The Missouri commission issued medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN 44, the longest of which went to fighters who were knocked out.
Three fighters face 60-day medical suspensions as a result of stoppage losses by strikes at UFC on ESPN 44.
The event took place this past Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The event was overseen by the Missouri Division of Professional Regulation, which suspended 13 of 28 fighters from the card for medical reasons after their bouts, according to a list published Wednesday by the commission.
It’s important to note fighters can return sooner than the expiration date of their medical suspension should they receive proper medical clearance from a doctor. In addition, the commission does not list reasons for medical suspensions – just durations.
Scroll below to see the full list of UFC on ESPN 44 medical suspensions.
Check out the numbers from UFC on ESPN 44, where Max Holloway hit more milestones – including being the first to land 3,000 octagon strikes.
The UFC returned to Missouri after six years Saturday at UFC on ESPN 44, and the card delivered with half the fights ending by stoppage.
One of the bouts to go the distance was the main event, where former champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 20-7 UFC) once again displayed his greatness in ending the winning streak of [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC) with a unanimous decision. In the process, “Blessed” made more history to add to his one-of-a-kind octagon resume.
For more on the numbers to come out of the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 44.
UFC on ESPN 44 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $254,500.
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 on ESPN 44 took place at T-Mobile Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 44 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
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 $44,000 while title challengers get $44,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-44 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
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 Jan. 23-29.
The UFC added four fighters to its roster last month. Find out who joined and learn more about them here.
The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.
Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, Dana White’s Contender Series signees, or the increasingly rare straight-up additions. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.
“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.
Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,312, the guys chat with [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag] about his anniversary of beating Kevin Randleman for the title and the PFL PPV coming up. They also talk about [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] having some problems at the airport, UFC signing [autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag], what kind of shelf life will [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] have, and much more.
Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.
Gaston Bolanos went viral for Bellator and now he looks to do the same in the UFC, as he’s signed a multifight deal with the promotion.
[autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag] is headed from one major promotion to another.
A Bellator standout who captured the attention of fans for his signature spinning knockouts, Bolanos (6-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed a multifight deal with the UFC. His manager Brian Butler, of SuckerPunch Entertainment, recently announced the signing on social media.
No debut opponent, date, or location has been revealed at this time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCVln_Jxah/
Bolanos, 30, has only competed under the Bellator banner as a professional. Though he’s 1-2 in his most recent three outings, Bolanos has struggled to find opponents who will make it to the cage on fight night. Four of his most recent five scheduled bouts were canceled due to opponent withdrawals.
In six professional victories, Peru’s Bolanos has finished them all by knockout or TKO. He most recently competed in April when he knocked out Daniel Carey in Round 1.
At Bellator 277, A.J. McKee, Patricio Freire, Vadim Nemkov, and Corey Anderson are set to lead disclosed fighter payouts.
SAN JOSE, Calif – Bellator 277 takes place Friday at SAP Center where three fighters are scheduled to take home six-figure paydays regardless of outcome.
At the 14-fight event, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed salaries from California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster.
In the main event, champion [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] and former champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] square off in a title rematch. Both fighters had a disclosed payday of $250,000 flat. The co-main event is a grand prix final. Light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (on an $80,000 to show/$80,000 to win basis) and Corey Anderson ($250,000 flat) will collide with the winner making an additional $1 million.
The total payout or show money is $1.378 million. Check out the full list of payouts below. The story will be updated with exact disclosed payouts at the conclusion of the event.
Five fights have been added to next week’s Bellator 253 lineup.
The Bellator 253 lineup is filling out.
On Monday, a promotion official informed MMA Junkie of five fights including [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Keith Lee[/autotag] and the return of “Baby Slice” [autotag]Kevin Ferguson Jr.[/autotag], son of the late combat sports legend Kimbo Slice.
