MMA News

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Jorge Masvidal Challenges Chael Sonnen to Bare-Knuckle MMA Fight After Sonnen Called Him a Liar

    Jorge Masvidal Challenges Chael Sonnen to Bare-Knuckle MMA Fight After Sonnen Called Him a Liar

    Jorge Masvidal has escalated his feud with Chael Sonnen by challenging him to a bare-knuckle MMA fight at his own promotion, delivering one of his more colorful responses in a career that has not been short of them.

    The confrontation stems from Sonnen calling out Masvidal on his YouTube channel and branding him a liar for claiming to be in discussions with the UFC about a return. Masvidal addressed the comments on the Deathrow podcast and made clear he has not forgotten that Sonnen cornered Colby Covington during their rivalry, which he considers a line crossed.

    “This motherf—er has nerve,” Masvidal said. “Every time he mentions my name his 17 fans tune in because he literally has no views, everyone has forgotten about this guy. I’m gonna beat the living f—ing breaks out of you, but not for free. I’ll pay you to come over to my promotion bare-knuckle MMA, I’ll go up to heavyweight, beat the lesbian out of you.”

    Masvidal and Sonnen had a respectful relationship until Masvidal turned on him in 2022 after comments Sonnen made that Masvidal took as a betrayal. Sonnen’s decision to corner Covington, Masvidal’s most bitter rival, further damaged whatever remained of the dynamic.

    Masvidal is still awaiting a confirmed UFC return. Dana White confirmed he is in discussions with Masvidal about a comeback, though no opponent has been finalized. Masvidal has stated he would immediately drop back to welterweight for a fight with Leon Edwards.

    Gamebred Promotions, Masvidal’s bareknuckle MMA organization, holds its next event on May 1, headlined by Yoel Romero vs. Hector Lombard.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Fires Back at Ronda Rousey’s UFC Pay Complaints

    Khamzat Chimaev Fires Back at Ronda Rousey’s UFC Pay Complaints

    Khamzat Chimaev has pushed back against Ronda Rousey’s criticism of UFC fighter pay, arguing that the promotion was fundamental to making her career possible in the first place.

    Chimaev posted a video ahead of his UFC 328 middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland on May 9, taking direct aim at Rousey’s ongoing complaints about compensation during her time with the UFC.

    “There would never have been Ronda Rousey without UFC,” Chimaev stated in the video.

    The comment frames Chimaev’s position clearly: whatever frustrations Rousey has expressed about pay, the platform the UFC provided was the foundation for everything that followed, including her Hollywood career, her WWE run, and her status as the most recognizable name in the history of women’s MMA.

    Rousey has been a consistent critic of the UFC’s pay structure since retiring from competition, and her comments have continued ahead of her May 16 return against Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Netflix. Chimaev’s response adds the voice of the promotion’s current middleweight champion to a debate that has included fighters on both sides.

    Chimaev enters his first title defense with a perfect 15-0 record. UFC 328 takes place May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

  • Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Training Footage Goes Viral

    Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Training Footage Goes Viral

    Alex Pereira is heading to heavyweight, and new training footage is generating significant buzz ahead of his June 14 interim title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.

    A recent clip shows Pereira working on the pads with longtime coach Glover Teixeira, displaying the same finishing power that has defined his career across two weight classes. The footage suggests the move up to heavyweight has done nothing to diminish the striking ability that made him a two-division UFC champion.

    Pereira previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight titles during his UFC run. A win over Gane at the White House event would make him the first fighter in UFC history to hold championship gold in three different weight classes, a milestone that analysts, including Michael Chiesa, have cited as potentially the strongest argument for calling Pereira the greatest UFC fighter of all time.

    Gane represents a technically demanding opponent for Pereira’s heavyweight debut. The French striker brings elite movement and technical precision to the matchup, and his team has been preparing specifically for Pereira’s power, including sparring sessions with the last man to defeat Pereira in kickboxing.

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington D.C.

  • Mike Winkeljohn Says Alex Pereira’s Left Hook Could Be the Difference Against Gane at UFC White House

    Mike Winkeljohn Says Alex Pereira’s Left Hook Could Be the Difference Against Gane at UFC White House

    Mike Winkeljohn, the coach who helped shape Jon Jones into a champion, is picking Alex Pereira to defeat Ciryl Gane when the two meet for the interim UFC heavyweight title at the White House on June 14, and he has a specific reason for his prediction.

    Speaking to Submission Radio, Winkeljohn acknowledged the technical quality Gane brings to the matchup before explaining where he sees the fight being decided.

    “It’s a tough one. Alex has the power. He has some scary power,” Winkeljohn said. “That is one big man. I think Ciryl has a lot of finesse type of things that are out there. I’m leaning towards Alex in this one a little bit, I really am. It’s kind of a tossup, there’s no doubt about it. I think at the end of the day, there’s something about the left hook that Alex has that might catch Ciryl.”

