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.
The upcoming UFC event in San Diego has faced a change as CFFC champ Da’Mon Blackshear steps in to fight Youssef Zalal.
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] has a new opponent for UFC on ESPN 41.
CFFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has signed with the promotion on short-notice and will face Zalal (10-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) at the Aug. 13 event. The card takes place at Pechanga Arena in San Diego and airs on ESPN/ESPN+.
Blackshear replaces [autotag]Cristian Quinonez[/autotag], who is out of the matchup due to visa issues.
Multiple people with knowledge of the change informed MMA Junkie on Wednesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Blackshear, 27, enters the promotion a well-traveled fighter. Since 2016, Blackshear has made stops in Bellator, CES MMA, Titan FC, and most recently CFFC, where he captured the promotion’s 135-pound belt in November. Blackshear defended successfully in May to extend his winning streak to four.
A key member of the Factory X gym, Zalal, 25, will look to snap a three-fight losing skid. UFC victories to date include Austin Lingo, Seung Woo Choi, and Sean Woodson.
With the change, the UFC on ESPN 41 lineup includes:
Alan Patrick could be looking at 180 days on the sidelines after getting poked in the eye at UFC Fight Night 189.
[autotag]Alan Patrick[/autotag] could be looking at 180 days on the sidelines after getting poked in the eye at UFC Fight Night 189.
Patrick’s lightweight fight with [autotag]Mason Jones[/autotag] at the UFC Apex was ruled a no contest after an accidental eye poke rendered him unable to continue. Patrick must have doctor clearance for his left eye peri-orbital laceration before getting cleared to compete again.
On Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a full list of the UFC Fight Night 189 medical suspensions handed out by the Nevada Athletic Commission from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commission’s official record keeper.
Also potentially facing six months on the shelf is [autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag] who claimed he suffered multiple arm fractures in his split decision win over [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]. Latifi needs doctor clearance for his left eye hyphema and must have an MRI of his left elbow.
The third fighter also potentially benched for a while is [autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag], who edged out [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] in the prelims. Woodson needs an X-ray of his left hand and an MRI of his left knee before getting cleared.
The full list of UFC Fight Night 189 medical suspensions includes:
Featherweights Youssef Zalal and Sean Woodson will look to get back to the win column June 5.
A pair of featherweights will look to get back to the win column June 5.
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at a UFC “Fight Night” event June 5 at a still-to-be-announced venue and location.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Friday but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
After a hot 3-0 start to his UFC career in just six months, Morocco’s Zalal has dropped back-to-back decisions to Ilia Topuria and, most recently, Seung-Woo Choi in February.
In his most recent outing in June, Dana White’s Contender Series product Woodson was handed his first pro loss when he was submitted by Julian Erosa at UFC on ESPN 12. Prior to that, the 28-year-old notched a unanimous decision win over Kyle Bochniak at UFC on ESPN 6.
With the addition, the UFC’s current June 5 lineup includes:
Alistair Overeem is among seven fighters who could be facing lengthy time off after UFC Fight Night 184.
[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] is among seven fighters who could be facing a lengthy time off after UFC Fight Night 184.
Overeem, who suffered a fractured nose in his second-round TKO loss to Alexander Volkov in the main event, will need doctor clearance or he could be facing up to six months on the sidelines.
Joining Overeem with potential 180-day terms is [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag], who defeated newcomer [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] via unanimous decision. Pantoja must have X-rays on both hands cleared. Kape is also dealing with a hand injury of his own, and requires his right thumb to be cleared by a doctor.
MMA Junkie on Monday obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.
The full list of UFC Fight Night 184 medical suspensions includes:
Alistair Overeem: Suspended 180 days or until nasal bone fracture is cleared by ENT; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
[autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with 45 days no contact.
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
[autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: Needs forehead laceration cleared by doctor, otherwise suspended 30 days; minimum suspension is 21 days.
Alexandre Pantoja: Needs X-ray of both hands, and clearance by doctor, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
Manel Kape: Needs doctor clearance of right thumb swelling, otherwise suspended 180 days.
[autotag]Diego Ferreira[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
[autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to left eye laceration.
[autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag]: Needs MRI of left shoulder, doctor clearance, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
[autotag]Danilo Marques[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag]: Needs X-ray of right hand and wrist, doctor clearance, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
[autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to left eye swelling.
[autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]: Needs X-ray of left hand, doctor clearance, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
[autotag]Joselyne Edwards[/autotag]: Needs doctor clearance for left shoulder sprain, otherwise suspended 180 days.
[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Lara Procopio[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Timur Valiev[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
[autotag]Martin Day[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Jerome Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
The best facts and figures about UFC Fight Night 184, which features a Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov heavyweight main event.
The UFC returns to its home base of Las Vegas for the first time this year on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 184, which takes place at the UFC Apex and streams on ESPN+.
A heavyweight headliner tops the card, as devastating and precise strikers [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] (47-18 MMA, 12-7 UFC) and [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] (32-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) clash in a five-round bout that was previously scheduled to take place in April 2019.
In addition, the undercard features a former UFC champion, a number of surging contenders, and some compelling newcomers. For more on the numbers, check below for 55 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 184.
Seungwoo Choi will get yet another change in opponent on Feb. 6 when he draws Youssef Zalal.
[autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag] will get yet another change in opponent on Feb. 6.
Collin Anglin has been forced out of UFC Fight Night 184, and [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will step in on short notice to face Choi (8-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC).
Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Thursday but asked to remain anonymous, as the promotion has not yet made an official announcement. MMA DNA was first to report the news.
The pair were originally slated to square off at this past October’s UFC Fight Night 179, but Choi was forced to withdraw due to undisclosed reasons. Instead, Zalal faced newcomer Ilia Topuria, who handed him his first promotional loss. Prior to that, the Moroccan featherweight had notched three wins over Austin Lingo, Jordan Griffin and Peter Barrett, becoming the first fighter in 2020 to go 3-0.
After dropping his first two UFC bouts to Movsar Evloev and Gavin Tucker, Choi notched his first promotional win when he defeated Suman Mokhtarian at UFC Fight Night 165 in December 2019. Prior to his latest booking, Choi had been booked on Feb. 6 against Steven Peterson and then Anglin.
With the change, the UFC Fight Night 184 lineup includes:
Cory Sandhagen was victorious in the UFC on ESPN+ 37 main event, but his win came at a cost.
[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] was victorious in the UFC on ESPN+ 37 main event, but his win came at a cost.
Taking on fellow top bantamweight contender [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] on Saturday, Sandhagen (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) picked up a second-round TKO via a spinning wheel kick and punches. Against Moraes (23-7-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC), however, Sandhagen sustained an eye injury that could put him out of action for 180 days.
On Monday, MMA Junkie obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.
Also receiving potential six-month suspensions are [autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag], [autotag]Rodrigo Nascimento[/autotag], [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag], [autotag]Tony Kelley[/autotag], and [autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag] for injuries suffered in their fights Saturday.
UFC on ESPN+ 37 took place at Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The event streamed on ESPN+.
Below is the full list of UFC on ESPN+ 37 medical suspensions:
Cory Sandhagen: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by an ophthalmologist; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
Marlon Moraes: Suspended 45 days for TKO with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for a right eyebrow laceration with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Markus Perez[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days for a knockout with no contact for 45 days.
[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Alan Baudot[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for TKO with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for left eyelid laceration with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
Tom Breese: Suspended 180 days or until right knee MRI and left tibia/fibula x-rays are cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]K.B. Bhullar[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO with no contact for 30 days.
[autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
Rodrigo Nascimento: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by an ophthalmologist; Also suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for right scalp laceration.
[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
Impa Kasanganay: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by an ophthalmologist; Also suspended 60 days for knockout with no contact for 45 days.
