BKFC founder David Feldman isn’t holding much hope of the PFL allowing heavyweight star Francis Ngannou to answer Ben Rothwell’s recent callout.
Rothwell has enjoyed a fruitful stint in bare-knuckle boxing since his lengthy tenure in the UFC reached its conclusion after 17 fights back in 2021. “Big Ben” has amassed a 4-0 record under the BKFC banner with nothing but knockouts.
His latest victory was at last month’s KnuckleMania V event in Philadelphia, where the veteran heavyweight delivered an early Knockout of the Year candidate. A violent 36-second finish of Mick Terrill secured Rothwell the BKFC heavyweight title, and all eyes will certainly now be on the 43-year-old’s next outing.
The American set his sights high during his post-fight press conference, dropping the name of former UFC champion and current PFL Super Fights titleholder Francis Ngannou as a desired opponent.
During a recent interview with MMA Knockout, the BKFC president addressed that suggestion, explaining why he doesn’t see it as a possibility despite his promotion’s willingness to do business with rival organizations like the PFL.
“That would be a fantastic payday for Ben Rothwell, and I wouldn’t be opposed to something like that happening,” Feldman said. “But I just don’t think the PFL are gonna do it.
“UFC doesn’t need us, and all the rest of the promotions really don’t want to help us out because it’s just gonna help us get bigger and bigger. So, they don’t wanna do that,” Feldman continued. “They don’t wanna partner with us because they feel it’s gonna help us and not help them as much as it could because Francis Ngannou is a big name.”
Heavyweight fan favorite Tai Tuivasa may not have been able to bring out his patented celebration at UFC 312 this past weekend, but the city of Sydney still got a shoey.
Saturday’s pay-per-view event Down Under certainly wasn’t among the most memorable in recent times, but the card did still provide some eyebrow-raising finishes — and quick ones, at that.
Among the notable victors was undefeated heavyweight prospect Tallison Teixeira, who moved to 8-0 as a professional with a 35-second knockout win over Justin Tafa, who was floored by a crushing elbow against the fence.
“Xicão’s” celebrations following a successful debut at UFC 312 extended beyond the Qudos Bank Arena, spilling on to the streets of Sydney. The Brazilian paid homage to one of Australia’s own by completing a Tuivasa-esque shoey and posting the footage on his Instagram account.
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman envisions one particular contender posing a real threat to the reign of middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis.
13 months on from his crowning at the polarizing American’s defense, the South African recorded a much more definitive victory over Strickland second time around, smashing his nose en route to a lopsided decision.
Moving forward, “Stillknocks” is widely expected to face a test from Khamzat Chimaev next. Usman, however, sees a different top contender being a problem for Du Plessis down the line.
During a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside fellow former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, “The Nigerian Nightmare” highlighted the talents of Nassourdine Imavov.
“A guy like Nassourdine Imavov, the way that he (Du Plessis) fought Sean Strickland last night, I don’t like that fight for DDP,” Usman said. “I don’t like it really.
“We saw how the standup was with Israel. When you primarily just stand up with Imavov, man, he might be the sharper guy besides Israel Adesanya right now with the striking in that division. Sharp hands,” Usman continued, throwing another name into the mix. “I would have to go also with Brendan Allen’s got really, really good hands.”
Imavov is fresh off a victory over a former adversary of Du Plessis’, ex-two-time champ Israel Adesanya, whom the Frenchman knocked out in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
While the aftermath of the Feb. 8 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV — and from the middleweight title picture to the light heavyweight championship conversation.
At UFC 313, set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8, reigning kingpin Alex Pereira will open his account for the new year, once again in defense of his 205-pound gold. After consecutive victories over Jamahal Hill, Jiří Procházka, and Khalil Rountree in 2024, the Brazilian will next meet the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev.
Gaethje vs. Hooker Sets The Stage For Title Headliner At UFC 313
Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as top lightweight contenders Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker meet in a five-round battle that many expect to be in the conversation for Fight of the Year come the end of 2025.
And that’s not the only sure-fire barnburner at 155 pounds. Also slated to collide at UFC 313 is veteran King Green and surging Fighting Nerds prospect Mauricio Ruffy.
An important strawweight bout is also set, with former title challenger Amanda Lemos tasked with defending her position on the ladder against up-and-comer Iasmin Lucindo.
See below for the UFC 313 card, as it stands.
Alex Pereira (C) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (light heavyweight championship)
Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker (lightweight)
Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy (lightweight)
Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)
Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van (flyweight)
Alex Morono vs. Carlos Leal (welterweight)
Chris Gutierrez vs. Jean Matsumoto (bantamweight)
Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Santos (middleweight)
Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall (featherweight)
UFC legend Demetrious Johnson thinks it’s time for Sean Strickland to change his ways after a second championship defeat in the span of three fights.
Strickland returned to action in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view, challenging for Dricus Du Plessis’ middleweight title in Sydney, Australia. Having had the gold taken away by narrow margins opposite Du Plessis 13 months ago, the polarizing American was looking for revenge Down Under.
The challenger utilized his usual limited, non-aggressive offense. Coach Eric Nicksick’s pleas for more from his student fell on deaf ears, and one prominent ex-champ believes Strickland’s current style has taken him as far as it can.
