Tag: Gavin Tucker

UFC on ESPN 50 post-event facts: Cory Sandhagen, Rob Font set dubious record for lack of strikes

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 50, where Cory Sandhagen and Rob Font set a dubious record for strikes landed in a fight.

The UFC made its sixth stop in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 50, which took place at Bridgestone Arena and saw seven of 12 fights on the card end in a decision.

Among those were the main event, where [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) cruised to a unanimous decision win over [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (20-7 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in a 140-pound catchweight fight that featured a substantial lack of action.

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 on ESPN 50.

UFC on ESPN 50 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Jessica Andrade’s $21,000 tops card

UFC on ESPN 50 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 50 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 on ESPN 50 took place at Bridgestone Arena. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 50 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Tatiana Suarez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gavin Tucker[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Aleksa Camur[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jeremiah Wells[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Dennis Buzukja[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Asu Almabaev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $6,000

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 $50,000 while title challengers get $50,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-50 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,222,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $19,811,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 50.

UFC on ESPN 50 play-by-play and live results

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC on ESPN 50 in Nashville, Tenn.

UFC on ESPN 50 took place Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

In the main event, Cory Sandhagen (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) took on Rob Font (20-7 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in a key bantamweight fight. In the co-feature, former women’s strawweight champion Jessica Andrade (24-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC) meets unbeaten contender Tatiana Suarez (10-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC).

Check out round-by-round updates below.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

Diego Lopes def. Gavin Tucker at UFC on ESPN 50: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Diego Lopes’ first-round submission win over Gavin Tucker at UFC on ESPN 50 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]’ first-round submission win over [autotag]Gavin Tucker[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 50 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. (Photos by Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

UFC on ESPN 50 pre-event facts: Jessica Andrade first female to 25 octagon appearances

Check out the stats behind UFC on ESPN 50 in Nashville, where Jessica Andrade becomes the first female to join UFC’s 25-fight club.

The UFC returns to Nashville, Tenn., for the sixth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 50, which takes place at Bridgestone Arena with a card that airs entirely on ESPN.

Two bantamweight contenders will meet in a 140-pound catchweight main event when [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) takes on replacement opponent [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC), who stepped in for the injury Umar Nurmagomedov.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC on ESPN 50.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (June 19-25)

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 a promotion from June 19-25.

UFC targeting Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker for April event

The UFC is beginning to work on its April schedule.

A featherweight fight between [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] and [autotag]Gavin Tucker[/autotag] is back on the books.

Following a November bout cancellation, the two fighters are matched up again – this time, for a UFC event April 9 at a location and venue to be announced. Verbal agreements are in place with bout contracts expected to be issued in the coming days.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking, but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Sabatini (16-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Tucker (13-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) were expected to fight Nov. 20 at UFC Fight Night 198 in Las Vegas. However, Tucker withdrew and Sabatini instead fought Tucker Lutz, whom he defeated by unanimous decision.

The victory was Sabatini’s fifth in a row and his sophomore UFC appearance. His other UFC wins include a unanimous decision win over Tristan Connelly and a submission of Jamall Emmers.

Canadian featherweight Tucker will be looking to bounce back from a 22-second knockout loss to Dan Ige in March. The defeat snapped a three-fight winning streak of victories over Seungwoo Choi, Justin Jaynes and Billy Quarantillo.

The matchup is the first known booking for the April 9 event.

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Tucker Lutz pulled from Lando Vannata fight, Lutz vs. Pat Sabatini in the works

Pat Sabatini is going to need to keep these Tuckers straight.

[autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] is going to need to keep these Tuckers straight.

Sabatini (15-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was set to take on [autotag]Gavin Tucker[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) next month at UFC Fight Night 198. But Tucker is out, and a fight for Sabatini against [autotag]Tucker Lutz[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) now is in the works, a person with knowledge of the new matchup told MMA Junkie. The person requested anonymity because the UFC has not yet made a formal announcement.

Lutz was scheduled to fight [autotag]Lando Vannata[/autotag] (12-5-2 MMA, 4-5-2 UFC) a week earlier at UFC Fight Night 197. His shift to the Sabatini fight leaves Vannata without an opponent. It is not yet known if Vannata will remain on the card against a new opponent or will fight at a later date.

UFC Fight Night 197 takes place Nov. 13 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. UFC Fight Night 198 takes place at the same venue a week later on Nov. 20. Both cards will stream on ESPN+.

Lutz dropped his pro debut in 2015, but is on a 12-fight winning streak since then. After a pair of wins on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, he made his promotional debut in May and took a unanimous decision against Kevin Aguilar at UFC 262.

Sabatini has won four straight fights. After he won the CFFC featherweight title in December 2020, he signed with the UFC. He won his promotional debut in April with a decision over Tristan Connelly. In August, he submitted Jamall Emmers in the first round.

