Tag: Santiago Ponzinibbio

UFC on ESPN 59 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2024 total passes $4 million

The UFC has now issued more than $4 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance to its fighters in 2024 after UFC Denver.

DENVER – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 59 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $180,500.

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 59 took place at Ball Arena in Colorado. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 59 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Jean Silva[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Ange Loosa[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Julian Erosa[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $11,000
vs. [autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jasmine Jasudavicius[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Fatima Kline[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Andre Petroski[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Evan Elder[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Darrius Flowers[/autotag]: $4,500

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 $31,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-59 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,129,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,866,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

UFC on ESPN 59 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

UFC on ESPN 59 results: Muslim Salikhov gets split call over stunned Santiago Ponzinibbio

Muslim Salikhov’s biggest career win came shortly after his 40th birthday with a split decision over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC on ESPN 59.

The biggest win of [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]’s career came just weeks after his 40th birthday in the form of a triumph over [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN 59 co-main event.

Salikhov (20-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) avoided the first three-fight losing skid of his career and got back on the winning track Saturday with a split decision victory over Ponzinibbio (29-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC) in their welterweight clash at Ball Arena in Denver.

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The “King of Kung Fu” used striking to his advantage once again for 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28 scores after going toe-to-toe for the majority of three rounds and edging out the exchanges in the eyes of the judges.

Avoiding the pressure of Ponzinibbio was key for Salikhov. He used footwork and movement to create angles against his oncoming opponent and uncorked some of his trademark spinning attacks when the opportunities presented themselves.

Ponzinibbio attempted takedowns at various points, but Salikhov was able to avoid any damage and get the nod in the end.

“Ponzinibbio is very experienced guy,” Salikhov said in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “I respect him a lot, but today, I had the best team, the best gameplan and I followed it. That’s why this happened. It was not easy, but it’s OK. I got the win.”

With the win, Salikhov has his hand raised for the first time since November 2022. Ponzinibbio, meanwhile, drops to 2-5 in his past seven fights since January 2021, which marked his return to competition from a multiyear layoff due to health issues.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 59 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Muslim Salikhov def. Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC on ESPN 59: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Muslim Salikhov’s split decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC on ESPN 59.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag]’s split decision win over [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 59 at Ball Arena in Denver. (Fight and venue photos by Ron Chenoy, USA Today Sports)

UFC on ESPN 59: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 59 odds between Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov, with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 3-round welterweight bout on the main card, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 59 at Ball Arena in Denver. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 59: Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims begin 7 p.m. ET, also on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET, also on ESPN/ESPN+.

Records: Ponzinibbio (30-7-0) | Salikhov (19-5-0)

Ponzinibbio suffered a 3rd-round KO/TKO loss to Kevin Holland at UFC 287 in his most recent appearance. His previous 2 fights have ended via knockout, although 3 of his 5 bouts have gone the distance. He did top Alex Morono via KO/TKO at UFC 282 Dec. 10, 2022 for his most recent win.

Salikhov has consecutive losses to Randy Brown and Nicolas Dalby, with his last win coming via KO/TKO in Round 3 against Andre Fialho Nov. 19, 2022. He is in the midst of a 1-3 skid across his past 4 fights, with just one of those bouts going the distance.

The Argentine fighter has a 3-inch reach advantage over Salikhov, and the latter is 3 years older at 40. Ponzinibbio has a 4.90-to-3.36 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, while the Russian is much more accurate on those strikes at 53.94% to 42.53%.

Salikhov also does great work getting fighters to the ground, which can wow the judges should it come to that. He has a 1.27 takedown average, and 40.91% takedown accuracy percentage, while Ponzinibbio barely scratches the surface at 0.48 and 30.0% respectively.

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UFC on ESPN 59: Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Ponzinibbio -185 (bet $185 to win $100) | Salikhov +150 (bet $100 to win $150)
  • Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over -105 | Under -125)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +120 | No -160)

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UFC on ESPN 59: Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

Ponzinibbio (-190) will cost you nearly 2 times your potential return on a straight-up wager, and that’s a little too risky on a fighter which has won just once in the past 4 outings since June 5, 2021.

Salikhov (+150) is in the same boat, however, as he has dropped 3 of his past 4 fights, too.

Salikhov has been knocked out in 2 of his past 4 fights, and that’s worth pursuing further. PONZINIBBIO BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+175) on the 7-way line is a solid value given Salikhov’s recent lack of defense.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-125) is the play in this lead-up to the main event.

We’re calling for Ponzinibbio to the get KO/TKO, and it will likely come in Rounds 1 or 2. If you’re really adventurous, consider PONZINIBBIO IN ROUND 1 (+325) and PONZINIBBIO IN ROUND 2 (+550) in round betting. Yes, you’ll lose one of those ends if he wins in either of the 2 rounds, but you’ll still be well ahead if it happens.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ESPN 59

Reeling veterans Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov aim to claim victory in the UFC Denver co-main event. Who will it be?

[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] and [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 59 from Ball Arena in Denver. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 2-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 54-51-2

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov UFC on ESPN 59 preview

Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) once seemed on a path toward a UFC welterweight title shot while on a seven-fight winning streak from 2015 to 2018, but things have changed in recent years. Now 37, Ponzinibbio’s career has been marred by injuries and losses as he’s gone 2-4 since 2021. He most recently competed in April 2023, losing by third-round knockout to Kevin Holland at UFC 287. … Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has taken a similar path to his career. Once on a five-fight winning streak, Salikhov, 40, has hit a rough patch, losing three of his past four bouts since July 2022. He’s currently on a two-fight skid with a unanimous decision loss to Nicolas Dalby and most recently a first-round knockout by Randy Brown this past February.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov UFC on ESPN 59 expert pick, prediction

The co-main event in Denver features a welterweight showdown between Ponzinibbio and Salikhov.

These two are clearly in their post-primes, but I’m happy to see veterans like Ponzinibbio and Salikhov getting some shine in a featured spot. That said, despite being a big fan of Ponzinibbio, I was admittedly a little surprised to see him favored in this fight.

Don’t get me wrong: the stylistic dynamic of Ponzinibbio’s superior pace and stamina presents an obvious on-paper path for the Argentine, I’m just not so sure that the 37-year-old’s durability is still good enough to support said game.

Salikhov has certainly been on the wrong side of strikes and stoppages at the age of 40, but the quality and amount of damage sustained between the two are not equal.

Ponzinibbio, for example, has been absorbing roughly double the amount of strikes that Salikhov has over the last half-decade and has been getting dropped by everything from legit shots to off-balance arm punches.

Add in the kicking openings that Ponzinibbio’s boxing-centric stance provides, and I can’t help but side with Salikhov to find an early finish in round 1.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov UFC on ESPN 59 odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the Argentinian fighter, listing Ponzinibbio at -205 and Salikhov +164 via FanDuel.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov UFC on ESPN 59 start time, how to watch

As the co-main event, Ponzinibbio and Salikhov are expected to make their walks to the cage at approximately 12:05 a.m. ET (10:05 p.m. local time in Denver). The fight airs on ESPN and streams live on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Santiago Ponzinibbio: Shavkat Rakhmonov the biggest threat to UFC champion Leon Edwards

UFC welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio believes Shavkat Rakhmonov poses the biggest threat to Leon Edwards’s title reign.

[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] thinks one man specifically has a good shot at dethroning UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag].

Ponzinibbio, a veteran of the UFC’s 170-pound division and analyst for UFC Español, sees Edwards as a solid fixture of the top of the weight class and sees him getting past most challengers except one – [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag].

“I think Shavkat is the most difficult fighter,” Ponzinibbio told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I think he’s the most difficult, but again, anything can happen in this sport, and that’s why it’s so beautiful. It’s always a coin toss.

“But Shavkat looks good. There’s also Jack Della Maddalena, Ian Garry, who are good prospects, but I don’t know if they have the complete game to take the title from Leon Edwards. But let’s see what happens.”

Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns to the octagon this Saturday after being out for over a year. He takes on fellow veteran Muslim Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 59, which goes down at Ball Arena in Denver.

Edwards doesn’t fight long after, as he’s set to defend his title later this month against Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304 in Manchester, England. Ponzinibbio sees the champion keeping his title.

“He’ll be fighting at home, so I see him as the favorite,” Ponzinibbio said. “Leon Edwards manages distance very well, and he’s a southpaw that fights very long. He’s got an excellent takedown defense. Look at how much Usman struggled to just get to the takedown and if he’d get there, he would defend it. But he wouldn’t even let him get to initiate a takedown because of how well he managed distance. His faints, how he exits after he strikes. So yeah, I think standup-wise, he’s more complete than Belal. His kicks are better, he’s longer, I just see him better on the feet.

