MMA News

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 Fight Is Already One Of The Hottest Tickets In Sports History

    Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 Fight Is Already One Of The Hottest Tickets In Sports History

    Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 comeback fight against Max Holloway at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 is already commanding extraordinary ticket prices, with the most expensive seats listed at $24,600 and the cheapest still available at $1,822.

    AXS is handling ticket sales for the event. Third-row seats near the octagon are going for up to $24,600, with fourth-row seats on the opposite side priced at $15,990. The cheapest floor seats still available are just over $7,300 each, while the $1,822 option sits in the very last row of the arena. None of the listed prices includes sales tax or fees.

    VIP packages through OnLocation, the event planning arm of TKO Group Holdings, have largely sold out. Both the Elite package with front row floor seats and the “Rising Star” package are gone, with six weeks remaining before fight night. Remaining VIP options start at $8,000 and $13,500 per person.

    McGregor has not competed since suffering a broken leg at UFC 264 in July 2021. The ticket demand reflects his status as the biggest individual draw in UFC history, even after a five-year absence.

  • Islam Makhachev Named His #1 Welterweight Contender

    Islam Makhachev Named His #1 Welterweight Contender

    Islam Makhachev says he will be ready to defend his welterweight title in August and considers Ian Machado Garry the number one contender, while also predicting Ilia Topuria will defeat Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250.

    Makhachev spoke to UFC on TNT Sports while attending the Champions League final in Budapest.

    “Right after here I’m going to camp and I don’t know, August, I will be ready. A lot of contenders, but No. 1 is Ian Garry and we have still a couple more who want to take the belt, but I don’t give to no one.”

    Makhachev weighed in on the Topuria vs. Gaethje lightweight title unification bout on June 14.

    “Topuria is a new generation, but Gaethje, I still believe Gaethje can do some things, but he’s a little bit old right now. He’s a good fighter, legend, he showed us very, very good many, many fights, but now I think it’s Topuria’s time for lightweight.”

    On Conor McGregor’s return at UFC 329 against Max Holloway, Makhachev was measured.

    “It’s good, it’s good. Big name for our sport, but he has a tough opponent. Max Holloway against Conor, I think Max can beat him.”

    Makhachev has been absent since claiming the welterweight title over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November. He is targeting UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia for his return.

  • Sean O’Malley Admits He ‘F*cked Up’ By Not Backing Josh Hokit During UFC Press Conference

    Sean O’Malley Admits He ‘F*cked Up’ By Not Backing Josh Hokit During UFC Press Conference

    Sean O’Malley says Josh Hokit was right to call him out for staying silent during the viral UFC White House press conference incident, where Hokit nearly brawled with Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria — and admitted he was simply too intimidated by who was sitting next to him.

    Speaking to MMA Fighting, O’Malley reflected on the moment and Hokit’s subsequent social media call-out, which he only learned about after the fact since he does not use social media.

    “Dammit, I’m not on social so I don’t see anything. I know that whole moment went viral and I didn’t see Hokit saying that. Yeah, maybe I should have. When you’re that close to Alex Pereira, you don’t really think like ‘I might talk some shit.’ I’m like I’m going to sit here and f*cking shut up. But you know what, he’s not wrong. I should have been on Team Hokit. He’s absolutely right. Maybe I should have stepped back a few feet and got behind him and then started talking shit.”

    O’Malley acknowledged his thought process in the moment before summing up the situation bluntly.

    “I think what went through my mind, if I don’t do anything and I just sit here still, it would look hilarious. That was kind of my thought process and it worked out that way. But Hokit was right. I could have spoke up and said something. I f*cked up.”

    He was transparent about his reluctance to get caught up in what could have turned physical.

    “Two of the greatest knockout artists in the world of all-time, legends sitting within five feet of me, both of them. I wasn’t feeling too gangster right there to say the least. Pereira, I want nothing to f*cking do with that guy.”

    A second UFC White House press conference is scheduled for June 12 in Washington D.C. Dana White has said the seating arrangement will be reconsidered following the first incident.

  • Donald Trump Made A Bold Prediction About UFC Freedom 250’s Viewership

    Donald Trump Made A Bold Prediction About UFC Freedom 250’s Viewership

    President Donald Trump says UFC Freedom 250 at the White House will be the highest-rated sporting event ever and expects over 100,000 people to watch from a park across the street on giant screens.

    Trump spoke to Fox News ahead of the June 14 event on the South Lawn of the White House.

    “It’s right at the front door to the White House, and you’ll never see it again. It’s never happened before, and you’ll never see it again. It’s great and the UFC’s going to have all the best fighters in the world coming that night. They all say we want to fight at the White House. Dana is an amazing man, he’s done an amazing job, he’s put together something that — this will be the highest-rated event, maybe one of them ever in sports.”

    Trump also addressed plans for public viewing areas surrounding the venue.

