Tag: Matt Sayles

14 former UFC fighters booked for XMMA 4 card in New Orleans

Over a dozen former UFC fighters including a former title challenger have been added to XMMA’s first event of 2022.

Over a dozen former UFC fighters have been added to XMMA’s first event of 2022.

XMMA 4 is set to take place Saturday, April 2 at The Fillmore in New Orleans. Viewing info has not yet been announced.

The promotion launched in January 2021 with XMMA 1 in West Palm Beach, Fla., and was headlined by Andre Fialho vs. James Vick. XMMA 2 took place in July 2021 with a Ben Saunders vs. Ramsey Nijem main event. XMMA 3 followed shortly thereafter in October, headlined by Cody Gibson vs. John Dodson.

Keep with the notable names as top-billing, XMMA features 14 fighters who made at least one appearance in the UFC. Scroll below to see which UFC alums are currently scheduled to compete.

UFC parts ways with Maki Pitolo, three other fighters

Four fighters have departed the UFC roster, including Dana White’s Contender Series signee Maki Pitolo, MMA Junkie has learned.

Four more fighters have parted ways with the UFC.

Multiple people with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the roster moves but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion hasn’t made official announcements.

Check out the recent UFC departures below. The roster moves, unless explicitly noted, are not necessarily a “release.” The UFC may have elected not to re-sign certain fighters who were at the end of their contracts.

Jared Gordon vs. Matt Sayles booked for UFC San Diego

UFC San Diego adds a lightweight fight between Jared Gordon and Matt Sayles to its growing lineup.

Another lightweight bout is on tap for UFC San Diego.

[autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Matt Sayles[/autotag] is the latest addition to the promotion’s return to California, multiple persons with knowledge of the matchup told MMA Junkie on Sunday.

UFC San Diego is scheduled to take place May 16 at Pechanga Arena. The card is expected to stream on ESPN+.

Gordon (15-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) has dropped three of his past four fights. His losses have come to Diego Ferreira, Joaquim Silva and Charles Oliveira – all by knockout or TKO. His lone victory in the stretch came at UFC on ESPN 3 this past June, when he beat Dan Moret by unanimous decision.

Dana White’s Contender Series signee Sayles (8-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has bookended his lone UFC victory over Kyle Nelson with losses to Sheymon Moraes and Bryce Mitchell. In his most recent fight in December against Mitchell, Sayles was on the receiving end of a first-round twister submission. It’ll be a homecoming for Sayles, who resides in the San Diego area.

With the addition, the latest UFC San Diego lineup includes:

  • Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker
  • Anthony Hernandez vs. Puna Soriano
  • Luana Carolina vs. Ariane Lipski
  • Cortney Casey vs. Lara Procopio
  • Kai Kara-France vs. Alex Perez
  • Jared Gordon vs. Matt Sayles

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UFC on ESPN 7 post-event facts: Jairzinho Rozenstruik joins record books with late TKO

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 7, which saw Jairzinho Rozenstruik beat Alistair Overeem in Washington, D.C.

The UFC returned to Washington, D.C., on Saturday for the first time since 2011 with UFC on ESPN 7, which took place at Capital One Arena. The 12-fight lineup aired on ESPN following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+.

A new heavyweight contender emerged in the main event when [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) got his fourth consecutive victory since joining the promotion earlier this year with a come-from-behind TKO of [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] (45-18 MMA, 10-7 UFC) in the fifth round of their matchup.

For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 40 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 7.

* * * *

General

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UFC on ESPN 7 marked the third event in UFC history to feature two draws. UFC 22 and UFC 216 were the others.

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $177,000.

Debuting fighters went 2-2 at the event.

[autotag]Rob Font[/autotag], [autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] and [autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN 7 fight-night bonuses.

UFC on ESPN 7 drew an announced attendance of 10,816 for a live gate of $932,593.20.
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Betting favorites went 9-1 on the card. Two fights ended in a draw.

Betting favorites improved to 21-17 (one fight had even odds, one ended in a no contest) in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 2:21:07.

Main card

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Rozenstruik earned his second UFC victory in a 35-day stretch.

Rozenstruik’s four-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Rozenstruik has earned nine of his 10 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all of those wins by knockout.

Rozenstruik’s knockout at the 4:56 mark of Round 5 marked the third latest stoppage in UFC history behind Demetrious Johnson’s win (4:59 of Round 5) at UFC 186 and Yair Rodriguez’s victory (4:59 of Round 5) at UFC Fight Night 139.

Overeem’s 14 knockout losses in MMA competition are the most of any active member on the UFC roster.

Overeem’s 12 knockout losses in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce competition are the most in combined organizational history.

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[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (13-0-2 MMA, 2-0-2 UFC) is the only female fighter in UFC history to fight to multiple draws.

[autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (8-1-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) has completed at least one takedown in six of her seven UFC appearances.

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[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (37-12 MMA, 7-6 UFC) improved to 1-2 since he returned to competition from a nearly three-year layoff in March 2019. He earned his first victory since January 2016.

Rothwell has earned 34 of his 37 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his seven UFC wins.

[autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag] (29-12 MMA, 13-10 UFC) fell to 1-4 in his past five UFC appearances dating back to September 2017.

Struve has suffered all seven of his UFC stoppage losses by knockout.

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[autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned seven of her nine career victories by stoppage. That includes three of her four UFC wins.

Ladd’s three knockout victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied with Ronda Rousey and Germaine de Randamie for second most in divisional history behind Amanda Nunes (six).

[autotag]Yana Kunitskaya[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) fell to 2-1 since she returned to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in October 2018.

Kunitskaya has suffered four of her five career losses by stoppage. Both of her UFC defeats have come by knockout.

Simon (15-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

Preliminary card

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[autotag]Tim Means[/autotag] (29-11-1 MMA, 11-8 UFC) improved to 9-6 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2014.

Means has earned 24 of his 29 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his 11 UFC wins.

[autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag] (23-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) fell to 2-6 in his past eight fights dating back to May 2015.

[autotag]Jacob Kilburn[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by submission.

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Mitchell (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) earned the second Twister submission victory in UFC history. Chan Sung Jung also accomplished the feat.

Mitchell has earned all of his career stoppage victories by submission.

[autotag]Matt Sayles[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) suffered the first submission loss of his career.

[autotag]Matt Wiman[/autotag] (16-9 MMA, 10-7 UFC) fell to 0-2 since he returned from a 4.5-year layoff in June.

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[autotag]Virna Jandiroba[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all 12 of her career stoppage victories by submission.

[autotag]Mallory Martin[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) suffered the first submission loss of her career.

Muradov (24-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC) improved to 18-1 in his past 19 fights dating back to March 2015. He’s won his past 13 bouts.

[autotag]Trevor Smith[/autotag] (15-10 MMA, 5-7 UFC) fell to 5-8 in his past 13 career fights dating back to January 2012.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

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UFC on ESPN 7 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $30.5 million

UFC on ESPN 7 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

WASHINGTON – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 7 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $177,000.

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 7 took place at Capital One Arena in Washington. The card aired on ESPN following early prelims on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 7 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
vs. [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Yana Kunitskaya[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $5,000
vs. [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Rob Font[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Tim Means[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Jacob Kilburn[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Matt Sayles[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Joseph Solecki[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Matt Wiman[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Virna Jandiroba[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Mallory Martin[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Trevor Smith[/autotag]: $15,000

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 2019 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,880,000
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $30,514,000

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Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN 7 with plenty of soundtracks and Kanye West

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 7 event in Washington, D.C.

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.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN 7 went with as their backing tracks in Washington, D.C.

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