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With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from March 2023.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from March 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for March.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
There were a number of fighters who turned in solid performances at UFC 286, but who stood out among the rest down the card?
London was treated to a number of exciting moments and competitive battles throughout UFC 286.
The main event title fight rematch that saw [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] turn away [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] for the second straight time closed the show on a high note for the local audience. In the fight prior, the always-exciting [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] won another gritty bout against a top lightweight, outpointing [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag].
But aside from the top two bouts on the card, who stood out among the others?
Was it [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag] and his spectacular armbar finish against Bryan Barberena? How about [autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]’s submission win over Makwan Amirkhani in his featherweight debut, or maybe a promotional debut knockout from [autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag], who flattened Sam Patterson in the first round?
Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Mike Bohn, Farah Hannoun, and Brian “Goze” Garcia weigh in with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia. Check out their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full episode below.
“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel.
Daniel Cormier heaped praise on Justin Gaethje’s performance against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286.
[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] heaped praise on [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]’s performance against [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] at UFC 286.
Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) outlasted Fiziev (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) by majority decision in this past Saturday’s co-headliner at The O2 in London and snapped the rising contender’s winning streak in a bloody battle.
Cormier credited Gaethje for overcoming Fiziev’s speed and putting it on him in Round 3 to close out the fight strong.
“What an amazing fight,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “First thing I told Justin Gaethje in the octagon after was, ‘Justin Gaethje, you’re my hero,’ because I think Justin Gaethje is everybody’s hero. He was at such a speed disadvantage in this fight. It was never more evident than very early in the fight.
“He was a tad bit slower, but he was so intent on winning that it didn’t matter what Fiziev gave him. He continued to fight with his game plan, with his pressure, and it paid dividends as the fight went on. By the third round, Justin Gaethje couldn’t miss. He was landing the jab at will. He was landing the uppercut at will.”
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Former interim lightweight champion Gaethje maintained his spot at the top of the division and sees a rematch with Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliiveira as the logical next step. Prior to the fight, Cormier said Fiziev was a must-win fight for Gaethje.
“Justin Gaethje was sure there was no changing in the guard at 155 pounds,” Cormier said. “He did what he needed to do in order to turn back the Rafael Fiziev threat to his place amongst the division’s elite.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
Check out the numbers to come out of UFC 286, where Justin Gaethje made more history with another Fight of the Night effort.
The UFC hosted its fourth numbered event of the year on Saturday with UFC 286, which took place at The O2 in London and saw home country hero [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] compete in the main event.
Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) registered his first welterweight title defense when he edged rival [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC) by majority decision in their trilogy bout, giving him a 2-1 lead in their series.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 286.
Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 286 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,500.
LONDON – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 286 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,500.
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 286 took place at The O2. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.
The full UFC 286 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag]: $32,000
[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Casey O’Neill[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Chris Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Sam Patterson[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Jafel Filho[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Gabriel Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Christian Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Malcolm Gordon[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Joanne Wood[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Juliana Miller[/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 $4,500; 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 286.
Check out the reaction to Justin Gaethje’s majority decision win over Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event of UFC 286.
A lightweight clash in the co-main event of UFC 286 tore the house down at The O2 in London.
Justin Gaethje won a majority decision over Rafael Fiziev after an insane three rounds of high-paced action. Both fighters had their moments, but it was Gaethje who emerged victorious by majority decision.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Gaethje’s victory over Fiziev at UFC 286.
Justin Gaethje rallied late to edge out Rafael Fiziev in the UFC 286 co-main event.
LONDON – [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] rallied late to edge out [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag].
Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) snapped Fiziev’s (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) winning streak by earning a majority decision win on Saturday. The lightweight bout was the UFC 286 co-main event at The O2 in London.
Gaethje was awarded Rounds 2 and 3 by one judge, and a second gave him Rounds 1 and 3. The third judge gave Fiziev Rounds 1 and 2, but gave Gaethje a 10-8 in Round 3, which caused a draw on his scorecard.
To start off Round 1, Fiziev fired with a body kick, but the first leg kick out of Gaethje drew a big reaction from Fiziev. Fiziev pressured and continued to attack the body. Both men threw heavy leather and landed. Gaethje shot for a takedown, but Fiziev was wise to it. To close out the round, Fiziev landed a big knee up top.
