MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • ‘Mitchell’s Toughest Opponent Yet…Outside Of Basic Science’ – Fans React To Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva Joining UFC 314 Card

    ‘Mitchell’s Toughest Opponent Yet…Outside Of Basic Science’ – Fans React To Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva Joining UFC 314 Card

    Rising UFC featherweight contender Jean Silva has had his wish to share the cage with Bryce Mitchell granted.

    Dana White returned to Instagram Live late Wednesday night to announced some big additions to the UFC 313 and UFC 314 pay-per-view cards.

    Alongside the news that Rafael Fiziev will be replacing the injured Dan Hooker to run it back with Justin Gaethje in the co-main event on March 8, the UFC CEO revealed a big battle at 145 pounds between the polarizing Mitchell and the surging Silva set for Miami on April 12.

    The Fighting Nerds standout staked his claim for the opportunity to make “Thug Nasty” pay for his recent pro-Adolf Hitler, Nazi-sympathizing comments after recording another brutal knockout victory at the UFC Fight Night in Seattle last weekend.

    “Lord” is now 4-0 in the Octagon, with all of his wins in the UFC coming via knockout. He’ll hope to continue that trend at the expense of ranked opposition in Mitchell.

    The announcement unsurprisingly drew reactions across the MMA community. From predictions either way to questions over the UFC awarding Mitchell a big fight on a prominent card in spite of his antisemitic remarks, plenty of takes appeared.

    https://twitter.com/DankalaevMMA/status/1894941640068063661
  • Justin Gaethje Claims 5 Big Names Turned Down UFC 313 Fight Before Rafael Fiziev Rematch Got Booked

    Justin Gaethje Claims 5 Big Names Turned Down UFC 313 Fight Before Rafael Fiziev Rematch Got Booked

    Former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has a replacement opponent set for UFC 313 — but it seemingly wasn’t the promotion’s first choice.

    The mixed martial arts leader was left scrambling this week after Dan Hooker withdrew from his scheduled co-main event with “The Highlight” at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on March 8.

    While Hooker had hoped for the matchup to be rescheduled for a later date after he sustained a broken hand in training, the UFC opted to keep Gaethje on the UFC 313 lineup.

    With that, an opponent search got underway and ultimately landed the higher-ups at the door of Rafael Fiziev. UFC CEO Dana White announced late Wednesday that “Ataman” will have the chance for revenge opposite Gaethje two years on from their entertaining three-rounder in London, England.

    But the Azerbaijani striker looks to have been far down the list of possible replacements, with Gaethje claiming in a social media post that Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano all got offers.

    “Arman and Charles understandably said no. Max and Dustin understandably said no. Moicano got the call and said no. Props to Fiziev for volunteering to fly across the world and take this fight. Big risk here for me taking this rematch against and elite striker. Life’s a trip. Best live show on earth going down March 8th #UFC313“

    Nevertheless, “The Highlight” will no doubt be relieved that one prominent name has accepted the short-notice assignment, meaning his fight camp won’t have been for nothing.

    UFC 313 will mark Gaethje’s first outing since falling to a brutal knockout loss at the hands of Holloway last April. Fiziev, meanwhile, has been out of action since suffering a torn ACL against Mateusz Gamrot in September 2023.

  • Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Headlines UFC Kansas City On April 26

    Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Headlines UFC Kansas City On April 26

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill and ex-title challenger Khalil Rountree are set to collide in the final main event of the promotion’s April schedule.

    The mixed martial arts leader is heading to Missouri later this year to stage a UFC Fight Night from inside Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center on April 26.

    This week saw the UFC confirm a number of high-profile bouts for the lineup, including the retirement fight for Anthony Smith, the next bout for entertaining middleweight Michel Pereira, and returns for the likes of Ikram Aliskerov and Giga Chikadze. And on Wednesday, a headline contest was revealed.

    Off the back of consecutive defeats to Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka, the #4-ranked Hill (12-3, 1 NC) will look to get his ball rolling again at 205 pounds against a fellow contender who also recently tasted defeat at the hands of “Poatan” in the #7-ranked Rountree (13-6, 1 NC)

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Kansas City are as follows:

    • Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight main event)
    • Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama (featherweight)
    • Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz (middleweight)
    • Anthony Smith vs. Zhang Mingyang (light heavyweight)
    • Michel Pereira vs. Abus Magomedov (middleweight)
    • Polyana Viana vs. Jaqueline Amorim (women’s strawweight)
    • Cameron Saaiman vs. Malcolm Wellmaker (bantamweight)
    • Ahmed Hassanzada vs. Mitch Ramirez (lightweight)
    • Matt Schnell vs. Jimmy Flick (flyweight)
    • Chelsea Chandler vs. Joselyne Edwards (women’s bantamweight)

  • Robert Whittaker Names Fellow Former Champion As ‘Fight To Make’ For His UFC Return

    Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is beginning to look toward his next Octagon outing, and he has just the opponent in mind.

    Whittaker hasn’t been in action since a crushing loss to the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev last October in Abu Dhabi. A first-round face crank left the Australian with displaced teeth and requiring a medical procedure.

