MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • UFC Rankings Report: Ian Garry Moves Above Rival Joaquin Buckley After Kansas City Win

    UFC Rankings Report: Ian Garry Moves Above Rival Joaquin Buckley After Kansas City Win

    The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Kansas City, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.

    Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.

    Women’s Strawweight: At the bottom of the 115-pound UFC rankings, Tecia Pennington (#14) has moved above Luana Pinheiro (#15).

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards has replaced Melissa Mullins in the rankings at 135 pounds after her knockout win over Chelsea Chandler this past weekend. She’s entered at #14, pushing Chandler back to #15.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: David Onama secured the biggest win of his career to date in Kansas City when he got the better of Giga Chikadze. As a result, he’s debuted in the rankings at #14, leaving Chikadze out entirely. Those moves have resulted in one-place rises for both Youssef Zalal (#12) and Dan Ige (#13).

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: Following his main event victory over Carlos Prates on Saturday night, Ian Garry has received a small boost up the UFC rankings at 170 pounds. “The Future” has climbed one spot to #6, leaving him above his rival Joaquin Buckley (#7).

    Middleweight: After defeating Michel Pereira, Abus Magomedov has replaced the Brazilian in the rankings. His entry at #15 has pushed Pereira out, while Roman Kopylov is on the up at #14.

    Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang spoiled Anthony Smith’s hopes to go out on a high in Kansas City, and that’s seen him replace “Lionheart” in the rankings at #14.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Dustin Poirier Reveals Two Suggestions UFC Turned Down For Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier Reveals Two Suggestions UFC Turned Down For Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight is locked in versus Max Holloway at UFC 318, but “Blessed” evidently wasn’t among the first two names pitched by the former interim lightweight champion.

    After his third failed bid at achieving undisputed kingpin status on MMA’s biggest stage last year, Poirier decided against hanging up the gloves just yet. Instead, he’ll enter the cage for one final farewell.

    That’ll come in competition for Holloway’s symbolic BMF title in the main event at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center on July 19. But though a trilogy with the Hawaiian will mark his career’s conclusion, it turns out Poirier initially had other potential matchups in mind.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, “The Diamond” revealed that he enquired to UFC higher-ups about another trilogy — a score-settler with Justin Gaethje — and the chance to welcome Ilia Topuria back to 155 pounds.

    “I was asking for Gaethje,” Dustin Poirier said. “I was asking Hunter (Campbell) and the UFC for Gaethje, because we’re 1-1 and I want to close out that trilogy. For some reason they really wanted this fight, so I said, ‘OK, that’s cool because I respect the guy for my last fight.’ I don’t know what their thought process was for putting this together with me and Max, but I have a lot of respect for him, so it makes a lot of sense for me. I said legends only. Definitely fits that.

    “Not once (did they offer Topuria),” Poirier continued. “When he said he was going to 155, I messaged Hunter and the UFC and I said, ‘Hey, what’s up? Let me know what’s going on with this guy now that he’s at ’55.’ But they never entertained it. They told me it’s not happening and they wanted Max.”

  • Anthony Smith Explains Angry Gesture At Fan After Dominant Loss In UFC Kansas City Retirement Fight

    Anthony Smith Explains Angry Gesture At Fan After Dominant Loss In UFC Kansas City Retirement Fight

    UFC light heavyweight veteran Anthony Smith has revealed the actions that resulted in him flipping off a fan moments after a crushing loss in his retirement fight.

    Smith made the walk to the Octagon for the final time at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Kansas City. While “Lionheart” had no doubt hoped to exit the sport on a high, Zhang Mingyang provided a hurdle too tall in that regard.

    The Chinese standout maintained his 100 percent first-round finishing rate with a dominant performance in Missouri. But his emphatic display and the conclusion of Smith’s career weren’t the only talking points.

    In the immediate aftermath of the TKO stoppage, a bloodied Smith could be seen angrily gesturing toward a fan in the crowd. During the UFC Kansas City Post Show, the 36-year-old explained what got him so riled up.

    “There was a guy in a Nebraska shirt and he was like booing me and flipping me off and kind of talking trash before the fight,” Anthony Smith said. “But I was really focused on what I had to do. Then after the fight, his friend is cheering and he’s still flipping me off and saying some pretty disrespectful things.

