The UFC has now paid athletes more than $28 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay after UFC on ESPN 62.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $166,500.
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 62 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 62 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 $4,620; 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 $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-62 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC on ESPN 62: Cannonier vs. Borralho” – $166,500
[autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag] and [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] put on one of the most entertaining fights of the year in the night’s headliner. Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) had to dig deep and nearly finished Cannonier (17-8 MMA, 10-8 UFC) in the fifth round but ultimately won a unanimous decision that should place him right in the middle of title contention at middleweight.
Performance of the Night: Michael Morales
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 24: Michael Morales of Ecuador battles Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
[autotag]Michael Morales[/autotag] (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) passed the biggest test of his career with flying colors as he scored a ground-and-pound TKO win over Neil Magny late in the first round to remain undefeated.
Not only did [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) stage a Comeback of the Year candidate, he made history when rallied to submit Edmen Shahbazyan. With the result, Meerschaert passed former champion and Hall of Famer Anderson Silva for the most finishes (12) in UFC middleweight history.
[lawrence-related id=2765960,2765954,2765962]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.
To earn the biggest win of his UFC career, the nerd had to dig deep.
To earn the biggest win of his UFC career, the nerd had to dig deep.
For all of 25 minutes, [autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag] and [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] battled in a nonstop slugfest in the UFC on ESPN 62 main event. And in the the end, it was The Fight Nerds’ Borralho who dug just a little bit deeper to earn a unanimous decision win by scores of 49-45, 49-45 and 48-46.
The victory over No. 5 Cannonier should vault Borralho, No. 12, toward the top of the official UFC middleweight rankings – and he made it clear that better be the case.
“Tuesday, my name better be in the top five,” Borralo, who remained undefeated in the UFC, said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping.
Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) got off to a strong start with a calculated first round as he picked his shot wisely, but Cannonier (17-8 MMA, 10-8 UFC) seemed to get his swagger going in Round 2, even at one point appearing to wobble Borralho. But in Round 3, Borralho clearly wobbled Cannonier with hard straight left in the final minute, which separated an otherwise close round. The action continued at a high pace in Round 4, with Cannonier busting open Borralho’s right eye by landing a hard combination.
There was no reason for either man to feel comfortable heading into the fifth, and it showed in their approaches, with Borralho and Cannonier still slipping and dipping and throwing counters at each other. Borralho, however, erased all doubt when he landed a right hook followed by a stiff left that dropped Cannonier to the canvas with under 2 minutes remaining. Borralho kept control by working for an arm-triangle choke for the remainder of the round, which sealed the deal.
With the hard-fought win in his back pocket, Borralho, wearing his signature thick black-framed glasses with tape in the middle, felt emboldened to declare a takeover.
“I’m the new face (of the middleweight division), even with some scratches,” Borralho said. “Everybody that sees these glasses must be afraid, because we are The Fighting Nerds. We’re coming to take over!”
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ 10 KO victories
+ 2 submission wins
+ 7 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Improved ability to counter
^ Dangerous hooks and uppercuts
+ Hard leg kicks
^ From both stances
+ Strong inside the clinch
+ Serviceable wrestling ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Shows improved getups/scrambles
+ Works well from topside
^ Heavy ground-and-pound
+/- 4-2 opposite UFC-level southpaws
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA title
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ Judo brown belt
^ Multiple judo accolades
+ Muay Thai brown belt
+ 4 KO victories
+ 4 submission wins
+ 6 first-round finishes
+ Good feinting presence
+ Sneaky lead hand
+ Hard southpaw kicks and crosses
^ Attacks all three levels
+ Solid takedown ability
^ Inside the clinch or shots in the open
+ Solid transitional grappling
^ Works well to and from the back
Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho point of interest: Middleweight mashup
Nov 4, 2023; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Caio Borralho (red gloves) and Abus Magomedov (blue gloves) fight during UFC Fight Night at Ibirapuera Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports
The main event on ESPN features yet another middleweight matchup in the UFC’s Apex.
