Tag: Daniel Zellhuber

UFC 306 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: O’Malley, Grasso net $42,000 for entering as champs

Sean O’Malley and Alexa Grasso got the biggest checks from the Promotional Guidelines Compliance program fro UFC 306, which paid $239,500.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 306 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $239,500.

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 306 took place at Sphere. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 306 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Manuel Torres[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ketlen Souza[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Edgar Chairez[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Aori Qileng[/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 $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: $5,721,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $28,458,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Esteban Ribovics def. Daniel Zellhuber at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Esteban Ribovics’ split decision win over Daniel Zellhuber at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag]’ split decision win over [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. (Fight and venue photos by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA Today Sports)

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC 306

Who wins when a pair of Dana White’s Contender Series alums trending in the right direction get the Sphere spotlight at UFC 306?

[autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 0-5
UFC main cards, 2024: 76-66-3

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 preview

A pair of Dana White’s Contender Series alums trending in the right direction will get the spotlight when Ribovics and Zellhuber meet in a lightweight bout. … Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) enters on back-to-back wins after beating Kamuela Kirk and most recently Terrance McKinney by first-round head kick knockout. … Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is on a three-fight winning streak, most recently beating Francisco Prado by unanimous decision.

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 expert pick, prediction

Although I have some admitted bias toward Zellhuber due to his relationship with Eric Nicksick and Xtreme Couture MMA, I’m honestly a big fan of Ribovics.

An Argentinian fighter with an incredibly fun style, Ribovics provides reliable pocket boxing and counters (from both stances) that ensure high-temperature affairs whenever he’s in the octagon.

Ribovics’ wrestling defense leaves something to be desired, but the 28-year-old demonstrates decent submission defense and a solid ability to scramble. That said, I suspect that a long, athletic fighter like Zellhuber could provide a decent amount of problems on paper.

Not only will Zellhuber’s kicks and jabs have play on paper, but his underrated grappling skills could also come in handy for this contest.

For that reason, I’ll officially side with Zellhuber to edge out the scorecards in a fight that I see being competitive down the stretch.

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Mexican fighter, listing Zellhuber (-225) and Ribovics (+184) via FanDuel.

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 start time, how to watch

Ribovics and Zellhuber are expected to walk out to the octagon at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. locally in Las Vegas). The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Esteban Ribovics envisions UFC 306 knockout of Daniel Zellhuber: ‘At some point, he will fall’

Esteban Ribovics predicts a knockout win over Daniel Zellhuber at Saturday’s UFC 306.

[autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag] is confident he will do something big in his next UFC bout, and he certainly has the stage for it.

The Argentine fighter will be taking on fellow rising prospect [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] on the main card of UFC 306, which takes place Saturday at Sphere in Las Vegas. This is a massive event that celebrates Mexican Independent weekend, and Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has all the intention to spoil the party for Mexico’s Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

“I expect a war,” Ribovics told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I’m obviously going to get hit, but he’s going to take hits, as well. In my head, at some point, he will fall. That’s what I believe. That’s what I feel, and from my point of view, at some point he will fall.”

Ribovics has the chance to get on a three-fight win streak should he beat Zellhuber at Noche UFC. He doesn’t think a big win over Zellhuber will get him in the UFC lightweight rankings, but it would certainly be a big step in his career.

“I want to be in the rankings soon,” Ribovics said. “God willing, maybe by the end of next year I’ll be in the rankings. So yeah, I think getting a win in this type of event, and if I win in a big way, how I have it visualized, I think it will get me a lot closer to the top 15.”

As far as playing the spoiler role at UFC 306, Ribovics is enjoying it all. He’s not pressured at all by the Mexican presence, and in fact, he feels fueled by it.

“I don’t feel pressured, but you do see a lot of Mexican events happening this weekend with all the posters for music artists and other Mexican events,” Ribovics said. “You can tell this week it will get very Mexican in Las Vegas, but no, I love feeling like the bad guy. This motivates me and I always like fighting as the visitor, so it’s something that brings out the demon in me. I’m happy, very happy.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC 306’s Daniel Zellhuber embracing popularity growth, eager to ‘put on a show for the people’

UFC lightweight Daniel Zellhuber knows what the fans like to see, and plans to deliver again at UFC 306.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] is just a few fights into his UFC career, but he is turning more and more heads with each outing.

The Mexican UFC lightweight knows what catches a fan’s eye. At UFC 306, the event celebrating his home country’s independence at Sphere, Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is ready to captivate his growing fanbase again when he takes on Esteban Ribovics on the main card (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+).

