UFC on ESPN 11 – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Triple Take: Josh Emmett wants a promotional push, but who should he face next?

UFC featherweight Josh Emmett proved he deserves a shot against the division’s top tier. But who should he face next?

Featherweight standout [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] is tired of being cast in the role of gatekeeper and wants the chance to prove himself against the very best the 145-pound division has to offer.

The Team Alpha Male stalwart proved his toughness once again Saturday, as he battled through a knee injury sustained in the first minute of the fight to defeat Shane Burgos in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 11 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It was a performance that delivered a big statement to his doubters, and Emmett doubled down in his press conference comments, as he called on the UFC to give him the promotional push he thinks his talents deserve.

But with the UFC featherweight division looking absolutely stacked – and with virtually everybody above him either officially booked to fight, or close to being booked – it begs the question: Who makes the most sense as Emmett’s next opponent inside the octagon?

MMA Junkie’s Simon Head, Farah Hannoun and Danny Segura tackle the topic as they offer their matchmaking takes in this week’s edition of Triple Take.

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Simon Head: Sit tight, get back to 100 percent, then face the winner of Kattar vs. Ige

I sympathize with Emmett’s position here, but also recognize the difficulty the UFC’s matchmakers face in accommodating his totally legitimate request.

Emmett undoubtedly proved he’s deserving of a fight against one of the contenders above him in the UFC rankings. His problem is almost everyone is tied up, but with his knee needing at the very least some rest; and at worst, surgery, it looks like he may have to sit tight and wait for things to shake out anyway. And that might make things much clearer as a host of key featherweight fights play out in the coming months.

Stylistically, a fight with Calvin Kattar would make for an outstanding matchup, but he’s set to face another rising contender, Dan Ige, in Abu Dhabi next month. A fight with the winner of that matchup looks like the perfect next step for Emmett. A victory over the winner of that fight should position him perfectly for a Top 5 fight, and the opportunity to solidify his credentials as a legitimate title threat.

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With two-dollar-steak toughness and a pair of sledgehammers for hands, Emmett is going to be a tough test for anyone at the sharp end of the featherweight division. The biggest battle may actually face the matchmakers themselves, who will have to persuade a higher-ranked fighter to risk it all against the dangerous Californian.

I met Emmett during fight week ahead of his UFC debut in the Netherlands back in 2016, when he stepped in on short notice to face Jon Tuck in Rotterdam. His attitude back then was that he’d fight anyone prepared to stand across the cage from him. Now he’ll need to see that same attitude from a top featherweight contender, with one of them agreeing to risk their spot against one of the toughest, hardest-hitting ’45ers in the division.

Next: Farah Hannoun: Either Zabit Magomedsharipov or Yair Rodriguez works

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Belal Muhammad doesn’t care about ranking numbers – he wants that champ life

Take a look inside Belal Muhammad’s win over Lyman Good at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] beat Lyman Good with a unanimous decision Saturday on the main card at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Muhammad, who ran his winning streak to three.

Result: Belal Muhammad def. Lyman Good via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
Updated records: Muhammad (17-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC), Good (21-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Key stat: The striking battle was a close one – Muhammad led 86-84 overall. But his two takedowns made a big difference.

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Muhammad on the fight’s key moment

“We did a couple different things in training where we didn’t have any music on and things like that, to get that feel for it, make it a little awkward and it felt all right. … He’s coming off a huge knockout, Lyman Good, and I went out there and I beat him. People said he was going to come out here and knock me out. He rocked me, but I’m still standing. I came out back on top.”

Muhammad on fighting in front of no fans

“I was telling one of my coaches earlier, it’s one of those where you know Dana White always is in the building, but you aren’t paying attention because the crowd is going nuts and everything like that. But this time you’re looking and you see him sitting right there. It’s almost like, ‘Oh, crap.’ It was kind of awkward. It was kind of weird. It was a different experience. I had a few teammates fight before me and they told me it’s a whole different type of energy, so be prepared for it. So it was one of those. I was preparing for it, so I wasn’t going out there in complete shock.”

Muhammad on what he wants next

“I feel like the fighters know who I am. That’s why most of them are afraid to fight me. I’m a tough fight to fight and you’re not going to gain a lot from me because I don’t have a number next to my name. But a lot of these ranked guys, they’re sitting there – their goal is to have a number next to their name. Their goal is not to be champion. My goal is to be champion, so I’m going to keep fighting whoever they put in front of me. The toughest guys they put in front of me, I’m going to say yes.”

