We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 21 event in Las Vegas.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 21 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 on ESPN 21 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 21 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.
A women’s bantamweight matchup between Julia Avila and Julija Stoliarenko is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night on March 20.
A pair of women’s bantamweights will look to rebound at UFC Fight Night on March 20.
[autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) faces [autotag]Julija Stoliarenko[/autotag] (9-4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in an event that does not yet have a venue or location. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to MMA Junkie following a report from MMA Fighting.
After going 2-0 to start her UFC tenure with wins over Pannie Kianzad and Gina Mazany, Avila saw her four-fight winning streak snapped at the hands of Sijara Eubanks at UFC on ESPN+ 35 in September.
In her return to the UFC, Season 28 “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Stoliarenko fell short against Yana Kunitskaya at UFC on ESPN+ 32, which snapped her five-fight winning streak. Prior to that, Stoliarenko captured the vacant Invicta FC bantamweight title by edging out Lisa Verzosa in an absolute bloodbath.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night on March 20 lineup includes:
UFC on ESPN+ 35 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+ 35 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $137,000.
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+ 35 took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 35 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
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:
A bantamweight matchup between Nicco Montano and Julia Avila is the latest addition to the UFC’s Aug. 8 event.
A women’s bantamweight matchup is the latest addition to the UFC’s Aug. 8 event.
Former flyweight champion [autotag]Nicco Montano[/autotag] will face [autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag] in a rematch of their 2017 fight, where Avila picked up a unanimous decision win to capture the HD MMA women’s bantamweight title.
Avila announced the booking on Instagram after an initial report from MMA Fighting that the fight was in the works. The UFC’s Aug. 8 event does not yet have an official name designation or location.
Montano (4-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), who won the inaugural 125-pound title as part of Season 26 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” was stripped of the title before ever defending it as she dealt with injury. She has split her first two UFC appearances. Montano returned to bantamweight last July but suffered a unanimous decision loss to Julianna Pena.
Avila (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) made good in her first two UFC bouts and is coming off a 22-second finish over Gina Mazany last weekend at UFC on ESPN 10.
With the addition, the latest lineup for the UFC’s Aug. 8 event includes:
MMA Junkie today acquired a list of fighter salaries from the Nevada Athletic Commission for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 10 event, which took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, airing on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+. Calvillo (9-1-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) was one of the night’s top earners, taking home a disclosed $110,000, including a $55,000 win bonus, for her victory over former UFC flyweight title challenger Jessica Eye (15-8 MMA, 5-7 UFC).
Equaling Calvillo’s pay was her former teammate and current UFC featherweight contender [autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 9-6 UFC), who also took home $110,000 for his win over [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC).
Total disclosed pay for the 10-fight card was $782,000.
The full list of UFC on ESPN 10 salaries includes:
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 10 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.
Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 10, which saw Cynthia Calvillo beat Jessica Eye in Las Vegas.
The octagon returned again on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 10, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The action aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
In the main event, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) made a quick mark in her UFC women’s flyweight debut when she outworked former title challenger [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 5-7 UFC) by unanimous decision.
Calvillo’s win closed out a 10-fight card that featured a few historic occurrences. For more on the numbers, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 10.
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General
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UFC on ESPN 10 tied the modern-era record for most sub-60-second finishes on a card with three. Four other events share that record.
[autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag], [autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag], [autotag]Tyson Nam[/autotag], and [autotag]Christian Aguilera[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN 10 fight-night bonuses.
UFC on ESPN 10 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.
Betting favorites went 8-2 on the card.
Betting favorites improved to 8-6 in UFC headliners this year.
The total fight time for the 10-bout card was 1:33:52.
Main card
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 13: (R-L) Cynthia Calvillo kicks Jessica Eye in their flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 13, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Calvillo was successful in her UFC women’s flyweight debut.
Calvillo has completed at least one takedown against seven of her eight UFC opponents.
Eye fell to 4-2 since she dropped to the UFC women’s flyweight division in January 2018.
Eye’s seven losses in UFC competition are the most of any female in company history.
Eye has suffered six of her seven UFC losses by decision.
Vettori (15-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC stoppage victories by submission.
[autotag]Karl Roberson[/autotag] (9-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by submission.
[autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past nine fights.