With the change, the UFC Fight Night 198 lineup now includes:

  • Miesha Tate vs. Ketlen Vieira
  • Augusto Sakai vs. Tai Tuivasa
  • Sean Brady vs. Michael Chiesa
  • Joanne Calderwood vs. Taila Santos
  • Cody Durden vs. Aori Qileng
  • Cheyanne Buys vs. Loma Lookboonmee
  • Terrance McKinney vs. Fares Ziam
  • Rafa Garcia vs. Natan Levy
  • Tucker Lutz vs. Pat Sabatini
  • Azamat Murzakanov vs. Marcin Prachnio
  • Denys Bondar vs. Malcolm Gordon
  • Davey Grant vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Shayilan Nuerdanbieke vs. Sean Soriano

The UFC Fight Night 197 lineup includes:

  • Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez
  • Da Un Jung vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
  • Cynthia Calvillo vs. Andrea Lee
  • Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Ben Rothwell
  • Philipe Lins vs. Ovince Saint Preux
  • Lando Vannata vs. TBA
  • Leah Letson vs. Felicia Spencer
  • Collin Anglin vs. Sean Woodson
  • Julio Arce vs. Song Yadong
  • Joel Alvarez vs. Thiago Moises
  • Kyle Daukaus vs. Kevin Holland

UFC books Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker for November event

With the year winding down, the UFC is filling out the remainder of its 2021 schedule.

A featherweight fight is the latest addition to the UFC’s upcoming schedule.

As part of the promotion’s Nov. 20 event, former CFFC champion [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] will seek his third UFC victory when he battles Canadian standout [autotag]Gavin Tucker[/autotag]. The event is scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Thursday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Sabatini (15-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has gone 4-0 since he suffered a gruesome arm injury mid-fight in February 2020. Three of his four fights since then have ended inside the distance including his most recent win, a heel hook submission of Jamall Emmers in August.

Tucker (13-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) will look to rebound from a quick, 22-second knockout loss to Dan Ige that occurred on March 13. Prior to that defeat, Tucker won three straight fights over Billy Quarantillo, Justin Jaynes, and Seung Woo Choi.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup includes:

  • Joanne Calderwood vs. Alexa Grasso
  • Sean Brady vs. Michael Chiesa
  • Davey Grant vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Cody Durden vs. Aori Qileng
  • Cheyanne Buys vs. Loma Lookboonmee
  • Terrance McKinney vs. Fares Ziam
  • Rafa Garcia vs. Natan Levy
  • Azamat Murzakanov vs. Marcin Prachnio
  • Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker

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UFC Fight Night 187 medical suspensions: Belal Muhammad faces 30 days after eye poke

Belal Muhammad isn’t facing a long time off after suffering a nasty eye poke against Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 187.

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Thankfully, [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] isn’t facing a potentially long medical suspension coming out of UFC Fight Night 187.

Muhammad’s first headliner vs. Leon Edwards was ruled a no contest after Edwards accidentally poked him in the eye 18 seconds into the second round of their welterweight fight. Visibly in pain, Muhammad was unable to continue and, as a result, the fight was stopped without a winner.

Muhammad (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) was able to provide a positive update shortly after, stating that he suffered no permanent damage to his eye and was slowly starting to get his vision back. The medical report supports his claim as Muhammad will be prohibited from any contact for 21 days with no contest for 30 days, until he receives doctor clearance for his right eye.

MMA Junkie on Tuesday obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.

The full list of UFC Fight Night 187 medical suspensions includes:

  • [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • Belal Muhammad: Must have right eye cleared by an ophthalmologist, otherwise suspended 30 days; minimum suspension is 21 days.
  • [autotag]Misha Cirkunov[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with 45 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Gavin Tucker[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Eryk Anders[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Darren Stewart[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.
  • [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: Must have left eye cleared by an ophthalmologist, otherwise suspended 30 days.
  • [autotag]Ashley Yoder[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until right ear is cleared by ENT.
  • [autotag]Marcelo Rojo[/autotag]: Must have maxillofacial bones fractures cleared by maxillofacial surgeon and left lamina papyracea cleared by an ophthalmologist, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to left scalp laceration.
  • [autotag]Rani Yahya[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Ray Rodriguez[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with no contact for 14 days.
  • [autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until left fibula X-ray is cleared by orthopedic doctor; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow X-ray is cleared by orthopedic doctor; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Cortney Casey[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until right foot and right hand X-rays are cleared by orthopedic doctor; also suspended 21 days with no contact for 14 days.
  • [autotag]J.J. Aldrich[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Gloria de Paula[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Jinh Yu Frey[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with no contact for 14 days.
  • [autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.

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