    Having recovered and returned to training, “The Reaper” is looking to reignite his charge back toward the title, which originally got off to a strong start in 2024 with back-to-back wins over Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov.

    During a recent episode of On Paper with Anthony Smith, Whittaker assessed what could lie in his immediate future. He pointed to a matchup that has long been discussed and would see him fight one of the few top names at 185 pounds whom he’s yet to do battle with.

    “I think (Sean) Strickland makes a good argument to have. Because I feel like we’ve both been in that top sort of pond for a while circling each other,” Whittaker said. “I feel like for whatever reason we haven’t been matched up but we’ve both been in proximity for a while, and it’s most likely the fight to make.

    “I’m excited about that fight. I look at his style and I find it curious. I find it exciting to try to work out,” Whittaker continued. “He’s a tough dude but I’m really proud of my skill set and confident in my skill set.”

    Strickland is currently licking his wounds following a failed title challenge against Dricus Du Plessis in Sydney earlier this month. After losing the gold to “Stillknocks” last year, the American was unable to exact his revenge in their rematch.

    While the South African faces the likely challenge of Chimaev next, perhaps the UFC will look to book a pair of former champs together in Whittaker and Strickland.

  • First Man To Beat Tom Aspinall Explains Path To Victory For Jon Jones

    First Man To Beat Tom Aspinall Explains Path To Victory For Jon Jones

    One fighter with experience getting the better of Tom Aspinall has explained how Jon Jones could do the same against the interim UFC heavyweight champion.

    While Aspinall has remained unbeatable on MMA’s biggest stage outside of a freak injury 15 seconds into his first fight with Curtis Blaydes, his record isn’t totally spotless.

    The British powerhouse suffered two defeats in his first six fights as a professional, with the first coming via heel hook submission against Stuart Austin at BAMMA 21 in 2015.

    During a recent interview with talkSPORT, Austin reflected on his successful performance against the now-UFC star a decade ago. He suggested that Jones’ path to victory lies in the same realm he was able to dispatch of Aspinall.

    “The big thing that hasn’t been tested in the UFC has been his wrestling,” Austin said. “If you want to look back at me, I outwrestled him. Obviously he’s got a lot better since then. He’s been doing wrestling classes, he’s better at everything. He’s better with his distance management. He’s better with his MMA in general. You’ve seen moments like when he took down (Andrei) Arlovski, he did a really, really smooth takedown in that fight. 

    “But I think clinch and wrestling would probably be the way to go for Jon,” Austin continued. “Because if he strikes with Aspinall, I think there’s only one person going to win that fight.”

    Aspinall’s striking has been on full display in recent times, with the Manchester native stopping Marcin Tybura, Sergei Pavlovich, and Curtis Blaydes for three consecutive first-round knockouts.

    Whether or not he’ll have an opportunity to add Jones to his list of victims remains to be seen. Though the champ has been widely criticized for not unifying the titles, he’s still yet to express firm interest in facing Aspinall.

  • Brendan Allen Set To Grapple Top UFC Middleweight In Karate Combat Days On From Seattle Loss

    Brendan Allen Set To Grapple Top UFC Middleweight In Karate Combat Days On From Seattle Loss

    UFC middleweight contender Brendan Allen will have the chance to return to winning ways less than a week on from his crushing defeat to Anthony Hernandez — but not inside the Octagon.

    Allen has had his charge toward a championship opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage stalled in his last two fights, during which he’s fallen from a seven-fight win streak to a two-bout losing skid.

    After a defeat to Nassourdine Imavov in Paris last September, “All In” was unable to bounce back last weekend in Seattle, where he fell to a decision setback at the hands of Anthony Hernandez.

    But an unsurprisingly disheartened Allen won’t be waiting long until he gets back to competitive action.

    It was announced Wednesday that the 29-year-old will feature in a grappling match at Karate Combat 53 in Denver this coming Friday. He’s slated to battle a fellow top 10 middleweight contender in Caio Borralho.

    Having been outgrappled by “Fluffy” at Climate Pledge Arena, this is likely a conscious effort from Allen to fix the holes in his game ahead of a renewed push back up the 185-pound ladder.

    While the American has been slipping down the pecking order recently, the same can’t be said for Borralho. The Fighting Nerds standout has gone 7-0 in the UFC, collecting three Performance of the Night bonuses in the process.

    “The Natural” most recently got the better of Jared Cannonier in his main event debut at the Apex last August.

  • PFL Lightweight World Tournament Lineup Includes Former Champions And Ex-UFC Contender

    PFL Lightweight World Tournament Lineup Includes Former Champions And Ex-UFC Contender

    The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is continuing to roll out the rosters for eight World Tournaments set for 2025, with the latest release being the lightweight lineup.

    Major change is coming to the PFL this year, with the promotion making the decision to eliminate the season and playoff format from its yearly structure. Replacing that and the $1 million prize money will be Grand Prix-style tournaments across eight divisions, with the winners of each collecting $500,000.

    After confirming the dates and venue for four events that will host first-round matchups earlier this month, the PFL has been announcing the full rosters. Thus far, the welterweight, featherweight, women’s flyweight, bantamweight and middleweight lineups have been confirmed.

