Kevin Natividad – Syndication Server

UFC Fight Night 215 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Lowest payout in program history

UFC Fight Night 215 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 215 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $80,000.

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 215 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 215 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Waldo Cortes-Acosta[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Andre Fialho[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jack Della Maddalena[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Danny Roberts[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Zhalgas Zhumagulov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Maryna Moroz[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Vince Morales[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ricky Turcios[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Vanessa Demopoulos[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Maria Oliveira[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brady Hiestand[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Fernie Garcia[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Natalia Silva[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Tereza Bleda[/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 and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts. 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:

UFC Fight Night 215 – $80,000
“UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira” – $332,500
“UFC Fight Night 214: Rodriguez vs. Lemos” – $126,500
“UFC Fight Night 213: Kattar vs. Allen” – $166,500
“UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev” – $306,500
“UFC Fight Night 212: Grasso vs. Araujo” – $151,500
“UFC Fight Night 211: Dern vs. Yan” – $164,500
“UFC Fight Night 210: Sandhagen vs. Song” – $202,000
“UFC 279: Chimaev vs. Diaz” – $202,000
“UFC Fight Night 209: Gane vs. Tuivasa” – $155,000
“UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2” – $226,000
“UFC on ESPN 41: Vera vs. Cruz” – $195,000
“UFC on ESPN 40: Santos vs. Hill” – $140,000
“UFC 277: Peña vs. Nunes 2” – $313,500
“UFC Fight Night 208: Blaydes vs. Aspinall” – $179,000
“UFC on ABC 3: Ortega vs. Rodriguez” – $179,000
“UFC on ESPN 39: Dos Anjos vs. Fiziev” – $157,500
“UFC 276: Adesanya vs. Cannonier” – $362,500
“UFC on ESPN 38: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot” – $140,500
“UFC on ESPN 37: Kattar vs. Emmett” – $189,000
“UFC 275: Teixeira vs. Prochazka” – $258,000
“UFC Fight Night 207: Volkov vs. Rozenstruik” – $149,000
“UFC Fight Night 206: Holm vs. Vieira” – $127,000
“UFC on ESPN 36: Blachowicz vs. Rakic” – $173,000
“UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje” – $320,000
“UFC on ESPN 35: Font vs. Vera” – $197,500
“UFC Fight Night 205: Lemos vs. Andrade” – $149,500
“UFC on ESPN 34: Luque vs. Muhammad 2” – $159,000
“UFC 273: Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie” – $293,500
“UFC on ESPN 33: Blaydes vs. Daukaus” – $186,500
“UFC Fight Night 204: Volkov vs. Aspinall” – $154,500
“UFC Fight Night 203: Santos vs. Ankalaev” – $198,000
“UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal” – $236,000
“UFC Fight Night 202: Makhachev vs. Green” – $138,000
“UFC Fight Night 201: Walker vs. Hill” – $140,000
“UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2” – $282,500
“UFC Fight Night 200: Hermansson vs. Strickland” – $160,500
“UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane” – $241,000
“UFC on ESPN 32: Kattar vs. Chikadze” – $132,000

Year-to-date total: $7,634,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $13,812,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 215.

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UFC Fight Night 215 post-event facts: Jack Della Maddalena makes waves with third-straight KO

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC Fight Night 215, which featured a number of notable feats.

The UFC closed its November schedule on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 215, a decision-heavy event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

One fighter who didn’t need the judges, however, was [autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC), who made the most of his makeshift main event opportunity with a second-round TKO of [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (16-9-1 MMA, 5-8-1 UFC) in their light heavyweight clash.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 215.

UFC 261 post-event facts: Kamaru Usman’s octagon streak hits rarified air

It was big night for the record books at UFC 261. See how champs Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas and Valentina Shevchenko made history.

UFC 261 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday was one for the record books.

All three winners of the championship bouts made a mark on the record books, but none bigger than [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 14-0 UFC), who extended his epic run inside the octagon with a second-round knockout of rival [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) in the main event.

For more on the numbers behind Usman’s victory, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 50 post-event facts to come out of UFC 261.

UFC on ESPN+ 39 medical suspensions: Anderson Silva, Uriah Hall face potential 180-day terms

Check out the full list of medical suspensions from this past Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 39 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] and [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] are among five fighters that could be facing a lengthy suspension after damage sustained at UFC on ESPN+ 39.

