2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion Dakota Ditcheva was pleased to teach Taila Santos a lesson in not underestimating opponents.
Ditcheva recorded the biggest win of her blossoming career to date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last month when she co-headlined this year’s PFL World Championship.
The Brit figured in one of six title fights on the main card at King Saud University — and arguably the most highly anticipated — after winning gold in PFL Europe last year and announcing herself on the global roster with three knockouts en route to her toughest test to date.
Ditcheva’s detractors have long used competition level as a means by which to take away from her unbeaten run. But that is no longer viable after she dominated Santos, a former top UFC contender whom many believed did enough to defeat Valentina Shevchenko two years ago.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Ditcheva looked back on her successful trip to the Middle East, which saw her exit the SmartCage on Nov. 19 with gold wrapped around her waist and $1 million in prize money secured.
The 26-year-old acknowledged Santos’ dismissive pre-fight remarks inside the cage during her celebration and interview. And reflecting on them once again, Ditcheva suggested the experienced Brazilian made the surprising and fatal mistake of failing to “respect” the threat she was facing.
“I think honestly she probably underestimated me a little bit,” Ditcheva said. “Like, she has been saying through the whole tournament, not just this fight, from the very beginning that I’m just a Barbie, she’s a different level. I genuinely don’t think she respected me at all and where me, I respected every girl in this tournament, whether they’ve been in the UFC or not.
“I think genuinely she got shocked when I hit her. As soon as I hit with the first inside leg kick, I saw her face change, and then every shot I hit her with, she was just like making noises like it was hurting,” Ditcheva continued. “I think she probably underestimated me, which is a silly move to do and something I’m surprised she did at her level.”
Suffice to say, the chances of Ditcheva’s future opponents making the same mistake have no doubt slimmed after the manner with which she dispatched Santos at the PFL World Championship.
While uncertainty surrounds his return to the Octagon, it seems that UFC star Conor McGregor is eyeing an opportunity inside the ring instead.
McGregor hasn’t competed in any form of the fight game since UFC 264 in July 2021, where his main event trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier came to a shocking conclusion at the end of round one when the Irishman suffered a gruesome broken leg.
After a lengthy period of recovery on the sidelines, the Irishman had his return to action announced toward the start of 2023, as he was penciled in to face opposition TUF coach Michael Chandler. That is still yet to come to fruition, however, with multiple rumored and one official fight date falling through across the past two calendar years.
While that’s left some doubting that “The Notorious” will make the walk again — a sentiment that only gained traction after he was found liable for assault in a civil case last month after being accused of rape — McGregor has continued to dismiss those claims and set his sights on a 2025 comeback.
But in the new year, the UFC might not be his first port of call…
The Dublin native took to social media this week, first to dismiss rumors of an Ilia Topuria fight inside the Octagon. And in the same post, McGregor suddenly announced that an exhibition boxing match with YouTuber-turned-pugilist and professional wrestler Logan Paul is in the works.
He also named a location, claiming the Ambani family is looking to put the bout together for an event in India. The Ambani family topped the 2017 Forbes list of Asia’s richest families with a net worth of $44.8 billion.
The rumors of a bout with topurio are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon.
“The rumors of a bout with topurio (Ilia Topuria) are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India,” McGregor wrote on X. “I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon.”
Paul, like his younger brother Jake, has experience in the exhibition and crossover boxing game. The 29-year-old battled fellow online star KSI twice as YouTube boxing began to rise to prominence over five years ago.
McGregor, meanwhile, has not appeared in the ring since being stopped by Mayweather in their lucrative 2017 crossover clash, which marked “Money’s” 50th and final professional victory.
While Buckley was widely ridiculed for his callout of Conor McGregor post-fight earlier this year, he delivered an improved promo this time around by opening up the floor for the audience at Amalie Arena to select their preference for his next fight.
The biggest cheers were when a clash opposite Usman was pitched.
During the latest episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside fellow former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, Usman reacted to yet another rising welterweight figure expressing interest in a fight.
Suffice to say, the former champ is tired of repeating himself.
“It’s almost like no ones listening to what I’m saying,” Usman said. “No one’s getting what I’m saying. Shavkat, Belal, Ian, Buckley, JDM — I don’t care who it is.
