Dana White says Paige VanZant ‘should definitely test free agency’ after UFC 251 loss

Dana White isn’t jumping at the opportunity to re-sign Paige VanZant after her UFC 251 loss.

ABU DHABI – Dana White doesn’t sound like he’s jumping at the opportunity to re-sign [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] after her UFC 251 loss Saturday.

At the event’s post-fight news conference, MMA Junkie asked the UFC president if he wants to have VanZant (8-5 MMA, 5-4 UFC) back under the promotion’s banner in her next outing. VanZant’s UFC 251 fight vs. Amanda Ribas was the last on her current contract. VanZant tapped to a first-round armbar against Amanda Ribas.

“I like Paige,” White said. “I like Paige. It’s like (Curtis) Blaydes – when Blaydes fought. When you talk all that stuff, ‘I’m not getting paid enough,’ and (you’re) fighting inconsistently, one time in the last year (because of injuries), and then get smoked in the first round of the fight, she should definitely test free agency.”

VanZant, 26, has been open about her interest in potentially pursuing other MMA avenues outside the UFC’s gates. In her pre-fight interview Wednesday, VanZant expressed excitement about venturing into uncharted waters.

“I’m excited. I’ve never been in this position ever, so I think it’s an important position for me to be in,” VanZant said. “You don’t really know your value until somebody else tells you what it is, and it’s the option of multiple people that say what they think my value is. So I’m going to gain a lot of knowledge.”

Entering free agency, VanZant has lost four of her past six fights. In three of those losses, VanZant was submitted. VanZant has been with the promotion since mid-2014. Her husband, Austin Vanderford, is an undefeated middleweight on the Bellator roster.

UFC 251 took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

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UFC 251 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $34 million

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 251 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $305,500.

ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 251 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $305,500.

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 251 took place at Flash Forum in Yas Island. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

The full UFC 251 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag]: $40,000
def. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]: $40,000
def. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]: $30,000
def. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Danny Henry[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Leonardo Santos[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Roman Bogatov[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Maxim Grishin[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Raulian Paiva[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Zhalgas Zhamagulov[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Vanessa Melo[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Martin Day[/autotag]: $3,500

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: $3,026,000
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: $34,030,500

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC 251 with Elton John, Men At Work, Chili Peppers

Check out the complete list of fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC 251 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.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC 251 went with as their backing tracks in Abu Dhabi.

UFC 251: Fighters and fans react to Amanda Ribas submitting Paige VanZant in first round

Paige VanZant’s UFC days are likely over.

The first fight of the main card at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi saw Amanda Ribas taking on fan-favorite Paige VanZant… and it didn’t take long for this one to be decided.

VanZant, who was the biggest underdog of the night, tapped out midway through the first round after Ribas locked in an arm bar that put things away shortly after 6 a.m. local time.

VanZant is now a free agent, as her current deal with the UFC is over, and this performance isn’t going to help things with her next steps.

The two fighters shared a nice moment right after the end of the fight:

UFC fighters, media, and fans reacted to Ribas’ win:

Twitter reacts to Amanda Ribas’ quick finish of Paige VanZant at UFC 251

See the top Twitter reactions to Amanda Ribas’ submission victory against Paige VanZant at UFC 251.

[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] potentially ended [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag]’s UFC career on a low note on Saturday when the Brazilian prospect won at UFC 251.

Although much of the pre-fight narrative was around the fight being the last on VanZant’s (8-5 MMA, 5-4 UFC) current contract, Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) showed why she’s was listed as a massive betting favorite with a first-round submission victory in the flyweight bout, which aired on pay-per-view from Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Ribas’ victory over VanZant at UFC 251.

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UFC 251 results: Amanda Ribas taps Paige VanZant with first-round armbar

Paige VanZant’s run in the UFC may have come to an end Saturday, and not the way she was hoping for.

[autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag]’s run in the UFC may have come to an end Saturday, and not the way she was hoping for.

[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) took VanZant (8-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) to the canvas about a minute into the fight, then found her way to an armbar that eventually forced VanZant to tap at the 2:21 mark of the opening frame. The fight was the last on VanZant’s UFC contract, and she has said she intends to test free agency.

The women’s flyweight bout opened up the main card at UFC 251 at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

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“I think this fight, I proved to myself and the world it doesn’t matter who you are. What matters is what you want to do with your life,” Ribas said on the broadcast after her win. “People said, ‘How can you beat a girl who trains in a big gym?’ I have a big heart.”

Ribas moved up to flyweight for the fight, but said she intends to move back down to strawweight after her win over VanZant.

Ribas pushed VanZant to the outside early, then landed a body kick 30 seconds into the round. She followed it up with a knee to the body before VanZant tied her up. But it didn’t take long for Ribas to trip VanZant to the canvas.

