UFC on ESPN 57 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Nassourdine Imavov nets $6k for main event

UFC on ESPN 57 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 57 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,500.

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 57 took place at the KFC Yum! Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 57 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ricky Turcios[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Brunno Ferreira[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Julian Marquez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Charlie Radtke[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brad Katona[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jesse Butler[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Montana De La Rosa[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Daniel Marcos[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Denise Gomes[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Eduarda Moura[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Taylor Lapilus[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Puja Tomar[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Rayanne dos Santos[/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 $4,570; 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 $57,000 while title challengers get $57,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-57 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,451,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,188,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ESPN 57

Miguel Baeza and Punahele Soriano are two welterweights in a need of a victory. Who will get the job done at UFC on ESPN 57 in Louisville?

[autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] and [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] meet Saturday in the main card opener of UFC on ESPN 57 from KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.  

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 preview

Baeza (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) entered the UFC on a tear after his Dana White’s Contender Series appearance. His first three fights resulted in second-round stoppage victories over Hector Aldana, Matt Brown and Takashi Sato. However, he has since struggled. Baeza is currently on a three-fight skid, including back-to-back stoppage losses to bring his UFC run to .500. … Soriano (9-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) will be looking to get back to that .500 mark. Soriano also came out of the gates hot after his DWCS signning. He stopped Oskar Piechota and Dusko Todorovic in the first round, but has since gone 1-4 over his last five.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 expert pick, prediction

Continuing their anti-Joe Silva card formatting trend, the UFC matchmakers not-so-surprisingly open the card with a welterweight bout between Soriano and Baeza.

In Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby’s defense, these two are both exciting fighters who could produce a potential welterweight war.

Baeza, who is coming off north of a two-year layoff, will be attempting to stop the bleeding of a three-fight losing skid opposite southpaw Soriano.

Although Baeza officially stands 1-0 opposite UFC-level southpaws (Takashi Sato), he’s never faced one as imposing and dangerous as “Puna.”

A former middleweight fighter and collegiate wrestler, Soriano has largely made his money by punishing opponents with his crushing power on the feet. The Hawaiian has underperformed in his recent string of losses, so expect Soriano to come out with something to prove this Saturday.

Despite my admitted bias for Soriano and his team at Xtreme Couture, I believe that Baeza – who is the deserved favorite – is a dangerous fighter to back as a favorite due to his suspect chin. For that reason, I’ll side with Soriano to score a semi-surprising knockout via a check right hook in Round 2.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the fighter from Florida, listing Baeza (-184) and Soriano (+142) via FanDuel.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 start time, how to watch

As the main card opening bout, Baeza and Soriano are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 8:05 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 17-23)

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 or officially announced by a promotion from July 17-23

Miguel Baeza announces withdrawal from Jake Mathews fight at UFC 291

Miguel Baeza says he’s out of his return fight against Jake Mathews at UFC 291.

[autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag]’s comeback will have to wait.

On Wednesday evening, Baeza (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) announced that he no longer will be competing in a welterweight bout against Jake Matthews on July 29 at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City. Baeza did not cite a reason for his withdrawal and didn’t give a timeline for a potential return.

“I hate to do this, but I will not be competing July 29,” Baeza wrote on his Instagram Stories. “I want to apologize to the UFC, my opponent, and all those who supported me throughout. I will be back, just been the comeback had just been postponed.”

The UFC has yet to officially acknowledge Baeza’s withdrawal. It’s uncertain if Matthews (18-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) will get a replacement oppoennt for the July 29 event.

Baeza hasn’t competed since April 2022 when he suffered a first-round TKO to Andre Fialho. The 30-year-old is currently on a three-fight losing streak, a run that halted a 10-0 start to his professional MMA career.

With Baeza’s withdrawal, the UFC 291 lineup now includes:

  • Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje
  • Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
  • Paulo Costa vs. Ikram Aliskerov
  • Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
  • Michel Pereira vs. Stephen Thompson
  • Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
  • Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trevin Giles
  • Roman Kopylov vs. Claudio Ribeiro
  • Vinicius Salvador vs. CJ Vergara
  • Jake Matthews vs. opponent TBA
  • Uros Medic vs. Matthew Semelsberger
  • Priscila Cachoeira vs. Miranda Maverick

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (June 26-July 2)

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 or officially announced by a promotion from June 26-July 2.

