MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Issues Statement After Being Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘Did My Best To Stay Calm…’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Issues Statement After Being Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘Did My Best To Stay Calm…’

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has spoken publicly after footage of his removal from a flight before takeoff went viral this weekend.

    Khabib will be in Los Angeles next week as two of his team’s star fighters compete with gold on the line at the UFC 311 pay-per-view. Inside the Intuit Dome, Islam Makhachev will headline in defense of his lightweight crown, while Umar Nurmagomedov will first challenge for the bantamweight gold.

    But while attention will soon be on their showdowns with Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili, respectively, the biggest talking point a day out from UFC 311 fight week has surrounded their coach.

    A video emerged on Sunday showing Khabib being removed from a plane due to fly from Las Vegas to LA. Audio from the incident appeared to reveal a dispute with a flight attendant over the Dagestani’s seat on the emergency exit row.

    After the video went viral and drew out plenty of reactions from the MMA community online, Khabib took to Instagram to give his side of the story and clarify which airline he was attempting to fly with.

    “First of all, I need to clarify that it was @flyfrontier not AlaskaAir. Lady who comes to me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, even though I speak very decent English and can understand everything and agreed to assist, she still insists on removing me from my seat. What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I’m not sure.

    “But after 2 minutes of conversation, she called security and I was deplaned from this aircraft, after 1,5 hour I boarded another airline one and left to my destination. I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you can see on the video. But those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients.”

    It remains to be seen what will come of the incident, which has spread across the Internet and resulted in some of the former UFC champion’s fans calling for a boycott of the airline in question.

    “The Eagle” himself, meanwhile, will no doubt be looking to keep his focus on the task at hand next week, as he gears up for two crucial contests for his team at the UFC 311 PPV on Jan. 18.

  • Santiago Ponzinibbio Names Ranked Opponent He’s Targeting For UFC 314 In Miami

    Santiago Ponzinibbio Names Ranked Opponent He’s Targeting For UFC 314 In Miami

    UFC welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio is looking to make a late-career surge up the ladder on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Ponzinibbio, who formerly had a number next to his name at 170 pounds, showed that he’s got plenty left in the tank at 38 years old in the co-main event of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night.

    The card, which marked the UFC’s first of 2025, included plenty of memorable fights and finishes. Not many scraps were more entertaining than the “Argentine Dagger’s” with Carlston Harris.

    The pair exchanged moments of success and knockdowns through the best part of 13 minutes before Ponzinibbio found the standing TKO finish with less than two minutes remaining in the third and final round.

    While the result marked the La Plata native’s first win since 2022 and snapped a two-fight losing skid, he’s still hoping for an opportunity to break back into the welterweight top 15 next time out.

    “There are so many good names,” Ponzinibbio said at the post-fight press conference after revealing his intent to fight at UFC 314 in Miami this coming April. “So many good guys come to mind (who) have a long time in the road like me. We can make a great fight. I need to think quickly.

    “Maybe Vicente Luque is a name that comes into my mind because the guy has so many years in the sport like me. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a gentleman. He’s coming off a really good victory,” Ponzinibbio continued. “We both have a lot of Latin people behind us and we can make a good fight. But there are so many good guys. We’ll see what the company says.”

    The UFC is expected to head back to Miami’s Kaseya Center for its April pay-per-view.

    A clash between Ponzinibbio and Vicente Luque could make sense, especially given that the latter’s teammate and friend Gilbert Burns is expected to battle Michael Morales at the event.

  • Former Champion Describes Featherweight As ‘Future Of The Division’ After UFC Vegas 101 Win

    Former Champion Describes Featherweight As ‘Future Of The Division’ After UFC Vegas 101 Win

    One of the biggest winners from this past weekend’s UFC Vegas 101 event is being tipped for greatness by a former champion.

    Among the top talking points to emerge from the UFC’s very first event of 2025 was the performance of featherweight Christian Rodriguez, who further enhanced his reputation as a prospect killer by defeating the previously undefeated Austin Bashi.

    The UFC Vegas 101 result means that all of Rodriguez’s last four wins saw him take an up-and-comer’s ‘O’, with Raul Rosas Jr., Cameron Saaiman, and Isaac Dulgarian also being ousted from the ranks of the unbeaten by “CeeRod.”

    With weight issues leading to the end of his bantamweight stint, Rodriguez looks to have found a home at 145 pounds. And a prominent teammate of his, for one, is predicting big things for the 27-year-old.

    “Another 0 collected. Christian Rodriguez is the future of the 145 division,” former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis wrote on X in reaction to Rodriguez’s UFC Vegas 101 triumph.

    Like Pettis, Rodriguez is part of the team over at Roufusport MMA Academy, where he trains under the guidance of Duke Roufus in Milwaukee.

    The renowned coach will be hoping to guide “CeeRod” to the success “Showtime” found on MMA’s biggest stage when he submitted Benson Henderson back at UFC 164 in 2013.

  • Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    UFC middleweight Chris Curtis could be committing to a major change following his latest setback.

    Curtis was among the fighters tasked with kicking things off for the mixed martial arts leader in 2025, as he got his campaign for the year underway Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas.

    After narrowly falling short in a main event rematch opposite Brendan Allen last April — and subsequently requiring a lengthy stint on the sidelines to heal from injuries — “Action Man” was looking to bounce back at the expense of Roman Kopylov.

    He was unable to do so, however, with the Russian emerging victorious from a highly entertaining affair. The end came by way of a perfectly timed head kick that saw Curtis stopped with just one second remaining on the clock.