Fiziev landed two big body shots to kick off Round 2. An accidental eye poke by Gaethje caused a momentary break in the action. Gaethje went up top with a head kick which was partially blocked. Gaethje then went low with another hard leg kick, followed by a blitzing combination of punches. Fiziev’s body strikes started to pile up, as he threw more at a higher rate.
In the final round, Fiziev landed a big right hand, followed by a left hook which connected clean, but Gaethje ate it. Gaethje landed a left hook and shot for a takedown which Fiziev stuffed. Gaethje then landed two stiff jabs as a mouse formed under Fiziev’s eye. Gaethje’s output significantly increased, but Fiziev countered with a short left. Gaethje started to cause some serious damage to a bloodied up Fiziev, landing an uppercut followed by a takedown to close out the fight.
FIZIEV'S EYE 😨 #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/W7IJROYg4W
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 18, 2023
Gaethje returned to the win column after getting submitted by Charles Oliveira in a lightweight title fight last May at UFC 274. Meanwhile, Fiziev saw his six-fight winning streak snapped.
The lightweight bout was the UFC 286 co-main event at The O2 in London.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 286 results include:
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
Check out the best photos from Justin Gaethje’s majority decision win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 in London.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]’s majority decision win over [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] at UFC 286 at The O2 in London. (Photos by Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)
Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of UFC 286 in London.
UFC 286 takes place Saturday headlined by two tile bouts, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live streaming watch-along right here, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET.
In the main event, welterweight champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) and [autotag]Kamaru Usman [/autotag](20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) run it back for a trilogy fight after Edwards shockingly knocked out Usman last August to claim the title. And in the co-main event, lightweight contenders [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (23-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) and [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) square off in a pivotal bout at 155 pounds.
UFC 286 takes place Saturday at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.
Below is the lineup of fights included in the watch-along:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 5 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC 286 odds and lines between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.
In a lightweight bout on the main card, Justin Gaethje battles Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 at the O2 Arena in London. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC 286: Gaethje vs. Fiziev odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The fights are on ESPN+ with the early prelims starting at 12:30 p.m. ET, and the prelims beginning at 3 p.m. ET. The main card starts at 5 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.
Gaethje failed to win the lightweight strap when he was submitted in the first round by Charles Oliveira last time out at UFC 274 in May 2022. It’s the 2nd time in the past 3 bouts that he has been submitted, also losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 on Fight Island in Oct. 2020.
Gaethje has gone the distance just once in his 9 fights at the UFC level, with 4 KO/TKO victories, 2 KO/TKO losses and a pair of submission setbacks.
Fiziev dropped Rafael Dos Anjos last time out in the fifth round in July 2022, his 2nd straight KO/TKO win, and 3rd knockout victory in the past 4 bouts.
Since making his UFC debut in April 2019 — a KO/TKO loss to Magomed Mustafaev — “Ataman” has ripped off 6 consecutive victories, including 3 unanimous-decision wins and 3 KO/TKO victories.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:45 a.m. ET.
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Records: Gaethje (23-4-0) | Fiziev (12-1-0)
Fiziev looks to keep Gaethje down, but it certainly won’t be easy. Gaethje has a 7.46-to-4.81 significant strikes landed per minute advantage while posting a 60.52% significant strike accuracy percentage.
GAETHJE (+190) is worth taking a chance on, as you can nearly double up on the veteran fighter. The biggest danger to Gaethje is going to the mat and tapping out, but that’s not really Fiziev’s game. Both fighters will want to remain upright, and that’s good news for the underdog.
Gaethje is a punching machine, but look for him to be a little measured in his attacks. Fiziev is also a dangerous puncher, so both will want to keep each other at a bit of a distance, rather than walking into a killer blow that can end the fight in the blink of an eye.
I am not saying that this fight will be boring, by any stretch, but I don’t think it will be the punch-fest it is capable of being. As such, I like YES (+155): FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE at plus money, and METHOD OF VICTORY: GAETHJE BY POINTS (+720) is worth a partial unit play for a chance to multiply your initial wager by more than 7 times.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
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For sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Plus, try out the USA TODAY Parlay Calculator and please gamble responsibly.
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