Steadily developing a hard-hitting game since stepping onto the UFC scene, [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] has made marked improvements under the care of John Crouch and the rest of the coaching staff at The MMA Lab. Now, moving much more smoothly, Cannonier can shift his stance pre or post-combination, punctuating his presence more effectively than before.
Typically utilizing pressure to create openings for offense, Cannonier keeps hard shots on a hair trigger, ready to come forward or counter at the drop of a dime. The 13-year pro has also seemingly picked up his stablemate’s knack for throwing the calf kick (or low leg kicks), showing the ability to attack his opponent’s lower extremities from both stances.
However, Cannonier is still not beyond being kicked or countered himself, so I’ll be curious to see how he approaches someone like [autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag].
A converted southpaw who fights out of the somewhat still unheralded Fighting Nerds team, Borralho has been successfully learning on the job during his undefeated run inside the octagon.
Although his game initially smacked of a poor man’s Conor McGregor impression on the feet, Borralho has steadily been adding layers to his striking – especially when it comes to his lead hand. Borralho possesses the standard attacks from the southpaw power side, but does a quiet amount of his work off of his lead as a naturally right-handed fighter.
Playing particularly well off of his feints, Borralho, akin to his opposition, wields a sneaky right hook that’s used both coming forward and off the counter. Borralho has also been smartly incorporating more jabs into his repertoire, which should come in handy opposite Cannonier.
Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho breakdown: Potential grappling threats
Feb 12, 2022; Houston, Texas, UNITED STATES; Jared Cannonier (red gloves) fights Derek Brunson (Blue Gloves) during UFC 271 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Considering that both parties are dangerous in their own way from topside, no one should be shocked if this party hits the floor this Saturday.
As the statistics would suggest, Borralho is the more likely man to look for takedowns in this fight.
An accoladed judoka who transitioned into Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA, Borralho demonstrates a deceptively flexible takedown game. Even though Borralho could do a better job of setting up his shots with strikes, the 31-year-old commands an athletic level-changing double that can be utilized offensively or as a reactionary counter in the open.
When working from the clinch, Borralho appears to be competent with everything from trips to shuck-bys from the bodylock. That said, Cannonier, at least at 185 pounds, has proven that he’s not easy to control.
From Cannonier’s improved ability to defensively scramble to the slugging shots that he sneaks in mid-transition, the 40-year-old has come a long way from the light heavyweight who was prone to playing guard when taken down. And when Cannonier is the one who ends up on topside, the “Killa Gorilla” is quick to unleash hell from above in the form of unforgiving ground-and-pound.
Borralho is a solid transitional grappler from topside (particularly when working against the fence), but he’ll need to demonstrate improved urgency should he end up underneath Cannonier.
Despite being a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Borralho has shown to be a bit too content to wait for submission or stand-up opportunities off of his back. That said, if Borralho can create scrambling scenarios from either side of the equation, then he could find some key back-taking opportunities opposite the getup style of Cannonier.
Even though Cannonier works with an excellent coach and camp that ingrains solid getup tactics, the general process tends to involve a bit of back exposure – which can be dangerous when paired up with a savvy backpacker like Borralho.
Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Brazilian, listing Borralho -250 and Cannonier +200 via FanDuel.
Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho prediction, pick
Nov 4, 2023; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Caio Borralho (red gloves) reacts after defeating Abus Magomedov (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Ibirapuera Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Although the oddsmakers opened this fight a bit closer, MMA gamblers are doing their usual thing in regards to getting tumescent over the thought of fading an aging fighter.
I can’t say I agree with the width of the current spread above, but I don’t disagree with who is favored to win this fight.
Even though part of me wants to fall into my usual trap of fading the public hype by picking the more proven product at a discounted price, I see some potent stylistic openings that Borralho could find in this fight.
