Tag: Wang Cong

UFC Macau adds Yan Xiaonan vs. Tabatha Ricci, Volkan Oezdemir vs. Carlos Ulberg, return of Wang Cong

The upcoming UFC Fight Night 248 event in Macau on Nov. 23 is filling out with the addition of multiple matchups.

UFC has announced multiple fights for its upcoming event in Macau.

UFC Fight Night 248 takes place Nov. 23 at Galaxy Arena in Macau, featuring a big bantamweight matchup between former 135-pound champion [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] and former flyweight champ [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag].

Wednesday, the promotion officially announced multiple new fights on social media for the return event to China.

A UFC-ranked top 10 matchup in the women’s strawweight division has been added. Former title challenger [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] will face [autotag]Tabatha Ricci[/autotag].

Xiaonan (17-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) returns to action for the first time since her title challenge loss against Zhang Weili at UFC 300. Ricci (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) enters on a two-fight winning streak, fresh off a unanimous decision win over Angela Hill at UFC on ESPN 62.

Another UFC-ranked top 10 bout is also on the card, this one in the light heavyweight division, between former title challenger [autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag].

Oezdemir (20-7 MMA, 8-6 UFC) is on a two-fight winning streak, both by way of early stoppage. His last performance was a devastating knockout of Johnny Walker at UFC on ABC 6. Ulberg (10-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) was a part of the UFC 303 fight shuffle, but was unable to compete. He will now enter his second fight of the year after a 12-second knockout of Alonzo Menifield.

In addition, Wang Cong will compete in her second UFC bout, taking on Gabriella Fernandes.

Cong (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made waves in her promotional debut by flattening Victoria Leonardo in the first round. “The Joker” holds a kickboxing win over current UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

With the additions, the current UFC Fight Night 248 lineup includes:

  • Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
  • Yan Xiaonan vs. Tabatha Ricci
  • Volkan Oezdemir vs. Carlos Ulberg
  • Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Jose Ochoa
  • Carlos Hernandez vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
  • Wang Cong vs. Gabriella Fernandes
  • Ozzy Diaz vs. Zhang Mingyang
  • Xiaocan Feng vs. Ming Shi – “Road to UFC” strawweight final
  • Dong Hoon Choi vs. Kiru Sahota – “Road to UFC” flyweight final
  • Balgyn Jenisuly vs. Su Young You – “Road to UFC” bantamweight final
  • Bin Xie vs. Kangjie Zhu – “Road to UFC” featherweight final

Valentina Shevchenko reacts to Wang Cong saying she’d beat her in the UFC, too

Wang Cong defeated Valentina Shevchenko in kickboxing in 2015.

[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] laughed off [autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag]’s claim that she would also beat her in the octagon.

In October 2015, two months before making her UFC debut, Shevchenko (23-4-1 MMA, 13-2-1 UFC) lost her final kickboxing bout to Cong by unanimous decision in the Beijing-based Kunlun Fight promotion.

Cong (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had just made her way to the UFC, scoring a 62-second one-punch knockout of Victoria Leonardo in her promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 62.

After her win, Cong claimed that she’d beat Shevchenko in a UFC fight.

“That was so funny,” Shevchenko told MMA Junkie on Cong. “The promotion that we fought (in), it was in China, and if you would’ve seen the judges back there in China, in that promotion, the judge of my second fight with Alexa would be an angel. To win in that promotion in China, you have to not only knock out your opponent, you have to make sure that she’ll lay down for 30 minutes.

“All muay Thai fighters who fought in China back then would say the same. Even after the fight, I posted a video of our fight on YouTube, and it was a crazy amount of comments saying, ‘What are the judges looking at? Are they there?’ But then the organization filed a claim against this video because of privacy.”

Shevchenko faces flyweight champion Alexa Grasso in a trilogy bout, which co-headlines UFC 306 Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. She thinks it’s too early to praise Cong.

“Yeah, maybe she had a knockout, but it’s very hard to say when it’s your first fight against – I don’t know who was her opponent, I never heard of her,” Shevchenko said. “Let’s see (what) she’s going to claim and if she will have the same power against top 10 opponents. Let’s see it happening.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Wang Cong full kickboxing fight video

Watch Wang Cong score a unanimous decision win over Valentina Shevchenko in a kickboxing match in 2015.

[autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag] put herself on the MMA map over the weekend by knocking out Victoria Leonardo with one right hand in her official promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 62.

The devastating finish in 62 seconds caught the attention of Dana White and instantly created buzz around Cong, 32, a highly touted Chinese flyweight who entered the UFC after a Road to UFC showcase bout and also with a feather in her cap as she owns a victory over former UFC champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] in kickboxing.

After her UFC on ESPN 62 win, Cong confidently declared that she’d beat Shevchenko in a UFC fight, too, making this a perfect time to revisit their first encounter.

On Oct. 31, 2015, Cong scored a three-round unanimous decision win over Shevchenko in the Beijing-based Kunlun Fight promotion. It was the final kickboxing match for Shevchenko before making her UFC debut less than two months later.

You can watch the full fight in the video above.

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Dana White grants Wang Cong’s request for $50K bonus: ‘You looked AMAZING’

Wang Cong was initally snubbed on the UFC on ESPN 62 bonuses, but UFC CEO Dana White fixed that Sunday evening.

