Nasrat Haqparast advocates for UFC Morocco event after big knockout

If the UFC is serious about going to Africa, Nasrat Haqparast says look no further than Morocco for the continental debut.

LAS VEGAS – If the UFC is serious about going to Africa, [autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag] says look no further than Morocco for the continental debut.

Following his UFC Fight Night 233 knockout of Jamie Mullarkey (17-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) at the UFC Apex, Haqparast (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) didn’t call for an opponent or event date. A North African location was all that was on his mind.

“I don’t have something in my mind like a specific date,” Haqparast told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “But I really wish for the UFC to come to Morocco. Morocco is like my second home now. We have a great infrastructure. We have everything needed for the UFC (to go) there for the first UFC event in Africa. Actually, the FIFA World Cup, the biggest sporting event in the world is coming to Morocco in 2030 and I think it’s the right time for the UFC to make the move to Africa.

While no UFC Africa event or even a timeline has been revealed yet, UFC CEO Dana White has long been adamant it’s in the promotion’s plans.

For Haqparast, there is no better time than the present.

“Let’s say the beginning to middle of the year in Morocco would be amazing,” Haqparast said. “Let’s say if the UFC would want to put me as a headliner, it’d be greatly appreciated. But I think it’s the right time for the UFC to come to Morocco.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

UFC Fight Night 233 post-event facts: Khalil Rountree inches closer to Chuck Liddell’s KO record

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 233, which saw Khalil Rountree move closer to Chuck Liddell’s longstanding knockout record.

There’s just one event left on the UFC’s 2023 schedule after UFC Fight Night 233 came to a conclusion on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

An underwhelming lineup fell in the shadow of UFC 296 this weekend, and the main event wasn’t particularly memorable as [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (21-7-1 MMA, 10-2-1 UFC) proved to be too much for [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] (20-6-2 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) in their bantamweight matchup en route to a unanimous decision win.

For more on the numbers to come out of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts about UFC Fight Night 233.

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UFC Fight Night 233 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $22 million

UFC Fight Night 233 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 233 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $159,500

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 233 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 233 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Jamie Mullarkey[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Su Mudaerji[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Andre Muniz[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Junyong Park[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Kevin Jousset[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Song Kenan[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]HyunSung Park[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Shannon Ross[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Melquizael Costa[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Stephanie Egger[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Carlos Hernandez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Talita Alencar[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Rayanne Amanda[/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 2331 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: $7,848,500
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $22,367,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

UFC Fight Night 233 play-by-play and live results

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC Fight Night 233 in Las Vegas with Song Yadong vs. Chris Gutierrez.

LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 233 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streamed on ESPN+.

In the main event, Song Yadong (21-7-1 MMA, 10-2-1 UFC) took on Chris Gutierrez (20-5-2 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) in a bantamweight clash. In the light heavyweight co-feature, former title challenger Anthony Smith (37-19 MMA, 12-9 UFC) met Khalil Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC).

You also can get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter Ken Hathaway (@1khathaway) on X.

Check out the full event play-by-play, results, and more below.

UFC Fight Night 233 video: Nasrat Haqparast staggers Jamie Mullarkey, blitzes in for furious TKO win

Nasrat Haqparast is officially back on track after he punctuated a three-fight winning streak with a furious finish at UFC Fight Night 233.

If he wasn’t already, consider [autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag] officially back on track.

Haqparast scored a highlight-reel finish against [autotag]Jamie Mullarkey[/autotag] on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 233. In the first round of their lightweight bout, Haqparast (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) staggered Mullarkey (17-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) with a hard left Hook and then immediately blitzed in for the finish as he pelted Haqparast with short punch after short punch before landing a knockout blow at the 1:44 mark.

Check out a replay of the finish in the video belwo (via X):

Haqparasts furious finish punctuates a three-fight winning streak, which has been built as a follow-up to a back-to-back defeats vs. Bobby Green and Dan Hooker. With the loss, Mullarkey finishes the year 2-2 in four UFC appearances.

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Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 233 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

UFC Fight Night 233 video: Hear from each winner, guest fighters backstage

Check out what the UFC Fight Night 233 winners and guest fighters had to say backstage at Saturday’s event in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 233 took place Saturday with 11 bouts on the lineup. We’ve got you covered with backstage winner interviews from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

You can hear from all the UFC Fight Night 233 winners by checking out their post-fight news conferences below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

UFC Fight Night 233’s Jamie Mullarkey aims to get it ‘done in one’ vs. Nasrat Haqparast

Jamie Mullarkey is hungry for a finish at UFC Fight Night 233.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jamie Mullarkey[/autotag] is hungry for a finish at UFC Fight Night 233.

Mullarkey (17-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) faces [autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) on Saturday’s main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.

Haqparast has just one knockout in the UFC but has outstruck numerous opponents. Mullarkey is aware of his skills but isn’t too threatened.

“He’s a solid, solid opponent,” Mullarkey told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “Fights with a high tempo, good skill. I don’t see as much of a danger factor with him, but everyone’s dangerous so, I got to be aware of that. But, very skillful fighter.”

After back-to-back knockouts over Khama Worthy and Devonte Smith, Mullarkey’s last three wins have come by decision. He hopes to break that streak by taking out Haqparast.

“I want to finish him,” Mullarkey said. “I want to get this done in one if possible.”

Haqparast said Mullarkey has been “gun shy” as of late, but the 29-year-old plans on ramping up the aggression in this fight.

“I think being aggressive is going to be the key here,” Mullarkey said. “Establishing the center of the cage and fighting my fight. I want a finish. I won’t be happy unless I get a finish this Saturday, so I see myself getting my hand raised, but it’s going to be a fun fight. I think it’s going to be a fan-friendly one.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

Nasrat Haqparast promises violence against ‘gun shy’ Jamie Mullarkey at UFC Fight Night 233

Nasrat Haqparast thinks Jamie Mullarkey isn’t as aggressive as he used to be.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Jamie Mullarkey[/autotag] isn’t as aggressive as he used to be.

Haqparast (15-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) takes on Mullarkey (17-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) in a lightweight bout on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 233 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+

Mullarkey has won three of his past four, and Haqparast vows to bring the fight to him.

“I think Jamie is a good fighter,” Haqparast told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “His nickname is ‘Hooligan,’ and I’m excited for a big, big fight on Saturday. I am coming for violence, this I guarantee.”

Mullarkey’s UFC career started off with a memorable Fight of the Night battle against Brad Riddell at UFC 243, but Haqparast thinks the 29-year-old Aussie has been a lot more hesitant in his recent showings.

“From his last recent fights, we saw he’s a little bit gun shy,” Haqparast said. “He got dropped by Makdessi. He got dropped before. In the beginning of his UFC career, he was more kind of crazy. He fought really like the ‘Hooligan.’

“Now he became a little bit gun shy. This is what I see. Maybe he’s going to try and wrestle me. Even if he’s trying to wrestle me, I’m very prepared for everything, and I’m very excited for 15 minutes of violence.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

Video: UFC Fight Night 233 media day interviews

Before UFC Fight Night 233 on Saturday, watch as the main-card athletes speak to reporters at media day.

LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 233, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that streams entirely on ESPN+, goes down Saturday.

Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes from the main card spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.

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

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Oct. 16-22)

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 the promotions from Oct. 16-22.