MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: New Fights For Shevchenko, Prates, Ige 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, February 17, and Sunday, February 23, a number of fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources.

    For those matchups, including multiple championship bouts, check out the list below:

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

  • Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2, Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole Results & Highlights

    Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2, Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole Results & Highlights

    The “fight card of the century” went down today in Riyadh, topped by Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s undisputed championship rematch. MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    A stacked lineup took place in Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Arena on Saturday, February 22. In the headlining act, Beterbiev and Bivol ran back their undisputed light heavyweight title fight from last October.

    First time around, the 40-year-old Russian-Canadian fell on the right side of a highly debated majority decision verdict. Bivol successfully achieved redemption after having his previously undefeated record blemished, outpointing his rival to secure undisputed champion status and perhaps set up a trilogy.

    Before they went battle, the co-main event saw Joseph Parker and Martin Bakole collide on just days’ notice. The New Zealander was originally slated to challenge IBF Heavyweight Champion Daniel Dubois before the Brit fell ill during fight week. With that, he successfully defended his WBO interim title with a second-round knockout.

    With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights.

    Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 Results & Highlights

    Fight Card:

    • Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Dmitry Bivol def. Artur Beterbiev via majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112)
    • WBO Interim Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Joseph Parker def. Martin Bakole via KO: R2, 2:17
    • WBC Lightweight Championship: Shakur Stevenson def. Josh Padley via TKO (corner stoppage): R9, 3:00
    • WBC Middleweight Championship: Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz ends in a split draw (115-114 Sheeraz, 118-110 Adames, 114-114)
    • WBC Interim Super Welterweight Championship: Vergil Ortiz Jr. def. Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision (117-111, 115-113, 115-113)
    • Vacant WBC Interim Heavyweight Championship: Agit Kabayel def. Zhilei Zhang via KO: R6, 2:29
    • WBO Interim Light Heavyweight Championship: Callum Smith def. Joshua Buatsi via unanimous decision (119-110, 115-113, 116-112)

    Callum Smith Def. Joshua Buatsi

    Agit Kabayel Def. Zhilei Zhang

    https://twitter.com/BoxingzCentee/status/1893374844382683189

    Vergil Ortiz Jr. Def. Israil Madrimov

    Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz

    Shakur Stevenson Def. Josh Padley

    https://twitter.com/UnanimousDC/status/1893420226131243316

    Joseph Parker Def. Martin Bakole

    https://twitter.com/clipfightz/status/1893427327528206600

    Dmitry Bivol Def. Artur Beterbiev

  • UFC Fight Night: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.

    After events in Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Las Vegas, the mixed martial arts leader is on the road to close out its February schedule with a card inside Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.

    Headlining will be former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. After consecutive losses to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili since returning from retirement, “Triple C” will look to notch the first win of his comeback at the expense of fellow top 10 bantamweight Song Yadong.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Anthony Hernandez, Jean Silva, Rob Font, Alonzo Menifield and Austin Vanderford will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song takes place on Saturday, February 22, at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

    See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.

    Main Card:

    • Flyweight: Henry Cejudo (135lbs) vs. Song Yadong (136lbs)
    • Middleweight: Brendan Allen (186lbs) vs. Anthony Hernandez (186lbs)
    • Catchweight (140lbs): Rob Font (138lbs) vs. Jean Matsumoto (139lbs)
    • Featherweight: Jean Silva (145.5lbs) vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (145lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Alonzo Menifield (205lbs) vs. Julius Walker (205lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Ion Cuțelaba (205lbs) vs. Ibo Aslan (205lbs)
    • Featherweight: Andre Fili (145lbs) vs. Melquizael Costa (145lbs)
    • Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik (186lbs) vs. Nick Klein (186lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Ricky Simón (135lbs) vs. Javid Basharat (136lbs)
    • Catchweight (175lbs): Nikolay Veretennikov (175lbs) vs. Austin Vanderford (174lbs)
    • Middleweight: Nursulton Ruziboev (184lbs) vs. Eric McConico (184lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (203lbs) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (204lbs)
  • ONE 171 Results & Highlights: Joshua Pacio TKOs Jarred Brooks

    ONE 171 Results & Highlights: Joshua Pacio TKOs Jarred Brooks

    The stacked ONE 171 event took place on Thursday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    ONE Championship was back in Qatar this week, where the Lusail Sports Arena played host to a number of intriguing battles across four different sports.

    Asia’s premier martial arts organization brought with it to the Middle East a deep lineup, filled with champions and plenty of prominent names in MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing and submission grappling.

    And there were championship stakes in the first of those sports that headlined ONE 171, with Filipino strawweight kingpin Joshua Pacio and American standout Jarred Brooks completing their trilogy by unifying the title.

    While “The Monkey God” dethroned “The Passion” back in 2022, the rematch saw the belt return to Pacio after Brooks was disqualified for an illegal slam. Having since captured the interim strap with a first-round submission of Gustavo Balart last August, Brooks had his sights on regaining undisputed status.

    But the American failed in that regard, with Pacio overcoming a strong start from his challenger to find the TKO finish late in the second frame.

    Gold from a different sport was also be on the line in Qatar. After losing his Muay Thai strap in Denver last year, Jonathan Haggerty ensured he kept hold of his remaining title by defending the bantamweight kickboxing championship against Chinese challenger Wei Rui.