Tony Kelley: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow MRI is and right tibia/fibula x-ray are cleared by doctor; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Ali Alqaisi[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
Omar Morales: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow MRI, left tibia/fibula X-ray, and left ankle X-ray are cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Stephanie Egger[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Tagir Ulanbekov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
[autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right eyebrow laceration with no contact for 21 days.
Already 3-0 in 2020, Youssef Zalal will look to continue his success against Seungwoo Choi.
[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] has been one of the UFC’s most active fighters in 2020 – and he’s been booked yet again.
On Oct. 17, Zalal (10-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will square off with [autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag] – pending bout finalization. The event does not have an official venue or location at this time.
Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking Monday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Zalal, 23, is 3-0 in the UFC in 2020. After defeating Austin Lingo in his promotional debut at UFC 247 in February, Zalal defeated Jordan Griffin in June by unanimous decision. On Aug. 8, Zalal defeated Peter Barrett by unanimous decision – the third fight in as many appearances he took on short notice. With the win, Zalal became the first UFC fighter in 2020 to go 3-0.
In December, Choi (8-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) rebounded from an 0-2 start to his UFC tenure. After losses to Movsar Evloev and Gavin Tucker, Choi defeated Suman Mokhtarian at UFC on ESPN+ 23. In eight pro victories, Choi has five finishes.
With the addition, the current Oct. 17 lineup includes:
Youssef Zalal explains why he actually prefers short-notice fights over a full camp.
Since joining the UFC roster in February, [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] has already registered three win, and “The Moroccan Devil” is only just getting started.
Zalal is yet to have a full camp in the UFC, having accepted all three of his previous UFC fights on short notice. Those appearances saw him pick up wins over Austin Lingo, Jordan Griffin and, most recently, Peter Barrett at UFC on ESPN+ 32, all in the span of six months.
But Zalal (10-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) revealed he was already used to quick turnarounds and actually prefers them over a full camp.
“If you look at my regional (record), I still had this going on,” Zalal told MMA Junkie. “I understand people say it’s a lot harder, UFC, this and that. We’re fighters, who cares. At the end of the day, you have a game plan, you come in and everything changes and that’s where I feel like thrive a lot. Short notices come in, I don’t have to do so much thinking. I just go and fight.”
He continued, “That’s how I feel like, especially fighters, they always overthink everything. I overthink a lot of things and for me it’s like when a fight comes in, it’s fight time, let’s do it and let the coaches handle the rest. I’m just there to focus on me and really try and win this fight.”
Zalal is one of three Moroccan fighters currently on the UFC roster and, following his fast start in the promotion, he’s already received plenty of support from his home country. The Moroccan-born fighter happily sports the flag on his headband and even goes by the nickname, “The Moroccan Devil.”
Zalal says he’s aware of the benefits of having a nation behind you and, despite training out of Factory X in Colorado, he’s happy to continue putting Morocco on the UFC map.
“As soon as they heard UFC, these guys are insane,” Zalal said. “They’re crazy – non-stop support. I can’t tell you how many messages. I can’t go through it no more, it’s just ridiculous, and I’m very happy and blessed and grateful for that, to really have a community behind me and really supporting my career and my dream.
“It’s pretty cool to get to talk about that,” he continued. “That’s what I want. I want to bring that, I want to be like ‘OK, you talk about me, let’s talk about Morocco, let’s talk about what we bring to the table, let’s talk about our kickboxers, let’s talk about MMA now.”
Zalal wants to keep his momentum going, but has no opponent in mind for his next fight. He is content to keep taking things fight by fight, and is already aiming to compete again within the next month or two.
“Definitely, that’s my goal,” he said. “I’ve been blessed enough to not get hurt after these fights. I’ve had two fights in six weeks in the UFC. So for me it was like I’ve been blessed enough to really just use my youth and use my movement and my style to not really get hurt in fights, and I’ve been happy about that. The weight cut is not that much, it doesn’t do that much so, for us, we’ll be ready at any time and that’s all I focus on. I definitely want to get back in there in September (or) October. It doesn’t matter to me.”