Jake Matthews vs. Miguel Baeza joins UFC 291 lineup in Salt Lake City

Welterweights Jake Matthews and Miguel Baeza will throw down in July at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City.

Welterweights [autotag]Jake Matthews[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] will throw down in July.

Matthews (18-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) takes on Baeza (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) at UFC 291 on July 29 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City with the main card on pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+, promotion officials announced Thursday.

Matthews hasn’t competed since dropping a unanimous decision to Matthew Semelsberger at UFC Fight Night 216 in December. Prior to that, the 28-year-old Aussie scored a Performance of the Night knockout of Andre Fialho at UFC 275.

Baeza will also look to rebound. After an unbeaten start to his professional MMA career – including three UFC finishes, Baeza has lost three in a row to Santiago Ponzinibbio, Khaos Williams, and most recently Fialho in April 2022.

With the addition, the UFC 291 lineup includes:

  • Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier – for BMF title
  • Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
  • Paulo Costa vs. Ikram Aliskerov
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
  • Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
  • Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
  • Michel Pereira vs. Stephen Thompson
  • Vinicius Salvador vs. CJ Vergara
  • Priscila Cachoeira vs. Joanne Wood
  • Miguel Baeza vs. Jake Matthews

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

UFC on ESPN 34 video: Andre Fialho scores brutal TKO, hands Miguel Baeza his third consecutive loss

Watch Andre Fialho put away Miguel Baeza in brutal fashion at UFC on ESPN 34.

[autotag]Andre Fialho[/autotag]’s first UFC win came in impressive fashion.

The UFC welterweight picked up his first victory by putting away a tough [autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] on the main card of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 34. Fialho (15-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) won by TKO, stopping Baeza (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) at the 4:39 mark of Round 1.

It was a bout in which Baeza shined early, connecting with good combinations that had Fialho backing up. In an exchange while clinching, Fialho hurt Baeza with a couple of uppercuts and then followed up with a series of shots that dropped Baeza.

You can watch Fialho’s win in the video below (via Twitter):

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Fialho was coming off a decision loss to Michel Pereira in January, which marked the start of his UFC career. Prior to that, Fialho was on a four-fight winning streak.

On the other hand, Baeza, who was once regarded as one of the best prospects at welterweight, is now on a three-fight losing streak. Two of the three defeats came by TKO. His last win came against Takashi Sato in late 2020, which earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 34 results include:

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UFC books Miguel Baeza vs. Dhiego Lima for April 16 event

Welterweights Miguel Baeza and Dhiego Lima will look to rebound when they square off in April.

Welterweights [autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] and [autotag]Dhiego Lima[/autotag] will look to rebound when they square off in April.

Baeza (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) meets Lima (15-9 MMA, 4-7 UFC) at a UFC Fight Night event on April 16, which doesn’t yet have a publicly known venue or location.

Both fighters confirmed the booking on social media Monday following an initial report from Best Fight Picks.

Baeza, a Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, will look to snap a two-fight losing skid after an unbeaten start to his pro MMA career. After a “Fight of the Night” war against Santiago Ponzinibbio in June, Baeza was stopped in the third round by Khaos Williams at UFC Fight Night 197 in November.

Lima is also coming off back-to-back losses. “The Ultimate Fighter 25” finalist scored three straight octagon wins, including a victory over Court McGee, but then dropped a decision to Belal Muhammad and, most recently, a knockout loss to Matt Brown in June.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night on April 16 lineup includes:

  • Brandon Jenkins vs. Drakkar Klose
  • Miguel Baeza vs. Dhiego Lima

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UFC Fight Night 197: Miguel Baeza vs. Khaos Williams odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 197 odds and lines between Miguel Baeza vs. Khaos Williams, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a welterweight bout on the main card, Miguel Baeza meets Khaos Williams Saturday at UFC Fight Night 197 – also known as UFC Vegas 42. Below, we analyze the UFC Fight Night 197 Baeza vs. Williams odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The card can be viewed on ESPN+ with the prelims at 1 p.m. ET and the main card at 4 p.m. ET.