    And this week, the rollouts continued with the eight men set to compete in the inaugural lightweight tournament. Among the most notable inclusions is Gadzhi Rabadanov, a former Bellator contender who enjoyed a successful first year under the PFL banner, winning the 2024 lightweight season.

    He won’t be the only fighter with championship history competing. The man he defeated in last year’s final, ex-Bellator champion Brent Primus, will also feature in the bracket.

    Joining them will be the likes of former UFC contender Marc Diakiese, ex-Bellator title challenger Alexander Shabliy, and PFL veteran Clay Collard.

    See below for the full eight-man roster for this year’s lightweight World Tournament.

    • Gadzhi Rabadanov (24-4-2) 
    • Alexander Shabliy (24-4)
    • Marc Diakiese (18-7)
    • Jay Jay Wilson (10-1)
    • Mads Burnell (20-6)
    • Alfie Davis (17-5-1)
    • Brent Primus (15-4)
    • Clay Collard (25-14)
      • Alternate – Sergio Cossio (27-10-1)
      • Alternate – Robert Watley (15-3)
  • WATCH: UFC 315 On-Sale Press Conference For Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, Shevchenko vs. Fiorot

    WATCH: UFC 315 On-Sale Press Conference For Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, Shevchenko vs. Fiorot

    The top fighters confirmed to be in action at UFC 315 on May 10 will take to the stage for an on-sale press conference in the event’s host city this week.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will return to Canada later this year for the first time in 2025. After trips to Toronto and Edmonton last year, the promotion’s latest trip to “The Great White North” will see Octagon action go down in Montréal.

    The main event will see UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad make his first defense of the title. After an injury to Shavkat Rakhmonov, “Remember the Name” will face the challenge of Australian striker Jack Della Maddalena.

    There will also be championship stakes in the co-headliner, with Valentina Shevchenko returning for the first defense of her second reign, which got underway with redemption against Alexa Grasso last September. If she’s to remain on the throne, “Bullet” will have to become the first woman to defeat France’s Manon Fiorot in the UFC.

    With Fight Club Pre-Sale starting on Wednesday, the promotion is hosting a press conference in Montréal, where Muhammad, Della Maddalena, Shevchenko and Fiorot will all have mics in hand.

    See below for a live stream of the presser via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 11:30 AM ET.

    UFC 315 On-Sale Press Conference Live Stream

  • Chael Sonnen Falls On Side That Believes Henry Cejudo ‘Faked’ Eye Injury At UFC Seattle

    Chael Sonnen Falls On Side That Believes Henry Cejudo ‘Faked’ Eye Injury At UFC Seattle

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has joined certain corners of the MMA community in accusing Henry Cejudo of looking for a way out of his headliner this past weekend.

    Cejudo continued to struggle in his comeback from retirement on Feb. 22, falling to a third straight loss in the main event of the UFC Fight Night inside Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.

    His bout with Song Yadong ended prematurely after “Triple C” was deemed unable to continue following a deep eye poke. With sufficient time fought, the contest went to a technical decision that fell the way of “The Kung Fu Kid.”

    As is often the case when an athlete doesn’t continue following a foul, Cejudo has faced flak from some fans and figures in the sport who have accused him of quitting.

    During a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Sonnen became the latest to question whether Cejudo really couldn’t continue.

    “I’m essentially accusing possibly the greatest combat athlete of all time of cheating, of faking,” Sonnen said. “That is just so unlike Henry. I mean, truly so unlike Henry in the way that he did play it. This is a guy who has walked through fire many times.

    “This is a guy who walked through fire at 20 years old to become an Olympic champion. It didn’t seem like he was willing to walk through fire this night. That was not like the Henry Cejudo that I’ve seen in the past. As fair as I can say it.”

    Tim Welch, the coach of former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, shared a similar take. In a social media post, the trainer suggested that Cejudo knew he had “nothing left for Song.”

    The 2008 Olympic gold medalist has unsurprisingly not taken kindly to such accusations, and he took to X himself to list the injuries he apparently sustained to his eye as a result of Song’s poke.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Mocks Dan Hooker After UFC 313 Withdrawal: ‘Karma Doesn’t Miss’

    Arman Tsarukyan Mocks Dan Hooker After UFC 313 Withdrawal: ‘Karma Doesn’t Miss’

    UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker isn’t getting any sympathy from one longtime rivalry following his latest injury setback.

    Disaster struck this week when news emerged of Hooker’s withdrawal from next month’s UFC 313 pay-per-view. He was set to co-headline opposite Justin Gaethje in a sure-fire banger.

    Unfortunately, the New Zealander suffered a broken hand in training, forcing him out of the numbered event on March 8 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    The feeling across the MMA community has been one of despair given how highly anticipated the clash was. But one notable name hasn’t let an opportunity to turn the tables on Hooker slip past.

    Arman Tsarukyan similarly had a canceled bout earlier this year, pulling out of his scheduled title challenge against Islam Makhachev just one day out after sustaining a back injury during his weight cut.

