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 Sept. 26-Oct. 2.
Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 22, which saw Robert Whittaker beat Kelvin Gastelum in Las Vegas.
UFC on ESPN 22 took place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and it was an oddly historic event.
[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (23-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) beat [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) by unanimous decision in the main event, further pushing him further toward a 185-pound title fight.
Check below for 25 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 22.
UFC on ESPN 22 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 22 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $142,500.
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 22 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 22 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $16,000
[autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag]: $21,000
[autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Jacob Malkoun[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Alex Munoz[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Alexandr Romanov[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Juan Espino[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Jessica Penne[/autotag]: $4,500
[autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Bartosz Fabinski[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $11,000
[autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Dakota Bush[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Anthony Birchak[/autotag]: $6,000
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 $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 2021 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $325,000
Program-to-date total: $325,000
The fight had been shifted by the promotion to a catchweight, but a major weight miss still occurred.
LAS VEGAS – An 11-pound discrepancy on the scales at the UFC on ESPN 22 official weigh-ins Friday led to one fight being scrapped from Saturday’s event.
Originally scheduled to take place at bantamweight, [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Josiane Nunes[/autotag] was shifted to a catchweight of 139 pounds prior to the start of the weigh-ins. However, Fairn (6-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) still missed weight by a large margin, tipping the scales at 147 pounds. Moments later, Nunes (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) weighed in at 136 pounds. The fight was then canceled shortly thereafter.
Both of Fairn’s previous UFC appearances took place at featherweight. UFC on ESPN 22 was expected to mark her promotional debut at bantamweight. She had competed at bantamweight in the past, but not since September 2017.
UFC on ESPN 22 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN after prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
With the removal, the UFC on ESPN 22 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
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Felicia Spencer emerged as the UFC’s No. 1 women’s featherweight contender when she stopped Zarah Fairn in the first round.
[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag]’s last outing saw her emerge as a top contender for the UFC women’s featherweight title with a dominant display in Norfolk, Virginia.
Former Invicta FC featherweight champion Spencer (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) faced [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN+ 27 on February 29.
Despite being fresh off her first career loss to former UFC 145-pound champ Cris Cyborg, Spencer was a massive betting favorite heading into her fight with Fairn, and she proved the oddsmakers right with a powerful display to catapult herself into title contention.
Fairn started out lively and landed some solid strikes, but around a minute and a half into the fight, Spencer took control. The “Feenom” took the fight to the ground and Fairn simply had no answer.
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Spencer transitioned to full mount immediately before raining down a barrage of punches and elbows until the referee stopped the fight. The Canadian’s victory means she will now step up to challenge featherweight champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 250.
UFC 250 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Before she faces Nunes, relive Spencer’s finish over Fairn in the video above.
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Joseph Benavidez is among seven fighters facing medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN+ 27.
[autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] is among seven fighters facing medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN+ 27.
Tuesday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of medical suspensions from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, the commissioning body that oversaw the event.
In his third UFC title fight, Benavidez (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) was once again unsuccessful. In Round 2, Benavidez was bloodied by a clash of heads and knocked out moments later by Deiveson Figueiredo.
As a result of injuries sustained, Benavidez was suspended 90 days by regulatory body. Public documents show a suture as a reason for suspension.
Complete UFC on ESPN+ 27 medical suspensions:
[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact, or until cleared by physician.
[autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact, or until cleared by physician.
[autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact, or until cleared by physician.
[autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact, or until cleared by physician.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact, or until cleared by physician.
Joseph Benavidez: Suspended 90 days with no contact, or until suture is cleared by physician.
[autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact or until left orbital x-ray is cleared by physician.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 took place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. It streamed on ESPN+.
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All the notable stats and figures to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27, which saw Deiveson Figueiredo beat Joseph Benavidez in the main event.
The UFC returned to Virginia for the fifth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 27, which went down at Chartway Arena in Norfolk and streamed on ESPN+.
