Tag: Julia Polastri

Julia Polastri surprised by split decision in win over Cory McKenna at UFC Fight Night 244

Julia Polastri picked up her first UFC win after a loss in her promotional debut in June, but was surprised at the scoring.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Julia Polastri[/autotag] beat Cory McKenna with a split decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 244 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Polastri, who picked up her first UFC win after a loss in her promotional debut in June.

Julia Polastri def. Cory McKenna

Julia Polastri

Result: Julia Polastri def. Cory McKenna via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Updated records: Polastri (13-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC), McKenna (8-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Key stats: Polastri outstruck McKenna 142-98 and more than doubled up on her in significant strikes. She also stuffed five of McKenna’s six takedown attempts.

Polastri on the fight’s key moment

Julia Polastri def. Cory McKenna, UFC Fight Night 244 1

“I knew she was still grappling with me. When she grappled with me, I was stronger than her and I saw that I frustrated her. That was the strategy and I think that I did the game plan right. But she surprised me because I didn’t know that she was so tough. She’s very tough, but it’s cool because we could bring a good fight for you.”

Polastri on the split decision

“I was really confident because I saw that I took control of all the fight, but it surprised me. But OK – the win came. That’s what matters.”

Polastri on what she wants next

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Julia Polastri of Brazil punches Cory McKenna of Wales in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

“I’d really like to fight again this year. If we can do it at the last card of the year, it will be awesome because my camp (can start) in November and until the last card, we have eight weeks. I jumped in this fight with three weeks’ (notice), so if I have eight weeks, I can do a lot more and it will be awesome to do another fight this year.

“I think for now, I need to put my feet on the ground. I’d really like to fight again (this year), but I don’t have a name specifically. I really like to be prepared for anybody that they bring me. I know I’m just beginning, but I I have a lot of potential to show and I’d really like to catch a fight with my camp complete. Anybody that they bring to me, I’m going to be happy to fight.”

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

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

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UFC Fight Night 244 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Brad Tavares gets $21,000 in record bout

UFC Fight Night 244 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 Fight Night 244 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,000.

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 Fight Night 244 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 244 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]JunYong Park[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Brad Tavares[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Gooden[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ramazan Temirov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jonathan Pearce[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Sean Sharaf[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Julia Polastri[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Cory McKenna[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Cody Haddon[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dan Argueta[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Clayton Carpenter[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Rocha[/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 $4,630; 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 $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-63 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,488,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $29,225,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC on ESPN 58 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Lowest total payout of 2024

UFC on ESPN 58 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 58 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $116,000.

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 58 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 58 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Douglas Silva de Andrade[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Lucas Almeida[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Timmy Cuamba[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brady Hiestand[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Garrett Armfield[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Asu Almabayev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jose Johnson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Adam Fugitt[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Josh Quinlan[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Nate Maness[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jimmy Flick[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Carli Judice[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Gabriella Fernandes[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jeka Saragih[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Melquizael Costa[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Josefine Knutsson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Julia Polastri[/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 $4,580; 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 $58,000 while title challengers get $58,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-58 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,451,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,188,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Feb. 12-18)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights 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, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Feb. 12-18.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 15-21)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights 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, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 15-21.

Fresh Ink: Meet the 25 fighters the UFC signed in September 2023

Find out who joined the UFC in September and learn more about them here.

The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.

Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, “Dana White’s Contender Series” signees, or rare straight-up additions. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.

Check out the September 2023 list below.

DWCS 62 winner Julia Polastri: ‘I needed to show all my potential’ to get UFC contract

After falling short once on Dana White’s Contender Series, Julia Polastri knew she had to perform.

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LAS VEGAS – After falling short once on Dana White’s Contender Series, [autotag]Julia Polastri[/autotag] knew she had to perform.

That’s exactly what Polastri (12-3) did when she submitted Patricia Alujas (9-3) in Round 2 of their strawweight bout to earn a UFC contract Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 62.

Polastri’s first opportunity at a UFC contract came against Jasmine Jasudavicius in September 2021, but she lost the fight by unanimous decision. She rebounded with three straight wins before getting another shot at DWCS, and she wasn’t about to waste it.

“I think I grew a lot in my personal life since the fight, and I needed to learn many things that I hadn’t an idea in that time,” Polastri told reporters during the DWCS 62 post-fight news conference. “Learning all those things clearly made all the difference right now, because I think I’m a person with the mind in the right place now. I got in there, and I knew I needed to show all my potential, all I’ve got to get the contract, and that’s what I did.”

For her UFC debut, Brazil’s Polastri hopes to make a quick turnaround and squeeze in a fight before the end of the year.

“I’d really like to fight this year yet, but now I’m going to have a break of about one or two weeks to relax a little,” Polastri said. “I came to a very long camp since the beginning of the year, and I’m going to take that break. But I’m ready to, when they need me, I’m here, and I hope I can fight before the year is finished.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 62.

Dana White’s Contender Series 62 results: Five UFC contracts awarded on all-time episode

Season 7, Week 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series may have been one of the best in history. Five fighters will join the UFC as a result.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was at Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 62 event at the UFC Apex.

Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.

The sixth episode of Season 7 saw 10 fighters compete for their shots at UFC contracts. When the dust settled, UFC CEO White offered contracts to all five winners: bantamweight Jean Matsumoto, strawweight Julia Polastri, featherweight Steven Nguyen, heavyweight Jhonata Diniz, and lightweight James Llontop.

The action, particularly through the first three fights, had White and the matchmakers on their feet. White even entered the cage following the conclusion of the opening bout between JeaMatsumoto and Tanner, which was a three-round striking war.

Two losing fighters, Tanner and A.J. Cunningham, were paid their win bonuses for their efforts, according to White.

Full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 62 include:

  • James Llontop def. Malik Lewis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Jhonata Diniz def. Eduardo Neves via TKO (punch) – Round 1, 3:15
  • Steven Nguyen def. A.J. Cunningham via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:06
  • Julia Polastri def. Patricia Alujas via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:05
  • Jean Matsumoto def. Kasey Tanner via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Dana White’s Contender Series takes on international theme, 10 fights added to upcoming season

Ten fights are on the docket for Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series.

The lineup for Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 5 is slowly coming to form. Contracts are going out and fighters are putting their names on the dotted lines.

The upcoming installment has a different flare than recent years, with a large percentage of the roster coming from outside North America. The majority are from Brazil, Russia and beyond. Of the fights that have surfaced thus far, only a few Americans are set to partake in Season 5, which is set to begin in August.

The first known event date is Aug. 31. The series will extend at least through mid-October, with the latest event on the schedule currently set for Oct. 12.

A number of fights have leaked prior to the UFC’s official announcements. Scroll below to see the fights MMA Junkie has confirmed thus far.