Baeza enters the octagon standing two inches taller than Williams, but he gives up 2.5 inches in reach. Baeza holds a slim 5.30-to-5.20 significant strikes landed per minute lead, with a 51.01-to-42.73 significant strikes accuracy percentage advantage.

Baeza lost to Santiago Ponzinibbio by unanimous decision his last time out in June, his first loss in four fights at the UFC level. His previous three fights ended as victories via stoppages, including two second-round knockouts.

Williams picked up a unanimous-decision win over Matthew Semelsberger his last time out in June. Like Baeza, Williams is 3-1 in four fights since arriving at the UFC level, with two first-round knockouts and a pair of decisions.

UFC Fight Night 197 Baeza vs. Williams: Odds and lines

Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:37 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Baeza -155 (bet $155 to win $100) | Williams +120 (bet $100 to win $120)
  • Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over -107 | Under -127)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +130 | No -180)

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UFC Fight Night 197 Baeza vs. Williams: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Records: Baeza (10-1-0) | Williams (12-2-0)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

I like WILLIAMS (+120) for the slight upset here. These two fighters are very evenly matched, but Khaos is a better value, and I like his slight reach advantage to keep Baeza at bay and perhaps deliver a knockout victory.

As such, WILLIAMS BY KO/TKO (+225) is worth a small-unit play for a chance to more than double up.

Over/Under (O/U)

NO (-180): FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE is a little on the steep side, but it’s worth a look. Both of these guys have a high punch rate and are very energetic, not looking for the judges to decide their fate.

I also like a two-round block on WILLIAMS TO WIN IN ROUND 2 (+720) and WILLIAMS TO WIN IN ROUND 3 (+1500). Yes, you’ll lose one of the ends even if he wins in Rounds 2-3, but you’ll still be quite a bit ahead.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow @WinWithJoe on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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UFC Fight Night 197 predictions: Max Holloway is unanimous, but what about Yadong?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC Fight Night 197 main card, featuring Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez.

Holloway
vs.
Rodriguez
de Lima
vs.
Rothwell
Letson
vs.
Spencer
Baeza
vs.
Williams
Arce
vs.
Yadong
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 190-104
holloway2021
Holloway
(88%)
rothwell2021
Rothwell
(72%)
spencer2021
Spencer
(86%)
baeza2021
Baeza
(51%)
yadong2021
Yadong
(81%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 194-100
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 188-106
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 184-110
trophy copy 2014 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 182-112
trophy copy 2020 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
arce2021
Arce
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 182-112
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 181-113
holloway2021
Holloway
delima2021
de Lima
spencer2021
Spencer
williams2021
Williams
yadong2021
Yadong
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 177-117
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 177-117
trophy copy 2018 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 172-122
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
arce2021
Arce
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 171-123
trophy copy 2017 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 169-125
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 169-125
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 110-68
holloway2021
Holloway
delima2021
de Lima
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong

The UFC is back home in Las Vegas this week with a former champion at the top of the lineup.

UFC Fight Night 197 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, former featherweight champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (22-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who is fighting for the first time in more than two years. Holloway is a huge -800 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Rodriguez is +470. Given those odds, it’s not surprising that not a single one of our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers is picking against Holloway.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag] (18-7-1 MMA, 7-5 UFC) meets [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (39-13 MMA, 9-7 UFC) at heavyweight. And though Rothwell only is a -165 favorite, he’s got the support of 11 of our 13 staff members.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Leah Letson[/autotag] (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) takes on former Invicta champion and former UFC women’s featherweight title challenger [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC). Spencer is a big -320 favorite, and she’s our other unanimous pick.

[autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) may be just a -150 favorite at welterweight against [autotag]Khaos Williams[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), but he’s got a near-unanimous picks lead at 12-1.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (17-5-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) is a slim -140 favorite at featherweight against [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC). Yadong has most of our backing – he’s an 11-2 pick.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Holloway (88 percent), Rothwell (72 percent), Spencer (86 percent), Baeza (51 percent) and Yadong (81 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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