Tag: Melissa Gatto

Melissa Gatto fights Tamires Vidal at UFC Fight Night 241 after Hailey Cowan suffers broken leg

Hailey Cowan has withdrawn again, and so Melissa Gatto is now set to make her UFC bantamweight debut.

The UFC Fight Night 241 lineup has been tweaked slightly.

With [autotag]Hailey Cowan[/autotag] injured, [autotag]Melissa Gatto[/autotag] moves to bantamweight to fight fellow Brazilian [autotag]Tamires Vidal[/autotag] at the May 18 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the change recently informed MMA Junkie of the tweak but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Update (5:45 p.m. ET): Cowan (7-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) revealed on social media after MMA Junkie’s report that she suffered a broken leg in training. Initially thought to be a rolled ankle, Cowan said an X-ray showed a displaced fracture of her fibula. She shared photos of her bruised leg.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6PN0iqSYuN/

Gatto (8-2-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) was scheduled to fight Victoria Dudakova at UFC on ESPN 54 on March 30. The bout was canceled moments prior to the scheduled walkouts due to an illness with Dudakova. Gatto has not previously competed at bantamweight in the UFC and will look to snap a two-fight skid.

After a flying knee knockout win in her promotional debut, Vidal (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) most recently competed in September when she lost a split decision to Montserrat Rendon. The defeat snapped a six-fight winning streak.

With the change, the UFC Fight Night 241 lineup includes:

  • Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy
  • Angela Hill vs. Luana Pinheiro
  • Warlley Alves vs. Abus Magomedov
  • Vinicius Salvador vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Emily Ducote
  • Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Themba Gorimbo
  • Victor Martinez vs. Tom Nolan
  • Carlston Harris vs. Khaos Williams
  • Ariane Carnelossi vs. Piera Rodriguez
  • Rodolfo Bellato vs. Oumar Sy
  • Heili Alateng vs. Kleydson Rodrigues
  • Melissa Gatto vs. Tamires Vidal

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 241.

UFC on ESPN 54 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $24.5 million

UFC on ESPN 54 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 54 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $173,000.

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 54 took place at Boardwalk Hall. The main card aired on ESPN following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 54 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nursulton Ruziboev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Sedriques Dumas[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Kyle Nelson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Bill Algeo[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Virna Jandiroba[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Dennis Buzukja[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Connor Matthews[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Ibo Aslan[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Anton Turkalj[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jacob Malkoun[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Andre Petroski[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Caolan Loughran[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Angel Pacheco[/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 $4,540; 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 $54,000 while title challengers get $54,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-54 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,842,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $24,579,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

UFC on ESPN 54 play-by-play, live results

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC on ESPN 54 in Atlantic City.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – UFC on ESPN 54 took place Saturday, and MMA Junkie live play-by-play and official results. UFC on ESPN 54 (ESPN/ESPN+) took place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

In the main event, Erin Blanchfield (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) took on Manon Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in a likely women’s flyweight title eliminator. Joaquin Buckley (18-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) took on Vicente Luque (22-10-1 MMA, 15-6 UFC) in the welterweight co-feature, and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) returned against Bruno Silva (23-11 MMA, 4-5 UFC).

Below, you can check out the results and play-by-play from UFC on ESPN 54.

UFC on ESPN 54 prelim bout canceled moments before walkouts in Atlantic City

The UFC on ESPN 54 matchup between Viktoriia Dudakova and Melissa Gatto has been scratched moments before it was scheduled to take place.

The UFC on ESPN 54 matchup between [autotag]Viktoriia Dudakova[/autotag] and [autotag]Melissa Gatto[/autotag] has been scratched moments before it was scheduled to take place.

Two fights into Saturday’s event at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., UFC play-by-play man Brendan Fitzgerald announced the women’s flyweight clash between Dudakova (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Gatto (8-2-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) had been scratched due to a “medical issue” on Dudakova’s side.

The announcement came as Dudakova and Gatto were next up on the card. No further details came about whether the fight will be rescheduled for a later date.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

UFC on ESPN 54 official weigh-in results: Fighter somehow gains weight between attempts, misses mark

The UFC on ESPN 54 weigh-ins ended oddly as Julio Arce somehow gained 0.25 pounds between attempts and his team was scratching their heads.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Ahead of Saturday’s fights at Boardwalk Hall, the 28 fighters involved in UFC on ESPN 54 hit the scales at the host hotel. One missed weight.

Atop the event, which airs on ESPN/ESPN+, is a pivotal women’s flyweight main event between top contenders [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

In the co-main event, welterweight standouts [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) collide. Also on the card, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) attempts to reenter the win column against [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC).

All of those fighters made weight, but one from the prelims. [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] missed the featherweight limit after previously missing at bantamweight in April 2022. He was given two attempts and gained 0.25 pounds between attempts.

