Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
There were 35 UFC 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.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 8-14.
All the UFC 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.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Nov. 27-Dec. 3.
Check out the stats to come out of UFC 287, where Israel Adesanya made history by doing something no middleweight had ever done.
The UFC’s long-awaited return to Miami after more than two decades delivered a memorable moment with Israel Adesanya making history by reclaiming middleweight gold from Alex Pereira in the UFC 287 headliner at Kaseya Center.
Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) avenged his TKO loss to Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) from November with a highlight-reel second-round knockout in the main event to become the first two-time titleholder in the storied 185-pound division.
For more on the numbers behind Adesanya’s win, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 287.
Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 287 took home the second-highest UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout of the year thus far.
MIAMI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 287 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $274,500.
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 287 took place at Kaseya Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
The full UFC 287 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]: $42,000
[autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Rob Font[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Chris Curtis[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Luana Pinheiro[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Michelle Waterson-Gomez[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Trey Ogden[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Sam Hughes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jaqueline Amorim[/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: $2,045,500
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,564,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.
Check out the best photos from Steve Garcia’s second-round knockout win over Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC 287 in Miami.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]’s second-round knockout win over [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag] at UFC 287 at Kaseya Center in Miami. (Photos by Rich Storry, USA TODAY Sports)
Steve Garcia’s toughness and tenacity proved to be his biggest traits in a comeback win over Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC 287.
MIAMI – [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]’s toughness and tenacity proved to be his biggest traits in a comeback win over [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag] on Saturday at UFC 287.
Nuerdanbieke (39-11 MMA, 3-2 UFC) started the featherweight fight at Kaseya Center strong, hurting Garcia (14-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) with big punches and having his opponent on the ropes. It would’ve been over against an opponent with less heart, but it wasn’t happening on this night.
Garcia stayed alive and turned the tables by rocking Nuerdanbieke multiple times late in the first round. He picked up where he left off on the second, landing a left body kick followed by a nasty show to the body that led to the knockout finish at the 0:36 mark of Round 2.
Check out the replay of Garcia’s handiwork below (via Twitter):
The body shot that ended it all 😳 #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/XtpIkzu1kx
— UFC (@ufc) April 8, 2023
With back-to-back wins on his UFC record for the first time, Garcia hopes now is the start of something special in his career. He knows there were flaws in the octagon with Nuerdanbieke, but he showed his ability to turn the tide.
“He was a really tough opponent – he caught me at the very beginning,” Garcia said in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. “You’ve just got to recover. This is what we do. We train every single day for moments like this.”
"From the nose bleeds to making noses bleed"@MeanMachine505 pays tribute to @Stylebender on the night they fight on the same card #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/OHKIRTuErb
— UFC (@ufc) April 8, 2023
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.
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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. 16-22.
UFC has issued a memo prohibiting fighters from competition if they are trained by James Krause.
Fighters training under [autotag]James Krause[/autotag] will have to find a new team if they wish to continue to compete in the UFC.
The Las-Vegas based promotion will not allow athletes to step into the octagon if trained by Krause. UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell announced the news to the roster on Friday evening.
“Effective immediately, fighters who choose to continue to be coached by Krause or who continue to train in his gym, will not be permitted to participate in UFC events pending the outcome of the aforementioned government investigations,” Campbell wrote in a memo.
The ban of any fighter trained by Krause comes in the wake of ongoing investigations on potential insider betting and suspicious line movements surrounding a November bout between [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] and [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 214.
Abnormal line activity was picked up hours before the fight, and Minner, who’s coached by Krause, quickly went down with an injury in the first round of the contest, which led many to believe he was injured entering the fight.
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In the memo from Campbell, it was also revealed that Krause’s cornering license has been “suspended and would remain so while NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) conducted an investigation into the matter.”
The UFC also announced that Minner has been released from the promotion.
Below is the full official statement of the UFC on Krause:
“As per my communication to all athletes and mangers on October 17, 2022, the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy expressly prohibits UFC athletes from placing any wagers (directly or through a third party) on any UFC match, including placing wagers on themselves,” Campbell said in a written memo. “These same prohibitions against wagering also apply to an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, and other individuals affiliated with the athletes or with UFC.
“This communication was an extension of UFC’s pre-existing (and since updated) fighter Code of Conduct as well as a recognition of various state, federal, and international laws and regulations expressly prohibiting conduct that threatens the integrity of the sport including, but not limited to, insider betting based on non-public information, fight-fixing, and other such misconduct.
Following a November 5 bout involving Darrick Minner, UFC was informed by sources that suspicious betting patterns had been observed on the fight. In the weeks following the fight, UFC has been cooperating with multiple ongoing government investigations into the facts and circumstances surrounding that contest. On November 18, the Nevada State Athletic Commission informed UFC and Minner’s coach, James Krause, that Krause’s license was suspended and would remain so while NSAC conducted an investigation into the matter.
UFC has since advised Krause, and the respective managers working with impacted fighters, that effective immediately, fighters who choose to continue to be coached by Krause or who continue to train in his gym, will not be permitted to participate in UFC events pending the outcome of the aforementioned government investigations.
Further, UFC has released Darrick Minner from the organization. Along with the safety and health of its fighters, UFC believes there is no more important component of professional mixed martial arts than the integrity of the sport. UFC will continue to take all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure compliance with and enforcement of its policies and those of the jurisdictions in which it operates.We appreciate your dedication to our sport and your efforts to ensure its integrity. If you have any questions about the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy, you may contact me.Please click here to review the full code of conduct, including prohibition on wagering.”