    Elsewhere, former two-division KSW champion Roberto Soldić made his long-awaited return, Kill Cliff FC standout Aung La N Sang added a 46th fight to his illustrious record, ex-bantamweight kingpin Bibiano Fernandes closed out his career with one last bout and submission grappling star Kade Ruotolo competed in MMA for the third time.

    With today’s card complete, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights.

    ONE 171 Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Strawweight MMA Championship: Joshua Pacio (C) def. Jarred Brooks (IC) via TKO: R2, 4:22
    • Bantamweight Kickboxing Championship: Jonathan Haggerty (C) def. Wei Rui via unanimous decision
    • Welterweight MMA: Roberto Soldić def. Dagi Arslanaliev via KO: R1, 1:55
    • Middleweight MMA: Shamil Erdogan def. Aung La N Sang via KO (head kick): R1, 0:28
    • Featherweight MMA: Shamil Gasanov def. Martin Nguyen via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight MMA: Bibiano Fernandes def. Kevin Belingon via split decision
    • Heavyweight MMA: Kirill Grishenko def. Mauro Cerilli via KO (leg Kick): R1, 3:28
    • Bantamweight Muay Thai: Jake Peacock def. Shinji Suzuki via TKO: R3, 1:29
    • Atomweight MMA: Ayaka Miura def. Ritu Phogat via submission (kneebar): R1, 2:24
    • Lightweight MMA: Kade Ruotolo def. Nicolas Vigna via submission (arm-triangle choke): R1, 3:04

    Preliminary Card:

    • Openweight Submission Grappling: Zayed Alkatheeri def. Mohammed Hilal Ahmad Abu Rumuh via submission (armbar): R1, 2:21
    • Lightweight MMA: Abdullo Khodzhaev def. Wilian Poles via TKO: R1, 4:56
    • Featherweight MMA: Hussein Salem def. Walter Cogliandro via KO: R1, 2:25

    Hussein Salem Def. Walter Cogliandro

    Abdullo Khodzhaev Def. Wilian Poles

    Zayed Alkatheeri Def. Mohammed Hilal Ahmad Abu Rumuh

    Kade Ruotolo Def. Nicolas Vigna

    Jake Peacock Def. Shinji Suzuki

    Kirill Grishenko Def. Mauro Cerilli

    Bibiano Fernandes Def. Kevin Belingon

    Shamil Gasanov Def. Martin Nguyen

    Shamil Erdogan Def. Aung La N Sang

    https://twitter.com/ONEChampionship/status/1892635685548655018

    Roberto Soldić Def. Dagi Arslanaliev

    Jonathan Haggerty Def. Wei Rui

    Joshua Pacio Def. Jarred Brooks

  • VIDEO: Roberto Soldic, Last Man To Beat Dricus Du Plessis, Brutally Faceplants Opponent At 171: Qatar

    VIDEO: Roberto Soldic, Last Man To Beat Dricus Du Plessis, Brutally Faceplants Opponent At 171: Qatar

    Let it be known — Roberto “Robocop” Soldic is back.

    Prior to today’s event, it had remarkably been over three years since Soldic last had his hand raised. Following a defense of the KSW middleweight title in 2021, the Croatian power puncher signed with ONE Championship but went winless across his first two bouts.

    A no contest against Murad Ramazanov was followed by a shock stoppage loss to Zebaztian Kadestam in 2023, derailing the hype behind the 30-year-old, who notably knocked out current UFC kingpin Dricus Du Plessis back in 2018.

    But it’s safe to say that Soldic got that hype back and then some Thursday in Qatar, where he shared the cage with Dagi Arslanaliev as part of a loaded ONE 171 card inside Lusail Sports Arena.

    The bout lasted less than two minutes courtesy of a violent finish from “Robocop,” who landed a thunderous left hand as Arslanaliev threw a kick to put the Turkish welterweight out cold.

    While Arslanaliev was lifeless on the canvas, Soldic landed two brutal follow-up shots, the second of which came after the referee had already attempted to intervene.

    The result has finally netted Soldic his first victory under the banner of ONE, Asia’s largest martial arts organization.

    It remains to be seen what will come next for “Robocop,” especially with the promotion’s apparent move away from MMA competition in recent years, which has left many fighters sidelined and expressing discontent publicly.

  • ‘From McGregor To Pimblett In Less Than A Year’ – Fans React To Michael Chandler Co-Headlining UFC 314 vs. ‘The Baddy’

    ‘From McGregor To Pimblett In Less Than A Year’ – Fans React To Michael Chandler Co-Headlining UFC 314 vs. ‘The Baddy’

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler has his first assignment of 2025 in the calendar, and it unsurprisingly won’t see the promotion revisiting plans for him to face Conor McGregor.

    After waiting a considerable time for a showdown with the Irishman, Chandler finally moved on by rematching Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 last November.

    A second defeat to “Do Bronx” has left the former Bellator champion with a 2-4 record under the UFC banner and outside the championship conversation at 155 pounds.

    He’ll look to rectify that in 2025, starting with a five-round co-main event opposite one of the division’s most prominent rising names in Paddy Pimblett.

    That bout was revealed by Dana White among a slew of announcements Thursday night, with Chandler and Pimblett slated to co-headline the UFC 314 pay-per-view in Miami on April 12.