    “What he’s done is amazing, I’m not sure anybody could have done it but him. You don’t usually say that but not many people could have, he’s a very special man. This is going and it’s all free. It’s going to soldiers. We’re going to have over 100,000, maybe 100,000 people in the park across the street, eight giant screens, and all free.”

    UFC Freedom 250 is headlined by the lightweight title unification between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, with Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event. The event streams exclusively on Paramount+ with approximately 5,000 spectators expected on the South Lawn.

  • UFC Abu Dhabi Announced For July 25 With Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree Headlining

    UFC Abu Dhabi Announced For July 25 With Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree Headlining

    The UFC has announced Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. as the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25, with Umar Nurmagomedov vs. David Martinez in the co-main event.

    Ankalaev, 21-2-1, makes his first appearance since suffering a stunning 80-second stoppage loss to Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title in October — a defeat that ended a 14-fight unbeaten run inside the octagon. Rountree Jr. also looks to bounce back from a loss to former champion Jiri Prochazka on the same night.

    Nurmagomedov and Martinez meet with a bantamweight title shot on the line. Nurmagomedov has won back-to-back fights over Deiveson Figueiredo and Mario Bautista since his sole career loss to Merab Dvalishvili in a 2025 championship bout. Martinez, 14-1, holds wins over Marlon Vera, Rob Font, and Saimon Oliveira.

    Full UFC Abu Dhabi lineup:

    • Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
    • Umar Nurmagomedov vs. David Martinez
    • Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen
    • Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola
    • Tyrell Fortune vs. Rizvan Kuniev
    • Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov
    • Magomed Tuchalov vs. Brendson Ribeiro
    • Dustin Jacoby vs. Uran Satybaldiev
    • Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman
  • Arman Tsarukyan Has A Very Specific Reason He Is Rooting For Ilia Topuria At UFC Freedom 250

    Arman Tsarukyan Has A Very Specific Reason He Is Rooting For Ilia Topuria At UFC Freedom 250

    Arman Tsarukyan says he expects his next UFC fight to be announced after the Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje title unification bout at UFC Freedom 250, with the timing depending on who wins.

    Tsarukyan spoke to MMA Junkie backstage at RAF 9 in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, where he made quick work of Keelon Jimison in his fifth consecutive RAF appearance.

    “I’m waiting for the White House card when they are going to fight and then they are going to announce my next fight, probably September, October, or end of this year. It depends who is going to win. If it’s Ilia, probably the end of this year. If it’s Gaethje, probably September-October.”

    Tsarukyan said he wants Topuria to win and explained his reasoning for preferring that matchup.

    “Ilia Topuria. I want to fight Ilia Topuria. I think Ilia Topuria wins. But I think Justin is an OG and you never know. 60-40.”

    He also addressed speculation that Topuria could jump to welterweight for a third belt instead.

    “If UFC lets him move up, he’s going to move up. It’s better to fight with Islam than me, because it’s a third title, big money, and if he loses to Islam, it’s OK. He moves up two weight classes and moves to pound-for-pound best. But if he loses to me at 155, he’s going to be gone.”

    Tsarukyan serves as the backup fighter for the UFC Freedom 250 lightweight title fight on June 14 at the White House.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Says Hunter Campbell Promised Him A Petr Yan Trilogy

    Merab Dvalishvili Says Hunter Campbell Promised Him A Petr Yan Trilogy

    Merab Dvalishvili says he was promised a trilogy fight with Petr Yan by UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell the night he lost his title, and is growing frustrated by the delay.

    Dvalishvili spoke to MMA Junkie backstage at RAF 9 in Arlington, Texas.

    “The same night when I fought Petr Yan, I saw Hunter Campbell. He told me I was fighting next Petr Yan. He told me, ‘Take your time. When you heal up, call me.’ Of course, I called him a couple weeks later. He was just waiting for Petr Yan. Petr did some small surgery and then he said he was ready for June at White House, but I guess he’s still taking his time. I saw he did his teeth. He did something with his teeth. Now I see he’s on vacation. I haven’t heard anything from UFC. If our fight is in July or August, I must know. It’s not happening. Even in September, I must know. But I’m hoping he will come back soon.”

    Dvalishvili dismissed concerns that a Sean O’Malley win over Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 could leapfrog him in the title picture.

    “UFC told me there are no interim belts in this weight class. Nothing else. It doesn’t matter if Sean wins or Zahabi wins. I’m fighting Yan. I think Yan is the best guy. Right now, he beat me — and I want to fight the best guy. Everybody wants to see this trilogy fight. It’s going to be good.”

    Yan defeated Dvalishvili by decision in December to claim the bantamweight title.

  • BKFC President David Feldman Says He Wanted To Give Out 12 Knockout Bonuses At BKFC 90

    BKFC President David Feldman Says He Wanted To Give Out 12 Knockout Bonuses At BKFC 90

    Darren Till overcame a knockdown to stop Aaron Chalmers in his BKFC debut at BKFC 90 in Birmingham, England on Friday night, while BKFC President David Feldman said he was disappointed he could not give out more knockout bonuses than the three or four he ultimately awarded.