    Though the American was furious with the stoppage and berated referee Mark Smith, the knockdown had no doubt sealed a certain decision victory for Kopylov had the scorecards been required.

    That was seemingly acknowledged by Curtis, who made no mention or complaint of the finish during his first post-fight statement on Instagram. The 37-year-old instead spoke on his own failure to have his hand raised, and he admitted the result may have signaled the end of his journey at 185 pounds.


    “Only job in the world where you can make 200k in a night and still be absolutely heartbroken and questioning where you go from here. No damage, I’m fine. Probably train tomorrow for my sanity but just frustrated and heartbroken. 8 months off. Hamstring tear, broken foot and then a calf tear. Trained through it all. Never lost sight of the goal. Just hurts to come up short. Thank you to everyone who reached out, have had a lot of love online and in person, it means the world to me. I guess I should take some comfort in fight of the night, but I only view tonight as a failure.

    “Maybe 170 is the way to go from here. Rest this weekend and I guess we have a talk with the team and management about what comes next. It thanks again to @mickmaynard2 for the opportunity to do what I love. I’m not sure who or where I would be without this. Thank you to the @ufcpi , you guys put me back together 3 times this year. It was an incredibly hard road back, but @gav_pratt and @heatherlinden and their teams really went above and beyond for me, and I will never not be grateful for that. For now, thankfully, we are uninjured and healthy. We work on figuring out what comes next.”

    The fact he took home an additional $50,000 for earning Fight of the Night honors was evidently of little consolation for Curtis, who now has just one win across his last five fights.

    Curtis began his UFC career with a 3-0 run that included memorable knockouts of Phil Hawes and Allen.

    Having subsequently failed to achieve similar consistency after breaking into the rankings, “Action Man” could return to the welterweight division, where he previously held a number of regional titles and fought at under the PFL banner.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Johnny Walker Out Of UFC 311, Replacement Revealed

    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, January 6, and Sunday, January 12, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, see the links below:

    Plenty of lower-profile bouts also came together. For those, check out the list below:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with a number of fights falling through or getting adjusted:

  • UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results: Two Miss Weight

    UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results: Two Miss Weight

    UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading to Los Angeles to stage its first pay-per-view of 2025 next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to at the Apex to kick off the new year.

    The main event presents an opportunity for strawweight Mackenzie Dern to avenge the first loss of her professional career from back in 2019. She’s set to open her year against a former opponent and fellow top 10 contender in Amanda Ribas.

    Before that, the likes of welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, ranked middleweight Chris Curtis, and knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas takes place on Saturday, January 11, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

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

    Main Card:

    • Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (116lbs) vs. Amanda Ribas (116lbs)
    • Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio (171lbs) vs. Carlston Harris (170lbs)
    • Middleweight: César Almeida (185.5lbs) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (185.5lbs)
    • Middleweight: Chris Curtis (185.5lbs) vs. Roman Kopylov (185.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez (145lbs) vs. Austin Bashi (145.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Punahele Soriano (171lbs) vs. Uroš Medić (171lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Flyweight: Jose Johnson (128.5lbs)* vs. Felipe Bunes
    • Middleweight: Marco Tulio (185.5lbs) vs. Ihor Potieria (188lbs)**
    • Lightweight: Thiago Moisés (155.5lbs) vs. Trey Ogden (155.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Preston Parsons (171lbs) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Ernesta Kareckaite (126lbs) vs. Nicolle Caliari (125.5lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205lbs) vs. Bruno Lopes (205.5lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Fatima Kline (116lbs) vs. Victoria Dudakova (116lbs)
    • Lightweight: Nurullo Aliev (155.5lbs) vs. Joe Solecki (155lbs)

    *Jose Johnson missed the flyweight limit by 2.5 pounds, fight status TBC

    **Ihor Potieria missed the middleweight limit by 2 pounds, fight status TBC

  • Coach: Social Media Detox Will Take Sean O’Malley To The ‘Next Level’

    Coach: Social Media Detox Will Take Sean O’Malley To The ‘Next Level’

    Sean O’Malley’s coach is confident of seeing an improved iteration of the former UFC bantamweight champion following a change to his approach in 2025.

    Not many fighters have been able to accumulate the kind of social media following and presence that O’Malley has since rising to prominent on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. From YouTube and X to Instagram and Snapchat, “Suga” has long been active in building his brand online.

    But that looks set to change moving forward after O’Malley was thrust off the 135-pound throne by Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September.

    That result seems to have brought about a significant adjustment for “Suga” as he gears up for his pursuit of regaining the crown in 2025, with the Montana native revealing plans to take a break from social media.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, coach Tim Welch expressed his support for the decision, suggesting that an O’Malley who is focused on nothing but the cage will mark a dangerous proposition for his opponents.

    “He’s worked so hard for years on these socials, and you’d be surprised by the amount of money he makes on them, it’s crazy, but it’s like, right now, to win in this top five, you’ve got to be focused on your training,” Welch said. “Being creative on Instagram, being creative on Snapchat, being creative on YouTube, and then worried about all your deliverables (and) when they’ll be posted – your mind’s thinking about all this stuff, and it takes more energy than you think.

    “Every single person wants you on their podcast, every single person wants you at their party, celebs (and) athletes, they’re messaging you asking to hang out and you’re just taking all this in,” Welch continued. “So for him to put it all down, to put Snapchat down, to put Instagram down, put the YouTube down; he needs to do that and it’s going to be able to take him to the next level.”

    While O’Malley is without a fight date in the calendar after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum post-title loss to Dvalishvili, he is expecting to return in competition for the bantamweight gold in quarter two of 2025.

