Tag: Chelsea Chandler

UFC on ESPN 49 video: Chelsea Chandler, Norma Dumont separated during heated backstage incident after faceoff

Middle fingers and bad words flew as Chelsea Chandler and Norma Dumont were pulled apart at the UFC Apex.

[autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] might be the final women’s featherweight fight in UFC history – and there’s some heat behind it.

Following UFC on ESPN 49 faceoffs Friday, Chandler (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Dumont (9-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) had to be separated backstage at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. MMA Junkie acquired video of the altercation from Dumont’s manager, Alex Davis, which shows a fired-up Dumont speaking Portuguese and glaring at Chandler, who moved forward. The fighters flipped middle fingers each way as Davis and other bystanders intervened to pull the fighters apart.

It’s unclear exactly where the bad blood between the two featherweights began, but they had just engaged in a tense ceremonial faceoff moments prior. Chandler and Dumont are scheduled to fight Saturday on the main card at the UFC Apex.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.

Chelsea Chandler says Norma Dumont fights ‘boring’ sometimes, plans to knock her out in second

Chelsea Chandler plans on bringing the fight to Norma Dumont at UFC on ESPN 49.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag] plans on bringing the fight to [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag].

Chandler (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) takes on Dumont (9-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in a featherweight bout on Saturday’s main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Chandler isn’t a fan of Dumont’s style but thinks her game plan will make for an exciting fight and lead to a finish.

“She kind of plays it boring sometimes,” Chandler told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 49 media day. “She plays it safe, and I plan on going forward and putting it to her. So, if I go out there and do what I want, I feel like I’m going to rag-doll her and make her tired, and I’m hoping for a KO, Round 2.”

With UFC president Dana White saying that the featherweight division will likely be retired due to Amanda Nunes recently retiring, Chandler hopes that an emphatic finish of Dumont saves the division – especially since she doesn’t see other fighters putting on exciting performances.

“I understand why the featherweight division is going away,” Chandler said. “I mean, you’ve got Norma who’s fighting these boring fights, and she’s pitter-pattering. Nobody wants to see that. So, they want a heavy-hitter that’s going to go out there and take someone’s head off, and I think I can be that person.

“If I’m not, I would love to fight at bantamweight, too. I’m prepared to fight at either. I like featherweight. I think I’m heavier, my shots are harder, and I can take girls out. But we’ll see what the UFC wants to do after this performance.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.

Ronda Rousey return? Maybe UFC fighter Chelsea Chandler knows something we don’t

Is Ronda Rousey’s return to the UFC just a rumor or a real possibility? Diaz Brothers protege Chelsea Chandler said she’s hearing some things.

The year is 2023, and rumors of a [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag] return to (real) professional fighting are starting to bud. According to UFC fighter [autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag], a return to the cage could be in order.

Wait, what?!

At UFC on ESPN 49 media day on Wednesday, Chandler (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) randomly had viewers of her interview do a double take as she mentioned some rumblings she’s heard.

“I’ve been hearing Ronda is coming back,” Chandler told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “I’ve heard she’s coming back at 145. You never know. … If I got out there and put on the performance I plan on putting (on), I’ll welcome her to 145. I think it would be a great fight. It has been a long time for her and things change, people get better, and I think people are on to her one-trick-pony armbar. Money talks, and she would bring eyes to the sport again. I feel like her time in WWE is starting to go down, so I’d like to see it.”

It’s unclear where exactly Chandler heard this intel. Did she simply see one of the handful of Instagram accounts promoting a random idea as a “rumor”? Or does Chandler have some real sources?

Chandler, 29, is associated with the Diaz Brothers and trains out of Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu, so it’s possible she could have that insider knowledge. After all, crazier things have happened in this sport.

With UFC 300 right around the corner, could the UFC be going in full nostalgia mode? Has Brock Lesnar had any MMA fight hankerings now that WWE and UFC are owned by the same parent company? Could a Nate Diaz return be in order?

Stay tuned for Chandler’s post-fight news conference if she defeats Norma Dumont to perhaps learn about what other MMA stars of yesteryear might return out of nowhere!

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.

Video: UFC on ESPN 49 media day interviews

Before UFC on ESPN 49 on Saturday, check out the media interviews with eight athletes Wednesday in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – The UFC schedule for July continues Saturday with UFC on ESPN 49, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that airs entirely on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

A women’s bantamweight bout serves as the main event, with former champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) taking on [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag] (10-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) in a key matchup following the recent retirement of former champ Amanda Nunes.

Before fight night arrives, eight athletes from this weekend’s card spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream above, check below for the archived videos of each media day session.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (April 24-30)

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 April 24-30.

UFC adds Norma Dumont vs. Chelsea Chandler to July 15 event

Norma Dumont will have to fight at least once more before getting a shot at Amanda Nunes.

