Ion Cutelaba hopes his controversial TKO loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC on ESPN+ 27 in Norfolk, Va., is overturned by the commission.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] had his fight with [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] stopped controversially this past Saturday.
Cutelaba (15-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) suffered a TKO loss to Ankalaev (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on the UFC on ESPN+ 27 main card in Norfolk, Va. Many observers thought referee Kevin MacDonald made a mistake stopping the fight with Cutelaba wobbled, but still standing.
Ankalaev threw a head kick, followed by an array of strikes that appeared to rock Cutelaba and prompted MacDonald to stop the fight, thinking Cutelaba was out on his feet. He waved the fight off just 38 seconds in.
An enraged Cutelaba immediately contested the stoppage, baffled at the referee’s decision to intervene. He posted on Instagram to defend his case, hoping the commission overturns the loss.
“Tonight I was denied a chance to Show my work to the fans. Refereeing is a very hard job and tonight a mistake took away months of hard work and possible income from my family. I know that the comission will be able to understand that this was a incorrect call and will reverse the decision. Nobody wins in a situation like this, the fans lost on watching What could be the fight of the night, my opponent had a contestable win that will be overturned and I had one of the worst calls in @ufc history happen against me. I appreciate all the support from the fans in Norfolk, back home and all over the world. I will be back and I believe that we will together be able to correct this injustice.”
Following the fight, Ankalaev said he has no real interest in running things back, but would accept the fight if the UFC offered it. Cutelaba didn’t necessarily call for a rematch, but has made it clear he wants the questionable loss overturned.
All the notable stats and figures to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27, which saw Deiveson Figueiredo beat Joseph Benavidez in the main event.
The UFC returned to Virginia for the fifth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 27, which went down at Chartway Arena in Norfolk and streamed on ESPN+.
A new flyweight champion should’ve been crowned in the main event. However, despite knocking out [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in the second round of the headliner, [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was ineligible to take home the gold because he missed weight.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27.
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag] and [autotag]Gabriel Silva[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 27 fight-night bonuses.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 drew an announced attendance of 7,098 for a live gate of $402,958.
Betting favorites went 6-6 on the card.
Betting favorites fell to 4-2 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:36:08.
Main card
Deiveson Figueiredo
Figueiredo has earned 15 of his 18 career victories by stoppage.
Figueiredo has earned four of his five UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
Benavidez became the seventh fighter in UFC history to go 0-3 in title fights.
Benavidez has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout.
[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned six of her eight career victories by stoppage. That includes both of her UFC wins.
[autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of her career.
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]’s (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Jon Jones for the longest active streak in the division.
Ankalaev has earned all three of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Megan Anderson
Anderson’s (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) three victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Cris Cyborg (four).
Anderson’s three stoppage victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are most in divisional history.
Anderson’s two knockout victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are tied with Cyborg for most in divisional history.
[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had her four-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.
[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered 10 of his 11 career victories by stoppage.
Preliminary card
Gabriel Silva vs. Kyler Phillips
Silva (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 8-0.
Silva has suffered both of his career losses by decision.
[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 13 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes both of his UFC wins.
[autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) fell to 1-1 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in May 2018.
Breese suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career.
[autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.
[autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered six of his seven career losses by stoppage.
[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned eight of his nine career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.
Cruz suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Thoughts and analysis on the biggest storylines to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27, where Deiveson Figueiredo won the main event by TKO.
What mattered most at UFC on ESPN+ 27 in Norfolk, Va.? Here are a few post-fight musings …
* * * * *
1. The flyweight mess
The UFC flyweight division endured its worst-case scenario with [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) stopping [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) with strikes in the second round of the main event, thus keeping the title vacant because the Brazilian missed weight by 2.5 pounds for the contest, making him ineligible to claim the belt.
Figueiredo is a good fighter and went out there and performed as he needed to under the circumstances, but his win puts the weight class in a troublesome state going forward. From Day 1, when one of the inaugural 125-pound bouts between Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall was improperly scored, the weight class has not gotten off the ground in a way anyone had hoped.
From Johnson’s inability to get over with the casual audience, to Henry Cejudo’s decision to relinquish the strap, to this situation with Figueiredo, it’s been challenge after challenge. The UFC has as good an excuse as ever now to put the death blow on the weight class and dissolve it all together, but I don’t think that will happen just yet. Only time will tell, though.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
NORFOLK, Va. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $119,500.
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+ 27 took place Saturday at Chartway Arena. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 27 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.
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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC on ESPN+ 27: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo” – $119,500
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 27 went with as their backing tracks in Norfolk, Va.
One of the game’s best refs did not have his best moment when the fight was called to a premature halt.
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Year in and year out, Kevin MacDonald is one of the best referees in mixed martial arts.
But he didn’t have his best moment during the UFC on ESPN+ 27 main card bout between [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] and [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag].
MacDonald made the wrong read and ruled the bout a TKO in favor of Ankalaev (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) just 38 seconds into the fight. Ankalaev landed a couple head kicks in the fight’s opening seconds. One of them wobbled Cutelaba (15-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC), but he stayed on his feet.
Ankalaev threw a third head kick, which the backpedaling Cutelaba blocked with his hands. Cutelaba was starting to return fire when MacDonald waved the fight off, to the perplexity of both fighters and vocal jeering from the crowd in Norfolk, Va.
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After the fight, Ankalaev pointed out that he’s only doing his job and it’s not on him to call the fight. He also welcomed a rematch.
“It’s not my job – I know I hurt him,” Ankalaev said through an interpreter, later adding, “I’m ready any time.”