    Winkeljohn’s belief comes as Gane has been taking specific preparation steps for Pereira’s striking, including sparring with the last man to defeat Pereira in kickboxing. Despite the strategic approach Gane’s camp has taken, Winkeljohn does not believe it will be enough to neutralize Pereira’s power advantage.

    The fight was set after negotiations for a Jon Jones vs. Pereira superfight collapsed. Jones confirmed he had been offered $15 million to face Pereira but the UFC declined to increase the figure, leading the promotion to book Pereira against Gane for the interim belt instead.

    Winkeljohn parted ways with Jones in 2021 after telling the former champion he was not permitted to train at Jackson Wink MMA until he addressed his drinking. Jones had already vacated the light heavyweight title in 2020 and returned to the Octagon in 2023 without his longtime coaching staff.

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C.

  • Joe Rogan Names Paulo Costa as Future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

    Joe Rogan Names Paulo Costa as Future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

    Joe Rogan has made a prediction about the UFC light heavyweight division’s future, naming Paulo Costa as the man who will eventually hold the title following Carlos Ulberg’s ACL injury.

    Rogan made the prediction on his podcast, pointing to the combination of Ulberg’s extended absence and Costa’s recent move to 205 pounds as the circumstances that could propel the Brazilian to championship gold. Costa made his light heavyweight debut at UFC 327, finishing the previously undefeated Azamat Murzakanov with a head kick in the third round of the co-main event.

    Ulberg suffered a torn ACL during his first-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka at the same event, with surgery already completed and a recovery timeline that could keep him out until 2027. The vacancy at the top of the division creates a clear path for contenders to position themselves for a title shot.

    Costa has spent the bulk of his UFC career at middleweight, where he challenged for the championship against Israel Adesanya. He has been open about the physical toll of cutting to 185 pounds and has discussed a potential move to light heavyweight on multiple occasions. His UFC 327 performance made the move official and gave him immediate credibility in the new division.

    No timeline has been confirmed for Costa’s next fight, though he has already called out Khamzat Chimaev for a cross-divisional matchup.

  • Gilbert Burns Abandons Three-Fight Retirement Plan After Malott Loss

    Gilbert Burns had a clear three-fight plan mapped out heading into his UFC Winnipeg bout against Mike Malott, and it vanished the moment Malott knocked him out.

    Speaking with MMA Fighting, Burns revealed the roadmap he had envisioned if he had won in Winnipeg. The plan started with a callout of Colby Covington at International Fight Week, followed by a final retirement fight in Brazil against Daniel Rodriguez, Kevin Holland, or Leon Edwards.

    “If I was winning, I was going to call out Colby for International Fight Week. I had a whole plan,” Burns said. “With a win, if I go out there and I beat this guy and I do a big callout for International Fight Week, then it makes sense. Then I think the UFC would give the Colby fight to me.”

    But Burns had also made a private decision about what a loss would mean, and he honored it immediately.

    “In the back of my head I was thinking if I can’t beat Mike Malott, if I lose, if I got finished, I’m done.”

    The retirement decision carries a particular weight given the nature of his recent losses. Burns had previously fallen to current champions Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, plus top contenders Sean Brady and Michael Morales. Losing to Malott, who has not yet reached those heights, was the line Burns had drawn for himself.

    He enters retirement with a career record of 22-10 and 15-10 in the UFC, including a world title challenge against Kamaru Usman. Burns has already announced plans to transition to fighter management.

  • Ronda Rousey Uses WWE Lessons to Give Blunt Career Advice to Next Generation of Female Fighters

    Ronda Rousey Uses WWE Lessons to Give Blunt Career Advice to Next Generation of Female Fighters

    Ronda Rousey has a direct message for the current generation of female MMA fighters: winning fights is not actually the job.

    Speaking at a press conference promoting her May 16 return against Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Rousey challenged fighters who treat promotional obligations as secondary to their training and offered a framework she developed through her WWE experience for approaching every matchup.

    “I think a lot of them need to realize that just going in and fighting isn’t the whole job and putting a lot of thought into like media and stuff like this and being able to get your message across because your job isn’t to win fights, it’s to get people to watch your fights,” Rousey said.

    She was pointed about what she described as an unprepared approach to media that she has observed across the division.

    “I think a lot of girls now are just going to do media and they’re just winging it. And it shows. You need to put just as much effort into promotion as you do into fighting if you want anyone to watch your awesome fight.”

    Rousey then shared a specific question she learned to ask in WWE that she believes applies equally to MMA.

    “There’s something that I kind of learned in pro wrestling is every single time that we had a match, we’d ask ourselves, ‘What’s the story of the match?’ I would advise everybody in MMA at any matchup that you have, think, ‘What is the story of my match? What is something unique that just the two of us bring to the table that you would never see in any other matchup?’”

    She closed with the bluntest version of the message.

    “It’s not your job to be cool, it’s to get people to watch your f**king fight. So, please think about it.”

    Rousey made her professional MMA debut in March 2011 and became UFC women’s bantamweight champion in 2013, spending several years as the sport’s most recognized global star before transitioning to Hollywood and WWE.