    Fans were quick to give their thoughts on the news, taking to social media with predictions for the battle between experience and youth.

    Many focused on the bout marking Chandler’s second since the canceled McGregor fight last July, while others went back and forth with their takes on who will emerge victorious inside Kaseya Center.

    https://twitter.com/miketye01_chapo/status/1892517267415466268

  • Ilia Topuria Vacates UFC Featherweight Title, Volkanovski vs. Lopes Announced

    Ilia Topuria is officially moving up to the lightweight division, and a fight for his newly vacated UFC featherweight title is already set.

    Topuria outlined his intentions to achieve two-division glory soon after capturing the 145-pound crown at the expense of Alexander Volkanovski last February. And after just one successful defense opposite Max Holloway, the Spaniard suggested his time in the division was done.

    That’s turned out to be the case, with UFC CEO Dana White confirming Thursday that Topuria has indeed relinquished the featherweight belt ahead of a permanent move up.

    With that, a clash for the championship between former titleholder Volkanovski and surging contender Diego Lopes will take place at UFC 314 in Miami on April 12.

  • Jack Della Maddalena Pulled From UFC London, Challenges Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    Jack Della Maddalena Pulled From UFC London, Challenges Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    A new main event is set to go down in London next month after Jack Della Maddalena was announced as the next challenger to UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad’s reign.

    Della Maddalena was originally set to headline on March 22 in England’s capital in a likely title eliminator opposite Leon Edwards. But among a slew of announcements Thursday night, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that the Australian has been replaced by Sean Brady.

    Rather than injury or travel issues causing the chance, Della Maddalena has found himself with an unexpected opportunity to capture gold next time out.

    The striking specialist will headline UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 in competition for Muhammad’s title due to an injury to number one contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    “Nomad” has now seen two planned championship chances slip away. He was originally set to compete for the gold last December before a bone infection forced Muhammad out on late notice. He subsequently beat Ian Garry to further cement his claim to the next shot.

    The Kazakh fighter will now be waiting in the wings to face the winner, as Della Maddalena looks to ride his undefeated UFC record all the way to the top in the “Great White North.”

  • Anthony Smith On Retirement Fight Coming Against Unranked KO Artist: ‘I Was Very Shocked’

    Anthony Smith On Retirement Fight Coming Against Unranked KO Artist: ‘I Was Very Shocked’

    While initially surprised by the matchup chosen to be his last, UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith says he now understands it.

    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. And he’ll do so opposite a curious choice of opposition.

    It was recently announced that Smith will hang up the gloves at UFC Kansas City this coming April, where he’ll meet an opponent who rides a streak of 11 first-round finishes in the form of Chinese prospect Zhang Mingyang.

    During the latest episode of his On Paper podcast, Smith admitted to being “shocked” at first when the bout was presented to him. But while many see him as the UFC’s sacrificial lamb as the promotion looks to build the “Mountain Tiger,” the 36-year-old former title challenger doesn’t see it that way.

    “I didn’t have any suggestions, but I was very shocked with the matchup, for sure,” Smith said. “That wasn’t a bad thing, I just was not expecting that one, but once I kind of looked into him a little bit and sat on it, it makes a lot of sense why they would go in that direction.

    “I have a lot of conversations with these guys — and if they did (book the fight for Zhang to win), they’re probably not going to tell me — but Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have always told me that they don’t care who wins. They want good fights. They want interesting matchups. And they put people in positions and it’s up to you to do what you what you do with it,” Smith continued. “Of course, we can think of people that were favorably matched and put in some better positions than others, but I’ve known Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby and those guys a really long time and they’ve always been pretty straight-up with me, even in times that I don’t like it.”

    UFC Kansas City remains without a main event as of now, but names like Giga Chikadze, Michel Pereira, and Ikram Aliskerov are among those slated to join Smith’s retirement fight on the April 26 lineup.

  • Tom Aspinall Touts ‘Unstoppable’ Teammate’s Preparation Ahead Of UFC Seattle Return

    Tom Aspinall Touts ‘Unstoppable’ Teammate’s Preparation Ahead Of UFC Seattle Return

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall expects one of his teammates to put on a show at Saturday’s UFC Seattle event.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back in the state of Washington this week, where top 10 flyweights Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong will top an intriguing-looking UFC Fight Night lineup.

    Among the notable names set to compete on the preliminary card is Modestas Bukauskas, a Lithuanian-British light heavyweight who has won five of his last six contests inside the cage.

    Since returning to the UFC off the back of a stint in Cage Warriors, “The Baltic Gladiator” has gone 3-1, with the sole loss on that run coming by way of knockout to Vitor Petrino.

    After bouncing back in 2024 with an impressive submission victory over Marcin Prachnio on home soil, Bukauskas will look to make it back-to-back triumphs when he meets Raffael Cerqueira at UFC Seattle on Feb. 22.

    And Aspinall, for one, seems fully confident in his teammate.

    The heavyweight star re-shared promotional material posted by the UFC Europe account to his Instagram Stories, providing some insight into his fellow countryman’s preparation for the upcoming event.

    Tom Aspinall on Modestas Bukauskas

    “This guy has looked unstoppable in the gym. Tune in this Saturday”

    With that said, Aspinall will no doubt have a close eye on proceedings when Bukauskas makes the walk at UFC Seattle inside Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.