To hear more from Muhammad, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

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Tecia Torres ready to start climb into UFC title contention

Take a look inside Tecia Torres’ win over Brianna Van Buren at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Tecia Torres beat Brianna Van Buren with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Torres, who snapped a four-fight skid of decision losses for her first win in two and a half years.

Result: Tecia Torres def. Brianna Van Buren via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
Updated records: Torres (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Van Buren (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Key stat: Torres outstruck Van Buren 111-37.

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Torres on the fight’s key moment

“I really thought she would try to take me down and grab me the entire time, and that’s what she did. I don’t think she wanted to strike with me. No question about being done – I’m still relatively young. I’ve been in the sport for a long time, but I’m 30 and my body is able.”

Torres on rebounding

“I’m coming off some tough losses. They weren’t bad losses – they’re against champions. If you are in there against champions and you do what I did and you didn’t get the (expletive) beat out of you, I think you still need to be talked about. I wanted that win. I need that win, kind of, and I got it.”

Torres on what she wants next

“I want to go for that title shot. I want to be champion. I truly believe that I can be champion. It’s just me having me perform.”

To hear more from Torres, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

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Marc-Andre Barriault finally got to put his power on display in the UFC

Take a look inside Marc-Andre Barriault’s TKO win over Oskar Piechota at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Marc-Andre Barriault[/autotag] beat Oskar Piechota with a second-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Barriault, who snapped a three-fight skid for his first win in the UFC.

Result: Marc-Andre Barriault def. Oskar Piechota via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:50
Updated records: Barriault (12-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC), Piechota (11-4-1 MMA, 2-4 UFC)
Key stat: Barriault outstruck Piechota 74-38.

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Barriault on the fight’s key moment

“I felt he was strong during the first round, so he hit me with a couple of good shots, but I stayed composed and I just worked the game plan. The game plan was just to let everything loose, be confident, just work the timing and let the hands go, so that’s what I did.”

Barriault on fighting for himself

“It means a lot man, just to liberate myself with everything going on right now. I did it for me, first of all, for my fans, for my team, for my family, for everybody. But for me, it’s a good feeling. It’s amazing, and of course I will enjoy it very good this summer.”

Barriault on what he wants next

“If the UFC gives me this type of guy, of opponent, I will put on a very good show. My past three fights, those guys were kind of, they taste my power right away so they just wrestle me. Right now, I want to fight, I want more, let’s go.”

To hear more from Barriault, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

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Lauren Murphy wants new flyweight Cynthia Calvillo after UFC on ESPN 11 win

Take a look inside Lauren Murphy’s win over Roxanne Modafferi at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] beat Roxanne Modafferi with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Murphy, who won for the third straight time.

Result: Lauren Murphy def. Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)
Updated records: Murphy (13-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC), Modafferi (24-17 MMA, 3-5 UFC)
Key stat: Murphy outstruck Modafferi 92-71 and landed a pair of takedowns.

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Murphy on climbing the rankings

“I have the longest win streak in the flyweight division right now and all of my wins are over ranked opponents. Nobody else in the flyweight division can say that. I knocked out the No. 12 contender. I beat Andrea Lee, and she was ranked No. 7 and I was a 4-1 underdog in that fight. I’m 4-1 in this division and my last three wins are over ranked opponents, my only loss is to someone that’s is now a bantamweight and she was undefeated at flyweight.”

Murphy on what she wants next

“I definitely deserve a spot in the top five. I think I deserve a spot on the women’s pound-for-pound list and I want to fight Cynthia Calvillo next. She’s the girl to beat right now. She’s a really, really excellent fighter. She walked right into the division and she took the No. 2 spot and I think that’s a great matchup for me. I think I can beat her and I want to show everybody that I can.”

To hear more from Murphy, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3063: UFC on ESPN 11 recap – Curtis Blaydes, Max Rohskopf, more

Check out the latest edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

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Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On Episode No. 3,063 of the podcast, the lads recap UFC on ESPN 11 – including interesting stories from Max Rohskopf and Curtis Blaydes – and look ahead to UFC on ESPN 12.

