Tag: Joel Alvarez

UFC 254 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Khabib, Gaethje combine for $80k total

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 254 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $215,000.

ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 254 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $215,000.

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 254 took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

The full UFC 254 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag]: $40,000
def. [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]: $40,000

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Walt Harris[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Phil Hawes[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Jacob Malkoun[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Liliya Shakirova[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Casey Kenney[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Da Un Jung[/autotag]: $3,500
vs. [autotag]Sam Alvey[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Miranda Maverick[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Liana Jojua[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Yakovlev[/autotag]: $5,000

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: $5,405,500
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: $36,410,000

UFC on ESPN+ 30 medical suspensions: Luana Carolina faces 180 days after nasty kneebar

Check out the full medical suspensions from UFC on ESPN+ 30.

New UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] won’t be held back by a medical suspension from his title conquest at UFC on ESPN+ 30.

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

According to the list, Figueiredo (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who submitted [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] in the first round of their main event title bout, will only be suspended for seven days due to mandatory rest. On the other hand, Benavidez (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) faces 45 days. The longtime contender was dropped multiple times before he was submitted.

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The UFC on ESPN+ 30 competitor facing the longest potential suspension is [autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC). The Brazilian was suspended 180 days after suffering a kneebar submission defeat to [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag], which appeared to hyperextend her knee. Carolina can reduce the suspension down to 30 days if an MRI on her left knee is done and cleared by a doctor.

Below is the full list of UFC on ESPN+ 30 medical suspensions:

  • Deiveson Figueiredo: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • Joseph Benavidez: Suspended 45 days for forehead laceration with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Rafel Fiziev[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or 30 days minimum with left knee MRI clearance by a doctor. Also, no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag]: Suspended for 30 days for left eyebrow laceration and with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Joseph Duffy[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for “hard bout” and with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” and no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag]: Suspended for 45 days for multiple lacerations and no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Sergey Spivak[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)

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Joel Alvarez worked through Joe Duffy’s surprises to send him into retirement

Take a look inside Joel Alvarez’s submission of Joe Duffy at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] beat Joe Duffy with a first-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Abu Dhabi.

Take a look inside the fight with Alvarez, who sent Duffy into retirement with the win.

Result: Joel Alvarez def. Joe Duffy via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:25
Updated records: Alvarez (17-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Duffy (16-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC)
Key stat: Alvarez has all 17 of his career wins by stoppage – including 15 by submission.

Alvarez on the fight’s key moment

“He was using a lot of the kicks. At the end of the fight, we went into grappling and my guillotine took him out. He surprised me with the lateral kicks at the beginning, but we had practiced a little bit to maintain that aspect and at the end of the day, we were able to maintain and control that aspect.”

Alvarez on the “Fight Island” experience

“The experience on ‘Fight Island’ has been great with my team. Everything has been wonderful so far, and hopefully I get to repeat the experience.”

Alvarez on what he wants next

“Whoever the boss says is next, I’m ready for them. I’m ready to fight the best guys in the UFC.”

To hear more from Alvarez, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

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UFC on ESPN+ 30 post-event facts: Joseph Benavidez’s loss come with dubious distinction

All the notable stats and figures to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 30, which saw Deiveson Figueiredo submit Joseph Benavidez in the main event.

The third event in the UFC’s four-card July stretch on “Fight Island” went down Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 30, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a main card that streamed on ESPN+.

After more than six months with the belt vacant, a new flyweight champion was crowned in the main event when [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) brutalized [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) en route to a first-round submission victory. With the win, he became the first Brazilian to hold 125-pound gold.

For more on the numbers behind the 12-fight card, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 30.

* * * *

General

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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $165,000.

Debuting fighters went 2-2 at the event.

Figueiredo, [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag], [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] and [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 30 fight-night bonuses.

UFC on ESPN+ 30 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.

Betting favorites went 7-5 on the card.

Betting favorites improved to 13-6 in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:33:56.

Main card

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil celebrates after defeating Joseph Benavidez in their UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Figueiredo became just the third flyweight champion in UFC history, joining Henry Cejudo and Demetrious Johnson.

Figueiredo has earned 16 of his 19 career victories by stoppage. That includes six of his eight UFC wins.

Figueiredo’s six stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Benavidez for second most ind divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (seven).

Figueiredo’s eight knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.

Figueiredo lands 52.5 percent of his significant strike attempts in UF

Benavidez became the first in UFC history to go 0-4 in undisputed championship fights.

Benavidez suffered the first submission loss of his career.

[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has earned 17 of his 21 career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) fell to 4-4 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in December 2016. He’s 5-4 (with one no contest) in the organization at 185 pounds.

Gastelum has suffered both his career stoppage losses by submission.

Fiziev (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.

Diakiese (14-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: (R-L) Ariane Lipski of Brazil secures a knee bar submission against Luana Carolina of Brazil in their flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Lipski (13-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has earned nine of her 13 career victories by stoppage.

Lipski’s victory at 1:28 of Round 1 marked the second fasted stoppage in UFC women’s flyweight history. Veronica Macedo holds the record with a 69-second win at UFC on ESPN+ 14.

[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) suffered the first submission loss of her career.

[autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] (12-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has suffered all five of his career losses by decision.

Preliminary card

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 19: (L-R) Roman Dolidze of Georgia knocks out Khadis Ibragimov of Russia in their light heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 19, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all seven of his career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 0-3 UFC) has suffered three consecutive losses after starting his career 8-0.

Ibragimov suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

[autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.

[autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag]’s (16-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2017.

