UFC Fight Night 203 bonuses: Yadong, Rountree among four total winners

The UFC issued four Performance of the Night bonuses after UFC Fight Night 203.

UFC returned to action on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and the card produced a number of bonus-worthy moments.

UFC Fight Night 203 saw eight finishes in total, and among them was an incredible finish of Marlon Moraes by Song Yadong in the co-main event. The Chinese bantamweight took out the former title challenger with a vicious punching combination in the first round to extend his win streak to three. He was one of four Performance of the Night winners, as the promotion did not award a Fight of the Night Bonus for this event.

Check out who all took home a bonus for their performance below.

UFC Fight Night 203 results: Marlon Moraes drops fourth straight with quick KO vs. Song Yadong

Song Yadong needed just 126 seconds to knock out Marlon Moraes at UFC Fight Night 203, sending the Brazilian to a fourth loss.

[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] sent [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] to a fourth consecutive defeat in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 203 co-main event, marking the most significant victory of his young career.

The 22-year-old Chinese fighter is a prospect no more. Yadong (19-5-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) needed just 126 seconds to run through Moraes (23-10-1 MMA, 5-6 UFC) for the knockout win over for the former WSOF champion.

The bantamweight bout was the UFC Fight Night 203 co-headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN+.

Yadong and Moraes came out of the gate extremely aggressive, trading power shots in a thrilling manner. It was Yadong who connected with the first big punch, though, and Moraes’ body language only went downhill from there. Yadong refused to let Moraes off the hook, as he pressured until landing a clipping shot to the side of the head that send Moraes down with his head snapping against the canvas.

Referee Keith Peterson decided he’d seen enough, and waved it off at the 2:06 mark of Round 1.

Yadong was elated to get the victory, and after the fight called out former two-time UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz, who has a storied rivalry with his camp at Team Alpha Male.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 203 results includes:

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UFC Fight Night 203 pre-event facts: Can Marlon Moraes buck his brutal skid?

The best facts and figures about UFC Fight Night 203, which features Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev in the main event.

The UFC schedule rolls on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 203 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The entire card streams on ESPN+.

A clash of light heavyweight contenders gets the spotlight in the main event. Former title challenger [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag] (22-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) get back on a winning streak when he takes on [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), who is riding the longest active run of octagon victories of any fighter in his weight class.

For more on the numbers behind the headliners, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 45 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 203.

UFC targets Marlon Moraes vs. Song Yadong for March 12 event

Marlon Moraes will attempt to snap his losing skid when he faces rising contender Song Yadong.

[autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] will attempt to snap his losing skid when he faces a rising contender.

Moraes meets [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] on March 12 at UFC Fight Night, which doesn’t yet have a publicly known venue or location.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Yadong first reported the matchup on the UFC’s Migu channel.

Brazil’s Moraes (23-9-1 MMA, 5-5 UFC) is currently enduring a rough patch. After winning five of six, including wins over current UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and former featherweight king Jose Aldo, former title challenger Moraes has dropped three straight stoppage losses to Cory Sandhagen, Rob Font and Merab Dvalishvili.

Meanwhile, Yadong (18-5-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) rebounded from his first-career loss to Kyler Phillips at UFC 259 with back-to-back wins. The 24-year-old is coming off a second-round TKO of Julio Arce at UFC Fight Night 197 in November.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for March 12 includes:

  • Magomed Ankalaev vs. Thiago Santos
  • Guido Cannetti vs. Kris Moutinho
  • Javid Basharat vs. Trevin Jones
  • Marlon Moraes vs. Song Yadong

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UFC Fight Night 197 video: Song Yadong lands head kick, storms Julio Arce for TKO

23-year-old Song Yadong showed again why he’s among the brightest prospects in MMA with a TKO win at UFC Fight Night 197.

[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] once again showed his strong finishing instincts when he stopped [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 197.