Bellator 253 takes place Thursday, Nov. 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card airs on CBS Sports Network after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Stots (14-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) vs. Lee (7-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will take place on the main card, after Ferguson (3-2 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) battles [autotag]Kaheem Murray[/autotag] in a lightweight fight on the prelims. The matchup was first reported by MMA reporter James Lynch on Sunday.
Stots, 31, most recently competed at Bellator 242 in July when he submitted previously-undefeated Cass Bell by third-round rear-naked choke. Seven weeks later at Bellator 245, Lee defeated Vinicius Zani by unanimous decision.
Ferguson and Murray (3-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) were scheduled to fight at Bellator 241 in March 2020. However, the event was canceled hours prior to its scheduled start time due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
Also on the prelims, [autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag] (5-3 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) fights [autotag]Johnny Soto[/autotag] (3-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at a 140-pound contract weight, [autotag]Jaleel Willis[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) fights [autotag]Mark Lemminger[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) at welterweight, and [autotag]Marcus Surin[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Ricardo Seixas[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) at lightweight.
With the additions, the Bellator 253 lineup includes:
Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 239, which took place Friday in Thackerville, Okla.
Bellator hosted its second event of the year on Friday with Bellator 239, which took place at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla., with a main card that aired on Paramount following prelims on MMA Junkie.
In the main event, [autotag]Yaroslav Amosov[/autotag] (23-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) continued the longest MMA winning streak among Bellator fighters when he edged [autotag]Ed Ruth[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) by unanimous decision in the matchup of welterweight contenders.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 25 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 239.
* * * *
General
Betting favorites went 3-1 on the main card.
Betting favorites improved to 2-0 in Bellator main events this year.
Total fight time for the four-bout main card was 47:35.
Main card
Amosov’s 23-fight winning streak in MMA competition is the longest among active Bellator fighters.
Amosov has earned three of his four Bellator victories by decision.
Ruth fell to 2-2 in his past four fights after starting his career 6-0.
Ruth fell to 3-2 since he dropped to the Bellator welterweight division in June 2018.
Ruth suffered the first decision loss of his career.
Myles Jury. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)
[autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) snapped his three-fight losing skid for his first victory since December 2017.
Jury improved to 1-1 since he returned to the lightweight division in September.
[autotag]Brandon Girtz[/autotag] (16-9 MMA, 8-7 BMMA) fell to 2-5 in his past seven Bellator appearances dating back to November 2016.
Girtz has suffered four of his seven Bellator losses by decision.
[lawrence-related id=492546]
[autotag]Timothy Johnson[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) has earned 10 of his 13 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 8-1 BMA) had his eight-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
[autotag]Valentin Moldavsky[/autotag]’s (9-1 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) four-fight Bellator winning streak at heavyweight is the second longest active streak in the division behind Tyrell Fortune (eight).
Moldavsky has earned three of his four Bellator victories by decision.
[autotag]Javy Ayala[/autotag] (11-8 MMA, 6-5 BMMA) fell to 3-5 in his past eight fights dating back to June 2015.
Preliminary card
[autotag]J.W. Kiser[/autotag] (5-3 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) suffered the first decision loss of his career.
[autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag] (5-3 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) suffered the first decision loss of his career.
[autotag]Denise Kielholtz[/autotag]’s (5-2 MMA, 5-2 BMMA) five victories in Bellator women’s flyweight competition are tied with Juliana Velasquez for second most in divisional history behind Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10).
Kielholtz’s three-fight Bellator winning streak at women’s flyweight is the third longest active streak in the division behind Macfarlane (10) and Velasquez (five).
Kielholtz’s four stoppage victories in Bellator women’s flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Macfarlane (seven).
Kielholtz’s three submission victories in Bellator women’s flyweight competition are tied with Emily Ducote for second most in divisional history behind Macfarlane (six).
[autotag]Kristina Williams[/autotag] (3-3 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) suffered the first submission loss of her career.
[autotag]Shawn Bunch[/autotag] (9-5 MMA, 6-4 BMMA) fell to 2-2 since he returned to Bellator for a second stint in November 2018.
