Tag: Diana Belbita

UFC Fight Night 235 post-event facts: Randy Brown is on the rise

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 235, which saw Randy Brown continue his run of success in the loaded welterweight division.

The UFC opened its four-event February schedule Saturday with UFC Fight Night 235, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) achieved his first octagon main event win to close out the card when he outworked [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) to a majority decision in their matchup of ranked UFC middleweights.

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 235.

UFC Fight Night 235 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Drew Dober’s $21,000 tops card

UFC Fight Night 235 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 235 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $170,500.

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

The full UFC Fight Night 235 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Natalia Silva[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Aliaskhab Khizriev[/autotag]: $4,000
vs. [autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Charlie Radtke[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gilbert Urbina[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Azat Maksum[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Pete Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jeong Yeong Lee[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Blake Bilder[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Julija Stoliarenko[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Marquel Mederos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Landon Quinones[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jamal Pogues[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Thomas Petersen[/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 2351 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: $615,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $23,322,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 235.

UFC Fight Night 235 video: Nasty Molly McCann armbar makes Diana Belbita scream

Molly McCann pulled of an audibly and visually gruesome armbar in her UFC strawweight debut.

[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]’s strawweight debut was successful – and violent.

Saturday at UFC Fight Night 235, McCann (14-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) torqued [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag]’s left arm in the wrong direction for a tap at the 4:59 mark of the first round. The bout was the featured prelim at the UFC Apex.

The armbar submission was visually and audibly gruesome. Belbita (15-9 MMA, 2-5 UFC) screamed in pain as the pressure was applied. As McCann celebrated, Belbita still struggled with her injured limb. Medical staffers rushed to support her, as did McCann after a lap around the cage.

The bout was a rematch of an October 2019 fight, which McCann won by unanimous decision. The victory snaps a two-fight skid for McCann, while it sends Belbita into a two-fight skid.

Prior to the bout, Belbita revealed recent considerations of retirement.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 235 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 235.

Diana Belbita says UFC Fight Night 235 rematch offer vs. Molly McCann halted retirement plan

Diana Belbita considered herself retired from MMA before being offered a chance to avenge a loss to Molly McCann at UFC Fight Night 235.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag] was essentially done with MMA before matchmakers presented the opportunity to avenge her first octagon loss vs. Molly McCann at UFC Fight Night 235.

Belbita (13-8 MMA, 2-4 UFC) suffered a unanimous decision loss to former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz in October and said she was very close to pulling the trigger on retirement. But then the phone rang, and she was offered a rematch with McCann (13-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC), who beat “Warrior Princess” by unanimous decision in her UFC debut in October 2019.

The initial fight took place in the women’s flyweight division, but the sequel will happen at strawweight, with the matchup set for prelims of Saturday’s card at the UFC Apex (ESPN+). It’s a whole different scenario, and Belbita is relishing the chance to show how much she’s improved over the past four-plus years.

“I have to admit that, after I fought Karolina, I considered myself being done fighting, stepping down and that’s it,” Belbita told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 235 media day. “Sometimes we don’t want to do it, and that’s OK. I just want to find another way in life, and I was ready for that. But this rematch with Molly McCann, it’s what took me back. When UFC texted me and I saw that it’s Molly McCann’s name on that, I was like, ‘Hell yeah. I have to do it again.’

“First of all I have to do it for myself because I want to see where I stand right now. When I fought Molly I was just a kid fighting at the wrong weight class, I just moved to Canada two months before that. I was not ready at all for that fight. Now she’s going to face a different fighter. I know she improved a lot, I know she’s a different fighter, too, but I really need to see my level right now.”

[lawrence-related id=2712081,2712061,2712030]

Despite considering herself “done” in the sport, Belbita, 27, said the loss to Kowalkiewicz wasn’t the primary factor. In fact, she took that result in a very positive manner.

“What’s frustrating in that defeat? I don’t feel like that was a defeat,” Belbita said. “That was a great fight, so I don’t see the problem. Of course I learned a lot after that fight. Of course facing a fighter like Karolina was great for me and my experience and my career. So I’m happy I had that fight. Of course I didn’t win it and I was disappointed after, but that was a great experience for me.”

Although she agreed to the rematch with McCann, there is no future commitment to fighting beyond that, Belbita said. She’s making short-term choices at this point, and revealed this could very well be her final fight, no matter if she wins or loses.

“I’m not going to force myself to do something if I don’t feel like doing it,” Belbita said. “For now I like it, but let’s see how it’s going to end and let’s see how I feel. Don’t be surprised if I’m going to win and still be like, ‘I don’t feel like doing it.’ And I’m not going to do it if I don’t feel like doing it. I have so many options in life. I can do so many things. I’m not going to be stuck in something if I’m not in it 100 percent.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 235.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC fights announced in the past week (Dec. 4-10)

All the 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 Dec. 4-10.

Molly McCann makes strawweight debut in rematch vs. Diana Belbita at UFC Fight Night on Feb. 3

Molly McCann will seek new life at strawweight when she runs things back with Diana Belbita.

[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag] will seek new life at strawweight when she runs things back with [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag].

