The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out more than $29 million to athletes since its deal began with Venum.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 245 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $155,500.
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 Fight Night 245 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 245 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
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 2451 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 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC Fight Night 245: Hernandez vs. Pereira” – $155,500
Not long after he moved to 3-0 in the UFC, Asu Almabayev says he’s got his next assignment.
Not long after he moved to 3-0 in the UFC, [autotag]Asu Almabayev[/autotag] says he’s got his next assignment.
Almabayev (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) on Monday posted on social media to say he’s fighting [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] (19-4-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) this fall. Although UFC officials haven’t formally announced the flyweight fight, Almabayev posted that it’s set for Oct. 19 at an event expected to be a Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Almabayev, from Kazakhstan, in June won for the 16th straight time when he outworked Jose Johnson in Las Vegas. He was more than a 5-1 favorite in the fight. That win came on the heels of a decision over CJ Vergara in March in another fight in which he was heavily favored.
Those odds surged in the wake of his UFC debut in August 2023, a second-round submission of Ode Osbourne. The former Brave CF standout now will fight for the third time in 2024 in a flyweight division that is hurting for new contenders for Alexandre Pantoja’s title.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C-AHpaJMfEC/
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 27: (L-R) Matheus Nicolau of Brazil punches Alex Perez in a flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Brazil’s Nicolau could have been one of those contenders not long ago when he was on a six-fight winning streak, including his first four in the UFC. But in his two most recent fights, he’s been knocked out by recent title challengers Brandon Royval and Alex Perez for the first skid of his career.
After his win over Johnson in June, which included a highlight-reel head kick that landed, but didn’t take Johnson out, Almabayev called out Kai Kara-France, but that matchup will have to wait. Kara-France meets recent title challenger Steve Erceg in three weeks in Perth, Australia, at UFC 305.
What does Alex Perez’s first win since 2020 mean for his immediate future? Our “Spinning Back Clique” weighs in.
On this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel reacted to the results of UFC on ESPN 55 this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
In the main event, [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] picked up his first win since 2020, putting away [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] with a brutal second-round knockout. [autotag]Bogdan Guskov[/autotag] also made a big statement in the second round of his co-main event bout as he put away veteran [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag] with a TKO.
So what do these results mean? What should be next for Perez?
MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, Farah Hannoun, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia weigh in on the results from UFC on ESPN 55.
Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or podcast form.
On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses Conor McGregor becoming part owner of BKFC, Alex Perez’s KO win, the upcoming UFC 301, more.
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Farah Hannoun and Nolan King will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
UFC on ESPN 55 is in the books. The UFC Apex event saw [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] make a huge statement at 125 pounds, knocking out [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] in the main event. This card also saw [autotag]Bogdan Guskov[/autotag] pick up a big TKO win over veteran [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag], among many other results. We discuss the headliner bout, as well as other standout performances from the card.
UFC wasn’t the only show around this past Saturday. BKFC hosted the fourth edition of its tent pole KnuckleMania events. [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], arguably the face of the promotion and the “King of Violence,” defeated former BKFC champ and former UFC title challenger [autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag] in the main event of the card. It was also announced that [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is now part-owner of BKFC.
This past week was busy in terms of callouts (and requests): [autotag]Chris Weiman[/autotag] interested in taking a step up against [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag]; [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] doubled down on his plan to box [autotag]Ryan Garcia[/autotag]; [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] interested in an interim title fight against [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]; [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] teased a move down to 185 pounds; [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] says he’s all in to run a trilogy bout against [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] in Karate Combat.
Looking ahead, the UFC 301 goes down this Saturday in Brazil. Although not the most stacked pay-per-view, at least on paper, this card features a UFC flyweight title fight between [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] and [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag], and the return of former UFC and WEC champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag], who fights [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag].
UFC on ESPN 55 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 55 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $175,000.
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 55 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 55 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
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 $4,550; 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 $55,000 while title challengers get $55,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-55 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
For the first time since 2020, Alex Perez notched a UFC win – and it was a brutal knockout.
It’s been a tough and unlucky few years for former UFC title challenger [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag], but Saturday night may have turned that around.