    Should that come to fruition, “Suga’s” opponent will be decided next weekend at UFC 311, where “The Machine” is set to defend his gold for the first time against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.

  • Islam Makhachev’s Manager On P4P Debate: Jon Jones ‘Can’t Beat Gane, Stipe & Be In The Top 5’

    Islam Makhachev’s Manager On P4P Debate: Jon Jones ‘Can’t Beat Gane, Stipe & Be In The Top 5’

    The manager of UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has a firm take on Jon Jones’ pound-for-pound worthiness.

    Debates over the P4P rankings don’t appear to have been left in 2024, with the discussion over who deserves top spot continuing to rage on into the new year.

    The conversation picked up when Dana White rejected the official order, which has Makhachev on the throne. For the UFC CEO, the obvious pick is Jones, who returned from a lengthy layoff to achieve two-division glory up at heavyweight in 2023.

    That stance has received plenty of pushback, largely down to the Rochester native’s inactivity and avoidance of interim champ Tom Aspinall in order to face Stipe Miocic last November.

    Among those unsurprisingly backing the Dagestani’s claim is his manager. And more than just putting Jones below Makhachev, Ali Abdelaziz doesn’t even see a case for the heavyweight king holding a spot inside the top five.

    “Listen, Dana all the time says Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best. I think Dana’s wrong,” Abdelaziz told Kevin Iole. “Islam finished nine of his last 11 opponents. He beat the No. 1 P4P, the No. 3 P4P guy; he beat everyone who is really good in their prime.

    “In (Jones’) time, he was the P4P (best). If you say all-time, he might be the greatest (of) all-time,” Abdelaziz continued. “But right now, I don’t think (Jones) is top five. You can’t beat Ciryl Gane and beat Stipe and be in the top five. … Islam right now is the best.”

    Makhachev will soon have the time to further cement his grip on the title of P4P king, with the Dagestani set to defend his lightweight belt against a previous opponent in Arman Tsarukyan in the main event of next weekend’s UFC 311 pay-per-view.

    Jones, meanwhile, has uncertainty surrounding his career. While White ‘guaranteed’ that any return to action would come against Aspinall in 2025, it remains to be seen whether “Bones” and the promotion will agree on terms for the unification clash to come to fruition.

  • Renato Moicano Explains Why Size Won’t Affect Ilia Topuria Finding Success At Lightweight

    Renato Moicano Explains Why Size Won’t Affect Ilia Topuria Finding Success At Lightweight

    UFC lightweight contender Renato Moicano has little doubt that featherweight champion Ilia Topuria would thrive up at 155 pounds.

    While Topuria has competed as a lightweight in his career, he’s gained major prominence down at 145 pounds, where he occupies the throne on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    2024 marked his best year to date, as the Spaniard captured the belt with a violent knockout of Alexander Volkanovski before repeating the feat at the expense of Max Holloway in his October defense — achievements that saw Topuria crowned MMA News’ Fighter of the Year.

    But there’s talk of “El Matador’s” triumph over “Blessed” marking his last dance at 145 pounds after the champ implied that a permanent lightweight move could be in his immediate future during a radio appearance in Spain.

    Should that come to fruition in 2025, one rising name at 155 pounds in Renato Moicano dismissed suggestions that a smaller frame could hamper Topuria’s pursuit of two-division glory during an interview with MMA Fighting.

    “I think Ilia Topuria is very good…and he is smaller, like I say, but if he can defend the takedowns — and I know he has a good ground game — so if he can defend the takedowns, I think he could knock a lot of people out (at) 155 (pounds).

    “He fought at (lightweight), he fought Jai Herbert. I fought Jai Herbert, I know Jai Herbert is very good and very tall, taller than me,” Moicano continued. “Even though Jai Herbert kicked him in the head, almost knocked him out, he (Topuria) survived. He took that kick and then he (destroyed) Jai Herbert. … So I don’t think size and frame would be a problem.”

    While Topuria ponders his divisional future, Moicano is gearing up for his opportunity to further stake his claim for a first shot at lightweight gold in the UFC.

    Fresh off an impressive 3-0 run in 2024, the Brazilian will kick off his campaign for the new year next weekend inside Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome, where a clash with perennial contender Beneil Dariush awaits.

  • Reinier de Ridder Vows To ‘Wreck’ Kevin Holland At UFC 311 After Not Going ‘Full Throttle’ In Debut

    Reinier de Ridder Vows To ‘Wreck’ Kevin Holland At UFC 311 After Not Going ‘Full Throttle’ In Debut

    UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder may not have majorly impressed in his debut, but he’s confident of leaving a mark when he makes his sophomore walk to the Octagon this month.

    De Ridder, a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder, arrived on MMA’s biggest stage in 2024 following a shock departure from the Asia-based organization. After confirming that he’d be competing at 185 pounds, the Dutchman got his first taste of UFC action against veteran Gerald Meerschaert last November.

    Their Apex clash was a competitive one, with “GM3” finding plenty of success before ultimately falling to an arm-triangle choke submission in round three. But despite having his hand raised, de Ridder’s performance seemingly left much to be desired.

    During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, “The Dutch Knight” looked ahead to his next fight — a clash with the always entertaining Kevin Holland at next weekend’s UFC 311 pay-per-view.

    De Ridder first sought to explain the reasons behind his lackluster debut display before asserting plans to put a demolition job on “Big Mouth” come fight night in Los Angeles on Jan. 18.

    “At the end of the day, a fight is a fight, of course, and I’ve been in plenty of fights, so I know how to take care of that part of the deal,” de Ridder said. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, of course. I like Gerald a lot; I respected Gerald a lot coming into this one, so I didn’t go as full throttle from the bat as I will this fight. I’m just coming in to wreck this guy this time.

    “I’m very happy with the fight, of course,” de Ridder continued. “Kevin is a name, and it’s a quick turnaround, so I’m very happy about that. … He’s very wild on the feet. But I’m going to put a lot of pressure on him, hit him with some good shots, take him down, choke him out, hopefully.”

    While de Ridder enters the contest off two straight wins, the first of which came under the UAE Warriors banner last July, Holland has lost three of his last four.

    After returning to middleweight in 2024 with a crushing submission win over Michał Oleksiejczuk, Holland’s push to regain a ranking was stalled by Roman Dolidze, who dominated “Trailblazer” at UFC 307 before an injury to the American brought the fight to a premature end.

  • Donn Davis Causes A Stir By Claiming Bellator Fighters ‘Got Way More Fights’ Than PFL Counterparts In 2024

    Donn Davis Causes A Stir By Claiming Bellator Fighters ‘Got Way More Fights’ Than PFL Counterparts In 2024

    Donn Davis, founder and chairman of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), continues to dismiss any suggestion that his promotion hasn’t done right by fighters it acquired through the Bellator acquisition.

    Davis and the PFL have come under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks after a number of fighters went public with their complaints about management.

    Most notably, champions Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Patchy Mix marked some of the unhappy ex-Bellator stars who were left without their desired number of fights in 2024 — the first full calendar year post-the PFL’s purchase of its rival organization. That led to them even requesting their release from the PFL on social media.

    The promotion hasn’t released an official statement, however, and its founder has been largely dismissive of the fighters’ complaints in his recent LinkedIn and X posts.

    And after previously insisting he and his colleagues did “the best” they could, Davis’ latest comments have once again failed to take the likes of “Pitbull” and Mix’s thoughts seriously.

    Davis wrote on social media Wednesday, claiming that Bellator fighters actually “got way more fights” than PFL athletes in 2024 in spite of the numerous canceled Champions Series cards.

    Of course, the addition of context to Davis’ figures does little to help his case.

    While plenty of fighters were added to the PFL’s season format, where they competed numerous times, that doesn’t change the fact that Freire, Mix, Danny Sabatello and the like made the walk just once.

    It’s hard to imagine those sidelined fighters will be changing their stance on a push for more activity as long as others were handed two or three times more appearances in the cage.

    Unsurprisingly, Davis’ latest attempt at pushing away fighter complains did not go down well with the MMA community online — to say the least.

    https://twitter.com/LiamPicksFights/status/1876849434710974921
    https://twitter.com/yurihousa/status/1876805821121646699
    https://twitter.com/hqtred/status/1876850832467009701
  • Islam Makhachev Recalls Being ‘Upset’ At Michael Chandler’s UFC Title Shot: ‘One Fight, He Beat Dan Hooker’ 

    Islam Makhachev Recalls Being ‘Upset’ At Michael Chandler’s UFC Title Shot: ‘One Fight, He Beat Dan Hooker’ 

    UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev got his shot at gold in 2022, but he wasn’t pleased to have been usurped by a promotional newcomer the year before.

    Makhachev long complained of those highly ranked at 155 pounds avoiding him amid the win streak that ultimately catapulted him to the top. And his frustration was compounded by Chandler’s arrival.

    The former three-time Bellator titleholder debuted in January 2021 by quickly stopping Dan Hooker. That sole result was enough to secure Chandler a title shot, which he lost in dramatic fashion against Charles Oliveira.

    During a recent interview uploaded to Demetrious Johnson’s YouTube channel, Makhachev looked back on his feelings toward his journey up the ladder, reiterating his fury at seeing others rewarded before him despite doing less.

    “We don’t have some easy way. Somebody can jump from like — like Michael Chandler, he jump from Bellator, one fight, he beat Dan Hooker, fight for the title,” Makhachev said. “For me, it’s not working. … Of course it makes me upset, you know, when somebody jump and fight for the belt before me.

    “I had a long way. I fought like how many years but somebody come and beat one guy who is not like, top,” Makhachev added.

    Things have ultimately worked out better for Makhachev, who defeated Oliveira to capture the title in 2022 and has since defended it successfully three times at the expense of Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier.

    Chandler, meanwhile, has won just a single fight since his debut triumph over Hooker. That came over Tony Ferguson, while his four UFC defeats came at the hands of “Do Bronx” twice, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.

  • UFC Middleweight Contender Recalls Turning Down Alex Pereira Fight In 2022: ‘I Was Like, F*ck No’

    UFC Middleweight Contender Recalls Turning Down Alex Pereira Fight In 2022: ‘I Was Like, F*ck No’

    UFC middleweight contender Chris Curtis has no issue proclaiming his decision to turn down an offer to share the cage with Alex Pereira a number of years ago.

    Pereira has carved a path of destruction to championship gold since debuting on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in 2021, leaving a number of unconscious bodies in his way.

    The former two-division Glory Kickboxing kingpin has repeated his multi-weight feat from the striking-only sport inside the cage, collecting both the middleweight and light heavyweight belts in the space of his first seven fights.

    And 2024 marked his most violent year in the UFC to date, with “Poatan” recording three knockouts of Jamahal Hill, Jiří Procházka, and Khalil Rountree to cement his grip on the 205-pound crown.

