Tag: Daniel Barez

UFC Fight Night 224 post-event facts: Multiple perfect records ruined in London

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC Fight Night 224, which saw several fighters suffer their first career or octagon defeat.

The UFC made its 15th stop in London on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 224, which went down at The O2. It was the longest event of the year so far.

Many of the 15 fights on the docket went to decisions, but one man who didn’t need the judges was [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who effortlessly ran through [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag] (24-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC) for a first-round TKO in his return from a lengthy injury layoff.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 224.

UFC Fight Night 224 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Four fighters take home $16,000

UFC Fight Night 224 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LONDON – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 224 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $225,000.

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 224 took place at the The 02. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 224 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Julija Stoliarenko[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Andre Muniz[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Daniel Marcos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jonny Parsons[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Danny Roberts[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Mick Parkin[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jamal Pogues[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Chris Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Bruna Brasil[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Shauna Bannon[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jafel Filho[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Daniel Barez[/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 2241 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 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,780,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $19,369,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 224.

Jafel Filho def. Daniel Barez at UFC Fight Night 224: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Jafel Filho’s first-round submission win over Daniel Barez at UFC Fight Night 224 at The O2 in London.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Jafel Filho[/autotag]’s first-round submission win over [autotag]Daniel Barez[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 224 at The O2 in London. (Photos by Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)

Spanish standout Daniel Barez recalls getting long-awaited UFC call: ‘I couldn’t believe it’

After a decade of fighting, Daniel Barez was starting to think the UFC dream would never come.

[autotag]Daniel Barez[/autotag] has been chasing the UFC dream for a long time. So long that he was starting to grapple with the idea that it may never come true.

For many years, Barez (16-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has been one of the main standout fighters to come out of Spain. After a decade of professional fighting with many ups and downs over the span of 21 bouts, Barez finally got the call to fight in the UFC. He’ll be making his debut in the octagon this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 224 in London against Jafel Filho (14-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), and he’s almost in disbelief that it’s finally happening.

“Yes, yes, of course, I remember like it was yesterday,” Barez told MMA Junkie in Spanish when asked about the moment he got the news that he was in the UFC. “I was in Phuket with my girlfriend, totally on vacation. We had been there for 10 days, and we were already about to go back. I was on my phone around 1 a.m., and I don’t know why I was up so late because I go to sleep early. So my manager called, and I was like, what does he want now? What’s he going to tell me? He’s going to play once again with my feelings? Because I was called twice before to fight (in the UFC) but we weren’t able to make it happen.

“So I answer, and he laughs and goes, ‘You’re in,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait what?’ I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t process it. That night I couldn’t sleep. I mean, sh*t, this is my lifelong dream, and he just drops it like that out of nowhere, it shocks you a bit until you’re able to process it.”

Barez is no rookie. He made his professional debut in 2012 and has a wealth of experience. Barez has fought in many respectable regional promotions such as Combate Global, UAE Warriors, BAMMA Ultimate Warrior Challenge, and others.

In 2021, Barez had put together a sturdy record of 11-4, which was topped by a six-fight winning streak.

It was then that he got the call to show his skills on Dana White’s Contender Series, but unfortunately lost to Carlos Hernandez in a split decision. He continued fighting and got four consecutive wins, all coming by stoppage.

Throughout that process, Barez had several failed attempts to jump in and take short-notice fights. Add the past loss on Contender Series and being a 34-year-old flyweight, and Barez was starting to see his UFC dream dwindle. So much so that he was thinking about retirement.

“I would see it further and further every time,” Barez said. “Contender Series and didn’t get it. A call and didn’t get it. Another call and didn’t get in. In the end, if it comes great, if it doesn’t, what are you going to do?

“Everyone would tell me, ‘You’re going to get in for sure. Stay patient.’ But was a bit tired because I would get close and hear things, but it would never materialize. … So, I was unmotivated a bit, which is a normal reaction. And even then, I would still be working hard and believing in it. Many people, after a failed Contender Series fight get down because it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. But I think that gave me even more strength. I evolved as a fighter and a person, and look where I’m at.”

Barez will accomplish a lifelong dream this Saturday. However, even though this was all he envisioned, he knows he’s got more in than tank than just to make it to the UFC. Barez wants to do big things at flyweight.

“Super, super, mega thankful because this easily couldn’t have happened after everything that I’ve put into this,” Barez said. “I know a lot of people deserve this because there’s a lot of 125ers that are good, but they’re giving the opportunity to me. They’ve seen me and know that I’m right there.

“Also, all the work of my manager and my team. It’s a team effort from many ends. I’ve invested too much time and money into this. So when they just give you the news out of nowhere, sh*t, it’s hard to process. It’s a mix of excitement and happiness. I’m accomplishing a dream because my dream was to fight in the UFC regardless of the result. Now I have to put new goals because I can’t be satisfied with just this. I am happy that I was able to reach an objective that I put in my life. I’ve been doing this for a long time. It’s a feeling of happiness and emotion, nerves and pressure because it’s UFC.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 224.