For the first time since 2020, Perez (25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) picked up a victory when he knocked out [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] (19-5-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) with a right hand at 2:16 of Round 2. The flyweight bout was the UFC on ESPN 55 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
With the victory, Perez wins for the first time since he defeated Jussier Formiga by leg kick TKO in June 2020. While that win was nearly four years ago, Perez had only competed three times since in losses to Deiveson Figueiredo, Alexandre Pantoja, and Muhammad Mokaev.
In defeat, Nicolau falls into a skid for the first time under the UFC banner. He was finished with strikes in his previous outing, a first-round loss to Brandon Royval.
[lawrence-related id=2736557,2736553,2736550]
The up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 55 results include:
Alex Perez def. Matheus Nicolau via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 2:16
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 55 odds between Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez, with MMA picks and predictions.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]
In a 5-round flyweight bout on the main card, Matheus Nicolau and Alex Perez meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 55 — also known as UFC Vegas 91 — at the UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 55: Nicolau vs. Perez odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET and can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 7 p.m. ET and is on pay-per-view.
Records: Nicolau (19-4-1) | Perez (24-8-0)
Nicolau had won his first 4 fights at the UFC level, including 3 by decision. However, he suffered a 1st-round knockout loss to Brandon Royval last time out to take a little wind out of his sails. Prior to that, he had scored his first UFC finish with a KO/TKO of Matt Schnell in Round 2 in early Dec. 2022.
Nicolau was expected to fight Manel Kape in the main event, with the latter unable to make it to the octagon for a pair of previous bookings, including missing weight badly in January. Kape is reportedly dealing with a rib injury, which is why Perez was subbed in.
Perez takes Kape’s place, and he is looking to halt a 3-bout losing skid. He was on the short end of a unanimous-decision loss to Muhammad Mokaev last time out, and he has 2 submission losses to Alexandre Pantoja and Deiveson Figueiredo prior to that.
Nicolau holds a slight half-inch reach advantage over Perez, while the latter has a 4.12-to-3.66 significant strikes landed per minute advantage. Nicolau is more accurate with those strikes at 60.9%, though, while Perez lands at a 55.6% clip. Both are solid in the takedown and grappling departments.
Nicolau (-185) is a little too expensive on the 2-way line, costing nearly 2 times your potential return. That’s too much risk for not enough return. Remember, Nicolau is also coming off his first loss at the UFC level, while Perez (+150) is just 3 fights removed from fighting for the flyweight championship. This is a pretty evenly matched fight, talent-wise.
Instead, let’s get specific. Nicolau has won 3 times by decision, while Perez has ended up going the distance in 3 of his past 9 fights. Perez does his best work on the ground, posting 3 submission wins since Aug. 8, 2017, in Dana White’s Contender Series while also getting tapped twice against Pantoja and Figueiredo. Nicolau can hold his own on the ground, so we’re not likely to see a submission finish.
NICOLAU BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+275) for a chance to nearly triple up is by far the best play on the board.
OVER 3.5 ROUNDS (-130) is a strong play, as this one is expected to need the assistance of the judges to determine a winner.
In addition, YES: WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? (+120) at plus-money is too tempting to pass up. Every time the fight goes to the canvas, there will be a lot of butterflies for distance bettors, but it’s the best play.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
The main event for the UFC’s latest home show is official after the flyweight headliners made weight Friday.
LAS VEGAS – The main event for the UFC’s latest home show is official after the headliners made weight Friday.
Ahead of UFC on ESPN 55 ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex, [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and former flyweight title challenger [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) stepped on the scale at the official weigh-ins.
Nicolau was 125.5 pounds, while Perez came back at 126 pounds.
Check out the video from their trips to the scale above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 55.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 55 main event between Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 55 flyweight main event between Matheus Nicolau and Alex Perez.
