Rising UFC contender Ignacio Bahamondes offers his services to welcome former champion Ilia Topuria to the lightweight divsion.
MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] just put his name in the hat for a potential fight against former UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag].
Bahamondes (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC), a young, rising lightweight contender, doesn’t think Topuria (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) should get the next shot at UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for his first fight of his recent move up to 155 pounds. Bahamondes feels Topuria first needs to prove his worth, and he thinks he’s the right dance partner for him.
“The truth is that he did great things at featherweight,” Bahamondes said in Spanish at a UFC Q&A. “Maybe he was missing two more defenses so he could move up as champion and get himself a direct fight against the champion.
“I think that right now he needs to demonstrate he can do the same work he did at featherweight now at 155. I think he should get a top 15 or 10 because of his merit of being a champion, a weight class below. I would love to welcome him if that’s something the company wants. I’m here.”
It’s uncertain the direction the UFC will go next with the lightweight title picture.
Should the Topuria fight come to fruition or not, Bahamondes thinks in two years time he’ll be challenging for UFC gold. This bold statement comes after Bahamondes entered the top-15 of the UFC lightweight division earlier this month with his quick submission win over Jalin Turner on the main card of UFC 313.
“I think for the top 10 I just need one or two more fights,” Bahamondes said. “And to enter the top five, give me two years for me to be fighting for the title.”
Bahamondes, 27, is on a three-fight winning streak and 6-1 in his past seven outings. His lone defeat came against veteran Ludovit Klein back in 2023. Bahamondes trains out of Valle Flow Striking alongside UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” we react to Alex Pereira’s UFC 313 title loss, Dana White entering boxing, more.
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] is the new UFC light heavyweight champion. The Dagestani fighter dethroned superstar [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 313 in Las Vegas. Was the result surprising? Who should be next for Pereira and Ankalaev? We break it all down.
Outside the Ankalaev vs. Pereira main event, plenty went down at UFC 313. [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] rebounded from his UFC 300 KO loss by outpointing [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]; [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] had a breakout performance, submitting [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag]; and plenty more. We react to some of the key results on the card outside the headlining championship fight.
There’s been big news in the boxing world. Last week, TKO Group, along with [autotag]Turki Alalshikh[/autotag] and UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag], announced a partnership to launch a new boxing promotion. Can they change the boxing model? Will they find success? We break it all down.
To finish off the show, we’ll do a live Q&A segment in which we’ll discuss the latest in the MMA world. Submit your question in the YouTube live chat during the stream, and we’ll answer the best submissions.
The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out $32.5 million to athletes since its deal began with Venum.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 313 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $213,500.
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 313 took place at T-Mobile Arena. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews/Disney+ and ESPN+.
The full UFC 313 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 $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.
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 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Check out the best photos from Ignacio Bahamondes’ first-round submission win over Jalin Turner at UFC 313.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag]’ first-round submission win over [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] at UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Photos by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA Today Sports; MMA Junkie; UFC)
Ignacio Bahamondes is a problem in the UFC lightweight division.
[autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] is a problem at 155 pounds.
On the UFC 313 main card Saturday, Bahamondes (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) tapped [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] (14-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) witha a slick triangle choke submission from the bottom at 2:29 of Round 1. The lightweight bout took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Turner dragged the fight to the mat early and looked to work from guard position. Chile’s Bahamondes quickly shut down any progress and locked in the submission to win his third fight in a row. Five of his six UFC wins have been finishes.
Turner, 29, has lost four of his most recent five fights. After he exited the cage, Turner indicated to reporters sitting cageside that his fighting career was over and he is retiring.
Jalin Turner and Ignacio Bahamondes bring the heat to UFC 313. How long will this firefight last?
[autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] and [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 2-3 UFC main cards, 2025: 17-13-1
Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC 313 preview
Turner (14-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) will look to get back on track following a TKO loss to Renato Moicano at UFC 300. Prior to that setback, Turner violently stopped King Green, who opens this event’s main card. “The Tarantula” once put together a five-fight stoppage streak in the UFC, which led to him facing the top names in the division. … Bahamondes (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will look to keep his current winning streak alive. “La Jaula” scored back-to-back, bonus-earning stoppages of Christos Giagos and Manuel Torres. Bahamondes is a proven finisher with four stoppages in seven UFC appearances.
Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC 313 expert pick, prediction
Serving as a solid action fight at 155 pounds is a striker’s showdown between Turner and Bahamondes.
Although I initially came into this fight leaning toward the more consistent, stance-switching output of Bahamondes, I ended up switching my own stance after going back to watch the tape.