    “I was so mad. He was wearing a Nebraska shirt! We’re supposed to be family here. It’s not a very big community of people here,” Smith continued. “Mingyang is like, ‘Don’t do this brother, you’ve got to quit that.’ Listen, I was emotional. The fight didn’t go the way I wanted it to go. That is what it is. That’s just part of the game. … If you’re sitting in the crowd, you’re definitely not doing what I’m doing, especially wearing a Nebraska shirt. You can’t talk trash wearing a Nebraska shirt! Like, come on now!”

  • Latest UFC Fight Announcements Featuring Dustin Poirier, Kamaru Usman, And More

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming fight cards.

    With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    Between Monday, April 21, and Sunday, April 27, a number of fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources.

    For those matchups, including the next bouts for Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Kamaru Usman, and Rafael Fiziev, check out the list below:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted:

  • Dustin Poirier Set To Challenge For A Title In His Retirement Fight At UFC 318

    Dustin Poirier Set To Challenge For A Title In His Retirement Fight At UFC 318

    UFC legend Dustin Poirier has his final fight in the calendar — and it comes against a familiar adversary.

    Poirier will be making his farewell as an active mixed martial artist in 2025. He committed to one more walk to the Octagon soon after his latest failed shot at the undisputed lightweight title last June in Newark, where he was submitted in round five of the UFC 302 main event by Islam Makhachev.

    “The Diamond” outlined that he was targeting fellow “legends” of the sport for a showdown close to home in New Orleans this summer when discussing his search for an opponent.

    And when it comes to that description, the promotion certainly obliged.

    The UFC officially announced this week that Poirier will run it back with Max Holloway in competition for the symbolic BMF title at UFC 318 in New Orleans on July 19.

    While Poirier is coming off a submission defeat to the lightweight kingpin last time out, Holloway fell short opposite Ilia Topuria, the now-former featherweight titleholder. “Blessed” was knocked out for the first time in his career by “El Matador” in Abu Dhabi last October.

    The Hawaiian will now return to lightweight to defend the BMF belt for the first time since capturing it from Justin Gaethje, who earned the symbolic strap with a KO of Poirier in 2023.

    Holloway is currently 0-2 against “The Diamond,” having been submitted by the Louisianan in 2012 before being outpointed in their 2019 rematch for the interim UFC lightweight title.

  • Mateusz Gamrot Booked For Shock UFC Fight Against Unranked Prospect

    Mateusz Gamrot Booked For Shock UFC Fight Against Unranked Prospect

    Top 10 UFC lightweight contender Mateusz Gamrot has been handed a surprise assignment.

    Gamrot (24-3, 1 NC) is yet to compete in 2025, having most recently had his push up the 155-pound ladder stalled by Dan Hooker at UFC 305 in Australia last August.

    That result relegated the Polish standout to #7 in the rankings, and that’s a spot he’ll need to defend opposite a rising prospect currently outside the top 15 next time out.

    The UFC announced this week that Gamrot will do battle at UFC Vegas 107 inside the Apex on May 31 with Ľudovít Klein (23-4-1).

    For many, the Slovakian 30-year-old is overdue a shot at breaking into the rankings. “Mr. Highlight” has amassed an unbeaten run spanning seven fights, most recently outpointing Roosevelt Roberts to cap off a 3-0 year in 2024.

    Prior to a narrow split decision setback to Hooker, meanwhile, Gamrot had defeated Jalin Turner, Rafael Fiziev, and Rafael dos Anjos consecutively.

    The fight against Klein has come as a surprise to many fans, especially after “Gamer” previously campaigned for clashes with the likes of Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan in the past few months.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Denies Injury Rumors, Teases UFC Fight Announcement ‘Soon’

    Dricus Du Plessis Denies Injury Rumors, Teases UFC Fight Announcement ‘Soon’

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis has addressed recent speculation regarding the status of his next title defense.

    The undefeated Khamzat Chimaev looked to have secured a first title shot in MMA’s leading promotion this summer after he breezed past former champ Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi last October.

    But though reports placed his clash with Du Plessis on the UFC 317 card during International Fight Week in late June, Kevin Iole recently claimed that an injury to “Stillknocks” is set to delay his third defense.

    “Borz” was quick to corroborate the news with a frustrated post on social media, but Du Plessis has now denied the speculation.

    The South African titleholder hit back at recent rumors in an Instagram post, insisting that no June fight was ever signed and that an announcement regarding his return date is on the way.

    “Okey so everyone had their opinions and rumours and stories about a shin break and injuries etc.,” Du Plessis wrote. “I found it all very entertaining, unfortunately none of it is true myself and @ufc already discussed a fight date and opponent, the June fight was never signed I did not pull out of any fight, I am the champion I know when I fight you as a contender just show up when we tell you to. Fight announcement coming soon stay tuned. 🇿🇦 #preparetobeamazed #stillknocks👑“

    For now, talk of the International Fight Week main event has turned to Ilia Topuria, who is expected to challenge for lightweight gold in the UFC 317 main event.

  • 308-Pound Tai Tuivasa Plots UFC Comeback In 2026 After Lengthy Break Amid Losing Skid

    308-Pound Tai Tuivasa Plots UFC Comeback In 2026 After Lengthy Break Amid Losing Skid

    UFC heavyweight veteran Tai Tuivasa is targeting a 2026 return to the Octagon, as he looks to bounce back from a difficult run of losses.

    Since rising to a career high #3 in the rankings when a knockout of Derrick Lewis put him on a five-fight winning run, fan favorite Tuivasa has experienced nothing but defeat inside the Octagon.

    2024 began with “Bam Bam” suffering a fourth straight loss, with Marcin Tybura adding to the woes of the Australian’s setbacks opposite Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich, and Alexander Volkov.

    And at last August’s UFC 305 pay-per-view in Perth, Australia, it was the turn of Rozenstruik to get in on the action. “Bigi Boy” followed up on his headline win over Shamil Gaziev earlier in the year by comfortably outpointing Tuivasa in enemy territory.

    During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, the KO specialist revealed that he currently weighs in excess of 300 pounds, having decided to take a lengthy break from competition.

    The Aussie did, however, provide an update on his status and outline a return timeline.

    “I’m gonna aim for start of next year,” he said. “I need to get back in the gym. I need to get fit. I need to get ready. I feel much better now I’ve had this break… I’ve got something to prove, I’m not done yet.”

    And when he does make his comeback, “Bam Bam” doesn’t see much in terms of tough competition.

    “It’s definitely been something I’ve been thinking about a lot since I’ve been having this time off… The heavyweights are sh*t,” Tuivasa stated. “They’re all sh*t, except for Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Other than that, f*cking everyone’s pretty standard.”

  • Ian Garry Gives Honest Take On Islam Makhachev’s Possible Welterweight Arrival

    Ian Garry Gives Honest Take On Islam Makhachev’s Possible Welterweight Arrival

    UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry expects more domination for Islam Makhachev should he commit to a move up to 170 pounds.

    Garry currently has his focus on the charging Carlos Prates, whom he’ll share the cage with in the main event of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Kansas City.

    Soon enough, though, the Irishman may have a champion from below to worry about.

    As talk of a showdown between Makhachev and Ilia Topuria continues to grow, reports have suggested that the lightweight kingpin is awaiting the result of Belal Muhammad’s title defense against Jack Della Maddalena before deciding whether to remain at 155 pounds or pursue two-division glory up at welterweight.

    And should the latter come to fruition, Garry sees trouble in the future of the 170-pound roster.

    “I think he’s an absolute disaster for everyone in the (welterweight) division if he comes up and doesn’t have to cut weight,” Garry said during a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri. “I would love to test myself against him.”

  • Israel Adesanya Explains Strong Desire For Sean Strickland Rematch

    Israel Adesanya Explains Strong Desire For Sean Strickland Rematch

    Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has his sights on redemption against a familiar adversary next time out.

    Adesanya is currently riding a three-fight losing skid — a disappointing run that began with a shock decision defeat to Sean Strickland in Sydney two years ago.

    Against the odds and predictions of many, “Tarzan” dropped the then-champ early before comfortably outstriking him across five rounds. The title win went down as one of the promotion’s greatest upsets, and it was enough to net MMA News’ Performance of the Year award for 2023.

    The result brought the Nigerian-New Zealander’s sophomore title reign to a quick end and served as the catalyst for a break. He’s since returned to action and suffered stoppage losses to both Dricus Du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov.

    Despite some in the community calling for retirement, Adesanya was quick to dismiss that and outline the plan for his next fight — a rematch with Strickland.

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Adesanya explained why he’s so keen to run it back with the controversial American.

