MMA News

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Ilia Topuria Sets Timeframe for When he Wants to Fight Islam Makhachev

    Ilia Topuria Sets Timeframe for When he Wants to Fight Islam Makhachev

    Ilia Topuria has one eye on Justin Gaethje and another on Islam Makhachev, and he is not hiding which fight excites him more in the long run.

    Speaking with ESPN ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, Topuria explained that the Gaethje matchup was not his first preference when the interim title picture was being sorted out. He had expected to face either a victorious Paddy Pimblett or be given the opportunity to jump to welterweight to challenge Makhachev if Gaethje won at UFC 324. The unification bout against Gaethje is what materialized instead, and Topuria is fully locked in. But the Makhachev fight is where his ambitions ultimately point.

    “If it would be my choice, I would fight him on this card or by the end of the year. I’m excited, too. I’m a fighter. This is what I do every day of my life, so why not test my skills against someone like him? He is a very skillful fighter, I respect him as a fighter, he dominated the whole division for I don’t know how many years. He fought for the title I don’t know how many times, so what better than to test yourself against someone like him and at the same time everyone’s going to be freaking out. Everyone’s going to be very excited about the fight and I love that, I love people to be excited to go to an event. We’ll see, hopefully it’s going to happen.”

    All current signs point to Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense against top contender Ian Machado Garry this summer, though the matchup has yet to be officially announced. If Garry were to score the upset, Topuria’s dream fight would be considerably complicated. He is not treating that as a concern.

    “It’s a fight business, everyone has a chance, especially someone like Ian. He’s been able to collect a lot of experience during his run in the UFC and why not? I see him with a lot of chances. And Islam, we already saw him getting knocked out in a fight. Why not for the second time?”

    On the broader question of how a Garry win would affect his own plans, Topuria offered the simplest possible answer.

    “I’m the type of person that at the end, whatever happens, mindset is like, it’s good for me. Whoever wins, it’s good for me. Everything happens for a reason.”

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House South Lawn in Washington D.C., streaming on Paramount+.

  • TKO’s Mark Shapiro Pushes Back on UFC Card Quality Criticism

    TKO’s Mark Shapiro Pushes Back on UFC Card Quality Criticism

    TKO Group Holdings President and COO Mark Shapiro has firmly pushed back against the growing narrative that the UFC’s card quality has declined, arguing that the criticism misunderstands how professional sports actually work and ignores the genuine strength of the current product.

    Speaking on a TKO financial call on Wednesday, Shapiro rejected the premise that there is a problem to solve in the first place.

    “Bottom line is we don’t buy it. Let’s just start with this premise: The product is great at the UFC. The brand has never been stronger. Our reach has never been greater. So the foundational elements of UFC are in concrete. Anyone that came to our last numbered fight in Miami, which was UFC 327, was flat-out blown away. Or anyone that went to our last Fight Night, which happened to be last week in Perth, Australia. A sellout or even watched it, witnessed an extraordinary sport. We are always building in the UFC. We’re in the building phase at all times. We find the best up-and-coming talent around the world and we match them continually in the best fights.”

    He pointed to a wave of emerging talent as evidence that the promotional pipeline is healthy and producing the kind of stars that sustain long-term growth.

    “There’s a huge movement right now with all these young fighters coming up in the ranks. Many of them are taking over slots in the top 10 from guys that have been names in the rankings for years. Strong personalities that are busting right now. Joshua Van, Brazilian Carlos Prates, undefeated Michael Morales, the next generation. Or look at the White House card, which we put out there is a strong card, we’ve actually added a fight to it. UFC Freedom 250, which is stacked top to bottom and we’re using that opportunity to feature one of our most promising stars in Ilia Topuria.”

    Shapiro expressed full confidence in Dana White and his matchmaking team, describing the process of finding and building stars as one the UFC does better than anyone in sport.

    “Dana White and his team have been doing this for 25 years. Look, the real truth of it is, we don’t get to determine who wins. It doesn’t work like that. You take these great personalities, who hail from every corner of the world, with exciting fighting styles and if they win, you’ve caught lightning in a bottle. That’s what we do. That’s what Dana White does. There’s no better matchmakers in any sport than we have with Dana’s team of Hunter Campbell, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard.”

    On the broader question of whether the UFC is missing the kind of transcendent stars it had during the Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey era, Shapiro drew a comparison to the NBA’s experience after Michael Jordan retired and framed the current moment as a natural phase that every major sport moves through.

    “I would remind you finally with any sport, there’s just natural ebbs and flows. It’s all very cyclical. Again kind of harking back to the ESPN days, the NBA was on fire with Michael Jordan and then he left and there was a bit of a dip. Then all of a sudden it was Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and as long as Shaq and Kobe were in the NBA Finals, the NBA was in good shape. But the year they weren’t there or they were playing the Nets or the San Antonio Spurs were there, there was a falloff. They needed more stars and everybody talked about it and yearned and cried and commented. There was no social back then but there was still a lot of noise. Now, they’re uber rich when it comes to sports personalities and teams that are playing well, as evidenced by the homegrown New York Knicks here.”

  • Dana White Explains Every Detail of UFC Freedom 250’s White House Setup

    Dana White Explains Every Detail of UFC Freedom 250’s White House Setup

    Dana White has laid out the full scope of UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, and the event extends well beyond the intimate White House South Lawn setup most fans have been picturing.

    Speaking with Lara Trump on Fox News, White explained that while the arena beside the White House will hold only 4,300 people with most of those seats going to military members, the surrounding public event at the Ellipse is designed to accommodate approximately 85,000 fans for free.

    “Across the street is the Ellipse. And for those who don’t know, the Ellipse is a massive park. That’s literally, you will be able to see the fight from the Ellipse. But we have screens, we got stages, we have music, we have activations over there. If you are a fan of the UFC and especially if you have never been to Washington D.C., we’re going to give away about 85,000 tickets. And you have to, there’s a process, you have to register for tickets, and they’re free.”

