Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from August 2023.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from August 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for August.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
Cub Swanson’s opinion on his fight with Hakeem Dawodu changed after rewatching it.
[autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag]’s opinion on his fight with [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag] changed after rewatching it.
Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) defeated Dawodu by decision in what was a close fight less than two weeks ago at UFC on ESPN 51. It was a decision that stirred controversy, even getting Swanson to question the result himself.
But after getting a chance to watch it back, he agrees with the judges.
“I watched the fight, and I thought it was very close, but I definitely feel like I won the first and third round,” Swanson told MMA Junkie Radio. “Second round I’d give to him just because of basically controlling me, but he really didn’t do any damage from there.
“I was actually letting him control me because I didn’t think that anything he was doing was hurting me, and I felt like he was spending more energy than I was. So I was kind of letting him do that. But in the moment, I thought that I lost the first just because I was disappointed in what I had done, in myself. Then I thought I lost the second. So, in my mind, going into the third I was like, ‘I need to finish him.'”
Swanson, 39, knows he’s in the tail end of his career. Had he lost to Dawodu (14-3-1 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Swanson revealed that he likely would have called it a career.
“I think it’s probably safe to say that if I would have lost, I probably would have been done,” Swanson said.
While Swanson would like at least one more big fight in front of a crowd, he has to assess how his body feels first.
“I got some injuries that I need to address that I’m going to real soon here,” Swanson said. “Honestly, I’ve had this cyst on my spine that’s been causing me quite a bit of pain that I’ve been dealing with, and so I think I need to get that removed.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
Our panel takes a closer look at the judging in the UFC on ESPN 51 co-main event between Hakeem Dawodu and Cub Swanson.
Welcome to “Judges Gonna Judge,” where our MMA Junkie staff panel revisits the most controversial decision that occurred over the weekend.
This week, we take a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 51 co-main bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, a featherweight matchup between [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] and [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag].
The fight was mostly a striking affair over 15 minutes, although there were some moments in the clinch and on the mat. The judges rendered their decision and all three scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Swanson, much to his surprise.
Considering how the fight unfolded, Swanson’s reaction as his hand was raised by the referee and his admission that he did not think he won the fight in post-fight inteviews, the judges’ decision was publicly scrutinized. Media members overwhelmingly saw the fight for Dawodu, as 11 of the 13 scores submitted on MMA Decisions were in his favor.
Official judges Ron McCarthy and Jacob Montalvo issued identical scorecards, giving Swanson the first and third rounds. Judge Sal D’Amato arrived at a 29-28 score, but he saw the second and third rounds for Swanson.
MMA Junkie’s Matthew Wells, Farah Hannoun and Mike Bohn put on their judging hats and break the fight down by each round.
If you need a refresher on the official scoring criteria before we dive in, you can check it out here.
Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 51, which saw a record-tying number of first-round stoppage results.
The UFC returns to its home base of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday following three weeks on the road with UFC on ESPN 51, which saw nine of 13 fights end inside the distance.
The main event was one of few that needed the judges. [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) managed to outwork former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (33-15 MMA, 21-13 UFC) to a unanimous decision in the welterweight bout and used a lot of grappling to get it done.
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 51.
UFC on ESPN 51 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 51 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $173,000.
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 51 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 51 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Iasmin Lucindo[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Polyana Viana[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]AJ Dobson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Tafon Nchukwi[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jamie Pickett[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Marcus McGhee[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]JP Buys[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mike Breeden[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Francis Marshall[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Isaac Dulgarian[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Martin Buday[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Josh Parisian[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jaqueline Amorim[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Montserrat Conejo[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jose Johnson[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Juliana Miller[/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 $4,510; 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 $51,000 while title challengers get $51,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-51 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $5,395,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $19,984,000
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
Cub Swanson walked to the center of the octagon after the UFC on ESPN 51 co-main event expecting a loss. The judges felt different.
[autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] admitted he walked to the center of the octagon at the end of his UFC on ESPN 51 co-main event with [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag] expecting a loss.
Instead, all three judges gave Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) two of three rounds on the scorecards, and he left the fight with a unanimous decision win over Dawodu (14-3-1 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the featherweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Coachella Valley, STAND UP!! 🌴@CubSwanson is walking away with the victory tonight! #UFCVegas78 pic.twitter.com/Z1uzMzTFu5
— UFC (@ufc) August 13, 2023
Dawodu seemingly landed the better shots in the first and seconds rounds, bloodying Swanson’s face and carrying the momentum. In the third round, Swanson landed a big takedown and tried to threaten with submissions, but he ran out of time.
The conclusive feeling was Swanson made an admirable late push, but it wouldn’t be enough. Then he wasn’t announced as the winner, which came after he had already congratulated Dawodu and his team.
Cub Swanson got emotional following his unanimous decision win at #UFCVegas78 🥺 pic.twitter.com/kS1Tb16MXz
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 13, 2023
Nevertheless, Swanson got his 14th victory in UFC featherweight competition, which trails only Max Holloway (19) and Darren Elkins (18) in divisional history.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 51 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 51 odds and lines between Cub Swanson vs. Hakeem Dawodu with MMA picks, tips and predictions.
In a featherweight bout on the main card, Cub Swanson and Hakeem Dawodu meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 51 at UFX APEX in Las Vegas. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 51: Swanson vs. Dawodu odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims are on ESPN/ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET and the main card is on ESPN/ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
Records: Swanson (28-13-0) | Dawodu (13-3-1)
Swanson has alternated losses and wins across his past 4 fights. He suffered a 2nd-round KO/TKO loss against Jonathan Martinez last time out in mid-Octobert, and all 4 of the aforementioned fights have resulted in knockouts. His last fight to go the distance was against Kron Gracie on Oct. 12, 2019.
Dawodu has also alternated losses and wins across the past 4 outings, with 3 straight unanimous decisions. The Canadian fighter has involved the judges in 5 straight outings, with his last finish coming in a 3rd-round KO/TKO against Yoshinori Horie on July 27, 2019.
Dawodu holds a 3.5-inch reach advantage and a 5.33-to-4.68 significant strikes landed per minute advantage. The veteran Swanson has an ever-so-slight 54.81%-to-53.94% significant strikes accuracy percentage advantage. Swanson can do work on the canvas if needed, but that’s not Dawodu’s game and he hasn’t recorded a takedown at the UFC level.
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Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:31 a.m. ET.
Dawodu (-225) has a big reach advantage, and I expect him to be able to draw the veteran in and out when he chooses. Swanson (+185) will likely try to get the Canadian fighter in the clinch, looking to score points with the judges, but Dawodu is likely to be able to keep him at a distance.
However, you cannot risk more than 2 times your potential return on the favorite. Instead, I really like METHOD OF VICTORY – 7-WAY: DAWODU BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+200) for a chance to double up. I don’t think he can knock out Swanson, who is too savvy of a veteran, but I do think he will do more to wow the judges.
Over 1.5 Rounds (-250) is just too steep of a price tag, costing more than 2 1/2 times your potential return.
Instead, look to YES (-105): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? for a much better value. Dawodu has gone the distance in 5 consecutive bouts and has needed the judges to decide a victor in 7 of his previous 8 outings.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and us on Facebook.
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Hakeem Dawodu still has visions of featherweight gold and sees Cub Swanson as the first step ahead of UFC on ESPN 51.
Despite losses in two of his past three fights, [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag] has grand aspirations for his career.
Dawodu (13-3-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC) still thinks he’s championship caliber in the featherweight division and he intends to use longtime veteran Cub Swanson (28-13 MMA, 13-9 UFC) as proof when they meet in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 51, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN//streams on ESPN+.
“This is a big fight against a big name, against a legend that everybody knows,” Dawodu told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Thursday’s media day. “So I think if I make a big statement and get a finish this fight, it’s going to put me right back in the rankings systems and go back on my run and really try to become the champion that I think I can become.”
Although Swanson is on the tail-end of his career, he still represents a meaningful fight for Dawodu. Swanson has the most fights, wins and bonuses of anyone in UFC/WEC featherweight history, so the opportunity here isn’t lost on the Canadian.
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“It’s a great matchup,” Dawodu said. “My manager, he didn’t really ask me he said, ‘I got you this fight and I know you’re going to want it.’ I was excited. It’s a great fight and I’m very thankful that I got it and I think the fans are going to enjoy it as well.”
Dawodu hypothesized the UFC placed his fight against Swanson in the co-headliner spot because it knows the potential for excitement. Additionally, he hopes it’s because he’s seen as a force in the weight class.
There’s still lots of work to do before getting into the title conversation, but Dawodu said he wants champion Alexander Volkanovski to hold onto the belt as he makes his run, because he really wants that challenge.
“I think it’s going to be an explosive fight,” Dawodu said. “I know Cub Swanson likes to throw bombs. I like to throw bombs as well. I don’t think he’s going to be running from me. I think it’s going to be one of those fights where I can display my skills.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
Before UFC on ESPN 51 on Saturday, 12 athletes from the card spoke to reporters Thursday at media day.
LAS VEGAS – The UFC schedule for August continues Saturday with UFC on ESPN 51, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
A welterweight bout serves as the main event, with [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (21-9-1 MMA, 14-5 UFC) set to take on former lightweight titleholder [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (33-14 MMA, 21-12 UFC).
Before fight night arrives, though, 12 athletes from this weekend’s card spoke to reporters Thursday at media day.
If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream above, check below for the archived videos of each media day session.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
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 26-July 2.