Cannonier may technically have a winning record opposite UFC-level southpaws at 4-2, but the MMA Lab product – outside of a controversial stoppage to Nassourdine Imavov and a couple of knockdowns to former champions like Robert Whittaker and Jan Blachowicz – has sustained the majority of his stoppage losses and knockdowns to southpaw fighters.
In fact, when looking back through Cannonier’s catalog, southpaw counters and fighters who could jab from either stance have traditionally been stylistic kryptonite for “The Killa Gorilla.”
Although Borralho running into the wall that is Cannonier and eventually imploding down the stretch is an outcome that’s absolutely on the table, I can’t help but see the Brazilian’s improved lead hand and counters having some serious play this Saturday. Add in the fact that Cannonier is coming off a quick, 2-month turnaround off of being wobbled in his last bout, and I smell of a club-and-sub for Borralho that comes off of a right hook in Round 2.
Prediction: Borralho inside the distance
Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho start time, where to watch
As the main event, Cannonier and Borralho are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 12:30 a.m. ET. The fight airs live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 odds between Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho, with MMA picks and predictions.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]
In a 5-round middleweight bout in the main event, Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 62 — also known as UFC Vegas 96 — at the UFC APEX. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 62: Cannonier vs. Borralho odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.
Records: Cannonier (17-7-0) | Borralho (16-1-0)
Cannonier is looking to bounce back after a 4th-round KO/TKO loss against Nassourdine Imavov last time out in the main event in early June. He is 2-2 in his past 4 fights, including a unanimous-decision loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 276 in a title fight.
Since making his debut, the southpaw Borralho has won 6 straight fights at the UFC level. He picked up a 2nd-round KO/TKO win at UFC 301 last time out against Paul Craig in early May. However, 4 of his 6 fights have ended up going the distance.
The 40-year-old Cannonier holds a 2.5-inch reach advantage, and he has a 4.62-to-2.91 significant strikes landed per minute advantage. The Brazilian fighter is much more accurate, however, posting a 68.36% significant strikes accuracy percentage and a 1.99 takedown average to just 0.47 for Cannonier. Borralho is much more accurate on takedown accuracy, too, at 63.16%.
It’s experience against accuracy in this main event. Cannonier (+200) has the reach advantage, and he has fought for the title, but he is also in the twilight of his career now.
However, you can’t back Borralho (-245), as he’ll cost you well in excess of 2 times your potential return.
Go with BORRALHO BY POINTS (+200) for the chance to double up, as this fight should be one which goes all the way, with the judges determining a victor.
YES (+108): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is worth a look, as Cannonier has ended up going the distance in 3 of his past 4 fights and 5 of his previous 7 bouts.
For Borralho, he has ended up going the distance in 4 of his 6 fights at the UFC level, too.
If you’d like a little wiggle room, in the event of a late Round 5 win, take OVER 4.5 ROUNDS (-112).
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
The main event for the UFC’s latest home show is official after the headliners made weight Friday.
LAS VEGAS – The main event for the UFC’s latest home show is official after the headliners made weight Friday.
Ahead of UFC on ESPN 62 (ESPN/ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex, middleweights [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) and [autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) stepped on the scale at the official weigh-ins.
Check out the video from their trips to the scale above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.
One particular aspect of Dricus Du Plessis’ game impressed Jared Cannonier.
One particular aspect of [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag]’ game impressed [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag].
Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) retained his middleweight title with a Round 4 submission of Israel Adesanya (24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 305 headliner.
Du Plessis continues to surprise people having now beaten former champions Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and Adesanya in a row. Cannonier wasn’t counting Du Plessis out, but enjoyed the full striking arsenal that he displayed.
“I wouldn’t say I was too surprised,” Cannonier told MMA Junkie. “It was one of the results that I envisioned, but it was still a competitive match. I thought Israel looked good having been out for a year. Maybe there may have been a little bit of rust involved. I don’t know. Maybe a lack of sense of urgency when (Du Plessis) was taking his back. But I thought it was a good match. I thought both of those guys looked good.
