UFC 291 post-event facts: Justin Gaethje’s insane bonus streak continues

The best facts to come out of UFC 291, which saw Justin Gaethje add to his bonus run and Derrick Lewis retake the octagon knockout record.

UFC 291 arguably was the event of the year on paper coming in, and the fights lived up to the hype with nine finishes in 11 bouts at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

The main event delivered perhaps the best knockout of the year so far when [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) got revenge on [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) in their lightweight “BMF” title rematch courtesy of a brutal second-round head kick finish.

A number of historic feats occurred throughout the lineup. For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 291.

UFC 291 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Poirier, Gaethje net $32,000 for ‘BMF’ title fight

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 291 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $271,500.

SALT LAKE CITY – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 291 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $271,500.

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 291 took place at Delta Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC 291 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Marcos Rogerio de Lima[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Roman Kopylov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Claudio Ribeiro[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jake Matthews[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Darrius Flowers[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Uros Medic[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Miranda Maverick[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Priscila Cachoeira[/autotag]: $6,000

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 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 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 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,051,500
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $19,640,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

CJ Vergara def. Vinicius Salvador at UFC 291: Best photos

Check out the best photos from CJ Vergara’s unanimous decision win over Vinicius Salvador at UFC 291.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag] at UFC 291 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. (Photos by Jeffrey Swinger, USA TODAY Sports)

UFC 291 weigh-in results: Headliners set, but two fighters heavy in Salt Lake City

Check out the results from the official UFC 291 fighter weigh-ins in Salt Lake City.

MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC 291 fighter weigh-ins, where two fighters missed their marks on the scale.

In the main event, former interim lightweight champions Dustin Poirier (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meet for the “BMF” title. They were the first two fighters to come to the scale. Gaethje was 156 pounds without issue; Poirier was 155.

In the co-feature, former light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) takes on ex-middleweight champ Alex Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who is moving up from 185 pounds. Blachowicz was 205 on the nose; Pereira was 205.5.

Two fighters missed weight. [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag] (14-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) was 128.5 pounds for his flyweight bout against CJ Vergara (11-4-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and was fined 20 percent of his show purse. And [autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag] (28-11 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was 174 pounds for his welterweight bout against former title challenger Stephen Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC). If the matchup is approved at a catchweight, Pereira will be fined a percentage of his purse.

[lawrence-related id=2663329]

The early weigh-ins took place at the UFC host hotel in Salt Lake City and preceded the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 7 p.m. ET at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The same venue hosts Saturday’s event, which has a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC 291 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Dustin Poirier (155) vs. Justin Gaethje (156)
  • Jan Blachowicz (205) vs. Alex Pereira (205.5)
  • Michel Pereira (174)* vs. Stephen Thompson (170.5)
  • Tony Ferguson (155) vs. Bobby Green (155.5)
  • Michael Chiesa (170) vs. Kevin Holland (169.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Gabriel Bonfim (170) vs. Trevin Giles (170)
  • Derrick Lewis (263.5) vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima (262)
  • Roman Kopylov (185) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (185.5)
  • Darrius Flowers (170.5) vs. Jake Matthews (170)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Vinicius Salvador (128.5)** vs. CJ Vergara (125.5)
  • Uros Medic (170.5) vs. Matthew Semelsberger (169.5)
  • Priscila Cachoeira (125) vs. Miranda Maverick (125.5)

*Michel Pereira missed the welterweight limit. If the fight is approved at a catchweight, he is expected to be fined a percentage of his purse.
**Salvador missed the flyweight limit and was fined 20 percent of his show purse.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (May 8-15)

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 May 8-15.

UFC on ESPN 43 medical suspensions: Cory Sandhagen faces more time off than Marlon Vera

Four fighters were given 180-day medical suspensions by the Texas commission after UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

Four fighters face 180-day medical suspensions as a result of UFC on ESPN 43 bouts, but headliners [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] are not among them.

UFC on ESPN 43 took place this past Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The event was overseen by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which suspended all 20 fighters for medical reasons after their bouts, according to a list published Wednesday by the commission.

CJ Vergara, Daniel Pineda and Lucas Alexander all won their bouts, but walked away with 180-day suspensions, as did Steven Peterson, who lost his retirement bout to Alexander.

It’s important to note fighters can return sooner than the expiration date of their medical suspension should they receive proper medical clearance from a doctor. In addition, the TDLR does not list reasons for medical suspensions – just durations.

Scroll below to see the full list of UFC on ESPN 43 medical suspensions.

UFC on ESPN 43 post-event facts: Charles Oliveira’s longstanding record under threat

Charles Oliveira hasn’t competed at featherweight in six years, and someone is finally closing in on his record after UFC on ESPN 43.

The UFC made its return to Texas on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 43, which took place at AT&T Center in San Antonio and, after a number of fight week fallouts, saw a 10-bout card unfold.

The most high-profile result came from the main event, where [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) proved his worth as a bantamweight contender with a split decision victory over the streaking [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (20-8-1 MMA, 14-7 UFC) after five rounds.

For more on the numbers behind Sandhagen’s win, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 43.

* * * *

UFC on ESPN 43 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: ‘Chito’ tops card with $21k

UFC on ESPN 43 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

SAN ANTONIO – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 43 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $137,000.

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 43 took place at AT&T Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 43 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Daniel Pineda[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Tucker Lutz[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Lucas Alexander[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Steven Peterson[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Preston Parsons[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Daniel Lacerda[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Victor Altamirano[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag]: $4,000

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 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 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 $43,000 while title challengers get $43,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-43 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,771,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $16,290,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

UFC on ESPN 43 play-by-play and live results

Get live play-by-play and official results from Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – UFC on ESPN 43 took place Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The main card aired on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

In the main event, Marlon Vera (20-8-1 MMA, 14-7 UFC) takes on Cory Sandhagen (16-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in a fight between bantamweight contenders. In the co-feature, former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) met Yana Santos (14-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC).

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN 43 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv ) on Twitter.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

Victor Altamirano def. Vinicius Salvador at UFC on ESPN 43: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Victor Altamirano’s unanimous decision win over Vinicius Salvador at UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Victor Altamirano[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 43 at AT&T Center in San Antonio. (Photos by Aaron Meullion, USA TODAY Sports)