  • Jorge Masvidal Fires Back at Chael Sonnen Over UFC Return Claims

    Jorge Masvidal Fires Back at Chael Sonnen Over UFC Return Claims

    Jorge Masvidal has delivered a response to Chael Sonnen after the analyst accused him of fabricating claims about a potential UFC return, hitting back with a stream of personal attacks and a clarification of what he actually said.

    Sonnen had taken aim at Masvidal on his YouTube channel, suggesting the former BMF titleholder was lying about being in discussions with the UFC to generate headlines. 

    “I have no problem with Masvidal lying, trying to get headlines. As a matter of fact, I support it. You don’t want to contradict your own lie; that’s where the problem comes. If you’re lying to get headlines, you’re not a liar, you’re a performer, and you’re entertaining,” Sonnen said.

    Masvidal’s response was considerably less measured. He opened with a series of personal attacks before getting to the substance of his rebuttal.

    “For starters, this motherfker has some nerve. You lesbian ass motherfer, and no disrespect to the lesbians, this motherfker needs to chill. Now that he’s a lesbian, he thinks I can’t slap him? I’ll still slap the fk out of you, Chael,” Masvidal said, also referencing Sonnen’s past performance-enhancing drug violations and his loss to Anderson Silva. “The only serious thing this guy did was fighting Anderson Silva, lost, got triangle tapped, and he was on seven different PEDs. Dude, you can never talk to me. I’ve never had a positive exam for steroids in my life, shut the f**k up, Chael, you’re talking to a real fighter.”

    On the substance of the dispute, Masvidal denied ever claiming to be officially booked for the UFC White House event.

    “I never said I’m ‘officially’ fighting at the White House, you f**king lying piece of sh*t. There was a lot of interest in that fight, at first, and there was a big chance I’d be on that card. They asked me for a few things, and then the date changed. Not contradicting anything, it’s called rolling with the punches. Now, the UFC has offered me something else,” Masvidal said.

    Masvidal maintains he is in active discussions with the UFC about a return opportunity.

  • Tai Tuivasa Gets New Opponent for UFC Perth After Late Withdrawal

    Tai Tuivasa Gets New Opponent for UFC Perth After Late Withdrawal

    Tai Tuivasa has a new opponent for UFC Perth on May 2, with Louie Sutherland stepping in after Sean Sharaf withdrew due to a broken nose.

    The UFC’s Australia and New Zealand social media account announced the change on Friday. Sutherland, an English heavyweight known as Vanilla Gorilla, is also 0-2 inside the Octagon, having suffered first-round knockout losses to Valter Walker and Brando Pericic since signing with the promotion as a former Levels Fight League champion in 2025. Despite his current skid, he now has the chance to face a former top-five contender on short notice.

    The matchup gives both fighters a path to their first UFC victory, though the stakes are considerably higher for Tuivasa. The Australian is currently on a six-fight losing streak, having last won inside the Octagon with a knockout of Derrick Lewis four years ago.

    Since that victory, he has fallen to Sergei Pavlovich, Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov, Marcin Tybura, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and, most recently, Tallison Teixeira at UFC 325 in Sydney in February. He had previously climbed as high as number three in the heavyweight rankings before his current run began.

    Australian fans will still see Tuivasa compete at home at RAC Arena, and the Perth crowd will be firmly behind him as he looks to end the losing run on familiar ground.

  • Jon Jones Fires Back at Kamaru Usman Over Brock Lesnar Prediction

    Jon Jones Fires Back at Kamaru Usman Over Brock Lesnar Prediction

    Jon Jones has fired back after Kamaru Usman predicted Brock Lesnar would beat him in a hypothetical wrestling match, and his response left no room for ambiguity.

    The exchange started on Usman’s Pound 4 Pound podcast, where the former welterweight champion gave Lesnar the edge in a fantasy wrestling matchup against Jones based on size and pedigree. Lesnar is a former NCAA Division I national champion from 2000 and spent time as UFC heavyweight champion before his brief MMA career wound down.

    “This is an outrageous question. Who would win? Hypothetically, I would say the sheer size of Brock Lesnar and the way he wrestled,” Usman said. “Brock Lesnar wasn’t necessarily a guy ripping shots all the time, but he could wear guys down. Brock would be a bit more offensive, and trying to get a guy of that size down multiple times? I just don’t see it.”

    Jones caught the clip and responded on Instagram Stories with a statement that expanded the challenge well beyond the original premise.

    “@Usman84KG I’m getting my hand raised against you and Brock in the same night,” Jones wrote.

    The response comes as Jones has already turned down one wrestling match proposal. Daniel Cormier recently pitched a $100,000 bet for a wrestling showdown to settle their trilogy after the two rekindled their rivalry as opposing coaches on the ALF Reality show. Jones rejected it publicly, stating Cormier has already had his chance.