    Hooker was quick to criticize the Russian-Armenian, with whom he’s long gone back and forth with. “The Hangman” questioned how such an injury was possible and took a jab at the reported wealth of Tsarukyan’s family.

    The #1-ranked contender evidently believes that turnabout is fair play…

    “Karma doesn’t miss,” Tsarukyan wrote on X. “Big mouth, glass hands – maybe just stick to talking instead of fighting, @danthehangman“

    It remains to be seen what lies ahead for “Akhalkalakets” after he lost his place at the front of the line following his late withdrawal from UFC 311.

    Hooker will now find himself in a similar situation, with the UFC looking to find Gaethje a new opponent for UFC 313 rather than push the original matchup back to a later date.

  • Dan Hooker Details How He Sustained Injury That Forced Him Out Of UFC 313

    Dan Hooker Details How He Sustained Injury That Forced Him Out Of UFC 313

    UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker has revealed the cause of his recent fight-canceling injury.

    Hooker was fast-approaching a key matchup in the context of his ongoing title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    But his pursuit of gold off the back of a standout win over Mateusz Gamrot last August has been temporarily stalled, with “The Hangman” revealing this week that a broken hand has forced him out of the UFC 313 co-main event against Justin Gaethje.

    Soon after news of his withdrawal emerged, the New Zealander delved into the moment in training that ultimately led to hearts sinking among MMA fans around the globe.

    “Just sparring last night as I do, just letting some hooks go, just throwing some bombs down range and just caught one of the boys on the top of the dome with my knuckle.” Hooker told Sky Sport NZ.

    “I didn’t think much of it. They sent me off to get a CT scan,” Hooker continued. “I obviously still would fight. I’ll be like, ‘Hey, can I have one large glove and one 3XL?”

    Although Hooker expressed a desire for the bout to be kept together and rescheduled for a later date, it’s believed the promotion is looking to keep Gaethje on the March 8 PPV card in Las Vegas.

  • Former Fighter Explains How UFC Could Delay Dustin Poirier’s Retirement

    According to one former UFC contender and Strikeforce champion, Dustin Poirier’s next fight doesn’t necessarily have to be his last.

    Poirier is planning to make his farewell in 2025. He committed to one more Octagon outing soon after his latest failed shot at the undisputed lightweight title last June in Newark.

    While an opponent and event is yet to be announced, “The Diamond” is targeting fellow “legends” of the sport for a showdown close to home in New Orleans this summer.

    During a recent episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside John McCarthy, Josh Thomson gave his taken on possible opposition for Poirier. And “The Punk” had one matchup in mind that he believes could come along with a promise capable of keeping the Louisianan in the sport for a little bit longer.

    “I feel with Dustin, he could do whatever he wants,” Thomson said. “I feel like there’s something there right now. Islam fights Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria fights Dustin. I would not be surprised if they dangled a little carrot in front of Dustin and say, ‘Hey, if you beat Topuria, you can fight Islam whenever you want. ‘… I wouldn’t be surprised, if you dangle that in front of Dustin, I think he would stay at least for that.”

    Ilia Topuria recently vacated his featherweight title following one successful defense, citing a struggle to make the weight. He’ll now make a permanent move up to lightweight in pursuit of two-division glory.

    It remains to be seen whether “El Matador” will arrive straight into a title fight or be made to defeat a top contender first.

  • Three Ranked Lightweights Offer To Replace Injured Dan Hooker, Face Justin Gaethje At UFC 313

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje isn’t short on opponent options should he want to stay on next month’s pay-per-view card.

    The injury curse struck the hearts of fans again this week after Dan Hooker revealed that a broken hand has forced him out of UFC 313 on March 8. “The Hangman” was slated to co-headline in a clash against Gaethje that many were tipping to be Fight of the Year in 2025.

    It remains to be seen what the promotion has planned for “The Highlight” moving forward, and whether or not the Hooker bout will simply be rescheduled for a later date.

    But should the fan favorite be kept on the lineup for the upcoming PPV at T-Mobile Arena, a number of potential replacement opponents have stepped forward.

    The first to raise their hand was a familiar foe of Gaethje’s in Rafael Fiziev, whom the American defeated in London back in 2023.

    “Let’s run it back @Justin_Gaethje,” Fiziev wrote.

    “Ataman” hasn’t fought since tearing his ACL against Mateusz Gamrot 17 months ago.

    But Fiziev isn’t the only one open to taking up the short-notice assignment, with both Renato Moicano and Gamrot marking a pair of top 10 contenders who went public with their willingness to step in.

    “2 weeks is good! I have enough time for 2 or 3 sparring sessions! I will be ready if they call!” Moicano stated.

    “Hooker out, I’m ready to go @Justin_Gaethje 2 weeks no matter!! @ufc,” Gamrot posted.

    Moicano is no stranger to short-notice bouts, having made an unsuccessful challenge of Islam Makhachev’s title on 24 hours’ notice just last month.

    “Gamer,” meanwhile, outlined strong logic in his callout of Gaethje, pointing out that the former interim champ’s original opponent, New Zealand’s Hooker, only narrowly outpointed him at UFC 305 last August.

