Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
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 Jan. 23-29.
Former champions Kamaru Usman and Jose Aldo lead the way with six-figure paydays in Utah.
UFC 278 payouts have been released by the overseeing commissioning body.
Wednesday, MMA Junkie received a list of disclosed earnings from Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission head Scott Bowler, which oversaw the Aug. 20 pay-per-view event in Salt Lake City.
Atop the list of payouts is former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag], who pocketed $500,000 for his head kick knockout loss to [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]. Edwards earned $350,000 with his upset victory.
Co-headliner winner [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] earned $130,000 for his win over [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag], who earned $200,000. Rockhold openly criticized fighter pay in the lead-up to the bout.
Former UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] took home $400,000 for a loss to [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag], who earned $198,000.
Heavyweight [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag] also pocketed $240,000 for his win over [autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag] ($36,000) on the prelims.
Scroll below to see a full list of payouts. It’s important to note the figures only represent the disclosed pursues. Performance bonuses, locker room bonuses, and additional compliance bonuses are not included.
Leon Edwards’ knockout of Kamaru Usman was one of the latest finishes in the history of UFC championship fights.
The UFC’s ninth pay-per-view event of the year took place Saturday with UFC 278 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
The main event saw a new champion crowd, with [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) scoring a fifth-round knockout of [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) to claim the welterweight title, making history in the process.
For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 278.
Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 278 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $226,000.
SALT LAKE CITY – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 278 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $226,000.
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 278 took place at Vivint Arena. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and ESPN+.
The full UFC 278 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili [/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Wu Yanan[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Tyson Pedro[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Harry Hunsucker[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Leonardo Santos[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag]: $4,500
vs. [autotag]Luis Saldana[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Ange Loosa[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]A.J. Fletcher[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Francisco Figueiredo[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Aori Qileng[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jay Perrin[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Victor Altamirano[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Daniel da Silva[/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: $5,814,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $11,981,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.
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Check out the best photos from Lucie Pudilova’s second-round TKO win over Wu Yanan at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag]’s second-round TKO win over [autotag]Wu Yanan[/autotag] at UFC 278 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. (Photos by Jeffrey Swinger, USA TODAY Sports)
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC 278 main card, featuring Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards and Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold.
| Usman vs. Edwards |
Costa vs. Rockhold |
Aldo vs. Dvalishvili |
Pudilova vs. Yanan |
Hunsucker vs. Pedro |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 134-86 |
 Usman (71%) |
 Costa (73%) |
 Aldo (63%) |
 Pudilova (67%) |
 Pedro (92%) |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 149-76  2018 Champion |
Usman |
Costa |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 143-82 |
Usman |
Costa |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 141-84 2014 Champion |
Usman |
Costa |
 Dvalishvili |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 139-86 |
Usman |
Costa |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 135-90 |
Usman |
Costa |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 135-90 |
Usman |
Costa |
Dvalishvili |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 134-91 |
Usman |
 Rockhold |
Dvalishvili |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 132-93 |
Usman |
Costa |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 130-95 2017 Champion |
Usman |
Rockhold |
Dvalishvili |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 122-103 |
Usman |
Rockhold |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 107-118 |
Usman |
Costa |
Aldo |
Pudilova |
Pedro |
The UFC has touched down in Utah this week and the welterweight title is on the line at the top of the bill.
UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
The main event features a highly anticipated rematch between welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) and [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC). The two first fought in December 2015 in Usman’s first fight after winning Season 21 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Usman won a unanimous decision. Usman is a big -370 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Edwards is +265. All of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Usman to defend his title yet again. He’s one of three unanimous picks on the main card.
The co-main event features the return of former middleweight champ [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), who will be fighting for the first time in more than three years when he meets [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC). Costa is a -380 favorite at the betting window, but he’s not a unanimous pick. Still, he has a big 8-3 lead in our picks.
Also on the main card, former featherweight champ [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (31-7 MMA, 13-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at bantamweight. Although Dvalishvili is a -140 favorite, it’s Aldo who has a 7-4 picks lead.
[autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag] (13-7 MMA, 2-5 UFC) is just a slight -125 favorite in her women’s bantamweight bout against [autotag]Wu Yanan[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 1-4 UFC), but she’s one of our three unanimous picks despite the closest odds on the entire 12-fight event.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Tyson Pedro[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) is the event’s biggest betting favorite at 8-1. Not surprisingly, he is a unanimous pick from our staff members in his light heavyweight bout against [autotag]Harry Hunsucker[/autotag] (7-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC).
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Usman (71 percent), Costa (73 percent), Aldo (63 percent), Pudilova (67 percent) and Pedro (92 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.
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Check out the up-to-date UFC 278 lineup including five new additions to the Aug. 20 card in Salt Lake City.
Previously announced, welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) will defend his title against top contender [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) in a rematch of their December 2015 clash.
Also on the card, former UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (31-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) battles [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and middleweights [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] square off in a long-awaited matchup.
Monday, the promotion officially announced 12 fights are set for the event. Five of the fights were not previously reported. Scroll below to see the new additions followed by the official lineup.
Lucie Pudilova is no longer a former UFC fighter. The first Czech woman in promotion history has re-signed with the UFC.
[autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag] is a part of the UFC roster once again.
Over the past two years, Pudilova (13-7 MMA, 2-5 UFC) worked her way back onto the UFC’s radar. Saturday, her manager, Brian Butler of SuckerPunch Entertainment, revealed Pudilova officially signed with the promotion recently.
No debut opponent, date or event was announced.
Pudilova, 27, fought in the UFC seven times from March 2017 to January 2020. In her promotional debut against Lina Lansberg, Pudilova became the first Czech woman to compete in UFC history. Her two promotional victories came in her second and third appearances, matchups against Ji Yeon Kim and Sarah Moras.
She departed the UFC in 2020 following four straight losses to Irene Aldana, Liz Carmouche, Antonina Shevchenko and Justine Kish. The bout against Carmouche took place on home soil for Pudilova when the UFC held an event in the Czech Republic for the first time in February 2019.
Her fight time between UFC stints was spent solely for OKTAGON, the leading Czech regional promotion. She went 5-1 with five decision victories and a loss to former UFC fighter Talita Bernardo.
Pudilova, a bantamweight, enters her second UFC stint on a two-fight winning streak.
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UFC on ESPN+ 24 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
RALEIGH, N.C. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $169,000.
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+ 24 took place Saturday at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 24 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Jordan Espinosa[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Hannah Cifers[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Darko Stosic[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Dequan Townsend[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Nik Lentz[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Felipe Colares[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Sara McMann[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Lina Lansberg[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/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:
Year-to-date total: $334,000
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: $31,338,500
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 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.
