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With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from May 2023.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from May 2023. Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for May.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
All things considered, Diego Lopes was pleased with his short-notice UFC debut against undefeated Movsar Evloev – even in defeat.
[autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] gave his all in his UFC debut, and he’s impressed that [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] was able to survive it.
The two featherweights put on a show this past Saturday on the pay-per-view main card of UFC 288 as they went back and forth to the final bell in a dramatic fight. In the end, Evloev (17-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) got the win, but Lopes (21-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) left with the respect of many viewers, especially considering he took the fight on just five days’ notice and gave an unbeaten contender hell.
Lopes came close to securing multiple submissions, but the closest was a kneebar attempt in the final 10 seconds of the third round.
“Yeah, (the kneebar) was the closest one,” Lopes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I think if I would’ve had 20 or 30 seconds more, the result could’ve been different because his knee was fully extended, and I felt his knee cracking and hyperextending.”
Lopes knew that submitting Evloev and taking his unbeaten status wouldn’t be an easy task, but part of him is surprised he wasn’t able to get it done with the kneebar.
“Yeah, it did surprise me, but we know how these Russians are,” Lopes said. “They don’t like to tap and much more if they’re undefeated, so their mentality is very strong. I wasn’t fully surprised, but when I locked the submission I did believe he was going to tap, but he didn’t.”
The fight against Evloev officially stands as a loss in Lopes’ career. However, the Brazilian left UFC 288 with his head held high.
Despite the defeat, he did make it to the UFC by taking the short-notice fight and got a $50,000 bonus for Fight of the Night. Lopes also told MMA Junkie that UFC president Dana White promised to pay him his win bonus, as well.
“I feel very happy and really excited to have made it to the UFC and have a contract in hand,” Lopes said. “I fought someone who was ranked, who had a good record and is undefeated. Everything that I was able to do in the cage now gives me motivation.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
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Movsar Evloev had his work cut out for him Saturday in New Jersey, but survived. Now he wants a featherweight rebooking with Bryce Mitchell.
NEWARK, N.J. – [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] had his work cut out for him Saturday in New Jersey.
Evloev (17-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), the biggest favorite on the card at UFC 288 in Newark, needed 15 minutes to outpoint featherweight promotional newcomer Diego Lopes (21-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who stepped in for Bryce Mitchell on just a few days’ notice – and put the unbeaten Evloev in some precarious positions with submission attempts throughout the fight.
“I was thinking, ‘I will finish this guy,'” Evloev said at his post-fight news conference. “Every second, I was working for that. But that kid was tough. He’s a tough opponent. He’s dangerous on the ground and he has heavy punches. It was a big risk for me.”
Evloev was as much as a 10-1 betting favorite at Prudential Center, but had to escape with a 30-27 scorecard and a pair of 29-28s. The bout was UFC 288’s Fight of the Night, which was worth an extra $50,000 each for Evloev and Lopes.
Evloev said Lopes’ submission attempts were solid, but nothing that had him in what he thought was any danger.
“(They were) not close, but my ground control is top level, even if I don’t use some submissions,” Evloev said. “I don’t let someone submit me. My sparring (partners), some try to take some submissions, but I’m flexible and I’m stable and no one can submit me.”
Evloev said he wants a quick turnaround – and wants to be rebooked against his original UFC 288 opponent, Mitchell.
“I want to fight in the next two months with someone who has a big name, big ranking in our division – no more no-names – maybe the end of June or beginning of July,” Evloev said. “I’m completely healthy and I need only two weeks for rest. Maybe they organize the fight with Bryce again. I’m ready.”
Check out the full interview with Evloev in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
Check out the statistics coming out of UFC 288, where Aljamain Sterling added to a resume that points to him being the bantamweight GOAT.
The UFC made its return to New Jersey after nearly four years Saturday with UFC 288, which took place at Prudential Center in Newark and featured a 12-fight lineup with six stoppage results.
One of the fights that went the distance happened in the main event when [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) retained the bantamweight title with a split decision win over former two-division champ [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who was returning from a three-year retirement.
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 288.
Aljamain Sterling received the highest Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay for entering UFC 288 as champion.
NEWARK, N.J. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 288 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $267,500.
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 288 took place at Prudential Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
The full UFC 288 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]: $32,000
[autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Kron Gracie[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Khaos Williams[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Rolando Bedoya[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Virna Jandiroba[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Braxton Smith[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Ikram Aliskerov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Phil Hawes[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Claudio Ribeiro[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Joseph Holmes[/autotag]: $4,500
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 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $2,823,500
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $17,412,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
Check out the best photos from Movsar Evloev’s unanimous decision win over Diego Lopes at UFC 288 in Newark, N.J.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] at UFC 288 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (Photos by Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports)
Check out what the UFC 288 winners and guest fighters had to say backstage at Saturday’s event.
NEWARK, N.J. – UFC 288 took place Saturday with 12 bouts on the lineup. We’ve got you covered with backstage winner and guest fighter interviews from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
You can hear from all the UFC 288 winners and more by checking out their post-fight news conferences below.