    The Ellipse, formally known as President’s Park South, is a 52-acre public park south of the White House fence that has hosted major public events for decades, including the National Christmas Tree tradition. Its size makes it a natural fit for the kind of large-scale fan experience the UFC is building around the card.

    The military-first approach to the White House arena seating is something White tied directly to the event’s broader patriotic theme and to Trump’s personal direction for the card.

    “He wants this to be mostly for the military. So there’s going to be 4,300 people there. I just literally went over it right now, 4,300 people. And most of them will be military.”

    When Lara Trump framed the allocation as a thank-you to service members, White was unequivocal.

    “100%. I mean, this is America’s 250th birthday. This is the event.”

    White also revealed that Trump has been fielding more ticket requests for this event than anything he has previously hosted, a detail that has come up in White’s conversations with the president during the planning process.

    “I’m meeting with the president. And he keeps telling me that he’s never had an event where people have asked him for more tickets. So I’m trying to figure out how to give him more tickets.”

    The concept originated in a casual conversation at a fight, according to White.

    “We were at a fight and he leans over to me and he says, we should do a fight at the White House. I was like, yes, yes, we should. And if he says it, consider it done. It starts blowing me up the whole next week to get this thing rolling. And we went in and we pitched him on the plan and he loved everything that we pitched to him.”

    Production preparations are already underway, with White describing UFC head of production Craig Borsari as having visited the White House repeatedly to map out the logistics of what is the most operationally complex event the promotion has ever attempted.

    “My head of production, Craig Borsari, is the best in the business. And it’s literally all he’s working on right now, 24-7. He’s been to the White House a million times. We’re already starting to move stuff in. We’ll start loading in, like really loading in a month before the show.”

    Weather remains the primary operational variable. White has already made clear the event will proceed through rain, wind, or snow, but lightning represents the one genuine threat to the schedule. He outlined the contingency planning in detail.

    “Outdoors is just way too unpredictable. And we’ve gone over this, if it rains, we’re going. If it snows, we’re going. The only thing that will stop us is lightning. But we’re working with the military. So the military knows the weather 10 days out. And they’ll notify us every two hours, 10 days out. Seven days out, they’ll notify us every hour. We also, there’s another company that does it for concerts and things like that. They’re very good, too. So what could happen is the only thing that kills us is lightning. So we could move the event two hours earlier, two hours after. So these are all things that we’ll be playing with the week of the event on top of all the other things that we’ll have going on. Which we never had to deal with.”

    White pointed to UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi on April 10, 2010, as the only previous outdoor UFC event he agreed to, noting the Middle Eastern weather made that decision straightforward. Washington D.C. in June is a very different proposition.

    UFC Freedom 250 is headlined by Ilia Topuria defending the undisputed lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje, with Alex Pereira challenging Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Fires Back at Conor McGregor’s Middleweight Title Claim

    Khamzat Chimaev Fires Back at Conor McGregor’s Middleweight Title Claim

    Khamzat Chimaev had a quick and pointed response when asked at UFC 328 media day about Conor McGregor’s since-deleted post claiming the middleweight championship being contested on Saturday was his title.

    McGregor had posted on X that Chimaev and Strickland were competing with “my 185lb title on the line,” despite never having competed at middleweight and being absent from the Octagon since July 2021. Chimaev was shown the comment and offered an assessment that covered both McGregor’s claim and his current lifestyle.

    “His belt? He lost his belt 10 years ago, so I don’t know, this guy comes off a little bit drunk or is it Proper something he’s drinking all the time? Come back to normal and work and let’s fight. I don’t care, boxing. I told Zuffa Boxing people think I’m just a wrestler, I don’t need to use my just boxing, I’m an MMA fighter. If I go to the boxing, I’m going to show my boxing, too.”

    McGregor was stripped of his lightweight title in 2018 due to inactivity following his professional boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August 2017. He awaits an official booking for his return, with a lightweight matchup against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 the most heavily discussed option.

    Chimaev also addressed the possibility of his own future weight class moves when asked about challenging himself at higher divisions. He described a training history that has always included heavyweights and said he has never found the size step to be an issue.

    “Of course, for sure. I’ve always been training with heavyweight guys. I’ve trained most of my time with Alexander Gustafsson, Jimi Manuwa, Gokhan Saki from the beginning of my career and I was fighting 170. I trained with them, sparred with them, never been a problem with weight. I like to eat, have fun in the cage.”

    He also offered an unprompted endorsement of his friend Arman Tsarukyan as someone capable of beating Strickland, should the lightweight contender ever move up to middleweight.

    “Yeah, of course, he can beat him now.”

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Sean Strickland Calls Khamzat Chimaev ‘Little Rat’ for Releasing Sparring Footage

    Sean Strickland Calls Khamzat Chimaev ‘Little Rat’ for Releasing Sparring Footage

    Sean Strickland had plenty to say about Khamzat Chimaev’s decision to post a 25-second sparring clip on social media, and none of it was particularly flattering toward the man he will face for the middleweight title on Saturday.

    The clip, which showed the two exchanging jabs in what Strickland described as warmup rounds, was captioned by Chimaev with “I am bullying weak people.” Strickland addressed it directly at UFC 328 media day and made clear the context behind the footage matters significantly.

    “That’s what I’m talking about. The guy’s just a little f***ing rat. One, I didn’t know we were filming. Those are our warmup rounds. You’re just a weak man. You’re just a weak, weak man. It’s like what is the point? We’re light sparring. I mean those shorts are a little questionable on my part. They were Amazon. It was a bad angle.”

    Beyond the clip itself, Strickland pushed back on any suggestion the footage reflects what actually happened between them in the gym. He claimed the two only shared one genuine sparring session and that he repeatedly tried to get more time with Chimaev afterward, only to be turned down.

    “We’ve only sparred once and we did like a three-round spar. We sparred once. I kept telling you this. When I got to a gym, I want to spar the best guy. I want to spar him but he would always just go beat up the lower level guys.”

    Despite the grievances, Strickland acknowledged the fight makes sense given the current state of the middleweight division and described it as a welcome matchup for both parties.