“Sean Strickland has a style where he would not deviate from it,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “In order to get better in this sport of mixed martial arts, you have to take the time, swallow your pride, swallow your ego, and put yourself in the position where you’re going to force yourself to evolve and get better and and learn new tools.
“That’s the only way you’re going to become a better fighter in this game. Because otherwise, people who are younger, who will take the time to evolve and get better, are always going to beat you,” Johnson added.
Strickland will now return to the gym and begin his path back to another shot at regaining the belt. Meanwhile, champ Du Plessis is expected to next face a challenge from undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev.
While Du Plessis’ dominant performance drew plaudits, the fight itself failed to impress, with the challenger’s gun-shy approach leading to noticeable boos from the crowd.
That disappointed the champ, who told Full Send MMA that he never has any intention of putting on a “boring” fight. With that in mind, he hopes the fans were directing their displeasure at Strickland.
“I don’t put on boring fights. I don’t have the ability because I don’t know how to fight like that. When I heard the boos, in my mind they are 100 percent towards him. And if it was towards me, you are stupid, anyone who booed,” Du Plessis said. “I went forward the whole time. At the stage when I heard the boos, it drove me crazy. I was like, ‘Come on, dude. Fight me!’ The first and second round, I was piecing him up. In that third round, he was kind of just evading.
“I got super frustrated because people pay a lot of money to be here and I wanna give the fans a show,” Du Plessis continued. “That irritated me. That makes me crazy. I’ll have to rewatch it. If it was boring, I’m really sorry, that’s not my fault. I went forward. I wanted to fight. I know there was times where it wasn’t a war, but it’s not my fault. I went forward and I wanted to fight.”
Du Plessis is certainly not known for lackluster displays inside the cage, having gone the distance just three times in professional MMA fights and finished the likes of Robert Whittaker and Adesanya.
Strickland, on the other hand, has been repeatedly criticized for promising wars during fight weeks but failing to deliver fireworks once the cage door closes behind him.
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 3, and Sunday, February 9, a number of fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources.
For those matchups, including one that could determine the next challenger to UFC 312 winner Zhang Weili’s strawweight title, check out the list below:
. @VirnaJandiroba recebeu o que pediu. Em boa fase no #UFC, a brasileira desafiou Yan Xiaonan para uma luta e teve a aprovação da companhia. A veterana do #MMA vai enfrentar a chinesa em abril. pic.twitter.com/Sr5YtmgVmf
While the UFC 312 main event itself didn’t exactly deliver fireworks, color commentator Joe Rogan was extremely impressed by how middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis controlled it.
After narrowly dethroning the polarizing American by way of split decision 13 months ago, the South African champ put a stamp on his superiority over “Tarzan” second time around.
During his JRE Fight Companion episode for UFC 312, Rogan reacted to Du Plessis’ dominant five-round decision victory over the former titleholder, who was left with a badly broken nose.
“DDP fought really well, man,” Rogan said. “It was that big right hand that changed everything. … Dricus Du Plessis, ladies and gentlemen. He’s a tough puzzle to figure out. A very tough fight to figure out.
“He’s a big f***** for 185 pounds too. That’s a big f*****,” Rogan continued. “He did a really good job of setting up, throwing that low kick, switch kick to the body, and kept that pace up for the entire five (rounds). He keeps getting better.”
While Strickland goes back to the drawing board after being pushed out of the title conversation following two defeats to Du Plessis in his last three fights, “Stillknocks” has a ready list of challengers vying for a shot at his gold.
UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili was not pleased to see one fighter’s outing at Saturday’s pay-per-view brought to a controversial end after just 19 seconds.
Kicking off proceedings was a debuting local favorite in Quillan Salkilld, who needed just one strike to finish Anshul Jubli and announce his arrival on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
Jubli furiously protested the result, and his claim of an early stoppage has been backed by plenty in the community. That includes one prominent peer in Dvalishvili, who slammed the referee’s intervention in a post on X.
Work so hard in training camp and gets an early stoppage … hate this ! #UFC312
— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) February 9, 2025
“Work so hard in training camp and gets an early stoppage … hate this ! #UFC312“
Dvalishvili frequently calls out stoppages he perceives to be early, having seen firsthand the effects of controversial finishes back in 2023 when teammate Aljamain Sterling was unseated from the bantamweight throne by Sean O’Malley.
Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland ran it back in Saturday’s UFC 312 headliner, and it’s safe to say the rematch didn’t thrill the MMA masses.
The pair’s second dance went down this weekend in Sydney, Australia, 13 months on from Du Plessis securing a narrow split decision to capture the middleweight crown.
As is often the case, “Tarzan” promised fans a war on fight night but failed to deliver, with his approach even garnering boos from the crowd in attendance at some points in the fight.
And it was far from just the locals in the arena who were bemused by how the fight played out at UFC 312. Among the critics online were a pair of top 185-pound contenders vying to compete for the gold next — Khamzat Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov.
With all respect, I’m ripping off your champ. I’m already ready. Anytime @danawhite@Mickmaynard2
Many believed Chimaev was deserving of the first shot at Du Plessis in 2025. While “Tarzan” got the better of Paulo Costa in a lackluster 15-minute contest last June, “Borz” emphatically submitted Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi four months later.