    Feldman spoke at the post-fight press conference, where he confirmed an attendance of 7,492 at the Utilita Arena.

    “Really good night here in Birmingham. Got off to a bit of a slow start. Honestly was a little bit aggravated with some of the action and then the guys just started picking it up as the night went on.”

    On the knockout bonus structure that Conor McGregor had requested ahead of the event, Feldman expressed mild frustration at the final tally.

    “It’s kind of based on their purse so we’ll figure that out on Monday but, you know, I was hoping to, I wanted to give out 12 bonuses. But I’m only going to be able to give out three or four of them.”

    Rico Franco won the interim world welterweight championship in the main event. Feldman named Franco’s performance as Knockout of the Night and awarded Fight of the Night to George Thorpe and Leigh Cohoon.

    Till signed a three-fight deal with BKFC in April. His long-term goal remains a fight with Mike Perry.

  • Holly Holm Loses Majority Decision To Stephanie Han In Rematch And Believes She Was Robbed

    Holly Holm Loses Majority Decision To Stephanie Han In Rematch And Believes She Was Robbed

    Holly Holm lost a majority decision to Stephanie Han in their lightweight title rematch in El Paso on Friday night and expressed frustration with the scoring, saying she felt she clearly won the fight.

    “I feel like I was dictating the pace, I do feel like she won a few rounds, but not six. You have to win six rounds to win a ten round fight, I don’t give her six rounds and I feel it in my heart that I won, I’m a very honest and self-reflecting fighter. If I don’t feel I won then I’ll say it but I did.”

    Holm also pointed to the broader frustration of fighting in a sport where judges hold so much power.

    “Here’s what’s frustrating about it; a lot of these judges haven’t fought before. You leave a piece of yourself in there every time and then it’s just up to them to take it away from you if they want. Every fight you put so much into it. If I didn’t feel like I did enough, I wouldn’t be saying this. I feel I won the fight.”

    Despite the loss, Holm made clear she still wants the Katie Taylor fight.

    “I still want the big fights and to call out Katie Taylor, hopefully I can still do that.”

    Two judges scored the fight 96-94 for Han with one judge having it a draw. The original meeting between the two ended in a technical decision after a clash of heads caused a cut to Han. Holm, 44, is a Boxing Hall of Famer and a former UFC bantamweight champion.

  • Derrick Lewis Goes Viral For Delivering A Body Shot To A Fan

    Derrick Lewis Goes Viral For Delivering A Body Shot To A Fan

    Derrick Lewis was caught on video delivering a body shot to a willing fan in a clip that went viral on social media, with the recipient appearing to drop immediately before eventually getting back to his feet to a round of laughter.

    The video was posted by former UFC fighter Mana Martinez, with the caption suggesting the punch may have been a birthday gift of sorts.

    Lewis appeared to take something off the shot, but it was still enough to drop the man, who needed assistance standing and could be heard laboring to catch his breath as laughter erupted off-screen.

    Lewis faces Josh Hokit at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House in what will be a considerably stiffer challenge. Hokit is undefeated and was personally added to the card at the request of President Donald Trump.

  • Eddie Hearn Challenges Dana White To Release Tom Aspinall

    Eddie Hearn Challenges Dana White To Release Tom Aspinall

    Eddie Hearn has challenged Dana White to release Tom Aspinall from his UFC contract, promising to pay the heavyweight champion a minimum of three times his current UFC salary and offering to drop his legal dispute with Conor Benn as part of the deal.

    Hearn told iFL TV he was inspired by White’s own words about Benn signing with Zuffa Boxing.

    “One thing that’s actually stuck out with me from his comments is when Conor Benn signed with Zuffa, he said, ‘Eddie should want fighters to earn as much as possible.’ Right? Do you remember that? ‘He should be happy for Conor Benn, that he’s making more money.’ So I’ve been thinking about that line, and I think that I’ve got an idea. I would like Dana White to release Tom Aspinall from his UFC contract, and I will guarantee Dana White, in writing, that I will pay Tom Aspinall a minimum — probably five times more — but a minimum of three times more what Dana White is paying him. And I think for a hardworking, working class man that deserves every penny he can get because of what he puts his body through, that Dana White should be happy for Tom Aspinall to receive that deal.”

    Hearn was direct about his assessment of Aspinall’s current deal.

    “The situation with Tom is, and he is under contract with the UFC, but unfortunately for him he has signed a contract which is one of the worst, most grossly underpaid athletes I have ever seen in the commercial world of sports. I’m looking at this kid, Tom Aspinall, I’m looking at what combat sports athletes are making around the world, and I’ll be honest with you, it’s absolutely disgusting what they’re paying him and things need to change.”

    He also offered to walk away from his ongoing legal dispute with Benn in exchange for Aspinall’s release.