    “I think it’s also a good fight, it’s a fun fight. There’s so many people in the division where it’s like what are the top five? Brendan Allen? He’s his f***ing punching bag. His meat. What else in the top five in the division do you have right now? It’s kind of nice just to get a fresh look, new blood. I think the fight just kind of made sense.”

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Tom Aspinall Breaks Down Chimaev vs. Strickland and Gives His Verdict on the Title Fight

    Tom Aspinall Breaks Down Chimaev vs. Strickland and Gives His Verdict on the Title Fight

    Tom Aspinall has weighed in on the UFC 328 main event and the undisputed heavyweight champion is leaning toward Khamzat Chimaev, though he made clear he sees a genuine path for Sean Strickland to pull off the upset.

    Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aspinall broke down both fighters before arriving at his prediction.

    “I think this is going to be a good fight, first of all. I think Khamzat, to me, looks pretty unstoppable at the moment with his takedowns and stuff. His striking, obviously he’s very dangerous with his striking as well. I think Sean Strickland probably has a little bit of an edge in the striking department, but Khamzat’s grappling. I don’t know if Sean Strickland will be able to get up off the bottom enough times.”

    He acknowledged the reports about Strickland’s bottom game before identifying the question he believes will define the fight.

    “That being said, I know Sean’s coach. I’ve actually trained with Sean a little bit as well, only a tiny bit, though. But I know a lot of people who are close to him and everyone keeps saying how good he is at getting up off the bottom. So, I think it’s going to be real interesting. The big question for me is like, how many times can he get up off the bottom without getting caught in a submission without getting tired. Khamzat will just rinse and repeat for the full five rounds. If Strickland can come through that, not be exhausted, which he’s never shown any signs of that before in my opinion, and put him on the end of that awkward style that he’s got with striking and really unorthodox stand up, I think there’s definitely a chance for Strickland. But in my opinion I’m leaning a little bit toward Khamzat.”

    When pushed to commit to a pick, Aspinall landed on the champion winning a competitive contest.

    “The verdict is for me Khamzat by decision. I think it will be a little more competitive than the DDP fight, but I think Khamzat by decision.”

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • UFC Selling $1.5M White House Tickets with UFC 329 Access

    UFC Selling $1.5M White House Tickets with UFC 329 Access

    The UFC is marketing premium ticket packages for UFC Freedom 250 at the White House at $1.5 million per seat, with the offering extending well beyond the June 14 event itself and into Conor McGregor’s anticipated UFC 329 return.

    MMA reporter Ariel Helwani revealed the details on Wednesday, describing a deck being sent to influential figures and high-profile buyers under the label of a Partner Investment.

    “There are opportunities to buy tickets. Partner Investment is what it’s being called. It’s a deck being sent out to a lot of influential people, high rollers.”

    The package includes access to UFC Freedom 250 at the White House alongside a partner welcome reception, reserved seating at the press conference and ceremonial weigh-ins, general admission access, and entry to a Zac Brown concert. It also covers floor tickets to UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas, where McGregor is expected to return to the Octagon, as well as WWE event integration with ring signage.

    Dana White previously confirmed that 4,300 people will attend the White House event itself, with most seats reserved for military personnel.

    The card features seven fights, a leaner lineup than a standard UFC numbered event, headlined by Ilia Topuria defending the undisputed lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje. Alex Pereira challenges Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event, with Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia, and Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis rounding out the card.

  • Sean Strickland Unloads on Brendan Allen After he Reveals Camp’s Reaction to Pre-Fight Trash Talk

    Sean Strickland Unloads on Brendan Allen After he Reveals Camp’s Reaction to Pre-Fight Trash Talk

    Brendan Allen spent three weeks in Khamzat Chimaev’s training camp ahead of UFC 328 and offered a window into how the champion’s team is processing Sean Strickland’s ongoing campaign of verbal aggression. Strickland responded to what Allen said with a fury of his own.

    Speaking on Submission Radio, Allen described the general atmosphere in Chimaev’s camp as Strickland’s latest comments filtered in.

    “We just laugh. He just sounds so rtarded. All he wants to do is get an emotional reaction out of people and it’s just like, alright bro, y’all are going to fight on Saturday, see if you’re talking all that sht then because you wasn’t talking that sh*t when y’all trained.”

    Allen also revealed what the coaches told everyone around Chimaev about handling fight week.

    “I think it was more of trying to get through to the team, like it’s all talk. If you care about Khamzat, stay in your lane, don’t mess up this opportunity for Khamzat to go out there and handle it. Let Khamzat handle it. He signed the contract, Sean signed the contract, they’re going to fight, let him talk, let him do whatever he wants to do, let his antics do what it’s going to do, just walk away. Just laugh, walk away. If someone puts their hands on you that’s a different situation, but if it’s just talk, just let him talk. At the end of the day, Khamzat has 25 minutes to be in there with him and he’s going to do his best to make him feel it.”

    He also questioned whether Strickland would actually back up his more extreme statements. “Talk is talk. Sean’s that kind of guy. I’d kill him in a press conference, though. I’d make him freak out for sure.”

    Strickland was asked about Allen’s comments at a media scrum and delivered a pointed response that took aim at Allen’s ranking and his decision to train with the champion.

    “Brendan Allen, you are the definition of a cnt. You are ranked 5. My boy Edmen’s about to beat you. You are ranked No. 5, you were talking about a title fight and you go and you train with the current champion and the whole world just watched him fck you up over and over and over again. All we know of your training camp is you’re getting your ass kicked by fcking Chimaev. You will never fight for a belt. If you want to get some advice from me, stop training with the champion and if you’re going to train with him, don’t let him beat the fck out of you for f*cking weeks at a time.”

    Allen and Strickland previously fought at a UFC APEX event in November 2020, with Strickland winning by second-round knockout. Allen now faces Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Vegas 118 on June 6. UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Leaks Sparring Footage of Himself and Strickland

    Khamzat Chimaev Leaks Sparring Footage of Himself and Strickland

    Khamzat Chimaev released a brief clip from his infamous sparring session with Sean Strickland ahead of UFC 328, apparently attempting to reinforce his dominance narrative. Fans had a different reaction.

