UFC on ESPN+ 29 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Fighters from Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $166,000.
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+ 29 took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 29 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.
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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 event in Jacksonville, Fla.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 29 went with as their backing tracks in Jacksonville, Fla.
Gabriel Benitez left UFC on ESPN+ 29 with both a loss and a disturbing injury.
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] left UFC on ESPN+ 29 with both a loss and a disturbing injury.
Benitez (21-8 MMA, 5-4 UFC), who suffered a unanimous decision loss to Omar Morales (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in their lightweight bout, suffered a disgusting shin split during Wednesday’s contest, which took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
At about the midway point it became noticeable Benitez was leaking blood from his leg, yet he kept on kicking with it until the final bell.
We might never have known how deep the cut was except for one thing: the UFC production team “treated” viewers with a slo-motion close-up that no one asked for.
Watch the video below at you own risk (via Twitter):
With the adrenaline still going inside the octagon, Benitez didn’t appear overcome with pain due to the injury. Once that goes away, though he’ll surely be feeling it.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 29, which features an Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira main event.
The UFC’s busy schedule returning from the coronavirus pandemic continues on Wednesday with UFC on ESPN+ 29, which takes place at VyStar Veteran Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., with a 12-fight lineup set to stream on ESPN+.
A pair of light heavyweight contenders are set to clash in the main event. [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC) returns from an 11-month layoff when he takes on former title challenger [autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) in a matchup with high implications for both men.
That’s not all the card has to offer, though. For more on the numbers, check below for 40 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 29.
* * * *
Main event
Anthony Smith
Smith competes in his fifth consecutive UFC headliner. He’s 3-1 in previous main event appearances.
Smith is 4-1 since he moved up to the UFC light heavyweight division in June 2018.
Smith is 8-3 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2016. He’s 15-4 since he was first released from the promotion in June 2013.
Smith has earned 30 of his 32 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his eight UFC wins.
Smith’s four stoppage victories since 2018 in UFC light heavyweight competition are most in the division.
Smith has been awarded a fight-night bonus in his past three UFC wins.
Glover Teixeira
Teixeira’s three-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Jon Jones (four), Magomed Ankalaev (four) and Ryan Spann (four).
Teixeira’s 13 victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jones (20) and Ryan Bader (15).
Teixeira’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Jones and Ovince Saint Preux for most in divisional history.
Teixeira’s five submission victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Jones, Saint Preux and Misha Cirkunov for most in divisional history.
Teixeira has landed 86.6 percent of his significant strikes in UFC light-heavyweight competition to his opponent’s head, the largest proportion in divisional history.
Co-main event
Ben Rothwell
[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (37-12 MMA, 7-6 UFC) is 1-2 since he returned to competition in March 2019 after a nearly three-year layoff.
Rothwell has earned 34 of his 37 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his seven UFC wins.
Ovince Saint Preux
[autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] (24-13 MMA, 12-8 UFC) moves up to the UFC heavyweight division for the first time after spending his previous 20 octagon appearance at light heavyweight.
Saint Preux’s 11 victories since 2013 in UFC light heavyweight competition are the most in the division.
Saint Preux’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Teixeira, Jones and Chuck Liddell for most in divisional history.
Saint Preux’s five submission victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Teixeira, Jones and Cirkunov for most in divisional history.
Saint Preux’s four submission victories by Von Flue choke are the most in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce combined organizational history.
Saint Preux’s four submission victories by Von Flue choke are the most in UFC history.
Saint Preux has earned four of the six Von Flue choke submissions in UFC history. Jason Von Flue and Jordan Rinaldi also won with the technique.
Saint Preux’s two technical submission victories in UFC competition are tied for second most in company history behind Frank Mir (three).
Saint Preux vs. Yushin Okami at UFC Fight Night 117 was just the second fight in modern UFC history to feature zero combined significant strike attempts. Ilir Latifi vs. Cyrille Diabate at UFC on FUEL TV 6 was the other.
Saint Preux’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC light heavyweight bouts are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jones (eight) and Mauricio Rua (eight).