“Of course, (Adesanya is) one of the best at managing distance and countering and throwing some long strikes and stuff like that, and I thought DDP’s kicks looked really well. His kicks for me were the highlight of this fight – caught Izzy off guard. They were really quick, really strong, and even some of his punches were probably heavier than some people may have given him credit for.”
Du Plessis’ style has often been dubbed as awkward, but Cannonier has his own description of the champion’s approach.
“He seems like a clubber in there,” Cannonier said. “That’s the term that comes to mind when I see him: like a clubber, a big, heavy, strong who knows how to grapple and be heavy, be weighted when he’s grappling you. So, yeah, it was a good fight. Good for him, congratulations to him, he remains the champion, and still. The future of the middleweight division is definitely intriguing. … I can see the effects of his fighting style. He explodes in toward you, but he’s not crashing into you like uncontrollably.
“He’s fast, he’s explosive, he’s strong, and his kicks are really good. It’s mixed martial arts, it’s not just one refined style that’s going to be successful in this game. I think everybody is looking for that aesthetic, and that’s not the game we play. That’s not the game I’m playing. I’m not trying to be pretty in there. I do want my sh*t to be pretty, don’t get me wrong, but it ain’t got to be pretty. It just has to be effective, and his sh*t was effective enough to retain the title.”
Cannonier (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) will look to re-enter the title picture when he meets rising contender Caio Borralho (16-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 (ESPN/ESPN+) main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Caio Borralho isn’t sure Jared Cannonier has the same motivation ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 main event in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – ‘Fighting is a young man’s sport’ is one of MMA’s oldest and most true sayings. For [autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag], it’s one that will be in play for his next career move.
This Saturday, the rising Brazilian contender takes on 40-year-old veteran [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] in the main event of UFC on ESPN 62, which takes place at the UFC Apex.
Borralho (16-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who’s nine years younger than Cannonier (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC), wonders how much hunger and fight Cannonier has left in him at this stage in his career. He thinks that will be a determining factor in whether he finishes the former UFC title challenger.
“I think it can go either way (decision or finish),” Borralho said on Wednesday at the UFC on ESPN 62 media day. “It just depends on how prepared he is and how much he wants it. At 40 years old, let’s see how much he wants to stay in the position that he is and to go again for the belt and something like that.
“I’m prepared. I worked my ass off for this fight, and I think I deserve this victory. Let’s just see how prepared he’s going to come, and see how prepared he comes for me. I’m going to push the pace, I’m going to make the rhythm high at all times and let’s see how he behaves in the fight. It all depends on him and if he came very well-prepared. … I’m prepared to knock him out or finish him because I have the ground game, and he doesn’t have that much, so let’s see how Jared comes.”
Despite questioning his hunger to be the best at 185 pounds, Borralho still finds his opponent a formidable challenge. He does not underestimate Cannonier and has plenty of respect for him.
“I think he’s a very experienced guy, very explosive and has power in his hands,” Borralho said. “He knows how to take the fight where he wants it to go. Definitely an experienced guy. He’s faced a lot of tough opponents. All respect to Jared, but it’s my time now.”
Jared Cannonier is done fighting “not to lose” ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 main event against Caio Borralho.
[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] has altered his mindset entering Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 main event against Caio Borralho.
After putting together back-to-back wins over Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori, the quest for a second middleweight title shot for Cannonier (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) was somewhat derailed in June when he suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov that was heavily criticized as an early stoppage across the MMA community.
It was a frustrating outcome for Cannonier, because ultimately it was a step backward regardless of the controversy. He wanted to return to action as soon as possible to put it behind him, and the promotion obliged in the form of headlining bout against Borralho (16-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN, ESPN+).
“Sometimes for me, being so high in the rankings, being so close to another title shot, I think I put a little bit of pressure on myself,” Cannonier told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “There was always conversations with randoms like, ‘Title shot next.’ I was focusing more on what could be, as opposed to what was next. Not to say that I wasn’t focused on my opponents or focused in camp or focused on my fight. It feels like there’s been a weight lifted off me not having to worry about the implications of this fight.
