Tag: Santiago Ponzinibbio

Video: UFC 287 pre-fight press conference replay

Check out a live stream of the UFC 287 pre-fight press conference ahead of the pay-per-view event in Miami.

MIAMI – UFC 287 takes place Saturday at Kaseya Center, and you can watch a live video stream of the pre-event news conference here on MMA Junkie at 5 p.m. ET.

Participating in the press conference will be main event fighters [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] and [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and co-main competitors [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]. Also taking part will be main-card fighters [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag], [autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag], [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag], [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag], [autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag].

You can watch the press conference in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.

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Santiago Ponzinibbio turns down Kevin Holland’s offer to fight at middleweight: ‘He signed a paper that says 170’

Santiago Ponzinibbio is not interested in taking up Kevin Holland’s offer to fight at middleweight on Saturday at UFC 287.

MIAMI – [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] is not interested in fighting [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] at middleweight.

Ponzinibbio (29-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) meets Holland (23-9 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in a welterweight bout on Saturday’s UFC 287 main card at Kaseya Center. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Holland sent Ponzinibbio a private message on Instagram, suggesting the pair fight at 185 pounds instead of cutting to the 171-pound welterweight limit. While Holland likes to joke around, Ponzinibbio wasn’t having any of it.

“If you don’t know, we signed a contract,” Ponzinibbio told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s UFC 287 media day. “The contract says the weight. If he wants to change the weight, he needs to before he signs the contract. I don’t care, man. We can talk about everything, just everything about money. If you put money, we talking. I don’t have problem. But he signed a paper that says 170. I don’t care what he’s talking. F*ck it.”

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Once the owner of one of the longest winning streaks at welterweight, Ponzinibbio is eager to regain top contention status. Although he recently snapped a two-fight losing skid with a knockout of Alex Morono at UFC 282, he wants his name in title conversations with a win over Holland.

“I won nine fights in my last 12, two split decisions (losses), close fights with tough guys, always fighting with tough guys,” Ponzinibbio said. “Again, they give me a big name. I think Kevin Holland is a very tough guy and one of the biggest names in the company. A good victory over him, they’re gonna put me in the conversation for the title.

“I feel I have everything to have my chance for the belt and be champion of the world. I’ve been working for that. I take the challenges the UFC gives me. I didn’t ask for this fight, they came with this fight, I say of course yes. I know this is a challenge, I know this guy is tough. But I know I’m ready to finish him and to show the world I’m ready to be in the best welterweights, and I’m ready to take my opportunity for the belt.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.

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Video: ‘UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2’ media day live stream

Before UFC 287 on Saturday’s main card and prelim fighters are scheduled to speak to reporters at media day.

MIAMI – A numbered UFC event returns to Miami on Saturday for the first time in more than 20 years with UFC 287, which takes place at Kaseya Arena with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes from the card spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day, and MMA Junkie was on-site for it all.

That includes headliners [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC), who are scheduled to rematch for the middleweight title in the main event, as well as the four remaining main card matchups and featured prelim bout.

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

UFC 287 pre-event facts: Jorge Masvidal looks to avoid dreaded four-fight skid

Check out the numbers behind UFC 287 in Miami, where Jorge Masvidal faces the danger of a four-fight losing skid against Gilbert Burns.

The UFC returns to Miami for the first time in more than 20 years Saturday with UFC 287, which takes place at Miami-Dade Arena with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

A highly anticipated middleweight championship rematch receives top billing on the card. Reigning titleholder [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) will once again meet his rival [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) in the main event in what will be their fourth career combat sports meeting. The Brazilian currently holds a 3-0 lead in the overall series.

For more on the numbers behind both headliners, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 287.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 23-29)

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 from Jan. 23-29.

15 best fight bookings of 2022 that got away due to injuries, weight issues, and more

Check out these highly anticipated matchups in 2022 that fell through due to various issues outside of the cage.

Fight bookings throughout 2022 were not ravaged by COVID-19 like the year before, but a number of key matchups still never made it to the cage.

Unfortunate injuries occurred in training camp, and in two instances, after weigh-ins, leading to last-minute scheduling changes and late bout scratches.

From entertaining veteran matchups to top contender bouts and title fight rematches, MMA lost some incredible fights this year due to various reasons.

Take a look below at some of the biggest pairings and why they did not go ahead as planned (in order of scheduled date).

Santiago Ponzinibbio wants top 10 opponent after comeback TKO of Alex Morono at UFC 282

Santiago Ponzinibbio wants to stay active and face a top 10 opponent after pulling off a comeback finish at UFC 282.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] knew he was minutes away from another setback.

On the main card of UFC 282, the Argentina-born welterweight found himself down two rounds in a 180-pound catchweight bout against short-notice opponent Alex Morono. Ponzinibbio’s corner believed it, the fighter believed it, and two of the three official judges cageside also thought he lost the first two frames.

That’s when Ponzinibbio (29-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) heeded the advice of his corner to go out in the final round and “do something” to change the direction of the fight to prevent his third straight loss. Ponzinibbio then took the judges out of the equation by finishing Morono (22-8 MMA, 11-5 UFC) with a pair of hard right hands to win the fight by TKO in the middle of the round.

“My corner told me, ‘Man, we probably lose the two rounds, you need to do something,” Ponzinibbio told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “I go forward, I try to put my right hand, and thank God I take it.”

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The late opponent change was a new challenge for Ponzinnibio. He was originally scheduled to face Robbie Lawler, but the former champion was forced out of the fight due to injury just a few days ahead of the contest. Morono, who entered on a nice winning streak, presented a different skillset that took some time for Ponzinibbio to figure out.

“If you talk about the names, Robbie Lawler is a legend, but if you talk the momentum, this kid have better momentum,” Ponzinibbio said. “He won eight of his last 10 fights in the UFC. Four in a row. Robbie is not coming the same way.”

Ponzinibbio believes the win should earn him a top 10 challenge in his next outing, which he would like to take place soon after competing twice in 2022.

Check out Ponzinibbio’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 282.

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UFC 282 post-event facts: 18-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. etches name in record books with debut win

The best facts and figures to come out of UFC 282, including a rare title-fight draw, an 18-year-old winner and a historically quick knockout.

The UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year went down Saturday with UFC 282 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

After an incredible run of 10 consecutive finishes to start the card, the night ended in bizarre fashion with [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) and [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) failing to determine a new UFC light heavyweight champion. The pair fought to a split draw in the vacant title headliner, which is a rarity in UFC history.

For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 282.

UFC 282 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Paddy Pimblett nets just $4,500 for PPV co-headliner

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 282 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $215,500.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 282 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $215,000.

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 282 took place at T-Mobile Arena. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The full UFC 282 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag]: $32,000
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jay Perrin[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Dalcha Lungiambula[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Chris Curtis[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]T.J. Brown[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Erik Silva[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Cameron Saaiman[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Steven Koslow[/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 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $8,147,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $14,324,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 282.