“One thing I won’t do, which is what I’ve done for so long and too much, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete when I’m not ready,” Usman continued. “When I am healthy, I don’t care who it is.”
Usman evidently has no qualms about Buckley being his next opponent. Whether the UFC will give the green light for that matchup, however, remains to be seen.
Regardless, “New Mansa” is no doubt in line for a high-profile opponent next time out — one that will give him the chance to stake his claim for a first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage.
UFC featherweight Sean Woodson sees himself as a difficult matchup for champion Ilia Topuria.
Woodson was one of the biggest winners to emerge from this past weekend’s year-ending UFC Fight Night in Tampa, where he stopped the highly touted Fernando Padilla with strikes seconds out from the first round coming to a close.
With that in mind, Woodson is looking to join them in the top 15 soon enough as he looks to surge all the way to the gold, which is currently held by the undefeated Topuria.
And should “El Matador” still be on the throne when he gets there, the Missouri native likes his chances.
During his post-fight press conference, Woodson expressed confidence when it comes to how he matches up against the Spaniard.
Given his height and frame, “The Sniper” insisted that he wouldn’t fall to the same fate against Topuria as both Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway did this year.
“(Topuria’s) super good – what he’s done so far is,” Woodson said. “But I’m not going to hold my tongue at all. I don’t feel like he’d be able to do me the way he’s done other people at all. He’s too small, too short. I’m a bad matchup for him. I saw online somebody say he gets up to like 187 (pounds), 190 (outside of camp). I don’t believe that at all. I don’t even get that big. He carries himself like he’s better than he is.
“I will say that I would love to fight him. I know I’m a long ways off from that, but I want that fight bad. I would love to fight him one day. I know it sounds crazy. I haven’t had the best (résumé). I ain’t fought (big names), whatever,” Woodson continued. “But I’m telling you right now, they do not do me like he’s done everybody.”
Woodson has plenty of work to do before having the opportunity to prove that assessment correct opposite Topuria inside the Octagon.
For now, he’ll be celebrating his latest triumph on MMA’s biggest stage and looking ahead to what he’ll no doubt hope will be a big 2025 in the career of “The Sniper.”
Sonnen had a cageside view as the former interim welterweight champion returned to action 12 months on from his third failed attempt at capturing the undisputed crown.
Covington made the walk to headline the year-ending UFC Fight Night on short notice, doing battle with the charging Joaquin Buckley inside Amalie Arena.
The polarizing veteran’s pursuit of a fourth shot at the gold began in difficult fashion, with “New Mansa” opening up a deep cut above his eye early before largely beating “Chaos” up through two rounds. And the first-round wound became so severe that the doctor stepped in to call off proceedings.
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reflected on fight night in Florida, where Covington fell to a 2-4 record across his last six bouts and 0-4 against names currently inside the rankings at 170 pounds.
Interestingly, “The American Gangster” suggested he had the towel close by to throw in after seeing Covington’s struggles to fight through the deep and bloody cut.
“Colby was getting hit on his feet with everything you could do, he’s busted open so bad that the doctor has to look at it three times,” Sonnen said (h/t Bloody Elbow). “Twice, he stops the action to let it keep going, the third time he goes, ‘Man we can’t keep going anymore.’ I was going to stop that fight, I already grabbed the towel.
“When the doctor came in for the third time, and I’m watching that blood, it’s not stopping,” Sonnen continued. “It’s going into the eye, and that’s the only thing you’re really looking for. When we as fight fans, as ‘tough guys’, think the doctor should’ve stopped it, we’re talking about it doesn’t matter how bad the cut is from our perspective, as long as it’s not going in the eye. If it’s blinding the guy, it doesn’t matter if it’s a little or a lot…it’s the exact same thing. I said, ‘Hand me that towel, I’m stopping this.’”
That ultimately wasn’t required, however, with the cageside doctor advising referee Dan Miragliotta to wave off the contest in fear of Covington losing his eyelid.
With that, “Chaos” has now gone winless across a second straight calendar year, having not had his hand raised since a pay-per-view main event opposite longtime rival Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.
UFC lightweight veteran Michael Johnson showed he has plenty left in the tank in Tampa this past weekend, so much so that he’s targeting names toward the top of the division.
