Tag: Punahele Soriano

Punahele Soriano says confidence coming back after 31-second KO at UFC Fight Night 249

Punahele Soriano picked up his second straight win and got his first finish in 18 months.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] beat Uros Medic with a first-round knockout Saturday to open up the main card at UFC Fight Night 249 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Soriano, who picked up his second straight win and got his first finish in 18 months.

Punahele Soriano def. Uros Medic

Result: Punahele Soriano def. Uros Medic via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:31
Updated records: Soriano (11-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) def. Uros Medic (10-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Key stats: Soriano’s finish tied for the fastest of his career; he also had a 31-second knockout for Titan FC nearly seven years ago in his third pro fight.

Soriano on the fight’s key moment

Punahele Soriano def. Uros Medic, UFC Fight Night 249 (via UFC)

“A few people have told me that (I hit hard). I think I lost confidence in that a few times, but I’m getting it back. I didn’t realize till (my coach) told me after, but I hit him with a step-over, like we’ve been working out in camp. It’s just crazy when something you’ve worked over and over in camp happens. A lot of the times I leave the strategizing to (my coaches) and I just do what they tell me to do. God willing, it turns out good.”

Soriano on staying level

“(My) first (reaction after the KO), I was, ‘I’ve still got a job, still got a job, still got a job. Oh, I’m so happy.’ The confidence raises any time you get a win. I’ve learned that I’m trying not to get too high on it. I’m not going to let the wins get me too high, not let the losses get me too low, and just go back to the drawing board and continue to get better because I think that’s the main thing that happened in between this and the last fight. And I think it showed a little, hopefully.”

Soriano on what he wants next

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 11: (L-R) Punahele Soriano punches Uros Medic of Serbia in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“Any time you put in the work and it pays off, it’s always a great feeling. That’s the biggest indication that you’re doing the right work. But I feel like I just wasn’t tied down to the results this time. I knew regardless of whatever happened, backstage, I was visualizing getting hit with his uppercut. He knocked (his last opponent) out with the uppercut. Like, ‘Damn, that could be me tonight.’ A couple times, I visualized that. But I wasn’t being tied down to the results. I knew that regardless, I had my wife and my dog, my (upcoming) baby to go home and they’re going to love me regardless of the outcome.”

To hear more from Soriano, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.

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UFC Fight Night 249 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Santiago Ponzinibbio’s $16,000 leads

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out more than $31 million to athletes since its deal began with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 249 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $173,500.

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 Fight Night 249 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 249 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

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

[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Carlston Harris[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Cesar Almeida[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Roman Kopylov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Chris Curtis[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Austin Bashi[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Uros Medic[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Felipe Bunes[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jose Johnson[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Marco Tulio[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Trey Ogden[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jacobe Smith[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Preston Parsons[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ernesta Kareckaite[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nicolle Caliari[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Bruno Lopes[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Magomed Gadzhiyasulov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Fatima Kline[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Viktoriia Dudakova[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Nurullo Aliev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Joe Solecki[/autotag]: $6,000

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 2491 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 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

  • “UFC Fight Night 249: Dern vs. Ribas 2” – $173,500

Year-to-date total: $173,500
2024 total: $8,280,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $31,191,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.

Uros Medic vs. Punahele Soriano prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 249

Uros Medic and Punahele Soriano are eager to remain in the win column. Which welterweight takes the first UFC main card opener of 2025?

[autotag]Uros Medic[/autotag] and [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] meet Saturday on the UFC Fight Night 249 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

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Uros Medic vs. Punahele Soriano UFC Fight Night 249 preview

Medic (10-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) will look to stay in the winner’s column following a first-round knockout of Tim Means. The fight in April was Medic’s only appearance of 2024, and was a nice rebound from a submission loss in the fight prior. … Soriano (10-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) also enters after a victory in his only appearance last year. In June, he picked up a unanimous decision win over Miguel Baeza, which snapped a two-fight stoppage skid.

Uros Medic vs. Punahele Soriano UFC Fight Night 249 expert pick, prediction

The main card in Las Vegas opens with a potential welterweight way between Soriano and Medic.

Both fighters are action-fighting southpaws, which should make for fireworks inside the smaller octagon of the UFC’s Apex.

Soriano is 0-1 against fellow UFC-level lefties, while Medic is split in his sample size against southpaws, standing 1-1.

Both men seem to struggle with defending bodywork from both stances, but I’d give Medic a slight edge standing. That said, Medic appears to have a bad habit of retreating hard linearly when pressured – which could be extra costly in the small cage.

Couple that with Soriano’s on-paper wrestling and judo credentials, and I suspect that the Hawaiian replicates his welterweight debut with another wrestling-heavy performance here.

The pick is Soriano to force a stoppage by strikes in Round 2.

Uros Medic vs. Punahele Soriano UFC Fight Night 249 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Serbian fighter, listing Medic -215 and Soriano +180 via FanDuel.

Uros Medic vs. Punahele Soriano UFC Fight Night 249 start time, how to watch

As the main card opener, Medic and Soriano are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:10 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.

Punahele Soriano contemplated retirement prior to UFC on ESPN 57 win: ‘I felt so much pressure’

Punahele Soriano reflects on his welterweight debut win over Miguel Baeza at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 57.

Although [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] made it look easy on Saturday night, it was everything but an easy road to get to the octagon.