[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] (17-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned all 17 of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 15 of those wins by submission.

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by decision.

[autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by stoppage.

Gordon suffered the first submission loss of his career.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by decision.

[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 2-2 earned the first decision victory of his career.

[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had his eight-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

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UFC on ESPN+ 30 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Title fighters take home $30k each

UFC on ESPN+ 30 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $165,000.

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+ 30 took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island. The main card streamed ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 30 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]: $30,000
def. [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Marc Diakiese [/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]: $4,000

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: $3,288,000
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: $34,292,500

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 30 with another Eminem Curse

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

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+ 30 went with as their backing tracks in Abu Dhabi.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13

UFC on ESPN+ 30 pre-event facts: Will the fourth time be the charm for Joseph Benavidez?

The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 30, which features a Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez title rematch in the main event.

The third event of the UFC’s four-card August stretch on “Fight Island” takes place Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 30 at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

A title-fight rematch takes place in the main event when the UFC takes a second attempt at crowning a new flyweight champion. [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will attempt to repeat his February knockout of [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) when they run it back, but this time Figueiredo hopefully will be eligible for the belt by making weight.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 30.

* * * *

Main event

Deiveson Figueiredo

Figueiredo becomes the second Brazilian to fight for the UFC flyweight title. Wilson Reis also accomplished the feat.

Figueiredo has earned 15 of his 18 career victories by stoppage. That includes five of his UFC wins.

Figueiredo’s five stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for third most ind divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (seven) and Benavidez (six).

Figueiredo’s four knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Benavidez (five).

Figueiredo’s six knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind John Lineker (seven).

Figueiredo lands 52.5 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.

Figueiredo attempts 2.36 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Joseph Benavidez

Benavidez, 35, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Benavidez, 35, can become the oldest fighter to claim a UFC title at welterweight or below.

Benavidez is one of seven fighters in UFC history to go 0-3 in title fights. Another loss would make him the lone fighter to go 0-4.

Benavidez competes in his 18th UFC flyweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.

Benavidez’s total fight time of 3:10:24 in UFC flyweight competition is second most in divisional history behind 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 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).

Co-main event

Jack Hermansson

[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has earned 16 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his seven UFC wins.

Hermansson lands 5.13 significant strikes per minute in UFC middleweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Paulo Costa (8.43) and Martin Kampmann (5.35).

Hermansson has the highest significant strike differential rate in UFC middleweight history (+2.87).

Hermansson landed 148 significant strikes against Ronaldo Souza at UFC on ESPN+ 8, the most in a five-round UFC middleweight fight.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is 4-3 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in December 2016. He’s 5-3 (with one no contest) overall at 185 pounds.

Preliminary card

Joseph Duffy

[autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2017.

Duffy has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 13 opponents in the first round and eight in less than two minutes each.

[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all 16 of his career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has earned one of two calf-slicer submissions in UFC history. Charles Oliveira also accomplished the feat.

Johns’ 30-second submission of Joe Soto at the TUF 26 Finale was second fastest in UFC/WEC combined bantamweight history behind Patrick Williams’ 23-second finish at UFC 188.

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) submission victory at 1:40 of Round 1 at UFC 232 is the second fastest D’Arce choke finish in UFC history. Only Chas Skelly’s 19-second win at UFC Fight Night 94 was faster.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since May 20, 2017. The 1,155-day layoff is the longest of his nearly six-year career.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

UFC announces full ‘Fight Island’ lineup, includes 47 bouts in 15 days

“Fight Island” is real, and now the four cards that will take place there are real, as well.

“Fight Island” is real, and now the four cards that will take place there are real, as well.

UFC president Dana White today announced the complete lineup for the four cards that will take place next month in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The unique setup has been necessitated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has made it difficult to get international fighters into the U.S. to compete.

“I think this is going to be a really unique experience, not just for the fighters, but for us,” UFC president Dana White said during the announcement. “It’s going to be cool. It’s going to be something different. It’s never been done before, and however long this thing goes on, and however long it’s hard to get people in from other countries, we will have these fights at ‘Fight Island’ – Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.”

First up, it’s UFC 251 on July 11, which features a trio of title fights.

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] – for welterweight title
  • Champ [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] – for featherweight title
  • [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] – for vacant bantamweight title
  • [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • [autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Danny Henry[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Roman Bogatov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Leonardo Santos[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)

  • [autotag]Alexander Romanov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Raulian Paiva[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Zhalgas Zhumagulov[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Vanessa Melo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Martin Day[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]
Calvin Kattar and Dan Ige

The promotion then returns on July 15 with an event headlined by featherweight contenders [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC).

The complete lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (10 p.m. ET)

  • Calvin Kattar vs. Dan Ige
  • [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Chris Fishgold[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY (7 p.m. ET)

  • [autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vinicius Moreira[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag]
  • [autotag]John Phillips[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Liana Jojua[/autotag]
Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo

Three days later, on July 18, the promotion hosts its third card in eight days, when top flyweight contenders [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) meet for a second time with the vacant UFC flyweight title on the line.

The full card includes:

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET)

  • Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez – for vacant flyweight title
  • [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (6 p.m. ET)

  • [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Aleksander Doskalchuk[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tagir Ulanbekov[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]
Darren Till and Robert Whittaker

Finally, the UFC’s run in Abu Dhabi ends on July 25 with a much-anticipated middleweight contest between former champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and former welterweight title challenger [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC).

That night’s full lineup includes:

MAIN CARD

  • Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till
  • [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Danny Roberts[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Raphael Pessoa[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Tafa[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Bethe Correia[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]