The result has put Johnson back onto a win streak on MMA’s biggest stage, and despite nearing the 40 mark, he doesn’t plan on leaving life as an active fighter for a long time.
During his post-fight press conference backstage at Amalie Arena, Johnson reflected on his successful performance and looked ahead to his future.
On the topic of retirement, the 42-fight MMA veteran outlined a lengthy timeline for the remainder of his career.
“Five years (more, I want to fight),” Johnson said. “I always tell people I want to do eight to 10 more years and they look at me with this face. I’m not slowing down any time soon. As long as my body’s healthy and I can get through what I need to get through, I’m going to fight for as long as I can.
“I think Nate Diaz said it the best, and he’s turned into a good friend. He was an opponent of mine. We always keep in touch, but he made a comment that said, ‘Sh*t, I’ll fight till I’m 50. Just getting started.’ So that’s what it is. I’m just getting started,” Johnson continued. “This might be my peak. A lot of people peak at 25, 30 (years old). I might be one peaking at 38, 40.”
With that in mind, Johnson looks set to have plenty of time to tick off some of his remaining ambitions. And when it comes to advancing his late-career title aspirations and exacting revenge for a past result, “The Menace” has a perfect next opponent in mind.
“The Justin Gaethje fight – that’s the one that I want,” Johnson explained. “I think everybody would love a Gaethje-Johnson (rematch). I gave him that opportunity when he came over (from WSOF), when nobody else wanted to. So, I think he should go ahead and give that back. We need to run one ’cause I know he knows he got away with that one.”
Johnson welcomed Gaethje to the UFC back in 2017, a bout that came after the 38-year-old had battled Beneil Dariush, Nate Diaz, Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov in consecutive assignments. The promotional newcomer got his hand raised after finding the knockout late in round two of a fight that was widely seen as the year’s best.
Regardless, be it the former interim champion or perhaps another name inside the top 15, it would appear that Johnson has earned the chance to climb back up the ladder in 2025 following a perfect 2-0 run this year.
The bout came 12 months on from Covington’s third failed attempt at claiming the undisputed crown, and in order to return to winning ways, he was tasked with stalling the charge of Joaquin Buckley.
Instead, “New Mansa” continued to climb the ladder toward gold at the polarizing veteran’s expense, beating him up across two rounds before a cut he caused with an elbow in the first frame proved too deep for “Chaos” to continue.
Unsurprisingly, the “many” does not include the man himself…
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Covington took fans behind the scenes before and after his headliner at Amalie Arena.
“Chaos” spoke to the camera post-fight, giving his first comments on a result that has left him 2-4 across his last six and 0-4 against names currently inside the welterweight top 15.
From the late-notice nature of the bout to the debated stoppage, “Chaos” had his usual litany of reasons to explain the loss ready.
“We’re gonna be back stronger than ever, this is just the beginning for me,” Covington said. “I wasn’t at my best tonight. I came off the couch but it was for the company, I did this for the company that I love so much that changed my life. … I know there’s still a lot of fight in me and the best is still yet to come.
“I was just getting warmed up in that fight, I think it was tied up 1-1 and I was starting to wear on him. I see him breathing out of his mouth, I was starting to catch him with more shots so it’s unfortunate that they stopped it,” Covington continued. “Even Dana (White) came out and said if that was in Vegas, it would’ve never been stopped. I took his hardest shots and they didn’t phase me at all. … We’ll come back stronger.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds for the 36-year-old, but he’s evidently not planning on hanging up his gloves — as some had advised following a defeat that leaves him firmly out of the championship conversation.
Buckley, meanwhile, looks set for even bigger things in 2025 after extending his perfect welterweight stint with a 4-0 run this year. Though he’s prepared to step in with gold on the line should Shavkat Rakhmonov fall out of his expected shot, “New Mansa” also set his sights on Kamaru Usman post-fight in Tampa.
Last night @Newmansa94 grabbed his 6th win in a row🔥
“Starboy” bounced back in style, putting on a show with the kind of striking and confident showboating that attracted the MMA leader’s attention while he held gold under the Rizin banner.
