Saturday’s UFC on FOX 7 in San Jose featured an organization-record-tying eight knockouts. So it should come as no surprise that many of its competitors were suspended for long periods.
Each of the TKO/KO losers were automatically suspended 45 days by the California State Athletic Commission, but many, including Lethbridge, Alta.’s Jordan Mein received longer terms.
Mein, who was battered and stopped by Matt Brown in the first fight of the main card, got the stiffest medical ban. He will have to sit six months unless cleared by a doctor for a possible broken left jaw and fractured right orbital bone. He also sustained a laceration to his nose that could sideline him two months.
Whether he can return in shorter order remains to be seen, but suffice it to say he won’t be fighting on a quick turnaround again as he did Saturday, where he stepped in as an injury replacement for Dan Hardy after previously competing just five weeks earlier at UFC 158 in Montreal.
Ramsey Nijem, who was sent to hospital for head trauma after his knockout at the hands of Myles Jury, was also given a half-year suspension pending doctor’s clearance.
Meanwhile three winners, Daniel Cormier, Chad Mendes and Jorge Masvidal, were handed 180-day suspensions for finger injuries, but they could easily be cleared much sooner.
Here is the full list of medical suspensions for UFC on FOX 7 provided by the commission (courtesy MMAjunkie.com):
Benson Henderson: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Gilbert Melendez: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Daniel Cormier: suspended 180 days with 180 days no contact or until cleared by physician for swollen right middle finger
Frank Mir: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Josh Thomson: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Nate Diaz: suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact or until cleared by physician for facial lacerations to nose and cheek. Also suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact for TKO
Matt Brown: suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact or until cleared by physician for laceration to right eyebrow
Jordan Mein: suspended 180 days with 180 days no contact or until cleared by physician for a potential left jaw and right orbital fracture. Also suspended 60 days for a laceration to his nose and 45 days with 30 days no contact for TKO
Chad Mendes: suspended 180 days with 180 days no contact or until cleared by physician for possible right index finger fracture
Darren Elkins: suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact for TKO
Francis Carmont: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Lorenz Larkin: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Myles Jury: suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact or until cleared by physician for laceration to right eyebrow
Ramsey Nijem: suspended 180 days with 180 days no contact or until cleared by physician. Sent to hospital for head trauma. Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact, no exceptions, for KO
Joseph Benavidez: suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact for broken tooth and laceration to right eyebrow or until cleared by physician
Darren Uyenoyama: suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact for TKO
Jorge Masvidal: suspended 180 days with 180 days no contact or until cleared by physician for right thumb fracture. Also suspended suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact or until cleared by physician for two top of scalp lacerations
Tim Means: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
T.J. Dillashaw: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Hugo Viana: suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact for TKO
Anthony Njokuani: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Roger Bowling: suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact for KO and must have neurological check
Yoel Romero: suspended 7 days (mandatory)
Clifford Starks: suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact for KO
Henderson, Mir earn biggest paydays:
The CSAC also released the fighter salaries this week, and as expected the main and co-main event competitors topped the list. Henderson, who successfully defended his lightweight title by split decision over Gilbert Melendez, earned the most at $200,000 (including $100,000 win bonus), tied with two-time UFC champ Frank Mir, who lost to newcomer Daniel Cormier (who earned $126,000). Melendez, coming in from Strikeforce, took home a flat $175,000.
A number of Strikeforce fighters making their UFC debuts were on the card, and their paydays were slightly higher than the norm because they were still under the contracts they signed while with the sister promotion owned by the UFC’s parent company Zuffa before it folded this year.
Here is the full list of UFC on FOX 7 paydays:
Benson Henderson: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus)
defeated Gilbert Melendez: $175,000
Daniel Cormier: $126,000 (includes $63,000 win bonus)
defeated Frank Mir: $200,000
Josh Thomson: $95,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
defeated Nate Diaz: $15,000
Matt Brown: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
defeated Jordan Mein: $16,000
Chad Mendes: $56,000 (includes $28,000 win bonus)
defeated Darren Elkins: $24,000
Francis Carmont: $38,000 (includes $19,000 win bonus)
defeated Lorenz Larkin: $23,000
Myles Jury: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
defeated Ramsey Nijem: $14,000
Joseph Benavidez: $66,000 (includes $33,000 win bonus)
defeated Darren Uyenoyama: $12,000
T.J. Dillashaw: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus)
defeated Hugo Viana: $8,000
Jorge Masvidal: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
defeated Tim Means: $10,000
Anthony Njorkuani: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)
defeated Roger Bowling: $12,000
Yoel Romero: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
defeated Clifford Starks: $8,000