Arce’s re-weigh was the last weigh-in of the day. A different New Jersey State Athletic Commission (NJSAC) representative than who weighed in the other 27 fighters and Arce’s first attempt, weighed in Arce the second time. This caused further frustration and disbelief from Arce’s team, who said they had weighed 146 on their own scale. Arce was fined 20 percent of his purse and the fight will continue as scheduled.

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Check out the full UFC on ESPN 54 weigh-ins results below:

MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Erin Blanchfield (125) vs. Manon Fiorot (125.25)
  • Joaquin Buckley (170) vs. Vicente Luque (170)
  • Bruno Silva (186) vs. Chris Weidman (186)
  • Sedriques Dumas (185) vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (185)
  • Bill Algeo (146) vs. Kyle Nelson (145)
  • Rhys McKee (170.25) vs. Chidi Njokuani (170)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Nate Landwehr (145.25) vs. Jamall Emmers (145)
  • Loopy Godinez (115) vs. Virna Jandiroba (115)
  • Julio Arce (147)* vs. Herbert Burns (145)
  • Dennis Buzukja (145.25) vs. Connor Matthews (145)
  • Ibo Aslan (205) vs. Anton Turkalj (205)
  • Viktoriia Dudakova (125) vs. Melissa Gatto (125)
  • Jacob Malkoun (185) vs. Andre Petroski (186)
  • Caolan Loughran (135) vs. Angel Pacheco (135)

* Arce missed featherweight limit by 1 pound; 20 percent fine

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Feb. 5-11)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights 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, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Feb. 5-11.

UFC on ESPN 48 post-event facts: Grant Dawson’s numbers show title trajectory

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 48, where Grant Dawson joined an exclusive club by putting together a nine-fight unbeaten streak in the octagon.

The UFC’s loaded July schedule got off to a hot start on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 48, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and featured six stoppages out of 12 fights.

One of those finishes came in the main event, when [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) held serve as a top middleweight when he turned back [autotag]Abus Magomedov[/autotag] (25-5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) with a second-round TKO before calling for a title shot.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check out MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 48.

UFC on ESPN 47 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Sean Strickland, Kevin Lee get most money

UFC on ESPN 47 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 47 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $144,500.

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 47 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 47 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Abus Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Damir Ismagulov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Michael Morales[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Melissa Gatto[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Benoit Saint-Denis[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ismael Bonfim[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Nursulton Ruziboev[/autotag]: $4,000
def.[autotag]Brunno Ferreira[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Rinat Fakhretdinov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Joanderson Brito[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Elves Brener[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Guram Kutateladze[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ivana Petrovic[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Blagoy Ivanov[/autotag]: $6,000

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 $47,000 while title challengers get $47,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-47 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,109,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $18,698,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.

UFC on ESPN 47’s Melissa Gatto returns from year-long layoff more mentally ready than ever

For UFC women’s flyweight Melissa Gatto, the forced time off was more of a mental battle.

LAS VEGAS – For [autotag]Melissa Gatto[/autotag], the forced time off was more of a mental battle.

Gatto (8-1-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will return from a more than year-long layoff to face Ariane Lipski (15-8 MMA, 4-5 UFC) on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 47 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

After suffering her first-career loss to Tracy Cortez last May at UFC 274, an injury forced Gatto out of action.

“I’m so happy,” Gatto told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 47 media day. “So excited to be back. Of course, it’s been a year with the surgery and the medical leave that comes after that. I’m happy to be back. I’ll be able to show how much I evolved, that I took that time to actually become better and to become a better fighter.”

Gatto explains that, while she’s made improvements in her skills, being out of action made her grow even more on the mental side.

“Anytime you have a high-performance athlete that’s removed from the daily routine, training, being there on the mat frequently, just getting better physically, it’s always challenging,” Gatto said. “It’s always tough being removed from that and not being able to do what you do for a living. It does teach you lessons, especially on the mental side. I do feel that I had to get stronger and prepare myself mentally. I feel more ready than I’ve ever been, especially on the mental side.”

Gatto will take on fellow Brazilian Lipski, who comes from the same state of Parana.

“When the UFC called, obviously happy to get the call to be able to match with her,” Gatto said. “She is a tough opponent. She’s an experienced opponent. I think she’s got 10 fights in the UFC. I do respect her a lot in the striking, which is her forte. I do feel like it’s gonna be a good matchup also because of the fact that she is from the same state as I am, and it’s going to be important for a lot of us, especially the Brazilian fans.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.

Video: UFC on ESPN 47 media day interviews

Before UFC on ESPN 47 on Saturday, 14 athletes from the card are scheduled to speak to reporters Wednesday at media day.

LAS VEGAS – The UFC schedule for July kicks off Saturday with UFC on ESPN 47, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

A middleweight bout serves as the main event, with [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] (26-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) taking on [autotag]Abus Magomedov[/autotag] (25-4-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in a matchup between one established contender and an opponent looking to make a splash in just his second octagon appearance.

Before fight night arrives, though, 14 athletes from this weekend’s card spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream above, check below for the archived videos of each media day session.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.