Check out which UFC fighters of the past and present currently run their own promotions.
In the fight game, fighters fight and promoters largely promote. It’s a nearly exclusive rule, but there are some exceptions.
While promoters never fight, occasionally a fighter will promote.
An increasing trend in recent years, more and more combat sports athletes are testing out the waters of running their own promotions. Oftentimes, it’s a fighter who has some name recognition, buzz, or influence in the sport. There are exceptions to the rule, however – fighters who have just figured out how to run a regional promotion successfully.
There are the more obvious stars like [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag], who have used their big platforms to promote their recent dive into promoting. There are also others who have quietly promoted behind the scenes for years.
Scroll below to see which current and former UFC fighters currently run their own promotions.
Note: Promotions that have not held an event since before 2019 were not included in this list – and this list is not necessarily all-inclusive.
Or go back and watch the thrilling performance Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera put on at UFC Fight Night 186 this past Saturday. After Munhoz won a unanimous decision, the two fighters compared shins – battered and bruised from the kick-heavy battle.
On Saturday, an Australian regional promotion held an event in Milsons Point, Sydney, Australia. In the Urban Fight Night 24 main event, then-undefeated heavyweight and muay Thai specialist [autotag]Dean Maxwell[/autotag] headlined against regional standout [autotag]Rayment Randall[/autotag] with a title on the line.
Despite his opponent’s muay Thai background, Randall (10-3) sneaked in a low calf kick undetected by Maxwell (2-1) – snap, crackle, pop.
As Maxwell took a step back, his leg went in a direction – the wrong direction. You know, one of those “THAT ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BEND THAT WAY” angles?
Maxwell crumpled to the mat (understandably), and ever the sportsman, Rayment elected not to land any follow-up shots on his downed opponent writhing in pain.
[lawrence-related id=591823,591755]
According to the promoter, former UFC fighter [autotag]Suman Mokhtarian[/autotag], Maxwell snapped his fibula and tibia, which required plates and screws. Additionally, Maxwell will not be able to walk for three months.
Calf kicks have been around forever, but have long been a secondary – or even tertiary – weapon of choice for the majority of fighters. That’s no more. These kicks are game-changers. I hope with the development of calf kicks as an offensive weapon, defensive advancements follow. Otherwise, we’re in for a lot more nastiness and injuries like the one above.
Check out the kick in the video clip above (courtesy of Suman Mokhtarian, Urban Fight Night).
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
Six fighters are looking at potential six-month medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN+ 23, including former champion Frankie Edgar.
Six fighters are looking at potential six-month medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN+ 23, including former champion [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag], who lost in the main event.
Edgar’s (23-8-1 MMA, 17-8-1 UFC) first-round TKO defeat to [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in this past weekend’s featherweight headliner led to an orbital injury that resulted in a 180-day suspension for “The Answer,” unless he receives clearance from a specialist beforehand.
MMA Junkie today obtained the full medical suspension report from UFC on ESPN+ 23, which went down at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea.
Check it out below.
* * * *
Chan Sung Jung: 7-day mandatory rest
def. Frankie Edgar: Suspended 180 days for right orbital injury (requires clearance from oral and maxillofacial doctor); 60 days mandatory rest and 45 days of no contact
[autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag]: 30 days mandatory rest for hard bout; 21 days of no contact
def. [autotag]Aleksandar Rakic[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days for left shin hematoma (requires clearance from primary care physician); 30 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag]: 30 days mandatory rest for hard bout; 21 days no contact
def. [autotag]Dooho Choi[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days for TKO loss and left wrist injury (requires clearance from orthopedic doctor); 45 days mandatory rest and 30 days of no contact
[autotag]Da Un Jung[/autotag]: 7-day mandatory rest
def. [autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days (requires clearance form dentist); 45 days mandatory rest and 30 days of no contact
[autotag]Jun Yong Park[/autotag]: 7-day mandatory rest
def. [autotag]Marc-Andre Barriault[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for nasal laceration; 21 days of no contact
[autotag]Kyung Ho Kang[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for left brow laceration; 21 days of no contact
def. [autotag]Liu Pingyuan[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for left eyelid laceration; 21 days of no contact
[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]: 7-day mandatory rest
def. [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for right eyelid laceration and hard bout;; 30 days of no contact
[autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag]: 7-day mandatory rest
def. [autotag]Dong Hyun Ma[/autotag]: 30 days mandatory rest for hard bout; 21 days of no contact
[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right shoulder pain; 21 days of no contact
def. [autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days for knockout loss; 30 days of no contact
[autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag]: 30 days mandatory rest for hard bout; 21 days of no contact
def. [autotag]Said Nurmagomedov[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right knee pain; 21 days of no contact
[autotag]Heili Alateng[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days for right foot injury (requires X-ray clearance); 30 days mandatory rest and 21 days of no contact
def. [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days for right foot injury (requires X-ray clearance); 30 days mandatory rest and 21 days of no contact
All the notable stats and figures to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 23, which saw Chan Sung Jung beat Frankie Edgar.
The UFC’s final event of the year – and the decade – took place Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 23, which went down at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea, with a main card that streamed on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN.
In the main event, [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) proved himself one of the top contenders in the featherweight division when he took out former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] (23-8-1 MMA, 17-8-1 UFC) with a methodical first-round TKO.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 45 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 23.
* * * *
General
The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $121,000.
Betting favorites fell to 22-18 (one fight had even odds, one ended in a no contest) in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 13-bout card was 2:21:54.
Main card
Chan Sung Jung
Jung improved to 3-1 since he returned from a more than three-year layoff from competition in February 2017.
Jung has earned 15 of his 17 career victories by stoppage. That includes all six of his UFC wins.
Jung’s six stoppage victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Max Holloway (10) and Ricardo Lamas (eight).
Jung’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC featherweight bouts are the most in divisional history.
Jung is the only fighter in UFC history to earn eight total bonuses in his first eight octagon appearances.
Edgar fell to 8-5 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in February 2013.
Edgar has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout.
Volkan Oezdemir
[autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has earned two of his five UFC victories by split decision.
[autotag]Aleksandar Rakic[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) had his 12-fight winning streak snapped for his first defeat since his MMA debut in October 2011.
Rakic suffered the first decision loss of his career.
Jourdain (10-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all 10 of his career victories by stoppage.
Choi’s (14-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since July 2016.
Choi has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout.
[autotag]Da Un Jung[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) extended his winning streak to 12 fights. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since October 2015.
Jung has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag] (9-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since December 2018.
Rodriguez suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Kyung Ho Kang
[autotag]Kyung Ho Kang[/autotag] (17-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) improved to 4-1 since he returned to competition from a nearly 3.5-year layoff in January 2018.
[autotag]Marc Andre Barriault[/autotag]’s (11-4 MMA, 0-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2018.
Barriault has suffered all four of his career losses by decision.
Preliminary card
Ciryl Gane
[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]’s (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is tied for the second longest active streak in the division behind behind Jairzinho Rozenstruik (four).
Gane earned the first decision victory of his career.
[autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag] (17-6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has suffered five of his six career losses by decision.
[autotag]Suman Mokhtarian[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 8-0.
Mokhtarian suffered the first decision loss of his career.
[autotag]Dong Hyun Ma[/autotag]’s (16-11-3 MMA, 3-5 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.
Ma fell to 3-4 since he dropped to the UFC lightweight division in June 2016.
Ma suffered his first decision loss since Aug. 27, 2010 – a span of 3,403 days (more than nine years) and 16 fights.
[autotag]Matt Schnell[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has suffered four of his five career losses by stoppage.
Schnell has suffered all three of his UFC losses by knockout.
Raoni Barcelos
[autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag]’ (15-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Petr Yan (six) and Marlon Vera (five).
[autotag]Said Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) had his seven-fight winning streak snapped for his first defeat since June 2014.
Nurmagomedov has suffered both of his career losses by decision.
[autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag] (7-1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all seven of her career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Miranda Granger[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had her seven-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.
[autotag]Heili Alateng[/autotag] (14-7-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] (10-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past 10 fights.
Benoit was unsuccessful in his UFC bantamweight debut.
Benoit has suffered four of his six career losses by decision.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
UFC on ESPN+ 23 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
BUSAN – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 23 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $121,000.
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+ 23 took place Saturday at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 23 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 2019 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC on ESPN+ 23: Edgar vs. The Korean Zombie” – $121,000
