hard in the opening minutes of their welterweight fight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and got the stoppage at the 2:38 mark of Round 1.

Kasanganay was unable to recover once he was damaged, and though he didn’t go out cold and initially protested the stoppage, it was a strong effort from Harris. Check out the replay below (via Twitter):

After making his octagon debut in May with a “Performance of the Night” winning submission victory, Harris showed he’s got hands on him, too.

The 34-year-old was fighting for nearly a decade before he finally reached the grand stage of UFC, and now he’s making up for lost time with strong performances.

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UFC adds Impa Kasanganay vs. Carlston Harris to Sept. 18 lineup

Welterweight prospects Impa Kasanganay and Carlston Harris will square off at UFC Fight Night on Sept. 18.

Welterweight prospects [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag] will square off in the fall.

Kasanganay (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) faces Harris (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at the UFC’s Fight Night on Sept. 18. The card doesn’t currently have a publicly known location or venue.

A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Wednesday, but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MMA Fighting was first to report the news.

It took Kasanganay two tries on Dana White’s Contender Series to punch his ticket to the UFC. After a successful debut against Maki Pitolo, Kasanganay was on the receiving end of a highlight-reel knockout courtesy of Joaquin Buckley in October. But the 27-year-old was able to rebound with a second-round submission of Sasha Palatnikov in April in what was his welterweight debut.

Harris, a “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” signee, made good in his UFC debut when he picked up a first-round anaconda choke submission of Christian Aguilera in May. The former BRAVE CF welterweight champion has finished his past four opponents.

With the addition, the Sept. 18 lineup includes:

  • Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann
  • Dakota Bush vs. Zhu Rong
  • Danaa Batgerel vs. Montel Jackson
  • Sarah Alpar vs. Erin Blanchfield
  • Tafon Nchukwi vs. Mike Rodriguez
  • Devin Clark vs. Ion Cutelaba
  • Carlston Harris vs. Impa Kasanganay

UFC on ESPN 24 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total nears $1 million

UFC on ESPN 24 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 on ESPN 24 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $143,000.

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 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 24 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Gregor Gillespie[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Diego Ferreira[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Phil Hawes[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kyle Daukaus[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mike Trizano[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jun Yong Park[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Tafon Nchukwi[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Christian Aguilera[/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 2021 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $976,500
Program-to-date total: $976,500

Video: Carlston Harris puts Christian Aguilera to sleep with anaconda choke, makes history

Watch Carlston Harris choke out Christian Aguilera to becomes the first Guyanese fighter to win in the UFC.

[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag] made UFC history in his first bout with the promotion.

The welterweight submitted Christian Aguilera in the opening bout of UFC on ESPN 24 on Saturday. Harris (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) choked Aguilera unconscious at the 2:52 mark of the first round to become the first fighter from Guyana to win in the UFC.

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Harris picked up the win with an anaconda choke, making him just the 19th fighter in UFC history with that finish. The end came after Aguilera tried to take him down against the fence. The 33-year-old Harris defended the takedown by snapping Aguilera down, locked in the choke, and sat back to put Aguilera out.

With the result, Harris is now on a four-fight winning streak and 9-1 in his past 10 bouts. Prior to joining the UFC, Harris was competing in notable promotions such as Shooto Brazil and Brave FC.

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Christian Aguilera targeted to fight Guyana’s Carlston Harris at UFC event on May 8

On May 8, Carlston Harris will become the first fighter from Guyana to compete in the UFC cage.

[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag] has his first UFC assignment.

At the UFC Fight Night event on May 8, Harris (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will make his promotional debut against [autotag]Christian Aguilera[/autotag], pending bout finalization. Both sides have verbally agreed and contracts are expected to be signed soon.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking Thursday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Aguilera (14-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has split his two UFC appearances to date. Following a quick and successful promotional debut, a 59-second win over Anthony Ivy in June, Aguilera had a three-fight winning streak snapped when he was submitted by Sean Brady in August.

Harris (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was offered a UFC contract in October after he impressed UFC president Dana White at a filming of “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” in Abu Dhabi. Should he compete as scheduled on May 8, Harris, 33, will be the first fighter from Guyana to fight in the UFC.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for May 8 includes:

  • Donald Cerrone vs. Diego Sanchez
  • Zarrukh Adashev vs. Ryan Benoit
  • Holly Holm vs. Julianna Pena
  • Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Maurice Greene
  • Christian Aguilera vs. Carlston Harris