    “I’ll trade that up. I’ll walk away from all their problems they’ve got on the Conor Benn legal situation if they release Tom Aspinall. And I will, in writing, it will be five or six times more money he’ll be making, but I will put in writing that Tom Aspinall will make a minimum of three times more than he will under his current contract. There you go. And then we can all celebrate a great athlete, a great fighter, and someone that deserves, like Dana said, to make as much money as he can from the sport.”

    Aspinall is currently sidelined with eye injuries suffered in his fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October 2025. He signed a management contract with Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency. Benn signed a reported $15 million deal with Zuffa Boxing for a single bout. Hearn and White have been publicly feuding for months, with tensions escalating to the point of both men discussing a fight between themselves before White backed away from that talk

  • Sean O’Malley’s Response To UFC Freedom 250 Weather Concerns Is Very On Brand

    Sean O’Malley’s Response To UFC Freedom 250 Weather Concerns Is Very On Brand

    Sean O’Malley says he accepted that UFC Freedom 250 would be an outdoor event when he signed the contract and is prepared to deal with whatever conditions come his way on June 14 at the White House.

    O’Malley faces Aiemann Zahabi on the card and was asked by MMA Junkie about Joe Rogan’s concerns that the outdoor setting could affect championship-level bouts.

    “It’s at the White House, so you gotta deal with whatever you gotta deal with. That would suck to lose because of a reason outside of your skillset. May the best man win. If something plays a role because it’s outside and it affects the fight somehow, that would suck. It’s unfortunate, but none of us signed the contract thinking it was inside, you know what I mean? We all know it’s outside. We all know what we’re getting into. Maybe not to an extent, we don’t know what all is gonna happen, but we all know it’s gonna be outside and we’re gonna have to possibly deal with stuff. We all signed it.”

    Rogan recently said on his podcast that he does not believe championship fights should take place in uncontrolled outdoor environments, citing potential heat and bug issues. The Weather Channel currently projects nighttime temperatures in Washington, D.C., ranging from 67 to 85 degrees, with precipitation forecast unavailable at the time of writing. Thunderstorms are common in the area during the summer months.

    Dana White has previously acknowledged that it had rained for eight consecutive days at the White House since his team began building the venue.

  • Ilia Topuria Had A Lot To Say About Arman Tsarukyan’s Grappling And None Of It Was A Compliment

    Ilia Topuria Had A Lot To Say About Arman Tsarukyan’s Grappling And None Of It Was A Compliment

    Ilia Topuria says his next title defense after UFC Freedom 250 will be against Arman Tsarukyan, and delivered a blunt warning about what awaits the contender in the octagon.

    Topuria faces Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout on June 14 at the White House. Speaking to DeepCut, he addressed Tsarukyan’s patience while waiting for his shot.

    “The fight with Arman is going to be a good fight. The thing is that they used to take a lot of confidence because they fight with fighters that — his last fight was against Dan Hooker. He has, I don’t know, 20 losses in his professional career. It’s like, bro, you never, ever, like forget about it, never ever in your entire life you faced someone like me.”

    Topuria dismissed the idea that Tsarukyan’s renowned grappling would pose a significant problem.

    “It’s like, I’m going to embarrass you in front of everyone. Because with him, he thinks that he’s tough, he thinks that like his wrestling is I don’t know what. Like, he feels that he’s an Olympic champion. Anyway, if he’s the best in the world in wrestling, when it comes to the octagon, bro, I’m the king. In there, I’m the king. I do with you whatever I want to f*cking do. And I told him like I’m going to break his jaw in the first round.”

    “He’s going to try to take me down since the beginning of the fight and when he’s going to realize that, bro, it’s not that easy. And then he’s going to start to panic. And then when I break his jaw, bam. In front of all his crowd, all his people, his family, who gives a f*ck. Bam!”

    Tsarukyan has won his last three fights over Beneil Dariush, Charles Oliveira, and Dan Hooker and has been waiting for his title shot since being passed over for the interim bout that went to Gaethje.

  • Cain Velasquez Addressed His MMA Future And The Answer Is Final

    Cain Velasquez Addressed His MMA Future And The Answer Is Final

    Cain Velasquez says a return to MMA would require a payday no one is willing to offer, and made clear he has no interest in competing or coaching again.

    Velasquez appeared at the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano ceremonial weigh-ins two weeks ago to oversee the heavyweight faceoffs, leading some to speculate about a potential comeback. He quickly dismissed that idea on the Weighing In podcast with Josh Thomson.

    “The money has to make me want to do it because, I’ve said this before, I don’t want to do it. I have other interests now. But the money really has to make me want to do it, and I don’t think anybody is willing to pay that.”

    At 43 and having not competed since 2019, Velasquez was honest about what a return would realistically look like.

    “I mean, I can always fight again, but to what degree is something different, as well. Of course, we could always do it. But to what degree are you doing it at?”

    He also ruled out a coaching path back into the sport despite spending time at American Kickboxing Academy helping younger fighters.