Soriano (10-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) had a dominant and successful welterweight debut at UFC on ESPN 57, defeating Baeza (10-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) in a clean, unanimous decision win. After the fight, Soriano opened up about the struggled he had to deal with in preparation.

“The whole camp, I felt so much pressure,” Soriano told the UFC after the fight. “Every day, I was contemplating whether I could still do this, whether if this is for me and if I could deal with this. Fight week, for whatever reason, I had the ultimate confidence. I was supremely confident, no added pressure and I believed in myself.”

On a two-fight skid and 1-4 in his past five outings, the doubts crept back the day of the fight. Backstage, warming up for his bout, Soriano had to battle those same demons.

“I said this a few times, but I was contemplating retirement backstage and thanks to my man Mike at the (UFC Performance Institute), I just let go of that balloon and started thinking about something I cared about – like my wife and my dogs, anything that I loved,” Soriano said. “(I was) ultimately reminding myself that I love this sport and love what I do.”

In the end, Soriano is happy with the way things turned out. He’s proud of his performance and that he got to show his wrestling skills.

“I thought I was Khabib,” Soriano said. “I thought I had a big afro on my head, and I was going to come out speaking Dagestan or whatever they speak. I wasn’t sure who I was anymore.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.

UFC on ESPN 57 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Nassourdine Imavov nets $6k for main event

UFC on ESPN 57 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 57 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,500.

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 on ESPN 57 took place at the KFC Yum! Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 57 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ricky Turcios[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Brunno Ferreira[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Julian Marquez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Charlie Radtke[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brad Katona[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jesse Butler[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Montana De La Rosa[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Daniel Marcos[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Denise Gomes[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Eduarda Moura[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Taylor Lapilus[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Puja Tomar[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Rayanne dos Santos[/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 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,570; 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 $57,000 while title challengers get $57,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-57 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,451,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,188,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ESPN 57

Miguel Baeza and Punahele Soriano are two welterweights in a need of a victory. Who will get the job done at UFC on ESPN 57 in Louisville?

[autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] and [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] meet Saturday in the main card opener of UFC on ESPN 57 from KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.  

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 preview

Baeza (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) entered the UFC on a tear after his Dana White’s Contender Series appearance. His first three fights resulted in second-round stoppage victories over Hector Aldana, Matt Brown and Takashi Sato. However, he has since struggled. Baeza is currently on a three-fight skid, including back-to-back stoppage losses to bring his UFC run to .500. … Soriano (9-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) will be looking to get back to that .500 mark. Soriano also came out of the gates hot after his DWCS signning. He stopped Oskar Piechota and Dusko Todorovic in the first round, but has since gone 1-4 over his last five.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 expert pick, prediction

Continuing their anti-Joe Silva card formatting trend, the UFC matchmakers not-so-surprisingly open the card with a welterweight bout between Soriano and Baeza.

In Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby’s defense, these two are both exciting fighters who could produce a potential welterweight war.

Baeza, who is coming off north of a two-year layoff, will be attempting to stop the bleeding of a three-fight losing skid opposite southpaw Soriano.

Although Baeza officially stands 1-0 opposite UFC-level southpaws (Takashi Sato), he’s never faced one as imposing and dangerous as “Puna.”

A former middleweight fighter and collegiate wrestler, Soriano has largely made his money by punishing opponents with his crushing power on the feet. The Hawaiian has underperformed in his recent string of losses, so expect Soriano to come out with something to prove this Saturday.

Despite my admitted bias for Soriano and his team at Xtreme Couture, I believe that Baeza – who is the deserved favorite – is a dangerous fighter to back as a favorite due to his suspect chin. For that reason, I’ll side with Soriano to score a semi-surprising knockout via a check right hook in Round 2.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the fighter from Florida, listing Baeza (-184) and Soriano (+142) via FanDuel.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano UFC on ESPN 57 start time, how to watch

As the main card opening bout, Baeza and Soriano are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 8:05 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.

UFC on ESPN 52 post-event facts: Clay Guida sets dubious record with 18th octagon loss

Check out all the facts from UFC on ESPN 52, which saw a record two slam KOs and Clay Guida tying the UFC record for most losses.

The UFC’s third-to-last event of 2023 went down as one of the best of the year. UFC on ESPN 52 delivered with nine stoppages in 12 fights.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) capped off the night with the quickest finish of the bunch. He dropped and stopped [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag] (22-6-1 MMA, 16-6-1 UFC) just 64 seconds into their high-stakes lightweight headliner, solidifying himself as a top contender.

For more on the numbers behind the card, which featured a number of historic feats, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 52.

UFC on ESPN 52 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Four fighters get max non-title money

UFC on ESPN 52 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

AUSTIN, Texas – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 52 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $225,000.

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 52 took place at Moody Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 52 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Joaquim Silva[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Drakkar Klose[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Joe Solecki[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Rodolfo Bellato[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jared Gooden[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Wellington Turman[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jamey-Lyn Horth[/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 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,520; 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 $52,000 while title challengers get $52,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-52 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,689,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $22,208,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 52.

Dustin Stoltzfus def. Punahele Soriano at UFC on ESPN 52: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Dustin Stoltzfus’ second-round submission win over Punahele Soriano at UFC on ESPN 52 in Austin, Texas.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]’ second-round submission win over [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 52 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photos by Dustin Safranek, USA TODAY Sports)

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for January: Jamahal Hill batters Glover Teixeira in Brazil

Jamahal Hill and Glover Teixeira went to war at UFC 283 in MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for January.

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

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

Nominees