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Alberta has become the second Canadian province to prohibit UFC betting amid concerns of impropriety and insider betting.
Fewer people will now be eligible to bet on UFC fights.
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) announce on Friday they’ve banned the wagering on UFC fights, making it the second province in Canada to halt UFC gambling. The news was first reported by TSN.
The ban in Alberta comes just one day after the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario prohibited the betting on UFC fights in the wake of potential insider betting and suspicious line movements surrounding a recent UFC bout.
“As of Dec. 1, AGLC stopped offering and accepting wagers on UFC events due to possible risks of wagering integrity,” Lynden McBeth, senior communications officer for AGLC told TSN. “Previously placed UFC wagers on PlayAlberta.ca have been voided and the stake returned to the player.
“AGLC will continue to monitor standards implemented by UFC before reinstating betting options on Play Alberta. We are continuing to monitor the situation. Once we are confident that UFC’s regulator body is effectively protecting fighters, fans and bettors, AGLC will give every consideration to reinstating betting markets on PlayAlberta.ca.”
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In early November, a featherweight bout at UFC Fight Night 214 between [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] and [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag] saw abnormal line activity hours before the fight. And just seconds into the contest, Minner went down with an injury, which led many to believe he was injured entering the fight.
Minner’s head coach, [autotag]James Krause[/autotag] – who has publicly talked about making a big percentage of his income on betting in fights, was disallowed by the UFC from cornering one of his fighters, Miles Johns, at a subsequent event on Nov. 19.
The Nevada Athletic Commission said last month that an investigation is ongoing and is expected to be on the body’s Dec. 14 meeting agenda.
According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas-based integrity firm, is also investigating the Minner-Nuerdanbieke fight. Additionally, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement is not allowing wagers to be placed on fights Krause is associated with.
The UFC said it is looking into the matter with betting integrity partner Don Best Sports. Neither Minner nor Krause have publicly commented on the matter at this time.
In October, the UFC updated its athlete code of conduct, prohibiting athletes, coaches, and close associates from wagering on fights.
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As investigations continue into a UFC fight flagged for suspicious betting activity, Ontario’s gaming commission has made up its mind.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has banned gambling on UFC fights in the aftermath of potential insider betting and suspicious line movements surrounding a recent bout.
On Thursday, the AGCO ordered gaming operators within its jurisdiction to stop offering and accepting wagers placed on UFC fights, effectively immediately.
“In recent weeks, the AGCO has learned of publicized alleged incidents, including possible betting by UFC insiders, as well as reports of suspicious betting patterns in other jurisdictions,” an AGCO statement read. “Therefore, the AGCO is now taking this step in the public interest. AGCO has indicated to operators that, once the necessary remedial steps have been taken, they may provide information demonstrating that UFC bets or betting products meet the Registrar’s Standards.”
The AGCO added that the decision comes because “the UFC does not prohibit all insiders from betting on UFC events, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or other persons with access to non-public information.”
While this is contrary to a UFC athlete policy implemented in October in which the promotion banned athletes, coaches, and close associates from wagering on fights, a Nov. 5 bout is under investigation for suspicious betting activity.
A featherweight bout at UFC Fight Night 214 between [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] and [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag] saw wild line activity in the hours before the fight. Seconds in, Minner went down with an injury, which led many to believe he was injured entering the fight.
Minner’s head coach, [autotag]James Krause[/autotag] of Glory MMA and Fitness, was disallowed by the UFC from cornering one of his fighters, Miles Johns, at an event Nov. 19. The Nevada Athletic Commission said last month that an investigation is ongoing and is expected to be on the body’s Dec. 14 meeting agenda.
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According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas-based integrity firm, is also investigating the Minner-Nuerdanbieke fight. Additionally, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement is not allowing wagers to be placed on fights Krause is associated with.
The UFC said it is looking into the matter with betting integrity partner Don Best Sports. Neither Minner nor Krause have publicly commented on the matter at this time.
Read the full AGCO statement below:
“In order to protect the betting public, effective immediately, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is requiring all registered casino, lottery and igaming operators that offer sport and event betting products in Ontario to stop offering and accepting wagers on Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events due to concerns about non-compliance with AGCO’s betting integrity requirements.
“The Registrar’s Standards include rules to safeguard against odds manipulation, match-fixing and other sports betting integrity issues. Operators must specifically ensure that:
- For sporting events being bet on, the event must be effectively supervised by a sport governing body which must, at minimum, prescribe final rules and enforce codes of conduct that include prohibitions on betting by insiders; and
- There are integrity safeguards in place which are sufficient to mitigate the risk of match-fixing, cheat-at-play, and other illicit activity that might influence the outcome of bet upon events.
“Contrary to the Registrar’s Standards, the UFC does not prohibit all insiders from betting on UFC events, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or other persons with access to non-public information.
“In recent weeks, the AGCO has learned of publicized alleged incidents, including possible betting by UFC insiders, as well as reports of suspicious betting patterns in other jurisdictions.
“Therefore, the AGCO is now taking this step in the public interest. AGCO has indicated to operators that, once the necessary remedial steps have been taken, they may provide information demonstrating that UFC bets or betting products meet the Registrar’s Standards.”
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