Tag: Westin Wilson

UFC upset winner Westin Wilson has an ‘FTO’ and a middle finger for the doubters

Westin Wilson submitted Jeka Saragih with just the 12th triangle-armbar in UFC history and maintained his 100 percent finish rate.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag] beat Jeka Saragih with a first-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 58 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Wilson, whose first UFC win was just the 12th triangle-armbar in company history and maintained his 100 percent finish rate.

Result: Westin Wilson def. Jeka Saragih via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:49
Updated records: Wilson (17-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Saragih (14-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Key stats: Wilson has not been out of the first round since 2019 with 14 straight bouts ending in the opening frame.

Wilson on the fight’s key moment

“I knew it when I knew the arm-in guillotine, it wasn’t tight. There was nothing there. But I knew that he was scrambling and he actually almost gave me mount. … I was like, ‘OK, he’s really trying to get his head free. He’s giving me white belt moves right now.’ When he did, he left his arm and I had that overhook and I worked that quite a bit. I get a lot of guys in the gym and other gyms I train at when I travel, so I knew I had the arm. How many submission attempts did I get in that 30 seconds? That’s got to be a record, right? Four submission attempts in less than a minute? Yeah, so I knew I had it.”

Westin Wilson def. Jeka Saragih, UFC on ESPN 58

Wilson on pulling off the card’s biggest upset

“FTO, baby, FTO: Forget The Odds. All you degenerate gamblers, I’m hoping I made you guys some money. … A lot of the media, you guys think I’m like the worst-signed UFC prospect. I got so much crap from you guys for the last year about how I’m like the worst guy in the featherweight division, so it’s kind of great: middle finger to you guys. And all you oddsmakers giving me +800, +900, +450, I’m glad you guys lost all your money tonight on me. Next time, give me a little bit more respect.”

Wilson on what he wants next

“If there is a Salt Lake City card, I want it, guys. I really want the Salt Lake City card, if there is one. I don’t care. Give me a grappler. I’ve been fighting these freaking jacked-up strikers. Give me a grappler. Let me show off my grappling. Hell, I don’t care. Give me anybody. Let me be the A side for once, though. I’ve been the B side every fight.”

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

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

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UFC on ESPN 58 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Lowest total payout of 2024

UFC on ESPN 58 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 on ESPN 58 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $116,000.

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

The full UFC on ESPN 58 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Douglas Silva de Andrade[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Lucas Almeida[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Timmy Cuamba[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Brady Hiestand[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Garrett Armfield[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Asu Almabayev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jose Johnson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Adam Fugitt[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Josh Quinlan[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Nate Maness[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jimmy Flick[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Carli Judice[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Gabriella Fernandes[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jeka Saragih[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Melquizael Costa[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Shayilan Nuerdanbieke[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Josefine Knutsson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Julia Polastri[/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 $4,580; 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 $58,000 while title challengers get $58,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-58 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,451,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,188,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

UFC on ESPN 58 video: Hear from each winner, guest fighters backstage

Check out what the UFC on ESPN 58 winners and guest fighters had to say backstage at Saturday’s event.

LAS VEGAS – UFC on ESPN 58 took place Saturday with 11 bouts on the lineup. We’ve got you covered with backstage winner interviews from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

You can hear from all the UFC on ESPN 58 winners by checking out their post-fight news conferences below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

UFC on ESPN 58 video: Westin Wilson taps Jeka Saragih with 12th triangle-armbar in UFC history

Westin Wilson scored just the 12th triangle-armbar submission in UFC history against Jeka Saragih at UFC on ESPN 58.

[autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag]’s grappling prowess was on full display against [autotag]Jeka Saragih[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 58, and it resulted in his hand being raised within two minutes.

Saragih (14-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) charged at his opponent in the opening moments of the featherweight bout at the UFC Apex, but that led to his demise. Wilson (17-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC) tangled him up on the mat and locked in a triangle choke, which he transitioned into a triangle-armbar combination after a slam attempt and got the tap at the 1:49 mark of Round 1.

It was just the 12th finish of its kind in UFC history with a triangle armbar, according to the UFC on ESPN 58 broadcast. Check out the replay of it below (via X)

After the win, an elated Wilson unsuccessfully tried to jump into the arms of in-cage interviewer Michael Bisping. Then he laid out his next fight plans.

“It feels fantastic,” Wilson said in his post-fight interview with Bisping. “I want a Topps rookie card and a fight at UFC Salt Lake City, baby. That’s what I want. Let’s go.”

