Tag: TJ Brown

UFC on ESPN+ 27 rookie report: Grading the newcomers in Norfolk

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the octagon the first time – so how did the seven newcomers perform on Saturday?

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For seven athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event marked that special moment in their career.

Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression they made on the sport’s biggest stage from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va.

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Spike Carlyle

Division: Featherweight
Result: Spike Carlyle def. Aalon Cruz via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1.25
Record: (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Grade: A

[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] certainly isn’t an average MMA featherweight, and he gave us a glimpse of his potential with an impressive quickfire finish of fellow debuting prospect Aalon Cruz.

“The Alpha Ginger” danced his way to the octagon and giggled his way through Bruce Buffer’s introduction before blasting Aalon Cruz to a first-round TKO defeat in a performance that was as impressive as it was clinical.

After Cruz had started with a succession of range-finding kicks, Carlyle stunned Cruz with a superb leaping left high kick of his own as he closed the distance and looked to rough up the taller, leaner man at close quarters.

Cruz looked to grab a double-leg, but the California native stuffed the takedown and connected with a huge elbow behind the ear that clearly rocked his opponent. A host of elbows later, Cruz was on the mat with Carlyle unloading a barrage of punches until the referee dived in to call it after just 85 seconds.

All in all, it was hugely impressive against a man who had produced a highlight-reel performance in Dana White’s Contender Series to earn his UFC deal. Carlyle proved he certainly deserved his, then showed his unique personality with a short, to-the-point post-fight interview with Michael Bisping.

Carlyle looks like a man who’s going places, and we may find out more about how fast and how far when he gets his next assignment, which might come pretty quickly.

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UFC on ESPN+ 27 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Deiveson Figueiredo’s pay downgraded after missing weight

UFC on ESPN+ 27 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

NORFOLK, Va. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $119,500.

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+ 27 took place Saturday at Chartway Arena. The entire card streamed ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 27 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Gabriel Silva[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag]: $4,000

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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $826,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $31,831,000

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 27 with Queen, Steppenwolf, Chili Peppers

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 27 went with as their backing tracks in Norfolk, Va.

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UFC on ESPN+ 27: TJ Brown aims to assist Bryce Mitchell’s effort to make Arkansas’ presence felt

Beginning with his promotional debut at UFC on ESPN+ 27, TJ Brown hopes to add his name into the conversation about Arkansas MMA.

When “Arkansas” and “MMA” are used in the same sentence, Bryce Mitchell often is the topic of discussion.

Beginning with his promotional debut at UFC on ESPN+ 27, [autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag] hopes to add his name into that same conversation in an effort to bolster awareness of MMA as a rising sport in “The Natural State.”

“For the people of Arkansas to see me, Bryce (Mitchell), and Luis (Pena) really coming up into the UFC and make it to the big show, it really shows the younger guys coming up that it’s possible,” Brown told MMA Junkie. “It’s possible to make it here in Arkansas. If you’re willing to put the work in and sacrifice, we can do it right here in Arkansas. We’ve got some talent here. Now that we’ve had a little bit of breakthrough, I’m ready to pave the road.

“… If you could see the growing support we’re adding for the Arkansas MMA community, it’s huge right now – along with wrestling. We now have a Division-I wrestling program in Arkansas. The whole culture and combat sports community is really growing in Arkansas. That would really be great to have in the future.”

Brown has close ties to Mitchell (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Pena, the other two fighters representing Arkansas on the big stage. Brown serves as the main training partner to Mitchell and was Pena’s coach early in his career.

“Bryce has helped my game a lot on the ground, and I believe I’ve helped him a lot standing,” Brown said. “We were able to come together at a good time, and I’m so thankful to have him as my No. 1 training partner. We’re fixing to show everybody in the world and the UFC just how good we are.”

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While being a good representative of Arkansas is important to Brown, it pales in comparison to his main objective in life: being the father he never had himself. When Brown competed in a contract-earning effort on Dana White’s Contender Series this past summer, his son was a focal point of the broadcast. He was cageside to watch his dad pull off a comeback victory.

“It was amazing,” Brown said of being able to share the experience with his son. “I didn’t have a father growing up. For me, I always said when that time came I was going to man up and get the job done. My son would never ask, ‘Who’s dad?’ or ‘Where’s dad?’ I’ve been able to live not only through my words, but by example.

“I’ve showed him through hard work and determination that anything in life is possible. To be able to really be a role model for my son and to let him see that first hand has been huge. Hopefully, I’m going to continue to do that and lead by example.”

His 8-year-old son will be in attendance Saturday when dad makes his UFC debut against Jordan Griffin. Training out of Roufusport in Milwaukee, Griffin is a tough opponent, Brown admitted. Regardless, he sees his hand being raised.

“I’ll break him and take his soul,” Brown said. “I know he’s a tough guy who’s fought quality opponents, but I’m coming in there to impose my will for every second of that fight until he breaks. … The beautiful thing about being able to watch me is, I can knock you out with a head kick or I could sub you on the ground.

“I’ll tell you my son had a prediction for a head-kick knockout, so we’ll see.”

UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.

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