    “In that way, I don’t. It doesn’t interest me anymore. I get so into what I’m doing that, whatever you want to call it, it doesn’t do it for me anymore.”

    Velasquez’s last fight came in February 2019 when Francis Ngannou knocked him out in 26 seconds. He paroled in February after a 10-month prison term following a no contest plea to an attempted murder charge on a man accused of molesting his son.

  • Chael Sonnen Sends Message For Nassourdine Imavov About Why He Is Losing The Middleweight Title Picture

    Chael Sonnen Sends Message For Nassourdine Imavov About Why He Is Losing The Middleweight Title Picture

    Chael Sonnen says Nassourdine Imavov is squandering his opportunity to secure a UFC middleweight title shot by staying silent while Khamzat Chimaev dominates the post-UFC 328 conversation.

    Sonnen addressed the situation on his YouTube channel, pointing out that Imavov has both Sean Strickland’s endorsement and the community’s backing — but has done nothing to capitalize on either.

    “Imavov, rightfully by us as a community, should be next for a world title, regardless of who is champion. Imavov was next. As a community, that is what we believe. But Imavov hasn’t demanded that. Imavov hasn’t said a word. He has not spoken up. He’s got the blessing of Sean Strickland. Sean Strickland spoke about this one time and say, ‘Yes, I will rematch Chimaev, but that’s going to have to wait, but Imavov is owed. Imavov is the rightful guy. I’m going to fight Imavov.’ That is the blessing and the kiss. That is all Imavov needs in conjunction with some headlines, and he’s not getting them.”

    Sonnen dismissed the weight cut narrative Chimaev’s team has been pushing, framing it as a storyline that only works because Imavov has created nothing to compete with it.

    “It doesn’t matter to any of them, including Chimaev’s team. They’re just pretending it matters. Why? Because it keeps a headline and a topic that involves Chimaev and Strickland. We’re going to have a real hard time building a beef between Chimaev and Strickland who just got done laughing at us for believing their beef in the first place, so they’ve gone to a new angle. Which is the angle of the weight cut. The built-in excuse.”

    “‘Chimaev should beat Strickland and Chimaev should rematch Strickland because he can flip the result, and he can flip the result because of this one thing, the weight cut,’ is a lot bigger story than Imavov’s put out, which is nothing.”

    Imavov has responded on social media by posting that he believes everyone will stand on what they said, tagging Strickland and UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard. He is currently riding a five-fight winning streak and has not lost since a short-notice light heavyweight bout against Strickland in 2023.

    Dana White has acknowledged the UFC has not decided what to do with the middleweight title picture. Strickland entered UFC 328 with several injuries and is expected to need several months of recovery before returning to action.

  • UFC Macau Weigh-In Results

    UFC Macau Weigh-In Results

    All 26 fighters on Saturday’s UFC Macau card made weight at Friday morning’s official weigh-ins.

    Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo headline the event in a bantamweight non-title bout, with both men coming in under the 136-pound limit. Zhang Mingyang and Alonzo Menifield meet in the light heavyweight co-main event.

    Full UFC Macau weigh-in results:

    Main Card (Paramount+, 7 a.m. ET)

    • Song Yadong (136) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (135.5)
    • Zhang Mingyang (205) vs. Alonzo Menifield (206)
    • Sergei Pavlovich (257) vs. Tallison Teixeira (250)
    • Kai Asakura (135.5) vs. Cameron Smotherman (135.5)
    • Jake Matthews (170) vs. Carlston Harris (170.5)
    • Alex Perez (125.5) vs. Sumudaerji (126)

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 4 a.m. ET)

    • Yi Sak Lee (185) vs. Luis Felipe Dias (184.5)
    • Ding Meng (170.5) vs. Jose Souza (170.5)
    • Aoriqileng (135) vs. Cody Haddon (135)
    • Rei Tsuruya (135) vs. Luis Gurule (135)
    • Angela Hill (115) vs. Xiong Jing Nan (115.5)
    • Zhu Kangjie (145) vs. Rodrigo Vera (145)
    • Loma Lookboonmee (115) vs. Jaqueline Amorim (115.5)
  • Ronda Rousey Says She Would ‘Clean Holly Holm’s Clock’ In A Rematch

    Ronda Rousey Says She Would ‘Clean Holly Holm’s Clock’ In A Rematch

    Ronda Rousey says she is confident she would beat Holly Holm in a rematch and credits new medication for allowing her to fight without the neurological issues that affected the final stages of her UFC career, but insists she has no interest in fighting again.

    Rousey addressed Holm directly on Up and Adams following her retirement after submitting Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1.

    “I said I’m retired, A and B, I think that I am a completely different fighter now. I would clean her clock and definitely now that I got that new medication. I took it before. I was diagnosed with cortical spreading depression, which was always happening in my last fights and basically why I was like I need to stop. I thought my concussions were catching up to me. This is the first fight where I was able to take it and when I spiked my head into the mat, that’s exactly the kind of thing that would have set me off before. I would have lost big chunks of my vision and it didn’t come back at all. It ended up working perfectly in a live situation.”

