UFC 257 pre-event facts: Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor bring legendary stats into rematch

The best facts and figures about UFC 257, which features a Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor lightweight main event.

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The UFC closes out its “Fight Island” stint on Saturday with its first numbered event of the year. UFC 257 takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

A highly anticipated rematch takes center stage in the main event. Dustin Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) and Conor McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will run it back more than six years after their first meeting at UFC 178 in September 2014, which “The Notorious” won by first-round TKO. There’s major differences this time around, though, because it will be contested at 155 pounds instead of 145 and is scheduled for five rounds.

The rematch concludes a notable lineup of fights. For more on the numbers, check below for 65 pre-event facts going into UFC 257.

Ottman Azaitar vs. Matt Frevola joins UFC 257 lineup

A lightweight banger between Ottman Azaitar and Matt Frevola is on tap for UFC 257.

A lightweight banger is on tap for UFC 257 as [autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag] will face [autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag] on Jan. 23.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie on Thursday but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

UFC 257, which does not yet have a location, will be headlined by a Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier rematch.

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Azaitar (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) stormed onto the UFC scene last September, scoring back-to-back first-round knockouts of Teemu Packalen and Khama Worthy. The undefeated Moroccan has finished all but one of his professional fights.

Frevola (8-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC), a “Dana White’s Contender Series” graduate, is coming off back-to-back decision wins over Jalin Turner and most recently Luis Pena at UFC on ESPN+ 19 last October. His lone loss came to Marco Polo Reyes in his promotional debut.

With the addition, the latest UFC 257 lineup includes:

  • Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier
  • Joanne Calderwood vs. Jessica Eye
  • Amanda Ribas vs. Michelle Waterson
  • Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Brad Tavares
  • Nasrat Haqparast vs. Arman Tsarukyan
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Matt Frevola

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UFC on ESPN+ 35 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Ed Herman top earner with $20k

UFC on ESPN+ 35 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 35 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $137,000.

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 on ESPN+ 35 took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The entire card streamed ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 35 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Khama Worthy[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Ed Herman[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $15,000
[autotag]Alan Patrick[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Kyle Nelson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Sijara Eubanks[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Roosevelt Roberts[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Kevin Croom[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Roque Martinez[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Brok Weaver[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $10,000
[autotag]Anthony Ivy[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Sabina Mazo[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag]: $5,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,429,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $35,434,000

UFC on ESPN+ 35: Ottman Azaitar post-fight interview

Ottman Azaitar talks to media after a victory at UFC on ESPN+ 35 in Las Vegas

Ottman Azaitar talks to media after a victory at UFC on ESPN+ 35 in Las Vegas

UFC on ESPN+ 35 results: Ottman Azaitar brutalizes Khama Worthy for quick TKO

There was little action in the first minute of Ottman Azaitar’s fight against Khama Worthy. But when he let loose, things were over fast.

There was little action in the first minute of [autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag]’s fight against [autotag]Khama Worthy[/autotag]. But after he let loose, things were over in a hurry.

Azaitar (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) stayed unbeaten and took out Worthy (16-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) with a TKO in just 93 seconds. Azaitar landed dozens of punches on the money for the stoppage.

The lightweight bout was the UFC on ESPN+ 35 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It streamed on ESPN+.

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The first minute featured nothing but feints from both fighters while they tried to see openings. But a little past a minute in, Azaitar landed a big pair of punches that stunned Worthy. While he wobbled, Azaitar pounced on him. After a few more combinations that were on the button, including a body shot with an uppercut soon after, Azaitar had to have smelled blood in the water.

Worthy went to the canvas, and Azaitar followed him there with big punches while Worthy covered up. It didn’t take long for Herb Dean to step in to wave the fight off. Worthy jumped up and appeared to protest the stoppage and asked why the fight was over, but after Dean released him, Worthy seemed to still be wobbly from the punches.

“The game plan was to go for three rounds – don’t think about the knockout. Start easy, slowly, because we knew what he was going to do,” Azaitar said. “He always makes counters only, (so) I wanted him to come (forward).”

But that plan went out the window when Azaitar knew Worthy was hurt. The Moroccan now has 12 of his 13 career wins by stoppage, including nine knockouts. Worthy had his seven-fight winning streak, including his first two in the UFC, snapped with his first stoppage loss in more than three years.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN+ 35 results include:

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UFC on ESPN+ 35 predictions: Michelle Waterson or Angela Hill in key 115-pound bout?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN+ 35 main card in Las Vegas.

Waterson
vs.
Hill
Azaitar
vs.
Worthy
Lee
vs.
Modafferi
Herman
vs.
Rodriguez
Nelson
vs.
Quarantillo
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 91-58
waterson2020
Waterson
(52%)
worthy2020
Worthy
(64%)
lee2020
Lee
(61%)
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
(66%)
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
(84%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 103-46
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 102-47
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 101-48
hill2020
Hill
azaitar2020
Azaitar
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 99-50
trophy copy 2019 Champion*
waterson2020
Waterson
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 98-51
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
herman2020
Herman
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 97-52
trophy copy 2017 Champion
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
modafferi2020
Modafferi
herman2020
Herman
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 96-53
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
modafferi2020
Modafferi
herman2020
Herman
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 96-53
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
nelson2020
Nelson
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 96-53
trophy copy 2014 Champion
waterson2020
Waterson
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 93-56
trophy copy 2018 Champion
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
lee2020
Lee
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 92-57
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
modafferi2020
Modafferi
herman2020
Herman
nelson2020
Nelson
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 91-58
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
modafferi2020
Modafferi
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 89-60
hill2020
Hill
worthy2020
Worthy
modafferi2020
Modafferi
rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
quarantillo2020
Quarantillo
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 62-87
waterson2020
Waterson
azaitar2020
Azaitar
modafferi2020
Modafferi
herman2020
Herman
nelson2020
Nelson

The UFC stays in Las Vegas this week with a key women’s strawweight bout at the top of the card.

UFC on ESPN+ 35 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex 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, [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag] (12-8 MMA, 7-8 UFC) becomes the first Black woman to headline a UFC card when she takes on [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] (17-8 MMA, 5-4 UFC). Hill is a slight favorite, but our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts have her with a big lead at 11-3.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) meets slight favorite [autotag]Khama Worthy[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at lightweight, and despite the reasonably close odds, only two of our pickers are taking Azaitar in a mild upset.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) meets [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag] (24-17 MMA, 3-5 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. Lee is the biggest favorite on the main card at more than 3-1, but our pickers nearly are split down the middle. Lee has just an 8-6 lead in the picks.

[autotag]Ed Herman[/autotag] (24-14 MMA, 12-10 UFC) is a +200 underdog at light heavyweight against [autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), but he’s got his fair share of underdog pickers. Rodriguez has a 9-5 picking edge.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Kyle Nelson[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has three pickers taking him in a featherweight upset against [autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

(Note: The lightweight fight between Bobby Green (26-10-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) and Alan Patrick (15-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) was added to the main card too late for our picks deadline.)

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Waterson (52 percent), Worthy (64 percent), Lee (61 percent), Rodriguez (66 percent) and Quarantillo (84 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

Khama Worthy vs. Ottman Azaitar joins UFC’s Sept. 5 event

A lightweight banger between Khama Worthy and Ottman Azaitar is the latest addition to the UFC’s Sept. 5 event.

A lightweight banger is the latest addition to the UFC’s event Sept. 5.

The promotion has added [autotag]Khama Worthy[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag] to the lineup for the event, which is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

MMA Junkie confirmed the booking after an initial post by Azaitar on his social media.

The pair were scheduled to square off on April 18, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then Worthy (16-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC) picked up another upset win by submitting Luis Pena at UFC on ESPN 12 for his seventh straight victory.

Azaitar (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) hasn’t competed since his “Performance of the Night” knockout of Teemu Packalen in his UFC debut last September. The undefeated Moroccan has finished all but one of his 12 pro wins.

With the addition, the current Sept. 5 lineup includes:

  • Alistair Overeem vs. Augusto Sakai
  • Macy Chiasson vs. Sijara Eubanks
  • Julia Avila vs. Nicco Montano
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Montana De La Rosa
  • Zelim Imadaev vs. Michel Pereira
  • Bartosz Fabinski vs. Andre Muniz
  • Brian Kelleher vs. Ricky Simon
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Khama Worthy

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Ottman Azaitar continues push to bring the UFC to Africa

Ottman Azaitar will not rest until the UFC visits his homeland of Morocco.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag] is still campaigning for the UFC to come to Morocco.

Born to Moroccan parents, undefeated lightweight Azaitar (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made an electric promotional debut, when he knocked out Teemu Packalen at UFC 242 in September in Abu Dhabi.

He joined brother Abu Azaitar on the roster, who also had a successful UFC debut in October 2018, defeating Vitor Miranda via unanimous decision.

And with their ever-growing popularity in Morocco, the Azaitar brothers may be the perfect duo to bring the octagon to their home country.

“I left this question to you, I said Morocco is happy to host UFC and everything is possible in Morocco,” Azaitar said Saturday at Dominance MMA media day. “Me and my brother, we represent Morocco in the UFC, and we would love the UFC to come to Morocco. We’d never been in Africa, we have a lot of African UFC fighters in the UFC. We have champions like Kamaru Usman, we have other champions too in UFC so anytime UFC want to come to Morocco, we have everything.”

Before heading to the UFC, Azaitar headlined a show in Tangier, Morocco, delivering a 32-second knockout at Brave CF 14, which makes him confident that Morocco is more than capable of hosting a UFC event.

“We have venues, we have flights, we have hotels, we have anything,” Azaitar said. “It’s secure there, anything UFC might need there, it’s just a matter of the management, the UFC and what Ali makes out of it with the UFC but anytime, welcome.”

Azaitar is scheduled to return to action on April 18, when he takes on Khama Worthy at UFC 249 in Brooklyn. Despite having a near one-hundred percent finishing rate, Azaitar doesn’t see a specific way this fight pans out.

“I’m happy anytime to fight,” Azaitar said. “I take any opponent serious, I prepare like always, I never give predictions…as long as I give my best, it will go the best way, how it has to go.”

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