    The video, posted on social media, shows around 26 seconds of striking exchanges between the two fighters. Chimaev captioned it with a laughing emoji and the message “I am bullying weak people,” a jab at Strickland’s previously reported claim that he prefers sparring with lower-level or younger fighters at the gym.

    The clip drew over 600,000 views but the comment section was not kind. Reactions included “You did absolutely nothing kid. You’re DEAD Saturday,” “You didn’t even land a shot sorry a– bum,” and “Bro you hardly landed one punch.”

    The sparring session between the two has been a major talking point throughout the build to UFC 328. Multiple sources have suggested the striking exchanges were relatively even, perhaps with a slight edge to Strickland, while Chimaev’s grappling was reportedly more dominant once the fight went to the ground. Strickland will be fully aware of what actually happened when they trained together, making the psychological impact of the clip questionable at best.

    It is worth noting that fighters have occasionally released unimpressive training footage deliberately to lower an opponent’s guard. Whether that is the case here or whether the clip simply did not land the way Chimaev intended is a matter of interpretation.

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Hints UFC 328 Could Be His Final Middleweight Fight

    Khamzat Chimaev Hints UFC 328 Could Be His Final Middleweight Fight

    Khamzat Chimaev has hinted that regardless of what happens against Sean Strickland on Saturday night, UFC 328 could represent his final appearance at 185 pounds.

    Speaking at a media scrum on Tuesday in Newark, Chimaev was asked about the possibility of moving up to light heavyweight after the Strickland fight. His response was brief, playful, and pointed.

    “I hope so. I like to eat pizza. We will see.”

    The light heavyweight division is currently in a state of flux following Carlos Ulberg’s ACL injury sustained during his title-winning knockout of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 327. Ulberg is not expected to return until 2027, and the UFC has not yet revealed whether it plans to implement an interim title in his absence. Chimaev has spoken previously about his desire to pursue a third divisional title, and his comments on Tuesday only added fuel to that possibility.

    Despite the broader conversation about his future weight class, Chimaev made clear his focus heading into the weekend remains entirely on Strickland.

    “I don’t know. I hope Ulberg gets a fast recovery. We will see. I’m not so much focused on what’s over Strickland. He’s a tough fighter, good fighter, but we take away all this sh*t he’s saying, he’s a good fighter. I just go focus on him, beat this guy, and then we go for the next. It’s always there. It doesn’t matter.”

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Says Sean Strickland’s Trash Talk Has Made Him More Money Than Ever

    Khamzat Chimaev Says Sean Strickland’s Trash Talk Has Made Him More Money Than Ever

    Khamzat Chimaev has a complicated relationship with Sean Strickland’s relentless trash talk heading into UFC 328, simultaneously expressing contempt for the content and genuine appreciation for what it has done to his bank account.

    Speaking at a media scrum on Tuesday in Newark, Chimaev was candid about the financial upside of sharing a card with one of the sport’s most polarizing mouths.

    “I love him. I don’t know they pay good for him. That’s the important thing. I never made that much money before. That’s good.”

    He also revealed he has been actively looking for Strickland since arriving in New Jersey, with the UFC’s separation protocol being the only thing keeping the two apart.

    “Let him come. I think they took him to some other hotel so maybe thinks so. I tried to find the guy and that’s not so much personal. The guy just talks too much. I don’t think it’s that possible to happen. Because they don’t let me see this guy.”

    When asked about Strickland’s gun threat and whether it registered as a genuine concern, Chimaev dismissed it in a way that made clear no amount of verbal escalation is going to affect his mindset.

    “Where is he? I’ve been here three days in the lobby and the guy said he’s going to shoot me. Let’s go. Do that. I will be happy to die. Do you think I care about what he says? When it comes time to die, I will be happy. All my life I’ve heard stuff like that. I don’t care about that.”

    On the possibility of a post-fight handshake, Chimaev offered the clearest possible window into how he views relationships with opponents.

    “What’s the point if I shake hands or not after the fight? I beat him up, maybe never see him again. The other 15 guys who I beat, I almost didn’t see them again. I don’t care about his life. I care about my life.”

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, streaming on Paramount+.

  • UFC Legend Matt Hughes Shares Hospital Bed Photo After Suffering Brutal Finger Injury

    UFC Legend Matt Hughes Shares Hospital Bed Photo After Suffering Brutal Finger Injury

    Matt Hughes has suffered one of the more jarring injuries of his life, and it had nothing to do with a cage or an opponent.

    The UFC Hall of Famer and two-time welterweight champion posted a photo from a hospital bed on Instagram this week, with the image showing that the 52-year-old is missing the middle finger on his right hand. Hughes did not reveal how the injury occurred, keeping the circumstances to himself while letting the photo speak for itself.

    He did find some lightness in the situation despite the severity of what happened, responding to fans in the comments section with characteristic good humor. When one follower joked that Hughes had been “safer” inside the Octagon, he replied without missing a beat.

    “Who says retirement is boring?”

    In his caption, Hughes also offered a brief reflection on the experience.

    “Luckily, God’s been real good to me. He left me nine more to work with.”

    The reactions from the MMA world came quickly. Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping posted “Oh s—!!!” Former welterweight Alan Jouban wrote “My man. Hope all is well as it can be right now.” Former WEC champion Urijah Faber responded with “Oh snap!!!” Former Strikeforce titleholder Josh Thomson noted “You had less injuries fighting.” Bryce Mitchell added “Hope you heal fast champ.”

    The Illinois native became the UFC welterweight champion in 2001 by knocking out Carlos Newton with a slam and went on to defend the belt seven times across two separate reigns, losing the title twice to BJ Penn and Georges St-Pierre in fights that remain among the most significant in the division’s history. He also faced Royce Gracie, Matt Serra, Frank Trigg, and a host of other prominent names across a 54-fight professional career that came to an end in 2011.