    Jones’ future in combat sports remains uncertain following his recent walkback of a retirement announcement. Lesnar appeared to retire from professional wrestling at WrestleMania 42, though insiders at WWE believe his in-ring career may not be fully over.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Reveals RAF Pays Nearly as Much as UFC

    Arman Tsarukyan Reveals RAF Pays Nearly as Much as UFC

    Arman Tsarukyan has revealed that Real American Freestyle is paying him nearly as much as his UFC purses, a remarkable disclosure about a wrestling promotion that has been operating for less than a year.

    Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Tsarukyan confirmed the financial parity when asked directly whether RAF payments are approaching his Octagon earnings.

    “Yes,” he said. “It’s the best. But I still enjoy fighting.”

    Despite the lucrative outside opportunities, Tsarukyan was clear that MMA remains his priority.

    “I don’t like cutting weight, but I enjoy fighting. So fights excite me more than RAF. UFC, for me, is more exciting.”

    Tsarukyan last competed in the UFC at UFC Qatar in November 2025, submitting Dan Hooker to extend his winning streak to five fights. Since being passed over for an interim title shot at UFC 311 in January, he has competed six more times outside the Octagon, recording wins in RAF over Lance Palmer, Georgio Poullas, and Urijah Faber, as well as a submission grappling victory over Muhammad Mokaev.

    His most recent RAF appearance at RAF08 in Philadelphia saw him drive Faber off the edge of the mat and onto the concrete floor during their match. It was the latest in a series of incidents that have accompanied Tsarukyan’s outside-UFC activity, which also included a brawl at RAF06 and being removed from an American Airlines flight.

    Regarding his UFC return, Tsarukyan said he has received positive assurances from the promotion. According to him, UFC executive Hunter Campbell promised he would compete for a title by the end of summer 2026.

  • Joe Rogan Criticizes Jiri Prochazka’s UFC 327 ‘Mercy’ Excuse

    Joe Rogan has rejected Jiri Prochazka’s explanation for his UFC 327 knockout loss to Carlos Ulberg, arguing that while he understands the former champion’s perspective, the excuse does not hold up.

    Prochazka lost the vacant light heavyweight title to Ulberg at UFC 327 in Miami after being knocked out by a left hook from his injured opponent. Ulberg had suffered a torn ACL during the fight but still managed to land the finishing blow. Prochazka initially attributed the loss to showing mercy, but later clarified that he believed the referee was about to stop the fight due to Ulberg’s knee injury.

    On his podcast, Rogan addressed both sides of the situation and ultimately reached the same conclusion as other analysts who have weighed in.

    “You’ve got to look at it two ways, one you’ve got to look at it from Jiri’s perspective, he had it there, the fight was over, he was hurt,” Rogan said. “But you look at it from Carlos’ perspective. Carlos Ulberg was hurt, he can’t move his leg, they’re probably gonna stop it in between rounds. Then boom, he clips him with a left hook.”

    He was direct about where the responsibility lies.

    “He clearly did get upset, I really do think that he got upset. It doesn’t matter, Carlos got him, he f—ed up, it’s part of fighting, you have to be ruthless.”

    Rogan also acknowledged the emotional complexity of the result without letting it change his verdict.

    “Yeah, I felt bad for Jiri but I felt great for Carlos at the same time. It’s like, I get it, it’s a hard pill to swallow, I get it, you did back off but he found a way to win in the most spectacular way possible. I understand his perspective that he did f— up and he could’ve attacked and been smarter but you can’t have that excuse.”

    Ulberg is currently recovering from knee surgery in Las Vegas and is not expected to return to competition until 2027.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Confirms UFC BJJ Match

    Arman Tsarukyan Confirms UFC BJJ Match

    Arman Tsarukyan has confirmed that his grappling match against UFC BJJ champion Mikey Musumeci is set for August or September, adding another competition to his already packed schedule outside the Octagon.

    Tsarukyan revealed the timeline during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, noting that the rules of UFC BJJ require him to compete in one match before he can challenge for the championship, which he plans to do ahead of the Musumeci bout.

    “Yeah, it’s a real thing, it’s probably gonna be in August or September, so, I wanna do that, I gotta do one grappling before him because it’s new rules, I’ve gotta see how it works,” Tsarukyan said.

    UFC BJJ matchmaker Claudia Gadelha expressed interest in making the match after Musumeci publicly called out Tsarukyan earlier this year. Tsarukyan is likely to fulfill his prerequisite match on May 30, potentially on the Real American Freestyle card headlined by Gable Steveson.

    The Musumeci announcement comes as Tsarukyan continues to wait for his next UFC booking despite holding the number one contender spot in the lightweight division.

    Rumors of a BMF title rematch against Charles Oliveira have come out without confirmation. Tsarukyan has competed seven times outside the Octagon since his last UFC appearance, recording wins in wrestling, submission grappling, and most recently defeating Urijah Faber at RAF08.

  • Ilia Topuria Refuses to Call Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway Because of One Reason

    Ilia Topuria Refuses to Call Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway Because of One Reason

    Ilia Topuria says the results of both Conor McGregor and Max Holloway in their most recent fights make it genuinely impossible for him to predict a winner in their rumored UFC 329 matchup.

    Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Topuria cited Holloway’s lopsided unanimous-decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 as a result that caught him completely off guard, undermining his ability to break down what Holloway brings to the table against McGregor.

    “I thought that Max was going to beat Charles and he lost by complete domination. So I don’t know,” Topuria said.

    He also pointed to McGregor’s surprise submission loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 as evidence that the Irishman’s performances are simply too unpredictable to analyze with any confidence.

    “With Conor, you never know. Sometimes he goes in, he makes it look easy. Sometimes he lost to Nate Diaz. When you lose to Nate Diaz, it’s very difficult to make predictions about someone like him.”

    Topuria knocked out Holloway in 2024 during his featherweight title defense before both fighters moved up to lightweight. His inability to call the McGregor and Holloway fight reflects how much the recent Oliveira result shifted his understanding of where Holloway stands.

    McGregor’s return to the Octagon at UFC 329 on July 11 would be his first fight since his broken leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021. Topuria, meanwhile, prepares to defend the undisputed lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event on June 14.

  • Luke Rockhold Calls Sean Strickland ‘A Piece of S**t’ While Predicting UFC 328 Title Fight

    Luke Rockhold Calls Sean Strickland ‘A Piece of S**t’ While Predicting UFC 328 Title Fight

    Luke Rockhold is backing Khamzat Chimaev to dominate Sean Strickland at UFC 328, and his reasoning goes well beyond fight analysis.

    The former UFC middleweight champion recently trained with Chimaev and spoke to Adam Zubayraev about the May 9 title fight in Newark, New Jersey, offering his take on both competitors, making his allegiances clear.

    “Sean is effective and he’s scrappy and he hangs in there,” Rockhold said. “Khamzat is so much more talented, it’s about who can relax and implement their game plan the best and Khamzat’s doing everything he needs to and I think he can really have a masterclass.”

    Rockhold then went further, framing the fight not just as a matchup between two fighters but as a contest between two people of very different character in his view.

    “I would love to see him put this f***ing American away,” Rockhold said. “I’m American, but I like good people. Khamzat is a great person, through and through. Sean Strickland, he’s a piece of s**t.”

    Strickland’s popularity has surged on the back of his upset knockout of Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 and his unfiltered public persona, though that same persona has also drawn significant criticism. His social media activity has included offensive posts targeting various groups, including a photoshopped image of himself as an ICE agent ahead of his February win over Anthony Hernandez.

    Rockhold also addressed Chimaev’s mental state heading into the defense compared to his previous run toward the title.

    “I think last time out there was a little bit of tension, he wanted to win the world title,” Rockhold said. “Now he can go out there and be his best and I expect the best from Khamzat.”

    The pre-fight tension between the two fighters has escalated publicly, with Chimaev suggesting a street encounter with Strickland could be dangerous and Strickland responding that Chimaev was the last person in America who should be making threats. Rockhold dismissed the idea that any of that would get inside Chimaev’s head.

    “Piss him off? I doubt that, no. Sean doesn’t roll as deep as my man here, so I think we’re in good hands and a fight’s a fight. You’ve got to play the game.”

  • Jorge Masvidal Defends Charles Oliveira’s BMF Title Win

    Jorge Masvidal Defends Charles Oliveira’s BMF Title Win

    Jorge Masvidal has come to Charles Oliveira’s defense over his BMF title victory at UFC 326, even after admitting the performance cost him a significant amount of money.

    Oliveira defeated Max Holloway via unanimous decision in their rematch at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, retaining the BMF title with a grappling-heavy approach that frustrated fans who expected a striking showcase. The performance sparked debate over whether a control-based wrestling strategy was appropriate for a belt built on explosive, memorable fighting.

    Speaking on The Bohnfire podcast, Masvidal pushed back against that criticism from a position of unique authority as the inaugural BMF champion.

    “I think it’s still very BMF,” Masvidal said. “Maybe people don’t like the style, but Charles was trying to end him the whole time. It wasn’t like he was a crotch sniffer, where he was getting to halfway situations and just holding on for dear life. He was getting to good positions, either elbowing him or going for submissions. That’s not in any way a bad performance.”

    Masvidal also made the case that Oliveira’s motivation gave the performance a deeper meaning than the scorecards alone could capture.

    “People say that BMFs are supposed to just stand and strike. I see that point. But on Charles Oliveira’s part, Max had made him quit some years ago. To come back, full circle, and beat the guy that made you quit. That’s a BMF.”

    He then revealed the personal cost of his loyalty to Holloway in that fight.

    “Props to Charles, and I dumped the house on Max. Man, I lost a lot of money there.”

    The UFC prohibits active athletes from betting on the promotion’s events. Masvidal retired in 2023 but has been targeting a comeback in 2026 and still holds an active contract.

  • Francis Ngannou Says UFC Used Jon Jones as Bait in Talks

    Francis Ngannou Says UFC Used Jon Jones as Bait in Talks

    Francis Ngannou has revealed that the Jon Jones superfight that was dangled during his UFC contract negotiations was never a genuine offer, describing it as leverage rather than a real booking the promotion intended to make.

