Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Muslim Salikhov beat Santiago Ponzinibbio with a split decision Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 59 co-main event at Ball Arena in Denver. Take a look inside the fight with Salikhov, who got back in the win column after back-to-back losses.
[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] beat Santiago Ponzinibbio with a split decision Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 59 co-main event at Ball Arena in Denver.
Take a look inside the fight with Salikhov, who got back in the win column after back-to-back losses.
The UFC has now issued more than $4 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance to its fighters in 2024 after UFC Denver.
DENVER – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 59 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $180,500.
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 59 took place at Ball Arena in Colorado. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 59 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Jean Silva[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ange Loosa[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $11,000
vs. [autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Jasmine Jasudavicius[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Fatima Kline[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Andre Petroski[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Evan Elder[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Darrius Flowers[/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 $31,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-59 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $4,129,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,866,000
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.
UFC on ESPN 59 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
Muslim Salikhov’s biggest career win came shortly after his 40th birthday with a split decision over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC on ESPN 59.
The biggest win of [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]’s career came just weeks after his 40th birthday in the form of a triumph over [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN 59 co-main event.
Salikhov (20-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) avoided the first three-fight losing skid of his career and got back on the winning track Saturday with a split decision victory over Ponzinibbio (29-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC) in their welterweight clash at Ball Arena in Denver.
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The “King of Kung Fu” used striking to his advantage once again for 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28 scores after going toe-to-toe for the majority of three rounds and edging out the exchanges in the eyes of the judges.
He proves that age is just a number!
Muslim Salikhov takes home the split decision over Santiago Ponzinibbio at #UFCDenver pic.twitter.com/oVH9FvOyYX
— UFC (@ufc) July 14, 2024
Avoiding the pressure of Ponzinibbio was key for Salikhov. He used footwork and movement to create angles against his oncoming opponent and uncorked some of his trademark spinning attacks when the opportunities presented themselves.
Ponzinibbio attempted takedowns at various points, but Salikhov was able to avoid any damage and get the nod in the end.
“Ponzinibbio is very experienced guy,” Salikhov said in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “I respect him a lot, but today, I had the best team, the best gameplan and I followed it. That’s why this happened. It was not easy, but it’s OK. I got the win.”
With the win, Salikhov has his hand raised for the first time since November 2022. Ponzinibbio, meanwhile, drops to 2-5 in his past seven fights since January 2021, which marked his return to competition from a multiyear layoff due to health issues.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 59 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.
Check out the best photos from Muslim Salikhov’s split decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC on ESPN 59.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]’s split decision win over [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 59 at Ball Arena in Denver. (Fight and venue photos by Ron Chenoy, USA Today Sports)
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 59 odds between Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov, with MMA picks and predictions.
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In a 3-round welterweight bout on the main card, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 59 at Ball Arena in Denver. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 59: Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin 7 p.m. ET, also on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET, also on ESPN/ESPN+.
Records: Ponzinibbio (30-7-0) | Salikhov (19-5-0)
Ponzinibbio suffered a 3rd-round KO/TKO loss to Kevin Holland at UFC 287 in his most recent appearance. His previous 2 fights have ended via knockout, although 3 of his 5 bouts have gone the distance. He did top Alex Morono via KO/TKO at UFC 282 Dec. 10, 2022 for his most recent win.
Salikhov has consecutive losses to Randy Brown and Nicolas Dalby, with his last win coming via KO/TKO in Round 3 against Andre Fialho Nov. 19, 2022. He is in the midst of a 1-3 skid across his past 4 fights, with just one of those bouts going the distance.
The Argentine fighter has a 3-inch reach advantage over Salikhov, and the latter is 3 years older at 40. Ponzinibbio has a 4.90-to-3.36 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, while the Russian is much more accurate on those strikes at 53.94% to 42.53%.
Salikhov also does great work getting fighters to the ground, which can wow the judges should it come to that. He has a 1.27 takedown average, and 40.91% takedown accuracy percentage, while Ponzinibbio barely scratches the surface at 0.48 and 30.0% respectively.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.
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Ponzinibbio (-190) will cost you nearly 2 times your potential return on a straight-up wager, and that’s a little too risky on a fighter which has won just once in the past 4 outings since June 5, 2021.
Salikhov (+150) is in the same boat, however, as he has dropped 3 of his past 4 fights, too.
Salikhov has been knocked out in 2 of his past 4 fights, and that’s worth pursuing further. PONZINIBBIO BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+175) on the 7-way line is a solid value given Salikhov’s recent lack of defense.
UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-125) is the play in this lead-up to the main event.