Aside from the fact that Bahamondes is officially 0-1 opposite dedicated, UFC-level southpaws, the Chilean also appears to go into a bit of a countering mode when posed with lefties (which can be a common effect among orthodox fighters in open-stance affairs).
In addition, it appeared that southpaw hook-cross combos were Bahamondes’ common culprit when striking with a southpaw – something Turner specializes in.
I know the image of Turner imploding after failing to find a finish is still fresh in our heads, but I have to chalk that incident up to the PTSD that he must’ve been experiencing after his role as an accomplice to Kerry Hatley’s attempted murder of Bobby Green back in December of 2023.
But all jokes aside, I truly believe that the stage is set for Turner to get back on track and remind the masses of his skills and experience.
The pick is Turner by club-and-sub and Round 1.
Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC 313 odds
Despite the oddsmakers initially opening the American as a slight favorite, public money has flipped the betting lines, listing Bahamondes -128 and Turner +104 via FanDuel.
Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC 313 start time, how to watch
Turner and Bahamondes are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 11:10 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.
Check out 10 top-of-the-resume fights featuring the stars of UFC 313, which goes down Saturday in Las Vegas.
Ahead of UFC 313, the promotion has put together a video primer featuring highlights of the card’s top stars.
In the headliner, light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) puts his title on the line against challenger [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC). In the co-feature, [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) steps up on short notice for a rematch with former interim lightweight champ [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC).
In addition, [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] (14-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) and [autotag]King Green[/autotag] (32-16-1 MMA, 13-11-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Mauricio Ruffy[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), both at lightweight.
Check out the video above for 45 minutes’ worth of 10 classic fights from those standouts so you can see what they do best ahead of their bouts at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 313’s Ignacio Bahamondes feels fueled with motivation after wathcing teammate Belal Muhammad win the UFC welterweight title.
[autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] has seen first hand what his team can produce with hard work and talent, and that is a UFC championship title.
Training alongside newly crowned UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag], Bahamondes (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) has picked up plenty of inspiration to make his dream come to a reality. “La Jaula,” a 27-year-old title hopeful in the UFC’s lightweight division, gets his first big step towards the belt, as he takes on his first ever ranked opponent – [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag]. The two battle it out on the main card of this Saturday’s UFC 313 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Bahamondes is eager for the opportunity and is entering a fight more motivated than ever.
“Of course, of course, he showed me the path himself,” Bahamondes told Hablemos MMA in Spanish when asked if Muhammad has given him more motivation. “He showed me how it needs to be done, and he had the toughest path of them all. He had a way tougher path than anyone. A lot of people won UFC belts much easier than him. He had 10 consecutive wins and was without a title. That’s stupid.
“He showed me that with pure hard work and consistency, I can make it, too. It’s just a matter of time. I’m relaxed. I don’t want it tomorrow or next year. I just worry about doing things the right way, because if I keep doing things the way I’ve been doing them, I will get there, and I will be UFC champion.”
Bahamondes played a role in Muhammad’s training camp for his title winning performance against then champion Leon Edwards in July 2024. He was one of Muhammad’s main sparring partners at Valle Flow Striking.
The Chilean fighter, who doesn’t like toying around with UFC titles, remembers very well what it felt like told to hold an undisputed UFC title.
“The truth is that I’ve only touched one belt, and that was Belal’s, and only one time because I have a rule: I’ll never hold a UFC belt until it’s my own,” Bahamondes said. “Julianna (Peña)’s belt I did not touch, same with Yair (Rodriguez), but with Belal it was different, because he hit me every sparring session for that fight. I told him, ‘I’m part of this victory. I don’t want a picture with it. I just want to hold it and look at it.’ So I grabbed it, I felt how much it weighed, and I gave it back to him.”
The feeling of holding a UFC title did not feel foreign to Bahamondes. He’s envisioned himself as UFC champion and envisioned himself beating Turner (14-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) this Saturday, and taking a spot in the UFC official lightweight rankings.
“You know, when I grabbed it, it felt like it belonged, I don’t know,” Bahamondes said. “I felt like it was mine. I didn’t feel like it was something new, like when someone returns your phone. It felt very normal, so let’s make it happen.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.
Alex Pereira, Magomed Ankalaev, Justin Gaethje, Rafael Fiziev and more will attend Thursday’s UFC 313 pre-fight press conference.
LAS VEGAS – The UFC 313 pre-fight press conference took place Thursday, and you can watch a replay of the event in the video above. The press conference took place at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.
Saturday’s UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) is built around a light heavyweight championship fight between [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC).
Here’s what you need to know about the UFC 313 press conference.
