Tag: Daniel Rodriguez

UFC Saudia Arabia fight card announced with Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev headliner

The UFC is headed to Saudi Arabia and the lineup (which will air on ABC) is stacked thus far.

The UFC will debut in Saudi Arabia this summer, and it’s bringing a major middleweight headliner with it.

Former champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] will take on [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] in a five-round main event on June 22, UFC CEO Dana White announced Thursday.

White added the bout’s winner will earn a crack at title gold and announced the main card will air on ABC.

Other fights on the card include [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag], [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag], [autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag], [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag].

Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, looks to continue the momentum from a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa in February. The win was his second in three fights and bounced him back into the win column after a loss to Dricus Du Plessis.

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) returns for the first time since September 2022, when he defeated former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman by majority decision. The No. 8 middleweight’s other UFC victories include Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland among others.

The current UFC Saudi Arabia lineup includes:

  • Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev
  • Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez
  • Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker
  • Shara Magomedov vs. Ihor Potieria

UFC free fight: Ian Machado Garry lands clean head-kick in impressive TKO of Daniel Rodriguez

Watch Ian Machado Garry put away veteran Daniel Rodriguez in impressive fashion.

[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] has been making plenty of noise in the UFC.

The unbeaten welterweight contender has delivered in all his UFC performances, but perhaps none better than his win against Daniel Rodriguez. Garry put away Rodriguez with a beautiful sequence that began with a clean head kick. He then followed up with punches to make the first-round stoppage official.

You can watch Garry’s first-round finish over Rodriguez in the video above.

Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) next is booked for a welterweight bout against Geoff Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) at UFC 298 on Feb. 17 in Anaheim, Calif. The two originally were scheduled to fight in August 2023 at UFC 292, but Neal withdrew from the fight due to undisclosed reasons.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.

UFC welterweight Daniel Rodriguez accepts reduced USADA sentence for tainted supplement

UFC welterweight contender Daniel Rodriguez has accepted a reduced punishment for a recent failed drug test.

UFC welterweight contender [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] has accepted a reduced punishment for a recent failed drug test.

Rodriguez tested positive for ostarine, LGD-4033 and its metabolites during a urinalysis that stemmed from a July 28 out-of-competition drug test. He was given a six-month suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

But Thursday, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Rodriguez has agreed to a three-month suspension for the violation. The sanction was reduced to three months from a full year because Rodriguez was able to prove his positive test came from a contaminated supplement on the approved list.

Rodriguez’s three-month suspension is retroactive to Aug. 17, when he was given a provisional suspension. That means he already is eligible to return. USADA said in a news release his suspension in Nevada has been resolved, as well.

Ostarine is a prohibited substance that most often is heard about from tainted supplements.

Rodriguez, 36, has no additional known history of failed tests. He most recently competed in May, when he was finished by Ian Machado Garry in Round 1. The loss was his second in a row, but his effort was praised by UFC CEO Dana White after the bout.

UFC Fight Night 233 winner Kevin Jousset suggests clash with Daniel Rodriguez next: ‘I like his style’

After UFC Fight Night 233, Kevin Jousset called out Daniel Rodriguez, who was recently cleared of a USADA suspension.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Kevin Jousset[/autotag] is eager to climb the welterweight ranks after winning his sophomore octagon appearance at UFC Fight Night 233.

Jousset (10-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) earned a convincing unanimous decision victory over Song Kenan on Saturday at the UFC Apex, and now he’s looking for a step up in competition, and thinks [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] would be a good fit after his recent clearance from a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspension.

“I saw ‘D-Rod’ got cleared from USADA,” Jousset told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at UFC Fight Night 233. “I like his style. I feel he’s a very good fighter. He seems to be a good guy, as well. I don’t know the guy personally, but I would love to test my skills against this guy potentially. I know he’s much higher than me in the rankings, but who knows. If the UFC is interested in this fight, let’s do it.”

Jousset, 30, said he knows if he’s going to beat someone the caliber of Rodriguez (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC), he needs to shore up the holes in his game. He thinks he made some mistakes against Kenan, but is confident they can be rectified.

“I thought I would be able to capitalize a bit more,” Jousset said. “I was not very happy with some technical stuff that I did, but it is what it is. A win is a win, and that’s the main thing.”

Jousset said his ideal timeframe to get back in the octagon is the first quarter of 2024. He wants to take the rare opportunity to spend the Christmas holiday with his family, and once that’s done, he intends to get right back to the grind.

