UFC Fight Night 209 post-event facts: Ciryl Gane rebounds on home soil

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC Fight Night 209, which saw Ciryl Gane knock out Tai Tuivasa in the main event.

The UFC’s debut event in France was nothing short of spectacular on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 209 at Accor Arena in Paris being a memorable show.

The hometown hero emerged with a stellar win in the main event, as [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) broke down and eventually finished [autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) with a third-round knockout in the headlining act between heavyweight contenders.

For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 209.

UFC Fight Night 209 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Headliner Ciryl Gane nets $6k

UFC Fight Night 209 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

PARIS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 209 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $155,000.

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 209 took place at Accor Arena. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 209 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Roman Kopylov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Alessio Di Chirico[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]William Gomis[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jarno Errens[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Abus Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]John Makdessi[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Michal Figlak[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Benoit Saint-Denis[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gabriel Miranda[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Christian Quinonez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Khalid Taha[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Stephanie Egger[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ailin Perez[/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 2097 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2091 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 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,969,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $12,136,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 209.

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Fares Ziam def. Michal Figlak at UFC Fight Night 209: Best photos

Check out these photos from Fares Ziam’s decision win over Michal Figlak at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag]’s decision victory over Michal Figlak at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris. (Photos by Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)

UFC Fight Night 209: Best photos from Paris

Check out these photos from the fights at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris, featuring Gane vs. Tuivasa, Whittaker vs. Vettori, and more.

Check out these photos from the fights at UFC Fight Night 209 at Accor Arena in Paris. (Photos by Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)

(Gallery updated throughout the event.)

 

Fares Ziam eyes first octagon finish at UFC Paris, wants ‘big knockout’ against Michal Figlak

Fares Ziam wants to make a statement in front of his home fans at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris.

PARIS – [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] is looking to make a statement in front of his home fans.

Fresh off a new four-fight deal, Ziam (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) meets newcomer [autotag]Michal Figlak[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 209 at Accor Arena in Paris. The card streams on ESPN+.

Prior to signing with the UFC, Ziam had finished all but one of his professional wins. He went the distance in his two octagon wins over Jamie Mullarkey and Luigi Vendramini, but is eager to notch his first UFC finish against Figlak.

“I want this to be a very good fight,” Ziam told reporters at Thursday’s UFC Fight Night 209 media day. “I want all my skills to be good, but I want to finish the fight. I want my first finish in the UFC, in Paris, for the fans, and I want a big knockout.

“It’s a good fight for me, good fight to be Fight of the Night or Performance (of the Night bonus).”

Ziam is coming off a quick submission loss to Terrance McKinney at UFC Fight Night 202, which marked the final fight of his contract. Many were under the impression that he was released by the UFC, but the promotion decided to re-sign him just as it landed in France for the first time.

“For this fight, it’s a new contract,” Ziam said. “I’m happy to have a new contract because before, I was not cut, but I was free (agent). I’m happy I have a new contract and I feel good to perform.

“Mentally, I learned a lot because for me, Terrance McKinney is a very good guy, a very good fighter. He won a lot of fights now. But I think normally, I beat him. But this night, I don’t know – I’m in the cage, but my mind was not focused on the fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 209.

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Fares Ziam re-signs with UFC, returns at Paris event in September

Fares Ziam is back on the UFC roster.

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] is back on the UFC roster.

Ziam (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) fought out his UFC contract after a quick submission loss to Terrance McKinney at UFC Fight Night 202 in February. He went 2-2 in four UFC fights with wins over Jamie Mullarkey and Luigi Vendramini.

It took some time to get a new deal done for the 25-year-old French-Algerian fighter, but once the UFC announced their debut show in France, he was given another opportunity with the help of his management team Dominance MMA.

“My management team did a very good job for this new contract, and I thanked them,” Ziam told MMA Junkie. “This new contract gives me even more strength to perform. Fighting at UFC Paris is wonderful for me, my family and the French fans. It will be a historic evening so I will give everything to put on a show.”

Ziam meets octagon newcomer and former Cage Warriors fighter Michal Figlak (8-0) on Sept. 3 at Accor Arena in Paris. The bout was first reported by La Sueur.

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UFC Fight Night 202 video: Terrance McKinney quickly submits Fares Ziam

Terrance McKinney followed his UFC debut knockout with a quick submission of Fares Ziam at UFC Fight Night 200.

[autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag] added another quick win to his record at UFC Fight Night 202, but this time it was with the help of his grappling.

After a memorable seven-second knockout in his promotional debut, McKinney (12-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) made his return to action and dispatched [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) with a rear-naked choke just over two minutes into the lightweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

McKinney charged at Ziam at the opening bell and caused a grappling exchange that ended up with him on top. From there, he slowly dominated his opponent positionally until he got a choke in that finished the job.

Check out the replay below (via Twitter):

The victory marked the 11th first-round finish of McKinney’s career, and he predicted that there’s more to come.

“My willingness to take risks and it’s God on my side,” McKinney said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “It’s my time. I’m sorry for everyone. It’s my time.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 202 results include:

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UFC Fight Night 202 pre-event facts: Islam Makhachev is the least-hit fighter in UFC history

Islam Makhachev is the least-touched fighter in UFC history going into Saturday’s main event with Bobby Green.

The UFC closes its busy February schedule on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 202, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams entirely on ESPN+.

After an injury forced Beneil Dariush out of the headliner on less than two weeks’ notice, a 160-pound bout will now serve as the main event of the card. [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) will attempt to continue his winning streak when he takes on short-notice replacement [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] (29-12-1 MMA, 10-7-1 UFC), who will look to add his name to the list of quickest non-tournament turnaround wins with his second bout in 14 days.

For more on the numbers around the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 202.

Fares Ziam: Fighting Paddy Pimblett at rumored UFC London card would be ‘the best option’

After his matchup with highly touted Terrance McKinney fell through, Fares Ziam is eyeing another hyped prospect.

After his matchup with highly touted Terrance McKinney fell through, [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] is eyeing another hyped prospect.

Ziam (12-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) was scheduled to face McKinney at UFC Fight Night 198 earlier this onth Saturday, but his fight was canceled just a few hours before making the walk to the octagon. The UFC proposed multiple dates for the fight to get rebooked, but having been away from home for months, Ziam opted to fly back to France.

While the 24-year-old is open for the McKinney fight to get rebooked in the first quarter of 2022, he’d also love to face [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag], who like Ziam also is coming off a win over Luigi Vendramini.

And with the UFC rumored to return to London in March, it would fall perfectly in line with Ziam’s desired date to compete.

“For me, it’s the best option,” Ziam told MMA Junkie. “So let’s go. If it’s March 5 in London, I’m ready.

“In the first minute I see Vendramini beat Paddy Pimblett, but after Paddy knocked out Vendramini. I think maybe if one week ago I fought Terrance and I won, I think the UFC would have put Paddy Pimblett as my next fight.”

Pimblett (17-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has garnered major steam behind his name following his knockout of Vendramini. Although the native of Liverpool, England, has only laced up the UFC gloves once, Ziam thinks his hype is warranted, but likes his chances against him.

“Yes, I think he has big hype,” Ziam said. “He came to the UFC with a first-round knockout, so for me, yes, he deserves this.

“Maybe his first fight in the UFC, a little bit of pressure, but after a few minutes he did very well. But I think I can beat Paddy because I have better kickboxing than Luigi (and) better takedown defense. So now I’m very good, so we will see.”

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Terrance McKinney forced out of UFC Fight Night 198 due to COVID-19 exposure

Terrance McKinney was looking forward to getting a win at UFC Fight Night 198, but it’ll have to wait.

[autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag] was looking forward to getting a win at UFC Fight Night 198, but it’ll have to wait.

Just a few hours before Saturday’s event, McKinney announced on Twitter that he was forced to withdraw after a member of his corner tested positive for COVID-19. McKinney had been scheduled to fight [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] in a lightweight bout on the preliminary card at the UFC Apex.

“Someone in my corner got Covid and they were forced to cancel my fight,” McKinney said. “I don’t have Covid, but they say due to risk exposure I can’t fight. Sorry y’all, I appreciate all the support and love. We’re workin hard to get the fight rescheduled ASAP.”

More to come.

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