Melsik Baghdasaryan: Knocking out Josh Culibao at UFC 284 will make Australian fans cheer for me

Melsik Baghdasaryan plans on winning the crowd over at UFC 284.

[autotag]Melsik Baghdasaryan[/autotag] plans on winning the crowd over at UFC 284.

Baghdasaryan (7-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meets [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag] (10-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC) on Saturday’s prelims at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Baghdasaryan is heading into enemy territory when he squares off with Australia’s Culibao, but he’s confident that he’ll earn the fans’ cheers after he gets his hand raised.

“The guy is Australian, which is normal if they say ‘boo’ or something,” Baghdasaryan told MMA Junkie on Tuesday (Wednesday locally). “But I don’t care what they say. We’re going to the ring, and we have to fight. They say ‘boo’ or they say ‘bravo,’ it doesn’t matter.”

He continued, “If you knock the guy out, no one is gonna say ‘boo.’ They’re gonna clap for you.”

Baghdasaryan, who hasn’t competed since a decision win over Bruno Silva in November 2021, was forced to withdraw from two fights in 2022 due to injuries. He hopes to make up for lost time in 2023.

“This year I’m planning to fight a couple of fights as soon as possible,” Baghdasaryan said. “So I can jump a little bit because of that one-year break. So I need to fight as soon as possible to jump, going forward with long steps.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 284.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Oct. 31-Nov. 6)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Oct. 31-Nov. 6.

UFC 275 post-event facts: Glover Teixeira taps for first time in 20-year career

The best facts and figures to come out of UFC 275, which saw NAME beat NAME in the main event.

UFC 275 went down Saturday in Singapore and the 11-fight card will go in the books as one of the best events of the year.

The headlining act produced a historic result. [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) came out on the winning end of a brutal battle with [autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] (33-8 MMA, 16-6 UFC) to claim the light heavyweight title with a fifth-round submission.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) faced the toughest test of her women’s flyweight title reign. Brazilian challenger [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) pushed the champion to a split decision\, but ultimately couldn’t claim the strap.

For more on the numbers behind the event, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts to come out of UFC 275.

UFC 275 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Joanna Jedrzejczyk takes hit with non-title bout

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 275 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $258,000.

SINGAPORE – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 275 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $258,000.

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 275 took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The full UFC 275 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jake Matthews[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Andre Fialho[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jack Della Maddalena[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Hayisaer Maheshate[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jacob Malkoun[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Kyung Ho Kang[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Danaa Batgerel[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Silvana Gomez Juarez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Na Liang[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Joselyne Edwards[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Ramona Pascual[/autotag]: $4,000

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 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,705,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $9,872,500

Josh Culibao def. Seungwoo Choi at UFC 275: Best photos

Check out these photos highlight Josh Culibao’s split decision win over Seungwoo Choi at UFC 275.

Check out these photos highlight [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag]’s split decision win over Seungwoo Choi at UFC 275 from Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. (Photos by Paul Miller, USA TODAY Sports)

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past two weeks (April 18-May 1)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past two weeks.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from April 18-May 1.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Dec. 20-26)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Dec. 20-26.

Two bouts added to UFC Fight Night event on March 12

Damon “The Leech” Jackson is among the latest additions to the UFC Fight Night event March 12.

Two fights have been added to the UFC Fight Night lineup for March 12.

A featherweight bout between [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag], as well as a middleweight fight between [autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag] and [autotag]Dalcha Lungiambula[/autotag] have been added to the event, which is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Broadcast plan for the card have not yet been revealed.

The fighters involved confirmed the bookings on social media after Iridium Sports Agency, who manages Jackson and Brundage, announced the news Wednesday on Instagram.

Jackson (19-3-1 MMA, 2-2-1 UFC) looks to build off the momentum of a unanimous decision victory over Charles Rosa in October. The victory was Jackson’s third in four fights and the second of his second UFC stint.

Culibao (9-1-1 MMA, 1-1-1 UFC) is also on the heels of a unanimous decision win. In May, he defeated Shayilan Nuerdanbieke to pick up his first promotional victory.

Looking to rebound from a short-notice promotional debut loss to Nick Maximov via unanimous, Brundage (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) seeks his first victory under the UFC banner.

Lungiambula (11-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) will look to bounce back, as well. In September, he lost a back-and-forth battle against Marc-Andre Barriault via unanimous decision.

With the additions, the UFC Fight Night lineup for March 12 includes:

  • Magomed Ankalaev vs. Thiago Santos
  • Marlon Moraes vs. Yadong Song
  • Alex Pereira vs. Bruno Silva
  • Guido Cannetti vs. Kris Moutinho
  • Javid Basharat vs. Trevin Jones
  • Cody Brundage vs. Dalcha Lungiambula
  • Josh Culibao vs. Damon Jackson

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Josh Culibao vs. Charles Jourdain in the works for Oct. 3 UFC event

The UFC’s Oct. 3 lineup continues to fill.

The UFC is working on the latest addition to its Oct. 3 lineup.

Featherweights [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag] and [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag] are the latest additions expected on the UFC’s first show of October. The event doesn’t currently have an announced location or venue, though it is expected to take place on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

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

Culibao (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) lost his short-notice UFC debut up a weight class against Jalin Turner at UFC on ESPN+ 26 in February. Prior to signing with the UFC, Culibao was undefeated. He currently holds five wins by knockout/TKO on his nine-fight professional resume.

Jourdain (10-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has bookended his lone UFC victory with two losses. After losing his promotional debut to Desmond Green in June 2019, Jourdain upset Doo Ho Choi at UFC on ESPN+ 32 in December 2019. In his most recent outing on June 13, Jourdain lost a split decision to Andre Fili.

With the addition, the Oct. 3 lineup includes:

  • Irene Aldana vs. Holly Holm
  • Germaine de Randamie vs. Julianna Pena
  • Andrei Arlovski vs. Tanner Boser
  • Beneil Dariush vs. Charles Oliveira
  • Carlos Condit vs. Court McGee
  • Loma Lookboonmee vs. Jinh Yu Frey
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Carlos Felipe
  • Heili Alateng vs. Casey Kenney
  • Tom Breese vs. Roman Kopylov
  • Josh Culibao vs. Charles Jourdain

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