Ryan Benoit’s weigh-in for UFC on ESPN 24 was both frightening and unsuccessful as he came in three pounds over.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag]’s weigh-in for UFC on ESPN 24 was both frightening and unsuccessful.
Benoit (10-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC) came in three pounds overweight for his flyweight matchup with [autotag]Zarrukh Adashev[/autotag] (3-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) during Friday’s official weigh-ins, and the matchup was subsequently scratched from the card.
Pulling him was the right call, as getting Benoit onto the scale to register the miss was a troubling sight.
From the moment Benoit stepped through the backstage curtain toward the stage, it was clear he was in bad shape. He had his coach and UFC security following closely and essentially had to be guided up to the scale.
With his body shaking, Benoit couldn’t stand still long enough to register an official weight on his first attempt. He was taken backstage to be examined by a doctor, who apparently allowed him to come back out for a second attempt.
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Benoit was still in bad condition, but the people around him kept him still enough to officially weigh in. He was 129 pounds.
Within minutes, the Nevada Athletic Commission revealed it would not clear Benoit for competition, and the matchup with Adashev was canceled.
It’s unknown at this time if either men will be paid his show money, win money or UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay.
Watch the video of Benoit missing weight above.
UFC on ESPN 24 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.
A flyweight fight is the second addition to the UFC’s May 8 card.
The UFC’s May lineup is filling out.
On May 8, flyweights [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] and [autotag]Zarrukh Adashev[/autotag] will square off at a UFC Fight Night event at a location and venue to be announced.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Thursday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Benoit (10-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC) will look to rebound after back-to-back losses. A member of the UFC’s roster since 2013, Benoit’s promotional stint has been riddled with injuries. Bouncing between the 135-pound and 125-pound weight classes, May 8 will mark Benoit’s second straight fight at flyweight.
Also coming off two straight losses, Adashev (3-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) seeks his first promotional victory. A standout kickboxer, Adashev was brutally knocked out in 32 seconds in his UFC debut against Tyson Nam in June 2020. He returned to the cage in Su Mudaerji in January and lost a unanimous decision.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for May 8 includes:
Four fighters face potential 180-day medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN 13.
Four fighters face potential 180-day medical suspensions as a result of injuries sustained in their UFC on ESPN 13 fights Wednesday.
Friday, MMA Junkie obtained the full list from MixedMartialArts.com, the ABC’s official recordkeeper.
According to the list, UFC on ESPN 13 main card fighters [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] and [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag], as well as prelim competitors [autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag] and [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag], received 180-day suspensions. Fighters can return sooner than the duration of their suspension if cleared by a doctor.
Headliners [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag], however, walked away relatively unscathed, despite their 25-minute back-and-forth battle. Kattar (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was handed a 30-day suspension for a “hard bout,” while Ige (14-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) received 45 days on the shelf for bilateral brow lacerations.
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UFC on ESPN 13 took place Wednesday at Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The main card streamed on pay-per-view after prelims simulcasted on ESPN and ESPN+.
The complete list of UFC on ESPN 13 medical suspensions:
Calvin Kattar: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
Dan Ige: Suspended 45 days for bilateral brow lacerations with no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for left brow lacerations with no contact for 21 days
Ryan Benoit: Suspended 180 days or until right thumb x-ray is cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
[autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right shoulder pain with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for scalp laceration with no contact for 21 days
Taila Santos: Suspended 180 days or until right foot x-ray is cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right eye swelling with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for right hand pain with no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Khazmat Chimaev[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]John Phillips[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for bilateral brow lacerations with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss with no contact for 30 days
Modestas Bukauskas: Suspended 180 days or until left knee MRI cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
[autotag]Andreas Michailidis[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss with no contact for 30 days
[autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Chris Fishgold[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for a “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
[autotag]Liana Jouja[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
Diana Belbita: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow MRI is cleared by doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
[autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
[autotag]Aaron Phillips[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest
Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 13, which saw Calvin Kattar beat Dan Ige in the main event in Abu Dhabi.
The second in UFC’s string of “Fight Island” events went down on Wednesday with UFC on ESPN 13, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
[autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) continued to surge as a featherweight contender in the main event when he outworked [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) to a unanimous decision. Both men showed great toughness in the fight, and that was a theme throughout the evening.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for
* * * *
General
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UFC on ESPN 13 became the second event in UFC history to feature zero knockdowns. UFC Fight Night 9 in April 2007 was the other.