“Every fight you get more fans, every fight you get the people to know you better, and that’s why I’m trying to go out there and give my best performance,” Zellhuber said at UFC 306 media day. “Because I know at the end of the day, even if you go out there and win, but you kind of look not that good, people isn’t going to follow your career.

“So, that’s why I’m always trying to be amazing, do flashy things. You know, just put on a show for the people.”

Zellhuber, who has won back-to-back fight bonuses, enters this matchup against Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on a three-fight winning streak. They’re both at similar points in their careers, with only a few fights separating them in overall experience. Because of this, Zellhuber questioned the matchup while still up-and-coming, but can also see why.

“I don’t understand why UFC is making us fight as young prospects,” Zellhuber said. “I guess they are trying to spice up things in the division. Lightweight division is one of the toughest in the sport, if not the most competitive one. We see time after time after time, contenders getting into the top 10, top 5 and then they just go kick out again.

So, I feel that it’s also good that they are doing this because the guys that made it to the rankings, nothing is for free, you know? There’s a couple of divisions where you fight one, two fights, and you’re already in ranking conversations. But in the lightweight division, you can even be on a nine-win fight streak and not even be top 10.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Esteban Ribovics wishes Daniel Zellhuber fight happened further down line, but excited for UFC 306

Two rising UFC lightweights will collide at Sphere in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag] respects UFC 306 opponent [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag], but he also recognizes where they are both headed.

Before Saturday’s event at Sphere, Argentina’s Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) voiced excitement for the matchup vs. Mexico’s Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

“I think so. I think there’s hype because he’s a great fighter,” Ribovics told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference. “I respect him a lot. As I said previously, I wish we had the opportunity to fight him further along in my career. Maybe we could have a chance to develop and grow together. But yeah, this is a great fight now. I’m ready for this fight. I think it’s going to be an insane fight and no one wants to miss it. Yeah, I have nothing but respect for him. He’s a great fighter, a great contender, coming up from Mexico.”

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Ribovics is 28 with three UFC fights to his name. Zelluber is 25 with one more, at four UFC fights. Ribovics will step into the Mexican Independence Day-themed event as a bit of an outsider, but embraces the challenge that comes with it.

“Fights are fights, man. I wish we were going to fight further up,” Ribovics said. “But the opportunity came up now. I’m happy to accept it. I’m happy for this fight. But yeah, I’m just going to see how it goes down.

Ribovics signed a new multifight deal with the UFC prior to this fight. He looks to continue momentum from a big head kick knockout of Terrance McKinney in May.

“Man, I needed that win. I’m glad I did it. And yeah, you’re right. I got a new contract, a couple of fights more on the new contract, which gives me more stability. I’m able to focus and train better. Things are looking up. That just gives me more drive and motivation to keep going forward.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Daniel Zellhuber sees eventual fight against Paddy Pimblett: ‘Sooner or later he won’t have anywhere to run’

Daniel Zellhuber believes he’ll eventually cross paths with Paddy Pimblett as the two continue to rise in the UFC lightweight division.

[autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] feels he’s bound to cross paths with UFC star [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag].

Zellhuber, a Mexican star in the making, has a feeling he’ll meet the Englishman in the octagon in the near future, as he climbs the ranks of the stacked 155-pound UFC division. “Golden Boy,” who’s on a three-fight win streak, returns Sept. 14 against Argentina’s Esteban Ribovics on the main card of UFC 306, which goes down at Sphere in Las Vegas.

Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is by no way underestimating Ribovics, but he’s confident he’l get his hand raised and has no problem looking in the horizon at a potential bout with Pimblett.

“I think so,” Zellhuber told MMA Junkie in Spanish when asked about if he thinks he’ll eventually fight Pimblett. “With a victory on September 14, like I told you, if things go down the way I envision them, next year I’ll be fighting against someone in the rankings. Depending on how (Pimblett) does in his next fights, we could be fighting for a position in the rankings. I don’t see that very far out.”

Zellhuber thinks Pimblett has been picking out his opposition in his time with the UFC. However, now in the UFC official rankings, Zellhuber doesn’t think Pimblett will get to do that much longer, which could prompt a fight between the two.

“If you look, now that he’s in the rankings, he’s still challenging fighters who are good matchups for him,” Zellhuber said. “He’s challenging Renato Moicano and those type of styles that favor him. I ask myself when he’s going to challenge a Fiziev or a Benoit Saint-Denis because those are the tough fights of the division, and I don’t see him challenging any of them because he’s not dumb.