    Speaking about the circumstances of his 2023 departure from the UFC, Ngannou said the matchup that fans and analysts had been anticipating for years was used as a tool to keep him engaged in talks without any actual commitment behind it.

    “The fight was never really on the table,” Ngannou stated.

    The revelation adds new context to one of the most discussed exits in UFC history. At the time Ngannou left, many observers believed a Jones fight was imminent, making his departure feel particularly abrupt.

    Despite the frustration, Ngannou said he still wants the Jones matchup before his career ends and views it as unfinished business. Jones has remained with the UFC and continues to hold the heavyweight title, while Ngannou has since competed in boxing and signed with the PFL.

    Ngannou returns to the cage on May 16 at the Netflix card at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, facing Philipe Lins on the same night Ronda Rousey headlines against Gina Carano.

  • Francis Ngannou: Most UFC Fighters Lack Courage for Free Agency

    Francis Ngannou: Most UFC Fighters Lack Courage for Free Agency

    Francis Ngannou has a message for UFC fighters who are unhappy with their contracts but unwilling to walk away: most simply lack the courage to claim their freedom.

    The former heavyweight champion, who departed the UFC in 2023 following a contentious contractual dispute, made his position clear in an interview with ESPN ahead of the first live MMA event on Netflix, where he will face Philipe Lins on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

    Ngannou pointed to the Netflix card itself as evidence that opportunities outside the UFC exist for those who are positioned to take them. At the recent New York press conference, Nate Diaz described the event as one featuring free fighters. Ngannou backed that framing fully.

    “There’s always the opportunity,” Ngannou said. “I think you just have to be around and be free. Make sure you’re in the position to catch that opportunity when it comes. If you get yourself stuck in a contract because you’re afraid of being alone out there, when the opportunity comes, you might be stuck in some contract.”

    He argued that fear is the primary force keeping fighters in situations they are dissatisfied with, and that the same fear causes them to miss out when something significant materializes.

    “That’s what happened to a lot of fighters. They are just so scared of being free, being without promotion, without a promoter, or something that they can do. They will sign up for everything just to be in the promotion, and then the day that the opportunity, the real opportunity, comes around, they are not there,” Ngannou said.

    He did not romanticize free agency or pretend the path outside a major promotion is easy.

    “We all talk about free agency, but it’s like it’s something that also demands you to be strong. You’re going to be out there on your own without having any idea about your future, not knowing if you’re going to fight, have a short notice in 10 days, or if you’re going to fight and go a year back without fighting,” he said.

    But he was blunt about what keeps fighters from taking that step.

    “This fight, this could have been an opportunity for so many people, but they are all locked somewhere in the contract that they are not very happy about, that is not helping them. But they don’t have the balls to stand on their own and claim that freedom.”

    Since leaving the UFC, Ngannou has competed in the PFL and pursued boxing, most recently fighting in October 2024. The Netflix card on May 16 also features Diaz, Mike Perry, Junior dos Santos, and Muhammad Mokaev, with Ronda Rousey headlining against Gina Carano.

  • Colby Covington Ousted From UFC Top 15 as New Blood Enters Welterweight Rankings

    Colby Covington Ousted From UFC Top 15 as New Blood Enters Welterweight Rankings

    Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC welterweight rankings for the first time since 2017, with the latest edition of the promotion’s 170-pound rankings dropping him from the top 15 as Mike Malott and Yaroslav Amosov entered the picture.

    The removal ends a prolonged debate about Covington’s continued presence in the rankings despite sustained inactivity. UFC CEO Dana White had acknowledged in January that it was odd to have Covington ranked given that he had fought only once per year between 2020 and 2024. His most recent result was a TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024, and his last victory came against now-retired Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.

    Covington dismissed the criticism when it first surfaced. “It really doesn’t matter what Dana White thinks of me. I’m a world champion. I’m Donald Trump’s favorite fighter. I’m America’s champion. I’m the king of Miami. You can never take those titles away from me. Take me out of those rankings, but whatever, I’m still the biggest draw at welterweight. It makes no difference what number is next to my name. I know what I’m capable of, and I know I’m still the best fighter and wrestler on planet Earth,” he told reporters in January.

    Despite his stated connection to the President, Covington did not land a spot on the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House on June 14, something he was reportedly disappointed about. No imminent plans for his return to the Octagon have been announced.

    Covington has remained active outside the UFC, competing in Real American Freestyle earlier this year and defeating Dillon Danis by technical fall. He is expected to headline RAF 09 on May 30 in Dallas.

  • Jose Aldo Says His Relationship With Conor McGregor Has Completely Changed

    Jose Aldo Says His Relationship With Conor McGregor Has Completely Changed

    Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor were once bitter rivals, but the former featherweight champion says their relationship has been completely transformed and the two now exchange messages and share genuine goodwill.

