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With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from March 2022.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from March 2022: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for March.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
Azamat Murzakanov knew he needed to finish Tafon Nchukwi.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag] knew he needed to finish [autotag]Tafon Nchukwi[/autotag].
With one judge scoring the first two rounds for Nchukwi this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 203, Murzakanov (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) came into Round 3 with a sense of urgency.
Just 44 seconds into the final frame, Murzakanov landed a flying knee knockout that took out Nchukwi and earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
“In the second round, it wasn’t going my way, and I knew I lost maybe that round,” Murzakanov told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “And for the third round, I came out with the thought, with the plan, ‘Do or die in this cage. I’m going to give all,’ and this is what happened.
“From the start, it wasn’t going according to plan. He was an awkward opponent for me. It was difficult. I couldn’t find the rhythm. Also, he was stronger physically than I expected. But for me, the most important is the final result – the finish.”
Watch Murzakanov talk about his victory and more in the video above.
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Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”
Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,242, the fellas unpack a very busy week and weekend in MMA, reacting to what transpired at Invicta FC 46, Eagle FC 46, UFC Fight Night 203, Bellator 276, and more. Tune in!
Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.
Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 203, which took place Saturday in Las Vegas.
What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 203 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …
Sodiq Yusuff knows exactly what he wants next following his win over Alex Caceres at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 203.
[autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag] wants a showdown against a fellow rising UFC featherweight contender.
The UFC featherweight took to the mic following his latest UFC win to put his name in the hat for a potential fight against [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag], who’s coming off a big win over veteran Edson Barboza at UFC 272.
Yusuff (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) defeated Alex Caceres in a unanimous decision win at Saturday’s UFCFight Night 203. It was his first fight back since his first UFC loss to Arnold Allen in early 2021 and dealing with long-haul COVID-19 symptoms.
“I’d like to stay super busy and I want to test myself against Arkansas finest,” Yusuff told Paul Felder in his in-cage interview. “I think me and Bryce would put on a really cool fight.”
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Just recently, Yusuff thought he was going to get booked against Mitchell, but to his surprise, the fight didn’t come to fruition. Ever since, the Nigerian fighter has been itching to face the dynamic grappler.
“Bryce put up a post a while ago asking for an opponent and I commented on it that I wanted to be his opponent and he liked it, so I thought I was going to get the fight with Bryce,” Yusuff said at the UFC Fight Night 203 post-fight press conference. Then a week later, it was announced he was getting the fight with Edson (Barboza), so I was like, ‘Oh he just toyed with me.'”
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The UFC paid out just shy of $200,000 to the athletes at UFC Fight Night 203 under its Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay program.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 203 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $198,000.
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 Fight Night 203 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 203 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Karl Roberson[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]A.J. Fletcher[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]JJ Aldrich[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Gillian Robertson[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Javid Basharat[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kamuela Kirk[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Miranda Maverick[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Sabina Mazo[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dalcha Lungiambula[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Guido Cannetti[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kris Moutinho[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Tafon Nchukwi[/autotag]: $4,500
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 2037 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2031 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 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $1,528,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $7,695,500
Alex Pereira wants his shot at the top of the division following Saturday’s win at UFC Fight Night 203.
[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] wants to take a big step in his MMA career.
The former Glory kickboxing champion feels ready to test himself against the very best at 185 pounds. That’s why Pereira (5-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) wants to fight top contender Jared Cannonier for his next UFC bout.
The Brazilian competed in his second UFC fight on Saturday night in the main card of UFC Fight Night 203 in Las Vegas. He defeated Bruno Silva (22-7 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in a unanimous decision that read 30-27 across all judges’ scorecards.
Now 2-0 under the promotion, Pereira wants his crack at the top dogs of the division.
“I had talked about Jared Cannonier because he’s a guy that is next for a title shot,” Pereira told reporters at the UFCFight Night 203 post-fight press conference. “Some people have already talked about me and Adesanya, so why not Cannonier? I don’t think I’m talking too much calling out Cannonier.”