    “This time I am gonna come at him correct,” Adesanya said. “I used to get bullied a lot as a kid. He’s an embodiment of that, in the sense that he attacked young me, my inner child. So I want to get some get back for him.”

    Strickland most recently competed in a rematch, as he ran it back with champ Du Plessis in competition for the middleweight gold this past February.

    Having failed to regain the belt at UFC 312 in Sydney, “Tarzan” has some work to do against fellow contenders if he’s to reinsert his name into the championship conversation.

  • Ilia Topuria To Fight For Lightweight Title At UFC 317, With Or Without Islam Makhachev

    Ilia Topuria To Fight For Lightweight Title At UFC 317, With Or Without Islam Makhachev

    It would seem that former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has gotten his wish for an immediate shot at adding lightweight gold to his trophy collection.

    Topuria has set his sights on achieving two-division glory after choosing to vacate the 145-pound title this year following just one defense. “La Leyenda” went 2-0 in 2024, dethroning Alexander Volkanovski before becoming the first to knock out Max Holloway.

    Due to an apparent struggle to make the weight limit, the Spaniard will move forward as a 155-pounder. And given his success below, Topuria has been expecting a showdown with Islam Makhachev straight away.

    Whether that’s the matchup or not remains to be seen, but a report from Spanish journalist Álvaro Colmenero does place Topuria as one half of the next lightweight title fight.

    According to Colmenero, the ex-featherweight kingpin will compete either against Makhachev or for a vacant belt at UFC 317 during International Fight Week this June.

    Previous speculation has suggested that Makhachev is awaiting the result of the UFC 315 headliner between his frequent training partner Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena before deciding on a possible move up to welterweight.

  • UFC Veteran Blasts Paddy Pimblett’s Weight Gain: ‘If I Were His Coach…’

    UFC Veteran Blasts Paddy Pimblett’s Weight Gain: ‘If I Were His Coach…’

    Former UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes Paddy Pimblett is playing a risky game with his drastic weight gain in-between fights.

    As is often the case, Pimblett has been enjoying himself in the aftermath of his latest assignment inside the Octagon. After successfully cutting the pounds to make the lightweight limit, “The Baddy” put a beating on Michael Chandler in the co-main event of this month’s UFC 314 pay-per-view.

    The Scouser’s culinary habits post-fight are well known, with Pimblett admitting to gains of over 50 pounds during stints between fights. And it didn’t take long for clips to do the rounds showing the former Cage Warriors champion preparing snacks backstage at UFC 314.

    While some see the funny side to Pimblett’s unique approach to nutrition, during the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer, ex-fighter Matt Brown fired a warning at the Liverpudlian.

    “If I were his coach, I would have some concern,” Brown said. “What I tell all of my fighters is we have a short window here. You might be doing this for 15 to 20 years at most. There’s a lot that you can get out of it. Why not squeeze all the f*cking juice out that you can? It’s not a ton of suffering to not put on f*cking 40 pounds after a fight. You can enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself with some moderation and then be back in the gym next week. Nothing wrong with that.

    “You’ve got to have a good, relaxed mind when you’re training and going through this journey, but particularly when we’re young, we feel invincible. We forget how short all this is,” Brown continued. “We push so hard to get something, and then we get it, and we just relax. It’s not a good way to look at it. He’s in an absolute savage division, too. He better keep his eyes on the prize because he’s in for some bloodthirsty motherf*ckers now. … You’re not in LFA, Cage Warriors, wherever he came from. You’re in with the top motherf*ckers in the world now.”

  • PFL Africa, Chaired By Francis Ngannou, Set To Launch In July

    PFL Africa, Chaired By Francis Ngannou, Set To Launch In July

    PFL Africa is nearing its official launch.

    Having ran its season structure on the global stage since 2018, the PFL has committed to establishing its presence with a number of regional leagues around the world.

    After kicking off that expansion with PFL Europe in 2023 and adding PFL MENA (Middle East and North Africa) to the calendar in 2024, the promotion will soon launch its latest development.

    Having long planned an African expansion with star signing Francis Ngannou at the helm, PFL Africa has been officially confirmed for its inaugural season in 2025.

    And PFL founder Donn Davis took to X this week to reveal a launch date will soon be announced for July.

    “PFL Africa Launches This July!!!” Davis wrote. “32 fighters from 14 nations compete in 4 single elimination events to become PFL 2025 Africa Champion … 3rd regional league from @PFLMMA May 6 major press announcement with fighter roster and event location details! #PFLMMA#PFLAfrica“

    Ngannou’s role as chairman of PFL Africa was announced when he put pen to paper on a deal with the PFL in 2023, bringing to an end months of speculation regarding his future following a departure from the UFC.

    While the Cameroonian has since had plenty of focus on a boxing venture, sharing the ring with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, his attention was back on the PFL last October when he made a successful debut inside the SmartCage.

  • Movsar Evloev: UFC ‘Trying To Keep Me As Far From’ The Title As Possible

    Movsar Evloev: UFC ‘Trying To Keep Me As Far From’ The Title As Possible

    When it comes to his pursuit of featherweight gold, Movsar Evloev says he absolutely does not have the backing of the UFC.

    Evloev made his latest appearance on the preliminary card of last December’s UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas, where his second outing of the year came against an ex-bantamweight titleholder in Aljamain Sterling.

    After his decision victory over Arnold Allen in January wasn’t enough to impress the promotional higher-ups, the Russian had more work to do to place himself in a strong position heading into 2025.

    While he appeared to do that with his decision victory over “Funk Master,” it remains unclear whether Evloev’s winning run will be rewarded.

    During a recent interview for Kolos on MMA’s YouTube channel, Evloev acknowledged as much, even suggesting that the UFC will be doing everything in its power to find alternative options for the featherweight title.

    “As I understand it, the UFC is trying to keep me as far away from anything title related as possible,” Evloev said. “I was at UFC 314. After the fight, I had the opportunity to talk to the UFC. They did not want this. When the event was over, we were walking out through the hallway. Volk was standing not far from me, talking to the fans and staff…I wanted to go up to him and congratulate him, but the security guys didn’t let me and took me to the opposite side.

    “This shows who the UFC wants to see in the next title fight,” Evloev continued. “Apparently in their eyes, I am not worthy of the title yet. Give me the opportunity to prove that I’m worthy. If nine wins in the best organization in the world isn’t enough, I’m ready to fight nine more times.”

    Both Jean Silva and Yair Rodriguez have staked their claims for the next title shot after wins at UFC 314, and many have suggested that their entertaining styles place them as significant threats to Evloev’s ambitions of competing for championship glory.

  • Ian Garry Doesn’t Feel Like He Lost To Shavkat Rakhmonov: ‘He Was Gasping For Air’

    Ian Garry Doesn’t Feel Like He Lost To Shavkat Rakhmonov: ‘He Was Gasping For Air’

    While UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry is no longer officially unbeaten, but he seemingly still feels it.

    Garry had his record blemished for the first time in his professional career at UFC 310 last December, an event he co-headlined opposite a former training partner and fellow rising star at 170 pounds in Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    Their contest, which came about after the withdrawal of champion Belal Muhammad from his scheduled defense against “Nomad” due to injury, went the distance inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, with the Kazakh emerging with his undefeated résumé intact.

    Despite having his hopes to challenge for “Remember the Name’s” gold this year dented by Rakhmonov, however, Garry appears more enthusiastic and confident about his chances of reaching the top than ever before.

    And as he gears up for his chance to prove as much opposite the charging Carlos Prates in Kansas City, Garry said during part one of ESPN MMA‘s UFC Journey series for this weekend’s event that he doesn’t recall feeling defeated by Rakhmonov.

    “The ego in me doesn’t like to admit that my hand never got raised,” Ian Garry said. “I still feel like, to this day, I didn’t lose that fight. He was gasping for air, grateful the fight was over. I was ready for more.”

    Ian Garry and Carlos Prates will top the lineup of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Missouri, where the likes of Anthony Smith, Giga Chikadze, and Michel Pereira will also be in action.

  • Ilia Topuria Explains Why He’s A Fan Of Volkanovski & Holloway, But Not Yair Rodriguez

    Ilia Topuria Explains Why He’s A Fan Of Volkanovski & Holloway, But Not Yair Rodriguez

    When looking back at the UFC division he formerly competed in and ruled over, Ilia Topuria isn’t a fan of one top contender.

    Topuria recently vacated the featherweight gold ahead of a permanent move up to the lightweight class this year. The decision followed a 2024 in which he dethroned Alexander Volkanovski and became the first to knock out Max Holloway.

    When it comes to both of those legends, “La Leyenda” considers himself a fan. But when it comes to a man whom both have defeated but Topuria didn’t face during his time in the weight class, the Spaniard has a different view.

    During a recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s JRE MMA Show, Topuria explained why he isn’t a fan of Yair Rodriguez’s in the same way he is for the two featherweight GOAT contenders.

    “I don’t know what to tell you about Yair Rodriguez. I’m not a big fan of him,” Ilia Topuria said. “He’s the type of guy that you don’t even need to take him down, he goes to the ground himself. He’s like very spectacular the way he fights, the striking, the kicks he throws and all that, but I’m not a big fan of him.

    “I’m a fan of Volk (Volkanovski) and Max Holloway,” Topuria continued. “Actually, they were the smartest guys that I ever faced inside the Octagon. I felt that they were smart. They had that fight IQ. They know how to fight.”

    The ship has seemingly sailed on the prospect of Ilia Topuria and Yair Rodriguez sharing the Octagon.

    With the Mexican still having his sights on the undisputed featherweight gold, his attention will have recently turned from “La Leyenda” to Volkanovski, who returned to the mountaintop by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 314 on April 12.

  • Mauricio Ruffy Touts Teammate To Beat Khamzat Chimaev, Become First UFC Champion From Fighting Nerds

    Mauricio Ruffy Touts Teammate To Beat Khamzat Chimaev, Become First UFC Champion From Fighting Nerds

    UFC lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy has backed his teammate Caio Borralho to end the undefeated run of Khamzat Chimaev in mixed martial arts.

    Talk of Borralho and Chimaev sharing the cage has arisen this week following reports of an injury to UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis, who was expected to defend his gold against “Borz” this summer.

    It didn’t take long for Borralho to raise his hand as a possible replacement opponent. Like Chimaev, “The Natural” is yet to taste defeat in the UFC, winning all seven of his bouts en route to #6 in the 185-pound rankings.

    Chimaev hasn’t publicly responded to Borralho’s callout thus far, and it would seem that one of the Brazilian’s prominent Fighting Nerds stablemates is already running out of patience.

    “Enough bullshit,” Ruffy wrote on X (translated from Portuguese). “@KChimaev we all know how camp training works. @ufc send the contract, let’s take that belt! @BorralhoCaio will be the first Fighting (Nerds) to win the belt.”

  • Paddy Pimblett Shows Respect To ‘Legend Of The Sport’ Michael Chandler After UFC 314 Clash

    Paddy Pimblett Shows Respect To ‘Legend Of The Sport’ Michael Chandler After UFC 314 Clash

    UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett has only positive things to say about Michael Chandler following their fight in Miami earlier this month.

    Pimblett recorded the biggest win of his Octagon career to date at the UFC 314 pay-per-view on April 12, which he co-headlined inside Miami’s Kaseya Center.

    To keep his undefeated UFC record intact and further climb the ladder toward title contention, “The Baddy” was tasked with adding to the woes of a Chandler who entered the event without a win since 2022.

    “Iron Mike” was unable to rectify that and improve his negative record in the promotion, instead getting battered by Pimblett en route to a TKO stoppage midway through round three.

    Over a week on, Pimblett shared a heartwarming interaction between the pair backstage, accompanying it with a classy message to his defeated opponent.

    “It was an absolute pleasure to share the cage with such a legend of the sport in @mikechandlermma,” Pimblett wrote. “Nothing but respect for him before the fight and even more after we fought”

  • Anthony Smith Explains Satisfaction With MMA Career Despite Not Winning A UFC Title

    Anthony Smith Explains Satisfaction With MMA Career Despite Not Winning A UFC Title

    UFC light heavyweight veteran Anthony Smith will soon be hanging up his gloves content with all he achieved in the sport of mixed martial arts.

    Smith announced his plans for one final farewell fight on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage after falling to a third loss in his last four fights in December 2024. He was knocked out by Dominick Reyes at UFC 310, a result that came five months on from another setback to middleweight contender Roman Dolidze.

    With that, 2025 will mark the year in which “Lionheart” retires. Smith will conclude his career at UFC Kansas City this weekend, where he’ll meet an opponent who rides a streak of 11 first-round finishes in the form of Chinese prospect Zhang Mingyang.

    During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Smith reflected on his lengthy stint as an active fighter and explained why the lack of a world title on his résumé isn’t as frustrating as some may think.

    “I don’t mean this to sound cocky or arrogant, but I’ve never, until now, felt like I’ve done something worth celebrating,” Smith said. “I’ve never felt like I should be celebrated. I feel like now I’ve f*cking put in a career that I should be proud of and I should deserve to be able to celebrate it and be happy about it.

    “I didn’t think I’d ever be happy if I didn’t win a world title, but I found myself in a place where that’s ok because it wasn’t for lack of effort,” Smith continued. “I tried really, really, really fucking hard and I’m just going to celebrate what I was able to do. I came from nothing.”

  • Dricus Du Plessis Reacts To Khamzat Chimaev’s Frustration Over Reported Title Fight Delay

    Dricus Du Plessis Reacts To Khamzat Chimaev’s Frustration Over Reported Title Fight Delay

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis has responded after coming under fire from his expected next challenger.

    While Du Plessis was seemingly being lined up for a return this summer to put his gold on the line against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev, a recent report appeared to reveal an injury to the South African.

    With that, “Borz” looks like he’ll have to wait a little longer for his first shot at title glory on MMA’s biggest stage. And it’s safe to say that the Chechen star didn’t take the news well.

    A frustrated Chimaev took to X with his reaction, writing, “This guy biggest bullsh*t.”

    Responding to that, Du Plessis looked to flip the tables by showing Chimaev’s history of fight cancellations in the UFC.

    “Let’s take a look at the last +-2.5years and tell me who’s bullshit,” Du Plessis wrote on X.

    It remains to be seen what the UFC has planned for Chimaev amid talk of an injury to the reigning champion.

    Should the promotion pursue a new matchup for “Borz,” a ready and willing opponent has already emerged in the form of Caio Borralho.

  • UFC Kansas City Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Ian Garry vs. Carlos Prates Card

    UFC Kansas City Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Ian Garry vs. Carlos Prates Card

    UFC Kansas City is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming event takes place Saturday, April 26, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The main card begins at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be a pair of top 15 welterweight contenders in Ireland’s Ian Garry and charging Fighting Nerds standout Carlos Prates.

    And also making the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Anthony Smith, Giga Chikadze, Michel Pereira, Randy Brown, and Ikram Aliskerov.

    UFC Kansas City: Garry vs. Prates Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Kansas City (as of 4/21), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Ian Garry (-130) vs. Carlos Prates (+110)
    • Anthony Smith (+380) vs. Zhang Mingyang (-500)
    • Giga Chikadze (+145) vs. David Onama (-175)
    • Michel Pereira (-155) vs. Abus Magomedov (+130)
    • Randy Brown (-238) vs. Nicolas Dalby (+195)
    • Ikram Aliskerov (-650) vs. Andre Muniz (+470)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Matt Schnell (-278) vs. Jimmy Flick (+225)
    • Evan Elder (-258) vs. Gauge Young (+210)
    • Chris Gutierrez (-130) vs. John Castaneda (+110)
    • Da’Mon Blackshear (-395) vs. Alatengheili (+310)
    • Malcolm Wellmaker (-110) vs. Cameron Saaiman (-110)
    • Jacqueline Amorim (-550) vs. Polyana Viana (+410)
    • Timothy Cuamba (-105) vs. Roberto Romero (-115)
    • Chelsea Chandler (+240) vs. Joselyne Edwards (-298)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo3W91E-M5s
  • Kayla Harrison Appreciates Julianna Peña ‘Winning’ Her More Fans With Unlikeable Trash Talk

    Kayla Harrison Appreciates Julianna Peña ‘Winning’ Her More Fans With Unlikeable Trash Talk

    UFC women’s bantamweight contender Kayla Harrison sees positives coming from Julianna Peña’s brash trash talk in the lead-up to their championship showdown.

    Peña returned to the 135-pound mountaintop in the co-main event of the UFC 307 pay-per-view last October, narrowly outpointing Raquel Pennington in what marked a widely debated result.

    Harrison, meanwhile, staked her claim for a shot against the winner earlier in the night when she got the better of Ketlen Vieira to move to 2-0 under the UFC banner.

    While the champ attempted to set her sights on the retired Amanda Nunes instead, all signs pointed toward Harrison getting her first title shot in 2025, and that’ll come to fruition at UFC 316 in Newark on June 7.

    Given how the pair exchanged words at the UFC 307 press conference, the lead-up could be entertaining. “The Venezuelan Vixen” has had plenty of negative things to say about the two-time Olympic gold medalist since her arrival to the promotion, and that trend continued at the UFC 316 launch presser in Miami.

