Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
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 from Nov. 7-13.
Jim Miller will look to add onto his record for most wins in UFC history in February.
[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] will look to add onto his record for most wins in UFC history in February.
Miller (35-16 MMA, 24-15 UFC) will meet [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 7-6 UFC) at a UFC Fight Night event Feb. 18. A location and venue has not yet been announced.
A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie, but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. ESPN Deportes was first to report the news.
Winner of his three in a row by finish, Miller is enjoying his best octagon run in years. At UFC 276 in July, he became the sole owner of most wins in the promotion’s history when he submitted Donald Cerrone in the second round.
After dropping two straight to Billy Quarantillo and David Onama, Mexico’s Benitez moved back up to lightweight and rebounded with a first-round TKO of Charlie Ontiveros at UFC on ESPN 41 in August.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Feb. 18 includes:
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UFC on ESPN 41 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 41 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $195,000.
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 on ESPN 41 took place at Pechanga Arena. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 41 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]David Onama[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Iasmin Lucindo[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Priscila Cachoeira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Martin Buday[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Nina Nunes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Charlie Ontiveros[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Tyson Nam[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Josh Quinlan[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: $6,000
vs. [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/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 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 $41,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-41 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $5,588,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $11,755,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 41.
Salaries for UFC on ESPN 41 are out, thanks to the California State Athletic Commission, one of the only commissions still releasing them.
Many commissions no longer release fighter pay to the public, but the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) is one of them.
With UFC on ESPN 41 in the books, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed payouts from CSAC executive director Andy Foster. Five fighters received six-figure paydays, including headliners [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] and [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag].
Other fighters who received six-figure paydays included [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag], [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag], and [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag].
Check out the full list of UFC on ESPN 41 salaries below. It’s important to note the figures are disclosed payouts only, and do not include performance bonuses, discretionary bonuses, or sponsor pay.
Check out these photos from Gabriel Benitez vs. Charlie Ontiveros at UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego.
Check out these photos from Gabriel Benitez’s TKO victory over Charlie Ontiveros at UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego. (Photos by Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY SPORTS)
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 from July 11-17.
David Onama’s power was a game changer against Gabriel Benitez at UFC Fight Night 201.
[autotag]David Onama[/autotag]’s power was a game changer against [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 201.
Onama (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) struggled to start the fight, which was contested at a catchweight because Benitez (22-10 MMA, 6-6 UFC) came in heavy at weigh-ins. He took some hard punches and had to battle through a blow to the eye, but when he turned the tables, he turned them hard.
After Onama caught and staggered Benitez with a clean shot, he followed up with a roughly 10-strike combination that sent his opponent crashing to the canvas face first at the 4:24 mark of Round 1.
Check out the replay of the highlight-reel finish below (via Twitter):
This combo sent his opponent to the canvas 😨 @espnmma | #UFCVegas48pic.twitter.com/SEyoprOB9Q
— ESPN (@espn) February 19, 2022
The 100% finish rate remains intact 💯
[ @DavidOnama145 | #UFCVegas48 ] pic.twitter.com/fzVXRXBdKL
— UFC (@ufc) February 19, 2022
A jubilant Onama called for a Performance of the Night bonus after his win, which was his first inside the octagon after losing his UFC debut this past October.
“That’s what I do,” Onama said in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “That’s what I’m here for: just show out and have fun.”
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Charles Rosa has signed a new UFC contract, and it starts on Saturday.
[autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag] has signed a new UFC contract, and it starts on Saturday.
With [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] out, Rosa (14-6 MMA, 5-6 UFC) will step in on three days’ notice to face [autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a lightweight bout at UFC on ESPN 32 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.
A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Wednesday but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Ariel Helwani was first to report the news.
After fighting out his UFC contract, Rosa has inked a new four-fight deal. The 35-year-old Bostonian has alternated wins and losses since joining the UFC roster in October 2014, most recently losing a unanimous decision to Damon Jackson last October at UFC Fight Night 194.