  • José Aldo Faces Bantamweight On 5-Fight Winning Streak At UFC 315 In Montreal

    The return of legendary former UFC featherweight champion José Aldo is set for the upcoming May pay-per-view in Canada.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is heading back to “The Great White North” later this year to stage a numbered event inside Montreal’s Bell Centre, where championship defenses for Belal Muhammad and Valentina Shevchenko will headline.

    A number of notable names are slated to compete on the undercard, including the likes of Alexa Grasso, Gilbert Burns, and Jéssica Andrade. And this week saw another former champion added to the equation, with Aldo (32-9) scheduled to face Aiemann Zahabi (12-2) in enemy territory.

    The bout was first reported by journalist Benoit Beaudoin before being officially announced by the promotion.

    For the #11-ranked Aldo, the contest marks his third since returning from a short-lived retirement. The Brazilian has gone 1-1 thus far, defeating Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro last May but falling short against Mario Bautista five months later in Salt Lake City.

    #13-ranked contender Zahabi, meanwhile, has won five straight fights to climb the ladder at 135 pounds. The Canadian 37-year-old most recently outpointed veteran Pedro Munhoz in Edmonton last November.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 are as follows:

    • Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight championship)
    • Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot (women’s flyweight championship)
    • José Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)
    • Alexa Grasso vs. Natália Silva (women’s flyweight)
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Jéssica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke (welterweight)
    • Marc-André Barriault vs. Bruno Silva (middleweight)
    • Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan (bantamweight)
    • Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle (women’s bantamweight)
  • Jasmine Jasudavicius Set For Big Opportunity vs. Former Champion On Home Soil At UFC 315

    Jasmine Jasudavicius Set For Big Opportunity vs. Former Champion On Home Soil At UFC 315

    Charging UFC flyweight contender Jasmine Jasudavicius will look to keep her ball rolling on MMA’s biggest stage by notching another victory in front of her fellow Canadians.

    Jasudavicius (13-3) has climbed into the top 10 at 125 pounds off the back of a mightily impressive run, which has seen her win four straight fights since a setback opposite Tracy Cortez in 2023.

    After going 1-1 in 2022 and 2-1 in 2023, the Canadian standout enjoyed an unbeaten 3-0 2024 in the Octagon. After initially bouncing back from her setback against Cortez by submitting Priscila Cachoeira on home soil last January, the 35-year-old outpointed highly regarded debutant Fatima Kline in Colorado before securing another finish in front of her compatriots at the expense of Ariane Lipski da Silva.

    Those wins, two of which earned her Performance of the Night bonuses, earned Jasudavicius fifth place in last year’s MMA News Female Fighter of the Year award.

    And she opened her account for 2025 with similar success, getting the better of former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1. The Ontario native will now get another boost in competition, facing ex-strawweight queen and current #7-ranked flyweight contender Jéssica Andrade (26-13) at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10.

    Andrade has fluctuated between weight classes since losing the 115-pound gold in 2019. And her pursuit of two-division glory has continued despite a failed title bid against Valentina Shevchenko in 2021.

    “Bate Estaca” most recently returned to flyweight following two wins over Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez at strawweight. She fell short on the scorecards to fellow countrywoman Natália Silva in their Fight of the Night contest at the Apex last September.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 are as follows:

    • Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight championship)
    • Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot (women’s flyweight championship)
    • Alexa Grasso vs. Natália Silva (women’s flyweight)
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Jéssica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke (welterweight)
    • Marc-André Barriault vs. Bruno Silva (middleweight)
    • Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan (bantamweight)
    • Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle (women’s bantamweight)
  • Charles Johnson Frustrated UFC Isn’t Rewarding Winning Streak: ‘Why Am I Not Getting An Opportunity?’

    Charles Johnson Frustrated UFC Isn’t Rewarding Winning Streak: ‘Why Am I Not Getting An Opportunity?’

    Ahead of his return to action at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, flyweight Charles Johnson has one question — when is it going to be the turn of “InnerG?”

    Johnson will enter the cage inside the Apex Saturday night riding momentum from four straight wins, including a vicious knockout of dangerous prospect Joshua Van last July in Denver.

    Despite that — and despite rising to #12 in the division — the former LFA champion is still not getting his shot opposite ranked opposition.

    This weekend will even see the 34-year-old tasked with facing a charging newcomer who boasts just one fight in the Octagon, Uzbekistan’s Ramazon Temirov, in the very first matchup on the card.

    From choice of opponent to card placement, many in the MMA community have been questioning the treatment of Johnson. And the man himself evidently doesn’t need reminding of what he should have earned.

    “I don’t have anything against it, but I look at the opportunities other guys get when they come into the promotion from RIZIN, from Eternal, but what are these promotions compared to LFA, that has had hundreds of not only ranked guys, but a plethora of champions?” Johnson said during an interview with E. Spencer Kyte for UFC.com. “I’m a three-time champion from that promotion. Why am I not getting an opportunity when I’m on a three-fight winning streak, four-fight winning streak? Give me a chance.

    “So this is where we are,” he added. “I’m never get upset at them or their opportunities, but it’s like, ‘When is it gonna be my turn? When am I gonna get the opportunities these guys are getting?’ I’m on a four-fight winning streak in one year — who else has done that, in this division?”