The UFC 312 pay-per-view recently concluded, and MMA News has you covered with the post-fight press conference in Sydney.
The Qudos Bank Arena played host to Octagon action on tonight, as the mixed martial arts leader continued its PPV schedule for 2025 with a lineup that featured two championships and a host of local names.
Of note were victories for Dricus Du Plessis, Zhang Weili, Jake Matthews and Tallison Teixeira.
And before attention turns to UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues at the Apex next weekend, there remains some business to attend to backstage at UFC 312.
Shortly after the main event’s ending, Dana White will appear in front of the media to reveal the recipients of the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses before answering questions. The victorious fighters from UFC 312 will also take queries from the press in reaction to their performances.
With that said, see below for a live stream of the UFC 312 post-fight press conference via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 1:15 AM ET.
The Perth native, who earned a contract by way of Dana White’s Contender Series, opened his Octagon account in style, flooring Anshul Jubli with a clean right hand on home soil.
Despite the Indian fighter immediately looking to grapple his way out of the situation, the referee had seen enough.
25-year-old Salkilld is now 8-1 as a professional, with six of his wins coming via finishes. Jubli, meanwhile, has lost back-to-back fights since winning the Road to UFC tournament.
Tonight’s UFC 312 PPV will be headlined by two title fights, with Dricus Du Plessis defending his middleweight belt in a rematch against Sean Strickland and strawweight queen Zhang Weili facing a challenge from undefeated contender Tatiana Suarez.
Colby Thicknesse is vowing to show the difference in ability between Ilia Topuria and the featherweight kingpin’s UFC debuting brother this weekend.
The preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view will see two prominent newcomers collide, with Thicknesse and Aleksandre Topuria getting their first taste of Octagon action against one another.
The Australian bantamweight, a teammate of Alexander Volkanovski’s, boasts an undefeated record and is coming off championship success under the HEX Fight Series banner. In “El Conquistador,” though, Thicknesse is facing the sibling of one of the most feared and dominant men in the UFC right now.
But challenging an opponent who trains alongside the current 145-pound champ and shares the same name doesn’t faze the local favorite, who is confident in rejecting any comparison between the two when it comes to skill level.
“He’s definitely got the same sort of style because they train together, but he’s not his brother, and I’m going to go out there on (Saturday) and show it,” Thicknesse said during UFC 312 media day. “He hasn’t really beaten anybody noticeable. His opponent’s combined records aren’t that great. Come (Saturday), I get to go out and show that against him.”
The title clash at the top of the card will see Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland’s feud reach a second chapter 13 months on from the South African’s crowning in Canada. They’ll renew hostilities after both recording a victory apiece since their tight five-round headliner at UFC 297.
Beforehand, another champ will be in action as strawweight queen Zhang Weili gets her campaign for the new year underway. To extend her second reign beyond its third title defense, the Chinese standout is tasked with blemishing the currently perfect record of challenger Tatiana Suarez.
UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 Weigh-In Results
UFC 312 takes place Saturday, February 8 (February 9 local time) at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 312 Weigh-In Show, and check out the results below.
Main Card:
Middleweight Championship: Dricus Du Plessis (185lbs) vs. Sean Strickland (185lbs)
Women’s Strawweight Championship: Zhang Weili (115lbs) vs. Tatiana Suarez (114.5lbs)
Heavyweight: Justin Tafa (266lbs) vs. Tallison Teixeira (263lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (206lbs) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (205lbs)
Welterweight: Jake Matthews (170.5lbs) vs. Francisco Prado (170.5lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins (146lbs) vs. Gabriel Santos (145.5lbs)
Lightweight: Tom Nolan (155.5lbs) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (156lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong (125lbs) vs. Bruna Brasil (125.5lbs)
Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse (135.5lbs) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (135.5lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Lightweight: Rongzhu (156lbs) vs. Kody Steele (156lbs)
Welterweight: Kevin Jousset (171lbs) vs. Jonathan Micallef (170lbs)
Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld (156lbs) vs. Anshul Jubli (155.5lbs)
Flyweight: HyunSung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel*
*Due to weight management issues with Nyamjargal Tumendemberel, his flyweight bout with HyunSung Park has been canceled.
Fans won’t be seeing legendary former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz back in the Octagon.
Cruz, who held gold under the WEC banner before becoming a two-time titleholder on MMA’s biggest stage, last competed in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in San Diego back in August 2022.
Following a knockout loss to Marlon Vera halting his charge back up the ladder, “The Dominator” set his sights on one final farewell. But after a familiar foe in physical issues away from the cage prevented that being booked until 2025, disaster struck once again this week.
Having sustained another serious injury, revealed to be a second dislocated shoulder in a matter of months, the 39-year-old confirmed his decision to call time on his active career in a heartfelt social media post on Thursday.
To the fans worldwide,
I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years. I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in 8 months calls an end to this guy’s career.
“I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years. I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in 8 months calls an end to this guy’s career.
“I gave everything I had and put it into preparation and training for this fight —focusing on my cardio and my body for the past year. But sometimes, the body just doesn’t cooperate.
“The pain isn’t as bad now that my shoulder is back in place, but the second dislocation was far more complicated than the first.