“Not to say that there aren’t bad implications if I lose. Not to say that I’m not concerned about the dangers that each of these contests present. But I’m planning to just go in there and instead of trying not to lose, focus more on doing my thing and getting that win.”
Cannonier, 40, said he didn’t hesitate to accept the fight with Borralho when it was offered. He has kept an eye on the Brazilian as he’s carved out a spot for himself at 185 pounds with six consecutive wins to begin his UFC tenure, and has mentioned his desire to face “The Killa Gorilla” inside the octagon.
Borralho gets his wish this weekend, and Cannonier intends on making him regret it.
“He called me out last year or something so he’s been wanting to get a fight with me,” Cannonier said. “At the time I was in a different place. Had a different point of view. That’s changed, especially after the last fight. He’s kept his winning ways and now we get to meet. So all the stuff he’s said about me, anything that he’s ever said he’ll get to answer for it. See if he can make it come true, or not.”
Borralho has proven to be a dangerous fighter on the ground with improving standup skills. Cannonier thinks he’s more complete, and thinks his opponent is in for a rude awakening on fight night.
“I think he’s going to be in trouble even if he does get me down, because he’s not going to be able to keep me down,” Cannonier said. “And if he ends up on the bottom, it’s not going to be too good for him down there. So I’ve got all the confidence in my ground game. I don’t know why people think my ground game isn’t good. I haven’t been submitted in the UFC. I haven’t been submitted in my career.
“When I was green I fought Glover Teixeira and I spent a lot of time underneath him and didn’t get tapped. And I was green as far as my grappling goes back then. I’m much better now. If you guys are thinking of taking me down – you’re more than welcome to try.”
Cannonier said he’s not trying to look ahead of this fight, especially given his newfound approach. However, he has yet to fight current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, and with the list of fresh names to fight at the top of the division getting shorter as time goes on, Cannonier sees a path to once again become a contender.
“I’m going to be doing my thing Saturday night to try to raise some eyebrows,” Cannonier said. “Wow the crowd and put my name back in the mix.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.
Jon Anik thinks referee Jason Herzog saved Jared Cannonier from taking unnecessary extra damage at UFC on ESPN 57.
[autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] thinks referee Jason Herzog saved [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] from taking unnecessary extra damage at UFC on ESPN 57.
[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) scored a fourth-round TKO of Cannonier (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) in Saturday’s headliner at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. – a controversial stoppage which infuriated Cannonier.
Imavov had Cannonier on skates when he tagged him with a right hook. Imavov sprinted after Cannonier, who eventually tried to swing back while backed up against the cage. However, with Cannonier off balance and stumbling across the octagon, Herzog saw enough and waved the fight off at the 1:34 mark of Round 4.
While Anik agrees that the stoppage was premature, he thinks Cannonier was en route to getting put out.
“If you were to ask me, ‘Do you believe in 20 seconds that Jared Cannonier would’ve been knocked out cold or concussed further?,’ the answer would be yes,” Anik said on his Anik & Florian podcast. “I believe referees are universally praised when they allow a fight to go long, and then something sensational happens. Either we get a 25-minute war because they didn’t stop the fight, or you get a knockout that has some virality.
“I was a little bit surprised to see Jason Herzog intervene here, but referees are always going to be criticized when they stop fights early on the front end of the potentially concussive damage. … Jason, if any referee deserves the benefit of the doubt, it is him. If you’re asking me, do I think the stoppage was premature, I do, but I think the result would’ve been a concussion for Jared Cannonier, who had been drunk driving 30 seconds previously, and I just feel like he would’ve been knocked out.”
“I get it. I know what I was seeing in the moment, but I’ve gotten enough feedback telling me I need to reevaluate, so I will,” Herzog wrote on X after the fight.
I get it. I know what I was seeing in the moment, but I've gotten enough feedback telling me I need to reevaluate, so I will. https://t.co/YwbIg9Mbdh