    That run of results has only enhanced Pereira’s reputation as a feared knockout artist. And a middleweight fighter, for one, wanted no part of the Brazilian’s famed left hook.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Curtis recalled giving the UFC a firm “no” when Pereira’s name was proposed to him back in 2022.

    “I don’t usually say no unless your name’s Alex Pereira, then I’ve definitely said no,” Curtis said. “Outside of that, I’m just here to fight people. So whatever comes up, comes up. I just want to have fun fights.

    “They offered me that fight before Bruno Silva, the Bruno Silva fight, or maybe it’s the one Sean (Strickland) took and they offered it to us first,” Curtis continued. “I was like, ‘F*ck no. I’m not fighting him on like, kind of short notice.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ Because not only do I not want to fight him – I’m not doing it on short notice.”

    Curtis, who was formerly ranked at 185 pounds, is set to kick off his 2025 campaign this weekend at the Apex. On the first UFC card of the year, “Action Man” will do battle with the highly regarded Roman Kopylov.

    Pereira, meanwhile, is without a fight date in the calendar. While many expect him to face the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev next, “Poatan’s” most recent remarks saw him point to a different assignment.

  • Former UFC Fighter Outlines Factor Khabib Nurmagomedov Left Out Of Dagestan vs. Ireland Debate

    Legendary former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov looks to have caused quite the stir with his recent suggestion of Dagestani dominance in mixed martial arts.

    Khabib is currently gearing up for a busy month as a coach. In addition to having two assignments next weekend at UFC 311, where both Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov will compete with gold on the line, a trip to Dubai the following week awaits the team.

    Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov will kick off his year on Jan. 25, headlining the PFL’s Champions Series event at the Coca-Cola Arena. The Dagestani will be defending his title opposite Ireland’s Paul Hughes — a familiar regional rivalry for MMA fans who weren’t living under a rock in 2018.

    Amid comparisons to Khabib vs. Conor McGregor, “The Eagle” has been touting his homeland’s dominance and superiority in the cage. And more than just bettering Ireland, the ex-UFC star believes a Dagestani group would handily defeat a team of fighters from around the world.

    During a recent podcast episode uploaded to his Thiccc Boy YouTube channel, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub reacted to those remarks, explaining one aspect of the debate he believes Khabib omitted.

    “Dagestan is nothing else; all they do is focus on combat sports, nothing else,” Schaub said. “Wrestling, sambo — that’s their entire focus over there. They play nothing else. So, since kids, that’s the goal.

    “Do you realize what would happen if the talent in America or Ireland — but in this case, America, where I’m from — decided to focus at a mass scale on MMA?” Schaub continued. “It would be the dream team versus everybody else. There would be no competition. Dagestan never had a single athlete ever that could compete in any major sport.”

    For now, Khabib will be looking to help three members of his team support his claims of Dagestani superiority this month when Makhachev meets Armenia’s Arman Tsarukyan, Umar Nurmagomedov collides with Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili, and Usman Nurmagomedov battles Ireland’s Hughes.

  • Jan Błachowicz Explains Jon Jones’ Callout Of Alex Pereira: ‘He’s A Little Bit Afraid’ Of Aspinall

    Jan Błachowicz Explains Jon Jones’ Callout Of Alex Pereira: ‘He’s A Little Bit Afraid’ Of Aspinall

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz believes an element of fear is playing into heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones’ apparent preference for his next fight.

    Considerable uncertainty surrounds Jones entering 2025, with the next step in his career yet to be decided following his controversial decision to face Stipe Miocic last November instead of the division’s interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall.

    And despite the belts still not being unified, “Bones” has frequently pointed to a showdown with light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira as his desired next outing instead.

    While some have put that down to a marketing tactic that doesn’t truly reflect how Jones feels about facing Aspinall, one man who had his own pursuit of the Rochester native fail a number of years ago sees things differently.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Błachowicz addressed the current state of the heavyweight title picture, outlining his belief that Jones is “afraid” of sharing the cage with Aspinall.

    “I think (Jones) does this because Alex Pereira is now a big star in the UFC,” Błachowicz said. “Everybody knows him. He knows what he’s doing. But I believe he should fight against Aspinall, but I think he’s a little bit afraid of him.

    “Because Aspinall is someone who can really stop him and beat him. I think he believes if he can fight against Pereira, he can take him down, control him, maybe something like this,” Błachowicz continued. “With Aspinall, it will be not so easy.”

    Błachowicz looked to be next in line for Jones before he made the decision to vacate the light heavyweight crown in 2020 ahead of a move to heavyweight. The Polish powerhouse later captured the vacant throne at the expense of Dominick Reyes.

    The veteran is now chasing a second reign, a goal that was most recently stalled by Pereira. Błachowicz welcomed the ex-middleweight champ to 205 pounds in 2023, losing a close and debated decision to “Poatan.”

    The 41-year-old is now set to end his lengthy injury layoff by doing battle with the charging Carlos Ulberg at the UFC Fight Night in London this March.

  • 14-Fight UFC Veteran Removed From The Roster: ‘I Did My Best, So I Have No Regrets’

    It’s the end of the road on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage for one long-tenured UFC veteran.

    Kyung-ho Kang (19-11, 1 NC) arrived in the UFC in 2012 off the back of championship success under the Road FC banner. The South Korean initially lost his debut to Alex Caceres, but a positive test for marijuana from the victor saw the result overturned to a no contest.

    After a defeat to Chico Camus, Kang eventually found his feet inside the Octagon, amassing a strong run that saw him win six of seven fights. But an inconsistent period since 2019 and back-to-back defeats have now marked the end of his UFC journey.