    While “The Baltic Gladiator” is days away from his next outing, Aspinall remains without a date in the calendar. He’s continued to push for a unification showdown with heavyweight champ Jon Jones, but the UFC is yet to confirm whether that will go ahead in 2025.

  • Muhammad Mokaev Still Confused By Dana White’s Claim About His UFC Exit: ‘Never Pulled Out…Never Missed Weight’

    Muhammad Mokaev Still Confused By Dana White’s Claim About His UFC Exit: ‘Never Pulled Out…Never Missed Weight’

    Flyweight fighter Muhammad Mokaev says he’s none the wiser as to true reasons behind his shock departure from the UFC last year.

    Mokaev surprisingly found himself outside of the sport’s leading promotion shortly after his win at UFC 304 in Manchester last July. In a lackluster affair, the Dagestan-born Brit outpointed Manel Kape to move to 13-0 as a pro and 7-0 in the UFC.

    With a victory over “Starboy,” Mokaev was anticipating a potential title shot. But seemingly owing to his conduct behind the scenes, “The Punisher” was instead let go after fighting out his contract.

    The 24-year-old was quick to complain about the decision publicly, even offering to fight for free if it would allow him back into the UFC. His efforts evidently fell on deaf ears, however, and he’ll need to put the work in outside of the Octagon to stake his claim for a new deal.

    While the exact nature of the UFC’s decision remains undisclosed, Dana White did imply that “The Punisher” was difficult to work with, a sentiment shared by the matchmakers.

    During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Mokaev reflected on the UFC CEO’s remarks, admitting he’s still baffled by what he did wrong.

    “Still today, I don’t understand the real situation,” Mokaev said. “Of course, there was a beef (with Kape) in the hotel and stuff, but I really don’t know. Maybe there’s a miscommunication between my team and UFC.

    “I really don’t know. Like, difficult which way?” Mokaev said regarding White’s claim he was not an easy fighter to work with. “Seven fights under two years, four finishes, never pulled out from the fight, never missed weight.”

    Post-UFC exit, Mokaev made his return to one of his former organizations, competing at Brave CF 91. After his original opponent withdrew, the Dagestan-born Brit shared the cage with replacement Joevincent So on two days’ notice last December.

    “Chain” didn’t last long, falling by way of submission in under two minutes after being dragged down and locked in a D’arce choke.

    It remains to be seen what the future holds for Mokaev, as well as the specifics of his contractual agreement with Brave CF.

  • UFC Veteran Who Became First To Beat Colby Covington Parts Ways With The Promotion

    UFC Veteran Who Became First To Beat Colby Covington Parts Ways With The Promotion

    Warlley Alves, the first man to defeat Colby Covington in professional mixed martial arts, has left the UFC after a decade under its banner.

    Alves joined the UFC as an undefeated athlete, winning The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 in 2014. He went on to compete 16 times inside the Octagon, emerging victorious from eight of those fights.

    By far the most prominent name on his record’s win column is Covington. The 34-year-old submitted “Chaos” at UFC 194 in 2015, ending the then-future interim welterweight champion’s undefeated run in the sport.

    While that result left Alves with a perfect 4-0 UFC record, he struggled with consistency across his remaining years in the UFC.

    And his stint on MMA’s biggest stage ends off the back of four straight losses, the most recent of which came via decision at the hands of Abusupiyan Magomedov inside the Apex last May.

    The Brazilian’s UFC departure was first reported by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz. It remains to be seen what comes next in MMA for Alves, who is a free agent after a decade-long tenure with the sport’s leading promotion.

  • Eric Nicksick Addresses Backlash To Public Criticism Of Sean Strickland After UFC 312: ‘I Made A Mistake…’

    Eric Nicksick Addresses Backlash To Public Criticism Of Sean Strickland After UFC 312: ‘I Made A Mistake…’

    Coach Eric Nicksick has spoken out regarding the reaction to how he responded to Sean Strickland’s failed attempt at reclaiming the UFC middleweight title earlier this month.

    The Xtreme Couture trainer was Down Under in Sydney, Australia earlier this month to corner Strickland at UFC 312. The former champion headlined in competition for Dricus Du Plessis’ gold.

    While the South African had narrowly fallen on the right side of a split decision in their first fight, the rematch was far more convincing, with “Stillknocks” cruising to a lopsided decision victory across five rounds.

    Strickland received plenty of flak for his performance, not least from his head coach. Nicksick gave a brutal assessment of his pupil, branding his attempt at winning back the middleweight belt “uninspiring” and questioning his motivation.

    The 33-year-old evidently didn’t take too kindly to the public review, expressing plans to switch up his corner team moving forward while addressing the criticism in a social media video.

    A number of other prominent names in the MMA space, from Daniel Cormier to Matt Brown, have also spoken out against Nicksick’s decision to publicly slate his fighter. And in the comments section of an MMA Fighting Instagram post showing “The Immortal’s” remarks on it, Strickland’s coach admitted to making an error.

    Eric Nicksick

    “@iamtheimmortal I agree, Matt, looking back at it I made a mistake,” Nicksick admitted. “My true intentions were to try and motivate him publicly, and that was a miscalculation on my part.”

    It remains to be seen whether Strickland will push through with his plans to utilize new personnel for his next corner in spite of Nicksick acknowledging his mistake.