[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] will have to fight at least once more before she gets a shot at Amanda Nunes.

Dumont (9-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) meets [autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag] (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in a featherweight bout at a UFC event on July 15.

A person with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Women’s MMA Rankings was first to report the news.

Dumont is fresh off a unanimous decision win over Karol Rosa this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 222. Winner of five of her past six, Dumont called out dual-champion Amanda Nunes for not defending her featherweight title, but Nunes currently is booked to defend her bantamweight belt against Julianna Peña in the UFC 289 headliner on June 10.

Chandler made good on her UFC debut when she scored a first-round TKO of Julija Stoliarenko this past October. The finish earned the Invicta FC alum a Performance of the Night bonus. Chandler was scheduled to face Danyelle Wolf in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 223 event, but the bout was scrapped when Wolf withdrew due to undisclosed reasons.

With the addition, the July 15 lineup includes:

  • Walt Harris vs. Josh Parisian
  • Azat Maksum vs. Tyson Nam
  • Chelsea Chandler vs. Norma Dumont

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 23-29)

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 Jan. 23-29.

UFC Fight Night 211 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2022 total hits $6.5 million

UFC has paid out $6.5 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay to its athletes this year after UFC Fight Night 211.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 211 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $164,500.

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 211 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 211 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Don Shainis[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mike Davis[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Viacheslav Borshchev[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Daniel Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Joaquim Silva[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jesse Ronson[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Krzysztof Jotko[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Julija Stoliarenko[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Guido Cannetti[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Randy Costa[/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 2117 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2111 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: $6,491,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $12,658,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 211.

UFC Fight Night 211 video: Chelsea Chandler smashes Julija Stoliarenko for first-round debut TKO

Chelsea Chandler picks up a first-round TKO victory in her promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 211.

Smashing your opponent for a TKO stoppage in your debut would be an ideal scenario for any UFC fighter.

That’s exactly what [autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag] did to Julija Stoliarenko on the prelims of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 211. The event took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and streamed on ESPN+.

Chandler (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) met some early adversity from Stoliarenko(10-7-1 MMA, 1-5 UFC), having to fight through being put on her back and protecting her limbs from armbar attempts.

In the second half of the first round, Chandler began to turn things in her favor, putting together hard punches and eventually finding her way to full mount where she would unleash vicious ground and pound until the referee stopped the contest at 4:15.

Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter):

Chandler’s victorious UFC debut marked her fifth-straight win, and her second of 2022 after a unanimous decision win over Courtney King at Invicta FC 47 in May.

Stoliarenko’s momentum from a first-round armbar of Jessica-Rose Clark was halted on Saturday, as she exits with the fifth UFC loss of her career.

Up-to-the-minute results of UFC Fight Night 211 include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 211.

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Invicta FC announces first event since COVID-19 outbreak, Juliana Lima vs. Emily Ducote to headline

Invicta FC 40 takes place Thursday, July 2 in Kansas City, Kan.

Invicta FC is back.

The most prominent all-female fight organization in the world will return Thursday, July 2 with Invicta 40 in Kansas City, Kan. at a venue-to-be-named-later. The promotion announced the news in a press release issued Tuesday.

In the main event, ex-UFC fighter [autotag]Juliana Lima[/autotag] returns against ex-Bellator fighter [autotag]Emily Ducote[/autotag] in a strawweight matchup. Also on the card, atomweights [autotag]Lindsey VanZandt[/autotag] and [autotag]Alesha Zappitella[/autotag] face off in a co-main event showdown.

Lima (10-6 MMA) has lost three of her most recent four outings. Her lone loss in that stretch came against Danielle Taylor by split decision in May 2019.

Ducote (8-6 MMA) has gone 2-1 since her Bellator departure in late 2018. After winning back-to-back fights over Kathryn Paprocki and Janaisa Morandin, Ducote lost a split decision to Kanako Murata at Invicta FC 38 in November.

VanZandt (7-3 MMA) has gone 1-2 over her most recent three fights. After defeating Shino VanHoose at Invicta FC 37 in October, Vandzandt was defeated by Rena Kubota via third-round corner-stoppage.

Zappitella (6-2 MMA) snapped a two-fight losing skid at Invicta FC 39 in February when she defeated Kelly D’Angelo by unanimous decision.

The event is expected to stream on UFC Fight Pass.

The current Invicta FC 40 lineup includes:

  • Emily Ducote vs. Juliana Lima
  • Lindsey VanZandt vs. Alesha Zappitella
  • [autotag]DeAnna Bennett[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Victoria Leonardo[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Liv Parker[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Laura Anderson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Claire Guthrie[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Genia Goodin[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Shelby Koren[/autotag]

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