Brown, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, picked up his first octagon win in May when he edged out Kai Kamaka at UFC on ESPN 23 in May. A training partner of featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell, Brown has finished eight of his past nine wins.
With the change, the UFC on ESPN 32 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
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Check out our staff members’ picks for UFC on ESPN 26, featuring Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises and Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate.
| Makhachev vs. Moises |
Reneau vs. Tate |
Gamrot vs. Stephens |
Stoltzfus vs. Vieira |
Benitez vs. Quarantillo |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 99-63 |
 Makhachev (88%) |
 Tate (78%) |
 Gamrot (68%) |
 Vieira (74%) |
 Quarantillo (71%) |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 101-61  2018 Champion |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 99-63 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
 Stephens |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 98-64 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 96-66 2020 Champion |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 96-66 2014 Champion |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
 Benitez |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 95-67 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Benitez |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 95-67 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Stephens |
Vieira |
Benitez |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 95-67 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Stephens |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 95-67 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Benitez |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 95-67 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 93-69 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 91-71 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Stephens |
Vieira |
Quarantillo |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 26-20 |
Makhachev |
Tate |
Gamrot |
Vieira |
Benitez |
| BetMGM Betting Favorites |
Makhachev -700 |
Tate -150 |
Gamrot -225 |
Vieira -225 |
Benitez -165 |
The UFC is back in its home base with a lightweight fight atop the card, plus a comeback bout.
UFC on ESPN 26 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at lightweight. Makhachev is a big betting favorite at -700 at BetMGM, and he’s one of three unanimous picks on the main card from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers at 13-0.
In the co-feature, former women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] (18-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) returns from a retirement of nearly five years to take on [autotag]Marion Reneau[/autotag] (9-7-1 MMA, 5-6-1 UFC), who is planning to retire after the fight. Tate is the smallest favorite on the main card at -150, but she’s a unanimous pick from our staff members.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-18 MMA, 15-17 UFC) in a lightweight bout. Gamrot is a -225 favorite, and he’s got a 9-4 lead in the picks.
[autotag]Rodolfo Vieira[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is a -225 favorite in his middleweight bout against [autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and is our third unanimous pick.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] (22-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) is a -165 favorite at featherweight against [autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC). But it’s Quarantillo with an 8-5 lead from our pickers.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Makhachev (88 percent), Tate (78 percent), Gamrot (68 percent), Vieira (74 percent) and Quarantillo (71 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
It appears Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 23 event has lost a preliminary card fight the day before the show.
It appears Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 23 event has lost a preliminary card fight the day before the show.
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] (22-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) came in at 150.5 pounds Friday for his featherweight bout against [autotag]Jonathan Pearce[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) – 4.5 pounds too heavy for the non-title limit. Pearce hit the mark at 146.
But though it appeared the fight would go on, with Benitez accepting a 30 percent purse fine, Pearce said on his Instagram account not long after the ceremonial faceoffs that he turned down the fight with Benitez at the higher weight.
“Unfortunately, my opponent came in almost 5lb overweight and our fight is off,” Pearce posted. “I did my part by showing up and making weight and I won’t reward him by accepting a fight and giving away any advantage. I’m trying to be smart about my career, and I hope to be back in the cage soon.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/COTYTeaJNGZ
The UFC has removed the fight from its official event page.
Benitez was attempting to return to the featherweight division after a pair of fights at lightweight. In 2020, he moved up to 155 pounds and dropped a decision to Omar Morales in May. But he rebounded with a first-round knockout of Justin Jaynes this past December. That win got him his second $50,000 performance bonus.
Pearce, who earned his UFC shot with a knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019, was looking for his second straight win in the UFC. He dropped his promotional debut with a first-round TKO setback against longtime fighter Joe Lauzon. But he bounced back in November 2020 with a second-round TKO of Kai Kamaka III.
With the cancellation, the UFC on ESPN 23 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
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