“Also, as long as his fan base is still big, the UFC is going to look out for him a bit, but sooner or later he won’t have anywhere to run.”

Pimblett punched his ticket into the UFC official rankings by quickly dispatching veteran King Green at UFC 304 in July. While many were impressed with Pimblett’s showing, Zellhuber saw something different.

“I think that performance was horrible,” Zellhuber said. “I saw him come out doubtful. I was him to come out with terrible striking. He did capitalize well, I’ll give him that. He capitalized on Bobby Green’s mistake – which I don’t know why after 30 fights, he decides to shoot on a fighter whose only advantage over him was on the ground.

“But anyway, those things happen and this fight game is very unpredictable. Anything can happen, anything can change in a second. Like you said, this opens up the rankings and I would like to fight against Paddy Pimblett in the main event if the UFC returns to Mexico next year. They always have him fight at home, so it would be nice to see him step in enemy territory. If not, I’d still like to headline the event in Mexico next year.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC 306’s Daniel Zellhuber explains how Yair Rodriguez inspired early career

Mexican fighter Daniel Zellhuber recalls how Yair Rodriguez’s UFC journey caught his attention.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] recalls how [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag]’s journey caught his attention.

Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) watched Rodriguez win Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” in 2014, when he represented Team Mexico under coach Cain Velasquez. Rodriguez (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) helped put Mexico on the MMA map and has had a standout career, capturing the interim UFC featherweight title in the process.

“When I kind of got more into MMA was at the time that the first ‘Ultimate Fighter’ (Latin America) was streaming, so one of the first fighters that I ever watched and really became a fan of is Yair,” Zellhuber told MMA Junkie Radio. “And now we’re friends, so it’s funny. I remember watching him on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ really desiring to win and when he won the tournament and his whole UFC career.”

As he looks to pave his own way, Zellhuber moved to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and built a team around him, which has produced results in the form of three consecutive wins and two bonuses to go along with it.

On Noche UFC, a night when the promotion celebrates Mexican Independence day, Zellhuber takes on Esteban Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on the UFC 306 main card Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas.

“Being here (Vegas) training is not enough to be successful,” Zellhuber said. “So that’s when I searched for coach (Jorge) Capetillo, coach Dewey (Cooper), coach Hector (Vasquez). I started getting more and more coaches to really help me develop what I need to be a world champion. I feel right now I’m in a good spot.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for February: Middleweight contenders net another bonus

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2024.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2024: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for February.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

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Nominees

Daniel Zellhuber wants Paddy Pimblett at Noche UFC: ‘I’m tired of watching him beat old Mexicans’

Daniel Zellhuber calls out Paddy Pimblett for Mexican Independence Day.

MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] wants to put his name on the map, and he sees no better way of doing it than taking on [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag].

Following his win over Francisco Prado at UFC Fight Night 237, Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) called for a return against Pimblett at this year’s Noche UFC card in Las Vegas in September, an event that will commemorate Mexican Independence Day. Pimblett has defeated Tony Ferguson, who’s of Mexican descent, and Kazula Vargas, who’s Mexico-born, in his UFC run. Both fighters were in their late 30s when the British rising star defeated them, and Zellhuber wants to get one back for his country.

“I definitely want to fight in the sphere on Sept. 17 – I even said that to Dana White in the octagon,” Zellhuber told MMA Junkie at the UFC Fight Night 237 post-fight press conference. “I asked for Paddy ‘The Baddy’ for Sept. 17. I’m tired of watching him beat old Mexicans, so it’s time for him to step in and fight the new generation of Mexicans, and I’m here.

“I’m young. I just need time to heal some injuries I had before this fight. and I feel I’m going to be ready Sept. 17. Paddy needs to drop 500 pounds, so he’s going to be ready for Sept. 17. If he’s down, I’m down.”

The 24-year-old Zellhuber, who’s now on a three-fight winning streak, sees Pimblett as a tailor-made matchup for him. In fact, he sees it so fitting that he doesn’t see the fight getting out of the first round.

“Oh, (I’ll) f*cking knock him out in the first one,” Zellhuber said. “With the way that he fights, I just feel it’s a perfect matchup for me. I’m not disrespecting him. I don’t want to be misunderstood – I respect him a lot as a fighter. What he’s doing in the sport is great. But I want my part in this game. I know that having a win over a name like him, it’s going to be great for my career, so I’m just ready for the heat. I want all that sh*t.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 237.