The bout’s weirdness started even before the fight. In a stunning breach of protocol, Cutelaba stormed across the cage during introductions and chest-bumped his opponent before officials who had been caught napping separated the two.
In the main event, two-time flyweight title challenger [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) gets his third crack at the belt when he takes on [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Figueiredo is not eligible to win the title after he missed weight by 2.5 pounds Friday. Benavidez is just a slight favorite from the oddsmakers at -145, but he pitched a shutout in the picks from our 14 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.
The co-main event features one of three other unanimous picks on the five-fight main card. [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the card at 8-1 against [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in their women’s featherweight bout. Not surprisingly, Spencer has a 14-0 picks shutout.
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who like Spencer is a former Invicta FC champion, also has a unanimous nod from our pickers against [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who is making her UFC debut. Anderson is a -235 favorite in the fight.
And [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who is a 4-1 favorite in his featherweight fight against [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-10 MMA, 0-0 UFC), is our fourth unanimous pick in five fights on the main card.
The only contentious fight among our pickers is at light heavyweight. Still, [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), a -225 favorite, has a big lead in the picks against [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Only three of our 14 pickers are taking Cutelaba in an upset.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Benavidez (71 percent), Spencer (95 percent), Ankalaev (63 percent), Anderson (82 percent) and Dawson (87 percent) are the choices.
Ion Cutelaba sees a scenario in which head-kick artist Magomed Ankalaev doesn’t land a single kick at UFC Norfolk.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] recognizes the kick-heavy offense Magomed Ankalaev will likely bring when the two light heavyweights step in the cage Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 27.
Ankalaev (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is the only fighter in UFC history to have more than one kick-related knockout in the promotion’s history. Both Marcin Prachnio and Dalcha Lungiambula have fallen victim to vicious Ankalaev head kicks in the UFC, but Cutelaba (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) doesn’t think he’ll follow suit.
In fact, Cutelaba sees a scenario in which Ankalaev doesn’t land a single kick, he told MMA Junkie at a pre-fight media day on Thursday. Cutelaba has never been finished with strikes in his professional MMA career. If he has his way, he’ll keep it that way.
“I think the kicks he throws in the last fight were (mostly) leg kicks,” Cutelaba said. “I’m prepared 100 percent for this and it’s not going to work (his kicks) in front of me. We will see if he even will have enough time to throw this kick before I knock him out.”
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Despite his opponent’s hype, Cutelaba said he’ll finish the fight Saturday. When the cage door closes and the two fighters square off, all outside opinions will become irrelevant, Cutelaba said.
“I’m ready, like always, to knock people out,” Cutelaba said. “I’m ready to show everyone and to show my fans I’m ready for everything – not just for a knockout. I’m ready for anything everywhere to get the victory.
“I don’t care what (hype) he has right now (or) if he’s from Russia, from Dagestan. When the cage door is closed, he’s in there just with me, not with somebody else. I’m going to be in the cage with him. That’s it. I know what I have to do. I don’t care about who’s around him or what people thinks.”
UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.
Check out Ion Cutelaba’s full UFC on ESPN+ 27 pre-fight media scrum in the video above.
The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 27, which features a Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo main event.
The UFC hosts an event in Virginia for the fifth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 27, which goes down at Chartway Arena in Norfolk and streams on ESPN+.
A new flyweight champion will be crowned in the main event. [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) attempts to complete his long journey to UFC gold when he meets the once-beaten [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) for the vacant strap.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 27.
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Main event
Joseph Benavidez
Benavidez, 35, can become the oldest fighter to claim a UFC title at welterweight or below.
Benavidez competes in his fourth UFC/WEC title fight. He’s 0-3 in previous opportunities.
Benavidez competes in his 17th UFC flyweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Benavidez’s total fight time of 3:03:30 in UFC flyweight competition is second most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (4:39:12).
Benavidez’s 13 victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson for most in divisional history.
Benavidez’s six stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Johnson (seven).
Benavidez’s six knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind John Lineker (seven).
Benavidez’s five knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Benavidez’s four fight-night bonuses for UFC flyweight bouts are second most in divisional history behind Johnson (nine).
Deiveson Figueiredo
Figueiredo becomes the second Brazilian to fight for the UFC flyweight title. Wilson Reis also accomplished the feat.
Figueiredo has earned 14 of his 17 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his UFC wins.
Figueiredo lands 52.7 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Figueiredo attempts 2.4 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Remaining main card
Zarah Fairn
[autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 36, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 12 of those wins by knockout.
Cutelaba has earned eight of his career victories in 30 seconds or less.
Cutelaba lands 5.27 significant strikes per minute in UFC light heavyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]’s (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Glover Teixeira and Ryan Spann for the second longest active streak in the division behind Jon Jones (four).
Ankalaev is the only light heavyweight in UFC history to earn multiple knockout victories stemming from kicks.
Megan Anderson
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) competes in her fifth UFC women’s featherweight bout, tied with Cris Cyborg for the most appearances in divisional history.
Anderson’s two victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Cyborg (four).
Anderson’s two stoppage victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are tied with Cyborg for most in divisional history.
Anderson has the only triangle choke submission finish in UFC women’s featherweight history. She accomplished the feat at UFC 243.
Preliminary card
Brendan Allen
[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished both of his UFC wins by submission.
[autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) competes for just the second time since June 2016.
Breese was successful in his UFC middleweight debut at UFC Fight Night 130 in May 2018.
[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to June 2017.
Tybura defends 81.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Alexander Volkov (82.8 percent) and Junior Dos Santos (81.8 percent).
[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished eight of those wins in Round 1.
[autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN+ 27 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.
Make your picks for all six main card fights inside:
