Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
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 Oct. 3-9.
The lineup for the UFC’s return to Florida continues to grow with the addition of a women’s strawweight bout.
The lineup for the UFC’s return to Florida continues to grow with the addition of a women’s strawweight bout.
[autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is set to take on [autotag]Istela Nunes[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at the UFC’s Fight Night event in Orlando set for Dec. 3. A person with knowledge of the booking confirmed the matchup to MMA Junkie on Wednesday, but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The news first was reported by MMAFighting.com.
Jauregui and Nunes first were booked to fight in August, but Nunes pulled out of the bout with an injury. Jauregui fought Iasmin Lucindo, instead, for her promotional debut and won a unanimous decision.
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Jauregui, a Combate Global tournament winner in 2021, stayed perfect in her pro career with the win over Lucindo. The 23-year-old from Tijuana, Mexico, has six of her nine career wins by knockout.
Nunes has been going in the opposite direction as Jauregui. She started her career 5-0, but was submitted by Angela Lee in a title challenge under the ONE Championship banner in 2017. She won her next bout in 2018, then turned her sights on the UFC. After a prolonged delay, she dropped her UFC debut in late 2021 when she was submitted by Ariane Carnelossi. In April, she lost a decision to Sam Hughes in her follow-up.
With the addition, the lineup for the UFC’s event in Orlando now includes:
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The UFC recently signed the youngest fighter in company history. Here are the 17 fighters 23 years and under in the UFC.
When Dana White offered [autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag] a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, he made history.
Rosas’ signing is impending, which will make him the youngest fighter in UFC history at just 17. He is also the only teenager on the roster and one of only 17 fighters 23 years old or younger.
Thirteen of said fighters have already made their promotional debuts, while Rosas and three other recent signees eagerly await their first UFC walks.
Scroll through the list below to see the 17 youngest fighters in the UFC.
Yazmin Jauregui staying grounded despite career hype.
[autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag] is grateful the MMA world took notice of her talent, but that’s as far she’s going to let her hype go.
The 23-year-old UFC strawweight prospect made her debut last Saturday at UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego and it was clear it wasn’t any ordinary debut in the octagon.
The UFC placed Jauregui (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) on the main card of the event and had her fight in the last bout before the main and co-main event fights. The Mexican fighter also received a good initial contract, better than the standard newcomer UFC deal, and even got a personal greeting from UFC president Dana White after her unanimous decision win over Iasmin Lucindo.
Jauregui is happy that both fans and the UFC are high on her ceiling, but she refuses to let that hype get to her head.
“Yeah, in many ways I do see it, but my work needs to speak for itself,” Jauregui told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I love what I do. I love being in the gym. I love training and fighting. The cage is mine, the cage is mine.
“So regardless of what the fans are saying or the contract, it’s based on the work and dedication that I have put in. So yeah, I’m very happy and thankful because many of you know, I’m a mother and I have someone that depends on me, someone I have to look out for. So, I’m happy that (the UFC) admires my work, and they reward me in that manner.”
Jauregui feels the support from fans after an impressive debut performance, but won’t rest on her first impression to the UFC audience.
“I don’t get caught up in that,” Jauregui said. “I’m just doing my job. Like I’ve said before, I’m taking things step by step. The public are in my favor and I adore that, and I’m very motivated by it, but I’m still doing my work little by little and that’s what’s important to me.”
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Jauregui is currently undefeated in her MMA career. She’s been competing since late 2018 and has notched now nine consecutive wins. Although this might be her first UFC fight, Jauregui is not shy to make her intentions known.
“Yeah, I think about (the UFC belt) because it’s a goal that I have set for myself,” Jauregui said. “I didn’t say it in the octagon because I don’t want to come off like, ‘I’m already going to be champion,’ you know what I mean?
“I want to remain grounded, but that’s one of the goals – that’s the goal. Right now, I see myself having two more fights, winning, then entering the rankings, winning, and like that. And at some point fight for the belt. That’s the biggest goal and that’s my dream.”
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Yazmin Jauregui gives Iasmin Lucindo her due after sharing the UFC octagon with her for 15 minutes.
[autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag] has nothing but respect for the first opponent of her UFC career.
The highly touted Mexican prospect made her debut with the UFC this past Saturday, taking on fellow newcomer [autotag]Iasmin Lucindo[/autotag] in a strawweight matchup on the main card of UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego, Calif. Jauregui (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) won the fight by unanimous decision, and in the process, put on a non-stop war that had fans raving about her performance.
However, it takes two to put on a good fight, and Jauregui is happy to give Lucindo her due.
“Of course, we’re the future of the division, I add Lucindo in there as well,” Jauregui told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “Lucindo is a young fighter with a lot of heart, gritty, so I don’t have a doubt that we’re going to be fighting the top girls in the future, and we’re going to give the public a show. I agree with the fans and Dana White, who were saying the same thing.”
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Jauregui is happy with her showing in her octagon debut. She feels she could’ve done far better, but she takes pride in giving the fans an exciting fight and keeping her unbeaten record.
“I’m happy with the work Lucindo and I did in the cage,” Jaurgi said. “I already analyzed the fight. I began analyzing the fight as soon as it was over.
“I didn’t even have my hand raised, and I knew I had won. I had the better boxing and I connected more. I think maybe I could’ve finished her, but maybe I lacked commitment in the final round. And in the first round, I think it would’ve been better for me to wait for her a bit more and be more cautious rather than come out with everything just to see how she reacts, because hey, Lucindo had a sh*t ton of power in her hands.
“So maybe I would’ve like to be a bit more patient in that area, but regardless, I wasn’t going to let the moment beat me. I was ready for war, and I was taking that win.”
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UFC president Dana White approached Yazmin Jauregui as she exited the cage after her UFC on ESPN 41 win.
SAN DIEGO – [autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag] made quite the impression with those in attendance Saturday at UFC on ESPN 41, including Dana White.
Immediately after a three-round unanimous decision win for Jauregui (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in a battle against fellow promotional debutant Iasmin Lucindo (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC), the UFC president was there to greet her outside the cage.
“He was very happy with the performance,” Jauregui told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “(He said) that he was very happy with the fight and how it went down. He was very excited to see me fighting in the future. He expects bigger things from me in the future.”
UFC president Dana White greeted 23-year-old Yazmin Jauregui outside the octagon after a stellar #UFCSanDiego debut. 🇲🇽
Full results: https://t.co/r1BYBU1K54 pic.twitter.com/MmVvBqqySY
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 14, 2022
By most accounts, the future is bright for Jauregui, though her immediate path is unclear. She is open to whatever opponent and location the UFC has available, but would like to return in November so she can prepare alongside training partner and fellow UFC fighter Silvana Gomez Juarez.
“I would really like to look into November because I’d (fight) with Silvana right there,” Jauregui said. “It would be so cool to have a hard-fought camp with her and do camp together. We can propel each other shoulder-to-shoulder and work hard for a fight. It would be really cool. We have a lot of good things coming up for us and it would be really good to go through camp with her. … Wherever they put me, we’re going to fight.
“… Whoever they put in front of me. I do not want to get ahead of myself. I want to continue to be humble. I want to go step by step and understand what needs to be done. I’m always very humble. I understand that I want to have an opponent that I can train for that will not find the holes that were found tonight.”
UFC on ESPN 41 took place Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 41.
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UFC on ESPN 41 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 41 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $195,000.
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 41 took place at Pechanga Arena. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 41 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]David Onama[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Iasmin Lucindo[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Priscila Cachoeira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Martin Buday[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Nina Nunes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Charlie Ontiveros[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Tyson Nam[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Josh Quinlan[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jason Witt[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: $6,000
vs. [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/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 $42,000 while title challengers get $41,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-41 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $5,588,000
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $11,755,500
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 41.
Salaries for UFC on ESPN 41 are out, thanks to the California State Athletic Commission, one of the only commissions still releasing them.
Many commissions no longer release fighter pay to the public, but the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) is one of them.
With UFC on ESPN 41 in the books, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed payouts from CSAC executive director Andy Foster. Five fighters received six-figure paydays, including headliners [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] and [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag].
Other fighters who received six-figure paydays included [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag], [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag], and [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag].
Check out the full list of UFC on ESPN 41 salaries below. It’s important to note the figures are disclosed payouts only, and do not include performance bonuses, discretionary bonuses, or sponsor pay.
Check out these photos from Yazmin Jauregui vs. Iasmin Lucindo at UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over Iasmin Lucindo at UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego. (Photos by Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports)
Brandon Moreno used to train alongside Yazmin Jauregui, and he expects big things from her in the UFC.
UFC interim flyweight champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] expects big things from [autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag].
Moreno firmly believes Jauregui (8-0, 0-0 UFC) will have a big impact in the UFC. The 23-year-old undefeated women’s strawweight prospect makes her promotional debut this Saturday when she takes on Iasmin Lucindo at UFC on ESPN 41 in San Diego.
Moreno trained with Jauregui for many years at Entram Gym in Tijuana, Mexico, prior to switching teams and going with James Krause in Kansas City. Even though they were former teammates, Moreno is not one to praise without warrant.
“I don’t say this about many fighters, and I love all my training partners, and I know how hard they work and how far they can go, but I promise you that Yazmin has what it takes to be a champion,” Moreno told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I see it. Like I once said, ‘Maybe not today, maybe not in the near future,’ but I see her as champion.”
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Jauregui is coming from Combate Global where she competed six times, picking up four knockout victories. Three of those fights were in one night when she won an eight-woman tournament in August 2021. That’s the last time Jauregui set foot inside the cage.
Although Jauregui already looks like a complete fighter, despite being very early in her career, Moreno hopes the UFC can give her proper time to grow.
“I hope they take her little by little because we know that the female divisions sometimes are not too deep, and two or three wins, and they’re already throwing you to the sharks , nd that’s not what we want with Yazmin,” Moreno said. “Hopefully she can manage her career the most intelligent way possible. And I say the most intelligent possible because look, if the girl wins her fights, what else will she have left to do? If she needs to fight. No. 10 or No. 5 in her third or fourth fight, then there’s no other way. I just hope that she gets an organic process in the organization.
“I’ll say it once again, that girl has what it takes to be a champion.”
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