    Hughes has dealt with significant health challenges in the years since retiring, having been struck by a train in 2017 that left him in a coma and required an extended period of rehabilitation. His recovery from that incident was considered remarkable by those who followed his progress, and he has remained a visible and well-liked figure in the MMA community throughout his post-career years.

  • Khamzat Chimaev’s Teammates Were Told Directly Not to Do Anything to Jeopardize UFC 328

    Khamzat Chimaev’s Teammates Were Told Directly Not to Do Anything to Jeopardize UFC 328

    Khamzat Chimaev’s team has been given an explicit instruction heading into UFC 328 fight week: do not do anything that puts the title fight at risk.

    Middleweight contender Brendan Allen, who spent the final three weeks of training camp alongside Chimaev before departing for his own June 6 preparation, shared the message coaches delivered to everyone in the champion’s circle.

    “Khamzat’s team, nor anyone on it that’s part of his entourage or whatever you want to call it, is going to jeopardize that opportunity. I promise you that nobody is going to do anything to jeopardize it. Now if someone approaches them and tries to put hands on them, hey, they’re not responsible for that. But as far as them initiating and starting a problem, I highly doubt that happens. There will be a lot of repercussions for anyone who does that outside of UFC or anything like that. Everyone knows what’s at stake and like the coaches said: If you care about Khamzat, you won’t do anything fight week. You’ll let everything be and let Khamzat handle the job how he’s going to handle it come fight night.”

    Allen also described how Chimaev and those closest to him are processing Strickland’s ongoing campaign to provoke a reaction, including the gun threats and relentless trash talk.

    “We know Sean’s just going to talk and try to dig deeper and say stupider things and try to get more reckless to try to draw a reaction or make him emotional. I know he knows this. The ones that are the closest to him keep making sure to be repetitive about that. He’s very aware. He’s very mature. He’ll have little comebacks here and there probably, but as long as they don’t put hands on him or try to, I think everything will be just fine. You’ll just hear Sean talk, talk, talk, talk.”

    Allen will not be part of Chimaev’s entourage in Newark this week, having returned to Chicago to prepare for his own fight with Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Vegas 118 on June 6. He will instead be watching from a distance as a fight week that has already generated unprecedented levels of security concern plays out in New Jersey.

    You can hear more from Allen on The Bohnfire podcast with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.

    UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, streaming on Paramount+.

  • Aleksandre Topuria Reveals Justin Gaethje’s Key Weakness

    Aleksandre Topuria Reveals Justin Gaethje’s Key Weakness

    Aleksandre Topuria has played a central role in Ilia Topuria’s rise to the top of the UFC, putting his own career on hold to serve as a key part of his younger brother’s corner before resuming his own run in 2021. Ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, he offered a detailed breakdown of the Topuria camp’s view of Justin Gaethje.

    Speaking on Ilia Topuria’s YouTube channel, Aleksandre zeroed in on Gaethje’s patterns and the specific window where he becomes most vulnerable.

    “One important thing: Justin Gaethje picks his shots when you stand in front of him. When you stand here, which is like Michael Chandler, and he also picks when Michael Chandler leaned forward, when you stand with the leg way forward trying to dodge his uppercut, then he comes in with calf kicks. But when you stand a bit square on, he comes in with uppercuts. If you don’t want to take it and you show him, ‘OK, I’ll move my body forward,’ then he’s going to want to start hitting you from here because he has long range.”

    He then identified what he sees as the central paradox in fighting Gaethje, explaining that the moment he is most open is also the most dangerous moment to attack him.

    “He’s very fragile when he hits, but it’s a double-edged sword to choose to hit him when he’s hitting. So you’ve got to be very selective with your shots. When he hits is when he’s very vulnerable to shots because he doesn’t know how to hit clean. He doesn’t hit clean like you. He hits with everything. That’s where he’s vulnerable. But that’s where you have to be careful: If you choose to hit him when he’s open, it’s because you’ve calculated it a lot.”

    Ilia Topuria enters the fight at 17-0 and is coming off first-round knockouts of Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. Gaethje is 27-5 and holds the interim lightweight title. UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House South Lawn in Washington D.C.

  • Alexander Volkov Calls Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane ‘Not a True Title Fight’

    Alexander Volkov Calls Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane ‘Not a True Title Fight’

    Alexander Volkov has watched the UFC build the Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane interim heavyweight title fight at UFC Freedom 250, and he has a pointed take on what it actually represents, both for the sport and for himself as a potential future opponent.

    Speaking with MMA Fighting ahead of his UFC 328 bout against Waldo Cortes-Acosta this Saturday in Newark, Volkov acknowledged the commercial logic behind the booking while being blunt about what it is not.

    “It doesn’t matter who wins. If Ciryl Gane wins, he will beat a UFC star. He will go on the next media level. If Alex Pereira wins, he won like third title in his career, so he will be good. Anyway, UFC won with this fight. And it will be for sure not like a boring fight, but it’s not true title fight. It’s more like a promotional or media fight.”

    He also pointed to a specific technical concern about how both fighters have been protected from wrestling throughout their careers, suggesting the matchup is convenient for that reason too.

    “Gane has never been under the pressure of a wrestler. He never been with the kind of Curtis Blaydes guy who just can take him down and hold it for a while and then beat him up, make good ground-and-pound. We never see him in this position. The UFC gives him pretty comfortable fighters. And Alex Pereira is also a kickboxing guy and we didn’t see him also with good wrestlers. This fight is good for both of them.”

    Volkov took issue with the path Pereira took to earn the heavyweight title shot, noting that his victory over Magomed Ankalaev in his most recent light heavyweight appearance came against an opponent who was competing with broken ribs.

    “Alex Pereira, for sure he’s very talented and he shows, like, crazy performances. But, to be honest, his previous fight, before he won, he lost to Ankalaev. Then he beat Ankalaev, but I was in this camp, and Ankalaev was with broken ribs. He was just too confident himself to go in the cage. And probably Alex Pereira knows this and this is why he pushes so hard. He just lost to the guy, then he beats him with just broken rib, and now he wants to go one category up, where he never fought, and they give him title shot. In logic, it doesn’t have any sense. It’s just marketing.”