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Pereira is the only man to have knocked out UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. He holds kickboxing wins over Adesanya having outpointed him in a decision in 2016 and then knocked him out just a year later in 2017.
The 34-year-old feels he’s shown plenty during his short run in the UFC.
“I had two great fights and I was able to showcase my skills,” Pereira said. “I didn’t even show everything that I go through my daily basis training with Glover Teixeira’s gym. I’m improving and evolving every day. Where I am in the division? I don’t know. I’ll let the promotors talk and they’ll know where to properly put me in.”
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Song Yadong wants to take Dominick Cruz’s rivalry with Team Alpha Male into the next era after UFC Fight Night 203.
[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] grew up watching [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] perform at the highest level. He’s now reaching that stage in his own career, and now thinks a fight between them makes sense.
After scoring his most noteworthy victory to date, a 126-second knockout of former WSOF titleholder Marlon Moraes at UFC Fight Night 203 on Saturday in Las Vegas, Yadong (19-5-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) said in his post-fight interview inside the octagon that he wants to mix it up with Cruz (24-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) next.
Cruz, a former two-time UFC bantamweight champion, had a longtime feud with Yadong’s camp at Team Alpha Male, having beaten founder Urijah Faber multiple times in their storied rivalry. Yadong wants to take it into the next era, and said he likes the idea of facing a legend in Cruz.
“I watch his fights since I was a young kid and I like him very much,” Yadong told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at the UFC Fight Night 203 post-fight news conference. “I like his style, so I’m curious. My style with his style, what’s going to happen?”
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Yadong, 22, had little trouble dispatching of Moraes. He connected early and often until landing the final blow.
“I don’t feel any danger in any exchange,” Yadong said. “And also I’m faster. … I practice those combos every day. I want to thank my boxing coach. He taught me some good uppercuts.
Through 10 UFC fights, Yadong has lost just one time inside the octagon. He is arguable the brightest male talent from China at the moment, and he said his goal is eventually to hold UFC gold.
Yadong said he doesn’t know when or where that time will come, but as long as he continues on his current trajectory, he’s confident he’ll get there.
“I just keep taking fights,” Yadong said. “We’ll win the fights and then I’ll be there.”
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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.
Magomed Ankalaev extends his winning streak to eight in a row, as he outpointed Thiago Santos at UFC Fight Night 203.
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] continues his climb up the UFC light heavyweight rankings.
The 29-year-old picked up his eighth consecutive victory under the UFC banner in UFC Fight Night 203 main event, defeating former title challenger Thiago Santos in a unanimous decision. Ankalaev (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) got the nod from all three judges sitting cageside at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, as he defeated Santos (22-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) with scores 49–46, 49–46, and 48–47.
Although it was a good name to add to his record, Ankalaev had a fairly uneventful fight against Santos, as both fighters were very tentative and had low outputs.
Both Ankalaev and Santos were very careful in their striking. Ankalaev looked to push the action, while Santos was on his back foot looking to counter Ankalaev.
The Russian cruised his way to a decision win, stalking Santos and landing the better shots of the fight. That was the story throughout the majority of the fight with exception of the second round where Santos dropped Ankalaev towards the end of the round and managed to get top position and land some ground-and-pound before the bell rang.
Magomed Ankalaev takes the biggest win of his career by UD 💪
[ @AnkalaevM | #UFCVegas50 ] pic.twitter.com/qpuRVL8T9A
— UFC (@ufc) March 13, 2022
With this result, Ankalaev extended his current winning streak to eight in a row. The Russian fighter has only tasted defeat once in his professional MMA career, losing to Paul Craig via submission back in March 2018. This was Ankalaev’s first main event bout under the UFC banner. He holds notable wins over Nikita Krylov, Volkan Oezdemir, and now Santos.
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Meanwhile, Santos finds himself in his worst career stretch. The 38-year-old is now 1-4 in his past five trips to the octagon. Santos was coming off a unanimous decision loss to Johnny Walker last October. Prior to that, he came up short against current champion Glover Teixeira, former champion Jon Jones, and current top contender Aleksandar Rakic.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 203 results include:
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