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 March 27-April 2.
Check out which epic battle earned MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Year award for 2022.
With another action-packed year of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie takes a look at the best fights from January to December 2022.
As voted on by our entire staff, here are the top five and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Year.
Islam Makhachev finishing the most decorated grappler in UFC history secured him lightweight gold and MMA Junkie’s Submission of the Year for 2022.
With another action-packed year of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie takes a look at the best submissions from January to December 2022.
As voted on by our entire staff, here are the top 10 and winner of MMA Junkie’s Submission of the Year.
The 2022 Comeback of the Year award goes to Leon Edwards for his stunning head kick knockout of then-champ Kamaru Usman at UFC 278.
On Aug. 20, 2022 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] shook up the MMA universe when he pulled a beautiful head kick out of his back pocket to crumple then pound-for-pound king [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag].
It was an upset. It was a massive moment. A new champion was crowned in front of a raucous crowd, who seemed to be on delay as their brains processed what just unfolded. The UFC 278 main event knockout was as lot of things, but regardless of which word comes to mind first “comeback” is certainly at the top of most lists.
After a successful first round, the wheels quite frankly fell off the wagon for Edwards, as Usman methodically picked him apart in Round 2, then Round 3, then Round 4, and most of Round 5 – until the improbable happened.
Only Edwards himself knows what exactly sparked the one-strike come back, but coach Dave Lovell likely played a big part. In between Round 4 and 5, Lovell gave one of the most memorable pump-up speeches in UFC history.
As the fifth round progressed, many viewers slipped into the fog of the monotonous and somewhat mundane flow of the fight. It looked like the round would coast and Usman would win. That’s particularly what commentator Daniel Cormier indicated, until his partner Jon Anik talked him down, an almost on-queue reprimand proven correct.
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A left jab pump fake was followed by a textbook left high kick. Usman brought his hands down when they should’ve gone up. Edwards’ shin clattered off the then-champion’s noggin and Usman sat down before his upper body flopped over backward due to a mix of gravity and unconsciousness.
As fans tried to wrap their heads around what just transpired, Edwards celebrated upon the cage and gave his best rendition of the billy-strut. Usman, meanwhile, was tended by medical professionals, somewhat clueless to what had just transpired.
The moment will go down in history as one of the biggest and most prolific comebacks in UFC history. That’s why it’s MMA Junkie’s 2022 Comeback of the Year.
We’d be remiss not to mention a comeback, that in likely any other year would be the winner of this award.
What [autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag] did at UFC on ABC 3 in July was one of the most improbable “from the brink of defeat” sort of rallies in major promotional MMA history. He was pummeled, rocked, on the ropes, whatever you want to call it. Schnell was in trouble. Referee Jacob Montalvo may have initially been in the minority to let the fight continue, but he proved to right in the end.
After an absolute whooping by Su Mudaerji at USB Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Schnell slowly but surely flipped the script. The punches piled up and eventually Schnell got the fight down to the canvas. When Mudaerji briefly reversed position, Schnell locked a triangle choke and choked his opponent unconscious from the bottom.
The image of an out-cold Mudaerji covered in blood as he laid on top of Schnell’s leg is one of the best MMA Junkie captured in 2022.
With the victory, Schnell etched himself in UFC history and gained a lot of street credit as a perhaps unwarrantedly overlooked flyweight fighter.
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Rafael dos Anjos became the first fighter in history to log eight hours of octagon fight time in his win at UFC on ESPN 42.
The UFC returned to Orlando, Fla., for the first time in nearly four years Saturday with UFC on ESPN 42, which took place at Amway Center and saw nine out of 14 fights end in a stoppage.
Stephen Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) earned the most memorable result of all in the main event. The longtime welterweight contender went to war with Kevin Holland (23-9 MMA, 9-6 UFC). He emerged on top by fourth-round TKO due to corner stoppage and netted another Fight of the Night award in the process.
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 on ESPN 42.
UFC on ESPN 42 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
ORLANDO – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 42 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $297,500.