    Looking at a hypothetical matchup between himself and Pereira, Volkov was direct about how he sees the size and stylistic dynamics playing out.

    “Fighting with Alex Pereira will be more easy for me, but more big fight if he won. He’s big, but I’m huge. I’m not saying he ever meet the guys like me and his stand is a little bit open for this type of big guys. He’s used to fight with guys who try to attack him, can’t touch him and he counterpunches with his hook or uppercut, but it’s so hard to do with me because I’m much taller, I have good reach and I have very good kicks. More to this now, I’m working with a lot of wrestling. On paper, I feel I have an advantage against Alex Pereira.”

    Volkov reserved his strongest words for how the entire situation has affected Tom Aspinall, calling the undisputed champion’s circumstances the most unfair element of the whole picture.

    “Honestly, I’m most upset for Tom Aspinall. Imagine him in this situation. He did so much work for the UFC, he fought a lot of fights. He was on a very good winning streak, he showed really impressive fights for everybody. And now we have Ciryl Gane, a guy who actually lost to me. He lose the fight for me, he injured Aspinall. It’s a very serious injury. I feel how bad Tom Aspinall is feeling looking at this White House fight and then they give Ciryl Gane the biggest fight in his life with Alex Pereira. It’s just not fair to the champ.”

    Volkov fights Cortes-Acosta on the UFC 328 main card this Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Sean O’Malley Originally Wanted Different Fight for UFC Freedom 250

    Sean O’Malley Originally Wanted Different Fight for UFC Freedom 250

    Sean O’Malley had a specific opponent in mind for UFC Freedom 250, and it was not Aiemann Zahabi.

    Speaking to FOX 11 Los Angeles, O’Malley explained why his original target for the June 14 White House card did not come to fruition, pointing directly at Yan’s reluctance as the reason the title fight did not materialize.

    “I was supposed to fight Petr Yan, the champ, the little Russian, but I beat him last time so he didn’t want to fight this time. That would have been a big fight. I’m fighting a guy named Aiemann Zahabi, he’s on a seven-fight win streak, he’s from Canada, a Canadian fella, so it’s kind of America vs. Canada-ish if you’re looking at it that way, which is kind of exciting. Very tough, very durable, very experienced. Very tough fight. An exciting challenge, he’s going to be more of a kickboxer style so it’s going to be a very exciting, electric kickboxing fight with little gloves on.”

    O’Malley and Yan previously met at UFC 280 in October 2022, with O’Malley winning a close decision. Yan subsequently won the bantamweight title by defeating Merab Dvalishvili, who had beaten O’Malley twice. A rematch with the belt on the line would have been one of the more commercially appealing fights on the White House card. Instead, Yan remains unbooked.

    O’Malley addressed the America versus Canada dimension of his Zahabi matchup in a separate interview with Against The Cage, keeping his focus on the competitive element rather than any broader narrative.

    “I’m not a very political person, I would say pretty much not at all. For me, it doesn’t matter who I’m fighting, but it is America vs. Canada, there’s a little bit of that to it. This is just man vs. man. We’re going to get locked in the doors and see who quits, see who breaks, see who gets knocked out first, that’s what it is every fight for me. But it is fun, there’s a little bit of the America-Canada thing, so it adds to it a little bit. Team vs. team, people like to pick teams, so there’s that aspect to it, but for me it’s just human vs. human.”

    O’Malley is coming off a win over Song Yadong in January that snapped a two-fight losing streak, both of those losses having come in title fights against Dvalishvili. A strong showing at the White House is his best argument for jumping back into the championship conversation.

    “Who knows, maybe if I would have went out there and finished Song in spectacular fashion I would have got the Petr fight. I don’t know. The UFC does what they do and all I can do is go out there and fight and put on performances, so if I go out there and get a beautiful performance, I don’t see how I’m not next for the title.”

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House South Lawn in Washington D.C., streaming on Paramount+.

  • Robert Whittaker Backs Chimaev to Dominate Strickland: ‘Chimaev’s Going to Run Him Over’

    Robert Whittaker Backs Chimaev to Dominate Strickland: ‘Chimaev’s Going to Run Him Over’

    Robert Whittaker has a specific reason why his UFC 328 prediction carries more weight than most. He has already been in the cage with Khamzat Chimaev, felt the pressure firsthand, and was submitted in the first round at UFC 308. That experience shapes everything he said about the Chimaev and Sean Strickland matchup.

    Speaking in a clip posted by UFC on Paramount+ on X, Whittaker acknowledged that Strickland’s confidence and trash talk have made him stop and think before ultimately landing on the same conclusion.

    “We want to see if Strickland has what it takes. All the things he’s talking, he talks a big game, he almost convinces me that he can do it. But having been in there with Chimaev, having seen what Chimaev can do once he gets his hands on him — and he will, because he shoots from so far away and he commits wholeheartedly, and he will get you to the mat. It’s what happens after. Seeing that he has the cardio to be able to do that for five rounds as well, mate, gun to my head, Chimaev’s going to run him over.”

    Whittaker’s framing of the problem is precise. He is not questioning Strickland’s toughness or his boxing ability. He is pointing to the specific sequence that defines Chimaev’s style: entries from distance, total commitment to the shot, and then sustained pressure once the fight reaches the mat. For five rounds.

    Strickland enters at 30-7 as a former middleweight champion with a boxing-heavy game built around controlling range and forcing opponents to react to his pace. Chimaev, unbeaten at 15-0, attacks that comfort zone from the first exchange.

    UFC 328 takes place May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Dustin Poirier Would Come Out of Retirement for Certain Fight And It’s Not Against Conor McGregor

    Dustin Poirier Would Come Out of Retirement for Certain Fight And It’s Not Against Conor McGregor

    Dustin Poirier has not been retired for 12 months yet, and he is already naming a second opponent he would come back to fight.

    Speaking on Paramount’s Deep Waters podcast, Poirier responded to a suggestion from co-host Jorge Masvidal that a fight with Nate Diaz still makes sense, and the response made clear the idea has never left his mind.

    “Man, I still want to whip Nate’s a–.”

    When Din Thomas suggested Diaz might be the one opponent he would genuinely return for, Poirier did not disagree. He then explained the history behind the fight that never happened, addressing the 2018 Madison Square Garden situation, where the bout fell apart, and Diaz used the circumstances to paint Poirier as the reason.

    “I’d come back to fight him because it got away and he lied and the fans were on his side. The UFC knew I was going to fight Nate during our first matchup at Madison Square Garden but Nate was having trouble with his negotiation. I don’t know what was going on but UFC called me and said ‘hey, we want to keep you on the Madison Square Garden card, would you fight so-and-so?’ I said ‘listen, if it’s not Nate I’m not fighting. I’m going to go and have my hip taken care of. If it’s Nate I’ll fight.’ They offered me Kevin Lee, they offered me a few other names. I said ‘I’m going to go have surgery on my hip.’ Then Nate used that to use me as like the fall guy, fight’s off because I pulled out. But I never pulled out, I just didn’t want to fight anyone but Nate. Why not?”

    Poirier retired following a loss to Max Holloway in Louisiana last year. He had previously entertained the idea of a third fight with Justin Gaethje. Diaz is currently preparing for his fight against Mike Perry on the MVP MMA card on Netflix on May 16.

  • Chael Sonnen Says Jorge Masvidal Will Never Fight in UFC

    Chael Sonnen Says Jorge Masvidal Will Never Fight in UFC

    Chael Sonnen is not backing down from his position on Jorge Masvidal’s UFC return prospects, and he has expanded the dispute well beyond the original argument about whether a fight will happen.

    Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Sonnen doubled down after Masvidal’s public rebuttal and made his core claim plainly.

    “Well, that’s a tough one. It’s very tough because I don’t take Jorge as like an equal. I don’t look at him as like an unequal. And he is claiming that he’s going to fight in the Octagon, and I don’t come to him to hurt his dreams. I’m coming just to let his life get on track. Don’t pause. Don’t cancel your plans on the weekend. You’re not fighting in the Octagon.”

    Sonnen suggested Masvidal may have been given incorrect information by someone within the UFC rather than intentionally fabricating a story.

    “I’m either right or I’m wrong. But for me to be right, he doesn’t have to actually go in there and fight. He just has to have been told by somebody in authority that he’s going to go in there and fight. And I think he should call that person back. There was a misunderstanding. Jorge Masvidal will never fight in the UFC. That’s not a knock to Jorge Masvidal. That’s a reality. I made that claim and that really struck a nerve. I don’t know why that made him so upset.”

    On the question of fighting Masvidal himself, Sonnen drew a clear distinction between acceptance and pursuit.

    “I would never turn down a fight with Jorge Masvidal, but I would never seek a fight with Jorge Masvidal. The guys that I come out on your show when I call these guys like Jon Jones, like Fedor Emelianenko. This is Jorge Masvidal. Like Jorge, I don’t really know what to do with this.”

    He also proposed settling the size argument on the spot.

    “Jorge is greatly out of shape. And Jorge made a claim that he would come up to heavyweight to face me. And I just, I thought that would be fun for your show. Like, hey Jorge, let’s both fly into Ariel’s show and let’s just do a weigh-in right now. I won’t have a lot of time to lose weight. You won’t have a little bit. Let’s just go right into Ariel’s show and let’s just get on a scale because there is no way that he is the smaller guy.”

    Sonnen also questioned whether Masvidal actually controls Gamebred MMA in any operational sense, pressing Helwani repeatedly on whether Masvidal personally signs checks for fighters or holds a promoter’s license, ultimately concluding he does not believe Masvidal is the person paying the talent.

  • Conor McGregor Stirs Middleweight Title Talk With Bold Deleted Post Ahead of UFC 328

    Conor McGregor Stirs Middleweight Title Talk With Bold Deleted Post Ahead of UFC 328

    Conor McGregor sent a brief and eyebrow-raising message about the UFC 328 middleweight title fight before quickly removing it from his timeline, claiming ownership of a belt he has never competed for.

    Previewing the Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland main event in Newark, McGregor posted on X with unusual framing before deleting it.

    “Very excited for the Newark, New Jersey UFC card, with my 185lb UFC title on the line! TUNE IN ON @UFConParamount.”

    The post was removed shortly after it went up, though it had already been captured and circulated widely. McGregor has never competed at middleweight and is best known as a former featherweight and lightweight champion. He is currently preparing to return to the Octagon at welterweight, with a rumored rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas as the most discussed option.

    He has bulked up significantly since his last fight in 2021 and has previously expressed interest in competing as high as 185 pounds, citing the idea that a genuine fighter should not be constrained by the scale.

    UFC 328 takes place May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres Set to Headline UFC Baku on June 27

    The UFC has announced its return to Baku, Azerbaijan on June 27, with Rafael Fiziev headlining the event at the National Gymnastics Arena against Manuel Torres in a lightweight main event.

    Fiziev gets the chance to perform in front of his home country crowd, though he arrives in difficult form. The 33-year-old is 1-4 in his last five fights, with his only win during that stretch coming against Ignacio Bahamondes at last year’s inaugural UFC Baku event. His most recent outing was a second-round knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 325.

    Torres enters on contrasting momentum, riding a two-fight winning streak built on back-to-back first-round knockouts of Drew Dober and Grant Dawson. A win over the ranked Fiziev would be the result that finally cracks Torres into the lightweight top 15.

    The co-feature brings together two of the division’s most entertaining performers. Shara Magomedov returns to face fan-favorite Michel Pereira in a middleweight clash that promises fireworks from the opening bell. Magomedov is coming off a win over Marc-Andre Barriault that helped him rebound from his first professional loss against Michael Page. Pereira enters having snapped a three-fight losing streak with a split decision victory over Zachary Reese.

