Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
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 5-11.
Longtime UFC fighters Ovince Saint Preux and Ion Cutelaba will square off Aug. 5 in a fight expected for Nashville, Tenn.
It’ll be a homecoming for a longtime UFC fighter [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] when he steps into the cage for his bout.
At a UFC Fight Night event Aug. 5, expected to take place in Nashville, Tenn., Saint Preux (26-17 MMA, 14-12 UFC) will return for his 26th promotional appearance when he takes on [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (17-9-1 MMA, 6-8-1 UFC) in a light heavyweight bout.
Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Saint Preux, 40, looks to get back in the win column in his home state. Training out of Knoxville, Tenn., Saint Preux played football at University of Tennessee prior to his MMA career. Saint Preux has twice competed under the UFC banner in his home state with split results.
“OSP” most recently competed in February when he was finished with strikes in 49 seconds by Philipe Lins. The defeat was his fourth in six outings.
Cutelaba, 29, snapped a three-fight skid in April when he spoiled the light heavyweight debut of Tanner Boser in Kansas City, Mo. In 2:04, Cutelaba finished Boser with strikes.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Aug. 5 includes:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the UFC Fight Night card Aug. 5.
Snapping a three-fight losing skid had Ion Cutelaba feeling like a changed man after UFC on ESPN 44.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] vows he’s a changed fighter after snapping his losing skid at UFC on ESPN 44.
Cutelaba (18-8-1 MMA, 5-7-1 UFC) needed just more than 2 minutes to spoil Tanner Boser’s (20-10-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC) light heavyweight debut when he knocked him out in Round 1 this past Saturday at T-Mobile Center.
Cutelaba revealed that he underwent numerous changes to return to the win column and expects them to show in his upcoming fights.
“Honestly I’ve done so much to win this fight,” Cutelaba told reporters, including MMA Junkie, through an interpreter. “I’ve done so much work, so much preparation. I’ve changed a lot. I’ve made a lot of changes, a lot of differences. I think you will see so much more from me. You probably even saw the changes right now in the fight itself, but there’s so much more to come from me because of these changes.”
[lawrence-related id=2634757,2634699,2634131]
Cutelaba was perhaps fighting for his job having lost three straight before rebounding against Boser, but “The Hulk” says he felt no added pressure.
“I think you saw what kind of energy I brought into this fight week and into this fight,” Cutelaba said. “I didn’t have any kind of pressure on me because I knew and I was sure of the preparation that I did. So ‘The Hulk’ is back, and he is the best.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
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:
* * * *
[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Bill Algeo[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]T.J. Brown[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Zak Cummings[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Ed Herman[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Gillian Robertson[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Piera Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lando Vannata[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Denise Gomes[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bruna Brasil[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Aaron Phillips[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Joselyne Edwards[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/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 $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:
Year-to-date total: $2,230,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,819,000
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
Ion Cutelaba showed that light heavyweights have serious power too when he ruined Tanner Boser’s debut at UFC on ESPN 44.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] showed that light heavyweights have serious power when he ruined [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]’s divisional debut at UFC on ESPN 44.
After Boser (20-10-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC) finally caved on the pressure to drop down from the heavyweight division, he looked sharp coming into the octagon. Durability proved to be an issue, though, because Cutelaba (18-8-1 MMA, 5-7-1 UFC) hurt him early with hard punches on the feet, and then poured it on during a ground exchange for the first-round TKO.
It was a much-needed win for Cutelaba who came into the event on an ugly stretch of results, and he got it done in just two minutes and five seconds. Check out the replay of his handiwork below (via Twitter):
Hulk SMASH 😳@ICutelaba didn't waste ANY time getting this KO!! #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/xXQmbZozuV
— UFC (@ufc) April 16, 2023
HULK SMASH 👊 #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/io3sTjOhmH
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 16, 2023
After getting back on track, Cutelaba was nothing short of thrilled.
“What’s up Kansas?” Cutelaba said during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. “I’m very happy for this win. This victory, it’s very sweet. … I am brutal. I am very brutal. All my punches are extremely dangerous.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
[lawrence-related id=2633518,2633520]
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 odds and lines between Tanner Boser vs. Ion Cutelaba, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.
In a heavyweight bout on the main card, Tanner Boser and Ion Cutelaba meet at UFC on ESPN 44 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 44: Boser vs. Cutelaba odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims are on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET, while the main card can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Boser has been ice-cold, winning just once in the past 4 outings. That KO/TKO win over Ovince Saint Preux in June 2021 was the only stoppage, with 2 losses coming via split decision, and the other setback via unanimous decision against Andrei Arlovski.
Cutelaba enters on a 3-fight losing streak. Not only has the Moldovan lost 3 in a row, he was knocked out in the 2nd round by Kennedy Nzechukwu, and he was submitted by Johnny Walker and Ryan Spann in the 2 previous outings. Cutelaba also enters on a 1-5-1 skid in the past 7 bouts.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:10 a.m. ET.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]
Records: Boser (20-9-1) | Cutelaba (16-9-1)
These are 2 fighters not only in need of a win, but they might be fighting simply to stay in the promotion.