In the aftermath, the Angola-born Portuguese fighter pleaded with Dana White cageside, making his case for the next shot at Alexandre Pantoja. That was a continuation of a conversation Kape also attempted to start in-between rounds.
Unfortunately for “Starboy,” he seemingly wasn’t persuasive enough.
During the post-fight press conference backstage at Amalie Arena, UFC CEO Dana White reflected on Kape’s perseverance when it came to pitching a rematch with champ Pantoja, whom he lost to in his promotional debut back in 2021.
White did not, however, have the answer the flyweight contender would have been hoping for.
“No, he’s not getting a title shot,” White said. “But we’ll definitely give him what he’s looking for.”
It’s unclear what White is referring to, given that Kape was looking for a shot at redemption opposite Pantoja with the flyweight gold on the line next year.
Regardless, it seems “Starboy” has some work to do if he’s to secure a first championship opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage and the chance to add UFC gold to his trophy cabinet in the sport.
2021 PFL lightweight champion Raush Manfio’s struggles since leaving the promotion have continued.
Manfio was among the PFL’s leading names after he joined in 2021 off the back of title success under the Titan FC banner. “Cavalo da Guerra” won the championship in his first season, defeating Joilton Lutterbach, Anthony Pettis, and Clayton Collard en route to a victory over Loik Radzhabov in the final.
But the Brazilian’s PFL tenure came to an end on bad terms in 2023. Manfio was booked opposite friend and fellow countryman Natan Schulte in the final round of regular season matchups, losing by unanimous decision in a low-output and lackluster contest.
The promotion had been accused of pairing them up in order to boost Shane Burgos’ chances of qualification. And when the ex-UFC fighter couldn’t capitalize, the victorious Schulte was suspended and forced to sacrifice his playoff place to Burgos due to what the PFL branded an unacceptable level of effort against Manfio, who was also penalized.
Both later departed the PFL, with Schulte yet to make his return and Manfio competing twice.
After a submission defeat under the XFC banner this past May, “Cavalo da Guerra” moved to 0-2 in 2024 this weekend when he fought Bibert “Headhunter” Tumenov at ACA 182 in Moscow. Manfio’s woes were compounded in brutal fashion, as he was folded against the fence and rendered unconscious inside one round.
Now THAT was violent. Bibert Tumenov with a one hitter kill shot against Raush Manfio. Completely folded against the fence. Scary KO #ACA182pic.twitter.com/GgcpbLakXW
The result has left Manfio winless in three fights. Prior to his recent defeats, the Brazilian hadn’t fallen to a losing skid across his professional career.
Tumenov, meanwhile, has now won back-to-back outings opposite PFL alums under Russia’s ACA banner. He previously stopped Lance Palmer with strikes to move his winning run to three bouts. “Headhunter” also boasts a victory over Diego Brandão.
Coach Eric Nicksick, for one, has been extremely impressed by UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley’s efforts in 2024.
Buckley closed out his year in style on Saturday night when he headlined the final event of 2024. Opposite him inside Tampa’s Amalie Arena was former interim champion Colby Covington, who planned on placing his name back into title contention a year on from a third failed bid for undisputed status.
With the result, “New Mansa” has gone 4-0 this year, having previously knocked out Vicente Luque, outpointed Nursulton Ruziboev, and stopped Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
And according to Nicksick, that’s elevated him not only into the “Fighter of the Year” discussion, but above both consensus leading candidates Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria.
Real talk, @Newmansa94 resurrection needs to be studied. 6-0 in a new division w/ 4 stoppages, 4-0 in 2024. Ladies and Gentlemen, he's your 2024 Fighter of the Year. I'm out 🫡
“Real talk, @Newmansa94 (Buckley) resurrection needs to be studied,” Nicksick wrote on X. “6-0 in a new division w/ 4 stoppages, 4-0 in 2024. Ladies and Gentlemen, he’s your 2024 Fighter of the Year. I’m out”
Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight kingpin, has staked his claim with three title defenses in 2024. After knockouts of Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka, “Poatan” most recently came from behind to batter Khalil Rountree in round four of their headline battle this past October.
Topuria, meanwhile, seemingly has the edge over the Brazilian in terms of competition level. Though he’s fought once less than Pereira, the Spaniard dethroned the highly regarded Alexander Volkanovski in brutal fashion before becoming the first man to knock out Max Holloway to retain the featherweight gold.