Hall stopped Silva in the fourth round in the night’s headline bout in what was announced as Silva’s final UFC fight. Though Hall was victorious, he will require x-rays in both hands and his right foot, and is required to refrain from any contact until Dec. 1.

Silva, who suffered a broken nose in his TKO loss to Hall, may also be sidelined until spring, unless he’s cleared by a doctor.

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

Also looking at a potential 180-day suspension is co-headliner [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag], who defeated Andre Fili via unanimous decision. Mitchell, who claimed that he broke his left hand in the first round, needs an x-ray to confirm his suspicion.

All fighters on the card were given a mandatory seven-day suspension for rest. The list of UFC on ESPN+ 39 medical suspensions beyond the minimum includes:

Uriah Hall: Suspended 180 days with 30 days no contact or until both hands and right foot is cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
Anderson Silva: Suspended 180 days or until broken nose is cleared by a doctor. Also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days days due to left upper eyelid laceration.
Bryce Mitchell: Suspended 180 days or until left hand is cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to right eyebrow laceration.
[autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days or until he receives MRI for cervical/spine as outpatient and clearance from neurosurgeon, ortho spine specialist or physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor. No contact for 30 days due to left eyebrow laceration.
[autotag]Charles Ontiveros[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days and 21 days with no contact.
[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: Suspended 170 days or until left eye is cleared by an ophthalmologist. Also must have facial lacerations cleared by a doctor or no contest for 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until right thumb is cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
[autotag]Chris Gruetzemacher[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to right eyelid laceration.
[autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days or until cut on right index finger is cleared by a doctor.
[autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to cut under right eye.
[autotag]Jack Marshman[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to lacerations under both eyes.
[autotag]Cole Williams[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to laceration above left eyebrow.
[autotag]Justin Ledet[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days and 30 days with no contact.
[autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days and 45 days with no contact.

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UFC on ESPN+ 39 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Anderson Silva nets $20k in final bout

UFC on ESPN+ 39 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+ 39 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $145,000.

UFC on ESPN+ 39 took place at UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 39 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Charlie Ontiveros[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Chris Gruetzemacher[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Victor Rodriguez[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Jack Marshman[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Cole Williams[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Justin Ledet[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag]: $3,500

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:

“UFC on ESPN+ 39: Hall vs. Silva” – $145,000
“UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje” – $215,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 38: Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie” – $120,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 37: Moraes vs. Sandhagen” – $129,000
“UFC on ESPN 16: Holm vs. Aldana” – $118,000
“UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa” – $225,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 36: Covington vs. Woodley” – $169,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 35: Waterson vs. Hill” – $137,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 34: Overeem vs. Sakai” – $82,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 33: Smith vs. Rakic” – $158,000
“UFC on ESPN 15: Munhoz vs. Edgar” – $88,000
“UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3” – $201,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 32: Lewis vs. Oleinik” – $162,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 31: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan” – $103,500
“UFC on ESPN 14: Whittaker vs. Till” – $209,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 30: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2” – $165,000
“UFC on ESPN 13: Kattar vs. Ige” – $97,000
“UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal” – $305,500
“UFC on ESPN 11: Blaydes vs. Volkov” – $178,500
“UFC on ESPN 10: Eye vs. Calvillo” – $95,000
“UFC 250: Nunes vs. Spencer” – $266,000
“UFC on ESPN 9: Woodley vs. Burns” – $114,500
“UFC on ESPN 8: Overeem vs. Harris” – $184,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 29: Smith vs. Teixeira” – $166,000
“UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje” – $305,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 28: Lee vs. Oliveira” – $209,500
“UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero” – $257,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 27: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo” – $119,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 26: Felder vs. Hooker” – $130,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2” – $186,500
“UFC 247: Jones vs. Reyes” – $243,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 24: Blaydes vs. Dos Santos” – $169,000
“UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” – $165,000

Year-to-date total: $5,550,500
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: $36,555,000

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UFC books Miles Johns vs. Kevin Natvidad for Oct. 31 event in Las Vegas

A bantamweight matchup between Miles Johns and Kevin Natividad is the latest addition to the UFC’s Oct. 31 event.

A bantamweight matchup is the latest addition to the UFC’s Oct. 31 event.