Supplemental info:
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ Multiple grappling accolades
+ Amateur boxing experience
+ 5 KO victories
+ 5 submission wins
+ 4 first-round finishes
+ Solid feints and footwork
^ Good pivots and lateral movements
+ Excellent boxing ability
^ Prefers to counter and work the body
+ Underrated wrestling ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Excellent grappling ability
^ Dangerous submissions in transition
+/- 2-0 in the UFC Apex
Supplemental info:
+ Tachi Palace flyweight title
+ Wrestling base
+ Multiple wrestling accolades
+ 5 KO victories
+ 7 submission wins
+ 11 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Improved striking ability
^ Combinations and bodywork
+ Hard calf kicks
+ Excellent wrestling ability
+ Solid transitional grappler
^ Dangerous from front-headlock
+/- 1-2 in the UFC Apex
Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez point of interest: Leg kicks and counters
Dec 3, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Matheus Nicolau (red gloves) fights Matt Schnell (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
The main event in Las Vegas features a pairing of flyweights who are familiar with leg kicks and their associated counters.
Despite growing up as a wrestler, [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] has developed more and more of a taste for the striking arts since stepping onto the MMA scene.
Initially implementing more of a wrestle-boxing style to start his career, Perez has steadily refined his approach after years spent working with Team Oyama and company. Applying better feints and footwork, Perez will typically prod with jabs off of a high guard as he looks to make his way inside.
Perez displays a decent ability to slip to the outside, usually looking to change levels off it by going to the body. This range of motion also lends itself to the left hooks and leg kicks that the 32-year-old contender has been punctuating his combinations with – skills that were on full display in his fight opposite Jussier Formiga.
I’ll be curious to see what progressions have been made to Perez’s game since working with Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, but he’ll have to be mindful of what’s coming back at him this Saturday.
Enter [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag].
A counter fighter by nature, Nicolau presents a potentially tricky puzzle for his opponents to solve.
Utilizing heavy doses of feints and footwork to fuel his lateral movement, Nicolau will often frustrate his opposition into making mistakes when trying to desperately close the distance on him. From counter crosses to checking hooks, Nicolau demonstrates excellent eyes in exchanges and savvy pivots when exiting to safety.
Nicolau is also an underrated leg kicker, but I suspect that his patent body jabs will serve him well in this contest.
Akin to Alex Pereira, Nicolau loves to lean on his body jab at range. Not only do body jabs help set up left hooks, but they can also assist with both manipulating and disguising level changes.
Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez breakdown: Potential grappling threats
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 21: (L-R) Alex Perez punches Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in their flyweight championship bout during the UFC 255 event at UFC APEX on November 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Considering each fighter’s acumen with chokes from the front-headlock position, I will be curious to see how eager either man is to take this party to the floor.
Despite his accolades in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Nicolau has displayed some solid wrestling chops since stepping onto the UFC scene. Not only does Nicolau hail from an underrated MMA wrestling camp in Nova Uniao, but the 31-year-old Brazilian has also spent time training stateside at super camps like Jackson-Wink MMA.
Whether Nicolau is shutting shots with good sprawls or is smoothly changing his level off punches, the TUF Brazil alum has proven that there are few positions in the cage that he’s not competent from.
Nevertheless, I’m not sure how much success Nicolau will have when it comes to dictating grappling exchanges with a wrestler like Perez.
Indoctrinated into wrestling from a young age, Perez followed the path of his brothers, Julian Perez and Silverio Esparza (who were also Lemoore High School wrestling champs), excelling as a two-time divisional champ who maintained a top-12 state ranking for his weight class. And by his sophomore year at West Hills College Lemoore, Perez received All-American honors before eventually crossing over into MMA.
Stumbling into his fair share of submission losses on a deceptively tough regional circuit, Perez’s transition into MMA certainly wasn’t an easy one. But since his time spent on the Tachi Palace scene, Perez has appeared to make some serious strides, displaying the ability to both finish and control fighters at a high level.
Whether Perez is chaining off of singles and doubles in the open or getting things done inside of the clinch, the former Selma High School wrestling coach can pretty much do it all. And when he’s able to establish his favored front-headlock position, Perez is quick to abuse a plethora of options that range from front-chokes to back-takes, often chaining them off of each other (as seen in his fight with Carls John de Thomas).
However, if Perez does find himself underneath Nicolau this Saturday, then he’ll need to be careful with the back exposure that his wrestling-style getups typically offer.
