Defying the odds: The 10 biggest MMA betting upsets of 2023

Check out the top 10 MMA betting upsets of 2023, according to the oddsmakers, across Bellator, the UFC, PFL and more.

Who doesn’t love a good upset?

In 2023, MMA saw its fair share of underdogs who defied the odds in the UFC, Bellator, PFL, and beyond. While everyone has an opinion of who should win and who should lose, the oddsmakers (and how the betting public responds) largely get the final say on what history reflects.

This year, with the help of MMA database Tapology, MMA Junkie has compiled the top 10 betting upsets of 2023. Fights that were eligible were those that multiple major online sportsbooks recognized, and that Tapology recorded before the close of the betting line.

Promotions eligible include UFC, Bellator, PFL, KSW, DWCS, Road to UFC, and ONE Championship.

Check out the top 10 MMA betting upsets of 2023 below. Only major MMA promotions were included in the tally.

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for November: UFC 295 slugfest ends in a draw

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from November 2023.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from November 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for November.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

Nominees

5 biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 231: Positive reviews for Jailton Almeida and Derrick Lewis

Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 231, including positive words for Jailton Almeida and Derrick Lewis.

What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 231 at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo? Here are a few post-fight musings …

UFC Fight Night 231 post-event facts: Jailton Almeida sets ground control time record

Check out all the facts from UFC Sao, which saw Jailton Almeida log a record amount of ground control time over Derrick Lewis in the main event.

The UFC’s return to Sao Paulo after more than four years proved to be a forgettable one on Saturday, with UFC Fight Night 231 seeing six of 10 bouts go the distance with three canceled fights in the 48 hours leading up.

One of the fights go to the scorecards was the main event, [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) earned a lopsided but somewhat underwhelming unanimous decision over [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (27-12 MMA, 18-10 UFC) to remain undefeated in heavyweight competition.

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 231.

Nicolas Dalby explains why he embraces Brazilian UFC fans’ threats: ‘I turn it into positive energy’

Brazilian UFC fans can threaten Nicolas Dalby with death all they want. He appreciates the passion and enthusiasm.

[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag] took all the boos and hisses Saturday in Sao Paulo and tried to transform them into something positive.

Following his performance bonus-earning win over Gabriel Bonfim at UFC Fight Night 231, Dalby (23-4-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) thanked the Brazilian fans for their passion and enthusiasm despite their hostility toward him.

Dalby explained the decision to offer peace, despite the lack of support prior and during the fight.

“It’s different,” Dalby told reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I’ve talked about this before today. The crowd is so intense and amazing. I’m a bit in awe of how good they are at supporting the Brazilian fighters. I have people standing when I’m getting ready to go into the fight: ‘Yeah, I’m going to kill you,’ and all that crazy stuff. For me, maybe the Brazilian crowds will stop doing it if I fight here because I turn it into positive energy. For me, it doesn’t take away. On the other hand, it kind of makes me want to prove myself even more.”

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Perhaps the decision was catalyzed by the moment, too. Dalby picked up his first finish in 12 promotional appearances with a spectacular come-from behind TKO. It was a proud moment for the Danish welterweight that could set him up for a big fight next time around.

“I feel amazing. It’s my first finish in the UFC. Maybe it could’ve come a bit sooner, but I’m so happy about the fight. It’s not ideal to take the damage I did. There’s some things we need to learn from that but that’s what I’ve been doing all my career, learning from the adversity I go through both privately and professionally and then developing from there. … What’s next? Somebody top 15 – hopefully at an event in Copenhagen with me main-eventing.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.

UFC Fight Night 231 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2023 total passes $7 million

UFC Fight Night 231 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

SAO PAULO – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 231 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $145,000.

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 231 took place at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Brazil. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 231 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Rodrigo Nascimento[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Don’Tale Mayes[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Abus Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Elves Brener[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kaynan Kruschewsky[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Rinat Fakhretdinov[/autotag]: $4,500
vs. [autotag]Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Vitor Petrino[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Denise Gomes[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Eudarda Moura[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Montserrat Conejo[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Kaue Fernandes[/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 2311 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: $7,033,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $21,552,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.

UFC Fight Night 231 bonuses: A pair of devastating knockouts awarded $50K

Check out which fighters took home an extra $50,000 for their performances at UFC Fight Night 231 in Sao Paulo.

The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, including rewards for a few devastating finishes.

After UFC Fight Night 231, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Sao Paulo. Check out the winners below.

UFC Fight Night 231 video: Nicolas Dalby upsets unbeaten Gabriel Bonfim with violent flurry

Nicolas Dalby walked into hostile territory at UFC Fight Night 231 and stopped Gabriel Bonfim for one of the biggest upsets of 2023.

[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag] walked into hostile territory at UFC Fight Night 231 and ended the undefeated streak of the heavily hyped [autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag].

Dalby (23-4-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) brought a tough and tenacious background of never being finished into the welterweight co-headliner at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo. He was a sizeable underdog against Bonfim (15-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who had finished every opponent he’s previously faced in MMA competition.

The fight got off to a hot start for Bonfim, who landed hard shots and controlled the opening frame with dominant grappling. Dalby came out undeterred in the second frame, however, and pressured his opponent with punches, elbows and knees until he badly stunned the Brazilian for the TKO at the 4:33 mark of Round 2.

Check out the replay of Dalby’s thrilling upset below (via X):

After his fourth straight win, Dalby asked for a ranked name at 170 pounds, and perhaps even a live event in his native Copenhagen, Denmark.

“When my mind is set to something, nothing can stop me,” Dalby said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “Sean (Shelby), Mick (Maynard), Dana (White), give me a top-15 (opponent).”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 231 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.

Nicolas Dalby def. Gabriel Bonfim at UFC Fight Night 231: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Nicolas Dalby’s second-round TKO upset win over Gabriel Bonfim at UFC Fight Night 231 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]’s second-round TKO win over [autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 231 at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo. (Photos by Jason da Silva, USA TODAY Sports)

UFC Fight Night 231 pre-event facts: Derrick Lewis already has all-time KO record. Now he’s chasing more.

The best facts and figures about UFC Fight Night 231, where Derrick Lewis looks to build on his knockout record with another main event.

The UFC returns to Sao Paulo for the first time in nearly four years on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 231, which takes place at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera and streams on ESPN+.

Heavyweight contenders will clash in the main event. Surging contender [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) meets two-time title challenger [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (27-11 MMA, 18-9 UFC) in a five-round bout.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 231.

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