“This sport has been everything to me—it’s helped to shape who I am.
“Thank you to the @ufc for building this platform and paving the way for fighters like myself and so many others. The UFC broke barriers to set the stage not just for us as fighters. Also for every mma sports organization that followed them across the bridge created throughout politics in order to allow our sport to take place LEGALLY in the United States and now the world.
“I am incredibly grateful to everyone who booked tickets, hotels, and flights to support me. Thank you all for being there through every moment, every victory, and every challenge. You’ve made this journey unforgettable. Thank you for the love and support. I will carry it with me always.”
Cruz finishes his career with a 24-4 professional record and multiple stints as champion under his belt. Widely regarded as among the greatest bantamweights of all time, the frequent color commentator no doubt has a UFC Hall of Fame spot in his future.
The UFC 312 main event will see middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis defend his title for the second time since capturing it at the expense of Sean Strickland 13 months ago. To continue his reign, the South African is tasked with repeating that feat in a rematch opposite “Tarzan.”
Co-headlining UFC 312 will be another champ in Zhang Weili, who will look to maintain her status as strawweight queen by blemishing the currently perfect record of Tatiana Suarez.
UFC 312: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 312 event, Thomas Albano, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through one card in 2025.
Thomas Albano (2-1) & Pranav Pandey (2-1)
Ryan Jarrell (1-2) & Aakrit Sharma (1-2)
And with that, it’s time for the team’s predictions for UFC 312.
Welterweight: Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: Francisco Prado did quite well for himself on the regional scene, but he enters tonight just 1-2 in the Octagon, competing in his first fight in about a year. He won’t be an easy pushover opponent for native hero Jake Matthews, however. Matthews has competed in the UFC for over 10 years now, and that experience will prove to be highly valuable in this kind of matchup. While Matthews has traded wins and losses since the end of a three-fight win streak that he had entering 2021, he’s got the reach advantage and a real developed all-around skillset that should net him a win at UFC 312. (Prediction: Jake Matthews)
Ryan Jarrell: Matthews looked impressive in his recent victory over Phil Rowe. The Aussie is 30 years old now and entering his athletic prime. Prado is 1-2 in the UFC and coming off a convincing loss to Daniel Zellhuber. On the other hand, Matthews is 13-7 in the UFC and looking like the best version of himself. The Australian does a good job of mixing things up and is very difficult to control when he’s mixing up his wrestling with his great striking. This should be another close fight overall, but if this goes to the judges, I’d be shocked if the hometown fighter doesn’t get the nod. (Prediction: Jake Matthews)
Pranav Pandey: This is a tough one to call, and honestly, I’m on the fence about picking a winner. But if we go by the numbers and odds, Matthews — a decade-long UFC veteran — has the experience edge and a reach advantage to work with. Add in the passionate Aussie crowd behind him, and he’s got the tools to take down the young and hungry Prado. If he plays his cards right at UFC 312, this could be another much-needed win in his rollercoaster of a career. (Prediction: Jake Matthews)
Aakrit Sharma: I can only see one upside for Matthews in this fight, and that’s the fact he’s been fighting at welterweight for quite some time. In terms of pure skill, Prado is really hard to deny, considering all 12 of his victories have been finishes (6 subs and 6 KOs). The loss to Zellhuber doesn’t take away a lot from Prado because the Mexican is easily one of the most durable and talented strikers in the lightweight division. The Argentine will carry more power at welterweight, which should concern Matthews because the Australian relies heavily on his chin and gets hit a lot.
The fact that Prado’s just 22 makes me confident that he’s constantly improving. I anticipate him to have a solid start, but if Matthews can weather the early storm as usual, he could very well wrestle his way to victory. I am expecting this to be one of the most exciting fights of the night, and although Matthews is a huge step up in competition, I’m picking Prado to emerge victorious at UFC 312. (Prediction: Francisco Prado)
Consensus: 3-1 Jake Matthews
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: It’s really unfortunate to see what’s happened to Jimmy Crute. He was being talked about with plenty of hype and hope after his performance on Dana White’s Contender Series, starting his Octagon run off with four wins in five fights, including a submission of Paul Craig in his UFC debut. Now, he’s gone winless in his last four fights, having not secured a win in the UFC since October 2020. And that isn’t good when taking on an up-and-comer like Rodolfo Bellato at UFC 312.
While he was unsuccessful in his first DWCS attempt, Bellato made a name for himself by becoming a champion in the LFA before securing a win in his second DWCS appearance. And in his UFC debut back in December 2023, Bellato put his name out there with a second-round finish of Ihor Potieria. While he hasn’t fought since, I feel confident in selecting Bellato based on momentum alone. (Prediction: Rodolfo Bellato)
Ryan Jarrell: This should be another fun, action-packed fight at UFC 312. There is no question that Crute has faced the tougher competition, and he will be fighting in front of his home crowd, which should juice him up ever more. Crute is in desperate need of a win if he wants to keep his job in the UFC. I think that Bellato is the more well-rounded fighter and deserves to be the favorite, which the odds reflect. But I think Crute will be energized by the Australian crowd and will exhibit the best of version of himself with his back against the wall at UFC 312. (Prediction: Jimmy Crute)
Pranav Pandey: Crute’s career hasn’t taken off the way many expected — it’s been four years since his last win, and that’s a brutal dry spell for the Aussie. On the flip side, Bellato has been turning heads, especially with his performance against Ihor Potieria. He’s anything but a one-dimensional fighter, bringing a well-rounded arsenal to the Octagon. Unless Crute finds a way to flip the script, this one’s looking like a smooth ride for Bellato at UFC 312. (Prediction: Rodolfo Bellato)
Aakrit Sharma: Both Crute and Bellato will be entering the Octagon at UFC 312 after a silent 2024 as they last fought in July 2023 and December 2023, respectively. This is an important fight for Crute as he’s lost three of his last four. Bellato is yet to face the best in the UFC light heavyweight division, but he’s walked through all of his opponents with ease, except Vitor Petrino. As much as I want Crute to get back to the win column, I believe it’ll be a rough night for him because Bellato boasts KO power and Crute simply hasn’t shown anything special since October 2020. (Prediction: Rodolfo Bellato)
Consensus: 3-1 Rodolfo Bellato
Heavyweight: Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: This UFC 312 fight is simple to predict, and while I understand putting Justin Tafa on the card given it’s Australia, it’s a shame that this fight is being placed as such a featured bout on the pay-per-view. Both men have finishing power and will be looking to end things rather quick. While Tafa doesn’t have a great track record in MMA when fights drag on, Tallison Teixeira has finished all five of the fights he’s had prior to UFC 312, four of them coming by KO/TKO.
This one will end early, but in favor of whom? Personally, I feel Teixeira’s youth and skillset (not to mention Tafa’s inconsistency) gives him the edge. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)
Ryan Jarrell: Someone is going to sleep in this one. I always seem to forget that Tafa is still just in his early 30s. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t fight very often and his last fight to Karl Williams was rather forgettable. Teixeira is undefeated at 7-0 and six of those wins are by TKO/KO. He looked impressive beating Arthur Lopes on DWCS. This is definitely a step up in competition, but I expect the Brazilian to rise to the occasion and notch a highlight finish in his UFC debut. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)
Pranav Pandey: When heavyweights collide, wild knockouts are almost inevitable — and I’ve got a strong feeling we’re in for another one in this showdown. Both Tafa and Teixeira pack serious firepower, but the young, undefeated Brazilian holds a massive reach advantage, making him an even bigger threat in the striking exchanges. That being said, “Bad Man” will have the Aussie crowd roaring behind him, and that energy could push him to turn this into a gritty test for Teixeira. However, I see “Xicao” rising to the occasion and delivering a statement performance under the brightest lights of his career at UFC 312. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)
Aakrit Sharma: This is a classic heavyweight bout where the first fighter to land the biggest blow should win via KO. The other potential outcome is that they both respect each other’s power too much and end up giving fans a snoozefest. Teixeira has won all seven of his fights in the first round, and the lack of big names on his record would’ve been a huge problem if this was a lower weight class. At heavyweight, pure knockout power is enough to help you climb the ranks, and the likes of Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou (early in his career) are perfect examples of that. Because Teixeira also has a significant reach advantage, I’m picking him to get another early KO win over Tafa at UFC 312. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)
Consensus: 4-0 Tallison Teixeira
UFC Strawweight Title: Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez
Images: @ufc/@tatianasuarezufc/Instagram
Thomas Albano: This is the toughest fight at UFC 312 to pick, for me. Zhang Weili has done incredible things in her time with the UFC, winning the UFC women’s strawweight title twice and putting on some of the more memorable performances in the Octagon. But you have to feel great for Tatiana Suarez to get this opportunity after all the injury time she has had to endure since the start of this decade. Suarez has continued to look well even in the time she’s been away from the cage. The only problem is “Magnum” is just simply incredible.
Zhang will have the clear striking advantage, and even if Suarez gets this fight to the ground, Zhang should have less of a difficult time in fighting back than some of Suarez’s other opponents have. There will hopefully be another time for Suarez to get a second crack at the gold (and maybe win it), but it won’t be on this night. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)
Ryan Jarrell: This is without question your typical striker versus wrestler matchup and I am here for it. At one point, I wasn’t so sure that anyone could beat the champion. Then I saw her fight with Yan Xiaonan and I started to feel very different. Zhang is not the indestructible force that some, including me, thought she was.
I expect the challenger to use her strength and wrestling to wear down the champ and drag her into deep waters. Zhang has the stand up skills to finish the fight against anyone, but I think Suarez will fight smart and stick to her gameplan through this fight. I can even see Suarez getting a finish at some point, but because I have so much respect for the current champion, I don’t think the finish will materialize at UFC 312. (Prediction: Tatiana Suarez)
Pranav Pandey: I’ll keep it simple — Zhang is an absolute machine. The sheer volume of strikes she unleashes is absurd, but that’s not even the scariest part. What truly makes her a dominant force is her near-impenetrable takedown defense and rock-solid grappling resistance. On the other hand, Suarez is a grappling phenom and a submission specialist who has made a habit of dismantling former champions. But here’s the catch — she’s spent a significant portion of her career on the sidelines, and I believe that layoff will play a massive role in this fight.
So, what happens if the challenger can’t keep Weili grounded? Simple — she’s going to get systematically picked apart by “Magnum.” And if that’s the case, this one’s looking like a clean, decisive win for the champ at UFC 312. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)
Aakrit Sharma: The undefeated Suarez deserves all the hype she’s getting ahead of UFC 312. Her wins over Carla Esparza, Jéssica Andrade, and Alexa Grasso have aged like fine wine, but it is very important to consider that she’ll be stepping into the Octagon after an 18-month layoff. Zhang hasn’t been too active as well, but her last four performances have removed every bit of doubt from my mind that emerged after her consecutive losses to Rose Namajunas.
Zhang’s almost the perfect women’s strawweight fighter thanks to her clean striking, strength, wrestling prowess and cardio. I’m not counting out Suarez entirely, but the challenger will surely need the best performance of her life to emerge victorious. The champion, on the other hand, already has a wealth of experience fighting the best of the best in the UFC, and it’s unlikely she’ll be overwhelmed by anything this weekend. So, I’m picking Zhang to retain her women’s strawweight championship at UFC 312. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)
Consensus: 3-1 Zhang Weili
UFC Middleweight Title: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland
Image: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: The first time Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland met for the middleweight title, it was a fight that caused a lot of uproar in the MMA community. It appeared to be a closely contested fight, with many, including UFC CEO Dana White, feeling that Strickland deserved the nod. Despite this, White did not give Strickland an immediate rematch, instead favoring an eagerly anticipated bout between Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. Now, at UFC 312, we finally see these two clash again.
Watching the fight live, I had it three rounds to two in favor of Du Plessis, and I still feel this way watching the rematch. Strickland landed some of the stronger strikes in the fight, and had a solid round five. Prior to that, however, Du Plessis not only matched or exceeded Strickland in terms of damage but also controlled the pace. This brings about plenty of questions as to how each made adjustments entering this next fight. Ultimately, however, when you consider both men’s fighting styles and compare their records, my UFC 312 pick is still with the man currently holding the gold. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)
Ryan Jarrell: If this rematch is anything like the first fight, then we are in for a bloody treat. Considering the adjustments that could be made, the styles that these two both possess really line this rematch up for an interesting title fight. I feel like I’ve learned my lesson picking against Du Plessis at this point. The champion might not have the most appealing style, but you cannot argue with his effectiveness. I expect Strickland to give the champion some issues early on, but at the end of the day, the wrestling of the South African will be the difference in winning rounds en route to a successful defense of his title. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)
Pranav Pandey: Both fighters know each other’s game inside and out, and with that burning familiarity comes a new level of calculated chaos. When it comes to chaos, “Stillknocks” is a walking nightmare. His wildly unpredictable style has turned every opponent he’s faced into a puzzle they couldn’t solve. But standing in his way is Strickland, armed with his unorthodox Philly shell stance, which enables him to apply relentless pressure. Their first encounter was a blood-soaked slugfest, and the sequel at UFC 312? I have a hunch this time, we won’t hear the final bell toll.
I’m backing DDP this time around, and for good reason. He’s a well-rounded wrecking machine, unloading power punches at will while keeping the constant danger of a submission lurking if the fight hits the canvas. And something tells me we’re in for a taste of that on Saturday night. Now, Strickland is undoubtedly one of the sharpest boxers in the middleweight division, but his game lacks variety. That could be his undoing. He’ll bring the heat and make life miserable for the champ, but nothing Du Plessis isn’t built to withstand. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)
Aakrit Sharma: Here we go again! This is easily one of the weirdest matchups stylistically in the UFC middleweight division because Du Plessis’ style is incomprehensible on any given day, while Strickland just manages to make every fight close with his constant teeps, jabs, and defense. Strickland is undoubtedly a better striker than Du Plessis in my mind, and he was able to neutralize the South African’s wrestling to a large extent in the first fight. Having said that, it’s hard to pick against Du Plessis at this point in his career. He’s arguably in his physical prime, undefeated in the UFC, and has beaten the likes of Robert Whittaker, Strickland, and Adesanya in back-to-back fights.
Du Plessis has flaws — a lot of them, in fact. However, his willingness to never back down and come up with the most unorthodox techniques makes him the most dangerous middleweight in the world. Technically, there is no way to prepare for a fighter like this, as he rarely showcases any patterns in his striking or ground game. If Strickland yet again sticks to his overly defensive and safe style, I’m sure the champion will already be a lot more prepared than their last outing. The challenger also rarely shows the intent to finish his fights which should work against him at UFC 312.
Based on his grit and recent momentum, I’m picking Dricus Du Plessis to retain his middleweight championship at UFC 312 this weekend. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)
Consensus: 4-0 Dricus Du Plessis
That’ll do it for our UFC 312 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 312 card below.
Main Card:
Middleweight Championship: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland
Women’s Strawweight Championship: Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez
Heavyweight: Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato
Welterweight: Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins vs. Gabriel Santos
Lightweight: Tom Nolan vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong vs. Bruna Brasil
Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse vs. Aleksandre Topuria
Early Preliminary Card:
Lightweight: Rongzhu vs. Kody Steele
Welterweight: Kevin Jousset vs. Jonathan Micallef
Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld vs. Anshul Jubli
Flyweight: HyunSung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 312!
