UFC on ESPN 33 salaries: Curtis Blaydes leading earner as four fighters crack six figures

UFC on ESPN 33 was one of the rare events in the modern climate where disclosed fighter salaries have trickled into the public.

UFC on ESPN 33 was one of the rare events in the modern climate where fighter salaries have trickled into the public.

Curtis Blaydes (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC), who defeated Chris Daukaus (13-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) by second-round TKO in the main event of the card this past Saturday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, was the highest paid athlete on the card, netting $262,000 in disclosed earnings from the event.

The total salaries from the 12-bout card was $1,434,000, with just four names cracking the six-figure mark with their payouts.

MMAFighting.com received salary information from the Ohio State Athletic Commission on Tuesday.

Check out the full fight purses for UFC on ESPN 33.

UFC on ESPN 33 post-event facts: Neil Magny ties Georges St-Pierre’s win record, sets another

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 33, which saw Neil Magny tie Georges St-Pierre’s long-held wins records.

The UFC returned in front of crowds for non-PPV events in the U.S. on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 33 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The 12-fight card was capped off by a sensational showing from [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who used his hands and no wrestling to crush [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) into a second-round TKO and remind everyone that he’s still a young and evolving player in the heavyweight division.

Blaydes set some personal records in the win, but there were other bits of UFC history across the card, as well. For more on the numbers, check below for 45 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 33.

Manon Fiorot vs. Jennifer Maia joins UFC on ESPN 33 lineup on March 26

After losing out on a big opportunity, Manon Fiorot got an even better one.

After losing out on a big opportunity, [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] got an even better one.

Fiorot (8-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was originally scheduled to face Jessica Eye in Saturday’s UFC 272 event, but the bout was scrapped after Eye withdrew due to injury.

But it didn’t take long for Fiorot to get booked again as she will now be taking on another former title challenger in [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (19-8-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 33, which takes place March 26 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Two people with knowledge of the booking confirmed the matchup to MMA Junkie on Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Unbeaten in the UFC, France’s Fiorot went the distance for the first time in the octagon when she defeated Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 195 in October. Prior to that, the former UAE Warriors flyweight champion had finished her past five opponents.

Currently ranked No. 4 in the UFC’s flyweight rankings, former title challenger Maia has split her past six fights. After defeating Eye at UFC 264, the 33-year-old former Invicta FC champ suffered a decision loss to Katlyn Chookagian in January.

With the addition, the current UFC Columbus lineup includes:

  • Curtis Blaydes vs. Chris Daukaus
  • Max Griffin vs. Neil Magny
  • Sara McMann vs. Karol Rosa
  • Tucker Lutz vs. Seungwoo Choi
  • Askar Askarov vs. Kai Kara-France
  • Danaa Batgerel vs. Montel Jackson
  • Bryan Barberena vs. Matt Brown
  • Nate Landwehr vs. Lerone Murphy
  • Alexa Grasso vs. Joanne Wood
  • Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Abusupiyan Magomedov
  • David Dvorak vs. Matheus Nicolau
  • Marc Diakiese vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
  • Luis Saldana vs. Bruno Souza
  • Ilir Latifi vs. Aleksei Oleinik

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UFC on ESPN 32 post-event facts: Katlyn Chookagian sets dubious decision record

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 32, which saw history made on the promotion’s first event of 2022.

The first UFC event of the year took place Saturday with UFC on ESPN 32 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

A 10-fight card that was ravaged by lineup changes ultimately concluded with a strong performance from [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC), who returned from a career-long layoff to battle [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) en route to a unanimous decision in the matchup of featherweight contenders.

For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 32.

UFC on ESPN 32 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Court McGee leads charge with $20,000

UFC on ESPN 32 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 32 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $132,000.

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 32 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 32 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Rogerio Bontorin[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Viacheslav Borshchev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dakota Bush[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Bill Algeo[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Joanderson Brito[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jamie Pickett[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Joseph Holmes[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Court McGee[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Ramiz Brahimaj[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Croom[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag]: $11,000

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 $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-32 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

  • “UFC on ESPN 32: Kattar vs. Chikadze” – $132,000

Year-to-date total: $132,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $6,299,500

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UFC on ESPN 32 results: Katlyn Chookagian cruises vs. Jennifer Maia, extends streak to three

Technical striking and calculated grappling led Katlyn Chookagian to victory on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Whether her style is aesthetically pleasing or not does not matter; [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] continues to win.

At UFC on ESPN 32, Chookagian (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) cruised to a dominant unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) win over [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (19-8-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC).

The women’s flyweight bout was part of the UFC on ESPN 32 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN.

The opening round began with technical striking. The fighters went jab for jab. Midway through the frame, Chookagian clinched Maia and took her to the canvas where she controlled the fight. Maia got up right before the bell, before the round ended.