VanZant tried to work her way free against the fence, but when she got loose Ribas went after an armbar. VanZant tried to roll out of it, but it was too tight and VanZant was forced to tap.

Ribas won for the fifth straight time. VanZant, who fought for the first time in 18 months after a third broken arm and subsequent surgery, has dropped three of her past four.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 251 results include:

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Paige VanZant huge underdog vs. Amanda Ribas at Fight Island’s UFC 251

Can Paige VanZant pull the upset over Amanda Ribas on Fight Island at UFC 251? She enters as a huge underdog in the matchup.

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Paige VanZant (8-4) is a huge underdog Saturday night at +550 odds, according to BetMGM oddsmakers, against Amanda Ribas (9-1), who enters at -834 odds, in their UFC 251 women’s flyweight matchup at Fight Island.

Are you new to sports betting? At -834 odds, Ribas returns just a $1.20 profit on a $10 wager with a victory.

On the flip side, VanZant’s underdog status would payout large, returning a $55.00 profit on a $10 wager. The oddsmakers don’t see it happening, though. At +550, that gives her implied winning odds of just 15.38% or 11/2 fractional odds to beat Ribas, who has an 89.29% implied odds of winning this matchup.

See: Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant odds, picks and best bets

Despite the large odds against VanZant, the oddsmakers favor this fight going the distance with -125 odds. On a simple yes/no against going the distance, the bookmakers have it even at -112 for yes/no on the bout.

Both women are coming off a win in their last fight, with no height advantage with both standing 5-foot-4. Ribas weighs in at 125 lbs, while VanZant comes in at 155 lbs. Only an inch separates their reach, with Ribas having the advantage 66″:65″.

Ribas vs. VanZant odds and betting lines

Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports

Odds via BetMGM.com sportsbook; last updated Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

  • Fight Result (2-way): VanZant +550 / Ribas -834
  • Total number of rounds: Over 1.5 -233 / Under +180
  • Will the fight go the distance? Yes -112 / No -112
  • Gone in 60 seconds: VanZant to win +2200 / Ribas to win +700
  • How will the fight finish? KO/TKO/DQ +240 / Submission +240 / Decision -125

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Also see:

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 251: Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 251 fight between Amanda Ribas and Paige VanZant, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Amanda Ribas and Paige VanZant do battle in a women’s flyweight bout on the main card at UFC 251 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Ribas (9-1) makes her fourth appearance at the UFC level, and she looks to remain unbeaten at the top level, too. Her last fight was March 14 on the Lee-Oliveira card in Jacksonville, Fla., sneaking past Randa Markos by unanimous decision. That’s the same way Ribas won against Mackenzie Dern Oct. 12, 2019. Only three of Ribas’ 10 career fights have gone the distance, however, and she is 3-1 via KO/TKO and 3-0 by way of submission in her professional career.

VanZant (8-4) is a heavy underdog (+500) in this one despite the fact she owns a 52.0-42.33 significant strike-accuracy percentage advantage. She’ll be wise to keep the fight toe-to-toe if she wants a chance. Ribas owns a 2.02-1.31 takedown average and 50.0-33.33 takedown-accuracy percentage advantage, while also leading 1.61-0.98 in submission average. VanZant is just 2-3 over her past five outings, and that includes two losses by submission. This will be her first fight in nearly 16 months due to a rash of arm injuries. The last time we saw her was a submission win over Rachael Ostovich Jan. 19, 2019.

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Ribas vs. VanZant odds and betting lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Ribas (-715) is a heavy favorite, so you’ll have to be a bit more creative than just betting the 2-way line. There is no way you can risk more than seven times your potential return.

Also see:

Look to RIBAS BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+115) in this one, as it’s a much better value than the 2-way line. In addition, load up on round betting, as RIBAS IN ROUND 1 (+333), RIBAS IN ROUND 2 (+500) and RIBAS IN ROUND 3 (+900) all pay well. If you want to roll the dice, bet Rounds 2 and 3 and hope it doesn’t go to the judges. That would make for quite a nice payday.

NO (-112): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is a sound play, too. Five of the past six fights for VanZant have finished inside the distance, and her takedown defense and vulnerability on the canvas makes this one likely to end before the judges get to determine a winner.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Ribas to win by KO/TKO, DQ or Submission (+115) returns a profit of $11.50. A $10 wager on Ribas to win in Round 2 (+500) returns a profit of $50, while a $10 pick on Ribas to win in Round 3 (+900) fetches a return of $90.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 251 predictions: Who’s picking upsets in the three title fights?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC 251 main card, which features three title fights in Abu Dhabi.