    Rousey said the things she once wanted most no longer hold the same weight.

    “I’m better than I’ve ever been. I have better coaches than I’ve ever had. I finally don’t have these neurological issues that I had before. But now that I have it all set in front of me, I’ve changed and the things that I want have changed and suddenly these aren’t the most important things in the world to me anymore. It’s these kids and spending time with them.”

    She was unequivocal about the rematch never happening.

    “I think I definitely have the ability and the opportunity to be able to f*cking clean her clock and rewrite all of that but it’s no longer important to me anymore. It doesn’t haunt me. It’s not the most important thing in my life and these people’s perceptions and knowing how great I am and all this stuff. I know how good I am and my kids need me in their life and I want to be there for them.”

    Holm knocked out Rousey in 2015 to claim the UFC bantamweight title in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. Holm has previously said she would always be open to a rematch.

  • Darren Till Explained Exactly What Changed His Mind About BKFC And It Was Not A Change Of Heart

    Darren Till Explained Exactly What Changed His Mind About BKFC And It Was Not A Change Of Heart

    Darren Till says a financial offer he could not refuse was the reason he signed with BKFC after years of publicly dismissing the sport, and says his eventual goal is a fight with Mike Perry.

    Speaking to MMA Fighting, Till was candid about what changed.

    “What changed is my bank account got a few zeroes in it. The opportunity was too good to pass. David had been on me for a while. He spoke to my manager back and forth, he sat down with the team and said ‘Darren, look, the time is now, the offer’s really good and Darren it sort of fits your style, suits your style the way you fight.’ I’m a boxing, punch combination guy. I do hit hard. I’ve got big hands and stuff.”

    Till described the mindset he plans to bring to bare-knuckle.

    “I’ve got one of the guys out with me that’s done 13 bare-knuckle fights so he obviously knows his way around. I think in this bare-knuckle from me speaking my opinion, I think it’s a ‘f*ck you’ attitude you’ve got to have. You’re going to get hit. You’re going to get cut. It’s going to hurt. If that’s my only fear, there’s no sleepless nights. Nothing. Confidence is high.”

    On MMA, the 33-year-old was honest about his future in the sport.

    “I’ve had my time in the UFC. I didn’t do too badly. I’ve had a good little go in Misfits. Probably 85 percent MMA is behind me to be honest with you.”

    Perry — the face of BKFC — had originally been planned as Till’s debut opponent before Perry signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions for his fight with Nate Diaz. Till said he will stay in BKFC until that fight happens.

    “I’ll stay around the bare-knuckle until it happens. So if I have to take 10 fights to get to the Mike Perry fight, that’s what’s going to happen, isn’t it? Obviously, I’m coming over to his turf. He’s the ‘King of Violence.’ I’ve got to take his title from him. Hopefully by the end of this year, that fight gets made and we finally meet in the center.”

  • Dana White Explains Why There Are No Women On UFC Freedom 250

    Dana White Explains Why There Are No Women On UFC Freedom 250

    Dana White says there were supposed to be women on the UFC Freedom 250 card but it did not work out, offering the first explanation for their notable absence from the June 14 White House event.

    White spoke to Time magazine about the card, which features two championship fights in Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane but no women’s bouts.

    “There was supposed to be women on the card. I wanted women on the card. It just didn’t work out that way.”

    White also explained the philosophy behind the fighter selections, emphasizing reliability and mental toughness over star power in an unusual environment.

    “The only thing I really cared about going into this card was having people I could depend on being on the card, fighters that you know. They’re gonna deal with levels of stress and weird things that they’re not used to. For instance, the night of the fight when they show up, they’re gonna have to go through crazy security. We’re gonna be inside rooms at the White House. They’re used to going to arenas with rooms that are laid out for them and all this. So, you need not only the best fights you could possibly make because they mean something and they matter in our ecosystem. You also need fighters you could trust that are gonna show up and deliver, and mentally and emotionally be able to deal with the different atmosphere they’re gonna be in that night. And that is the card that we built.”

    Neither Conor McGregor nor Jon Jones appear on the card despite their repeated attempts to be included.

  • Dustin Poirier Says He Would Come Out Of Retirement For A Fourth Fight With Conor McGregor

    Dustin Poirier Says He Would Come Out Of Retirement For A Fourth Fight With Conor McGregor

    Dustin Poirier says he would strongly consider coming out of retirement if a fourth fight with Conor McGregor became a realistic possibility.

    Poirier retired in 2025 following a fight with Max Holloway but told the Weighing In podcast he has not fully closed the door.

    “If it was realistic and they called me and said, ‘Hey,’ I would probably get back in the drug-testing protocol and get licensed again, yeah.”