    Regardless of his feeling toward the latest assignment handed to him, Johnson will look to do what he’s done ever since a three-fight losing skid in 2023 — win.

    And should “InnerG” accomplish that feat at the expense of a highly touted prospect who’s won 10 on the bounce, his claim to a high-ranked opponent could become undeniable.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Reinier de Ridder Ousts Bo Nickal From Middleweight Top 15

    UFC Rankings Report: Reinier de Ridder Ousts Bo Nickal From Middleweight Top 15

    In the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: There’s been one change to the P4P list, with former welterweight champ Leon Edwards getting a one-place boost to now share #9 with flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja.

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

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: With Julia Avila’s retirement being confirmed, she’s exited the UFC rankings at 135 pounds. Replacing her at #15 is Joselyne Edwards, who has won just one bantamweight bout in nine fights in the promotion. That was in her debut, with the Panama native either losing or missing weight for her subsequent wins.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: While the victory didn’t come in the manner he’d have hoped, Song Yadong is still on the up at 135 pounds. A technical decision triumph over Henry Cejudo has led to the Chinese standout climbing two positions to #6. “Triple C” has fallen the same distance the opposite way to #8, with Rob Font getting a small rise to #7 after his win against Jean Matsumoto.

    Further down, and unrelated to any recent results, Canada’s Aiemann Zahabi (#13) has moved above Marcus McGhee (#14).

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: Anthony Hernandez was among the biggest winners to emerge from Saturday’s event, as he once again got the better of Brendan Allen to extend his winning run to seven straight fights. As a result, “Fluffy” has risen by three positions to #9, one place above his defeated opponent from UFC Seattle.

    Elsewhere, Bo Nickal’s stay in the rankings was a short one. He’s been ousted after just weeks in the pecking order, replaced at #15 by Reinier de Ridder, who moved to 2-0 in the UFC with a victory over Kevin Holland last month.

    Light Heavyweight: After snapping his two-fight losing skid with a narrow split decision win over debutant Julius Walker this past weekend, Alonzo Menifield has climbed one spot up the UFC rankings at 205 pounds to #14. That’s left veteran former title challenger Anthony Smith at #15 ahead of what is expected to be his final fight this coming April.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Dustin Poirier Gives Major Update On His UFC Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier Gives Major Update On His UFC Retirement Fight

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has updated fans on when his final farewell inside the Octagon is likely to take place.

    It initially appeared as though MMA enthusiasts had seen Poirier make the walk for the final time last summer. After a vintage knockout of Benoît Saint Denis in March, “The Diamond” had one last opportunity to achieve undisputed status.

    But while he gave it his all through four rounds against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in Newark, Poirier succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the final frame of the pay-per-view main event.

    The veteran’s Octagon interview suggested that an official retirement was on the way, but the fire beneath Poirier has not fully diminished. After pondering a farewell fight, the Louisianan has made that decision final.

    Talk has since turned to which major matchup Poirier could depart the sport off the back of. And although that remains undecided, the fan favorite appears close to getting an event pencilled in.

    “I’ll drop it,” Poirier told MMA Fighting‘s José Youngs regarding an announcement on his final fight. “It’s summer. July or August, probably. We’re working on UFC New Orleans.

    I’m trying to retire in my home state. The UFC hasn’t been there since 2015. I fought on the card as well. I fought Yancy Medeiros, but that was the last time I got to fight at home,” Poirier continued. “To retire where it all started in Louisiana would be incredible for me and my career.”

    Poirier has made it clear that he’s entertaining “legends only” when it comes to his final opponent, shutting down talk of a clash with Paddy Pimblett prior to “The Baddy’s” UFC 314 co-main event against Michael Chandler being announced.

    With that in mind, the promotion will no doubt be seeking a high-profile name to share the cage with Poirier for his final dance.

  • UFC Vegas 103 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Card

    UFC Vegas 103 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Card

    UFC Vegas 103 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, March 1, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be a pair of top 10 flyweights. Following the withdrawal of Brandon Royval this month, #6 contender Manel Kape will face the challenge of Kazakhstan’s Asu Almabayev.

    And also making the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Cody Brundage, Nasrat Haqparast, Hyder Amil, Danny Barlow, Ricardo Ramos and Charles Johnson.

    UFC Vegas 103: Kape vs. Almabayev Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 103 (as of 2/24), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Manel Kape (-245) vs. Asu Almabayev (+200)
    • Cody Brundage (+136) vs. Julian Marquez (-162)
    • Nasrat Haqparast (+210) vs. Esteban Ribovics (-258)
    • Austen Lane (+295) vs. Mário Pinto (-375)
    • Hyder Amil (+185) vs. William Gomis (-225)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Danny Barlow (-310) vs. Sam Patterson (+250)
    • Ricardo Ramos (+330) vs. Chepe Mariscal (-425)
    • Douglas Silva de Andrade (+195) vs. John Castañeda (-238)
    • Andrea Lee (+164) vs. JJ Aldrich (-198)
    • Danny Silva (-185) vs. Lucas Almeida (+154)
    • Montana De La Rosa (+110) vs. Luana Carolina (-130)
    • Charles Johnson (+114) vs. Ramazan Temirov (-135)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHIyb06r_No
  • UFC Veteran Has Radical Idea To Solve Eye-Poke Problem: ‘Not Only A Point Deduction…’

    UFC Veteran Has Radical Idea To Solve Eye-Poke Problem: ‘Not Only A Point Deduction…’

    UFC lightweight veteran Jim Miller has chimed in with his thoughts on how to eliminate eye-poking in mixed martial arts following another instance of the foul halting a fight this past weekend.