Yadong (17-4-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC), who at 23 is one of the brightest prospects in the bantamweight division, got another solid win courtesy of a third-round TKO over Arce (17-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The finish was started by a right head kick. Yadong connected with a shot that staggered Arce, but then he attacked with more strikes until he got a knockdown and forced referee Herb Dean to step in at the 1:35 mark of Round 2.

Check out the replay below (via Twitter):

After the win, Yadong said he followed through on his goal of a knockout.

“I knew it was a crafty opponent, but today I was on the hunt,” Yadong told Michael Bisping through an interpreter during his post-fight interview. “I wanted to knock him out.”

Up-to-the-minute results of UFC Fight Night 197 include:

  • Song Yadong def. Julio Arce via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:35
  • Joel Alvarez def. Thiago Moises via TKO (elbows, punches) – Round 1, 3:01
  • Andrea Lee def. Cynthia Calvillo via TKO (corner stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00
  • Sean Woodson def. Collin Anglin via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:30
  • Cortney Casey def. Liana Jojua via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Rafael Alves def. Marc Diakiese via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:48
  • Da Un Jung def. Kennedy Nzechukwu via knockout (elbows) – Round 1, 3:04

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UFC Fight Night 197: Song Yadong vs. Julio Arce odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 197 odds and lines between Song Yadong vs. Julio Arce, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a bantamweight bout on the main card, Song Yadong meets Julio Arce Saturday at UFC Fight Night 197 – also known as UFC Vegas 42. Below, we analyze the UFC Fight Night 197 Yadong vs. Arce odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The card can be viewed on ESPN+ with the prelims at 1 p.m. ET and the main card at 4 p.m. ET.

Song has lost just once since arriving at the UFC level with a 6-1-1 record in the eight-fight span. He picked up a split-decision win over Casey Kenney last time out in Aug. at UFC 265. Each of his last four bouts went the distance.

Arce posted a second-round KO/TKO win over Andre Ewell his last time out July 24 on the Sandhagen-Dillashaw card. He has alternated wins and losses across his last four fights, winning the two bouts by KO/TKO, and losing the two bouts by split decision.

UFC Fight Night 197 Yadong vs. Arce: Odds and lines

Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:48 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Yadong -140 (bet $140 to win $100) | Arce +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
  • Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over -270 | Under +185)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -180 | No +130)

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UFC Fight Night 197 Yadong vs. Arce: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Records: Yadong (17-5-1) | Arce (17-4-0)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

YADONG (-140) is the play, as he has just been a lot more consistent since arriving in the UFC. He is 6-1-1 with four decisions, going 3-1 when the judges get involved. He also has two KO/TKO wins and a submission victory.

Arce has been inconsistent lately, although he has knockout power and Yadong will have to be careful of the big shot.

Over/Under (O/U)

YES (-180): FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE is a little pricey, but not terribly out of line. Yadong has needed the judges to decide his feat in each of his last four outings, while Arce has had two decisions in his last four.

As such, play YADONG ON POINTS (+130) for a good value.

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UFC Fight Night 197 predictions: Max Holloway is unanimous, but what about Yadong?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC Fight Night 197 main card, featuring Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez.

Holloway
vs.
Rodriguez
de Lima
vs.
Rothwell
Letson
vs.
Spencer
Baeza
vs.
Williams
Arce
vs.
Yadong
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 190-104
holloway2021
Holloway
(88%)
rothwell2021
Rothwell
(72%)
spencer2021
Spencer
(86%)
baeza2021
Baeza
(51%)
yadong2021
Yadong
(81%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 194-100
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 188-106
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 184-110
trophy copy 2014 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 182-112
trophy copy 2020 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
arce2021
Arce
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 182-112
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 181-113
holloway2021
Holloway
delima2021
de Lima
spencer2021
Spencer
williams2021
Williams
yadong2021
Yadong
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 177-117
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 177-117
trophy copy 2018 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 172-122
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
arce2021
Arce
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 171-123
trophy copy 2017 Champion
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 169-125
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 169-125
holloway2021
Holloway
rothwell2021
Rothwell
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 110-68
holloway2021
Holloway
delima2021
de Lima
spencer2021
Spencer
baeza2021
Baeza
yadong2021
Yadong

The UFC is back home in Las Vegas this week with a former champion at the top of the lineup.

UFC Fight Night 197 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, former featherweight champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (22-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who is fighting for the first time in more than two years. Holloway is a huge -800 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Rodriguez is +470. Given those odds, it’s not surprising that not a single one of our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers is picking against Holloway.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag] (18-7-1 MMA, 7-5 UFC) meets [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (39-13 MMA, 9-7 UFC) at heavyweight. And though Rothwell only is a -165 favorite, he’s got the support of 11 of our 13 staff members.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Leah Letson[/autotag] (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) takes on former Invicta champion and former UFC women’s featherweight title challenger [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC). Spencer is a big -320 favorite, and she’s our other unanimous pick.

[autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) may be just a -150 favorite at welterweight against [autotag]Khaos Williams[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), but he’s got a near-unanimous picks lead at 12-1.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (17-5-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) is a slim -140 favorite at featherweight against [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC). Yadong has most of our backing – he’s an 11-2 pick.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Holloway (88 percent), Rothwell (72 percent), Spencer (86 percent), Baeza (51 percent) and Yadong (81 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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UFC 265 post-event facts: Ciryl Gane’s beatdown of Derrick Lewis sets record numbers

The best facts and figures to come out of UFC 265, which saw Ciryl Gane make history with his interim title win over Derrick Lewis.

[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] produced the most statistically lopsided heavyweight title fight win in octagon history on Saturday in the UFC 265 main event.

Gane (10-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) punished [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (25-8 MMA, 16-6 UFC) for nearly three full rounds en route to a third-round TKO that gave him interim belt and set up a title unification clash with Francis Ngannou.

For more on the numbers behind Gane’s win, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 50 post-event facts to come out of UFC 265.

UFC 265 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Five fighters get at least $21,000

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 265 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $278,000.

HOUSTON – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 265 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $278,000.

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 265 took place at the Toyota Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC 265 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Tecia Torres[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Casey Kenney[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Vince Morales[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Drako Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ed Herman[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Jessica Penne[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Karolina Kowalkiewicz[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Anderson dos Santos[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Melissa Gatto[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Victoria Leonardo[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Johnny Munhoz[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jamey Simmons[/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 2021 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $2,985,000
Program-to-date total: $2,985,000

UFC 265 results: Song Yadong counterpunches his way to split decision over Casey Kenney

It was close by the judges’ standards, though Song Yadong did enough to get the nod.

[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] walked away from UFC 265 the victor, even though the crowd in Houston wasn’t thrilled with the judges’ decision.

In the UFC 265 main card opener, Yadong (17-5-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) defeated [autotag]Casey Kenney[/autotag] (16-4-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC) by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27).

The bantamweight bout took place at Toyota Center in Houston. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Throughout the fight, and especially early, Kenney pushed the pace. However, Yadong proved that aggression doesn’t always translate to successful offensive output as he pelted Kenney with numerous counterstrikes.

The fight largely took place on the feet from a distance, though there was some cage-pushing. While Kenney had his moments, Yadong appeared to land the harder and cleaner strikes. As the fight progressed, Yadong positioned himself in a successful range where he could kick and punch Kenney.

When the fight ended, each fighter signaled his belief he did enough. Upon the reading of the split decision, the crowd booed and Kenney jumped on the fence to pump up more jeers. Regardless, it was Yadong who stepped into the winner’s circle for his post-fight interview.

The win punches Yadong’s ticket back into the win column after a unanimous decision defeat to Kyler Phillips at UFC 259 in March. He moves to 2-1-1 in his most recent four fights.

Kenney takes his second defeat in as many fights. At UFC 259, Kenney lost a split decision to former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 265 results include: