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Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 221, including Dana White’s firm warning to Merab Dvalishvili.
What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 221 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings…
Merab Dvalishvili attempted a historic number of takedowns in his dominant win over Petr Yan in the UFC Fight Night 221 headliner.
The UFC hosted yet another event on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 221, which took place at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.
[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) continued to emerge as a contender in the main event when he outworked former champion [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) to win a unanimous decision with a relentless pace of striking and takedown attempts.
For more on the numbers from the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 221.
UFC Fight Night 221 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 221 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $194,000.
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 221 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 221 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Said Nurmagomedov[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Mario Bautista[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Guido Cannetti[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Vitor Petrino[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Anton Turkalj[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Karl Williams[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Sedriques Dumas[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]JJ Aldrich [/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tyson Nam[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jared Gooden[/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 2217 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2211 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: $1,634,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,153,000
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 221 event.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
See what the fighters from UFC Fight Night 221 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.
Having already fought the who’s who of the UFC light heavyweight division, Nikita Krylov wants to run it back against Jan Blachowicz.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag] needs a break.
After his UFC Fight Night 221 win Saturday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, Krylov (30-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) exhaled as he explained why he plans on taking a few months off.
Krylov defeated Ryan Spann (21-8 MMA, 7-3 UFC) by first-round submission to bump his winning streak to three and further build his momentum. Rest and relaxation, however, are paramount after a grueling year.
“I must do some rest and rest my body because 12 months and four fights and no rest,” Krylov told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “One camp, I came back with two weeks’ rest. Then, it’s next camp, next camp. … I expended a lot of energy and I’d like to recover. … I think in autumn (a return) would be good.”
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Krylov, 30, made his UFC debut in 2013 and has fought a who’s who of the light heavyweight division. With limited fresh matchups available, Krylov liked the idea of a fight vs. former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, an opponent he was submitted by in September 2018.
“It can be any (of the) bunch (of contenders),” Krylov said. “But about me, a fight with Blachowicz (is) better than a fight with (Magomed) Ankalaev. … I know Ankalaev. It’s not like we’re necessarily friends, but we just know each other and we’re pals. So for me, it’d be more favorable to fight Blachowicz, especially where their last fight was quite even. So for me, I’d like to take Jan over Ankalaev, if I could.”
Blachowicz, 40, does not currently have a fight on the books. He most recently fought to a controversial split draw against Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 282 main event in December.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
Check out the best photos from Nikita Krylov’s first-round submission win over Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night 221.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag]’s first-round submission win over [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 221 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. (Photos by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
After a two-week delay, Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann finally took place – and it was fun viewing while it lasted.
It took him two weeks longer than originally planned, but [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag] got the job done Saturday vs. [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag].
On the UFC Fight Night 221 main card at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Krylov (30-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) submitted Spann (21-8 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a 215-pound bout. The tap came at the 3:38 mark of Round 1.
The bout originally was slated for Feb. 25 as the UFC Fight Night 220 main event, but Krylov fell ill mid-event and the bout was canceled. They were quickly rebooked for Saturday’s card.
For as long as the fight lasted, the fighters shifted momentum back-and-forth. The bout started with some wild exchanges as heavy strikes were traded. Moments later, the grappling attempts began. Eventually, Krylov worked to the back of Spann, but fell off. Spann dove in for a punch and drove himself directly into a triangle attempt by Krylov. It proved to be a vital mistake as the submission was locked and Spann tapped.
Nikita Krylov outgrapples Ryan Spann for the first round W 🪢 #UFCLasVegas pic.twitter.com/8D9vPepnuo
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 12, 2023
With the victory, Krylov continues to roll as he extends his winning streak to three. The stretch of success also includes victories over former UFC title challengers Alexander Gustafsson and Volkan Oezdemir.
Spann has his two-fight winning streak snapped with the loss. It was the third submission loss of his career.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 221 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 221 odds between Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.
In a catch weight bout on the main card, Nikita Krylov battles Ryan Spann Saturday at UFC Fight Night 221 — also known as UFC Vegas 71 — at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC Fight Night 221: Krylov vs. Spann odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The fight is on ESPN+ with the prelims starting at 3 p.m. ET and the main card beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
Krylov and Spann were expected to tangle at UFC Fight Night 220, but an illness to Krylov forced him out. The fighter said he believed that a meal that contained eggs the night before the fight likely contributed to his illness.
Spann was reportedly disappointed, but the good news is that the 2 fighters were rebooked for Vegas. The bad news is that this was to be a main event battle at UFC Fight Night 220, and now it’s a main card battle with 2 fewer rounds.
Krylov has picked up 2 wins since his most recent setback in March 2022. He posted a 1st-round knockout of Alexander Gustafsson in just 67 seconds in July 2022, bouncing back from a submission loss to Paul Craig. Krylov followed that up with a unanimous-decision win over Volkan Oezdemir last time out in late October.
Spann scored a 1st-round KO/TKO of Dominick Reyes at UFC 281 in November. He also had a Round 1 submission finish against Ion Cutelaba prior to that in May 2022, showing his versatility. He can do it with his punching power, or do it with his wrestling ability if need be. Spann hasn’t been to the 2nd Round in 5 straight fights, winning 3 times.
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Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:21 a.m. ET.
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Records: Krylov (29-9-0) | Spann (21-7-0)
SPANN (+145) is a solid value play as a moderate ‘dog. He has a chip on his shoulder after being prepared 2 weeks ago only to have the fight pushed back.