A longtime Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Nicolau is an incredibly smooth transitional grappler who can quickly take backs when they become available. Nicolau also wields a wicked submission arsenal from front-headlock variations, which could dissuade some offense from his American counterpart.
Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez odds
Matheus Nicolau
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Brazilian, listing Nicolau -200 and Perez +154 via FanDuel.
Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez prediction, pick
Despite my official pick, I don’t disagree with the betting spread above. Aside from the fact that Nicolau will be the competitor with a full training camp, the Nova Uniao product is quietly one of the more technically impressive fighters at 125 pounds.
Bodywork and counter striking may not get the credit they deserve from MMA judges, but Nicolau’s brand of body shots and counters could have some serious play opposite Perez’s propensity to utilize a shelling guard.
Add in Perez’s unfortunate history with opportunistic submissions, and no one should be surprised if Nicolau gets a win with or without the scorecards this weekend. That said, I still find myself leaning toward the American underdog in this spot.
Even though Perez is technically riding a three-fight skid, the majority of those losses came with some serious extenuating circumstances (and fouls) attached. But regardless of the fact that Perez arguably won his last fight, he provides some unique threats that make stylistic opportunities a two-way street in this contest.
Not only does Perez have the wrestling ability to dictate grappling exchanges, but the 32-year-old also has some crushing calf kicks that can potentially punish the boxing-centric stance of Nicolau.
Couple that with the fact that this fight will be taking place in the smaller octagon, and I suspect that Perez’s cage-corralling pressure striking could produce some serious moments opposite Nicolau’s out-fighting sensibilities. I’ll take a flier on Perez to find a knockout by the beginning of Round 2.
Prediction: Perez inside the distance
Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez start time, where to watch
Nicolau and Perez are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 9:45 p.m. ET (6:45 p.m. local time in Las Vegas). The fight airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 55.
After back-to-back bookings against Manel Kape fell through, Matheus Nicolau is focusing on “the top of the mountain” after UFC on ESPN 55.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] has his eyes set on challenging for the UFC flyweight title, and Manel Kape is no longer a stop on that journey.
Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) headlines UFC on ESPN 55 (ESPN, ESPN+) at the UFC Apex this Saturday against former title challenger Alex Perez. It will be Nicolau’s first fight in a year, due to Kape being unable to make it to the cage for a pair of bookings. Luckily, Perez (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) stepped up as a replacement.
“Right away when we got the news that Manel was out, we got frustrated,” Nicolau told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I was thinking about him since last year, like we started preparation around November, December because the fight was in the beginning of January.
“Right in the moment, you get frustrated, you get worried like, ‘Oh, is my fight going to get postponed? Is my fight going to get canceled? Are they going to get another opponent? Who are they going to get to fight? Is it a ranked guy or not?’ But on the same day, we closed the fight against Alex, so that was good, and right away I changed my mentality. I was already focused on Alex.”
Nicolau and Kape were scheduled for a rematch in January, but “Starboy” missed weight by 3.5 pounds, scrapping the fight. Their first meeting in March 2021 resulted in a split decision, going Nicolau’s direction. They were set again for April 27, but due to a rib injury, Kape was forced to pull out earlier in the month.
“Good thing was like four weeks before the fight, so we have enough time to make all the adjustments on the training, the strategy part, the technical part,” Nicolau said. “So, it was enough time to make all the adjustments that we needed and to be ready to get this victory.”
[lawrence-related id=2736087,2736021,2735894]
The winner of the UFC on ESPN 55 main event will likely be the next man up for a shot at the title Alexandre Pantoja currently holds. Steve Erceg will have his opportunity to become the new champion in the UFC 301 main event in Brazil on May 4.
Nicolau believes the timing of his main event, and the title fight following the next weekend will give the winner solid momentum to claim No. 1 contender status. If victorious, Nicolau will happily fly to Rio de Janeiro to be cageside for the main event, leaving any thought of Manel Kape in the rear view.
“Honestly, after the fight, I will be looking up,” Nicolau said. “That is the direction that I’m going, to the top of the mountain. I don’t want to think about Manel anymore.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 55.