UFC newcomer [autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag] will get her first bonus after all.

After impressing on Road to UFC, Cong (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) debuted at UFC on ESPN 62 in the first fight of the night against Victoria Leonardo. The women’s flyweight bout didn’t last long.

China’s Cong crushed Leonardo (9-6 MMA, 1-4 UFC) with a devastating punch, ending the fight with a walkoff knockout in 62 seconds. Not only did Cong impress with her skills in the cage, but she also stood out on the mic, stating she had no business being the first fight of the night but instead deserves a spot on the main card.

That’s not to forget that “The Joker” made waves on social media with her faceoff at weigh-ins. She wore Joker-themed facepaint and told Leonardo in English, “I will win. I’m crazy.” She then hand-mimed three shots at her opponent before walking off.

Speaking of bullets, she has a win over former UFC flyweight champion Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko in kickboxing, too.

Cong ticked all necessary boxes in her debut, but was snubbed when bonuses were announced.

“Wake up and find out there is no POTN,” Cong wrote on Instagram. “Next fight you will see more spectacular finish @ufc. Don’t play with Joker again!”

UFC CEO Dana White was not present for UFC on ESPN 62, as he has often skipped attending shows at the UFC Apex this year. However, he says he did see Cong’s fight and sent her a reply she was delighted to read.

“I was out of town and watch the fight @mystiqueboston on TV,” White replied on Instagram. “You looked AMAZING. I’m adding another PON bonus for u. Congrats u get 50k.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_GbLcKPb0d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

“I love you Dana,” Cong replied with multiple heart-eyed emojis.

One fight down, one bonus for “The Joker,” who is certainly someone to keep an eye on going forward.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

Wang Cong confident she’d beat Valentina Shevchenko in the UFC – like she did in kickboxing

Does the UFC have a budding star on their hands with Wang Cong?

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag] arrived in style during UFC on ESPN 62 fight week – from her faceoff dressed as the “Joker” to her 62-second one-punch knockout of Victoria Leonardo.

Though she only holds a half-dozen fights-worth of MMA experience, Cong (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has a hefty resume of combat sports bouts. That includes a 2015 kickboxing victory over [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (23-4-1 MMA, 13-2-1 UFC).

Should they ever meet in the UFC, Cong thinks something similar will transpire.

“You guys only know I beat Shevchenko in kickboxing,” Cong told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “But you don’t know I’m a sambo world champion, a boxing world champion, and a kickboxing world champion. I think comparing Valentina Shevchenko to me is that she has more experience. But I took some time to compete in boxing. I believe my striking is better than her. … If she takes the fight, (I can beat her) any time.”

Shevchenko competes Sept. 14 in a title challenge vs. Alexa Grasso in the UFC 306 co-main event, so Cong likely has a way to go before a rematch occurs. In the meantime, Cong has faith in her past opponent.

“I believe she can take the fight to (Grasso) again,” Cong said. “Because we competed in kickboxing, I know how good she is, and I believe in her (to win at UFC 306).”

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Following her victory Saturday, she called for a fight vs. Casey O’Neill as her next potential outing. O’Neill (10-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) defeated Luana Santos at UFC 305 on Aug. 17, but was handed a 180-day medical suspension by the Western Australia Combat Sports Commission. The extent of the injury or whether or not it was precautionary is not yet known.

But for Cong, the callout was more about where (in the rankings) and not who.

“I just looked at the rankings board and think it’s a good fight,” Cong said. “I just want to jump in the rankings and get my title shot.”

Regardless of who or when or where is next for her, Cong radiates confidence, as she without hesitation called herself the best female flyweight boxer in the UFC.

“I didn’t take a close look for the whole division,” Cong said. “But myself, I’m very confident because I don’t care about others. I believe I’m the best.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

UFC on ESPN 62 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $28 million

The UFC has now paid athletes more than $28 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay after UFC on ESPN 62.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $166,500.

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 on ESPN 62 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 62 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Tabatha Ricci[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ryan Loder[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Robert Valentin[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mairon Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kaan Ofli[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Michael Morales[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Francis Marshall[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Dennis Buzukja[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jose Medina[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Viacheslav Borshchev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]James Llontop[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jacqueline Cavalcanti[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josiane Nunes[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Victoria Leonardo[/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 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 $4,620; 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 $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-62 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,324,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $28,061,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

UFC on ESPN 62 video: Wang Cong makes good on ‘Joker’ threat, smokes Victoria Leonardo

Dressed as the Joker at UFC on ESPN 62 weigh-ins, Wang Cong told Victoria Leonard she was crazy – and then knocked her out cold.

“I will win. I’m crazy,” is the promise [autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag] made to [autotag]Victoria Leonardo[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 62 faceoffs Friday – all while wearing paint to resemble the Joker.

The on Saturday, Cong (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made good on that promise as she iced Leonardo (9-6 MMA, 1-4 UFC) with a one-punch right cross knockout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The stoppage came at 1:02 of Round 1.

Cong, 32, is a highly touted flyweight who entered the UFC after a Road to UFC showcase bout. In six pro fights, she has four finishes.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 62 results include:

  • Wang Cong def. Victoria Leonardo via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:02

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.