Tag: Michael Chiesa

Michael Chiesa aims to break Demian Maia’s submission record after UFC 310 win

After capping off a “very special 24 hours” with a UFC 310 win, Michael Chiesa is setting some lofty goals.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] is putting any dialogue about a potential retirement behind him and setting some lofty goals for himself after UFC 310.

After a three-fight losing skid from 2021-2023 that left questions about the state of his career, Chiesa (18-7 MMA, 13-7 UFC) has righted the ship this year. He submitted Tony Ferguson in August before becoming the first in MMA to tap out Max Griffin (20-11 MMA, 8-9 UFC) this past Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

With some momentum back on his side, the 37-year-old is reinvigorated. Chiesa stopped Griffin with his seventh rear-naked choke win in UFC competition, which trails only Demian Maia (nine) for most all-time in company history.

Chiesa said surpassing Maia is now one of his primary goals, and if he’s able to move toward that, it will parlay into greater overall movement in the welterweight division.

“I saw that I tied Kenny Florian with seven rear-naked choke finishes – now I’ve got to chase down the great Demian Maia and try to get past nine,” Chiesa told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at UFC 310. “It just created another little goal for me. Obviously the goal remains the same for me. I want to be the world champion, otherwise what’s the point of fighting? If you don’t think you’re the best in the world, if you’re not going to chase the title, what the hell are you doing it for?”

Chiesa said his victory at UFC 310 will go down as one of the most memorable of his career. Not because of the opponent, but because of the multiple unique circumstances around it.

“It’s been a very special 24 hours for me,” Chiesa said. “I’m not going to lie. Between getting my black belt (on Friday night) and getting a submission win on my birthday, I don’t think I’ll ever have a better 24-hour stretch in my life outside of my wedding. I’m very, very happy with my performance.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

UFC 310 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2024 total passes $8 million

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out more than $8 million to athletes in 2024 under the Venum deal.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 310 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $368,500.

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 310 took place at T-Mobile Arena. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The full UFC 310 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kron Gracie[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Dooho Choi[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Eryk Anders[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/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 $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:

Year-to-date total: $8,072,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $30,809,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

UFC 310 video: Michael Chiesa finishes Max Griffin, calls for spot on Seattle card

UFC Seattle is officially official and Michael Chiesa wants on.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] is no stranger to the rear-naked choke, and he made that known once again Saturday at UFC 310.

In a welterweight bout on the preliminary card at T-Mobile Arena, Chiesa (18-7 MMA, 13-7 UFC) tapped [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag] (20-11 MMA, 8-9 UFC) with his signature choke for the tap at 1:56 of Round 3.

After the fight, Chiesa called for a spot on the promotion’s Feb. 22 event in Seattle. Chiesa is a Spokane, Wash. native and has not competed in his home state since the promotion’s most recent visit in 2013.

Chiesa, 37, has now won two fights in a row. He defeated Tony Ferguson by submission in August. That win snapped a three-fight skid.

Griffin, 39, has now alternated wins and losses across his six most recent outings.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 310 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin at UFC 310: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Michael Chiesa’s third-round submission win over Max Griffin at UFC 310.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]’s third-round submission win over [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag] at UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Fight and venue photos by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA Today Sports)

UFC 310: Michael Chiesa sees Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry going the distance

Michael Chiesa sees Shavkat Rakhmonov’s finishing streak coming to an end at UFC 310.

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] sees [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]’s finishing streak coming to an end at UFC 310.

Unbeaten welterweights Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) square off in a five-round co-main event Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

A UFC analyst and welterweight, Chiesa picks Rakhmonov to beat Machado Garry but doesn’t believe he’ll stop him.

“I’ll keep it short, you know? There’s some sparring footage that came out of Ian Garry and Shavkat,” Chiesa told Sportskeeda. “I think that they’re both going to be very familiar with each other, and I will go out on a limb and say I think this fight goes to decision. I think these guys are familiar with each other enough to where they’re going to negate a few of the attacks, and it’s going to be a matter of who can come in there and throw a new wrinkle into their game, to throw off the opponent.