Chookagian made things dirty in Round 2 as she utilized the clinch early and often. Maia struggled to muster up any sort of offense. Her strikes missed and her clinch attempts were dodged.

In Round 3, Chookagian cruised with more technical striking. Maia’s cardio and confidence held up, but it wasn’t enough to score on the judges’ scorecards as Chookagian won a sweeping unanimous decision.

With the win, Chookagian has now won three in a row since her failed October 2020 bid against former champion Jessica Andrade. Since 2019, Chookagian has only lost to Andrade and UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

As for Maia, the loss brings her to 2-2 in her most recent four. After a win over Joanne Wood, Maia lost a unanimous decision title shot against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 255. She returned to defeat Jessica Eye via unanimous decision at UFC 264 before she lost Saturday.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 32 results include:

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UFC on ESPN 32: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 32 odds and lines between Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a women’s flyweight bout on the main card, Katlyn Chookagian and Jennifer Maia meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 32 – also known as UFC Vegas 46 – at UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nev. Below, we analyze the UFC on ESPN 32: Chookagian vs. Maia odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The card can be viewed on ESPN+ with the prelims at 5 p.m. ET and the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Chookagian arrives in the octagon with tremendous physical size advantages. She stands five inches taller than Maia and with a four-inch reach advantage. In addition, Chookagian has a 4.57-to-3.80 significant strikes landed minute advantage and 0.41-to-0.14 submission average lead.

The American is coming off a pair of unanimous-decision wins over Viviane Araujo and Cynthia Calvillo, with three of her past four fights going the distance since a KO/TKO at UFC 247 in a title bout with Valentina Shevchenko in Feb. 2020. She is looking to keep up her winning ways to get another shot at the strap.

Maia also lost her shot at a title to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 255 in Nov. 2020. She bounced back with a unanimous-decision victory against Jessica Eye at UFC 264 in July 2021 to snap back on track.

This will be the second time these fighters will have faced each other at the UFC level. Chookagian won via unanimous-decision at UFC 244 in Nov. 2019. Six of Maia’s seven fights at the UFC level, and 10 of her past 11 professional bouts, have ended via decision.

UFC on ESPN 32 Chookagian vs. Maia: Odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:48 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Chookagian -200 (bet $200 to win $100) | Maia +150 (bet $100 to win $150)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -380 | No +245)

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UFC on ESPN 32 Chookagian vs. Maia: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Records: Chookagian (16-4-0) | Maia (19-7-1)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

CHOOKAGIAN (-190) is a little more expensive than my personal limit of -180 on money line bets, but sometimes you have to make exceptions.

These fights went the distance at UFC 244, and Chookagian is a better fighter now than she was back then. She is a polished fighter who can wow the judges with her technique. She has eight wins across nine decisions since Nov. 12, 2016, and you can expect another one here.

Over/Under (O/U)

Playing Fight to go the distance? Yes (-380) is just too expensive, but instead, roll with a Method of Victory wager instead. Playing CHOOKAGIAN BY POINTS (-133) is a much more sound value.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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UFC on ESPN 32 predictions: Who’s picking Calvin Kattar to upset Giga Chikadze?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 32 main card, featuring Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze.

Kattar
vs.
Chikadze
Collier
vs.
Sherman
Bontorin
vs.
Royval
Chookagian
vs.
Maia
Borshchev
vs.
Bush
Algeo
vs.
Brito
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 209-121
chikadze2022
Chikadze
(68%)
sherman2022
Sherman
(68%)
royval2022
Royval
(74%)
chookagian2022
Chookagian
(66%)
borshchev2022
Borshchev
(80%)
brito2022
Brito
(58%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohnA
2021: 212-118
trophy copy 2014 Champion
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
chookagian2022
Chookagian
borshchev2022
Borshchev
algeo2022
Algeo
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 211-119
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
maia2022
Maia
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 205-125
trophy copy 2014 Champion
chikadze2022
Chikadze
sherman2022
Sherman
bontorin2022
Bontorin
chookagian2022
Chookagian
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 202-128
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
chookagian2022
Chookagian
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 201-129
kattar2022
Kattar
collier2022
Collier
bontorin2022
Bontorin
chookagian2022
Chookagian
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 130-84 (60.57)
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
maia2022
Maia
bush2022
Bush
brito2022
Brito
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 195-135
trophy copy 2018 Champion
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
bontorin2022
Bontorin
chookagian2022
Chookagian
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 194-136
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
chookagian2022
Chookagian
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 192-138
kattar2022
Kattar
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
chookagian2022
Chookagian
bush2022
Bush
brito2022
Brito
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 191-139
kattar2022
Kattar
sherman2022
Sherman
royval2022
Royval
maia2022
Maia
borshchev2022
Borshchev
algeo2022
Algeo
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 190-140
trophy copy 2017 Champion
chikadze2022
Chikadze
collier2022
Collier
royval2022
Royval
maia2022
Maia
bush2022
Bush
algeo2022
Algeo
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 187-143
chikadze2022
Chikadze
sherman2022
Sherman
royval2022
Royval
maia2022
Maia
borshchev2022
Borshchev
brito2022
Brito

The first UFC event of the year takes place Saturday in Las Vegas with featherweights at the top of the bill.

UFC on ESPN 32 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. 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, [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) will look to keep his perfect UFC record intact when he takes on [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) at 145 pounds. Chikadze is a sizable -250 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Kattar is +190. Our 12 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are backing Chikadze at a 9-3 clip.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag] (12-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) takes on [autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 3-7 UFC) at heavyweight. Collier is a slight favorite at -140 and has a big 9-3 lead from our pickers.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Rogerio Bontorin[/autotag] (17-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) meets [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (12-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at flyweight. Royval is a -175 betting favorite and also has a 9-3 edge from our staff members in the picks.

Former women’s flyweight title challenger [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) returns against [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (19-7-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Chookagian nearly is a 2-1 favorite at -190 at the betting window, but she has just a narrow 7-5 lead in the picks.

[autotag]Viacheslav Borshchev[/autotag] (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the main card at -210 in his lightweight fight against [autotag]Dakota Bush[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC). He’s also got a big lead from our pickers at 9-3.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Bill Algeo[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Joanderson Brito[/autotag] (12-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at featherweight. Brito is a slight favorite at -140 and has a 9-3 lead from our pickers.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Chikadze (68 percent), Sherman (68 percent), Royval (74 percent), Chookagian (66 percent), Borshchev (80 percent) and Brito (58 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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UFC on ESPN 32’s Jennifer Maia ‘more mature’ after Valentina Shevchenko loss

Jennifer Maia is driven to get a title rematch with Valentina Shevchenko ahead of UFC on ESPN 32.

[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] still has championship ambitions in the UFC women’s flyweight division, and avenging a loss to Katlyn Chookagian will go a long way in helping her attain that goal.

Maia (19-7-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC) meets Chookagian (16-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 32 card, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+. It’s a rematch of a meeting between the pair at UFC 244 in November 2019, which Chookagian won by unanimous decision.

The UFC opting to pair Maia and Chookagian up again came as somewhat of a surprise. The initial bout wasn’t that long ago, and it wasn’t exactly a controversial result. Maia was happy to get the opportunity, though, as she can now erase a loss from her record and net a win over someone who is ranked above her.

“That was not a fight like, ‘Oh I have to have that rematch,'” Maia told MMA Junkie through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 32 media day. “I wanted to fight somebody that was in front of me in the rankings, and because I fought Jessica Eye last time and she was behind me in the rankings, I was like, ‘Whoever is in front of me right now, I will face it.’ It just happened to be Katlyn.”

Maia, No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s flyweight rankings, said No. 6 Chookagian “hasn’t changed that much” from when they fought 26 months ago. The Brazilian, however, thinks she’s evolved both physically and mentally since that defeat.

There have been some solid lessons for Maia in her fights since. She’s beaten Eye and Joanne Wood, but suffered a unanimous decision loss to Valentina Shevchenko in their title bout at UFC 255 in November 2020. Maia was one of the few to take “Bullet” to the scorecards, and she even managed to win a round along the way, which is more than most of Shevchenko’s (22-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) challengers can say.

That was a big confidence-booster for Maia, she said, and one that’s going to serve her well moving forward.

“Of course I was very sad when I lost the fight, but after watching the fight, I could see that I did a very good fight against one of the best female fighters ever.” Maia said. “So that’s what motivated me to start over and keep on track. I think fighting Valentina made me realize I am a more mature fighter now. I have a lot of things that I was not able to show yet, so I’m really, really looking at this in a different way.”

Figuring out how she would approach a rematch with Shevchenko is something Maia is not yet putting an abundance of focus on. She’s taking the process fight-by-fight, she said, and right now she has to worry scoring revenge on Chookagian before any conversation about another title shot becomes serious.

“I love what I do, and I love the process,” Maia said. “I love to cut weight and I love to train. I love the training camp. I love every step of the way so that’s what motivates me to be here and fight for my dream, and that’s to be the champion of the UFC.”

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UFC on ESPN 32 pre-event facts: Katlyn Chookagian facing dubious record

The best facts and figures about UFC on ESPN 32, which features a Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze main event.

The UFC’s 2022 schedule gets off to a start Saturday with UFC on ESPN 32, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a main card that airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

A critical matchup between featherweight contenders takes place in the main event. [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) attempts to rebound from his memorable loss to Max Holloway a year ago when he takes on the surging [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who has yet to be beat inside the octagon.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 22 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 32.