  • Alexa Grasso Returns At UFC 315 In Montreal, Faces Rising Contender On 12-Fight Winning Streak

    Alexa Grasso Returns At UFC 315 In Montreal, Faces Rising Contender On 12-Fight Winning Streak

    Former UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso has her first fight since losing the title in the calendar.

    Grasso (16-4-1) was unseated from the 125-pound throne last September at the second Noche UFC event. Having previously defeated and fought to a draw against the woman she took the gold from, Valentina Shevchenko, the Mexican was unable to record a second victory over “Bullet” in their trilogy.

    In the co-main event inside the Sphere, Grasso was comfortably beaten across five rounds. The one-sided manner of the loss ruled out any chance of the ex-champ getting an immediate shot at regaining the belt, and she’ll now have to earn it in a potential title eliminator.

    And that now appears to be booked, with Sportsnet reporting that Grasso will share the cage with surging contender Natália Silva (18-5-1) at UFC 315 in Montréal, Québec, Canada on May 10.

    Silva has risen to #5 in the flyweight division courtesy of a spotless 6-0 record on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage since debuting back in 2022.

    The former Jungle Fight champion established herself as one to watch with a highlight reel knockout against Tereza Bledá and beatdown of Victoria Leonardo, and she’s since broken through into title contention with decision wins over Andrea Lee, Viviane Araújo, and Jéssica Andrade.

    Should she add Grasso’s name to a winning streak that currently spans 12 straight fights, Silva would likely place herself in line to challenge the winner of Shevchenko’s expected title defense opposite Manon Fiorot this year.

  • Alex Pereira Also Open To Future Friendship With Jamahal Hill After Patching Things Up With Rival Israel Adesanya

    Alex Pereira Also Open To Future Friendship With Jamahal Hill After Patching Things Up With Rival Israel Adesanya

    When it comes to putting out fires in his combat sports career, a newfound camaraderie with Israel Adesanya isn’t the only unlikely friendship UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira is open to.

    While achieving unprecedented success in just a few short years under the UFC banner, former kickboxing star “Poatan” has already has his fair share of rivalries.

    Front and center is his feud with Adesanya, which was forged from two battles in the ring and the Brazilian ‘chasing’ his foe to the Octagon, where he dethroned him. A fourth clash between the pair finally went the way of “The Last Stylebender,” leading to talk of yet another installment.

    But the pair have since swapped their back and forth for an apparent friendship. After some previous interactions, the pair sat alongside one another while in attendance at UFC 312 earlier this month. Adesanya even recited Pereira’s catchphrase during a video that the latter uploaded to social media.

    And with one heated conflict now firmly in the past, “Poatan” is willing to do the same to another that’s currently raging on down the line.

    During an interview on Straight Talk with Mark Bouris, Pereira was asked about the possibility of forming a similar bond with former opponent Jamahal Hill.

    “Right now, at the moment no, because of a potential fight in the future. We fight in the same weight class,” Pereira said. “But if [it] happens just like Israel Adesanya, I’m not fighting him [Hill] anymore, I have no problem with that. We can be friends, train together; no problem for me.”

    Pereira and Hill’s animosity arose ahead of their title bout at UFC 300 last April, with “Sweet Dreams” confidently downplaying the Brazilian’s threat only to be knocked out inside the first round.

    As the American pursues a rematch, he attempted to confront Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute a couple of months back, with the champ’s coach ultimately getting between the pair after his man invited Hill to spar.

  • Gregory Rodrigues Blames Weight Cut For Jared Cannonier Loss: ‘I Had Serious Issues…’

    Gregory Rodrigues Blames Weight Cut For Jared Cannonier Loss: ‘I Had Serious Issues…’

    UFC middleweight contender Gregory Rodrigues has spoken publicly for the first time since his crushing loss to Jared Cannonier at the Apex this past weekend.

    Off the back of three straight wins, Rodrigues had the opportunity to break into the top 10 and title picture at 185 pounds. Headlining for the first time, the Brazilian’s shot at a major climb up the ladder came opposite a divisional veteran in Cannonier.

    Despite a strong start that saw him drop “The Killa Gorilla” twice, Rodrigues was unable to make good on his favorite status, fading as the rounds went on before eventually being stopped with strikes in the penultimate frame.

    “Robocop” addressed his defeat for the first time on Tuesday, claiming that severe issues during last week’s weight cut hampered his ability to compete at his best on fight night.

    “It’s my birthday today, and even though it was a tough day at work, I’m grateful for everything God has done and continues to do in my life,” Rodrigues said in a statement on Instagram. “Big thanks to the @ufc team for the opportunity. I’m truly honored to have shared the octagon with the No. 7 in the division. Cannonier is a highly experienced fighter who taught me a lot in this fight! I saw several details that can be improved, things that will be changed. Winning Fight of the Night was a gift for two warriors who weren’t afraid to go to battle.

    “Most people don’t know this, but I had serious issues on my recovery after weight cut. My body just wasn’t responding. I keep wondering how things would’ve played out if I had been at 100 percent. But no sad stories here. Robocop never dies! Time to recharge, reset the system, and upgrade, because I’m just getting started! Huge thanks for all the love, to my friends and family who always stand by my side, and to my real fans, you guys outshine the haters every time! Much love to my coaches at @killcliff_fc, my strength team @ihpfit, and my doctors & nutritionist @marceloferronutricao! Thank you all.”

