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.

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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:

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[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)

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Sept. 26-Oct. 2)

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 Sept. 26-Oct. 2.

Fresh Ink: Meet the 32 fighters the UFC signed in August 2022

The UFC added 32 fighters to its roster last month. Find out who joined and learn more about them here.

The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.

Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, Dana White’s Contender Series signees, or the increasingly rare straight-up additions. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.

Scroll below to check out the 32 fighters the promotion inked in August 2022.

UFC hopeful Shannon Ross undergoes emergency surgery after all-time DWCS battle

Shannon Ross initially seemed OK after the fight, according to his manager Daniel Rubenstein. The next morning, things changed.

[autotag]Shannon Ross[/autotag] came up short Tuesday on “Dana White’s Contender Series” but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort.

In what many fans are calling one of the best fights in series history, Ross (13-6) and opponent [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag] (14-4) slugged it out with minimal regard for defense at DWCS 48. Salvador finished Ross with punches in Round 2 and earned a UFC contract shortly thereafter.

Following the fight, Ross went to a local hospital for precautionary scans. MRIs and a CT scan came back normal, according to his manager Daniel Rubenstein, of Ruby Sports & Entertainment. However, when Ross woke up the next day, he began vomiting uncontrollably. An emergency hospital visit showed his stomach was protruding and he tested positive for appendicitis.

Ross underwent emergency appendectomy surgery Thursday and it was successful, according to Rubenstein. Ross is expected to be released from the hospital later Friday or on Saturday, he added.

The brawl Tuesday was one for the ages in the eyes of many due to the level of punishment dished and received. Both men were hurt and nearly finished at multiple points in the fight.

The level of violence and excitement brought forth by the fight caused many fans to wonder whether UFC president Dana White would offer Ross a contract. Ultimately, White elected not to but said the promotion will keep a close eye on Ross and fellow DWCS participant Charlie Campbell for their good showings in defeats.

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Vinicius Salvador ready for quick UFC debut against anyone after DWCS 48 contract win

It’s a rarity for UFC boss Dana White to come into the cage for anything other than a belt presentation, but he did for Vinicius Salvador.

LAS VEGAS – It’s a rarity for UFC president Dana White to come into the cage after a fight for anything other than a belt presentation.

So when [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag] (14-4) saw the boss walk in after his second-round finish of Shannon Ross (13-6) at Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday, he knew it had to be a good thing.

“It was surreal that he came up there,” Salvador said at his post-fight news conference at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “Maybe I could be the first bonus in the Contender Series – I asked for that. I come from knockouts. I always knock people out. But if it goes down to the ground, it’s going to be a submission. This is how it’s always been, and you can rest assured that’s how it’s always going to be going forward.”

Salvador, who fought for the first time outside his native Brazil, maintained his 100 percent finishing rate with the knockout, giving him 13 of his 14 wins by KO or TKO to go along with a lone submission.

He was one of five winners at DWCS 48 to get UFC contracts from White in the second event of the season – a week after White gave out only one and issued a warning to future DWCS fighters that they probably should come prepared to impress him.

Now Salvador wants to keep impressing his new boss, and the rest of the flyweight division, and get back to work in a hurry.

“I’m so happy. It’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to actually be fighting in a UFC event,” Salvador said. “I can’t let this opportunity go. … I’m ready for everything. I’m not a guy who believes in process. You can bring on the best. You can bring top 15, you can bring top five, you can bring anybody. I’m ready to go, and I said it: I’m going for the top, and I’m going to be the new flyweight champion.

“I’m ready to fight right now. They have (UFC 279 on Sept. 10). It can be here, it can be in Sweden, it can be a top 15 (opponent). Just bring them on. I’m ready to fight.”

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Dana White’s Contender Series books Shannon Ross vs. Vinicius Salvador

Flyweights are on tap for Aug. 2 – and a UFC contract could be on the line.

Dana White’s Contender Series is filling up its Season 6 lineup.

A flyweight bout between [autotag]Shannon Ross[/autotag] (13-5)  and [autotag]Vinicius Salvador[/autotag] (13-4) is on tap for DWCS 48, which takes place Aug. 2 at the UFC Apex and is the second episode of the season.

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

Ross, 33, has competed for ACB and Eternal MMA among other notable promotions. He was originally scheduled to fight LFA flyweight champion Charles Johnson at this event. However, Johnson was signed to the UFC to fight Muhammad Mokaev on July 23. Ross has eight finishes in 13 wins.

Salvador, 25, was supposed to compete on DWCS, Season 5 in 2022 against then-LFA flyweight champion Vitor Altamirano. However, Salvador withdrew and was replaced by Carlos Candelario. Entering DWCS 48, Salvador rides a three-fight winning streak. All 13 of his wins were finishes.

With the addition, the DWCS 48 lineup includes:

  • Billy Goff vs. Shimon Smotritsky
  • Francis Marshall vs. Connor Matthews
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Danilo Suzart
  • Shannon Ross vs. Vinicius Salvador
  • TBA vs. TBA

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