[autotag]Kevin Aguilar[/autotag]’s (17-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2019.
[autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag]’s (21-7 MMA, 9-6 UFC) nine victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for sixth most in divisional history behind Max Holloway (16), Darren Elkins (13), Cub Swanson (11), Jose Aldo (10) and Ricardo Lamas (10).
Fili has earned six of his nine UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision.
[autotag]Jordan Espinosa[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Mark De La Rosa[/autotag]’s (11-5 MMA, 2-5 UFC) four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since November 2018.
[autotag]Hannah Cifers[/autotag]’ (10-6 MMA, 2-4 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since August.
Cifers suffered her second first-round submission loss in a 14-day stretch.
Cifers has suffered all four of her UFC losses by stoppage.
Preliminary card
Merab Dvalishivili
[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has earned eight of his 11 career victories by decision. That includes all four of his UFC wins.
Dvalishvili’s 13 takedowns landed set a new single-fight record for most in a UFC/WEC bantamweight fight. He held the previous record with 12 landed in a fight.
Dvalishvili became the second fighter in history to land 10 or more takedowns in three separate UFC bouts. Demetrious Johnson was the first fighter to accomplish the feat.
[autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag]’s (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) 22-second victory marked the fourth fastest finish in UFC women’s bantamweight history. Only Ronda Rousey (14 seconds, 16 seconds) and Germaine de Randamie (16 seconds) have faster wins.
[autotag]Gina Mazany[/autotag] (6-4 MMA, 1-4 UFC) suffered three of her four career losses by stoppage.
Mazany’s 22-second loss marked the fastest defeat of her career.
[autotag]Zarrukh Adashev[/autotag] (3-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Aguilera (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all 11 of his career stoppage victories by knockout. He’s finished 10 of those wins in the first round.
[autotag]Anthony Ivy[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 10, which took place Saturday in Las Vegas.
What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 10 in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …
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1. Calvillo capitalizes on her opportunity
[autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] took a major leap forward with her main event victory over Jessica Eye. The unanimous decision win wasn’t the most thrilling or memorable performance but, in the grand scheme of things, it was a pretty special moment in her career.
Not only did Calvillo move up from strawweight to an unfamiliar flyweight division, but she drew the No. 1-ranked contender (according to the UFC’s official rankings) in Eye, who missed weight. It also happened to be booked on less than three weeks’ notice, and in a headlining spot, meaning potentially uncharted waters for Calvillo.
She had to face those waters because the fight went all five rounds. She slowed a touch in the latter stages, but given she’d never been there before, and did not have a proper camp, it’s more than excusable. The upside is she’s experienced it, though, and if another five-round fight or title opportunity comes her way, she’ll be much more confident going in.
Calvillo now catapults into a prime position in her new division, and the opportunities ahead already look radically better than what was on her plate six months ago.
Take a look inside Julia Avila’s 22-second TKO of Gina Mazany at UFC on ESPN 10 in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag] beat Gina Mazany with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 10 in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Avila, who was the second biggest favorite on the card at -650.
Result:Julia Avila def. Gina Mazany via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:22 Updated records: Avila (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Mazany (6-4 MMA, 1-4 UFC) Key stat: Avila picked up the fourth fastest finish in UFC women’s bantamweight history. Ahead of her are Ronda Rousey (twice at 0:14 and 0:16) and Germaine de Randamie (0:16).
Avila on the fight’s key moment
“I knew I hurt her with that knee up the middle. I saw my prey and went in for the kill. My right cross is nothing to mess with. When I felt it land, I heard my corner say, ‘Attack.'”
Avila on no longer being under the radar
“It feels amazing. I’ve been working so hard for this. … I think the division has known about me. I’m that annoying fly in the background. But now I’m starting to make a couple waves. They’re starting to see what I’m capable of. I still have a lot to show. I have to earn my stripes. I look forward to that journey.”
Avila on what she wants next
“I don’t plan on taking easy fights. I’ve never thought to. But I’m also not going to ask for a title fight next week. I need to build my way there because I know I have holes in my game. Everyone has holes in their games. I need to refine that before I get to the top. When I get to the top, I want to stay there.”
To hear more from Avila, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 10 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $95,000.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 10 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $95,000.
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 10 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 10 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
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:
Check out the complete list of fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 10 event.
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 10 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.
