Tag: Christian Rodriguez

Austin Bashi set for UFC debut against Christian Rodriguez

The UFC isn’t giving Austin Bashi a layup for his debut.

[autotag]Austin Bashi[/autotag] isn’t getting a layup for his UFC debut.

One of the most highly-touted prospects from the most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Series, the 23-year-old Bashi (13-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will face Anthony Pettis protege [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in a bantamweight bout Jan. 11 at a UFC Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The UFC recently made the bout official after an initial report by Eurosport NL.

Bashi turned heads during his time on the regional scene for his dominance against tough competition at a young age. After he declined multiple UFC opportunities, Bashi accepted a DWCS offer. Bashi dominated replacement Dorian Ramos en route to a second-round submission and UFC contract in September.

Rodriguez aims to bounce back from a submission loss to Julian Erosa in July. The defeat snapped a four-fight winning streak that included victories over Joshua Weems, Raul Rosas Jr., Cameron Saaiman, and Isaac Dulgarian.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Jan. 11 includes:

  • Thiago Moises vs. Trey Ogden
  • Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov
  • Carlston Harris vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
  • Austin Bashi vs. Christian Rodriguez
  • Nicolle Caliari vs. Ernesta Kareckaite
  • Uros Medic vs. Puna Soriano
  • Andreas Gustafsson vs. Preston Parsons
  • Felipe Bunes vs. Jose Johnson
  • Cesar Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
  • Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz
  • Victoria Dudakova vs. Fatima Kline

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

UFC on ESPN 59 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2024 total passes $4 million

The UFC has now issued more than $4 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance to its fighters in 2024 after UFC Denver.

DENVER – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 59 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $180,500.

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 59 took place at Ball Arena in Colorado. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 59 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Jean Silva[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ange Loosa[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $11,000
vs. [autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jasmine Jasudavicius[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Fatima Kline[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Andre Petroski[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Evan Elder[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Darrius Flowers[/autotag]: $4,500

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 $31,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-59 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,129,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,866,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

UFC on ESPN 59 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

Julian Erosa def. Christian Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 59: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Julian Erosa’s first-round submission win over Christian Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 59.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]’s first-round submission win over [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 59 at Ball Arena in Denver. (Fight and venue photos by Ron Chenoy, USA Today Sports)

UFC on ESPN 59 video: Julian Erosa taps Christian Rodriguez with slick guillotine

Julian Erosa scored his seventh win in 10 fights since returning to UFC after submitting Christian Rodriguez with a guillotine in Denver.

[autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]’s third octagon stint continues to pale in comparison to his first after he put away [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 59 on Saturday.

Erosa (29-11 MMA, 8-7 UFC) has now won seven of 10 fights since returning to the promotion in June 2020 courtesy of a first-round submission win over Rodriguez (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at Ball Arena in Denver.

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During a scramble after catching a kick, Erosa managed to snatch the neck of Rodriguez and lock in a guillotine choke that forced the tap at the 4:49 mark of Round 1. Check out the replay of the finish below (via X):

With the win, Erosa now has 24 stoppages out of 29 career wins and said he’s ready to keep the momentum rolling with more entertaining fights.

“I just love to bang,” Erosa said in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “I just love to put on a show for the fans.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 59 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ESPN 59

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa has the potential to be a very exciting 145-pound bout. Who wins it?

[autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] and [autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 59 from Ball Arena in Denver. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 2-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 54-51-2

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 preview

Rodriguez (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) looks to extend a four-fight winning streak in his second appearance of 2024. “CeeRod” edged out a split decision over Isaac Dulgarian in March. A 2021 Dana White’s Contender Series veteran who did not immediately reach the UFC after his appearance on the show, entered after winning another regional fight. Rodriguez lost his UFC debut, but has since won four in a row. … Erosa (29-11 MMA, 7-7 UFC) aims to keep the momentum going from a first-round submission of Ricardo Ramos in March, and also stay above .500 in the UFC. Erosa is also a DWCS veteran who appeared in 2018 to kickstart his second stint in the UFC. After dropping three straight, he exited again, and rejoined the promotion for his third run in 2020. He has since built a record of 6-3.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 expert pick, prediction

Serving as a solid featherweight action fight is a matchup between Rodriguez and Erosa.

Despite traditionally fighting at bantamweight, Rodriguez continues to fight at 145 pounds after some mishaps with the scale. But that aside, Rodriguez has been an absolute treat to watch from an analyst’s perspective.

Aside from having some really sharp techniques, Rodriguez fights with a level of composure and experience well beyond the years on his official resume. Nevertheless, Rodriguez will still likely have his hands full, given Erosa’s size and skills.

Erosa may bear a striking resemblance to Cameron from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” but don’t let that fool you: Erosa is an underrated talent and a deceptively dangerous test for any featherweight on the roster.

Erosa’s kryptonite has long been his ability to take shots given the amount of first-round stoppages in his loss column. But if Erosa can survive the early storms, he’s traditionally been a tough customer from bell to bell.

Perhaps my Xtreme Couture bias is admittedly bleeding in a bit here, but I’ll take a flier on Erosa to dig out close and competitive decision on the scorecards.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the younger fighter, listing Rodriguez -225 and Erosa +180 via FanDuel.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 start time, how to watch

As the featured bout, Rodriguez and Erosa are expected to make their walks to the cage at approximately 10:35 p.m. ET (8:35 p.m. local time in Denver). The fight airs on ESPN and streams live on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Julian Erosa questions Christian Rodriguez’s run ahead of UFC Denver: ‘There’s an asterisk by those fights’

Julian Erosa is not sold by Christian Rodriguez’s four-fight winning streak ahead of UFC Denver.

[autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag] is not quite sold his upcoming opponent’s current run, despite the results being there.

Erosa (29-11 MMA, 7-7 UFC) takes on [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] in a featherweight bout at a UFC on ESPN 59, which takes place July 13 in Denver (ESPN, ESPN+). Rodriguez (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is on a four-fight winning streak entering the event, but Erosa thinks some of those wins should at least put into question.

Erosa, 34, saw Rodriguez, 26, lose against Isaac Dulgarian back in March, and thinks he was wrongfully awarded the win by the judges.

“His last fight against Dulgarian, I don’t know how he won that fight,” Erosa told MMA Junkie Radio. “I think Dulgarian might’ve 10-8 rounded him in the first round. In the second round, for sure Dulgarian won – doing homework on his fights – but at the very least, it should’ve been a draw because the third was all ‘C-Rod.’

“So that was a bit iffy of a decision. I don’t know how he won that decision, but there goes the saying that you never want to leave it up to the judges – especially some of these guys. I think it’s Dave Tirelli. Man, that guy just makes such bad decisions.”

That split decision win against Dulgarian is not the only thing Erosa puts into question. He also thinks Rodriguez had an unfair advantage in two of his recent fights, where he missed weight and went on to defeat his opponent.

“Two of his big wins in the UFC for bantamweight he missed weight, so there’s an asterisk by those fights,” Erosa said. “Even the Contender (Series) fight, he missed weight and that’s why they didn’t sign him. So even though he’s got a decent win and decent streak in the UFC, two of those bantamweight fights he missed weight and at bantamweight, when you’re missing by four or five pounds – which is what he did – that’s a huge advantage.

“Four or five pounds the day of weigh-ins can equal up to 10 pounds the next day, which is a different weight class. I think in transitioning to featherweight, I don’t know if he did it on his own accord or if the UFC was like, ‘Hey, man. This is too many times. You’re going to have to move to featherweight.’ It will be interesting to see how it plays out in that sense. I’m not trying to discredit what he’s done so far, but if you’re a fighter, you know at least two pounds missed the day of weigh-ins can equate to three or four times the day of the fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Christian Rodriguez wants Nathaniel Wood after gritty win vs. Isaac Dulgarian at UFC Fight Night 239

Christian Rodriguez pulled out a split decision comeback at UFC Fight Night 239, and now wants another exciting matchup vs. Nathaniel Wood.

LAS VEGAS—[autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] found himself in trouble early at UFC Fight Night 239 but pulled off a comeback victory.

Rodriguez (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) ended up on the wrong end of a 10-8 Round 1 score at the hands of Isaac Dulgarian. But as the fight wore on, Rodriguez began mounting a comeback, splitting the judges in Round 2, before hanging a 10-8 of his own on Dulgarian (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in Round 3.

“I felt a little off in the beginning,” Rodriguez told reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I had a hard time finding my rhythm, my timing. But I knew I had to dig deep in the third round.”

And did deep, he did.

Rodriguez pulled off the comeback victory with a dominant final round to win a split decision with rare dueling scores of 28-27. Even though he closed the fight on a high note, Rodriguez wasn’t exactly confident he would get his hand raised.

“I feel like you never know with the judges,” Rodriguez said. “All I know is everytime I step in the cage, I leave my heart in there. I’m always looking for the finish, I’m always trying to knock my opponent out or go for a submission, so I know I leave my heart in there.”

Rodriguez hopes to return to action at UFC 302 in June, but is also willing to get on any card before then if a slot opens up. He already has an opponent in mind, creating a matchup that he belives fans would enjoy.

“I feel like me and Nathaniel Wood would put on a good fight,” Rodriguez said. “Two good strikers, so yeah, I think it’s a fight the fans would love. … It’s a good fight, tough fight. I think it would be like Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night. He brings it, I bring it, and that’s what the fans love to see.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 239.

UFC Fight Night 239 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Ovince Saint Preux leads with $21,000

UFC Fight Night 239 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 239 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $189,500.

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

The full UFC Fight Night 239 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag]: $4,000
vs. [autotag]Ange Loosa[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Isaac Dulgarian[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Macy Chiasson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Mike Davis[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Natan Levy[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josiane Nunes[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jafel Filho[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Danny Silva[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jaqueline Amorim[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Cory McKenna[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Mitch Ramirez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Chad Anheliger[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Charalampos Grigoriou[/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 2391 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 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,551,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $24,258,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 239.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC fights announced in the past week (Jan. 8-14)

There were 35 UFC 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.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 8-14.

UFC Fight Night 230 post-event facts: Edson Barboza sets record for Fight of the Night bonuses

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC Fight Night 230, where Edson Barboza set a new record for most Fight of the Night bonuses.

The UFC’s second event of October got off to a slow start, but UFC Fight Night 230 closed with one of the best fights of the year.

The main event saw [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 18-11 UFC) rally from a vicious first-round beatdown to secure a unanimous decision win over [autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in a thrilling Fight of the Night matchup of ranked featherweights.

Check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from that fight and the rest of the UFC Fight Night 230 card from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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