[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag], [autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag], [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] and [autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN 13 fight-night bonuses.
UFC on ESPN 13 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.
Betting favorites went 7-4 on the card.
Betting favorites improved to 12-6 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 2:05:42.
Main card
Dan Ige
Ige has suffered all three of his career losses by decision.
Ige failed to complete a takedown for the first time in his UFC career.
[autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag] (16-11-1 MMA, 5-9 UFC) snapped his three-fight losing skid for his first victory since December 2017.
Elliott improved to 3-5 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in December 2016.
Elliott has earned four of his five UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] (10-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC) has suffered five of his seven career losses by decision.
[autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] (23-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has earned 17 of his 23 career victories by decision. That includes six of his seven UFC wins.
[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (19-3-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) has suffered two of his three career losses by decision.
Alhassan (10-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by decision.
Preliminary card
Khamzat Chimaev
Chimaev (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]John Phillips[/autotag] (22-10 MMA, 1-4 UFC) has suffered eight of his 10 career losses by stoppage.
Phillips has suffered three of his four UFC losses by submission.
[autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) fell to 1-1 since he moved up to the featherweight division in November.
Ramos has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage. He’s been knocked out in both of his UFC defeats.
Bukauskas (11-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 10 of his 11 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Andreas Michailidis[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by knockout.
[autotag]Jarred Gordon[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has earned three of his four UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Chris Fishgold[/autotag] (18-4-1 MMA, 1-3 UFC) has suffered all three of his UFC losses by stoppage.
[autotag]Liana Jojua[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned seven of her eight career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag] (11-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered five of her six career losses by stoppage.
Belbita has suffered all five of his career stoppage losses by submission.
[autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished both of his UFC wins by submission.
[autotag]Aaron Phillips[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 0-3 UFC) was unsuccessful in his return to the octagon.
Phillips’ skid in UFC competition was extended to three fights. He went 0-2 in his previous tenure in 2014.
Phillips suffered the first submission loss of his career.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
UFC on ESPN 13 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
ABU DHABI – Fighters from Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 13 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $97,000.
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 13 took place at Flash Forum. The card aired streamed on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN.
The full UFC on ESPN 13 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
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:
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 13 event at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
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 on ESPN 13 went with as their backing tracks in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Tim Elliott needed to overcome some adversity to snap his three-fight losing skid, but he managed to do it at UFC on ESPN 13.
[autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag] needed to overcome some adversity to snap his three-fight losing skid, but he managed to do it against [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] and leave UFC on ESPN 13 on Wednesday with his hand raised.
Elliott (16-11-1 MMA, 5-9 UFC) put on the type of fight people have come to expect of him over the years. He went three frantic rounds with Benoit (10-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC) and, despite not being able to use his right hand for most of the final round, got the unanimous decision win with 29-28 scores across the board.
The flyweight bout was the co-main event at UFC on ESPN 13 at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
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Elliott opened the fight with his trademark awkward movements and it seemed to trouble Benoit a bit. He took control of the center of the cage and tried to gauge his punches against a hesitant Benoit. After a few minutes of feeling each other out, Benoit landed the first big strike with a slapping head kick. Benoit found his striking groove for the remainder of the frame, and it was only interrupted by a late takedown from Elliott.
The striking success of Benoit continued into the second round. He stung Elliott with a few big shots in the first minute and found confidence in throwing consistently. Elliott attempted to stay in his face and find rhythm in movements, which caused Benoit to shoot for a takedown. Elliott locked in a guillotine choke that, while not successful, resulted in him establishing top position. A scramble saw Benoit latch onto a heel hook that caused Elliot to grimace, but he somehow survived and got back to the feet, where they exchanged for most of the remaining seconds in the round.
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Elliott came out in the third round looking to apply pressure on Benoit. He had success, then a strange moment occurred where Elliott grabbed at his glove and was shaking out his left hand. Benoit picked up the pace and looked to land, but Elliott stayed sharp, despite throwing only one hand. Elliott was forced to work almost exclusively around his jab and Benoit was keen to take advantage. He connected with some strong punches on Elliott, who refused to give up and clinched up late in the fight. Benoit made a late push of his own, closing an entertaining and competitive three-round affair.