Cutelaba holds a slight 4.43-to-4.21 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, although BOSER (+110) is much more accurate at 58.93% to just 46.36% for Cutelaba.
Boser is worth a look a plus-money as the slight underdog, as he has had more impressive victories in the past couple of years.
Looking to METHOD OF VICTORY: BOSER BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+225) is worth a look. His past 3 wins have been via knockout, while Cutelaba has lost via stoppage in each of his previous 3 bouts.
Playing OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-140) is a solid play, even though I’m expecting this fight to end with a Boser knockout. Cutelaba will make him work at least into Round 2 for the victory.
Playing No: Will the fight go the distance (-275) is too expensive, however.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]
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.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]
Ion Cutelaba will look to get back on track at UFC on ESPN 44 against Tanner Boser.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – UFC light heavyweight [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] is excited to welcome a former heavyweight to his division.
On the main card of UFC on ESPN 44, Cutelaba (16-9-1 MMA, 5-8-1 UFC) faces Tanner Boser in a light heavyweight bout. For Boser (20-9-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC), it will be his first UFC fight at 205 pounds, a division he has only fought in once in 2014.
Cutelaba is excited for the challenge of taking on an opponent who is used to fighting at a higher weight.
“I think he’s going to feel really great and is going to be really confident in this,” Cutelaba told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s media day. “I knew about him. I saw his other fights in a different weight division, but I’m very interested to see what I’ll do and what I’ll be like in a fight against him.”
It’s an important fight for Cutelaba, who has been stopped in three straight fights. His last win came by unanimous decision against Devin Clark in September 2021, but believes his recent skid comes with the territory of fighting high-level opponents.
“Of course I took a lot of lessons out of those losses, but this is part of our job – to learn the lessons, to make improvements, and to keep getting up to keep working to keep moving forward,” Cutelaba said.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 44 main card in Kansas City, Mo., featuring Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen.
| Holloway vs. Allen |
Barboza vs. Quarantillo |
Jacoby vs. Murzakanov |
Boser vs. Cutelaba |
Gutierrez vs. Munhoz |
Garcia vs. Guida |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 45-33 |
 Holloway (62%) |
 Quarantillo (54%) |
 Jacoby (53%) |
 Boser (63%) |
 Gutierrez (71%) |
 Garcia (53%) |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 48-30 |
Holloway |
Quarantillo |
 Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
 Guida |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 48-30 |
 Allen |
 Barboza |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Garcia |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 48-30 |
Holloway |
Barboza |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Guida |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 47-31 |
Holloway |
Barboza |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Garcia |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 45-33 |
Holloway |
Quarantillo |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Garcia |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 44-34 |
Holloway |
Quarantillo |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Guida |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 44-34  2018, 2022 Champion |
Allen |
Quarantillo |
Murzakanov |
 Cutelaba |
Gutierrez |
Guida |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 44-34 |
Holloway |
Barboza |
Murzakanov |
Cutelaba |
Gutierrez |
Guida |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 43-35 2014 Champion |
Holloway |
Barboza |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Guida |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 43-35 2017 Champion |
Holloway |
Quarantillo |
Jacoby |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Guida |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 41-37 |
Holloway |
Barboza |
Murzakanov |
Boser |
Gutierrez |
Garcia |
Five years after its first visit, the UFCc is back in an historic Midwest city this week with a former featherweight champion on the top of the card.
UFC on ESPN 44 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, former featherweight champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 19-7 UFC) takes on England’s [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC), who is unbeaten in the UFC. Holloway is nearly a 2-1 favorite at the betting window, and our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have him in a rout at 9-2.
In the co-feature, [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag] (22-11 MMA, 16-11 UFC) meets [autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in another potential featherweight banger. Quarantillo is a -175 favorite, but it’s elite striker Barboza who has the slimmest possible edge in the picks at 6-5.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag] (18-6-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) fights [autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at light heavyweight, and even though he’s a -165 favorite, it’s Murzakanov who has a near-shutout in the picks as an underdog at 10-1.
Another fight at 205 pounds sees [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag] (20-9-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) take on [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (16-9-1 MMA, 5-8-1 UFC). Cutelaba is a slight favorite at -135, but Boser has a big 9-2 picks lead.
[autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] (19-3-2 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) is more than a 2-1 favorite against [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] (19-7 MMA, 9-7 UFC) in their bantamweight bout, and he’s our lone unanimous pick from our staff members at 11-0.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) takes on longtime lightweight and UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag] (38-22 MMA, 18-16 UFC). Garcia is the biggest favorite on the entire card at -275, but the picks didn’t play out that way. Underdog Guida has a 7-4 lead from our pickers.
In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Holloway (62 percent), Quarantillo (54 percent), Jacoby (53 percent), Boser (63 percent), Gutierrez (71 percent), and Garcia (54 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
[pickup_prop id=”33042″]