But taking into account his career revival since dropping to 170 pounds, Buckley appears to have the vote of one renowned trainer in the fight game.
MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming 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, December 9, and Sunday, December 15, a number of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:
UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad was among those roasting the polarizing Colby Covington after his latest defeat.
Saturday proved to be a difficult night for Covington, as the former interim titleholder returned to action for the first time since a third failed bid at securing the undisputed crown against Leon Edwards last December.
In his push to reinsert himself into the championship equation, “Chaos” accepted a short-notice UFC Fight Night headliner opposite the charging Joaquin Buckley in Tampa, looking to hand “New Mansa” his first loss since dropping to the division.
While a cut caused the bout’s end, there was little doubt over who was having the better of things. That, unsurprisingly, brought out Covington’s sizable group of enemies and detractors.
As expected, champ Muhammad was among those enjoying the result…
😂😂😂 man I knows he’s gonna have a bunch of excuses but he just sucks
“(laughing) man I knows he’s gonna have a bunch of excuses but he just sucks,” Muhammad wrote on X.
Muhammad and Covington have frequently gone back and forth across recent years.
But with the former on the throne following his win over Edwards this past July and the latter far from challenging for it again post-UFC Tampa, it would appear that the chances of the pair settling their score inside the cage are now slim.
The year-ending UFC Tampa event recently concluded, and MMA News has you covered with the post-fight press conference at Amalie Arena.
The venue played host to Octagon action on Dec. 14, as the mixed martial arts leader closed out its schedule for 2024 with a strong lineup that featured a former interim champion, ranked contenders, experienced veterans, and some promising prospects.
Of note were victories for Joaquin Buckley, Cub Swanson, Manel Kape, Dustin Jacoby, Daniel Marcos, Michael Johnson and Sean Woodson.
And before attention turns to next year’s offerings from the mixed martial arts leader, there remains some business to attend to backstage at UFC Tampa.
Shortly after the main event’s ending, Dana White is expected to 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 Tampa will also take queries from the press in reaction to their performances.
With that said, see below for a live stream of the UFC Tampa post-fight press conference via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 1 AM ET.
After carrying out the second PFL Europe regular season and playoffs, the Professional Fighters League’s first continental expansion brought the SmartCage back to France for the 2024 Championship.
Victories over Brad Wheeler and Jack Grant after signing with the PFL moved “Lazy King’s” overall record to 18-1. And the highly touted 29-year-old further extended his winning run at the expense of former UFC veteran Laureano Staropoli in Friday’s main event.
Elsewhere on the card, the second PFL Europe welterweight, lightweight, and bantamweight kingpins were crowned, in addition to a singular queen at 125 pounds as one woman looked to succeed Dakota Ditcheva and hopes to follow her path to global glory next year.
While the event was available on DAZN for select countries, it unfortunately wasn’t broadcast to audiences in the United States. But you can catch up on all the action below.
It was a successful return to action for Muhammad Mokaev (13-0) on Friday, as he emerged victorious from his first fight since departing the UFC earlier this year.
Mokaev’s tenure on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage came to a surprise end this past July. After extending his perfect professional and Octagon records with a victory over Manel Kape at UFC 304, “The Punisher’s” contract wasn’t renewed.
With his pleas for an immediate return to the promotion falling on deaf ears, Mokaev has frequently vowed to earn his spot back on the UFC roster. And the first step toward achieving that got underway Friday in Bahrain.
Mokaev made his return to one of his former organizations, competing at Brave CF 91. After his original opponent withdrew, the Dagestan-born Brit shared the cage with replacement Joevincent So on two days’ notice.
“Chain” didn’t last long, falling by way of submission in under two minutes after being dragged down and locked in a D’arce choke.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Mokaev, as well as the specifics of his contractual agreement with Brave CF.
But with UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja appearing short on fresh options following his third title defense last weekend, perhaps an Octagon return will arrive sooner rather than later for “The Punisher” following an emphatic outing on Dec. 13.
UFC Fight Night: Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
In the main event, the polarizing Covington makes his first appearance of 2024. 12 months on from a third failed attempt at capturing the undisputed welterweight crown, “Chaos” will look to keep his late-career title hopes alive by stalling the charge of Joaquin Buckley.