    UFC Baku takes place June 27 at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, one week before UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

  • Beneil Dariush Announces he is Taking Time Off After UFC Perth Stoppage Loss

    Beneil Dariush Announces he is Taking Time Off After UFC Perth Stoppage Loss

    Beneil Dariush has announced he will be taking time away from fighting following his TKO loss to Quillan Salkilld in the co-main event of UFC Perth on Saturday, a defeat that extended a difficult recent stretch for the veteran lightweight.

    Dariush posted a brief update on Instagram after the fight, reassuring fans about his immediate physical condition while making clear he needs a break.

    “I’m good friends. I have no injuries and I appreciate everyone checking on me. I’ll be taking some time off and heading over to Sydney tomorrow for the week. God bless.”

    The 36-year-old had started the fight well, dropping Salkilld in the early going, before the undefeated Perth native recovered and stopped Dariush in the first round. The loss was Dariush’s fourth knockout defeat in his last five fights, all of them coming in the opening round. His only win during that span was a unanimous decision over Renato Moicano at UFC 317 last June.

    Dariush carries a 23-8-1 overall record and a 17-8-1 mark in the UFC, having spent years as one of the more respected names in the lightweight division. His run of form has raised broader questions about his future in the sport, though he has offered no indication beyond the need for rest at this stage.

  • Josh Hokit Teases a Big UFC White House Announcement

    Josh Hokit Teases a Big UFC White House Announcement

    Josh Hokit has sent the MMA world into a spin with a cryptic social media post teasing an imminent update about the UFC White House card.

    The breakout heavyweight contender posted “Uh oh” alongside a pair of shifty eyes emojis on X before following it up with a more direct tease.

    “BIG WHITE HOUSE FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT.”

    No additional details were provided, leaving fans to speculate in the comments about what the update might entail. Theories ranged from a fight cancellation to a new addition to the card, with Derrick Lewis being among the names fans mentioned as possibly pulling out of his scheduled bout against Hokit.

    Hokit vs. Lewis was the last of seven fights booked for the June 14 event and was put together at the personal request of Donald Trump and Joe Rogan following Hokit’s performance at UFC 327. The announcement tease has not been followed up at the time of writing.

    The full UFC White House card, as currently announced, features Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje in the main event, Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane in the co-main event, Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia, and Hokit vs. Lewis.

  • Dana White Reveals UFC White House Crowd Details: Military Take Priority, Fans Get Free Ellipse Tickets

    Dana White Reveals UFC White House Crowd Details: Military Take Priority, Fans Get Free Ellipse Tickets

    Dana White has confirmed the attendance breakdown for UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, revealing that the crowd inside the White House South Lawn will be made up primarily of military personnel with tickets unavailable for public purchase.

    Speaking on Fox News Channel’s My View with Lara Trump, White explained the breakdown directly.

    “Well, your father-in-law, he wants this to be mostly for the military. So there’s going to be 4,300 people there. I just literally went over it right now, 4,300 people, and most of them will be military.”

    Fans who want to be part of the experience will have an alternative option across the street. White confirmed that the Ellipse, a large park adjacent to the White House, will host approximately 85,000 people with screens, stages, music, and activations throughout the day. Those tickets will be free through a registration process.

    “Across the street is the Ellipse. For those who don’t know, the Ellipse is a massive park that’s literally, you’ll be able to see the fight from the Ellipse. But we have screens, we’ve got stages, we have music, we have activations over there. We’re going to give away about 85,000 tickets. And there’s a process. You have to register for tickets, and they’re free. But you should come to Washington, D.C. that week, the week of the fight. We’re going to be doing all kinds of things in D.C. for fans. It’s really a cool city.”

    The seven-fight card is headlined by Ilia Topuria defending the undisputed lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje, with Alex Pereira challenging Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event.

  • Daniel Cormier Says Nobody Would Complain if Carlos Prates Got the Next Welterweight Title Shot

    Daniel Cormier Says Nobody Would Complain if Carlos Prates Got the Next Welterweight Title Shot

    Daniel Cormier watched Carlos Prates dismantle Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth and came away with one conclusion: the Brazilian is ready to fight for a world title right now.

    Speaking on his YouTube channel, Cormier offered a thorough breakdown of what Prates’ third-round stoppage of the former welterweight champion means for the division’s title picture.

    “Carlos Prates has now put himself on the short-list of fighters who could potentially challenge the champion, Islam Makhachev. Before he goes in there with Jack Della Maddalena, that happens when you’ve already got a victory over Leon Edwards, when you already have beaten guys like Geoff Neal and so many others on your way towards a fight with a former champion. He’s on a short list. He’s already close. You beat the former champion in the way that he beat Della Maddalena – because that was bad. That was bad. Honestly, when I was watching that from afar, I thought to myself — because I’ve never seen Jack just get beat on like that — ‘How does Prates win?’ going into the fight.”

    Cormier also identified a specific lesson in growth from the way Prates handled his main event opportunity compared to his previous stumble on the big stage.

    “That performance told me two things: One, Prates is ready to compete for the UFC championship. Two, Prates learned. The first time Prates did that, against Ian Garry, he froze. He froze. He did not fight well. Not this time, though. I watched him deliver at a level that tells me he’s championship-ready. Dude’s championship-ready. He’s championship-ready right now.”

    He acknowledged the crowded nature of the welterweight division while making clear he would not object to Prates leapfrogging the queue.

    “Here’s the issue though: The weight class is so stacked. It feels like it’s going to be Ian Garry, but if it was to be Prates after that? Nobody would complain. Nobody would complain, and I’ll tell you why: We just saw Islam beat Jack Della Maddalena in the way that he did. We saw him dominate Jack Della Maddalena to win the championship. The way Islam beat Jack was not nearly as impressive as what Carlos Prates did the other day. It was impressive. He made it look easy. But that, yesterday, was crazy. It looked like Della Maddalena didn’t belong in there with Prates.”