Usman
vs.
Masvidal
Volkanovski
vs.
Holloway
Aldo
vs.
Yan
Andrade
vs.
Namajunas
Ribas
vs.
VanZant
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 60-36
masvidal2020
Masvidal
(56%)
holloway2020
Holloway
(56%)
yan2020
Yan
(67%)
namajunas2020
Namajunas
(79%)
ribas2020
Ribas
(71%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 72-24
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 70-26
usman2020
Usman
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 68-28
trophy copy 2014 Champion
usman2020
Usman
holloway2020
Holloway
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 68-28
usman2020
Usman
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 67-29
trophy copy 2019 Champion*
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 67-29
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 66-30
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
aldo2020
Aldo
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 66-30
trophy copy 2017 Champion
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 65-31
trophy copy 2018 Champion
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 63-33
masvidal2020
Masvidal
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 63-33
usman2020
Usman
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 63-33
usman2020
Usman
volkanovski2020
Volkanovski
yan2020
Yan
andrade2020
Andrade
ribas2020
Ribas
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 60-36
masvidal2020
Masvidal
holloway2020
Holloway
yan2020
Yan
namajunas2020
Namajunas
ribas2020
Ribas
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 37-59
usman2020
Usman
holloway2020
Holloway
aldo2020
Aldo
andrade2020
Andrade
vanzant2020
VanZant

After much anticipation, the UFC has its first of four straight events on “Fight Island” on Saturday – with three title fights atop the bill.

UFC 251 takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) takes on short-notice challenger [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC). Usman is more than a 2-1 favorite, but it’s Masvidal with an 8-6 lead in the picks from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-main event, featherweight champ [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) puts his title on the line for the first time against former champ [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC), whom he beat to win the title in 2019. Volkanovski is more than a 2-1 favorite and has a big 11-3 lead in the picks from our staff members.

In the third title fight on the main card, [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) meets former featherweight kingpin [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) for the vacant bantamweight title. Yan is more than a 2-1 favorite, and only two of our pickers are taking Aldo in an upset to become a rare two-division UFC champion.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (20-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) meets [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] (8-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in a rematch. Andrade knocked Namajunas out in May 2019 to win the women’s strawweight title, but has since lost it to champ Zhang Weili. Namajunas is favored in the rematch, and has a big 12-2 lead in the picks.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is by far the biggest favorite at the event at more than 8-1 against [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] (8-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC). Only one of our pickers is taking VanZant in an upset in what is the final fight on her UFC deal before she tests free agency.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Masvidal (56 percent), Holloway (56 percent), Yan (67 percent), Namajunas (79 percent) and Ribas (71 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

6 burning questions heading into UFC 251

MMA Junkie senior editor Dave Doyle walks you through the key storylines from UFC 251, which features three title fights

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It’s a little ironic that the one time the UFC can’t do an “International Fight Week,” the promotion’s annual blowout July card is as international as it’s ever been.

The worldwide coronavirus pandemic caused UFC 251 to get moved to “Fight Island,” a.k.a. Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. There, Saturday night’s card will be topped with three title fights featuring competitors with roots in locations as disparate as the mainland U.S., Nigeria, Hawaii, Australia, Russia and Brazil. 

With [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] replacing Gilbert Burns on short notice in the welterweight title main event against champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag], [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] defending the featherweight belt against the man from whom he took the belt, [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag], and [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] challenging former longtime featherweight kingpin [autotag]Jose Aldo [/autotag]for the vacant bantamweight belt, there are no lack of storylines heading into the grand opening of the UFC’s July run of shows in the Middle East.

The UFC 251 main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Without further ado, then, here are six burning questions heading into UFC 251.

Is this Jorge Masvidal’s moment of truth?

UFC 244: Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz

UFC 251 got an undeniable boost when Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) stepped in on a week’s notice to fight Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC).

Masvidal is by far the biggest name associated with this show, the sort who will bring viewers who might have previously been on the fence about buying the show into the fold. 

If you look at this one way, you can paint this as the ultimate win-win situation for Masvidal: “Gamebred” says he got close to the money had asked for during his recent holdout in order to take this fight. He gets the title shot which has eluded him in his long career and the opportunity to take things to yet another level. And if he loses? Well, he was the guy who was willing to fly to the Middle East on short notice to save a show and take on an enormous challenge. Who would hold that against Masvidal?

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But it’s not quite that simple. The stakes are, in fact, enormous. Masvidal has fought for 17 years and 48 official fights (and that’s not counting his Miami backyard roots) to get himself into this position. He has to fight an absolute killer in Usman, and no matter how his team tries to spin it, he obviously hasn’t had a full training camp. If he wins, his ascension to superstardom is complete. If he falters, he falls back into the pack at age 35. 

But then, fortune favors the bold, and that’s exactly what makes this a can’t-miss fight.

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