Remaining main card
[autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag]’s (15-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) victory at the 5:00 mark of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 128 is the latest stoppage in a three-round UFC fight.
Preliminary card
Andrei Arlovski
[autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] (28-19 MMA, 17-13 UFC) competes in his 32nd UFC bout, the most in heavyweight history and the fourth most appearances in company history behind Donald Cerrone (35), Jim Miller (34) and Jeremy Stephens (33).
Arlovski is 3-9 (with one no contest) in his past 12 UFC appearances dating back to January 2016.
Arlovski is 7-9 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in June 2014.
Arlovski’s total fight time of 4:33:42 in UFC heavyweight competition is the most in divisional history.
Arlovski’s 17 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Arlovski’s 11 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Gabriel Gonzaga and Stefan Struve for second most in divisional history behind Frank Mir (13).
Arlovski’s nine knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Cain Velasquez (10), Derrick Lewis (10) and Junior Dos Santos (10).
Arlovski’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Velasquez for second most in divisional history behind Dos Santos (14).
Arlovski landed 152 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 4, the single-fight record for a three-round UFC heavyweight bout.
Arlovski defends 80.6 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the third highest rate in divisional history behind Alexander Volkov (82.8 percent), Marcin Tybura (82.1 percent) and Dos Santos (81.8 percent).
Arlovski’s nine knockout losses in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce competition are second most in combined organizational history behind Alistair Overeem (12).
Michael Johnson
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] (19-15 MMA, 11-11 UFC) was unsuccessful in his return to the lightweight division at UFC on ESPN+ 20. He hasn’t earned a victory in the weight class since September 2016.
Johnson is 3-7 in his past 10 fights dating back to August 2015.
Johnson’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC lightweight competition are fourth most in divisional history behind Melvin Guillard (13), Cerrone (11) and Edson Barboza (10).
[autotag]Sijara Eubanks[/autotag] (4-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is 0-2 since she moved up to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in May 2019.
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a slam. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 129.
Benitez defends 71.4 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Josh Emmett (72 percent).
[autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 2-5 UFC) returns to the UFC for a second stint after going 2-0 outside the promotion. He hasn’t earned an octagon victory since September 2018.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
A lightweight bout between Omar Morales and Gabriel Benitez is the latest addition to the Wednesday night card.
A lightweight bout is the latest addition to the UFC’s May 13 card.
[autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 1-0) will take on [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at the UFC’s rare Wednesday night event. MMA Junkie confirmed the matchup after an initial report from ESPN.
The UFC’s May 13 event takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card is expected to air on ESPN, with the preliminary card streamed on ESPN+.
Undefeated Morales punched his ticket to the UFC through “Dana White’s Contender Series” and made good in his promotional debut, defeating Dong Hyun Ma via unanimous decision last December. He was initially set to replace Islam Makhachev to face Alexander Hernandez on April 18, before the event was canceled, and the bout was subsequently scrapped.
Instead, Morales faces Benitez, who will move up to 155 pounds. Winner of two of his last three, Benitez is coming off a first-round stoppage loss to Sodiq Yusuff last August. He was set to return in March vs. Lerone Murphy in London, but the event was canceled due to the growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
A featherweight bout pitting Gabriel Benitez and undefeated Lerone Murphy has been added to UFC London in March.
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] will be taking on an undefeated fighter in his next UFC bout.
The Mexican fighter has been booked against [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag] for UFC on ESPN+ 29 in London. The takes place March 21 at The O2 and streams on ESPN+.
The featherweight matchup first was reported by Express on Monday and later confirmed by MMA Junkie. The UFC subsequently made the bout official.
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Benitez (21-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) most recently competed in August, when he suffered a TKO loss to rising contender Sodiq Yusuff. The loss to Yusuff snapped a two-fight winning streak for “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” alum. Benitez, 31, trains at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.
The U.K.-based Murphy (8-0-1 MMA, 0-0-1 UFC) most recently was seen in action in September, when he fought to a draw with Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 242. The bout with Tukhugov marked his promotional debut.
With the addition, the UFC on ESPN+ 29 card now includes:
