Tag: Paulo Costa

UFC 298 post-event facts: Ilia Topuria makes history with title coronation

The best facts to come out of UFC 298, which saw a number of historic feats, including Ilia Topuria’s title KO of Alexander Volkanovski.

The UFC’s second pay-per-view of 2024 was a memorable one, with UFC 298 on Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., seeing a changing of the guard in the featherweight division.

In the main event, [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) became the new featherweight champion when he delivered on his promise to knock out longtime titleholder [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC), which he did in the second round of their fight to claim gold.

For more on the numbers to come out of the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 298.

UFC 298 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Alexander Volkanovski’s $42,000 tops card

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 298 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $252,000.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 298 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $243,000.

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 298 took place at Honda Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC 298 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Anthony Hernandez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Roman Kopylov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Rinya Nakamura[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Carlos Vera[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Zhang Mingyang[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Brendson Ribeiro[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Danny Barlow[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josh Quinlan[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Oban Elliott[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Val Woodburn[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Miranda Maverick[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]: $11,000

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 2011 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 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,093,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $23,800,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.

UFC 298 salaries: Alexander Volkanovski leads 13 fighters with six-figure payouts

Alexander Volkanovski leaves UFC 298 without his title belt, but he took home the biggest payday of the event.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Thirteen fighters who competed at UFC 298, more than half the hard, earned disclosed payouts of at least six figures, with [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] leading the pack.

California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster released a full list of fighter purses Saturday to MMA Junkie. The amounts reflect the disclosed payouts only and do not include any off-contract bonuses, sponsor payments or discretionary bonuses.

In addition to Volkanovski, who earned a flat $750,000, fellow headliner [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] also took home a flat purse in the amount of $350,000. Every other fighter’s disclosed payout was based on show money and win money.

Topuria went on to claim the featherweight title by knocking out Volkanovski in the second round at Honda Center.

Scroll below to see what the 22 fighters to compete at UFC 298 were paid – disclosed amounts only.

UFC 298 results: Robert Whittaker wins exciting, high-paced striking battle against Paulo Costa

The UFC 298 co-main event was an incredible all-striking affair between former champ Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa.

Aside from a scare late in the first round, former champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] turned in a phenomenal performance in an all-out striking affair against Paulo Costa.

The middleweight bout was the UFC 298 co-main event at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and it was one filled with action from two powerful top-tier fighters. When time expired after three rounds, Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) claimed victory over Costa (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) by earning scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27.

From the beginning, it was clear this fight would be filled with hard-hitting action.

Powerful kicks from both started the fight, with Whittaker investing attacks to the legs, while Costa went high. Left hand jabs were also on display early. The pace was fast as Whittaker controlled from the center. The former champ controlled the action by darting in and out with punches, causing Costa to play his counter game or wait for chances between Whittaker’s offerings.

In the closing seconds, Costa uncorked a spinning heel kick that caught Whittaker right on the jaw, wobbling him badly. Somehow, Whittaker made it to the second round.

Whittaker came out in Round 2 with the same plan of attack. Costa smiled as Whittaker cracked him with a hard shot. In response, Costa peppered his jab and circled as blood began to trickle from Whittaker’s nose. Costa’s thumb accidentally poked Whittaker’s eye causing a brief pause, but when the fight resumed, they went right back into the firefight.

Hard leg kicks dug in from Whittaker, affecting Costa’s movement. Whittaker’s counterpunching began to shine in the second half of Round 2 as well.

Just five minutes remained, and the high-paced action continued. Costa chose leg kicks while Whittaker connected with punches upstairs. Costa called for Whittaker to stand in the center of the cage and throw down, but Whittaker kept to his plan. Whittaker’s darting strikes scored well, while Costa loaded up for more powerful strikes. Hard leg kicks from Whittaker also gave Costa trouble as the fight came to a close.

The result marks a return to the win column for Whittaker, who dropped his previous outing to current champion Dricus Du Plessis. Since dropping the title to Israel Adesanya in 2019, Whittaker has built a record of 5-2, maintaining his position among the top guys at 185 pounds.