Fresh Ink: Meet the 15 fighters the UFC signed in June 2023

Find out who joined the UFC in June 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.

Check out the June 2023 list below.

On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make UFC with May wins

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey starts long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves.

Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey begins long before they strap on UFC, Bellator, or PFL gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, few will succeed.

This month, five fighters on the verge of achieving major promotion notoriety – one for the second time – return to the cage for what could be their stepping-stone fight. There are dozens of fighters close to making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.

  • A “TUF 30” cast member thinks it’ll be an Invicta FC title shot, if not a UFC opportunity, next if she wins her biggest fight to date.
  • A bantamweight fighter from Sierra Leone hopes another win under the Fury FC banner shoehorns him into becoming the first fighter to represent his birth country in the UFC.
  • After nearly three years away, a New Hampshire-based lightweight picked up where he left off and looks to catch the UFC’s eye with his second victory of 2023.
  • Point-fighting doesn’t simply result in decisions, as one karate specialist hopes to show the UFC with another potential highlight for the reel incoming.
  • One of Spain’s most experienced fighters has fought all around the world and hopes one more win allows him to check “UFC” off his bucket list.

Spanish standout Daniel Barez not giving up on UFC dream: ‘I’m going to keep winning fights’

Daniel Barez is doing everything possible to get his chance at the UFC.

[autotag]Daniel Barez[/autotag] is determined to achieve his dream to sign with the UFC.

The Spanish standout had his opportunity in late 2021 when he competed for a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, but Barez (15-5) came up short in a split decision loss to Carlos Hernandez, who went on to join the promotion’s roster.

It was a tough pill to swallow for Barez, who was on a six-fight winning streak with wins for respectable promotions like Combate Global and BAMMA.

“That was a hard hit for me,” Barez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I was coming off six international wins, and I was already envisioning myself with the contract.

“I wasn’t able to take the win. Carlos Hernandez beat me. It was a close split decision. If I had done a bit more, I would’ve won. But that day that’s all I could do. I was also coming off 20 months without fighting, but that’s no excuse. After the fight, I was in a bad place psychologically, but now that’s helping me to stay motivated, keep chasing my dream and above all, keep improving.”

Barez licked his wounds and got back to work. He returned to action in 2022 and picked up three first-round stoppage wins with two TKOs and a submission. Two other fights fell through.

The 34-year-old returns Friday to take on Soslenis Carvalho at Ultimate Warrior Challenge 41 in Tijuana, Mexico. The card will stream on UFC Fight Pass.

Barez isn’t sure if a 4-0 run after his DWCS loss will do the trick. But in his mind, he’s going to keep fighting as long as it’s necessary to get the UFC call.

“I don’t want to build any castles in the sky because then I create false expectations,” Barez said. “I’m going to keep winning fights. If it comes, great, and I’m going to work hard for that to happen. But if it doesn’t come, then at least I tried it. I don’t want to think that I’m getting the call after this one because if I don’t get the call, then I don’t want to be disappointed. I’m just going to fight a lot, be as active as I can, and continue to make my name known.”

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Barez currently is 9-1 in his past 10 fights. He’s considered by many as one of the best Spanish fighters outside the UFC. The Valencia native has been fighting professionally for more than a decade and has been yearning for many years for a chance to shine in the octagon.

“That’s my dream,” Barez said. “That would complete my dream. I’m very happy with my sporting career, but that would be the cherry on top.

“That’s my biggest dream right now, getting to UFC. It would be to complete a dream. I’ve been doing this for so long. Getting to UFC wouldn’t be a relief, but maybe like, ‘Sigh – I’ve done it.’ It would be like winning the lottery.”

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On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make UFC with February wins

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey starts long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves.

Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey begins long before they strap on UFC, Bellator, or PFL gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, few will succeed.

This month, five fighters on the verge of achieving major promotion notoriety – one for the second time – return to the cage for what could be their stepping-stone fight. There are dozens of fighters close to making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.

  • An exciting Australian flyweight was hindered by visa issues when the UFC first showed interest, but when the promotional brass attend his fight Saturday he aims to make his signing undeniable.
  • A featherweight from a small Louisiana town plans to welcome  striking and make his opponent pay on the ground en route to a UFC contract through Fury FC.
  • Day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-year, a seasoned Texas-based welterweight has put in the works – and he thinks he’s on the verge of finally cashing in his street credit for a UFC contract.
  • A Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus from Spain continues his mission to prove his loss on the show was not a representation of his actual abilities.
  • A proud Kazakh looks to continue his country’s momentum with a big win in the Middle East.