    Rodrigues will now look to polish up his weight cut and ensure similar issues don’t arise when he returns in pursuit of an immediate bounce back to the winner’s circle.

    Cannonier, meanwhile, is looking for an opponent who can keep his championship hopes alive. While “The Killa Gorilla” appears unsure of who that could be, former champion Michael Bisping recently proposed a rematch with Robert Whittaker.

  • Austin Vanderford, Husband Of Paige VanZant, Set For Late-Notice UFC Debut In Seattle

    Austin Vanderford, Husband Of Paige VanZant, Set For Late-Notice UFC Debut In Seattle

    Former Bellator title challenger Austin Vanderford is heading to the Octagon.

    Vanderford (12-2), who is the husband of former UFC fighter and recent GFL signing Paige VanZant, has signed with the UFC after entering free agency in February 2024.

    The signing was first reported by Kyle Dimond.

    And “The Gentleman” won’t have long to wait at all until his debut on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Per Full Send MMA, Vanderford will make the walk under the UFC banner for the first time at this weekend’s event in Seattle, Washington. The card has been plagued by withdrawals in recent days and weeks, leading to a late addition. Kazakhstan’s Nikolay Veretennikov will welcome newcomer Vanderford to the UFC.

    The 34-year-old Californian suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Gegard Mousasi in 2022, unsuccessfully challenging the veteran’s Bellator middleweight reign. A second straight first-round loss to Aaron Jeffrey followed, and Vanderford didn’t compete again before his exit soon after the PFL’s acquisition of his previous employer.

    After returning to winning ways with a 65-second knockout at LFA 194 last October, “The Gentlemen” will look to start life in the UFC in similar fashion at the Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday night.

  • Taila Santos, Liz Carmouche Feature In Lineup For PFL Women’s Flyweight World Tournament

    Taila Santos, Liz Carmouche Feature In Lineup For PFL Women’s Flyweight World Tournament

    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 women’s flyweight 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 begun to announce the full rosters. Thus far, both the welterweight and featherweight lineups have been confirmed, with ex-Bellator champion Jason Jackson and undefeated Dagestani Movlid Khaybulaev marking the two standout names.

    And this week, the rollouts continued with the eight women set to compete in the inaugural flyweight tournament. Among the most notable inclusions is Taila Santos, a former UFC title challenger who fell short of PFL glory in last year’s championship final opposite Dakota Ditcheva.

    While the 2024 champ won’t be part of the tournament, a number of names from last year’s season will, including former Bellator titleholders Liz Carmouche and Juliana Velasquez.

    See below for the full eight-woman roster for this year’s flyweight “World Tournament,” as announced by the PFL on social media.

    • Taila Santos (22-4)
    • Liz Carmouche (22-8)
    • Kana Watanabe (13-3-1)
    • Juliana Velasquez (13-3)
    • Jena Bishop (7-2)
    • Elora Dana (7-0)
    • Ilara Joanne (12-9)
    • Diana Avsaravoga (6-1)

  • Muhammad Mokaev Calls For ‘One Fight’ PFL Deal To Settle Feud With Longtime Rival

    Former UFC flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev could have his sights on the PFL following the arrival of one of his bitter foes to the promotion.

    Mokaev departed the UFC last year after the organization chose against re-signing the Dagestan-born Brit after the final fight of his deal in Manchester. That decision came despite “The Punisher” defeating Manel Kape at the event to extend his undefeated professional record to 14-0.

    Since then, the 24-year-old has re-joined Brave CF and recorded a submission victory over Joevincent So last December. His first assignment of 2025 is yet to be announced, but it would seem that the recent release of another ex-UFC flyweight has caught his attention.

    Jake Hadley’s exit from MMA’s biggest stage was confirmed this week, with “White Kong” quickly putting pen to paper on a deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

    Given the pair’s long-standing rivalry and verbal spat online, Mokaev pitched a one-and-done PFL outing to settle the beef with his fellow Englishman.

    “Any weight against this guy, just one fight deal and we go,” Mokaev wrote.

    Hadley soon responded on X, questioning why Mokaev waited until he signed with another promotion before calling him out online.

    “Lol this guy chats the most sh*t when he can’t fight me when we was both free agents,” Hadley said. “Where was all this talk then Ps PFL don’t won’t u”

    PFL higher-ups shared differing views on the possibility of acquiring Mokaev following his UFC exit last year. While PFL executive Mike Kogan backed up Ray Sefo’s remarks regarding a lack of interest, CEO Peter Murray later contradicted that by identifying “The Punisher” as someone who could be the “face” of a future PFL flyweight division.

    With Hadley being signed to compete at bantamweight, it remains to be seen whether or not the PFL has plans for 125-pound competition in 2025.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Youssef Zalal Enters Featherweight Top 15

    UFC Rankings Report: Youssef Zalal Enters Featherweight Top 15

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

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

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

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: Julia Avila fell short at the Apex opposite Jacqueline Cavalcanti. While she subsequently retired, she’s kept her spot in the UFC rankings for now, dropping three spots to #15. The Brazilian, meanwhile, is up two places to #11. Also on the rise is Nora Cornolle, who’s benefitted from recent results to surge up two spots to #13.