    The 37-year-old took to social media this week to announce the expiry of his contract, bringing an end to his promotional stint with an 8-5 record.

    “Hello, I’m Kang Kyung-ho, a former UFC fighter:) Just received word today that the UFC was up with,” Kang wrote on Instagram (translated from Korean). “It’s been a long time that I first signed with UFC in 2012 and ended in 2025, but when I look back, it’s gone like a moment. When you sweat every day, you train hard and lose more than 10 kilometers and when you enter a cage that matches your fear, when you hear the cheers of the audience, your fear turns into excitement and when you win the match, you feel frustrated when you lose the heat that can’t be replaced by anything. But looking back, all these moments were happy. A young man in his mid-20s has become an old man in his late 30s:) I did my best, so I have no regrets. Thank you very much to the fans who have laughed and cried with me, and cheered me up all night and slept in the morning. I’m so excited and excited about my life ahead. Please give me a lot of support. I will support you too. Thank you♥️”

    Though it was initially reported that Kang had retired from active MMA competition, his management has since outlined the South Korean’s intention to keep fighting away from the UFC.

  • UFC Commentator Backs ‘More Versatile Striker’ Amanda Ribas To Beat Mackenzie Dern Again

    UFC Commentator Backs ‘More Versatile Striker’ Amanda Ribas To Beat Mackenzie Dern Again

    The UFC kicks off its schedule for 2025 Saturday night at the Apex, where strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas will run it back.

    After a break from staging events over the festive period and first week of the new year, the mixed martial arts leader is back in action this weekend, with a host of prospects, veterans, and contenders looking to begin their campaigns in 2025 on the right foot.

    And the main event presents an opportunity for Dern to avenge the first defeat of her professional career from back in 2019, when the decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist was comfortably outpointed by Ribas in Tampa, Florida.

    Off the back of a victory over Loopy Godinez in Abu Dhabi that snapped her first losing skid last August, the #6-ranked Dern will look to keep her ball rolling on Jan. 11. But one former fighter-turned-UFC color commentator is favoring her opponent to spoil those plans.

    During a recent episode of Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Paul Felder broke down why he gives the edge to the lower-ranked Ribas in Saturday’s headliner.

    “At this moment, I’m leaning towards Amanda Ribas. I just think she’s a bit more of a versatile striker on the feet, uses more weapons,” Felder said. “Coming off that five-round fight with Rose (Namajunas), she’s got a lot of experience with other good strikers and people that are well-rounded.

    “I think if it gets to the ground, she’s good enough with her defense to avoid any kind of crazy submission (from Dern),” Felder continued. “So I’m going for Ribas, probably by decision.”

    Ribas, who has a number next to her name at both 115 and 125 pounds, was most recently in action last March when she battled former two-time strawweight queen Rose Namajunas in a flyweight main event.

    A few months on from a memorable knockout win over Luana Pinheiro, the Brazilian’s habit of exchanging wins and losses continued, with “Thug Rose” securing the nod on all three scorecards.

  • Conor McGregor Claims BKFC KnuckleMania Set To Break UFC’s 14-Year Wells Fargo Center Gate Record

    Conor McGregor Claims BKFC KnuckleMania Set To Break UFC’s 14-Year Wells Fargo Center Gate Record

    The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), part-owned by Conor McGregor, looks set to host its biggest event to date in a few weeks’ time, and perhaps the biggest to grace Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.

    Bare-knuckle fighting continues to gain further prominence, largely down to the growth of the BKFC. The organization hosts KnuckleMania as its flagship event each year, with the fifth edition set to go down from “The City of Brotherly Love” on Jan. 25.

    In the main event, former UFC fighters Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens will do battle. There will also be championship gold on the line beforehand, with veteran MMA heavyweight Ben Rothwell throwing down with Mick Terrill.

    Keeping a close eye on proceedings will be McGregor, a former two-division UFC champion whose part-ownership of BKFC was announced by president David Feldman at KnuckleMania 4 last year.

    “The Notorious” has been doing plenty of promotional work for the organization since, and the latest saw him react on social media to the release of additional tickets for this month’s major card.

    And during it, the Irishman made a strong claim about ticket sales for KnuckleMania 5, hinting that BKFC is in line to break the Wells Fargo Center arena record, which the UFC has held since 2011.

    “Biggest gate in the arena’s history? Oh yes! See you all there!” McGregor wrote. “BARE KNUCKLE ACTION LIVE FROM WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA! #PhiladelphiaInaugralBKFCShow“

    The arena record was captured at UFC 133, where Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz collided in the main event. The card also featured the likes of Vitor Belfort, Rory MacDonald, Alexander Gustafsson and Chad Mendes.

    That event generated a gate of $1.5 million, a figure the BKFC looks poised to surpass if McGregor’s words are to be believed.

  • Movsar Evloev: Weight Change Won’t Stop Me ‘Going After’ Ilia Topuria

    Movsar Evloev: Weight Change Won’t Stop Me ‘Going After’ Ilia Topuria

    UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev won’t give up in his pursuit of Ilia Topuria, even if it means following him to other divisions.

    Evloev, who currently occupies the #4 spot in the 145-pound rankings, staked his claim for the next shot at Topuria’s gold with two important victories in 2024.

    The undefeated Russian outpointed perennial contender Arnold Allen and former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling to extend his perfect professional and UFC records to 19-0 and 9-0, respectively.

    With that, Evloev has entered the new year with his sights firmly set on “El Matador,” whom he was slated to face back in 2022 before a cancellation.

