Tag: Roberto Romero

UFC 309 medical suspensions: Stipe Miocic out for 60 days, several others up to three months

From one week to three months, check out the full list of medical suspensions handed out following UFC 309 in New York.

Every fighter who competed this past Saturday at UFC 309 has been given a medical suspension following their bouts.

Jhonata Diniz, Mickey Gall and Bassil Hafez were knocked out in their fights and were among four fighters who received 90-day suspensions, which was the longest period issued. The fourth fighter who received 90 days was James Llontop, who went the distance with Mauricio Ruffy, but was on the receiving end of multiple damaging strikes over three rounds.

The event, which took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, was headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and former champion Stipe Miocic. Although he announced his retirement following the main event, Miocic was given a 60-day suspension for his TKO loss to Jones.

Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a full list of medical suspensions from the New York State Department of State, which oversaw the event. Check out the full list below. The suspensions ranged from a 7-day mandatory rest period to 90 days. Any fighter given 30-90 days may return sooner if cleared by a doctor (unless noted otherwise).

Eduarda Moura def. Veronica Hardy

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Veronica Hardy (red gloves) fights Eduarda Moura (blue gloves) in the flyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Eduarda Moura[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

Oban Elliott def. Bassil Hafez

Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Bassil Hafez (red gloves) fights Oban Elliott (blue gloves) in the welterweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Oban Elliott[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

[autotag]Bassil Hafez[/autotag]: 90-day suspension with neurology clearance

Ramiz Brahimaj def. Mickey Gall

Ramiz Brahimaj def Mickey Gall UFC 309

[autotag]Ramiz Brahimaj[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

[autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag]: 90-day suspension with neurology clearance

Marcin Tybura def. Jhonata Diniz

Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jhonata Diniz (blue gloves) reacts after losing to Marcin Tybura (red gloves, not pictured) in the Heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

[autotag]Jhonata Diniz[/autotag]: 90-day suspension

David Onama def. Roberto Romero

Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; David Onama (red gloves) fights Roberto Romero (blue gloves) in the lightweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]David Onama[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

[autotag]Roberto Romero[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

Jim Miller def. Damon Jackson

[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

[autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

Marcus McGhee def. Jonathan Martinez

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jonathan Martinez (red gloves) fights Marcus Mcghee (blue gloves) in the bantamweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Marcus McGhee[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

Mauricio Ruffy def. James Llontop

Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Mauricio Ruffy (red gloves) fights James Llontop (blue gloves) in the catchweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Mauricio Ruffy[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

[autotag]James Llontop[/autotag]: 90-day suspension

Viviane Araujo def. Karine Silva

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Viviane Araujo (red gloves) fights Karine Silva (blue gloves) in the WomenÕs Flyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

[autotag]Karine Silva[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

Bo Nickal def. Paul Craig

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 16: (R-L) Bo Nickal of the United States of America punches Paul Craig of Scotland in a middleweight fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Charles Oliveira (red gloves) fights Michael Chandler (blue gloves) in the lightweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

[autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]: 30-day suspension

Jon Jones def. Stipe Miocic

UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones (R) fights challenger Stipe Miocic during their heavyweight title bout at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 16, 2024. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest

[autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag]: 60-day suspension

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

Roberto Romero reflects on gutsy UFC 309 debut loss vs. David Onama

Mexico’s Roberto Romero has been asking himself “what if” since losing his UFC debut against David Onama.

[autotag]Roberto Romero[/autotag] might’ve taken a loss Saturday at UFC 309, but many were still impressed with what they saw from the newcomer.

Romero debuted for the UFC against veteran [autotag]David Onama[/autotag] on the preliminary card of UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden. It was a fight he took the Tuesday before the event with basically no preparation, as he replaced Lucas Almeida.

Little chance was given to Romero (8-4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) as Onama entered as a -1000 betting favorite. Yet, despite the odds, the Mexican fighter put it on Onama and nearly finished him in the first round.

