Tag: Makwan Amirkhani

Video: Makwan Amirkhani slammed and submitted at OKTAGON 58, falls to 1-7 in past eight fights

Makwan Amirkhani was seemingly on the verge of snapping his losing skid before he was slammed and submitted at OKTAGON 58.

The past several years have not been kind to [autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag], and that trend continued for him on Saturday.

After losing five of six fights to close his UFC tenure, Amirkhani moved to budding European promotion OKTAGON MMA earlier this year. He was knocked out in the third round of his debut, dropping him into an ugly 1-6 slump overall dating back to October 2010.

Amirkhani (17-11) returned to action at OKTAGON 58 at GMC Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, and although it wasn’t pretty, he managed to outwork [autotag]Attila Korkmaz[/autotag] (15-8) for the majority of the fight and do well.

Just when it looked like “Mr. Finland” was on the cusp of victory as time winded down in the third round, Korkmaz picked up Amirkhani and slammed him into the mat, immediately took the back and locked in a rear-naked choke that quickly forced the tap at the 3:37 mark of Round 3 (via X):

It was a devastating result and wild change of fortune for Amirkhani, who is now on a four-fight skid and a loser in seven of his past eight contest. Korkmaz, meanwhile, has won three of four.

Video: UFC alum Makwan Amirkhani knocked out by Mochamed Machaev at OKTAGON 54

The woes continue for “Mr. Finland” who lost his sixth fight in seven outings during his OKTAGON debut.

The woes continue for “Mr. Finland.”

[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag] made his first post-UFC fighting appearance Saturday at OKTAGON 54 in Ostrava, Czechia, and was finished by budding lightweight star [autotag]Mochamed Machaev[/autotag].

Machaev (14-1) finished a swollen Amirkhani (17-10) in Round 3 as part of the promotion’s $1 million Tipsport Gamechanger tournament opening round.

Amirkhani was likely down two rounds on the cards by the time the fight hit Round 3. Machaev didn’t allow him time for a finish, though, as he drilled Amirkhani with a check left hook. Amirkhani dropped onto all fours and absorbed a pair of follow-up punches that sealed the deal.

Machaev, 24, continued to establish himself as one of Europe’s top rising lightweights. Saturday’s fight was his promotional debut.

Amirkhani, 35, fell to 1-6 in his most recent seven fights. He departed the UFC in mid-2023 after a 7-7 stint with the promotion.

Former UFC fighter Makwan Amirkhani signs with OKTAGON

“Mr. Finland” has found a new promotional home.

[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag] has signed with rising promotion OKTAGON and will partake in its upcoming $1 million tournament, the promotion recently announced.

The Tipsport Gamechanger lightweight tournament features Amirkhani (17-9) as one of 16 competitors, 12 of whom have been announced including former KSW champion Daniel Torres. It’s unknown who Amirkhani will face in his opening-round matchup.

The tournament will start March 2 at OKTAGON 54 in Ostrava, Czechia.

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Amirkhani, 35, had a hot start and a rocky exit during a 14-fight UFC tenure that finished with an even win-loss record. Nine of his appearances ended inside the distance. He exited the promotion earlier in 2023 after back-to-back losses to Jonathan Pearce and Jack Shore.

UFC parts ways with eight fighters, including two after decade-long tenures

Eight fighters are no longer on the UFC roster including two fighters who have been with the promotion for approximately a decade each.

Eight fighters are no longer on the UFC roster, including two athletes who were with the promotion approximately a decade each.

Whether it was the impending wave of fighters who will be signed to compete on “Dana White’s Contender Series,” Season 7 or simply performance or contract-based decisions, the promotion parted ways with these fighters in recent weeks.

Algorithm-based Twitter account UFC Roster Watch first published the transactions when the promotion removed the fighters from official rankings eligibility.

Unless denoted, it is unclear whether each athlete was released or fought out their contract.

UFC 286 post-event facts: Justin Gaethje’s insane bonus streak continues

Check out the numbers to come out of UFC 286, where Justin Gaethje made more history with another Fight of the Night effort.

The UFC hosted its fourth numbered event of the year on Saturday with UFC 286, which took place at The O2 in London and saw home country hero [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] compete in the main event.

Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) registered his first welterweight title defense when he edged rival [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC) by majority decision in their trilogy bout, giving him a 2-1 lead in their series.

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 286.

UFC 286 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Leon Edwards gets maximum money

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 286 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,500.

LONDON – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 286 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,500.

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 286 took place at The O2. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 286 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Casey O’Neill[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Chris Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Sam Patterson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Jafel Filho[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Gabriel Santos[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Christian Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Joanne Wood[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Juliana Miller[/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 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,634,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,153,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.

Jack Shore expects to outclass Makwan Amirkhani ‘in all areas’ at UFC 286

Jack Shore is confident wherever the fight goes against Makwan Amirkhani at UFC 286 in London.

LONDON – [autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag] is confident wherever the fight goes against [autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag] at UFC 286.

Shore (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) meets Amirkhani (17-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) in a featherweight bout in Saturday’s featured prelim at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

Amirkhani has lost four of his past five, and while Shore thinks he’ll beat him everywhere, he knows not to let his guard down against the submission specialist.

“I expect him to bring what he always brings,” Shore said at Wednesday’s UFC 286 media day. “If you let him in the fight and give him an opportunity, he’ll take it and put you away. He’s a dangerous guy in areas, but as long as I go out there and perform how I know I can to kind of outclass him in all areas, (I’ll win). I’m not underestimating him. I know he’s coming off a loss, but I’ve seen him be down two rounds and pull out a choke out of nowhere.

“He’s got a decent little boxing style on the feet. But I think in terms variety of tools, I think I outmatch him there. I’m a lot more well-rounded in terms of striking IQ.”

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Shore will move up to featherweight for the first time since 2017. Although he’s never missed the bantamweight mark, Shore says the cut down had been taking a toll on him.

“The last probably three or four weight cuts have been really tough,” Shore said. “It’s no secret: I always look like death on the scale. My old man and my other coaches have probably been at me for the past 12-18 months to consider the move, and it’s easy to forget about a tough weight cut when you’re winning all the time.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.

UFC 286 pre-event facts: Rafael Fiziev’s stats could spell trouble for Justin Gaethje

Check out the numbers behind UFC 286, including Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3, Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev and more.

The UFC brings a numbered event back to England for the first time since October 2016 on Saturday with UFC 286, which takes place at The 02 in London with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

A highly anticipated trilogy bout for the UFC welterweight title takes center stage in the main event. After avenging a unanimous decision loss to [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) from December 2015 with a shocking head kick knockout at UFC 278 in August, [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) will attempt to make his first title defense in the rubber match on his home soil.

For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 286.

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Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jack Shore official for UFC 286 in London

The UFC’s March return to the United Kingdom has added a featherweight bout between a pair of fan favorites.

The UFC’s March return to the United Kingdom has added a featherweight bout between a pair of fan favorites.

[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag] (17-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) is set to take on [autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at UFC 286. The promotion made the previously reported fight official Tuesday. UFC 286 takes place March 18 at The O2 in London. The main card will air on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Amirkhani has struggled the past few years with four losses in his past five fights and five in his past seven. After a three-fight skid, he picked up a $50,000 bonus when the UFC returned to London in March 2022 when he submitted Mike Grundy. But in the London follow-up in July 2022, he was knocked out by Jonathan Pearce in the second round.

Shore will be looking to bounce back after the first loss of his pro career, which came this past July with a second-round submission setback to Ricky Simon. The Welsh fighter, who will turn 28 next month, was scheduled to return against Kyler Phillips this past November, but had to pull out with a knee injury. The former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion came to the UFC in 2019 and rattled off five straight wins before his loss to Simon.

With the official addition, the UFC 286 lineup now includes:

  • Champ Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman – for welterweight title
  • Rafael Fiziev vs. Justin Gaethje
  • Roman Dolidze vs. Marvin Vettori
  • Gunnar Nelson vs. Daniel Rodriguez
  • Luana Carolina vs. Joanne Wood
  • Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley
  • Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill
  • Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein
  • Lerone Murphy vs. Nathaniel Wood
  • Chris Duncan vs. Michal Figlak
  • Veronica Macedo vs. Juliana Miller
  • Jafel Filho vs. Muhammad Mokaev
  • Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jack Shore
  • Yanal Ashmoz vs. Sam Patterson

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 16-22)

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. 16-22.