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Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 58 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

UFC books Jeka Saragih vs. Westin Wilson for June event

At the UFC Apex, Indonesia’s Jeka Saragih will battle American Westin Wilson.

Indonesia’s [autotag]Jeka Saragih[/autotag] has his next UFC assignment after a massive knockout victory.

At the UFC Fight Night event June 15, Saragih (14-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) returns vs. [autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag] (16-9 MMA, 0-2 UFC). The card takes place 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.

Saragih, 29, was the Road to UFC lightweight runner-up in 2023. After a TKO loss to Anshul Jubli in the final, Saragih made the most of his second official UFC fight when he bludgeoned Lucas Alexander in November.

A seasoned regional veteran, Wilson, 35, ascended to the big leagues in 2023. He seeks his first UFC victory after first-round knockout losses to Joanderson Brito and Jean Silva. Wilson is a friend and training partner of UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson, but is known for his submission skills.

With the addition, the June 15 lineup includes:

  • Andrei Arlovski vs. Martin Buday
  • Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz
  • Jimmy Flick vs. Nate Maness
  • Adam Fugitt vs. Josh Quinlan
  • Gabriella Fernandes vs. Carli Judice
  • Josefine Knutsson vs. Julia Polastri
  • Garrett Armfield vs. Brady Hiestand
  • Jeka Saragih vs. Westin Wilson

UFC Fight Night 234 post-event facts: Jim Miller adds more records to epic resume

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 234, which saw Jim Miller grow his all-time wins record and add more history to his resume.

The UFC returned from its holiday hiatus on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and although it wasn’t the most stacked lineup, UFC Fight Night 234 delivered seven stoppage results out of 11 bouts.

In the main event, Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) produced definitive closure on his rivalry with Johnny Walker (21-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC), scoring a second-round knockout in their light heavyweight rematch to potentially set himself up for a championship opportunity.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 234.

Westin Wilson’s dope-ass Wonka remix walkout song at UFC Fight Night 234 was straight 🔥, and we’re here for it 💯

Westin Wilson shares two key initials with Willy Wonka. Go inside his walkout song.

Did we get your attention with that ridiculous headline? Good.

Know what’s not ridiculous? [autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag]’s walkout song Saturday at UFC Fight Night 234.

The 34-year-old Wilson, who trains with Stephen Thompson in South Carolina, walked to a remix of “Pure Imagination,” which was written for the 1971 original theatrical release of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The remix was done specifically by Andrew P. Oliver for Wilson, whose WW initials just so happen to match up with one Mr. Willy Wonka.

We’re big fans of the original Wonka here at TBC. Big. HUGE, even. What can we say? We like it when our snozzberries taste like snozzberries. Although as much as we dig Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, that 2005 reboot can die in a fire. Horrible. Just horrible, that abomination. But we digress …

Anyway, hearing Oliver’s take on “Pure Imagination” was a legitimate thrill. We think you’ll dig it, too.

Wilson (16-9 MMA, 0-2 UFC) ran into a buzzsaw in promotional newcomer Jean Silva (12-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who was the heaviest favorite on the card. That’s no slight toward Wilson; Silva appeared to live up to his outsized promise. But before that got underway, Wilson had an epic walk to the cage.

That film, adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” has had a cult following for decades. The original song was sung by Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in the movie, and it’s been in the midst of a reprisal lately with use in the “Wonka” prequel/origin story movie musical starring Timothee Chalamet.

But Oliver’s remix somehow takes the song from one of playfulness and whimsy to one of purpose and urgency. It shouldn’t work that way, but it does.

Check out the track, as well as a separate piece with Wilson and Oliver talking about the genesis of the remix, in the videos below.

UFC Fight Night 234 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Jim Miller, Andrei Arlovski get max non-title payouts

UFC Fight Night 234 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 234 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $159,500.

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 234 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 234 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Mario Bautista[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Brunno Ferreira[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Phil Hawes[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Waldo Cortes-Acosta[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Preston Parsons[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Marcus McGhee[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Farid Basharat[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Taylor Lapilus[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jean Silva[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Westin Wilson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Nikolas Motta[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Tom Nolan[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Felipe Bunes[/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 2341 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 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

  • “UFC Fight Night 234: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2” – $159,500

Year-to-date total: $159,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $22,866,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 234.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Oct. 9-15)

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 or officially announced by the promotions from Oct. 9-15.

Fresh Ink: Meet the 15 fighters the UFC signed in June 2023

Find out who joined the UFC in June 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.

Check out the June 2023 list below.