Spann also has three 1st-round stoppage wins in his past 4 fights, with a 1st-round submission loss to Anthony Smith on Sept. 18, 2021. Win or lose, Spann doesn’t go very deep into fights.
Krylov does have a solid 4.45-to-3.42 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and he is more accurate. However, Spann has been a KO/TKO winner on a regular basis and he’ll get it done — especially if he can keep this fight upright.
No (-500): Fight to go the distance is way too expensive, costing you 5 times your potential return.
Spann hasn’t even been to the 2nd Round in 5 straight fights. It’s best to avoid the Over/Under altogether.
Instead, it’s a solid idea to pick METHOD OF VICTORY: SPANN BY TKO/KO (+310) for a chance to multiply your initial wager by more than 3 times. Three of Spann’s last 6 victories came via knockout, so that’s the best play.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
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Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC Fight Night 221 main card, which features Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili at bantamweight.
| Yan vs. Dvalishvili |
Romanov vs. Volkov |
Krylov vs. Spann |
Lingo vs. Ramos |
Martinez vs. Nurmagomedov |
Petrino vs. Turkalj |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 23-14 |
 Yan (56%) |
 Romanov (53%) |
 Spann (59%) |
 Ramos (75%) |
 Nurmagomedov (84%) |
 Petrino (71%) |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 27-13 |
Yan |
Romanov |
 Krylov |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 26-14/em> |
Yan |
 Volkov |
Spann |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 26-14 |
 Dvalishvili |
Romanov |
Spann |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 26-14 |
Dvalishvili |
Romanov |
Spann |
 Lingo |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 25-15  2018, 2022 Champion |
Yan |
Romanov |
Spann |
Lingo |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 24-16 |
Yan |
Romanov |
Spann |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 24-16 |
Yan |
Volkov |
Krylov |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 24-16 |
Dvalishvili |
Volkov |
Krylov |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 23-17 2014 Champion |
Dvalishvili |
Romanov |
Spann |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 22-18 2017 Champion |
Yan |
Romanov |
Krylov |
Ramos |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 22-18 |
Dvalishvili |
Romanov |
Spann |
Lingo |
Nurmagomedov |
Petrino |
The UFC stays in Las Vegas this week with a heated bantamweight rivalry atop the card.
UFC Fight Night 221 takes place Saturday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels 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 bantamweight champion [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC). Yan is a -260 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Dvalishvili is +210. But it’s not a blowout. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Yan ahead by the smallest possible margin at 6-5.
In the co-feature, [autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] (35-10 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at heavyweight. Romanov is a slight favorite at -150, but he has a big 8-3 lead in the picks.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag] (29-9 MMA, 10-7 UFC) takes on [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in a fight rescheduled from two weeks ago when Krylov fell ill on fight day at UFC Fight Night 220. Krylov and Spann were set to headline that card. Krylov is a -170 favorite in the light heavyweight rebooted bout, but it’s Spann with a 7-4 picks lead.
[autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and [autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) are set to tangle at featherweight. Ramos is the biggest favorite on the main card at -370 and he has a big 8-3 lead from our staff members.
[autotag]Said Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (17-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is a -270 favorite against [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) at bantamweight and is one of our two 11-0 unanimous picks on the main card.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Vitor Petrino[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and [autotag]Anton Turkalj[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) have pick’em odds in their light heavyweight matchup. Despite that, Petrino is our second unanimous pick.
In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Yan (56 percent), Romanov (53 percent), Spann (59 percent), Ramos (75 percent), Nurmagomedov (84 percent) and Petrino 71 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
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Two weeks ago, Nikita Krylov was forced out of his first scheduled UFC main event due to illness. Now, he’s ready for action.
LAS VEGAS – For the first time in his UFC career, [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag] was forced out of competing, but is now ready to go two weeks later.
At UFC Fight Night 220, Krylov (29-9 MMA, 10-7 UFC) was set to headline opposite Ryan Spann at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Krylov’s 18th fight with the promotion would have served as his first main event, however, a fight-day illness forced him out just hours before the bout against Spann (21-7 MMA, 7-2 UFC).
Both fighters made it to the venue on fight day, but there would be no fight. The pair met in the back and exchanged brief words before going their separate ways.
“He was a little bit disappointed, but it’s health, you know?” Krylov told reporters at Wednesday’s media day about his interaction with Spann.
Krylov revealed the illness was likely caused by a meal he ate the night before the scheduled fight, which contained eggs that were not fresh.
“In our hotel, we don’t have a refrigerator,” Krylov said. “I took my food in the evening Friday. Saturday morning I take food, and after 90 minutes, maybe two hours, I feel myself (getting) bad. My temperature stay higher, I feel a bit of discomfort inside. We came to the Apex and we worked with a doctor. He gave me one pill. After one more pill, we tried all what I can to fight, but I can’t do it.”
Considering the circumstances of the cancelation, and how quickly Krylov recovered from the illness, the fight was able to be rebooked for UFC Fight Night 221 just two weeks later.
Although the opponent is the same, other details have changed; some for better, some for worse.
The fight city is still Las Vegas, but the venue is The Theater at Virgin Hotels, which will have more fans in attendance to watch the action. Krylov is no longer facing Spann in the main event, which means 10 minutes less of fighting, should it go the distance. But to accommodate both fighters making a quick turnaround to make the fight happen, the light heavyweights will not be cutting weight to 205 pounds and will meet at 215 pounds instead.
“In theory, this looks like (it’s) better, but for me, (it would have been) better (to) make my first main event, and show great fight,” Krylov said. “But it is what it is. I’m happy and thanks God for all what happened with me, and I’m ready to fight this Saturday.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
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