THE RUNDOWN

We recap UFC on ESPN 11 from this past Saturday
The situation with Max Rohskopf – which side do we fall on?
There was criticism toward Curtis Blaydes for his main event win. Is it warranted, and where’s he at in the division now?
Should the UFC hand out a big bonus for “Fight of the Year”?
UFC on ESPN 12 is coming up Saturday, and we look ahead to the show.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

UFC on ESPN 11 salaries: Jim Miller leads the pack with six-figure payday

Jim Miller walked away with a six-figure payday after UFC on ESPN 11.

[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] walked away with a six-figure payday after UFC on EPSN 11.

After choking out rising lightweight fighter [autotag]Roosevelt Roberts[/autotag] in the first round of their main card bout Saturday, Miller (32-14 MMA, 21-13 UFC) pocketed $208,0000.

MMA Junkie today acquired a list of fighter salaries from the Nevada Athletic Commission for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 11 event, which took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, airing on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+.

Miller, 36, was not the only fighter to earn a six-figure paycheck at the event.

Headline victor [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] earned $180,000 for his unanimous decision victory over [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]. Co-headliner participant [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] took home $152,000 as a result of his back-and-forth brawl win over [autotag]Shane Burgos[/autotag]. [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] earned $100,000 for his unanimous decision victory against [autotag]Lyman Good[/autotag]. Former UFC women’s bantamweight title challenger [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] collected $126,000 for her unanimous decision win against [autotag]Marion Reneau[/autotag].

The total disclosed pay for the 12-fight card was $1,655,000.

The full list of UFC on ESPN 10 salaries includes:

Curtis Blaydes: $180,000 (includes $90,000 win bonus) def. Alexander Volkov: $80,000
Josh Emmett: $152,000 (includes $76,000 win bonus) def. Shane Burgos: $75,000
Raquel Pennington: $126,000 (includes $63,000 win bonus) def. Marion Reneau $38,000
Belal Muhammad: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus) def. Lyman Good: $28,000
Jim Miller: $208,000 (includes $104,000 win bonus) def. Roosevelt Roberts: $25,000
[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $72,000 (includes $36,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $73,000
[autotag]Tecia Torres[/autotag]: $96,000 (includes $48,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Brianna van Buren[/autotag]: $14,000
[autotag]Marc-Andre Barriault[/autotag]: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Oskar Piechota[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Gillian Robertson[/autotag]: $50,000 (includes $25,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Cortney Casey[/autotag]: $53,000
[autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag]: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Frank Camacho[/autotag]: $25,000
[autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag]: $76,000 (includes $38,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag]: $50,000
[autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag]: $50,000 (includes $25,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Max Rohskopf[/autotag]: $12,000

The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC on ESPN 11 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay. They also do not include any other “locker room” or special discretionary bonuses the UFC sometimes pays. They also do not include pay-per-view cuts that some top-level fighters receive.

For example, UFC officials also handed out a “Fight of the Night” bonus to Emmett and Burgos – and two $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonuses to Jaynes and Miller.

In other words, the above figures are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

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Gillian Robertson happy to be likened to a ‘blanket’ during UFC on ESPN 11 win

Gillian Robertson reacts to her victory over Cortney Casey at UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Canada’s [autotag]Gillian Robertson[/autotag] made history as she defeated Cortney Casey via third-round submission at UFC on ESPN 11 and set a new record for the most submission finishes by a female fighter in UFC history.

Take a look inside the fight with Robertson, who surpassed the mark set by Ronda Rousey and Rose Namajunas to stand at the top of the list with four submission wins inside the octagon.

Result: Gillian Robertson def. Cortney Casey via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:32

Updated records: Cortney Casey (9-8 MMA, 5-7 UFC), Gillian Robertson (8-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC)

Key stat: Robertson landed three of her four takedown attempts and made her one submission attempt pay as she claimed a late finish with just 28 seconds left in the fight.

Robertson on pushing for the late submission

“Right before it happened I heard my coach (Din Thomas) scream from the corner, and he’s like, ‘It’s never too late to finish!’ I looked up at the clock and saw there was 45 seconds and then she gave me the opportunity right at the exact same time.”

Robertson on being the first Canadian fighter to win at the UFC Apex

“I’m definitely proud of that. I would have loved to have been in front of Canada – tonight I was supposed to perform in Saskatoon – so it would have been awesome to have had a Canadian crowd. But no matter what, I’m happy to have a win.”

Robertson on her wait being worthwhile

“I’ve been trying to get in this whole time. Since the very beginning, when Dana started putting on cards after the coronavirus I’ve been trying to get in, trying to get that short-notice call. So having to have to wait this long, I guess it makes it more gratifying.”

Robertson on overcoming the size discrepancy

Just looking at her, I feel like she is the bigger woman. Generally, I’m a small ’25er and at the end of the second round when I got off of her, she looked at her coaches and she was like, ‘She’s like a (expletive) blanket!’ and I was like, ‘Hell yeah I am!'”

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Bobby Green emphatically accepts James Vick’s callout after UFC on ESPN 11 win

UFC lightweight Bobby Green emphatically answered James Vick’s callout following his victory over Clay Guida at UFC on ESPN 11.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] defeated Clay Guida via unanimous decision Saturday in their lightweight preliminary card bout at UFC on ESPN 11 at the UFC Apex.

Take a look inside the fight with Green, who halted a two-fight skid with his first win in two and a half years.

Result: Bobby Green def. Clay Guida via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Updated records: Bobby Green (25-10-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC), Clay Guida (35-20 MMA, 15-14 UFC)

Key stat: Green stuffed nine of Guida’s 12 takedown attempts, then outstruck him 85 to 23 in significant strikes to claim the decision victory.

Green on switching stances for Guida

“I switched a couple of times, but I just felt the southpaw stance was a little bit difference. They had planned on me being orthodox and so I just switched it up on you and like, ‘Ah! Just when you thought I’d fight that way, I’m fighting this way today!’

Green on facing Guida – and mid-fight trash talk

“It’s a great experience, you know? To fight legends. Guys that have been through the tests of time, fought champions, so I get to really test myself. … It was a real chess game.

“I always talk (expletive). I always just talk to guys, let them know that I’m right there in the fight, no matter what. Just being aware of everything. I’m just having fun, having a good time.”

Green on James Vick’s callout

“You tell him I’m gonna slap him when I see him! Tell him to bring it on!”

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Justin Jaynes targets Drakkar Klose, Austin Hubbard, after quickfire debut victory at UFC on ESPN 11

Victorious UFC debutant Justin Jaynes revealed he already has two potential opponents in mind for his next UFC assignment after UFC on ESPN 11.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag] made a big impression on his UFC debut as he stepped in on short notice and finished Frank Camacho in just 41 seconds at UFC on ESPN 11 at the UFC Apex.

Take a look inside the fight with Jaynes, who exploded into the UFC with a memorable finish to kick off his UFC career with a bang.

Result: Justin Jaynes def. Frank Camacho via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:41

Updated records: Frank Camacho (22-9 MMA, 2-5 UFC), Justin Jaynes (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC)

Key stat: Jaynes connected with 16 of 30 strikes, all significant, as he finished Camacho inside a minute to claim a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Jaynes on his blistering start

“It was just the gameplan from the get-go. I knew he had a hard weight cut and I wanted to catch him off guard. I didn’t want him to get into a rhythm. I thought if I blitzed him I might be able to clip him. And, sure (expletive), (I) clipped him, and it all worked out.”

Jaynes on his UFC “hit list”

“I’m just going to stay ready. I’ll take another short-notice fight. I’ll take one with preparation. It doesn’t matter to me. I’ve got a couple of guys on my hit list right now, and I wanna talk to my manager and see what we can line up down the road, and take it day-by-day for that.”

“Drakkar Klose. Beat me 2007, high school wrestling state championship. Got a little salty about that, still. He ruined my dreams. And (Austin) Hubbard. He just beat a friend of mine, Max (Rohskopf). I’d like to redeem his loss.”

Janes on finally getting his opportunity, and grabbing it with both hands

For a long period of time – for the last year, two years – I’ve been kinda on the fence. Like, ‘Is this ever going to happen?’ I was on a five-fight win streak, then I took a loss and I thought about retiring. … I’ve thought about retiring half a dozen times. But through my family and my coaches, they’ve kept me honest, they’ve kept me on the grind (and) I got my opportunity and I made the most of it.

“I feel like I just was born today. I’m telling guys, it’s only been 48 hours since I got the call. I don’t even know what’s happening right now. I’m on auto-pilot talking to you guys right now.

“I’m going to make an impression every time I fight. If anyone’s going to overlook me and think I’m not going to throw 100 percent, they’re sadly mistaken. If I catch them with their hands down they’re going to get knocked out.”

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