Tag: Cody Stamann

Grieving Cody Stamann praises rival Brian Kelleher after claiming emotional UFC 250 win

Cody Stamann revealed that his opinion of Brian Kelleher totally changed by the end of his emotional UFC 250 battle in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Most fighters build up to their fights during fight week, but rising bantamweight contender [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] faced a fight with his emotions all week, and those emotions finally spilled over after his UFC 250 win over [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag].

Stamann’s victory at UFC 250 came against a backdrop of grief after his 18-year-old brother Jacob unexpectedly died in his sleep the week before UFC 250. It meant the 30-year-old was forced to battle his internal grief while making sure he was fully prepared for his fight.

The Las Vegas-based Stamann held everything together admirably throughout fight week as he revealed the tragedy he and his family were trying to deal with. But by the time he and Kelleher had hugged at the end of their preliminary card bout at the UFC Apex, Stamann’s emotions came flooding out.

“I’m a man. I pulled myself up, I kept my (expletive) together and I did what I had to do when the time came,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after his unanimous decision win. “I was bursting at the seams once the fight was over and emotions poured out of me. I just couldn’t hold it anymore.”

Stamann (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) admitted he didn’t have a particularly good opinion of Kelleher before their fight, but revealed their emotional exchange after the final buzzer completely changed how he felt about his rival.

“Honestly, going into this fight I didn’t have much respect for Brian Kelleher,” he said. “We’d said some things online back and forth personally that made me kind of think he was a certain kind of person. After the fight, he was very gracious and he just basically said, ‘I’m very sorry for your loss. You’re the toughest guy I’ve ever fought, and what you just went through is (expletive) amazing,’ and I started crying and I just gave him a big hug.

“It’s one of the weird things about fighting. After you’ve tried to kill some guy for 15 minutes in the cage, you guys have like a weird bond afterward. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it does happen.”

Stamann’s fight with Kelleher at UFC 250 was at 145 pounds, but he said his fighting future is likely to be at bantamweight. However, despite the packed field of contenders at 135 pounds, Stamann said the time isn’t right for him to start calling out any specific names as he placed his focus firmly on his family.

“I’ve got to go home,” he said. “I’ve got to figure out my (expletive) in my personal life before I can make any decisions about what’s going to happen in my fighting career. Obviously, there’s a ton of huge fights at bantamweight, there’s a ton of huge fights at featherweight, and I’m going to be a part of a lot of those big fights moving forward.

“I think tonight I proved I’m one of the best guys in the world, and moving forward that’s going to be a more common theme. There’s maybe a little bit of respect on my name after tonight, but it’ll change. I definitely think that everyone in the MMA game will know who I am really soon.”

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UFC 250 salaries: Amanda Nunes leads way with half-a-million-dollar purse

In total, UFC 250 had five fighters earning six-figure paydays.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] topped the list of UFC 250 fighter payouts.

On Saturday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of fighter salaries from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Nunes (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC) earned $500,000 for her winning effort against [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] in the UFC 250 main event. As for Spencer (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC), the title challenger took home $125,000 in defeat.

The second-highest paid athlete on the card, former bantamweight champion [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag], took home $260,000 for his knockout of [autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag], who earned $79,000.

Other fighters earning six-figure paydays include [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] ($152,000), [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] ($158,000), and [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag] ($116,000).

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UFC 250 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view after prelims simulcasted on ESPN/ESPN+.

The full list of UFC 250 salaries included:

  • Amanda Nunes: $500,000 (includes $150,000 win bonus) def. Felicia Spencer: $125,000
  • Felicia Spencer: $200,000 (includes $75,000 win bonus) def. Amanda Nunes: $350,000
  • Aljamain Sterling: $152,000 (includes $76,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $80,000
  • Cody Garbrandt: $260,000 (includes $130,000 win bonus) def. Raphael Assuncao: $79,000
  • Neil Magny: $158,000 (includes $79,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag]: $48,000
  • [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Eddie Wineland[/autotag]: $46,000
  • [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $116,000 (includes $58,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $27,000
  • [autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $33,000
  • [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $72,000 (includes $36,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]: $33,000
  • [autotag]Maki Pitolo[/autotag]: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag]: $12,000
  • [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag]: $98,000
  • [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $96,000 (includes $48,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $14,000
  • [autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag]: $60,000

The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC 250 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay. They also do not include any other “locker room” or special discretionary bonuses the UFC sometimes pays. They also do not include pay-per-view cuts that some top-level fighters receive.

For example, UFC officials will hand out additional $50,000 UFC 250 fight-night bonuses.

In other words, the above figures are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

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UFC 250 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2020 total passes $2 million

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 250 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,000.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 250 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,000.

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 250 took place at UFC Apex. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

The full UFC 250 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]: $40,000
[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]: $10,000
[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Eddie Wineland[/autotag]: $15,000
[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Maki Pitolo[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag]: $15,000
[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $3,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $2,329,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $33,334,000

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Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC 250 with lots of Queen, Biggie, Eminem

Check out the complete list of fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC 250 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC 250 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.

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UFC 250 results: Cody Stamann earns emotional win after brother’s untimely death

Cody Stamann entered UFC 250 with a heavy heart and left a winner.

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] entered the octagon at UFC 250 with a heavy heart and walked out in tears – but also a winner.

Stamann defeated [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] by unanimous decision Saturday night after his 18-year-old brother, Jacob, unexpectedly died in his sleep last week. As soon as the final horn sounded, Stamann broke down crying.

The emotions were on display through the decision and post-fight interview. Even Joe Rogan appeared to be overwhelmed by emotion during the post-fight interview with Stamann, who earned 30-27 scores across the board.

“I’ve been fighting tears all day, just trying to hold everything together,” Stamann said after the fight. “It’s a hard time for me. I had to buckle up and be a man and get this done for him, for my family, and myself.”

Usually Kelleher (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC) and Stamann (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) compete at bantamweight. However, the fight was contested at featherweight due to its short-notice nature.

For the first nine minutes of the fight, Stamann and Kelleher traded punches on the feet. Stamann’s success in the first round carried into Round 2. As the second round progressed, the two fighters opened up more, throwing an elevated level of power behind each shot. Late in Round 2, Stamann secured a takedown.

In the final round, Kelleher pressured Stamman relentlessly. Stamann circled, still finding success with his striking. Despite Kelleher’s efforts, all three judges gave the round – and fight – to Stamann.

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The victory gets Stamann back in the win column after fighting to a majority draw against Song Yadong in December. Stamann has only lost once in his UFC career, a 2018 defeat to Aljamain Sterling.

As for Kelleher, the Long Island native had a two-fight winning streak snapped. He’s now lost three out of five outings.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 250 results include:

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Six burning questions heading into UFC 250

MMA Junkie senior editor Dave Doyle takes you through six key storylines heading into Saturday night’s UFC 250.

The UFC machine chugs along Saturday night when the company’s sole remaining champ-champ puts one of her titles up for grab.

In the UFC 250 main event, featherweight and bantamweight champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] puts her 145-pound belt on the line for the first time since her swift and stunning knockout to take the title from Cris Cyborg 18 months ago when she takes on top contender [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag].

And while this card might not have the sort of marquee value of, say, a Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz fight, the discerning eye will notice a variety of low-key interesting matchups up and down the card. 

UFC 250 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Without further ado, then, here are six burning questions heading into UFC 250.

Can Amanda Nunes add another chapter to her legacy?

McGregor won the UFC featherweight and lightweight belts, but never defended either. Henry Cejudo won the bantamweight championship while holding the flyweight title, but vacated the flyweight belt before defending either after attaining champ-champ status. Daniel Cormier might have wanted to continue defending the light heavyweight belt after he won the heavyweight crown, but the UFC wanted the belt back, so they came to a deal in which he relinquished the 205 pound belt before defending the heavyweight belt against Derrick Lewis. 

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Nunes (19-4 MMA, 12-1 UFC), however? Here’s a different breed of cat. Since defeating Cyborg at UFC 230, she’s twice defended her bantamweight belt, defeating Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie. Now she goes up against Spencer (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who has made up for her relative lack of experience with plenty of toughness and heart, in the first defense of her 145 belt. A victory here, obviously, makes her the first UFC champ-champ to successfully defend both belts. And an 11th straight win will not only add to her argument for women’s GOAT, but also climb the GOAT list regardless of gender.

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UFC 250: Cody Stamann vs. Brian Kelleher odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 250 fight between Cody Stamann and Brian Kelleher, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

Cody Stamann and Brian Kelleher will square off in a featherweight bout in the prelims at UFC 250 at the UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+ and pay-per-view.

Stamann (18-2-1) enters as a heavy favorite (-278) over the veteran Kelleher (21-10) in one of the better bouts on the preliminary card. The favorite posted a majority-decision draw last time out against Song Yadong Dec. 7, 2019, so Stamann will be champing at the bit trying to get a little redemption after the disappointing result. It was the fifth time in six bouts since arriving at the UFC level where his fate was left in the hands of the judges, going 4-0-1 in those fights. In 21 career professional fights he has never lost via KO/TKO, winning six times. In addition, 13 of his 16 pro bouts have ended up going to Round 3 or longer.

Kelleher heads into this one on the heels of a Round 2 knockout win over up-and-comer Hunter Azure May 13. A quick fight is par for the course for Kelleher, as each of his past four fights have finished inside the distance, and 14 of his past 17 bouts as a professional have done likewise. In 31 career fights he has won eight times by KO/TKO, only losing once in such manner. It’s a coin-flip when he goes to the canvas, as he has nine wins by submission as a pro, but he has also tapped out six times, too.

Want to place a bet on UFC 250? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Cody Stamann vs. Brian Kelleher betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, June 3 at 7:35 p.m. ET.

Stamann (-278) is the heavy favorite to win, but betting such a chalky favorite is a risky proposition given the small return. If anything, Kelleher (+220) is worth a roll of the dice as a much better value.

The best bet is to look to the total number of rounds and bet UNDER 2.5 (+200). Kelleher often doesn’t go very long into the night. While Stamann has a tendency to see his fights go to the judges, Kelleher has a lengthy mix of knockouts and submissions, and it’s unlikely this bout goes the distance. So, also bet NO (+190): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Stamann (-278) to win only returns a profit of $3.60. A $10 bet on Kelleher (+220) to spring the upset returns a profit of $22. A $10 bet on UNDER 2.5 rounds (+200) fetches a profit of $20.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 250 prelims pre-event facts: Why isn’t Jussier Formiga higher on card with these stats?

The best facts, figures and footnotes about the UFC 250 prelims, where Alex Caceres meets Chase Hooper in the featured bout.

Before the UFC returns to pay-per-view on Saturday with UFC 250, the event’s preliminary lineup goes down at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is set to air on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

The featured prelim bout sees longtime octagon veteran [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag] (15-12 MMA, 10-10 UFC) take on the youngest fighter on the roster, 20-year-old [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag] (9-0-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), in a featherweight affair.

For more on the numbers behind the lineup, check below for 25 pre-facts about the UFC 250 prelims.

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* * * *

Featured ESPN prelim

Alex Caceres

Caceres is 5-4 since he returned to the UFC featherweight division in January 2015.

Caceres has earned seven of his 10 UFC victories by decision.

Caceres is one of seven fighters in UFC/WEC bantamweight history to land 100 or more significant strikes in two different fights.

Hooper, 20, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Other ESPN prelims

Ian Heinisch

[autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since May 2019.

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] (30-12 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has earned 28 of his 30 career victories by stoppage. That includes all six of his UFC wins.

Meerschaert’s five submission victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied with Demian Maia, Rousimar Palhares, Thales Leites and Antonio Carlos Junior for most in divisional history.

Meerschaert is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 102.

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC) has earned all four of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] (21-10 MMA, 5-3 UFC) makes his second UFC appearance in a 24-day stretch. He won at UFC on ESPN+ 29 on May 13.

[autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag] (10-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2018.

ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass prelims

Jussier Formiga

[autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 9-6 UFC) competes in his 16th UFC flyweight bout, the second most appearances in divisional history behind Joseph Benavidez (17).