McCann (13-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) will drop down to 115 pounds to take on Belbita (15-8 MMA, 2-4 UFC) on Feb. 3 at a location yet to be determined, promotion officials announced Wednesday morning.

McCann and Belbita already fought once before in a flyweight bout in October 2019, when McCann won by unanimous decision. Belbita was deducted a point in Round 2 for grabbing the cage, but the point deduction had no impact on the outcome of the fight.

After amassing a three-fight winning streak, including two straight Performance of the Night knockouts, McCann has been submitted in back-to-back fights.

Since making her strawweight debut, Belbita has split her past four appearances. After defeating Maria Oliveira by unanimous decision at UFC 289, the 27-year-old lost a decision to Karolina Kowalkiewicz in October.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Feb. 3 includes:

  • Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov
  • Thomas Petersen vs. Jamal Pogues
  • Luana Carolina vs. Julija Stoliarenko
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Natalia Silva
  • Kiefer Crosbie vs. Themba Gorimbo
  • Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Makhmud Muradov
  • Blake Bilder vs. Jeong Yeong Lee
  • Marquel Mederos vs. Landon Quinones
  • Charles Radtke vs. Gilbert Urbina
  • Diana Belbita vs. Molly McCann

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=420030788]

UFC Fight Night 229 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Bobby Green, Drew Dober top card

UFC Fight Night 229 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 229 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $189,000.

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

The full UFC Fight Night 229 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Ricky Glenn[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Bill Algeo[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Karolina Kowalkiewicz[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nate Maness[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mateus Mendonca[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Vanessa Demopoulos[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kanako Murata[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Aori Qileng[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Johnny Munoz[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]JJ Aldrich[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Montana De La Rosa[/autotag]: $11,000

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 2291 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: $6,483,500
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $21,072,500

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Sept. 4-10)

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 the promotions from Sept. 4-10.

Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Diana Belbita added to October UFC Fight Night event

Former UFC strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz returns to action in October against Diana Belbita.

A women’s strawweight matchup between [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag] and former title challenger [autotag]Karolina Kowalkiewicz[/autotag] is heading to a UFC Fight Night in October.

On Oct. 7 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Belbita (15-7 MMA, 2-3 UFC) faces Kowalkiewicz (15-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC) in what will be the second appearance of the year for both fighters. MMA Junkie confirmed the matchup with two sources following the bout appearing on the ESPN event schedule.

The UFC Fight Night event features a lightweight matchup between Grant Dawson and Bobby Green, and will air live on ESPN+.

Belbita, 27, will look to keep the momentum going following a unanimous decision win over Maria Oliveira at UFC 289 in June. If successful, she will get back to .500 in her young UFC tenure.

However, standing in her way will be Kowalkiewicz, 37, who is in the midst of a late career resurgence as a winner of three straight. The Polish fighter was thought to be on her way out after dropping five straight through 2018-21, but has since turned things around with consecutive wins over Felice Herrig, Silvana Gomez Juarez and Vanessa Demopoulos.

With the addition, the current UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 7 includes:

  • Grant Dawson vs. Bobby Green
  • Joaquin Buckley vs. Alex Morono
  • Diana Belbita vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
  • Drew Dober vs. Ricky Glenn
  • Chris Gutierrez vs. Montel Jackson
  • Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Joe Pyfer
  • Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Kanako Murata
  • Bill Algeo vs. Alexander Hernandez
  • Johnny Munoz vs. Aori Qileng
  • Nate Maness vs. Mateus Mendonca
  • Khusein Askhabov vs. Daniel Pineda
  • Ion Cutelaba vs. Philipe Lins
  • Montana De La Rosa vs. Stephanie Egger

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

UFC 289 winner Diana Belbita sick of grappling-heavy opponents: ‘Stop hugging and let’s fight’

Following her UFC 289 win, Diana Belbita vented frustration with opponents wanting to grab hold of her and avoid striking.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Just one time, [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag] wants to face an opponent who will strike with her.

Initially, Belbita (15-7 MMA, 2-3 UFC) thought her opponent at Saturday’s UFC 289, Maria Oliveira (13-7 MMA, 1-3 UFC), was a stand-and-bang sort of foe. However, as the fight played out, that was disproved.

“Everybody tries to hug me. I don’t know why,” Belbita told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “But come on, man. Everybody wants to hug me. Like, what’s that? I’m too scary? Are my hands scary? What’s the problem? Do they love me too much?

“Every fight, my opponent tries to hug me. Stop hugging and let’s fight. Let’s throw punches in this fight. We’re in a fistfight. We’re not in a hugging fight. Guess what? I’m not just a striker. I started working more and more on my grappling, so next time I may shoot or I may hug, too.”

As history has continued to repeat itself each time she steps in the cage, Belbita has made grappling a main focus, especially as she comes from a kickboxing background. Belbita hinted she thinks her skills might be nearing the point where she can use grappling offensively rather than defensively.

“I really expected this girl to stay in the middle of the cage and throw punches,” Belbita said. “And what she did? She took me down and tried to hug me. No, I don’t care. I think everybody will try to hug me because I have long hands, and I have power in my hands.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.