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Up-to-the-minute UFC 298 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.

Social media reacts to Robert Whittaker’s win over Paulo Costa after surviving big kick at UFC 298

The MMA community reacted to Robert Whittaker’s victory against Paulo Costa in the UFC 298 co-main event.

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] inserted himself back into the middleweight title picture Saturday when he defeated [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] in the UFC 298 co-main event.

Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), a former UFC champion, bounced back from a July loss to Dricus Du Plessis with a unanimous decision victory over Costa (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in their key 185-pound matchup, which took place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Whittaker’s win over Costa at UFC 298.

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Robert Whittaker def. Paulo Costa at UFC 298: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Robert Whittaker’s unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] at UFC 298 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. (Fight and venue photos by Gary A. Vasquez, USA Today Sports)

UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria watch-along live stream with MMA Junkie Radio

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of UFC 298 in Anaheim.

UFC 298 takes place Saturday headlined by a featherweight title fight, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live-streamed watch-along right here, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET.

In the main event, UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) attempts another successful title defense, this time against [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC). Middleweight contenders [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) face off in a long-awaited showdown in the co-main event.

UFC 298 takes place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Below is the lineup of fights included in the watch-along

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria – for featherweight title
  • Paulo Costa vs. Robert Whittaker
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Geoff Neal
  • Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili
  • Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Lemos
  • Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Junior Tafa
  • Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera
  • Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.

UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria preview show live stream with Farah Hannoun

Before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a live-streamed preview of UFC 298.

UFC 298 takes place Saturday headlined by a featherweight title fight, but before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a preview show right here at 5 p.m. ET.

In the main event, UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) attempts another successful title defense, this time against [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC). Middleweight contenders [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) face off in a long-awaited showdown in the co-main event.

UFC 298 takes place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Below is the full lineup:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria – for featherweight title
  • Paulo Costa vs. Robert Whittaker
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Geoff Neal
  • Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili
  • Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Lemos
  • Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Junior Tafa
  • Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera
  • Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Danny Barlow vs. Josh Quinlan
  • Oban Elliott vs. Val Woodburn
  • Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.

Video: Former UFC champ Sean Strickland keeps making headlines

Our “Spinning Back Clique” discusses the latest reasons Sean Strickland has been making headlines.

[autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] continues to make headlines in and out of the octagon, for better or worse.

Before losing the middleweight title to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297, Strickland made headlines that reached far beyond the MMA bubble because of his homophobic tirade during media day. It didn’t take long after the event for Strickland to keep his name in the news cycle.

Strickland recently sparred the popular streamer Sneako, leaving him bloodied after going way too hard on someone who is not a professional fighter, and does not remotely possess the fighting skills of a former UFC champion.

Then, at a recent Power Slap event, Strickland made headlines again for actions outside of the octagon as he got into a verbal altercation with musical artist Machine Gun Kelly.

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Farah Hannoun, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Danny Segura discuss the latest with Strickland with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia, and whether or not the UFC should intervene in some capacity.

Check out their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full episode on YouTube or in podcast form below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/DpQXebnLHXU?si=PEqd-7rByiGTULnV

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UFC 298 ‘Embedded,’ No. 6: ‘I’m going to make history tomorrow night’

In the final installment of UFC 298 “Embedded,” fighters step on the official scale and have their final staredowns before fight night.

The UFC is back for its second pay-per-view of 2024, and the popular “Embedded” fight week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 298 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

In the main event, UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) attempts another successful title defense, this time against [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC). Middleweight contenders [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) face off in a long-awaited showdown in the co-main event.

Also on the card, a grudge match between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) finally materializes after [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and [autotag]Merab Dvalishivili[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) jostle for position atop the bantamweight division.

The sixth and final episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

“Athletes weigh in and UFC 298 is set: champ Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria, Robert Whittaker vs Paulo Costa, Geoff Neal vs Ian Machado Garry, Merab Dvalishvilli vs Henry Cejudo and more.”

Also see:

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.