“I think for Shavkat, if he can find a way to get this fight to the mat, I think that could benefit him a lot. And for Ian, I think that it’s just going to be a matter of, I think that if he can change stances a little bit, use the kicks, I think he can have a lot of success. But when it’s all said and done, and the dust settles, I think Shavkat walks out with his hand raised and is the rightful No. 1 contender.”

Chiesa (17-7 MMA, 12-7 UFC) competes on the same night as Rakhmonov vs. Garry when he takes on Max Griffin. In his most recent outing, the Season 15 “Ultimate Fighter” winner snapped a three-fight losing skid by submitting Tony Ferguson in the first round at UFC on ESPN 7 in August.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

Michael Chiesa targets UFC commentary debut in 2025: ‘My time will come’

Is Michael Chiesa the next to join the rotation of UFC cageside commentators?

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] thinks he’s put himself in a good position to get the call whenever a new face is introduced into the rotation of UFC color commentators.

Chiesa (19-7 MMA, 12-7 UFC) has been a staple of UFC broadcast for several years now, primarily as desk analyst providing predictions, breakdown and more for various events. More recently, however, he has begun the steps of a proven path toward the commentary booth, which is his ultimate goal.

“The Ultimate Fighter 15” winner has worked commentary for LFA, which streams on UFC Fight Pass, and also recently called “Road to UFC” bouts for the first time. He’s put in tireless hours to craft himself for that role, and Chiesa said it’s only a matter of time until his opportunity on the big show arrives.

“True – 100 percent (I will call an event in 2025),” Chiesa told MMA Junkie. “I feel like it’s coming. For me, I’m just staying patient. I know my time will come and I’m excited for it. My life revolves around this sport. I don’t have kids. I don’t have anything else going on. I eat, sleep and breathe mixed martial arts, dude. So I just know in due time I’ll get what I deserve and I think it’s going to feel really good. I’m pumped.”

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The UFC has a strong crop of names already on its broadcast roster. Jon Anik, Brendan Fitzgerald and John Gooden are the trio for all play-by-play assignment. The color commentary features a mix of Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, Michael Bisping, Paul Felder, Dominick Cruz and Laura Sanko, who became the most recent addition and first woman to call UFC bouts in February 2023.

Chiesa sees himself as part of that elite crop eventually, and he said there’s no greater joy than his current trajectory.

“It’s just fun,” Chiesa said. “Like, I’m in camp, I get to go to Edmonton and work a desk show and I get a line of training out there and everything about where my life is at right now – I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. I think that’s good. I know that’s good. I’m excited. When that day comes I just got to make sure to control my excitement. When I get too excited I don’t speak very well. When that time comes, keep a cool head and enjoy the moment for sure.”

Chiesa (19-7 MMA, 12-7 UFC) returns to action at UFC 310 on Dec. 7 when he meets Max Griffin (19-10 MMA, 8-8 UFC) in a welterweight bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+).

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

Check out episodes of “The Bohn Fire” on MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn’s YouTube channel.

UFC Fight Night 245: How to watch Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira, start time, Las Vegas fight card, odds, more

Here’s what you need to know to watch UFC Fight Night 245 on ESPN+.

The UFC stays put for another home show this week with a pair of middleweight standouts at the top of a card that features nine bouts at featherweight or lighter.

Here’s how to watch UFC Fight Night 245 with 185-pounders in the headlining spot, plus bantamweights in the co-feature.

Broadcast and streaming info

Karyn Bryant and Michael Chiesa

UFC Fight Night 245 has a main card that starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The preliminary card streams on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET.

Veteran broadcaster [autotag]Karyn Bryant[/autotag] serves as desk anchor and host at UFC Fight Night 245.