“I’ll see with my coaches what they think, but I want to fight again soon,” Jousset said. “I’m going home for Christmas, so I’m looking forward to that because I haven’t spent Christmas at home in many years. I look forward to seeing my family and my friends. Take a couple weeks off, then we’ll see. Hopefully, fight again in March.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

NAC suspends Daniel Rodriguez six months for SARMs, metabolites

UFC fan-favorite Daniel Rodriguez won’t fight until 2024 due to a failed drug test and a subsequent suspension issued by Nevada.

UFC welterweight contender [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] has been suspended for six months by Nevada.

Rodriguez tested positive for ostarine, LGD-4033 and its metabolites during a urinalysis that stemmed from a July 28 drug test.

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) informed MMA Junkie of the suspension along with a $157.04 legal fee after it was announced at a monthly commission meeting. Since the test was out of competition, there was no purse to be fined. Rodriguez will be eligible to return Jan. 28, 2024.

Ostarine is a prohibited substance that often is a result of tainted supplements, though it’s unclear if that was the case here.

Rodriguez, 36, has no additional known history of failed tests. He most recently competed in May when he was finished by Ian Garry in Round 1. The loss was his second in a row, but his effort was praised by UFC president Dana White after the bout.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 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 or officially announced by a promotion from July 24-30.

Noche UFC adds Daniel Rodriguez vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio

Another pairing of notable Latin American fighters is headed to Noche UFC.

Another pairing of notable Latin American fighters is headed to Noche UFC.

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] and [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] will collide Sept. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout falls on Mexican Independence Day and will feature some of the best Mexican fighters on the roster.

Rodriguez’s manager AJ Ariosa, of First Round Management, and an additional source recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup.

Born in America but with a proud Mexican heritage, Rodriguez (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) looks to snap a two-fight skid. Argentina’s Ponzinibbio also looks to rebound in his first appearance since an April TKO loss to Kevin Holland.

Both men are known for their striking prowess and willingness to trade, which could make this bout an early Fight of the Night candidate among avid UFC followers. The have a combined 34 finishes including 24 knockouts.

With the addition, the Noche UFC lineup includes:

  • Champion Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko – for women’s flyweight title
  • Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Kelvin Gastelum
  • Tracy Cortez vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
  • Daniel Rodriguez vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
  • Chris Curtis vs. Anthony Hernandez
  • Lupita Godinez vs. Sam Hughes
  • Cynthia Calvillo vs. Elise Reed
  • Edgar Chairez vs. Daniel Lacerda
  • Christos Giagos vs. Daniel Zellhuber

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

UFC on ABC 4 medical suspensions: Four fighters out indefinitely

Thirteen of the 22 competitors at UFC on ABC 4 were suspended due to injuries sustained in their bouts Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.

Four fighters are out indefinitely due to injuries sustained at UFC on ABC 4, which took place Saturday at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

A document MMA Junkie obtained Tuesday from North Carolina Boxing and Combat Sports interim executive director Alvin Coley showed medical suspensions were handed out to 13 of the 22 competitors on the card.

[autotag]Tim Means[/autotag], [autotag]Mandy Bohm[/autotag], [autotag]Ji Yeon Kim[/autotag], and [autotag]Gabe Green[/autotag] are out indefinitely until their injuries are cleared by a physician.

The list of fighters who exited UFC on ABC 4 without a medical suspension include both headliners, [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] and [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag].

Scroll below to see the full list of UFC on ABC 4 medical suspensions. All suspended fighters are eligible to return prior to the conclusion of the durations handed out should they get cleared beforehand.

UFC on ABC 4 post-event facts: Matt Brown ties Derrick Lewis’ all-time KO record

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ABC 4, including some notable feats from Matt Brown and Jailton Almeida.

The UFC retuned to North Carolina on Saturday with UFC on ABC 4 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

In the main event, [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) continued his emergence as a heavyweight contender when he flawlessly ran through [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) en route to a first-round submission and staying unbeaten inside the octagon.

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 on ABC 4.

UFC on ABC 4 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2023 total passes $3 million

UFC on ABC 4 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ABC 4 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $211,500.

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 ABC 4 takes place Saturday at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. The main card airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC on ABC 4 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ian Garry[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Tim Means[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Court McGee[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Karl Williams[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Douglas Silva de Andrade[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Mandy Bohm[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ji Yeon Kim[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Gabe Green[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Tainara Lisboa[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jessica-Rose Clark[/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 $40,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-40 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,035,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $17,624,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 4.