Tag: Jason Witt

Matthew Semelsberger blasts Jason Witt with 16-second KO to start UFC Fight Night 187

Watch Matthew Semelsberger score a brutal KO to kick off UFC Fight Night 187.

Viewers who tuned in late to UFC Fight Night 187 might’ve missed [autotag]Matthew Semelberger[/autotag]’s sophomore promotional appearance.

Semelsberger (8-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) faced [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag] in Saturday’s curtain jerker and needed only 16 seconds to pick up his second victory in the UFC.

In the opening exchange, Semelsberger blasted Witt (18-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with a straight right hand thrown directly down the pipe. The timing was perfect, as Witt had just opened himself up with a leg kick attempt.

After the blow connected, Witt flew backward and crashed to the mat. His head bounced off the canvas, and he was met by a glancing follow-up bomb from Semelsberger. Referee Chris Tognoni dove in and saved Witt from any further damage.

Check it out (via Twitter):

With the win, Semelsberger extends his winning streak to five. In his UFC debut, he defeated Carlton Minus via unanimous decision. Only having gone to the decision once, Semelsberger now has five knockouts and two submissions to his name.

Meanwhile, Witt has suffered two first-round knockouts in three appearances since signing with the UFC in June 2020. All seven of Witt’s pro losses have been by finish.

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UFC Fight Night 187: Make your predictions for Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 187 event in Las Vegas.

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 187 event in Las Vegas.

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 Fight Night 187 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC Fight Night 187 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

Matthew Semelsberger vs. Jason Witt added to UFC Fight Night on March 13

The UFC’s March 13 lineup has its third scheduled fight.

A welterweight fight has been added to the UFC’s March schedule.

[autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag], two fighters who made their promotional debuts in 2020, will square off at UFC Fight Night on March 13, according to recent social media posts made by both fighters. The event does not currently have a publicly-announced location or venue.

Semelsberger (7-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made his only UFC appearance to date in August when he defeated fellow UFC newcomer Carlton Minus by unanimous decision.

Witt (18-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) debuted under the UFC banner in June when he took a fight against Takashi Sato on less than one week’s notice. Witt was knocked out in 48 seconds. Five months later, Witt returned and dominated Cole Williams en route to a second-round submission victory.

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With the addition, the March 13 lineup includes:

  • Irwin Rivera vs. Ray Rodriguez
  • Davey Grant vs. Jonathan Martinez
  • Matthew Semelsberger vs. Jason Witt

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UFC on ESPN+ 39 medical suspensions: Anderson Silva, Uriah Hall face potential 180-day terms

Check out the full list of medical suspensions from this past Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 39 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] and [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] are among five fighters that could be facing a lengthy suspension after damage sustained at UFC on ESPN+ 39.

Hall stopped Silva in the fourth round in the night’s headline bout in what was announced as Silva’s final UFC fight. Though Hall was victorious, he will require x-rays in both hands and his right foot, and is required to refrain from any contact until Dec. 1.

Silva, who suffered a broken nose in his TKO loss to Hall, may also be sidelined until spring, unless he’s cleared by a doctor.

On Tuesday, MMA Junkie obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.

Also looking at a potential 180-day suspension is co-headliner [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag], who defeated Andre Fili via unanimous decision. Mitchell, who claimed that he broke his left hand in the first round, needs an x-ray to confirm his suspicion.

All fighters on the card were given a mandatory seven-day suspension for rest. The list of UFC on ESPN+ 39 medical suspensions beyond the minimum includes:

  • Uriah Hall: Suspended 180 days with 30 days no contact or until both hands and right foot is cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
  • Anderson Silva: Suspended 180 days or until broken nose is cleared by a doctor. Also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days days due to left upper eyelid laceration.
  • Bryce Mitchell: Suspended 180 days or until left hand is cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to right eyebrow laceration.
  • [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days or until he receives MRI for cervical/spine as outpatient and clearance from neurosurgeon, ortho spine specialist or physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor. No contact for 30 days due to left eyebrow laceration.
  • [autotag]Charles Ontiveros[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days and 21 days with no contact.
  • [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: Suspended 170 days or until left eye is cleared by an ophthalmologist. Also must have facial lacerations cleared by a doctor or no contest for 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
  • [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until right thumb is cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
  • [autotag]Chris Gruetzemacher[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to right eyelid laceration.
  • [autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days or until cut on right index finger is cleared by a doctor.
  • [autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to cut under right eye.
  • [autotag]Jack Marshman[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to lacerations under both eyes.
  • [autotag]Cole Williams[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to laceration above left eyebrow.
  • [autotag]Justin Ledet[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days and 30 days with no contact.
  • [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days and 45 days with no contact.

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UFC on ESPN+ 39 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Anderson Silva nets $20k in final bout

UFC on ESPN+ 39 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 39 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $145,000.

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+ 39 took place at UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 39 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Charlie Ontiveros[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Chris Gruetzemacher[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Victor Rodriguez[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Jack Marshman[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Cole Williams[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Justin Ledet[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag]: $3,500

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:

Year-to-date total: $5,550,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $36,555,000

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UFC books Jason Witt vs. Cole Williams for Oct. 31 event in Las Vegas

A welterweight fight is the latest addition to the UFC’s Halloween card.

The UFC’s October lineup continues to fill.

[autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag] and [autotag]Cole Williams[/autotag] will square off Oct. 31 in a welterweight bout expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an announcement.

Both fighters will look for their first promotional wins after unsuccessful UFC debuts.

A short-notice replacement, Witt (17-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) suffered a 48-second knockout loss to Takashi Sato in June. Prior to that defeat, Witt, a Glory MMA & Fitness fighter, had won four straight bouts.

As for Williams (11-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC), the Chosen Few Gym team member lost his lone UFC fight to date. In August 2019, he was submitted by Claudio Silva in Round 1. The defeat snapped a nine-fight winning streak that dated back to 2009.

With the addition, UFC’s Oct. 31 lineup now includes:

  • Anderson Silva vs. Uriah Hall
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Justin Ledet
  • Maurice Greene vs. Greg Hardy
  • Amir Albazi vs. Raulian Paiva
  • Cortney Casey vs. Priscila Cachoeira
  • Aaron Phillips vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Sean Strickland vs. Wellington Turman
  • Krzysztof Jotko vs. Makhmud Muradov
  • Andre Fili vs. Bryce Mitchell
  • Bobby Green vs. Thiago Moises
  • Miles Johns vs. Kevin Natividad
  • Jason Witt vs. Cole Williams

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UFC on ESPN 12 salaries: Dustin Poirier leads three fighters with six-figure paydays

Dustin Poirier was the biggest winner at UFC on ESPN 12, both figuratively and financially.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] was the biggest winner at UFC on ESPN 12, both figuratively and financially.

After gutting out a grueling unanimous decision win over [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] in the main event Saturday, Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) took home a $300,000 disclosed purse. Add on his “Fight of the Night” bonus, and Poirier pocketed $350,000 total for his efforts.

MMA Junkie on Monday obtained a list of fighter salaries from the Nevada Athletic Commission for UFC on ESPN 12, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Poirier, 31, was among three fighters to earn a six-figure paycheck. Joining him were Hooker, who earned $110,000, and [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], who pocketed $180,000 after defeating [autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag], who made $50,000.

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The total disclosed pay for the 10-fight card was $1.14 million.

The full list of UFC on ESPN 12 salaries includes:

  • Dustin Poirier: $300,000 (includes $150,000 win bonus) def. Dan Hooker: $110,000
  • Mike Perry: $180,000 (includes $90,000 win bonus) def. Mickey Gall: $50,000
  • [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag]: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Gian Villante[/autotag]: $75,000
  • [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Kyle Daukaus[/autotag]: $12,000
  • [autotag]Takashi Sato[/autotag]: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: $12,000
  • [autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. Sean Woodson: $12,000
  • [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Philipe Lins[/autotag]: $80,000
  • [autotag]Kay Hansen[/autotag]: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Jinh Yu Frey[/autotag]: $14,000
  • [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag]: $20,000

The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC on ESPN 12 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay. They also do not include any other “locker room” or special discretionary bonuses the UFC sometimes pays. They also do not include pay-per-view cuts that some top-level fighters receive.

For example, UFC officials also handed out a “Fight of the Night” bonus to Poirier and Hooker – and two $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonuses to Hansen and Erosa.

In other words, the above figures are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

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UFC on ESPN 12 medical suspensions: Dustin Poirier, Dan Hooker get matching terms

Three fighters are facing 180-day suspensions as a result of UFC on ESPN 12.

Three fighters are facing 180-day suspensions as a result of UFC on ESPN 12 – but neither of the card’s headliners is among them.

On Tuesday, MMA Junkie acquired a full list of UFC on ESPN 12 medical suspensions from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Fighters can return sooner than the duration of their suspensions if cleared by a doctor.

Despite a back-and-forth battle for 25 minutes, [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] walked away relatively unscathed. Both men received a 60-day suspension due to a “tough fight.”

The three fighters facing the longest suspensions are [autotag]Gian Villante[/autotag], [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag], and [autotag]Khama Worthy[/autotag]. All three combatants were handed potential six-month terms due to various injuries.

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Villante suffered a hand injury in his main card loss to [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag], right after Allen sustained injuries to his nose and eye against [autotag]Kyle Daukaus[/autotag]. Allen’s manager, Brian Butler, revealed the extent of his fighter’s injuries in a post on Sunday. As for Worthy, the promotional sophomore injured both his knee and hand in a win over [autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag], according to the medical report.

The full list of UFC on ESPN 12 medical suspensions include:

  • Dustin Poirier: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to a “tough fight”
  • Dan Hooker: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to a “tough fight”
  • [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days or until left eyebrow lacerations are cleared by a doctor
  • [autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • Maurice Greene: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to left cheek laceration
  • Gian Villante: Suspended 180 days or until left hand x-ray is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • Brendan Allen: Suspended 180 days or until left orbital, nasal, and sinus fractures are cleared by an ear, nose, and throat doctor; also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • Kyle Daukaus: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to eyebrow laceration
  • [autotag]Takashi Sato[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to left eye laceration
  • [autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • Khama Worthy: Suspended 180 days or until right ankle x-ray and left knee MRI are cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
  • Luis Pena: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Philipe Lins[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Kay Hansen[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days, or until left eye laceration is cleared by a doctor
  • [autotag]Jinh Yu Frey[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag]: No suspension

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