“The Ultimate Fighter 15′ winner [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] and retired welterweight veteran [autotag]Alan Jouban[/autotag] join her as analysts at the desk.

[autotag]Brendan Fitzgerald[/autotag] will serve as the leading man on the mic from cageside at UFC Fight Night 245.

He’ll command play-by-play and be joined in the booth by lightweight veteran [autotag]Paul Felder[/autotag], as well as former UFC/WEC bantamweight champion [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag].

(Mike Bohn, MMA Junkie)

Main event: Anthony Hernandez

Anthony Hernandez

Record: 12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC
Opponent: Michel Pereira (31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Roman Kopylov, Edmen Shahbazyan, Marc-Andre Barriault, JunYong Park, Brendan Allen
Misc.: “Fluffy” has a five-fight winning streak, four of which have been by stoppage – and two of which have gotten him post-fight bonuses.

Main event: Michel Pereira

Michel Pereira

Record: 31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC
Opponent: Anthony Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Ihor Potieria, Michał Oleksiejczuk, Andre Petroski, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Andre Fialho
Misc.: Brazilian has an eight-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since before the pandemic, when he landed an illegal knee on Diego Sanchez.

Co-main event: Rob Font

Rob Font

Record: 20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC
Opponent: Kyler Phillips (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Key wins: Adrian Yanez, Cody Garbrandt, Marlon Moraes, Ricky Simon, Sergio Pettis
Misc.: Font will be looking to snap the second two-fight skid of his career. He’s dropped fur of his past five, but those losses have been decisions to the division’s elite: Jose Aldo, Marlon Vera, Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo.

Co-main event: Kyler Phillips

Kyler Phillips

Record: 12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC
Opponent: Rob Font (20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Key wins: Pedro Munhoz, Raoni Barcelos, Song Yadong
Misc.: “The Matrix” has three straight wins since the lone setback of his UFC career.

UFC Fight Night 245 main card betting odds

Darren Elkins

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

  • Anthony Hernandez (-150) vs. Michel Pereira (+125)
  • Rob Font (+300) vs. Kyler Phillips (-400)
  • Charles Johnson (-235) vs. Su Mudaerji (+190)
  • Jake Hadley (+125) vs. Brady Hiestand (-150)
  • Darren Elkins (+105) vs. Daniel Pineda (-125)

UFC Fight Night 245 prelim betting odds

Jessica Penne

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

  • Asu Almabayev (-170) vs. Matheus Nicolau (+140)
  • Brad Katona (+220) vs. Jean Matsumoto (-270)
  • Joselyne Edwards (-235) vs. Tamires Vidal (+190)
  • Jessica Penne (+130) vs. Elise Reed (-155)
  • Alice Ardelean (+125) vs. Melissa Martinez (-150)
  • Robelis Despaigne (-450) vs. Austen Lane (+325)

UFC Fight Night 245 preview videos

Michael Chiesa makes case for Belal Muhammad against ‘boogeyman’ Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310

UFC analysts Michael Chiesa and Alan Jouban previewed Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov.

UFC analysts [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] and [autotag]Alan Jouban[/autotag] previewed [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag].

Welterweight champion Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) makes his first title defense against undefeated Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the UFC 310 main event on Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+).

Chiesa, who faces Max Griffin on the same night, thinks Muhammad’s resume cannot be discounted. While he’s not necessarily picking him to win, he wouldn’t be surprised if Muhammad bounced Rakhmonov out of the ranks of the unbeaten.

“It would be easy for people to discredit and dismiss Belal because when you look at Shavkat Rakhmonov, 18-0 with 10 submissions and 8 KOs, (he’s) the boogeyman of the division right now,” Chiesa told ESPN. “But you look at Belal’s strength of schedule in his last six fights: Demian Maia, who was ranked when he fought him; (Stephen) ‘Wonderboy’ (Thompson), who was ranked above the top 10; Vicente Luque, who was ranked (No.) 5 when he fought him.