After losing its first pay-per-view main event of the new year on just 24 hours’ notice last month in Los Angeles, the opening week of February has seen the mixed martial arts dealt two hits to its Q1 calendar in the form of canceled main and co-main events.
Just hours on, the UFC’s event in Seattle on Feb. 22 has reportedly lost its bantamweight co-headliner between the legendary Dominick Cruz and perennial contender Rob Font.
With no timeframe attached to Cruz’s recovery as of writing, it remains to be seen whether the promotion plans to seek a replacement opponent for Font or reschedule his matchup with the former champ for a later date.
With this cancellation, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Feb. 22 are as follows:
UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape is wasting little time searching for a new foe after losing his planned opponent early next month.
Following a return to winning ways via a knockout of Bruno Silva in Tampa last December, Kape was booked for a potential title eliminator against Brandon Royval in the UFC Vegas 103 main event on March 1.
After unsurprisingly firing shots at his stricken rival on social media, “Starboy” quickly turned his attention to securing a different opponent for that date.
But should that be the case, the former Rizin champion still won’t be without options. He’s already agreed to one alternative, giving the green light to a clash with the in-form Charles Johnson.
Having won four straight in the division, many were surprised to see the #12-ranked Johnson booked against a name outside the top 15 in Ramazon Temirov next time out.
With that bout set for the same March 1 event that Kape was scheduled to headline, perhaps “InnerG” will get his wish for a more prominent booking and be elevated to headline status versus “Starboy.”
UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis recently assessed former rival Israel Adesanya’s legacy following a third straight defeat inside the Octagon.
After consecutive losses to Sean Strickland and Du Plessis in title fights, Adesanya returned to non-championship, non-pay-per-view competition this past weekend in Saudi Arabia.
With that sentiment, Adesanya evidently has the support of a former opponent.
“For Izzy, I don’t think there’s another title run,” Du Plessis said during UFC 312 media day on Wednesday. “With all due respect. I think his legacy is cemented and will always be there, and whatever he feels like doing, he can do. I put him in the same category as Anderson Silva at this stage of, lose as many fights as you want. You’ll always have your legacy.
“Anderson Silva, after his reign ended, I don’t care how many times he lost. He was still my GOAT. He was still the greatest middleweight of all time,” Du Plessis continued. “And I feel like Izzy is in that area, where whatever you decided to do – take super fights here or there if you want to, if you still have the passion for it.”
The Nigerian-New Zealander, meanwhile, is planning on taking some time away from the cage to rest and recuperate, before assessing his next step on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
“Bones” received plenty of flak for facing the veteran over his division’s interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall. And despite the division still having two champs, there remains no confirmation that they will face one another in 2025.
But could that change in less than 24 hours’ time?
Jones took to X on Wednesday to announce an announcement.
In 24 hours I’ll be making a huge announcement! #Andstill
UFC bantamweight prospect Vinicius Oliveira is continuing to taunt recent title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov, as his push for a showdown with the Dagestani goes on.
Oliveira has made a sizable splash since arriving in the Octagon by way of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023. “Lok Dog” has gone 3-0 on MMA’s biggest stage, most recently outpointing Said Nurmagomedov at the UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia this past weekend.
Now, the Brazilian has his sights on a different Nurmagomedov.
Oliveira has long expressed confidence when it comes to a future clash with Umar, who fell short of the title against Merab Dvalishvili last month in Los Angeles.
Post-fight on Feb. 1, Oliveira again targeted the Russian. And he doubled down on his statements during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned this week, suggesting that Nurmagomedov is afraid of facing “the Russian hunter.”
“(Nurmagomedov) is scared of me because he knows that I’m taller than him, I’m stronger than him, and I am an unpredictable fighter,” Oliveira said. “I’m a dangerous fight because I am good at stand up. I’m good on the ground. I’m good in all situations inside the fight.
“I don’t fear nobody,” Oliveira continued. “When he looks at my eyes he can see the demons inside. … I’m the Russian hunter.”
Another UFC headliner has fallen through just weeks on from the promotion’s late scramble to find a new main event for its first pay-per-view this year.
The opening numbered event of 2025, UFC 311, received a major change late in the day when Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from his title challenge against lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev on just 24 hours’ notice.
Renato Moicano subsequently stepped in, but that didn’t stop the disappointment of those excited to witness the Dagestani and Armenian rivals run it back.
No event is ever safe from cancellations, but the organization might be cursing its luck after losing another headliner in the first quarter of this year.
Former flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval took to Instagram Wednesday to reveal he’s been forced to pull out of his UFC Fight Night main event against Manel Kape at the Apex on March 1 due to injury.
“Unfortunately I’m going to have to pull out of my fight, I’m sorry to Manel Kape and my fans,” Royval wrote. “I’m facing an injury that has me questioning when I’ll be able to train again. This is absolutely a fight I think needs to happen for the flyweight division but as of right now competing month has been ill advised. Love y’all and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I’ll have more details on my YouTube this week.”
It remains to be seen whether the promotion will seek a replacement opponent for Kape or reschedule that bout for a later date.