    Poirier went 2-1 in his trilogy with McGregor, with McGregor suffering a broken leg in their third fight at UFC 264 in July 2021 — an injury that triggered his five-year absence. He assessed McGregor’s chances against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 while noting a specific concern about Holloway’s recent durability.

    “Yeah, I don’t think Conor’s going to look as bad as Nate, that was really bad. I think the punching power’s going to be there regardless. The question for me is the timing, the athleticism, the movement, all those questions need to be answered. If his counter-punching and his timing is anywhere near what it was, he has a chance to beat Max. Look, I love Max, but the career he’s had and the longevity he’s had, he’s touched the canvas in his last three fights. That’s more than he’s touched it in his entire career. I just think time’s catching up with him. Conor can punch. No matter how long he’s been out, he still has the great equalizer and that’s power. Some guys are born with it.”

    Poirier acknowledged he still has six or seven fights remaining on his UFC contract but said retirement remains the right decision — even if part of him disagrees.

    “Some days I wake up and I really feel like this was the right decision, everything’s where it should be. Some days I wake up and I want to fight because I know I can beat these guys still. I don’t know if that ever goes.”

  • Joe Rogan Says He Always Believed Sean Strickland Could Beat Khamzat Chimaev And Explains Why

    Joe Rogan Says He Always Believed Sean Strickland Could Beat Khamzat Chimaev And Explains Why

    Joe Rogan says he was never surprised that Sean Strickland could upset Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, pointing to Strickland’s unquantifiable durability and heart as the traits that always kept him dangerous.

    Rogan discussed the fight on his podcast with Tom Segura, explaining why he gave Strickland a genuine chance despite the massive odds against him.

    “I thought it could happen that way. Ari was arguing with me. He’s like, ‘you always say that when someone doesn’t have a chance, you always hype it up.’ Like, I think Strickland can win this fight because Strickland is insanely durable. He’s scary because he doesn’t go away. He’s not going to get tired. He doesn’t go away. He’s tough as s—. He was abused when he was young, so he’s angry. He is dangerous and he’s super skillful, very hard to hit. And he fought in one with a blown out shoulder. He f—ed his shoulder up like the week of the fight. Like did something bad. He f—ed it up and he doesn’t even know what it was, but he couldn’t use it right.”

    Strickland dethroned Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 in Newark to claim the middleweight title for the second time. He had previously been submitted by Chimaev and outpointed by Dricus Du Plessis twice during his reign.

  • Robert Whittaker Says He Is Not Bothered By Prelim Spot At UFC 329 For His Light Heavyweight Debut

    Robert Whittaker Says He Is Not Bothered By Prelim Spot At UFC 329 For His Light Heavyweight Debut

    Robert Whittaker says he is not bothered by being placed on the preliminary card for UFC 329, calling the silver lining an earlier fight time that spares him from late nights.

    Whittaker makes his light heavyweight debut at UFC 329 on July 11 against Nikita Krylov. He spoke to Submission Radio about the prelim placement.

    “Well, it’s different. I haven’t been in a prelim fight for a long time. On paper, intellectually, you look at it, it makes sense-ish. My first move up to 205, coming back after a big layoff. I’m looking forward to getting back in there. Honestly, the silver lining is that I get to get my fight out of the way a little bit earlier. I hate those late nights, they kill me a little bit. Honestly, it’s just about getting in there and getting to business. I want to get in there, and I want to execute all of the things that I’ve been working on up until now, I want to feel myself out, I want to feel how the fight feels. Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

    Whittaker is a former two-time UFC middleweight champion. His move to light heavyweight has drawn some concern about whether he will be undersized at 205 pounds.

  • TJ Dillashaw Claims Khamzat Chimaev Was ‘On The Verge Of Death’ During His UFC 328 Weight Cut

    TJ Dillashaw Claims Khamzat Chimaev Was ‘On The Verge Of Death’ During His UFC 328 Weight Cut

    T.J. Dillashaw says Khamzat Chimaev was “almost dying” during his weight cut ahead of UFC 328 and believes his performance against Sean Strickland — including going the distance despite being so compromised — is a testament to just how tough Chimaev is.

    Dillashaw, a former two-time UFC bantamweight champion who was part of Chimaev’s camp, spoke to MMA Fighting about the full picture of what happened behind the scenes.

    “Khamzat looked like an animal for his camp, like he was unbeatable. There was no way he was going to get beat, but then you get someone that you’re paying — there’s a lot of frauds in this world — and the way that they made him cut weight was horrible.”

    Dillashaw attributed the weight cut disaster to poor water management.

    “Well, the water. I mean, if I could put it to one thing — your body will shut down. Like you can’t go and lose 10 pounds all at once and not drink enough water to tell your brain and your body to, ‘Hey, let’s keep losing weight. Let’s keep pushing water.’ If you lose too much of it too fast in one sitting, your body will stop sweating. Yeah, you might only have three pounds to go, but guess what? That’s gonna take you seven, eight hours because you’re dying. You’re straight up dying. Your body’s telling you you’re dying.”