    Unfortunately for the charging 30-year-old, though, Topuria may have different plans. The champ recently caused a stir by revealing plans to move up to the lightweight division, even suggesting his title defense opposite Max Holloway last October may have marked his final time competing at 145 pounds.

    Should that be the case, Evloev has insisted that the door will remain open for him and Topuria to settle their differences.

    “To be honest, it’s not easy to even understand what’s going on,” Evloev told MMA Fighting regarding his next fight. “Because Max [Holloway] said he will not come back to featherweight again. So Ilia’s talking that he’s moving up, also, especially after my fight. I don’t know what’s going on. For me, it doesn’t matter who will be my next opponent.

    “Even if the champion moves up, he will leave the title. I will get the title and then I will follow him. Lightweight is not too far for me,” Evloev continued. “Even if he moves up, I will take the belt first because this is my first goal. So then I will go after him, even if he goes to middleweight. It doesn’t matter. He’s not a big guy. I don’t need to cut the weight to beat this guy. I need his head on my list.”

    Despite his comments and talk of potentially dropping the featherweight belt to avoid more rough weight cuts in the division, Topuria attempted to clarify things last month, insisting he won’t leave the belt vacant.

  • Colby Covington On How ‘Easy’ Michael Chandler Fight Would Go: ‘Definitely Done Some Steroids…’

    Colby Covington On How ‘Easy’ Michael Chandler Fight Would Go: ‘Definitely Done Some Steroids…’

    Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington likes his chances in a potential clash with Michael Chandler.

    Sine the start of 2023, Chandler has had his sights firmly set on being the opposition for Conor McGregor’s comeback fight. And that appears to still be the case despite close to two years passing by.

    In the meantime, the ex-Bellator titleholder faced and lost to Charles Oliveira last November, pushing him to a 2-4 record inside the Octagon. Nevertheless, his entertaining style looks to have kept the McGregor fight on the table.

    But like last year, Chandler isn’t without backup options.

    Last month, the veteran lightweight contender suggested he’d be open to doing battle with Covington up at welterweight. The comments came shortly before “Chaos” suffered a brutal loss at the hands of Joaquin Buckley in Tampa.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington looked ahead to what 2025 could have in store for him following two straight defeats. He noted Chandler’s interest in a fight, sharing the same sentiment while slipping in a steroid allegation for good measure.

    “I don’t blame Michael for wanting the next biggest fight he could possibly get. That’s me,” Covington said. “So, he loves to get beat up. He loves to get his face smacked, and if that’s the fight the UFC wants, then I love that fight. … I hope it comes to fruition. But, I don’t know. I think he’s all talk, I don’t think he’s any walk.

    “I see myself overpowering him. He’s definitely done some steroids to bulk up, so ’70 looks like a weight class he could fit into. … He’s like a (Islam) Makhachev. These guys are weight bullies. … There’s no reason he shouldn’t come up to 170,” Covington continued. “How I see the fight going, it’s a very easy fight. I see me breaking his will. If it’s five rounds, for sure he’s not hanging out. … I just see him quitting, him breaking, like in the Dustin (Poirier) fight. … It would be a catastrophe for him.”

    With the result on Dec. 14, Covington is now 2-4 across his last six fights and 0-4 against those currently ranked inside the welterweight top 15.

  • UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan Teases ‘One Trick’ That Will Make The Difference Against Islam Makhachev

    UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan Teases ‘One Trick’ That Will Make The Difference Against Islam Makhachev

    Arman Tsarukyan seemingly has a special weapon ready to bring out when he challenges for Islam Makhachev’s lightweight title at UFC 311.

    Tsarukyan will have his first shot at gold on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage next weekend, when he headlines the first pay-per-view of the new year opposite Makhachev.

    The pair will run it back almost six years on from their first showdown, a three-round clash at a UFC Fight Night in Moscow that went the distance and was won by the current champ.

    During a fight camp video uploaded to the Red Corner MMA YouTube channel, Tsarukyan explained how he plans on securing a different outcome against the Dagestani second time around.

    “Of course, I’ve got one trick prepared that I believe in,” Tsarukyan said. “I know it will work. And it will change the whole course of the fight.”

    The rematch between Makhachev and Tsarukyan headlines the Jan. 18 card inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, with Merab Dvalishvili’s first bantamweight defense opposite Umar Nurmagomedov marking the other title fight on the lineup.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Jiří Procházka, Renato Moicano, Kevin Holland, Johnny Walker, Payton Talbott and Jailton Almeida will look to kick off their year in style.

  • Chael Sonnen Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov On Topic Of Dagestan’s MMA Superiority: ‘It Might Offend You, But…’

    Chael Sonnen Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov On Topic Of Dagestan’s MMA Superiority: ‘It Might Offend You, But…’

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen doesn’t believe Khabib Nurmagomedov said anything egregious when outlining his region’s dominance over the rest of the world in mixed martial arts.

    The topic of Dagestani superiority in MMA has risen to the surface ahead of Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator lightweight title defense later this month. The cousin of Khabib will put his gold on the line in the United Arab Emirates, headlining the PFL’s Champions Series: Road to Dubai event opposite Paul Hughes.

    With the challenger hailing from Ireland, comparisons have been made to “The Eagle’s” bad-blood clash with Conor McGregor in 2018. And when it comes to Dagestan and Ireland colliding, Khabib doesn’t think there’s any debate about which region is in front.

    In fact, while outlining that on social media, the former UFC champ went a step further and expressed confidence in a Dagestan team getting the better of a squad from around the world in amateur MMA.

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen dismissed any suggestion that Khabib’s remarks weren’t accurate.