Formiga enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2019.

Formiga’s nine victories in UFC flyweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Benavidez (13) and Demetrious Johnson (13).

Formiga’s three submission victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Johnson (five).

Formiga defends 87.1 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Kai Kara-France (90.9 percent) and Ian McCall (90 percent).

[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]’s (23-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 123.

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage. Eight of those wins are by knockout.

[autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past seven fights. He was victorious his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN+ 25 in February.

Clark has earned all five of his UFC victories by decision. He’s suffered all of his losses by stoppage.

Evan Dunham

[autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag] (18-8-1 MMA, 11-8-1 UFC), 38, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Dunham returns to competition after retiring from MMA following a loss at UFC Fight Night 137 in September 2018.

Dunham’s three-fight winless skid is tied for the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2016.

Dunham has landed 1,225 significant strikes in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history. He also holds the record for most total strikes with 1,587.

Dunham is one of three lightweights in UFC history to land 100+ significant strikes in four separate fights. Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson also accomplished the feat.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

At UFC 250, Cody Stamann fights for brother after untimely death: ‘He loved watching me compete’

Cody Stamann’s 18-year-old brother, Jacob, died suddenly last week, but the talented fighter will continue on at UFC 250 in his honor.

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] will take a heavy heart into one of the biggest fights of his career Saturday night at UFC 250. But despite circumstances that would have sidetracked many others in his situation, the talented competitor never gave serious consideration to dropping out.

Last week, Stamann’s 18-year-old brother, Jacob, died suddenly. His family is still waiting to find out the official cause of death.

Despite the grief he’s processing over the loss of his brother, Stamann said it’s important to follow through with his bout against Brian Kelleher. 

“People were like, ‘Hey, if you want to postpone this, wait a little longer, that’s 100 percent understandable,'” Stamann told MMA Junkie this week. “I just thought what most people think, I think, in those situations. What would the person that passed, what would they want me to do? And I can say without a shadow of a doubt he would want me to compete. He loved watching me compete, and I know that’s what he would want.”

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Stamann, 30, lives and trains in Las Vegas but is originally from Michigan and competed in wrestling at Grand Valley State. Stamann said plans were in place for his younger brother to come out and visit a couple months ago, but because of the coronavirus pandemic those plans were postponed, with the idea of rescheduling the visit after Stamann’s next fight.

“It was super unexpected, super unexpected,” Stamann said of his brother’s death. “We had just made plans to have him come out. We actually canceled plans because of COVID-19. My mom didn’t want him flying while everything was happening. So we kind of postponed our plans and then I got a fight and then it was, ‘Hey, you’ll come out here right after I fight.'”

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of his brother, Stamann believes 2020 has taught him a lesson that tomorrow is not guaranteed. And as such, he believes the best reaction to turbulent times is to go out and live your life as strong as possible.

“If the last two months have taught us anything, society, you never know what’s going to happen, nothing is promised, you never know what the hell is going to happen,” Stamann said. “Yeah, I mean, it’s devastating, but I still have a job to do, still have to keep my head in a good place and do anything I can to honor him by being the best man I can be now. Death is permanent; it’s over. So now it’s on me to live my life better for him.”

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This next one is for you @jacobstamann1

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The next one is for you @jacobstamann1

Stamann told MMA Junkie that his family plans on starting a foundation in his brother’s name, which will benefit youth wrestling programs and troubled youth in West Michigan. In the meantime, while there’s no denying the sadness of his tragedy, Stamann, who is coming off a draw with Song Yadong, vows to channel his energy into a spirited fight against Kelleher in a bout that will happen at featherweight, although Stamann usually fights as a bantamweight.

“My heart is absolutely broken,” Stamann said. “I don’t even know. There’s no words; there’s nothing I can say that makes it any better. But my mind is sharp. That kid loved watching me fight. He’s gotta be one of my biggest fans. I’m focused on the fight. This isn’t taking away the focus or anything. It’s fuel for the fire. So I’m looking forward to being the best version of myself Saturday night.”

UFC 250 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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