In terms of a new headline matchup, the event’s current lineup is devoid of options. With a middleweight clash between Cody Brundage and Julian Marquez set for the co-main event, the promotion will likely need to put together a new high-profile bout to close the show in Las Vegas on March 1.
Former fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen thinks the UFC has a big decision to make regarding lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev’s future.
Makhachev started his year on the right foot last month, becoming the first champion at 155 pounds to record four consecutive defenses. The Dagestani did so at the expense of late-notice replacement opponent Renato Moicano, whom he submitted in the first round at UFC 311.
Moving forward, the 33-year-old has expressed his desire to achieve two-division glory. And it would appear that the timeframe on that coming to fruition could be short, with Makhachev’s coach suggesting late last year that the Russian could look to depart the sport on top soon enough.
In the eyes of Sonnen, such an event would only be brought about if the UFC forces the champ to remain at 155 pounds — a factor he also saw as the leading cause of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement as titleholder back in 2020.
“Khabib did not retire because he didn’t want to fight Conor (McGregor) a second time. The UFC showed him the wrong numbers,” Sonnen said in an interview with MMA Junkie. “Every time they had a meeting, they showed more commas and more zeros, but it was the wrong number. If they had made the weight class 170 (pounds), they would have caught Khabib for one more fight.
“The number one reason any combat athlete retires is that they don’t want to make that weight anymore. Sooner or later, it bites everybody in the ass,” Sonnen continued. “Islam can either retire like Khabib did. Khabib didn’t want to tell anybody he didn’t want to make the weight, and no combat athlete will ever admit that. … So, they can either eventually part ways with Islam and watch him retire and talk about what could have been, or they can move him out of the goddamn weight class. That’s the truth.”
It remains to be seen what lies in the future of Makhachev, but in Sonnen’s eyes, a continued stay at lightweight will soon signal the end of the champ’s career.
Former UFC lightweight Kevin Lee’s preparation for his return to action this year recently took a painful turn in the form of a full-power right hand from a sparring partner.
Lee, who unsuccessfully challenged for interim gold in the UFC back in 2017, has struggled in recent years. He’s won just two fights since 2019, both of which came away from the Octagon.
As a result, Lee has sought a different opportunity, and that landed him in the inaugural Global Fight League draft last month. The 32-year-old was picked by New York City, joining Sidney Outlaw as the team’s two lightweights.
With that, “The Motown Phenom” is putting the work in at Kill Cliff FC in Florida ahead of his new venture. But it would seem that not everything has been going to plan for the veteran fighter on the mats.
Footage emerged this week showing Lee suffer a bad knockdown in training. After throwing a flying knee, the ex-UFC fighter’s sparring partner landed a full-strength right hand that briefly put the Michigan native down.
Overseeing the session was former UFC champion Robbie Lawler, who sported a concerned face as he helped an unsteady Lee back to his feet.
The video was recorded and posted to Instagram by undefeated Azerbaijani fighter Maggeram Gasanzade.
It’s believed the punch was thrown by Mirali Huseynov, another Azerbaijani athlete who has a 9-3 record as a professional. His last two wins have come under the banner of Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat. Huseynov appeared in the comments section of a repost to request the video be taken down.
The clip drew plenty of reactions online, with the community surprisingly split on who was to blame. While many slammed Huseynov for throwing at full capacity, others criticized Lee for the flying knee attempt.
Homie didn’t have to hit him like that lol but keep those hands up on the flying knee and that doesn’t happen https://t.co/Dzptlw3iuG
That shit is stupid all around. Lee is stupid for throwing that flying knee, and the other brother is stupid for putting that much behind a punch when y'all are just sparring. This is really where these mfs be takin all the damage in their careers from and for no reason lol 😂 https://t.co/T3O4rDX4a5
Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards’ disdain for Belal Muhammad hasn’t appeared to dissipate in the months on from their title showdown in Manchester.
Edwards and Muhammad ran their rivalry back last July in England, sharing the Octagon again three years on from a UFC Fight Night headliner at the Apex that ended in a disappointing no contest.
With animosity from that clash continuing to build, there was certainly no love lost between the pair when “Remember the Name” challenged for “Rocky’s” 170-pound gold at UFC 304 inside the Co-op Live.
The Jamaica-born Brit has repeatedly expressed his desire to exact revenge on Muhammad, and he expects to earn the chance to do so by defeating Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC Fight Night London main event next month.
Despite how their second bout unfolded, Edwards still doesn’t have much respect for the champ’s skillset, believing he’ll make a quick return to the throne.
During an appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Edwards was asked the old-age question of who he perceives to be the greatest fighter. This time, however, the topic also strayed to the worst, providing “Rocky” with the chance to take a jab at his arch-nemisis.
“For me, I would say Jon Jones,” Edwards said when discussing the best fighter of all time. “My second best is Anderson Silva.
“(Worst?) Belal… I’d love to run it back,” Edwards continued. “Normal time. I’d love to run it back again (in 2025).”
“Rocky” will look to prove that as the key factor in last year’s result by working his way back to the top and levelling the score with Muhammad in their ongoing feud.
For the time being, Edwards will need to have full focus on the dangerous Della Maddalena. Muhammad, meanwhile, is expected to figure in a rearranged showdown with Shavkat Rakhmonov for his delayed first title defense.
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