    “The village that Khabib lives in, there’s 2,000 people, there was seven Olympic champions. Seven of them have Olympic gold medals. That is crazy,” Sonnen said. “2,000, that’s how many people I had in my high school. Khabib’s point of bragging about Dagestan, per-capita versus anywhere on Earth, you might not like it, it might offend you, but there’s no way to say he’s wrong.”

    While Usman will be hoping to prove his relative correct come fight night on Jan. 15, when “The Eagle” will be in his corner, Hughes has vowed to upset the Dagestani contingent before throwing an ‘I told you so’ comment the way of Khabib.

  • ‘Where Is Topuria?’ – Fans Debate Islam Makhachev Being Heavy Favorite To Finish 2025 As UFC LW Champion

    ‘Where Is Topuria?’ – Fans Debate Islam Makhachev Being Heavy Favorite To Finish 2025 As UFC LW Champion

    The odds are in for the UFC’s champions in 2025, and betting lines for a number of divisions have stirred debate.

    As always, titles are expected to change hands on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in the new year. DraftKings doesn’t, however, have the lightweight class as one in which a new kingpin will likely be crowned.

    Opening odds for who will have UFC gold in their possession in 12 months’ time recently emerged, with Islam Makhachev set as the favorite to be occupying the 155-pound throne at the end of 2025.

    For that to be the case, the Dagestani will first need to get past the second favorite on the list, Arman Tsarukyan, in their headlining rematch at UFC 311 in Los Angeles next weekend.

    The odds have Tsarukyan at +500 to finish 2025 as the UFC lightweight titleholder, being pipped to the post by Makhachev’s -120 line.

    That, in addition to the figures beside names like Charles Oliveira, Renato Moicano, and Dan Hooker, have split opinion in the MMA community online.

    One of the biggest talking points came via an absent name from the list — UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, who has expressed interest in returning to 155 pounds this year.

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  • Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Headlines UFC Seattle, Dominick Cruz Returns In Co-Main Event

    Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Headlines UFC Seattle, Dominick Cruz Returns In Co-Main Event

    Next month’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle looks likely to be a key one in the context of the bantamweight division.

    The mixed martial arts leader will head to Washington to close out its February schedule from the Climate Pledge Arena, where multiple former champions and ranked contenders will be in action.

    Prior to this week, Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia, Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez, and Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev marked some of the bouts already announced. And now, the Seattle event on Feb. 22 has its main and co-main events set.

    UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell confirmed to ESPN Monday that former two-division champion Henry Cejudo (16-4) will return in the main event, sharing the cage with fellow top 10 bantamweight contender Song Yadong (21-8-1, 1 NC). The matchup was first reported earlier in the day by @realkevink on X.

    Campbell also revealed to Mike Coppinger that the co-headliner will see legendary 135lber Dominick Cruz (24-4) compete for the first time in over two years. The former UFC and WEC champion is slated to do battle with a fellow veteran in Rob Font (21-8), which could mark Cruz’s “last dance” if his most recent comments on a comeback prove true.

    With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Feb. 22 are as follows:

    • Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong (bantamweight main event)
    • Rob Font vs. Dominick Cruz (bantamweight co-main event)
    • Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia (featherweight)
    • Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez (middleweight)
    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (heavyweight)
    • Jean Silva vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (featherweight)
    • Ion Cutelaba vs. Ibo Aslan (light heavyweight)
    • Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov (welterweight)
    • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Raffael Cerqueira (light heavyweight)
    • Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antonio Trócoli (middleweight)
  • Colby Covington Pondering Middleweight Move To Face ‘Cardio Kickboxer’ Sean Strickland

    Colby Covington Pondering Middleweight Move To Face ‘Cardio Kickboxer’ Sean Strickland

    Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington is pondering a career change following his latest setback.

    Covington made his first appearance of 2024 in the year’s final fight, headlining the UFC event in Tampa, Florida on Dec. 14 opposite the fast-charging Joaquin Buckley.

    While “Chaos” had hoped to bounce back from his third failed attempt at achieving undisputed kingpin status at 170 pounds, he was unable to blemish Buckley’s still-perfect record in the division since he made the move down from middleweight.

    And weeks on from that result, Covington is now pondering going the other way.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington once again shut down the idea of cutting weight to compete in the lightweight class. Instead, he suggested that a move up to 185 pounds could be on the cards, especially given his view on the likes of former middleweight champ Sean Strickland.

    “Colby realized that he doesn’t want to kill himself. He doesn’t want to be a weight bully. You know Islam (Makhachev), these guys at lightweight, the Khabibs of the world, they’re little lightweight bullies,” Covington said. “They just have such a weight advantage of 30-40 pounds, but it’s just not healthy. … I don’t see myself ever trying to go to (155 pounds), even though I know I could make it and I’d probably be way stronger. … But (185 pounds) honestly is intriguing.

    “I mean the Sean Strickland fight’s always interesting. He’s had his things to say about me in the past. I don’t think he’s any special,” Covington continued. “He’s got a jab, he’s got a front kick, but besides that, you shut down those weapons down and he’s very limited. He’s just a cardio kickboxer essentially, so you know, I don’t see any threats.”

    Strickland and Covington have gone back and forth numerous times in the past, with the former notably scathing “Chaos” back in 2022 and branding him a “Karen” for how he reacted to an altercation with Fabrício Werdum.

    For now, “Tarzan” has his sights on regaining the middleweight crown from Dricus Du Plessis in their rematch next month. The pair are set to run it back in the main event of UFC 312 in Australia on Feb. 8.