    While MMA has grown to no end since its inception and has seen its legitimacy widely accepted in the sporting world, one issue remains a prominent talking point that perhaps continues to hold it back — the manner in which fouls are dealt with.

    The topic reared its head again recently after a deep eye poke rendered former two-division champion Henry Cejudo unable to continue in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle.

    With referee Jason Herzog deeming Song Yadong’s infringement to have been accidental, no point was deducted and the Chinese bantamweight contender exited the UFC cage inside Climate Pledge Arena as a technical decision winner.

    That’s left many questioning the freedom fighters are given to foul without repercussions, with Herzog specifically being slammed for not taking a point from “The Kung Fu Kid.”

    Miller, though, believes punishment should go above and beyond a simple blow to a fighter’s hopes of edging the scorecards.

    “It’s not the gloves, it’s the culture. The shameless, win at all costs mentality amongst fighters and the ‘eye pokes are an accident and not a foul’ mentality most people seem to have,” Miller wrote on X. “The good news is that we can change the culture. Penalize the foul immediately during the pause in action after confirming a strike or post was thrown with outstretched fingers. I believe not only a point deduction but also a purse deduction would have a rapid effect on how many pokes we see. I’ve come to these conclusions after being taped into those gloves 45 times, totaling over 7 hours inside the Octagon, landing over 1200 significant strikes (none of which were thrown with extended fingers, and I also slept at a Holiday Inn Express a few times.”

    Similar debates have been had regarding fence grabs and low blows, both of which frequently go unpunished inside the UFC Octagon.

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Accuses Henry Cejudo Of Quitting At UFC Seattle: ‘Knew He Had Nothing Left’

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Accuses Henry Cejudo Of Quitting At UFC Seattle: ‘Knew He Had Nothing Left’

    The coach of former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has become the latest to accuse Henry Cejudo of looking for a way out of his fight with Song Yadong on Saturday night.

    Inside Climate Pledge Arena, Cejudo fell to a third straight loss since returning from retirement. His latest setback came at the hands of “The Kung Fu Kid” in the main event of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle.

    After falling behind on the scorecards, a bad eye poke in the third round ultimately prevented “Triple C” from finishing out the fight, with referee Jason Herzog waving things off at the start of the fourth.

    As is often the case when a foul leads to a no contest or technical decision, Cejudo has received backlash from some for how the main event on Feb. 22 concluded.

    Some have accused the 2008 Olympic gold medalist of quitting, disregarding his claim of compromised vision. Among them is Tim Welch, who’s best known for coaching a bantamweight rival of Cejudo’s in O’Malley.

    “Henry knew he had nothing left for Song,” Welch wrote on X.

    Cejudo has unsurprisingly not taken kindly to suggestions he sought a way out of the UFC Seattle headliner.

    While he hasn’t responded directly to Welch, he did hit back at the narrative as a whole by listing the eye injuries he apparently sustained as a result of Song’s poke.

  • Watch Former Rivals Oleksandr Usyk And Anthony Joshua’s Hilarious Ringside Reaction To Joseph Parker KO

    Watch Former Rivals Oleksandr Usyk And Anthony Joshua’s Hilarious Ringside Reaction To Joseph Parker KO

    Plenty of prominent names were left stunned by how Joseph Parker dispatched of Martin Bakole in their interim WBO heavyweight title fight this weekend.

    Parker arrived in Saudi Arabia last week anticipating to challenge for Daniel Dubois’ IBF championship. But just days out from their showdown in the co-main event of a stacked Riyadh lineup, the Brit withdrew due to illness.

    Saving the day was Bakole, who traveled to the Middle East on late notice to compete for Parker’s interim gold. The pair set the stage for the blockbuster undisputed rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

    While the main event was a memorable 12-round affair, the co-headliner raised eyebrows for the opposite reason, with Parker needing less than six minutes to find the finish.

    Among those ringside when he stopped Bakole was one of just three men to defeat him in professional boxing, former two-time WBC titleholder Anthony Joshua. “AJ” took in the action alongside one of his most notable rivals, current unified heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.

    Suffice it to say, both men were shocked when Bakole went crashing down in round two.

    Moving forward, both “AJ” and “The Cat” could have their eyes set on Parker.

    While many believe the New Zealander has earned a shot at Usyk following consecutive wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Bakole, others have pitched a rematch with Joshua while the Ukrainian potentially runs it back with Dubois.