“Believe me, that’s something I’ve analyzed a lot,” Romero told MMA Junkie in Spanish when asked about his decision take the back rather than finish a rocked Onama. “In fact, yesterday was the first day I was able to sleep since the fight because it ended on Saturday and all the adrenaline and mix of emotions just kept me thinking and going over things in my head. I gave it a lot of thought, and yeah, f*ck, if I would’ve kept hitting him, just taken a step back and kept hitting him. But the ‘what if’ doesn’t exist. …

“At the end of the day this is a learning experience, and yeah, analyzing it, maybe if I would’ve kept hitting him, maybe I would’ve picked up the finish. But yeah, you learn and keep moving forward.”

After a hot first start where he almost finished Onama, the veteran survived and went on to win the rest of the fight, but with stiff resistance from Romero.

Romero admits the defeat stung, and he was disappointed he couldn’t get his hand raised in the octagon. But after getting embraced by the fan base and his family, Romero can say he’s proud of what he was able to display that night in New York City.

“Honestly, I’m very happy,” Romero said. “I did go in there to win. I didn’t go in there with a mediocre mentality like, ‘Oh, let’s just see what happens.’ No, I went to win. I studied him as much as I could in the few days I had, and I tried to make the most of this opportunity. I was 100 percent focused, and I gave it my all in that cage. I went there to win, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. There’s just so much you can control and is not like Onama is a walk in the park. He’s a lion, who was coming in there to win as well. We both left it all in there.

“I admit I was a little sad and disappointed din myself because I’m a bit of a perfectionist, but after hearing mu coaches and seeing people’s messages, and from my family and wife, they all lifted me and I feel very thankful. It’s not the result I wanted, but I don’t think my performance was too bad.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

UFC 309 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Jon Jones leads card in potential final bout

Jon Jones’ $42,000 led the Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts for UFC 309 in New York.

NEW YORK – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 309 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $262,500.

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 309 took place at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 309 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Karine Silva[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Mauricio Ruffy[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]James Llontop[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Marcus McGhee[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]David Onama[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Roberto Romero[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Jhonata Diniz[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Ramiz Brahimaj[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Bassil Hafez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Oban Elliott[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Eduarda Moura[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Veronica Hardy[/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 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: $7,543,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $30,280,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

David Onama def. Roberto Romero at UFC 309: Best photos

Check out the best photos from David Onama’s unanimous decision win over Roberto Romero at UFC 309.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]David Onama[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Roberto Romero[/autotag] at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Photos by Brad Penner, Imagn Images; UFC; MMA Junkie)

Two UFC 309 fight card changes announced

The UFC 309 fight card looks a little different than it did at the beginning of the week.

UFC 309 fight week is upon us and while most of the attention has been on the fights atop the bill, circumstances have required the promotion to tinker with the undercard.

Thursday, the promotion made two changes to Saturday’s card at Madison Square Garden in New York official. With Lucas Almeida out of his preliminary card bout vs. [autotag]David Onama[/autotag], in steps promotional newcomer [autotag]Roberto Romero[/autotag].

Romero (8-3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) went 6-1-1 in Combate Global in the eight fights prior to his UFC signing. He most recently competed in July and won by first-round rear-naked choke. The win bounced him back from a loss in December.

Onama (12-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has proven himself a must-watch fighter over the span of his six-fight UFC tenure to date. Whether it’s his brutal knockout of Gabriel Santos or his back-and-forth wars against Nate Landwehr and Mason Jones, Onama has proven himself a tough test for all opposition.

Additionally, the main card opener between [autotag]Mauricio Ruffy[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and [autotag]James Llontop[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has been changed from lightweight (155 pounds) to super lightweight (165 pounds). No reason was given for this change.

With the changes, the UFC 309 lineup now includes:

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

  • Champ Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic – for heavyweight title
  • Michael Chandler vs. Charles Oliveira
  • Paul Craig vs. Bo Nickal
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva
  • James Llontop vs. Mauricio Ruffy

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/FX/Hulu, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee
  • Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman
  • Damon Jackson vs. Jim Miller
  • David Onama vs. Roberto Romero

PRELIMINARY CARD (Hulu/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Jhonata Diniz vs. Marcin Tybura
  • Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Mickey Gall
  • Bassil Hafez vs. Oban Elliott
  • Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.