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) are set to fight on the UFC’s Oct. 31 event, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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

After earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in June 2019, Johns has split his first two UFC appearances. A former LFA bantamweight champion, Johns picked up a win over Cole Smith in his promotional debut last September. He then suffered a TKO loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 247 in February.

A winner of his past five in a row, Natividad was scheduled to make his UFC debut against Brian Kelleher at UFC on ESPN+ 34 earlier this month but was pulled last second due to precautionary reasons concerning his COVID-19 tests taken during fight week.

With the addition, UFC’s Oct. 31 event now includes:

Anderson Silva vs. Uriah Hall
Dustin Jacoby vs. Justin Ledet
Maurice Greene vs. Greg Hardy
Amir Albazi vs. TBA
Cortney Casey vs. Priscila Cachoeira
Aaron Phillips vs. Adrian Yanez
Sean Strickland vs. Wellington Turman
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Makhmud Muradov
Andre Fili vs. Bryce Mitchell
Miles Johns vs. Kevin Natividad

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UFC on ESPN+ 34 backup Ray Rodriguez to fight Brian Kelleher after Kevin Natividad removed

Brian Kelleher has a third opponent change in two weeks.

Will the third time be the charm for [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]?

Hours before his UFC on ESPN+ 34 fight, Kelleher (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC), has encountered his third opponent change in the past two weeks. With [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag] being removed from the matchup for undisclosed reasons, Kelleher will now take on Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus [autotag]Ray Rodriguez[/autotag] at featherweight.

Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the switch up Saturday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

MMA Fighting was the first to report the change.

Natividad (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) partook in Thursday’s UFC on ESPN+ 34 virtual media day from his hotel room instead of the multi-purpose room the rest of the fighters streamed from. He asked about why he was in his room and said he was waiting for his COVID-19 test results.

However, on Friday, Natividad weighed in with the rest of the fighters, making weight. Rodriguez also weighed in and was announced as a backup fighter.

Prior to the Natividad booking, Kelleher (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC) was scheduled to fight Ricky Simon. However, Simon withdrew after a cornerman tested positive for COVID-19.

As for Rodriguez (16-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC), the Texas-based fighter will make his promotional debut on a little over 48 hours’ notice. He competed at DWCS in 2019, losing to now-UFC fighter Tony Gravely in a back-and-forth affair. Rodriguez, 32, has won 11 out of 13 entering Saturday.

UFC on ESPN+ 34 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

The current UFC on ESPN+ 34 lineup includes:

Alistair Overeem vs. Augusto Sakai
Alonzo Menifield vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Sijara Eubanks vs. Karol Rosa
Zelim Imadaev vs. Michel Pereira
Brian Kelleher vs. Ray Rodriguez
Thiago Moises vs. Jalin Turner
Viviane Araujo vs. Montana De La Rosa
Bartosz Fabinski vs. Andre Muniz
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Alexander Romanov
Hunter Azure vs. Cole Smith

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UFC on ESPN+ 34 predictions: Who’s taking Augusto Sakai over Alistair Overeem in changing of the guard?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN+ 34 main card, featuring Alistair Overeem vs. Augusto Sakai at heavyweight.

	Overeem vs. Sakai	Menifield vs. Saint Preux	Imadaev vs. Pereira	Kelleher vs. Natividad	Moises vs. Turner
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 88-58	Overeem (71%)	Saint Preux (55%)	Pereira (73%)	Kelleher (N/A)	Moises (64%)
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 100-46	Sakai	Saint Preux	Pereira	Kelleher	Turner
Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 100-46	Overeem	Saint Preux	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 99-47	Overeem	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 97-49 2019 Champion*	Overeem	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 96-50	Overeem	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 95-51 2017 Champion	Sakai	Saint Preux	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 94-52	Overeem	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Turner
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 94-52 2014 Champion	Overeem	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 93-53	Overeem	Saint Preux	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 92-54 2018 Champion	Sakai	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 89-57	Overeem	Saint Preux	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 88-58	Overeem	Saint Preux	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 87-59	Overeem	Menifield	Pereira	Kelleher	Moises
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 61-85	Sakai	Saint Preux	Imadaev	Natividad	Turner

The UFC is home in Las Vegas again this week with a former heavyweight title challenger atop the card.