    Inside the top 10, Ailín Pérez (#8) will likely not be happy to have had her recent rise take a hit. Despite coming off a win streak, the Argentine has fallen back behind Mayra Bueno Silva (#7), who has lost three straight.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: Unrelated to the latest event, Marcus McGhee has moved up one place to #13 at 135 pounds, now leaving him above Aiemann Zahabi (#14).

    Featherweight: One of the biggest winners to emerge from UFC Vegas 102 was Youssef Zalal, who remained unbeaten since returning to the promotion by outpointing Calvin Kattar. As a result, he’s debuted in the UFC rankings at #12. The defeated Kattar, meanwhile, has slipped four positions to #14.

    That change has notably boosted Lerone Murphy into the top 10 and ousted Edson Barboza from the list entirely.

    Lightweight: In a somewhat random switch, Grant Dawson has jumped France’s Benoît Saint Denis into #14, leaving “God of War” on the brink of losing his number in the UFC rankings.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: Don’Tale Mayes’ inclusion in the heavyweight top 15 puzzled many, and he didn’t last long. Following a quick submission loss this past weekend, the American has fallen out of the rankings. Despite Valter Walker defeating him, the Brazilian isn’t the fighter who’s replaced Mayes. The #15-ranked heavyweight is instead Tallison Teixeira, who knocked out Justin Tafa earlier this month in Sydney.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Dominick Cruz ‘Shocked’ Former UFC Rival Reached Out After He Announced Career-Ending Injury

    Dominick Cruz ‘Shocked’ Former UFC Rival Reached Out After He Announced Career-Ending Injury

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz was surprised to see one bitter rival among those sending positive messages following his recent enforced retirement.

    Had things gone to plan, Cruz would have been just days out from his long-awaited return to the Octagon at UFC Seattle, having not competed since a knockout loss to Marlon Vera back in 2022.

    But the 135-pound legend’s comeback crumbled when he suffered a second shoulder dislocation during training, the severity of which was enough to compel Cruz to end his career as an active fighter.

    Since then, many in the MMA community have been praising what was undoubtedly an incredible stint in the cage for the 39-year-old. And, as it turns out, even one of the most notable foes from Cruz’s career has paid their respect.

    During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Cruz revealed contact from former opponent TJ Dillashaw.

    “TJ Dillashaw actually reached out to me. I was shocked,” Cruz said. “He gave me a recommendation for a shoulder doctor. He said he was looking forward to watching me compete and was sorry that I couldn’t.”

    Cruz returned from a 16-month layoff in January 2016 to challenge Dillashaw’s bantamweight reign. “The Dominator” fell on the right side of a split decision, capturing the crown for a second time.

    The pair’s animosity continued in the subsequent years, resurfacing in 2022 when the San Diego native took issue with Dillashaw being granted a title fight two fights into his comeback post-drug suspension.

    Dillashaw ultimately lost to Aljamain Sterling after dislocating his shoulder in the fight, with the challenger quickly revealing a plague of injury issues during the lead-up to what marked his final fight.

    Having retired himself due to a similar physical issue, Dillashaw is certainly well placed to pass on advice to Cruz as he looks to recover from the career-ending injury too.

  • Alexander Gustafsson Gets Honest After UFC Exit, GFL Signing: ‘I Don’t Have Real Fire Anymore Or Hunger’

    Alexander Gustafsson Gets Honest After UFC Exit, GFL Signing: ‘I Don’t Have Real Fire Anymore Or Hunger’

    Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson is under no illusion about his current condition and deteriorating motivation to compete in mixed martial arts.

    After 15 years and 18 fights, Gustafsson brought his lengthy stint on MMA’s biggest stage to an end recently. But that doesn’t mean his journey as an active fighter is over.

    The Swedish athlete was among the prominent veteran names who entered the inaugural Global Fight League (GFL) draft ahead of its launch season in 2025. The 38-year-old was picked by Team London, cementing his return to the cage this year.

    During an interview with Sveacasino.se, Gustafsson — who is part of the UFC Hall of Fame owing to his first fight with Jon Jones — described his decision to leave the UFC and join the new organization, admitting he’s past his prime and no longer has the “hunger” required to mix it up with the elite of the sport.

    “I see myself as an elite athlete but I feel it’s the time for the new generation,” Gustafsson said. “I feel like I’m not in my top game anymore. It was a while ago. In my opinion, the fighters who fight for the UFC need to be on their top level. It is the best level of fighting in the UFC. I’m not there anymore. … I’m still doing my best in training, and I have a couple of fights left in me. But I’m not at the UFC level anymore.  That’s how I feel. I’m real to myself. My teammates, my team is real to me. … I don’t have the real fire anymore or the hunger. It was a decision to make and I believe we made the right decision. And I feel good about it, too. I could have done another UFC fight, of course, but I feel a little bit of the pressure because you’re fighting for the best organisation in the world. You need to deliver. I’m not competing to accept a loss. I feel I’m not able to deliver like I did many years before.

    “You need to think about yourself, and also I’m not 25, 28 anymore. I’m 38 years old,” Gustafsson continued. “I have a family. I’m not really worried about the damage you take in the fight. It’s more, the training camps you have. I’ve done many training camps in my career, and the training camp leading up to the fight. You need to deliver on the highest level. It’s a little bit of pressure because you need to recover between sessions. There are many factors involved in the whole thing. That‘s why we made the decision. We also have the GFL contract on the table, too. I have some other offers, too. I feel like I’m not going to do this for a very long time, so let’s make the best of it, and squeeze it out as much as possible. Then I’m done.”