“My hand was numb and I looked down and my two middle fingers were doing a Y away from each other,” Elliott said of his injury in his post-fight interview with Jon Anik. “They popped back in and now I don’t feel any pain and they feel good.”
The win was Elliott’s first since December 2017, and he said he hopes to get a streak going after switching camps to work with James Krause in Kansas City.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 13 results include:
Tim Elliott def. Ryan Benoit via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Previewing Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 13 Fight Island bout between Tim Elliott and Ryan Benoit, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.
Tim Elliott and Ryan Benoit will tangle in a flyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 13 Wednesday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET.
Want to place a bet on UFC on ESPN 13? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!
The southpaw Elliott (16-11-1) enters with a two-inch height advantage, but his reach is two inches shorter than his counterpart. As such, he’ll likely be looking to get this fight to the mat early and often, as the canvas is where he does his best work. He owns a sparkling 4.31 to 0.20 takedown-average advantage over Benoit (10-6), a 55.70 to 16.67 takedown-accuracy percentage and a 1.18 to 0.20 submission-average advantage, too. Elliott enters on a three-bout losing skid, as his opponents have turned the tables on him lately. He was submitted by UFC newcomer Brandon Royval May 30 at the UFC’s APEX Facility on the Woodley-Burns card. Previous to that defeat, he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Askar Askarov Jan. 18 and a submission loss Oct. 12, 2019 to Deiveson Figueiredo. In fact, Elliott is 1-4 in his previous five bouts, with four of the past five finishing inside the distance, too.
For Benoit – a.k.a. “Baby Face” – the Janjira Muay Thai team member has alternated wins and losses in each of his past 10 fights as a pro, including 3-2 at the UFC level. His last time out was a disappointing split-decision loss to HeiliAlateng on the Edgar-Korean Zombie card Dec. 21, 2019, a bout Benoit felt he should have won. He has been chomping at the bit ever since. The fact both fighters are desperate for a much-needed win should make this a very entertaining bout.
ELLIOTT (-125) is favored on the 2-way line, and rightly so. While he has had a difficult time of it recently, Benoit (+105) hasn’t exactly lit the world afire lately, either. The latter has been rather inconsistent, showing out in some rounds, while completely disappearing in others. Elliott’s tremendous work on the mat will be the difference in this one. In fact, taking ELLIOTT BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+340) on the 5-way line could be a rather lucrative way to go.
In addition, while the books are fully expecting this one to be decided by the judges, I am really impressed by Elliott’s body of work on the ground. Recently, he has gone to the mat and been overcome by his opponents. Either way, he isn’t going deep into the night, and that makes the UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (+140) price rather attractive, too.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
In the main event, [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in a featherweight bout. Kattar is more than a 3-1 favorite, and he’s got a big 11-3 lead in the picks from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.
In the co-main event, [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] (10-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) meets former flyweight title challenger [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag] (15-11-1 MMA, 4-9 UFC). Elliott is just a slight favorite, but he’s got a big 10-4 picks advantage.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) fights [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) in a bantamweight bout. Although it’s Rivera with a slight edge at the sportsbooks, it’s Stamann with a 10-4 rout in our picks.
[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a women’s flyweight fight that is a virtual pick’em from the oddsmakers. But despite that, McCann is our closest thing to a unanimous pick with a 13-1 lead from our staff members.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the main card, and he’s got a big 12-2 picks lead over promotional newcomer [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who is fighting what amounts to a home bout.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Kattar (75 percent), Elliott (59 percent), Stamann (59 percent), McCann (67 percent) and Alhassan (87 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the fighter faceoffs ahead of UFC on ESPN 13.
ABU DHABI – After the UFC on ESPN 13 weigh-ins took place Tuesday, so too did fighter faceoffs, and MMA Junkie was on the scene.
In the main event, both [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] will look to make statements about their standing in the featherweight division. And in the co-headliner, former flyweight title challenger [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag]. The event also features a key bantamweight bout between Jimmie Rivera and Cody Stamann.
All six men made weight. One main-card fighter, Abdul Razak Alhassan, came in heavy for his welterweight fight against Mounir Lazzez.
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Afterward, everyone came face to face for the only time this week. You can watch the faceoffs in the video above, as well as check out our photo gallery below.
UFC on ESPN 13 takes place Wednesday at Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and airs on ESPN/ESPN+.