Diego Lopes knows what playing spoiler at UFC 288 could do for his career.
MORRISTOWN, N.J. – [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] knows what playing spoiler at UFC 288 could do for his career.
Lopes (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) replaces Bryce Mitchell on five days’ notice against [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) on Saturday’s main card opener at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
Not only is Lopes facing a highly touted undefeated fighter, but also one who’s ranked in the UFC’s top 15 featherweight standings.
“If no one wants to fight him, here I am,” Lopes said Wednesday during UFC 288 media day through an interpreter. “I showed up to fight. I think it’s a great opportunity for my career, I think people know me for taking fights on short notice, and on Saturday they’re gonna know even more about me.”
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The short-notice nature of the fight makes it an even bigger challenge for Lopes, but the Dana White’s Contender Series alum said he’s been staying ready.
“I’m always kind of tuned into my division, the guys in my division,” Lopes said. “I’m also always training to be in a fight. So, obviously I wasn’t expecting it, but I was prepared.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC 288 main card in Newark, including bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo.
| Sterling vs. Cejudo |
Burns vs. Muhammad |
Andrade vs. Xiaonan |
Evloev vs. Lopes |
Gracie vs. Jourdain |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 65-45 |
 Cejudo (61%) |
 Burns (66%) |
 Andrade (70%) |
 Evloev (91%) |
 Gracie (54%) |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 71-39 |
 Sterling |
 Muhammad |
Andrade |
Evloev |
 Jourdain |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 70-40 |
Cejudo |
Burns |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Gracie |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 70-40 |
Sterling |
Muhammad |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Gracie |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 68-42 |
Cejudo |
Burns |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Jourdain |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 67-43 |
Sterling |
Muhammad |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Gracie |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 65-45  2014 Champion |
Cejudo |
Muhammad |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Jourdain |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 63-47 |
Cejudo |
Burns |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Jourdain |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway -62-48 2018, 2022 Champion |
Cejudo |
Burns |
 Xiaonan |
Evloev |
Jourdain |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 61-49 |
Cejudo |
Burns |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Jourdain |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 60-50 |
Cejudo |
Muhammad |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Gracie |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 60-50 2017 Champion |
Cejudo |
Burns |
Andrade |
Evloev |
Jourdain |
The UFC is back on the East Coast this week with the bantamweight title up for grabs for an ex-champ coming out of retirement.
UFC 288 takes place Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) puts his title on the line against former two-division champ and Olympic gold medalist [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who is ending his retirement of nearly three years.
The fight essentially is a pick’em at the betting window. If books don’t have the fight even, there are about as many who have Sterling a slight favorite as there are those that have Cejudo a slight favorite. But our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have it as a blowout for the former champ, Cejudo, at 8-3.
In the co-feature, [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) meets [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in a bout that Dana White has said will determine the next welterweight title challenger – after Colby Covington. Burns, who retired Jorge Masvidal just a month ago, returns for a fight that was booked on a little more than two weeks’ notice. Burns is a slight betting favorite and he has the smallest possible edge in the picks at 6-5.
Also on the main card, former women’s strawweight champion [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (24-10 MMA, 15-8 UFC) is a 2-1 favorite in her fight against [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC), but she’s not a unanimous pick. One of our staff members has Xiaonan in an upset.
[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is as much as a 10-1 favorite from the oddsmakers in his featherweight fight against [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who took the bout on just a few days’ notice when Bryce Mitchell pulled out. Not surprisingly, Evloev is our only unanimous pick.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Kron Gracie[/autotag] (5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag] (13-6-1 MMA, 4-5-1 UFC) at featherweight. Jourdain is around a -175 favorite, and he’s got a 7-4 lead from our pickers.
In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Cejudo (61 percent), Burns (66 percent), Andrade (70 percent), Evloev (91 percent) and Gracie (54 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
Movsar Evloev believes he would “be better in everything” in a fight with UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.
MORRISTOWN, N.J. – [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] thinks he’s the one to dethrone UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag].
Nobody’s had an answer for Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC) at 145 pounds, but undefeated Evloev (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is confident that he does. Evloev picked Volkanovski to beat interim champ Yair Rodriguez on July 8 at UFC 290 and hopes he can get his shot at the belt in 2024.
“Only one guy can beat Alex: (He’s) in front of you,” Evloev said Wednesday during UFC 288 media day. “Please let me go to this fight maybe next year, and I will show you. I will be better in everything, it doesn’t matter. Wrestling, striking, conditioning.”
Evloev’s path to the title continues when he faces newcomer Diego Lopes (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on Saturday’s main card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
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Evloev was originally scheduled to face Bryce Mitchell before he withdrew due to injury earlier this week. Despite seeing multiple fights with Mitchell fall through, Evloev is still open to fighting him in the future.
“I think a fight with Bryce is a better opportunity, but I don’t care,” Evloev said. “A fight is a fight and after this fight, I have somebody who I will call. Even if they organize once again a fight with Bryce, it can be good because many people from top 15 are recovering and many people already have fights, and not too many options.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