UFC on ESPN+ 34 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] (46-18 MMA, 11-7 UFC) takes on [autotag]Augusto Sakai[/autotag] (15-1-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. Overeem is a -165 favorite, and our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts have him with a big lead at 10-4.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] (24-14 MMA, 12-9 UFC) in a light heavyweight fight that was delayed from a couple weeks back. Menifield is a slight favorite, but our pickers have the bout split down the middle at 7-7.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Zelim Imadaev[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag] (23-11 MMA, 1-2 UFC) at welterweight. There was bad blood at Friday’s weigh-ins, culminating in a shove from Imadaev. But when it comes to the picks, even though the fight is a pick’em at some sportsbooks, our staff members have Pereira with a massive 13-1 lead.

The other near-unanimous pick on the main card goes to [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC), who is more than a 2-1 favorite against short-notice featherweight opponent [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). Only one of our pickers is taking Natividad to pull the upset.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is a slight favorite against [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] (9-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) in their lightweight bout. But our pickers have Moises with a big lead at 11-3.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Overeem (71 percent), Saint Preux (55 percent), Pereira (73 percent), Kelleher (N/A percent) and Moises (64 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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Ray Rodriguez signs with UFC, will serve as UFC on ESPN+ 34 backup fighter

Ray Rodriguez weighed in this morning and will serve as a backup fighter for Saturday’s card.

The UFC has signed a backup fighter for Saturday’s card.

Ahead of UFC on ESPN+ 34, the promotion has inked bantamweight [autotag]Ray Rodriguez[/autotag], who will serve as a standby replacement should [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag] or [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] be deemed unfit to compete.

Rodriguez (16-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was signed due to concerns over fight week COVID-19 tests taken by Natividad (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), multiple sources have informed MMA Junkie.

Natividad partook in Thursday’s UFC on ESPN+ 34 virtual media day from his hotel room instead of the multi-purpose room from where the rest of the fighters streamed. He asked about why he was in his room and said he was waiting for his COVID-19 test results.

However, Friday, Natividad weighed in with the rest of the fighters, making weight, which implies he’s in the clear. Rodriguez also weighed in and was announced as a backup fighter.

As for Rodriguez, the Texas-based fighter will make his promotional debut on a little over 48 hours’ notice. He competed at DWCS in 2019, losing to current UFC fighter Tony Gravely in a back-and-forth affair. Rodriguez, 32, has won 11 out of 13 entering Saturday.

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UFC on ESPN+ 34 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

The current UFC on ESPN+ 34 lineup includes:

Alistair Overeem vs. Augusto Sakai
Alonzo Menifield vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Sijara Eubanks vs. Karol Rosa
Zelim Imadaev vs. Michel Pereira
Brian Kelleher vs. Kevin Natividad
Thiago Moises vs. Jalin Turner
Viviane Araujo vs. Montana De La Rosa
Bartosz Fabinski vs. Andre Muniz
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Alexander Romanov
Hunter Azure vs. Cole Smith

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Brian Kelleher targeted to meet newcomer Kevin Natividad at UFC on ESPN+ 34

The UFC is finalizing a new opponent for Brian Kelleher to fight Saturday.

The UFC is trying to keep [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] on UFC on ESPN+ 34.

With his original opponent, Ricky Simon, being forced off the card due to a cornerman testing positive for COVID-19, Kelleher (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC) is now being targeted to face promotional newcomer [autotag]Kevin Natividad[/autotag] at featherweight. The fight has been verbally agreed to and contracts are expected to be distributed soon.

UFC on ESPN+ 34 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams live on ESPN+.

Multiple people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking Sunday, but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Kelleher, who usually competes at bantamweight, has fought twice since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak – both times, at featherweight. After knocking out Hunter Azure on May 13, Kelleher turned around quickly to fight Cody Stamann on June 6. Kelleher lost to Stamann by unanimous decision.

Natividad (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will make his UFC debut riding a five-fight winning streak. He most recently competed for LFA and finished Kyle Estrada with strikes in the second round of their July 17 fight. Natividad, 27, has six finishes in nine pro victories.

The latest UFC on ESPN+ 34 lineup now includes:

Alistair Overeem vs. Augusto Sakai
Alonzo Menifield vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Sijara Eubanks vs. Karol Rosa
Zelim Imadaev vs. Michel Pereira
Brian Kelleher vs. Kevin Natividad
Thiago Moises vs. Jalin Turner
Viviane Araujo vs. Montana De La Rosa
Bartosz Fabinski vs. Andre Muniz
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Alexander Romanov
Hunter Azure vs. Cole Smith

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