    Speaking to Jackpot City Casino, Aldo explained how things have changed in the years since their 13-second UFC featherweight title fight at UFC 194 in December 2015, a bout that ended Aldo’s historic championship reign and one that Aldo has spoken openly about as a moment where his hatred for McGregor cost him.

    “What is my relationship with Conor like now? It’s very good,” Aldo said. “Not just with Conor, but with all my opponents, I’ve always had respect and a certain fondness for everyone. We exchange messages now and then. Recently I told him I was very happy he accepted Jesus as his saviour. I congratulated him and all that.”

    McGregor has been open in recent months about a significant personal and spiritual transformation, discussing his faith publicly following trauma treatment. Aldo’s acknowledgment of that journey reflects a warmth toward his former rival that would have seemed unthinkable during the intensity of their 2015 lead-up.

    “Brazilian fans feel strongly because of how our fight went and everything that happened. But I have a good relationship with him and I always wish him the best. I hope he continues on the right path and does great things in life,” Aldo continued.

    On the subject of McGregor’s expected return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11, Aldo offered his view on why the matchup makes sense.

    “If it happened now, I think it would be a great fight for both Conor and Holloway. Both are stand-up fighters, similar in age, it’s a great matchup and a great comeback opportunity for Conor.”

    Aldo himself is expected to fight on the same UFC 329 card after being passed over for a spot on the UFC White House event.

  • Ilia Topuria Says He Would Fight Arman Tsarukyan If This Happens

    Ilia Topuria Says He Would Fight Arman Tsarukyan If This Happens

    Ilia Topuria has reversed course on his previous reluctance to fight Arman Tsarukyan, confirming he would have no issue accepting the matchup if Justin Gaethje were to withdraw from their UFC White House title fight on June 14.

    Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Topuria made his position on opponent flexibility clear. “If they call me tomorrow and they tell me Justin is injured and I have to fight Arman, I will fight Arman, no problem. If they call me and they tell me that Arman is injured and I have to fight Ariel, I’m gonna fight Ariel, no problem. I go whoever, whenever, I’m ready.”

    Tsarukyan had been vocal about wanting to serve as backup fighter for the White House card and has advised Gaethje to pull out so he could take the spot.

    Despite the softer tone on accepting the fight, Topuria made equally clear that his opinion of Tsarukyan as a fighter has not changed.

    “He’s a kid. His mentality, he’s dumb as f—. Everything that I saw about him on the internet, it’s embarrassing. F— Arman, who cares about him. He’s not on my level. If we cross paths, I’m gonna break his jaw in the first round.”

    Topuria defends the lightweight championship against Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C.

  • UFC Vegas 118 Full Card Revealed With Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim Headlining

    UFC Vegas 118 Full Card Revealed With Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim Headlining

    The UFC has revealed the full card for UFC Vegas 118 on June 6 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, with former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad headlining against rising contender Gabriel Bonfim.

    Muhammad enters the fight on a two-fight losing streak following a decision loss to Ian Machado Garry in November. Bonfim, meanwhile, has won four consecutive fights, including a stoppage of Randy Brown at UFC Vegas 111 in the same month.

    The co-main event features a middleweight matchup between Brendan Allen and Edmen Shahbazyan. Bryce Mitchell takes on Victor Henry in a bantamweight featured bout, while ranked lightweight Fares Ziam faces Contender Series product Tom Nolan. Ranked flyweight Bruno Silva faces Edgar Chairez, and Jordan Leavitt meets Joanderson Brito in a lightweight contest.

    The event serves as the final card before UFC Freedom 250 at the White House the following week on June 14.

    The full card is as follows: Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim, Brendan Allen vs. Edmen Shahbazyan, Bryce Mitchell vs. Victor Henry, Fares Ziam vs. Tom Nolan, Iwo Baraniewski vs. Billy Elekana, Imanol Rodriguez vs. Matt Schnell, Marcus McGhee vs. Jakub Wiklacz, Bruno Silva vs. Edgar Chairez, Jordan Leavitt vs. Joanderson Brito, Ketlen Souza vs. Ariane Carnelossi, Priscila Cachoeira vs. Chelsea Chandler, and Jeisla Chavez vs. Yuneisy Duben.

  • UFC Analyst Says Alex Pereira Becomes GOAT With Win at White House

    UFC Analyst Says Alex Pereira Becomes GOAT With Win at White House

    Alex Pereira is one win away from cementing what UFC analyst Michael Chiesa believes would be an undeniable case as the greatest fighter in the promotion’s history.

    Chiesa, a recently retired welterweight veteran who now serves as a desk analyst for the UFC, made his position clear when discussing Pereira’s upcoming interim heavyweight championship fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House.

    “If he beats Ciryl Gane, without a doubt he’s No. 1,” Chiesa told MMA Junkie. “You could make the argument if Alex Pereira — I don’t care if you want to split hairs over the undisputed championship or the interim championship, if you want to split hairs on that, that’s on you.

    But if someone can capture three UFC belts in three different weight classes, you have thrust yourself into the conversation as greatest of all-time. Not of the decade, we’re talking all-time. He’s one win away from going to the top of an ultra-prestigious, very controversial list.”

    Pereira has already won titles at middleweight and light heavyweight, making a victory over Gane historically unprecedented. No fighter in UFC history has captured championship gold in three separate divisions, and doing so at 38 years old would add another dimension to the achievement.

    Chiesa emphasized that Pereira’s legacy is not contingent on the Gane result, pointing to the frequency and manner of his finishes as qualities that stand regardless of what comes next.

    “The frequency of the fights and the way that he finishes his fights, he is must-see TV,” Chiesa said. “Alex, whether he beats Ciryl Gane or not, whether he wins his next three or loses his next three, one thing is for sure, we have to appreciate what he’s done and appreciate him while we have him, because we will never see another fighter like Alex Pereira.”

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C.

  • Aaron Pico Admits His UFC Debut Approach Was ‘Just Unnecessary’ and Explains What Changed Against Pitbull

    Aaron Pico Admits His UFC Debut Approach Was ‘Just Unnecessary’ and Explains What Changed Against Pitbull

    Aaron Pico felt the weight of his entire UFC future riding on his performance against Patricio Pitbull at UFC 327, and he was not keeping that pressure to himself.

    Speaking with MMA Fighting, Pico was candid about the mental reality of walking into only his second UFC fight already feeling like a must-win situation after a brutal knockout loss in his debut against Lerone Murphy, who ended the fight with a spinning back elbow just over three minutes in.

    “For sure, it was a must win. My job was on the line. That’s the way I felt,” Pico said. “It’s a scary thought knowing that hey, if you drop this match, you may be cut. You never know. That was never said to me, so I was just speculating. Maybe I didn’t need to do that, but yeah, I needed to win. That’s just bottom line.”

    He pointed to the cautionary example of Patchy Mix, a fellow Bellator veteran who joined the UFC with significant fanfare and was released after going 0-2. Pico recognized that hype has no protective value in a results-driven organization.

    “Nobody is special. You can be cut at any time. I don’t take it for granted. I don’t feel special in any way.”

    Pico also identified what went wrong in the Murphy fight and what he changed against Pitbull. He described his debut approach as unnecessarily reckless, acknowledging that his aggressive style looked dominant right up until it got him knocked out.

    “The first two minutes was crazy. If I would have just taken a step back, used my footwork, took him down again, held him down, eventually he would have gone out. But everything happens for a reason. I had to really assess my game.”

    Against Pitbull, Pico was more patient and tactically disciplined while still delivering the entertainment he is known for. The result was a shutout victory and his first top 15 ranking from the UFC.

    He also described a mental reset he gave himself walking into the arena for the Pitbull fight, drawing on the Murphy experience as a reference point rather than a source of fear.

    “The worst thing has happened to me in the UFC. I was on one of the biggest cards of the year, got knocked out in front of probably millions of people watching. So next time, when you step into that cage in a few hours, just let it flow. Exactly how you sparred, do it in the cage and enjoy it.”

  • Gilbert Burns On MMA Retirement With No Regrets: ‘I Gave Everything to the Sport’

    Gilbert Burns On MMA Retirement With No Regrets: ‘I Gave Everything to the Sport’

    Gilbert Burns left his gloves in the Octagon after his TKO loss to Mike Malott at UFC Winnipeg on Saturday, ending a 14-year MMA career with no regrets and a quiet sense of peace about everything he gave the sport.

    The retirement was kept completely private before the fight. No one outside Burns’ inner circle knew he was considering stepping away, making the post-fight moment all the more emotional when it unfolded in front of the Winnipeg crowd.

    Burns explained that the decision came from a place of honesty with himself in the moment, the fight was not going the way he planned.

    “I gave everything to the sport,” Burns told MMA Junkie. “When I wasn’t able to execute the game plan, when I felt he’s a little faster, stronger, a little bit this and that, then I was kind of like, ‘OK, if I cannot beat Mike Malott.’ Nothing against him. He’s a real contender. He’s a good fighter, but I don’t think he’s the top of the division like the other guys were. I said, ‘I will be honest. If I cannot beat him, that’s it.’”

    He had gone into the fight with a clear fork in the road mapped out. A win over Malott would have led to a callout of Colby Covington and a push for a fight during International Fight Week. A loss meant retirement.

    On the question of regrets, Burns was equally clear. “No regrets. I think I learned so much through the losses through the career. I don’t think I would change much. It was a great learning experience, growing experience. It was a good journey.”

    He also reflected on what his career means as a lesson for his children, saying the message he wants them to take is about the value of full commitment to a goal regardless of the outcome.

    “They see the sacrifice, they see me training every day. Sometimes the results don’t come my way. And then I say, ‘But you guys saw the journey, right?’ I didn’t leave any stone unturned. I did everything. But sometimes the result is not going to come. It’s just life.”

    Burns finishes his career with a record of 22-10 in MMA and 15-10 inside the UFC, including a world title challenge against Kamaru Usman and victories over some of the most recognizable names in the welterweight division’s history.