A new flyweight champion should’ve been crowned in the main event. However, despite knocking out [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in the second round of the headliner, [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was ineligible to take home the gold because he missed weight.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27.
* * * *
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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $119,500.
Debuting fighters went 2-5 at the event.
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag] and [autotag]Gabriel Silva[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 27 fight-night bonuses.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 drew an announced attendance of 7,098 for a live gate of $402,958.
Betting favorites went 6-6 on the card.
Betting favorites fell to 4-2 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:36:08.
Figueiredo has earned 15 of his 18 career victories by stoppage.
Figueiredo has earned four of his five UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
Benavidez became the seventh fighter in UFC history to go 0-3 in title fights.
Benavidez has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout.
[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned six of her eight career victories by stoppage. That includes both of her UFC wins.
[autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of her career.
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]’s (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Jon Jones for the longest active streak in the division.
Ankalaev has earned all three of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Anderson’s (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) three victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Cris Cyborg (four).
Anderson’s three stoppage victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are most in divisional history.
Anderson’s two knockout victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are tied with Cyborg for most in divisional history.
[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had her four-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.
[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered 10 of his 11 career victories by stoppage.
Silva (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 8-0.
Silva has suffered both of his career losses by decision.
[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 13 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes both of his UFC wins.
[autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) fell to 1-1 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in May 2018.
Breese suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career.
[autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.
[autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered six of his seven career losses by stoppage.
[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned eight of his nine career victories by stoppage.
[autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.
Cruz suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.
NORFOLK, Va. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $119,500.
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+ 27 took place Saturday at Chartway Arena. The entire card streamed ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN+ 27 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag]: $30,000
[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Gabriel Silva[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag]: $4,000
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.
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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Year-to-date total: $826,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $31,831,000
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 27 went with as their backing tracks in Norfolk, Va.
Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN+ 27 main card in Norfolk, Va., where Joseph Benavidez goes after the flyweight title.
| Benavidez vs. Figueiredo |
Fairn vs. Spencer |
Ankalaev vs. Cutelaba |
Anderson vs. Dumont |
Dawson vs. Minner |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 28-16 |
 Benavidez (71%) |
 Spencer (95%) |
 Ankalaev (63%) |
 Anderson (82%) |
 Dawson (87%) |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 34-10  2017 Champion |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 33-11 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 33-11 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 33-11 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 32-12 2018 Champion |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
 Cutelaba |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 32-12 2019 Champion* |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 32-12 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 32-12 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 32-12 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 32-12 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Cutelaba |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 30-14 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 30-14 2014 Champion |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 27-17 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Ankalaev |
Anderson |
Dawson |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 20-24 |
Benavidez |
Spencer |
Cutelaba |
Anderson |
Dawson |
The UFC returns to Virginia this week, and the vacant flyweight title is on the line at the top of the bill – but only for one of the fighters.
UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, two-time flyweight title challenger [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) gets his third crack at the belt when he takes on [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Figueiredo is not eligible to win the title after he missed weight by 2.5 pounds Friday. Benavidez is just a slight favorite from the oddsmakers at -145, but he pitched a shutout in the picks from our 14 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.
The co-main event features one of three other unanimous picks on the five-fight main card. [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the card at 8-1 against [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in their women’s featherweight bout. Not surprisingly, Spencer has a 14-0 picks shutout.
[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who like Spencer is a former Invicta FC champion, also has a unanimous nod from our pickers against [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who is making her UFC debut. Anderson is a -235 favorite in the fight.
And [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who is a 4-1 favorite in his featherweight fight against [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-10 MMA, 0-0 UFC), is our fourth unanimous pick in five fights on the main card.
The only contentious fight among our pickers is at light heavyweight. Still, [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), a -225 favorite, has a big lead in the picks against [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Only three of our 14 pickers are taking Cutelaba in an upset.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Benavidez (71 percent), Spencer (95 percent), Ankalaev (63 percent), Anderson (82 percent) and Dawson (87 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