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 on ESPN 42 took place at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 42 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Eryk Anders[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Kyle Daukaus[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Phil Rowe[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Emily Ducote[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Scott Holtzman[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Jonathan Pearce[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Darren Elkins[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Natan Levy[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Genaro Valdez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Francis Marshall[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Marcelo Rojo[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Istela Nunes[/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 $42,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-42 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $7,932,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $14,109,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 42.
Check out the best photos from Matheus Nicolau’s win over Matt Schnell at UFC on ESPN 42.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag]’s second-round knockout win over [autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 42 at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. (Photos by Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports)
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 42 main card in Orlando, which features Stephen Thompson vs. Kevin Holland.
| Thompson vs. Holland |
Barberena vs. Dos Anjos |
Nicolau vs. Schnell |
Pavlovich vs. Tuivasa |
Dolidze vs. Hermansson |
Anders vs. Daukaus |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 190-112 |
 Holland (52%) |
 Dos Anjos (72%) |
 Nicolau (72%) |
 Tuivasa (62%) |
 Hermansson (52%) |
 Daukaus (60%) |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 200-107  2018 Champion |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
 Pavlovich |
 Dolidze |
Daukaus |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 191-116 |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 189-118 |
 Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Hermansson |
 Anders |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 187-120 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
 Schnell |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 187-120 2014 Champion |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 185-122 |
Thompson |
 Barberena |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 184-123 |
Thompson |
Barberena |
Schnell |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 177-130 2017 Champion |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Hermansson |
Anders |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 177-130 |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Hermansson |
Daukaus |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 168-139 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Schnell |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 150-157 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
The UFC is back on the road this week in Florida with big-name welterweights atop the lineup.
UFC on ESPN 42 takes place Saturday at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, two-time welterweight title challenger [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (16-6-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] (23-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC). Holland nearly is a 2-1 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Thompson is +160. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Thompson, though, at a 7-4 clip.
In the co-feature, former lightweight champion [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (31-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC) meets [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag] (18-8 MMA, 9-6 UFC) at welterweight. Dos Anjos is the biggest favorite on the card at -575, but he’s not unanimous. Two of our staff pickers have Barberena in an upset.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] (18-3-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) in a key flyweight fight. Nicolau is a big favorite at -370 and has an 8-3 picks lead.
[autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. Pavlovich is a -230 favorite at the betting window, but Tuivasa has a slim 6-5 lead from our staff members.
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is an underdog in his middleweight fight against -190 favorite [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC). But our staff members are thinking upset with Dolidze picked at a big 8-3 margin.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Eryk Anders[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC) takes on [autotag]Kyle Daukaus[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at middleweight. Daukaus is more than a 2-1 favorite, but Anders is bucking the trend and has a 6-5 picks lead.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Holland (52 percent), Dos Anjos (72 percent), Nicolau (63 percent), Tuivasa (62 percent), Hermansson (52 percent) and Daukaus (60 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 42.
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The best facts and figures for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 42, where several familiar veterans have a shot at history.
The UFC returns to Florida on Saturday for UFC on ESPN 42, which takes place at Amway Center in Orlando with a card that airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
A welterweight headliner will close out the card as longtime contender [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (16-6-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) will search for his first win in two years when he takes on [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] (23-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC).
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 for UFC on ESPN 42.
Fresh off his thrilling comeback win in July, Matt Schnell will return before the end of the year.
Fresh off his thrilling comeback win in July, [autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag] will return before the end of the year – against the opponent he wanted.
Schnell (16-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC) meets [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night on Dec. 3. The event doesn’t yet have a publicly known venue or location.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Schnell is coming off a second-round submission over Su Mudaerji at UFC on ABC 3. After getting repeatedly rocked early, Schnell rallied to submit the bloodied-up Mudaerji. The entertaining back-and-forth battle earned Fight of the Night honors. After the fight, Schnell called for a bout with Nicolau both in his in-cage and post-fight news conference interviews.
Winner of five in a row, Nicolau is unbeaten since rejoining the UFC roster in 2021. The 29-year-old Brazilian is coming off a unanimous decision win over David Dvorak at UFC on ESPN 33 in March.
With the addition, the UFC’s Dec. 3 lineup now includes:
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