    Gustafsson has lost his last four fights, all by way of finishes. “The Mauler” was most recently knocked out by Nikita Krylov in just 67 seconds back at a 2022 UFC Fight Night in London.

  • UFC Seattle Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Cejudo vs. Song, Allen vs. Hernandez, & More

    UFC Seattle Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Cejudo vs. Song, Allen vs. Hernandez, & More

    UFC Seattle 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, February 22, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. 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 former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. After consecutive losses to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili since returning from retirement, “Triple C” will look to notch the first win of his comeback at the expense of fellow top 10 bantamweight Song Yadong.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see ranked middleweight contenders Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez collide. While the former will look to bounce back from defeat to Nassourdine Imavov last time out, “Fluffy” is pursuing a sixth straight win.

    And also making the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Rob Font, Jean Silva, Alonzo Menifield, Andre Fili and Ricky Simón.

    UFC Seattle: Cejudo vs. Song Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Seattle (as of 2/17), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Henry Cejudo (+230) vs. Song Yadong (-285)
    • Brendan Allen (+240) vs. Anthony Hernandez (-298)
    • Jean Silva (-575) vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (+425)
    • Rob Font vs. Jean Matsumoto
    • Alonzo Menifield (-205) vs. Julius Walker (+170)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Andre Fili (-120) vs. Melquizael Costa (+100)
    • Ion Cuțelaba (+130) vs. Ibo Aslan (-155)
    • Nursulton Ruziboev (-305) vs. Eric McConico (+245)
    • Ricky Simón (+240) vs. Javid Basharat (-298)
    • Mansur Abdul-Malik (-850) vs. Nick Klein (+520)
    • Modestas Bukauskas (-325) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (+260)

  • Nine-Fight UFC Lightweight Veteran Retires At 31 After Three Straight Losses

    It’s the end of the road in the UFC and professional mixed martial arts for one lightweight fighter.

    After Julia Avila announced her retirement in the cage at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night event, another member of the roster has followed suit this week.

    In an Instagram post, 155-pound vet Joe Solecki cut his career short at the age of 31. The decision comes off the back of three straight defeats for the New Jersey native, who was most recently outpointed by Nurullo Aliev at the very first UFC event of 2025.

    During a lengthy caption, Solecki revealed his plans to remain an active part of the sport through his coaching work.

    “Today, after chasing this dream for 10 years, I am officially retiring from the sport of MMA.

    “I started this endeavor as a kid with a dream of making it to the UFC. It then grew into so many more goals and dreams, some of which I achieved and others where I fell short. In a way, despite falling short at times (especially this past year), I ‘lived my movie’. Competing at the highest level in the UFC and grinding it out on the regional circuit to make it to the top have taught me more life lessons and things about myself, hard work, and determination than I ever could’ve imagined. This avenue in life has helped me grow in so many ways as a man, athlete, husband, father, and most of all has helped me grow and develop deeper in my faith and relationship with God. I have made lifelong relationships that I’ll cherish forever, have experienced the amazing feeling of victory, the adversity of defeat and the joy of overcoming that adversity. I have been able to go places and experience things I never even dreamed of because of this sport, all memories that I’ll also cherish.

    “I won’t be far away from the sport, as I look forward to being on the mats everyday both training still and coaching the next generation of martial artists at Gym-O. I hope to play a small part in helping others experience these same things I mentioned above in their own lives. And you will certainly be seeing me competing in grappling soon, as competition will always be a part of me.

    “Thank you so much to my incredible wife, who has been with me every step of the way from the first time I laced up a pair of gloves and to my kids who along the way became my new ‘why’. Thank you so much to my coaches, teammates, and everyone who supported me so much. I will be thanking all of these people in a separate post that they very much deserve. Above all, praise goes to Jesus Christ, for the grace that showed me that my worth wasn’t determined by a status or outcome, but by Him. Thank you everyone for all of your support throughout the years on this ride. It’s been nothing short of incredible.”

    Solecki earned his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2019, impressing the UFC CEO with a first-round submission win.

    While he quickly made a statement with three consecutive victories inside the Octagon to move to 11-2 as a pro, the 31-year-old went 2-4 across his remaining six outings, culminating in an early retirement.

  • VIDEO: Ilia Topuria Has Unique Celebration For One-Year Anniversary Of UFC Title Win

    UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has achieved a lot of firsts on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, from ending Alexander Volkanovski’s unbeaten run at 145 pounds to becoming the first to sleep the previously unbreakable Max Holloway.

    Now, “El Matador” might have just become the first UFC champ to serenade their belt by signing Happy Birthday to it…

    Topuria posted a hilarious video (h/t @mma_orbit) of him and his wife’s unique celebration on the one-year anniversary of his memorable championship victory in Anaheim last February.

    The Spaniard reached the top of the featherweight division as an undefeated fighter at UFC 298, which he headlined in competition for Volkanovski’s gold.

    Topuria made good on his prediction to leave the Australian unconscious, shutting his lights out in round two to begin a new era for the weight class.

    After a similarly violent display opposite Max Holloway last October, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for “El Matador” in 2025. While Volkanovski has staked his claim for a rematch, the champ has been vocal in outlining his two-division ambitions.