    During a recent appearance on the podcast of MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Harrison reflected on their on-stage exchanges and explained why she sees them as beneficial.

    “I’m still trying to figure out what happened,” Kayla Harrison said. “It was a lot. I thought we were going to talk a little bit of sh*t. I was expecting us to have a little bit of fun with it, but she came out swinging and I was like – it kind of works in my favor because she talks so much that everybody just hates her.

    “So I win a lot of fans when I’m just like, ‘All right, whatever, honey.’ She was talking about (Cris) Cyborg and running and grandmas and skinny and bloody and walking tacos, and I was like, ‘What is happening right now?’ We’ll see,” Harrison added.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Apparently Says ‘Yes’ To New Opponent After News Of Dricus Du Plessis Injury

    It hasn’t taken long for UFC middleweight Khamzat Chimaev to seemingly agree to a new matchup amid talk of an apparent injury to champion Dricus Du Plessis.

    The undefeated Chechen contender looked set for his first title opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage this summer after he breezed past the great Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi last October.

    But while reports placed his clash with Du Plessis on the UFC 317 card during International Fight Week in late June, Kevin Iole revealed that an injury to the South African is set to delay his third defense.

    “Borz” was quick to corroborate the news with a frustrated post on social media, and he doesn’t appear keen to wait for the champ’s recovery before returning to the cage.

    Fellow top contender Caio Borralho reacted to the news by expressing interest in facing Chimaev instead. By the sound of things, that interest is not one-sided…

    “Khamzat said yes!” Borralho wrote on X. “The only thing that makes sense is the Interim belt! This fight is gonna be bigger than him vs Dricus! Marks my words”

    It remains to be seen whether such a bout would also be of interest to the UFC higher-ups.

  • Tom Aspinall ‘Sworn To Secrecy’ Over Next Fight, But Promises Announcement ‘Soon’

    Tom Aspinall ‘Sworn To Secrecy’ Over Next Fight, But Promises Announcement ‘Soon’

    While the fans still remain in the dark about plans in the heavyweight title picture, it would seem that Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall no longer does.

    Aspinall has been pushing for a unification clash with Jon Jones ever since winning the interim belt in November 2023. He made the most of Rochester native’s canceled defense against Stipe Miocic by finishing Sergei Pavlovich on short notice.

    A year and a half later, the heavyweight division remains under the rule of two champs who have both fought others in the meantime. With Jones remaining firm on his insistance to face Miocic, Aspinall passed the time by convincingly beating Curtis Blaydes to keep hold of his interim gold last July.

    Since “Bones” had his hand raised a few months later, discussion over the pair finally unifying the titles has only increased, with the UFC also appearing firmly behind that plan.

    The delay in it happening? According to Tom Aspinall, a familiar reluctance from Jones.

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Aspinall suggested some resolution has been reached. When it comes to what, however, the Brit has been “sworn to secrecy” for the time being.

    “I know everyone wants fight news, but I do know what’s happening,” Tom Aspinall said. “I have been sworn to secrecy for a little bit, so stay tuned. … But there will be news coming, hopefully very soon.”

  • Khalil Rountree: Magomed Ankalaev Fought A ‘Different’ Alex Pereira Than I Did

    Khalil Rountree: Magomed Ankalaev Fought A ‘Different’ Alex Pereira Than I Did

    Khalil Rountree doesn’t believe newly crowned UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Magomed Ankalaev came up against the same beast that he did inside the Octagon.

    Ankalaev got the better of Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 313 last month, ending the Brazilian’s reign on the 205-pound throne in the process.

    While “Poatan” had successfully pushed through three challenges, including opposite Rountree last October, he fell at the hurdle that had long been tipped to be his tallest in the division given Ankalaev’s well-rounded arsenal and wrestling prowess.

    During a recent interview with MMA Today, though, Rountree somewhat put the result down to an off night for Pereira, whom “The War Horse” suggested was way off the level of performance he displayed to retain the belt in Salt Lake City five months prior.

    “It was hard for me to watch that fight and score it,” Rountree said. “The Alex that walked out that night was a different Alex than the one that fought me. My experience was watching that fight in frustration.

    “I was kind of confused because I was expecting the same guy that came and fought me to go there and do the same thing. I wanted to see what that experience was like from the outside,” Rountree added.