Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 221 event.
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.
See what the fighters from UFC Fight Night 221 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.
Check out the best photos from Victor Henry’s split decision win over Tony Gravely at UFC Fight Night 221.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag]’s split decision win over [autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 221 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. (Photos by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Jan. 23-29.
Before UFC Fight Night 212, retirement thoughts snuck in Raphael Assuncao’s brain. He’s glad he didn’t have to cross that bridge – yet.
LAS VEGAS – If [autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag] lost at UFC Fight Night 212, it could’ve been his final fight.
But luckily for him, he’ll never know because he wasn’t faced with that decision. Instead, Assuncao (28-9 MMA, 15-8 UFC) defeated [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag] (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) by unanimous decision Saturday to snap a four-fight skid.
“It’s a big relief for sure. There are no other words there,” Assuncao told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “… When I turned 40, either I’ll retire or I’ll give it one more shot to put myself to the test and start to do good about it.”
Assuncao has long been a perennial contender, but he admits with the string of losses doubt crept into his mind. He revealed a loss Saturday would’ve likely been his curtain call – at least at bantamweight.
“To be honest, probably (I would’ve retired),” Assuncao said. “Probably, just because, and I’m not being proud about it – I’m not being super proud about this – I would’ve probably made a switch to featherweight. I’m not positive if I would still be in the UFC. I don’t know. With five losses, it’s probably not a good number to be in the UFC. If I decided not to retire had I lost today, I probably would’ve moved up in weight class because I felt like I was losing muscle. It’s just mentalizing all these things. Unfortunately, you have to think of the loss. It worked out fine.”
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Mental adjustments, including a fresh start at Xtreme Couture, were the biggest changes for Assuncao, who visibly broke down inside the cage upon the official decision reading.
“As I showcased up in the cage there, (there) were a lot of emotions,” Assuncao said. “I was doing some math work over there. I haven’t won a fight since 2018. There were a lot of ups and downs, but we made it happen. I made some changes, as I mentioned also: new team, new camp, new everything. It worked out well. I’m very glad.”
Even with his UFC Fight Night 212 win, Assuncao thinks the end is likely near. He’s not done yet, but tries to soak in enjoyment in the twilight of his competitive career. While his competition will eventually cease, MMA will always be a part of his life in some capacity.
“We’re getting close to the end,” Assuncao said. “I don’t want to cry about this right now. We’re getting close to the end. I’ll definitely be (at Xtreme Couture), even if I’m not actively (competing). Like I said, if I decide to retire, I’ll still be around to help the guys.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 212.
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UFC Fight Night 212 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 212 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $151,500.
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 Fight Night 212 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 212 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jordan Wright[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Misha Cirkunov[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Mana Martinez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Brandon Davis[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jacob Malkoun[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Nick Maximov[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Joanderson Brito[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Alexander[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Piera Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Sam Hughes[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Pete Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Mike Jackson[/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 2127 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2121 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: $6,642,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $12,810,000
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 212.
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC Fight Night 212 main card in Las Vegas, which features Alexa Grasso vs. Viviane Araujo.
| Grasso vs. Araujo |
Martinez vs. Swanson |
Todorovic vs. Wright |
Assuncao vs. Wright |
Cirkunov vs. Menifield |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 161-96 |
 Grasso (78%) |
 Swanson (55%) |
 Todorovic (61%) |
 Henry (63%) |
 Menifield (75%) |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 171-91  2018 Champion |
Grasso |
 Martinez |
Todorovic |
Henry |
Menifield |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 167-95 |
Grasso |
Martinez |
Todorovic |
Henry |
 Cirkunov |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 165-97 2014 Champion |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Todorovic |
 Assuncao |
Menifield |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 164-98 |
Grasso |
Martinez |
Todorovic |
Henry |
Menifield |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 163-99 |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Todorovic |
Henry |
Menifield |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 161-101 |
Grasso |
Swanson |
 Wright |
Assuncao |
Cirkunov |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 161-101 |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Wright |
Assuncao |
Menifield |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 155-107 |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Todorovic |
Henry |
Menifield |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 154-108 2017 Champion |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Todorovic |
Henry |
Menifield |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 146-116 |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Wright |
Assuncao |
Menifield |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 128-133 |
Grasso |
Swanson |
Todorovic |
Assuncao |
Menifield |
The stays on its home turf after an off week, and a pair of women’s flyweight contenders are atop the bill.
UFC Fight Night 212 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at 125 pounds. Grasso is a -240 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Araujo is +180. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Grasso as our lone unanimous picks on the main card at 11-0.
The co-main event features [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) against [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] (28-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) at bantamweight in Swanson’s move to the division after spending the bulk of his career, including the past nearly 15 years, at featherweight. Martinez is more than a 2-1 favorite, but most of our pickers are bucking the odds and have Swanson with a big 8-3 lead.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Jordan Wright[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at middleweight. Todorovic is more than a 2-1 favorite and has an 8-3 picks lead.
[autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag] (27-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) is the event’s second biggest underdog in his bantamweight fight against [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who is a -420 favorite. But Henry has just a 6-5 lead from our staff members.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Misha Cirkunov[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 6-6 UFC) meets [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at light heavyweight. Menifield is a -220 favorite and has a blowout in the picks at 9-2.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Grasso (78 percent), Swanson (55 percent), Todorovic (61 percent), Henry (63 percent) and Menifield (75 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 212.
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Victor Henry said he has no time to waste following his promotional debut at UFC 270.
ANAHEIM, Calif. – [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag] has no time to waste.
The UFC newcomer won his promotional debut Saturday with a unanimous decision win over Raoni Barcelos at UFC 270. Henry (22-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) beat Barcelos (16-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) with three 30-27 scores.
It was a tough debut for Henry given Barcelos’ tenure in the UFC. But Henry didn’t want it any other way, and the 34-year-old is looking to quickly get tested in the UFC.
“I’m not the youngest guy,” Henry said. “I have a hard road to run. I’m not here to take the easiest fights. I wanted this fight. (The UFC) were telling me his visa is coming up and he might not be able to fight later on. I was really upset the first time it got canceled. I wanted to fight him.
“It’s not just I wanted to fight in the UFC. I wanted to fight him. … He’s arguably top 15, top 10, so I wanted to fight him and prove that to everybody.”
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Although it was Henry’s first UFC fight, the Josh Barnett protege has plenty of experience with almost 30 professional fights under his belt. Henry is 9-1 in his past 10 trips to the cage.
“La Mangosta” hopes to get a quick return to the cage and he’s ready to face any test.
“As soon as I’m done crushing this pizza I’m about to have, give me another call and I’ll be in there.”
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Much was made in the lead-up to UFC 270 about Francis Ngannou’s contract. So what was his disclosed purse?
UFC 270 featured two title fights and all four of the participants walked out of the cage with six-figure disclosed paydays.
Heavyweight champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] and former interim champion [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] led the way. Former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] and current flyweight champion [autotag]Deiveison Figueiredo[/autotag] were not far behind in the co-main event.
MMA Junkie obtained a full list of disclosed UFC 270 payouts from California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) executive director Andy Foster immediately following the event. The purses listed do not include discretionary bonuses, pay-per-view points, or performance bonuses.
UFC 270 took place Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The main card streamed on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
Check out a full list of UFC 270 disclosed salaries below.
Hours prior to Saturday’s event, a bout was scrapped.
UFC Fight Night 199 has lost a fight from the preliminary card just hours before the start of the event.
The bantamweight bout between fan favorite [autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag] and promotional newcomer [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag] was scrapped Saturday due to COVID-19 protocols. The card will proceed with 13 bouts.
A person with knowledge of the change confirmed the cancellation after the fight was removed from the UFC’s official online fight card (h/t Twitter user Already Demon).
The cancellation marks the eighth publicly announced bout Barcelos (16-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has signed up for that has not come to fruition. Henry (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will have to wait to make his UFC debut after he signed up for this fight on short notice.
With the change, the UFC Fight Night 199 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
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Raoni Barcelos will get to compete before the end of the year when he meets newcomer Victor Henry.
[autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag] will get to compete before the end of the year after all.
With Trevin Jones out, Barcelos (16-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) faces newcomer [autotag]Victor Henry[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 199, which takes place Dec. 18 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Barcelos is coming off a majority decision loss to Timur Valiev at UFC Fight Night 190 in June. Prior to that, the Brazilian was on a nine-fight winning streak, including wins over Said Nurmagomedov and Khalid Taha.
Winner of nine of his past 10, Henry will make a relatively quick turnaround. The 26-fight veteran fighter, who competed for Japanese promotions Rizin FF, DEEP and Pancrase, is coming off a second-round submission of ex-UFC fighter Albert Morales at LXF 6 on Oct. 30.
With the change, the UFC Fight Night 199 lineup now includes:
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