  • Dana White Surprisingly Sympathizes With UFC Seattle Fighter Who Pushed Austin Vanderford

    Dana White Surprisingly Sympathizes With UFC Seattle Fighter Who Pushed Austin Vanderford

    It would seem that Nikolay Veretennikov isn’t getting the kind of heat from the promotion that he is from the fanbase after his actions at UFC Seattle on Saturday night.

    This weekend, the Kazakh-born fighter fell to a second straight loss since joining the UFC. That was courtesy of former Bellator title challenger Austin Vanderford, who made a successful debut on just days’ notice.

    “The Gentlemen” was on the ascendancy from the start, and his grappling superiority ultimately paved the way for a TKO with ground strikes in the second round at UFC Seattle.

    Veretennikov was less than pleased with the stoppage and immediately disputed it. But rather than the official, the 35-year-old took his frustration out on Vanderford by shoving his victorious opponent.

    Many were quick to slate Veretennikov, with some even suggesting he was likely to be cut from his contract as a result of his UFC Seattle actions. That, however, doesn’t appear to be a sentiment shared by the higher-ups.

    “Listen, yeah, it’s never good when you go over (and push an opponent),” Dana White said during his post-fight press conference. “I don’t know why he went after him. I understand he was upset with the referee. And when you watch that fight, if you look, I get why he was upset. He was blocking a lot of the shots. He was blocking; he was still trying to get out of there.

    “If a guy is taking a number of just unanswered shots, and he’s laying there on the ground — he was defending and moving around, and so I understand why he’s upset,” White continued. “But yeah, you know how we are here. He went over and pushed the guy. What should we do?”

    In addition to his actions in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Seattle result, Veretennikov’s 0-2 Octagon record likely leaves him on thin ice in the UFC.

    Should he be granted another opportunity to have his hand raised on MMA’s biggest stage, it would no doubt be a must-win scenario for the 35-year-old.

  • Henry Cejudo Hits Back At UFC Seattle Critics With List Of Apparent Eye Injuries

    Henry Cejudo Hits Back At UFC Seattle Critics With List Of Apparent Eye Injuries

    Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo has pushed back on claims he was looking for a way out of Saturday’s main event against Song Yadong.

    Cejudo’s wait for a first victory since returning from retirement in 2023 goes on after this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle, Washington, which he headlined in defense of his #7 spot in the bantamweight rankings.

    After defeats to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili, “Triple C” fell to a third straight loss inside Climate Pledge Arena — but not in a common way.

    Cejudo was handed a technical decision setback after being unable to continue due to a deep eye poke late in the third frame. With referee Jason Herzog deeming the foul unintentional — and with over half the scheduled rounds complete — the bout went to the scorecards, all of which were in favor of “The Kung Fu Kid.”

    As is often the case when an athlete doesn’t continue following a foul, Cejudo has faced flak from some corners of the MMA community who have accused him of quitting.

    The 2008 Olympic gold medalist has not taken kindly to such claims, taking to X to hit back at the allegation by listing the injuries he apparently sustained from Song’s poke.

    “Diplopia, Soft Tissue Damage, Corneal Abrasion,” he wrote.”‘hE wANteD a wAy OuT’ #UFCSeattle“

    It remains to be seen what will come next for Cejudo in the UFC. While the two fighters expressed mutual interest in running things back, UFC CEO Dana White was quick to shut that suggestion down during his post-fight press conference.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Mocks Brendan Allen After Latest Setback At UFC Seattle

    Dricus Du Plessis Mocks Brendan Allen After Latest Setback At UFC Seattle

    UFC middleweight contender Brendan Allen isn’t getting any sympathy from his division’s champion after a tough night at the office this past Saturday night.

    Allen returned to action on Feb. 22, co-headlining the UFC Fight Night event in Seattle opposite a former adversary in fan favorite Anthony Hernandez.

    While “All In” targeted redemption for a defeat to “Fluffy” under the LFA banner en route to defending his spot in the top 10 at 185 pounds, he was once again unable to get the better of Hernandez, this time on the scorecards.

    The result has marked the latest setback to Allen’s title ambitions after he had his seven-fight winning run snapped by Nassourdine Imavov in Paris last September.

    And the Beaufort native is unsurprisingly disappointed, which showed in his first statement on social media post-fight.

    “Just ain’t the guy I thought I was,” Allen wrote. “Hats off to (Hernandez), love the guy through the s*** this sport brings. Who knows what’s next. Thanks to my team and those who stuck with me.”

    Though he received plenty of supportive messages in the comments section, one longtime verbal sparring partner was ready to add salt to Allen’s wounds.

    Reigning titleholder Dricus Du Plessis appeared with a less than positive remark, mocking the sizable blow to Allen’s championship hopes.

    Du Plessis on Allen

    “I don’t know what’s next either but I can most certainly tell what ain’t next for a very long time.”

    Du Plessis and Allen have long gone back and forth on social media and during interviews, with their feud seemingly dating back to a brief stint training together and a clear contrast in personality.

    Since then, “All In” has repeatedly vowed to reach the South African and prove his criticism of the champ’s fighting style correct. As Du Plessis pointed out, however, such a matchup is now a distant possibility following Allen’s likely exit from the top 10.