“I think Belal is going to feel a bit lost on the feet and look for the takedowns like he did against Thompson, and Leon Edwards should be able to deal with that. I’m picking the champion. He takes this one.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

UFC free fight: Santiago Ponzinibbio viciously stops Alex Morono in emotional victory

Watch Santiago Ponzinibbio viciously stops Alex Morono to win a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus back in 2022.

Stopping Alex Morono was a big moment for [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag], not only because he snapped a two-fight skid, but because he picked up his first stoppage win since he overcame a life-threatening infection.

In December 2022 at UFC 282, Ponzinibbio scored a TKO win over Morono when he wobbled him bad with a brutal right hand and finished him with ground-and-pound. It was just a year into his comeback from an infection that put his career on ice for three years, and Ponzinibbio clearly was overtaken by emotion in his post-fight celebration.

Watch Ponzinibbio’s stoppage win in the video above.

Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns to the cage Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 59 co-main event at Ball Arena in Denver. He fights fellow veteran Muslim Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in a welterweight matchup.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Santiago Ponzinibbio not contemplating retirement ahead of UFC on ESPN 59: ‘I have a lot left to give’

UFC welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio assures he’s not retiring anytime soon.

[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] stands today as one of the most seasoned and experienced fighters in the UFC welterweight division. Yet, despite his long tenure, the Argentine is confident he’s got a few more chapters to his storied career.

The 36-fight veteran, who’s been competing in the UFC since 2013, believes fans will witness a new version of himself in his return Saturday. Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) takes on Muslim Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 59 at Ball Arena in Denver.

Ponzinibbio assures he’s not close to retirement and not done evolving, and he intends to prove that to the MMA world.

“No, not at all,” Ponzinibbio told MMA Junkie in Spanish when asked about a potential retirement. “It’s true that I’m at a stage where you can see the end much closer than some years back. I used to just see it as something that’s so far because I always felt good, so that day just seemed like it would never come. I am closer to that day now, but I still feel I have a lot left. I have a lot left to give, and there is plenty of runway ahead.

“I feel great, and I have the abilities to beat the best in the division. If I get in there, and I’m able to perform well without any health issues or problems like some of my previous fights, because due to different reasons I wasn’t able to perform at my best technically. I’ve won some recent fights with my heart but not with my technique. I think during this time off I was able to address a few issues, and I think people will see a new version of Santiago Ponzinibbio where I’ll perform 100 percent and show I’m capable of competing at a high level. So to tell you the truth, retirement is not something that crosses my mind.”

Ponzinibbio, 37, expects to be fighting for quite some time, although he didn’t give a timeframe as to when he’d ideally like to walk away from the sport. His sole focus is on defeating Salikhov this Saturday and keep climbing the welterweight mountain.

“I’m here for a while longer. Retirement is not something that crosses my mind.” Ponzinibbio said. “What does cross my mind is winning in spectacular fashion in this co-main event bout and making a quick return, so I can keep climbing up the division.

“I know if I’m able to perform 100 percent, I can beat anyone at 170 pounds. I don’t say this to be arrogant. I just have confidence in my work and what I see in the gym every day. I’m happy and confident with this opportunity, and I’m in a good moment.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov added to UFC Fight Night event on July 13

A welterweight matchup pitting Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov has been added to the UFC Fight Night event on July 13.

[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] has booked his first fight of 2024.

The UFC welterweight veteran is scheduled to take on [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] in an 170-pound bout at a UFC Fight Night event on July 13. The location and venue have yet to be officially determined, but the event will likely land in Denver. The UFC announced the news of the matchup on Friday evening.

Both men are looking to get back to the win column.

Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) last fought in April 2023 when he was knocked out by Kevin Holland at UFC 287. The Argentine is currently 1-3 in his past four fights, with one TKO win over Alex Morono and two close, split decision losses to Geoff Neal and Michel Pereira.

On the other hand, Salikhov (19-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) is hoping to snap a two-fight losing streak. He was stopped by Randy Brown in February and lost a unanimous decision to Nicolas Dalby in June 2023.

Below is the updated line up for the UFC Fight Night card on July 13:

  • Rose Namajunas vs. Maycee Barber
  • Mike Malott vs. Gilbert Urbina
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
  • Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa
  • Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage
  • Julian Erosa vs. Christian Rodriguez
  • Mariya Agapova vs. Luana Santos
  • Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 24-30)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by a promotion from July 24-30.