“Sean Brady TKO’d him, took his 0; fought Gilbert Burns on short notice in a five-round fight, beat him; and then dethrones Leon Edwards in his own backyard. Before people want to dismiss Belal Muhammad because of who he is fighting, you just look at that strength of schedule and you’ve got to remind yourself: This guy is the champion for a reason, and I would not be surprised if he took Shavkat’s 0.”

Jouban, who spoiled Muhammad’s UFC debut in a Fight of the Night battle in 2016, thinks the champion has the skills to beat well-rounded Rakhmonov.

“Belal has proven time and time again why he deserved the championship fight, he got the championship fight, and he deserves to be the champion now,” Jouban said. “He looked phenomenal against Leon Edwards. Leon Edwards is one of the better grapplers in the division. He has outgrappled guys like Gunnar Nelson and so on.

“And Belal Muhammad goes in there, dumps him on his head numerous times, outwrestled him, manhandled him. Shavkat Rakhmonov though, this guy does everything well, and so this is going to be, I think, Belal’s toughest date. But I do think that Belal does have the grappling to get it done.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

Welterweights Michael Chiesa, Max Griffin booked for UFC 310

A battle between welterweight veterans Michael Chiesa and Max Griffin is headed to UFC 310.

A battle between welterweight veterans is headed to UFC 310.

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag] Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+). Two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie after an initial report from MMA Fighting.

After three straight setbacks to Vicente Luque, Sean Brady and Kevin Holland, Chiesa (17-7 MMA, 12-7 UFC) returned to submit Tony Ferguson in the first round at UFC on ABC 7 in August.

Griffin (20-10 MMA, 8-8 UFC) has split his past four octagon appearances. After dropping a unanimous decision to Michael Morales, Griffin rebounded with a close win over Jeremiah Wells at UFC Fight Night 236 in February.

With the addition, the latest UFC 310 lineup now includes:

  • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith
  • Virna Jandiroba vs. Tatiana Suarez
  • Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

UFC’s Michael Chiesa explains why he doesn’t want Tony Ferguson to fight anymore

“I just don’t think he should be taking shots anymore,” Michael Chiesa said of Tony Ferguson after beating him at UFC on ABC 7.

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] can satisfy his competitive drive in ways other than MMA.

Ferguson (25-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC) suffered a UFC record eighth consecitve loss when he was submitted in the first round by Chiesa at UFC on ABC 7. Ferguson laid down one glove after the loss but appeared to walk back any retirement talk.

Ferguson hopes the UFC remains his home, even though Dana White has urged him to retire on numerous occasions. Like White, Chiesa (17-7 MMA, 12-7 UFC) thinks “El Cucuy” should no longer be fighting.

“I hope he just stops competing,” Chiesa told BJPenn.com. “Maybe if he wants to scratch that itch and compete in jiu-jitsu, I’m sure there are a lot of jiu-jitsu promotions that would pay Tony a lot of money to grapple. I just don’t want to see him take any headshots anymore. That is speaking to a brother that I’m in the same fraternity with.

“Him and I both won ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ I say that with compassion. You can still make money and compete in jiu-jitsu, but I don’t think it’s a financial thing for Tony. I think he’s just a fierce competitor. The guy likes to compete. He’s very athletic. I just don’t think he should be taking shots anymore.”

Chiesa opted to hand Ferguson the microphone after his win, considering that it may have likely been his final moment in the octagon.

“It’s one of those things. I don’t have anything, so let him have his moment. It’s on ABC,” Chiesa said. “While some people might have thought I should have taken my time and been a bit more selfish, I disagree. I consider myself to be in the same fraternity as Tony Ferguson.

“We both have that common ground that not many other fighters have, so I just felt like it was time to let him have his moment. I’m pretty sure that’s the last time we’ll see him in the UFC. The only way you want to keep him in the UFC is to protect him from the people outside the UFC that are going to try and sign him.”

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