We’re calling for Ponzinibbio to the get KO/TKO, and it will likely come in Rounds 1 or 2. If you’re really adventurous, consider PONZINIBBIO IN ROUND 1 (+325) and PONZINIBBIO IN ROUND 2 (+550) in round betting. Yes, you’ll lose one of those ends if he wins in either of the 2 rounds, but you’ll still be well ahead if it happens.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.
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Reeling veterans Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov aim to claim victory in the UFC Denver co-main event. Who will it be?
[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] and [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 59 from Ball Arena in Denver. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 2-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 54-51-2
Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) once seemed on a path toward a UFC welterweight title shot while on a seven-fight winning streak from 2015 to 2018, but things have changed in recent years. Now 37, Ponzinibbio’s career has been marred by injuries and losses as he’s gone 2-4 since 2021. He most recently competed in April 2023, losing by third-round knockout to Kevin Holland at UFC 287. … Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has taken a similar path to his career. Once on a five-fight winning streak, Salikhov, 40, has hit a rough patch, losing three of his past four bouts since July 2022. He’s currently on a two-fight skid with a unanimous decision loss to Nicolas Dalby and most recently a first-round knockout by Randy Brown this past February.
The co-main event in Denver features a welterweight showdown between Ponzinibbio and Salikhov.
These two are clearly in their post-primes, but I’m happy to see veterans like Ponzinibbio and Salikhov getting some shine in a featured spot. That said, despite being a big fan of Ponzinibbio, I was admittedly a little surprised to see him favored in this fight.
Don’t get me wrong: the stylistic dynamic of Ponzinibbio’s superior pace and stamina presents an obvious on-paper path for the Argentine, I’m just not so sure that the 37-year-old’s durability is still good enough to support said game.
Salikhov has certainly been on the wrong side of strikes and stoppages at the age of 40, but the quality and amount of damage sustained between the two are not equal.
Ponzinibbio, for example, has been absorbing roughly double the amount of strikes that Salikhov has over the last half-decade and has been getting dropped by everything from legit shots to off-balance arm punches.
Add in the kicking openings that Ponzinibbio’s boxing-centric stance provides, and I can’t help but side with Salikhov to find an early finish in round 1.
The oddsmakers and the public favor the Argentinian fighter, listing Ponzinibbio at -205 and Salikhov +164 via FanDuel.
As the co-main event, Ponzinibbio and Salikhov are expected to make their walks to the cage at approximately 12:05 a.m. ET (10:05 p.m. local time in Denver). The fight airs on ESPN and streams live on ESPN+.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.
Watch Muslim Salikhov land a beautiful spinning wheel kick in his TKO win over Andre Fialho back in 2022.
[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]’s most recent UFC win was an impressive one.
The Russian fighter picked up a TKO win over Andre Fialho, overwhelming him in the striking department late in their contest in November 2022. A spinning wheel kick to the head sparked the finishing sequence for Salikhov, which earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
You can watch Salikhov’s finish in the video above.
Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) returns to the cage Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 59 co-main event at Ball Arena in Denver. He fights fellow veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) in a welterweight matchup.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.
A welterweight matchup pitting Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov has been added to the UFC Fight Night event on July 13.
[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] has booked his first fight of 2024.
The UFC welterweight veteran is scheduled to take on [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] in an 170-pound bout at a UFC Fight Night event on July 13. The location and venue have yet to be officially determined, but the event will likely land in Denver. The UFC announced the news of the matchup on Friday evening.
Both men are looking to get back to the win column.
Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) last fought in April 2023 when he was knocked out by Kevin Holland at UFC 287. The Argentine is currently 1-3 in his past four fights, with one TKO win over Alex Morono and two close, split decision losses to Geoff Neal and Michel Pereira.
On the other hand, Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) is hoping to snap a two-fight losing streak. He was stopped by Randy Brown in February and lost a unanimous decision to Nicolas Dalby in June 2023.
Below is the updated line up for the UFC Fight Night card on July 13:
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Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 235, which saw Randy Brown continue his run of success in the loaded welterweight division.
The UFC opened its four-event February schedule Saturday with UFC Fight Night 235, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) achieved his first octagon main event win to close out the card when he outworked [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) to a majority decision in their matchup of ranked UFC middleweights.
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 Fight Night 235.
UFC Fight Night 235 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 Fight Night 235 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $170,500.
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 Fight Night 235 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 235 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Natalia Silva[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Aliaskhab Khizriev[/autotag]: $4,000
vs. [autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Charlie Radtke[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gilbert Urbina[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Azat Maksum[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Pete Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Jeong Yeong Lee[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Blake Bilder[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Julija Stoliarenko[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Marquel Mederos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Landon Quinones[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Jamal Pogues[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Thomas Petersen[/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 2351 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: $615,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $23,322,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 235.