    He described the full extent of what Chimaev was going through before stepping into the cage.

    “He wanted to give Strickland $1 million and say, ‘Hey, take it. I can’t make it, I’m going to die.’ And you forget this guy’s got half a thyroid, right? His metabolism is half of a normal man. And so if you’re not treating it the right way, you could kill him. And I really believe he was on the verge of death making that weight cut. He should not have made it to the fight. And to see how he performed still — Round 5, Round 4, he still had the better fight in cardio than Strickland, and Strickland’s supposed to be a cardio guy. Khamzat’s the one going forward landing the bigger shots. So Sean won a fight going backwards, throwing a jab? I don’t see it that way. But it makes me realize how tough Khamzat is to do as well as he did on almost dying before getting on that scale.”

    Dillashaw said Chimaev only showed up to fight week 16 pounds over, and argued the situation was entirely avoidable.

    “People need to understand: What he pushed through to fight is impressive. He just needs to do it the right way. He was only 16 pounds over showing up to fight week. That is easy. It’s about the water displacement. And unfortunately they didn’t do that.”

  • Holly Holm On Ronda Rousey’s Retirement: ‘I’d Always Be Open To Fight Her Again’

    Holly Holm On Ronda Rousey’s Retirement: ‘I’d Always Be Open To Fight Her Again’

    Holly Holm says she highly doubts Ronda Rousey will ever accept a rematch, but made clear the invitation has always been open and always will be.

    Holm spoke to MMA Fighting ahead of her boxing title fight against Stephanie Han on Saturday, with Rousey’s name coming up repeatedly following her 17-second submission of Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1.

    “Yes, a lot of talk with the Ronda fight. I highly doubt she’ll ever want a rematch. I always have said since the minute the last fight was over, I’ll always rematch her. That’s always been available. But she wanted to come back and have this win and go back and enjoy and have a win like that. No hate from me. I hope she does well. I hope she does whatever she wants with her life. That’s her life. I’d always be open to fight her again.”

    Holm was not surprised by how the Rousey-Carano fight ended, having witnessed Rousey do the same to ranked UFC fighters in her prime.

    “She did that a lot to women who were ranked at the top, Ronda was still doing that. You can’t judge someone who lost like that. You know what? It takes a lot of courage to step back in when you haven’t felt that in a long time and in that many years.”

    Holm also praised Carano for what it took to return after 17 years away.

    “To be able to come back after time off, it’s uncomfortable. Fights are uncomfortable. I don’t like it. I hate fight week. I hate fight day. I always have. It is very uncomfortable and that’s why a very small percentage of people can actually do this. It’s not just the physical aspect you put your body through. It is more emotionally and mentally. For her to come back and face it, that takes a lot of courage, too.”

    On Holm’s own legacy, she expressed pride in what her knockout of Rousey represented.

    “The whole reason why me beating her was such a big deal is because she was so dominant. You have to have a dominant champion in order to have a big upset. So I have all the respect for her and to her. I’ll never say anything negative. But then there’s like the fighter pride of things and a win is great but also to try to win that good or put that much of a stamp on something, anybody would be lying if they said they weren’t proud of it.”

    Holm fights Han in a boxing lightweight title rematch on Saturday. The original bout ended in a technical decision after a clash of heads caused a cut. Holm, 44, is a current MVP boxing signee.

  • Chris Weidman Says Colby Covington Is In For A Rude Awakening At RAF 09

    Chris Weidman says Colby Covington is in for a rude awakening when they meet in the co-main event of RAF 09 on Saturday in Dallas, arguing that his wrestling credentials far exceed those of Covington’s previous opponents.

    Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio, Weidman acknowledged Covington’s skills while making clear he sees himself as a significant step up in competition.

    “I watched his two matches that he had with Rockhold and Dillon Danis. He has a decent single leg. I think he’s tough. He was a great wrestler when he was competing, and I think he’s a goer, and I’m a goer, as well. I love putting a pace on and trying to get guys tired and break them. He’s tough. He’s 2-0. I will say I don’t think Dillon Danis and Luke Rockhold are on my level respectfully in terms of wrestling at all. So, I do think I’m a big step up in competition for him, and I appreciate him calling me out and wanting a tougher challenge.”

    Weidman said he does not concede any clear advantage to Covington, including speed.

    “I don’t know if I even give him the speed advantage. I think I’m pretty speedy when it comes to wrestling, but I’ll have to showcase that. His advantages? I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s planning on doing. I think it’s an uphill battle for him to be honest. It’s definitely a tough one. I just hope he doesn’t stall the whole time and run away from me. If he wrestles with me, I think it’s going to be really tough for him. I’m big, I’m strong, I’m good in a lot of different positions in wrestling. I have a lot of freestyle experience. I was a multiple-time All-American in freestyle and also Greco in high school, then I was training for the Olympics in 2008.”

    Weidman is making his RAF debut in the bout. Covington enters 2-0 in the promotion following wins over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis.