Randy Costa withdraws from UFC 259; Trevin Jones needs new opponent

UFC 259 is down a man after “The Zohan” suffered an undisclosed injury.

One of the bantamweight division’s rising prospects will have to wait a little bit longer for his fourth UFC appearance.

In a statement posted on Twitter, [autotag]Randy Costa[/autotag] announced his withdrawal Monday from UFC 259 due to an undisclosed injury. Costa (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) was supposed to fight [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag] on the preliminary card of the March 6 event.

The UFC is currently seeking a replacement opponent to fight Jones (13-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC).

Costa, 26, didn’t specify his injury, though he said it’s nagged him for weeks before a flare-up caused him to pull out of the fight. He will undergo physical therapy as he plans for a May return.

UFC 259 takes place Saturday, March 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

With the change, the UFC 259 lineup now includes:

  • Jan Blachowicz vs. Israel Adesanya – for light heavyweight title
  • Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson – for women’s featherweight title
  • Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling – for bantamweight title
  • Aleksandar Rakic vs. Thiago Santos
  • Drew Dober vs. Islam Makhachev
  • Dominick Cruz vs. Casey Kenney
  • Kyler Phillips vs. Song Yadong
  • Askar Askarov vs. Joseph Benavidez
  • Amanda Lemos vs. Livinha Souza
  • Sean Brady vs. Jake Matthews
  • Trevin Jones vs. TBA
  • Aalon Cruz vs. Uros Medic
  • Tim Elliott vs. Jordan Espinosa
  • Rogerio Bontorin vs. Kai Kara-France
  • Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Carlos Ulberg

Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones added to UFC’s March 6 event

Bantamweights Randy Costa and Trevin Jones will square off on March 6.

Bantamweights [autotag]Randy Costa[/autotag] and [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag] will square off March 6 at a UFC event that does not yet have a publicly known location or venue.

Two people with knowledge of the booking informed MMA Junkie of the matchup, but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

After dropping his UFC debut, Costa (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) rebounded with back-to-back first-round finishes. Most recently, he knocked out Journey Newson in just 41 seconds at UFC on ESPN+ 36 in September.

Jones (12-6 MMA, 0-0-1 UFC) mounted a remarkable comeback in his promotional debut when he stopped Timur Valiev in the second round at UFC on ESPN 15 in August. However, the Nevada Athletic Commission overturned Jones’ win to a no contest after he tested positive for marijuana.

With the addition, the latest March 6 lineup includes:

  • Aleksandar Rakic vs. Thiago Santos
  • Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

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NAC changes Trevin Jones’ UFC on ESPN 15 win to no contest after positive marijuana test

The NAC has changed Trevin Jones’ comeback win vs. Timur Valiev to a no contest after a positive marijuana test.

The decision of [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag]’ UFC debut has been changed.

On Wednesday, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) officially changed the decision of Jones’ UFC on ESPN 15 win over Timur Valiev to a “no contest. The change was made due to Jones (12-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) testing positive for marijuana in connection with his Aug. 22 fight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

In addition to overturning Jones’ win, the NAC suspended Jones four-and-a-half months and fined him $1,800. Before he is relicensed in Las Vegas, Jones will also have to pay a prosecution fee of $145.36.

The Aug. 22 matchup was one Jones took on days’ notice. Stepping in as the biggest underdog on the card across all major online sportsbooks, against a former World Series of Fighting standout in Valiev (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Jones absorbed a large amount of punishment in Round 1.

In Round 2, Jones turned the tables on Valiev, flooring the Russian fighter with a right hand before finishing the fight with follow-up punches. The win earned him a $50,000 bonus for “Performance of the Night.”

Jones was not the only Zuffa fighter on the NAC’s agenda on Wednesday. UFC light heavyweight [autotag]Jorge Gonzalez[/autotag] was suspended 24 months, in conjunction with a previously accepted U.S. Anti-Doping Agency sanction.

Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 4 competitors [autotag]Chad Johnson[/autotag] (amphetamine), [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag] (modulator metabolites), [autotag]Jose Flores[/autotag] (marijuana), and [autotag]Ty Flores[/autotag] (methylclostebol) also were addressed by the commission. No decision was reached on the four DWCS fighters, with hearings being tabled until a later date. All four fighters lost their respective DWCS bouts.

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UFC on ESPN 15 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $35 million

UFC on ESPN 15 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 15 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $88,000.

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 15 took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 15 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]: $10,000
[autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Marcin Prachnio[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Shana Dobson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Dwight Grant[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Mizuki Inoue[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Joseph Solecki[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Ike Villanueva[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Jordan Wright[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Carlton Minus[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Timur Valiev[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag]: $3,500

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: $4,052,000
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: $35,056,500

UFC on ESPN 15: Trevin Jones post-fight interview

Trevin Jones talks to media after his UFC on ESPN 15 victory over Timur Valiev.

Trevin Jones talks to media after his UFC on ESPN 15 victory over Timur Valiev.

UFC on ESPN 15 video: Trevin Jones pulls off shocking comeback upset of Timur Valiev

Trevin Jones pulled off an all-time upset against Timur Valiev at UFC on ESPN 15.

[autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag] pulled off an all-time upset against [autotag]Timur Valiev[/autotag] on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 15.

Jones (13-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) accepted the catchweight fight on just three days’ notice against Valiev (16-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who could by found as high as a -2000 favorite by one oddsmaker going into the matchup, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

From the jump of the fight, it look as though Valiev was rightfully placed as the gigantic favorite. He completely dominated the first round, battering Jones with cruel body shots that could have easily justified a stoppage.

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It seemed like Jones would be taken out early in the second, but he had other plans. He found a home for a clean right hand that badly hurt Valiev and sent him to the canvas. Jones jumped on top and followed up with an onslaught of strikes that put on a bow on the stunning turn of events at the 1:59 mark of Round 2.

See how it all unfolded below (via Twitter):

Mark Striegl out of UFC on ESPN 15 fight vs. Timur Valiev

Mark Striegl won’t be making his UFC debut Saturday in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Mark Striegl[/autotag] won’t be making his UFC debut Saturday in Las Vegas.

Striegl (18-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is out of his bantamweight fight against fellow debutant [autotag]Timur Valiev[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 15. It is unknown if a replacement is being sought at this time.

On Thursday, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of Striegl being out. The people requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

According to a report from Russian reporter Igor Lazorin, Valiev (16-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will now face promotional newcomer [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag].

UFC on ESPN 15 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

Jones (12-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is riding a two-fight winning streak with both wins coming by submission. In 12 pro victories, Jones has finished five fights inside the distance.

Valiev, a World Series of Fighting (WSOF) and PFL standout, has not competed since December 2019. A training partner of Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes, Valiev has won six straight fights.

The UFC on ESPN 15 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8:30 p.m. ET)

  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Frankie Edgar
  • Alonzo Menifield vs. Ovince Saint Preux
  • Marcin Prachnio vs. Mike Rodriguez
  • Mariya Agapova vs. Shana Dobson
  • Daniel Rodriguez vs. Takashi Sato

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)

  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Amanda Lemos
  • Austin Hubbard vs. Joe Solecki
  • Jared Gooden vs. Dwight Grant
  • Jorge Gonzalez vs. Ike Villanueva
  • Carlton Minus vs. Matthew Semelsberger
  • Trevin Jones vs. Timur Valiev

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