What time did the UFC 313 press conference start?
The UFC 313 press conference started at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Who took part in the UFC 313 press conference?
Six fighters from three main-card bouts participated in the UFC 313 press conference: Pereira, Ankalaev, [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag], [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag], [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] and [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag].
He crowned two UFC champions and helped others further their MMA careers. That’s why Mike Valle is MMA Junkie’s 2024 Coach of the Year.
[autotag]Mike Valle[/autotag]’s work has been seen in premiere MMA for a long time. However, 2024 was the year when his coaching really stood out.
The veteran trainer, who operates out of Chicago with VFS Academy, helped create two UFC champions this year and helped further the trajectories of other UFC and regional fighters.
Valle’s most notable work came through [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag], who captured the UFC welterweight title after one of the longest and toughest title campaigns in the promotion’s history. It was also enforced by [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] reclaiming her UFC women’s bantamweight belt, and prospect [autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag]’ resurgence.
Belal Muhammad
Muhammad didn’t have it easy. The promotion didn’t favor him like they have with some of their other fighters, such as Sean O’Malley or Darren Till. There was no fast track to the belt. The general MMA fanbase, at least the majority of it, wasn’t vouching for him to get his due, either.
Valle stood by Muhammad’s side, knocking off one contender after the next. After a 10-fight unbeaten streak, which spanned five years, “Remember the Name” finally got his much deserved shot at UFC gold.
On July 27, 2024, Muhammad traveled to enemy territory to challenge British champion Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 304. To many’s surprise, not only did Muhammad win, but he dominated Edwards over the course of 25 minutes, mixing up his striking and wrestling flawlessly.
Muhammad, the team captain of VFS, added the first UFC undisputed title to Valle’s 2024 run. It was a big moment for Valle and the whole team, who campaigned and supported Muhammad for years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C998vARNn_M/?hl=en
Julianna Peña
It’s hard to become champion, and many say it’s even harder to stay champion. But statistically speaking, not many are able to win a UFC belt after losing it a first time, and that’s exactly what Peña did.
Peña stunned the MMA world in late 2021 after dethroning the greatest female MMA fighter of all time, Amanda Nunes, in a giant upset submission win. She then returned in July 2022 in an immediate rematch against the Brazilian, only to lose her belt in dominant fashion.
After losing the belt, the sport didn’t see Peña back in action until October 2024. Peña returned from injury after over two years of inactivity against defending champion Raquel Pennington. It felt like a lot what stacked against the “Venezuelan Vixen” yet she was able to leave UFC 307 as champion.
Sure, it was a highly debated decision, but it was a close, competitive fight where Peña did enough to get the on the right side of the opinions that matter. Peña added the second UFC title to Valle’s 2024. It was a big moment for the team.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DB1d2ZnpreS/?hl=en
Ignacio Bahamondes
Watch out lightweights, “La Jaula” is back.
After going 1-1 in 2023, Bahamodnes needed a big year if he wanted to re-spark the hype that he generated with his entry through Dana White’s Contender Series. Bahamodnes fought twice, picking up two highlight-reel finishes and two $50,000 Performance of the Night bonuses.
Bahamondes knocked out Christos Giagos in May and then pulled off an upset TKO win over Manuel Torres in September at The Sphere. Bahamodnes, 5-1 in his past six outings, is knocking on the door of the UFC lightweight rankings.
Sep 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Manuel Torres of Mexico (red gloves) fights Ignacio Bahamondes of Chile (blue gloves) during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Honorable mention
[autotag]Javier Mendez[/autotag] and [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] have won MMA Junkie’s Coach of the Year before, and the pairing will be a big staple for many years to come given their stable of fighters.
Although they didn’t win Coach of the Year in 2024, they were in the conversation and had to be mentioned.
Between Mendez and Khabib they have several fighters under their wing, but three specifically stood out: [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag], and [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag]. These three went undefeated in 2024, and picked up very important wins.
Makhachev fought once, successfully defending his UFC lightweight title against the always tough Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 302 in June. It was a wild fight, one of the best championship fights in recent memory, and Makhachev was able to end it by submission.
Umar competed twice, defeating Bekzat Almakhan in March and then Cory Sandhagen in August. This 2024 run, paired with what he’d done in years prior, got him a title shot against Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Jan. 18. This was Umar’s biggest year in his career.
Usman only fought once, but in that fight he was able to stay undefeated and retain his Bellator lightweight title. Usman dominated Alexandr Shabliy to win a unanimous decision back in September at Bellator Champions Series 4.
Two title defenses, and one title shot. Not a bad 2024 for Mended and Khabib as coaches.