Elsewhere, the likes of UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson, former Rizin champion Manel Kape, and heavy hitting light heavyweight Vitor Petrino will all be in action.
Ahead of the event, all 26 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight is intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC Fight Night Tampa ceremonial weigh-ins.
Topping the lineup will be former interim welterweight titleholder Colby Covington. A year on from his third failed shot at the undisputed championship, “Chaos” will look to insert himself back into the equation by stalling the charge of Joaquin Buckley.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see two veterans collide in Cub Swanson and Billy Quarantillo. And also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Manel Kape, Vitor Petrino, and Michael Johnson.
UFC Tampa: Covington vs. Buckley Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Tampa (as of 12/13), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Colby Covington (+200) vs. Joaquin Buckley (-245)
Cub Swanson (+124) vs. Billy Quarantillo (-148)
Manel Kape (-380) vs. Bruno Silva (+300)
Vitor Petrino (-340) vs. Dustin Jacoby (+270)
Adrian Yañez (+185) vs. Daniel Marcos (-225)
Navajo Stirling (-750) vs. Tuco Tokkos (+525)
Preliminary Card:
Michael Johnson (-230) vs. Ottman Azaitar (+190)
Joel Álvarez (-425) vs. Drakkar Klose (+330)
Sean Woodson (-155) vs. Fernando Padilla (+130)
Miles Johns (+200) vs. Felipe Lima (-245)
Miranda Maverick (-600) vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth (+440)
Davey Grant (-122) vs. Ramon Taveras (+102)
Josefine Knutsson (-245) vs. Piera Rodriguez (+200)
The main event will see Colby Covington make the walk for the first time since his third failed bid to achieve undisputed champion status last December. “Chaos” will meet the charging Joaquin Buckley in a short-notice clash, with “New Mansa” look to continue his unbeaten run at 170 pounds all the way to a place in title contention.
Before that, the likes of fan-favorite featherweight Cub Swanson, former Rizin champion Manel Kape, light heavyweight powerhouse Vitor Petrino and the always entertaining Adrian Yañez will all be in action.
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley takes place on Saturday, December 14, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Fighting, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Colby Covington (171lbs) vs. Joaquin Buckley (171lbs)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Cub Swanson (146lbs) vs. Billy Quarantillo (146lbs)
Flyweight: Manel Kape (125lbs) vs. Bruno Silva (126lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Vitor Petrino (204.5lbs) vs. Dustin Jacoby (205.5lbs)
Bantamweight: Adrian Yañez (136lbs) vs. Daniel Marcos (136lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling (206lbs) vs. Tuco Tokkos (206lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (156lbs) vs. Ottman Azaitar (156lbs)
Lightweight: Joel Álvarez (156lbs) vs. Drakkar Klose (156lbs)
Featherweight: Sean Woodson (145.5lbs) vs. Fernando Padilla (145.5lbs)
Featherweight: Miles Johns (146lbs) vs. Felipe Lima (146lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (126lbs) vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth (126lbs)
Bantamweight: Davey Grant (136lbs) vs. Ramon Taveras
Women’s Strawweight: Josefine Knutsson (116lbs) vs. Piera Rodriguez (116lbs)
The once-promising Sage Northcutt has his next career move set.
Northcutt (12-3) was once widely seen as a future UFC star following a debut victory inside the Octagon aged 19 at UFC Fight Night 80. However, “Super Sage” didn’t have his contract renewed following its expiration in 2018.
The 28-year-old subsequently joined ONE Championship’s ranks, where he had a rough start to life in the Circle by falling via knockout to Brazil’s Cosmo Alexandre at ONE: Enter the Dragon. As well as losing his opening outing in the promotion, Northcutt was also sidelined after suffering eight facial fractures that required extensive surgery to repair.
While that left the American out of action for four years, he returned with a bang in 2023. But after recording his first win on the ONE stage by submitting Ahmed Mujtaba in quick time, it’s safe to say that the momentum did not continue.
Northcutt had a public falling out with the promotion this past January when he pulled out of a clash with Shinya Aoki on fight night after his cornermen were reportedly denied visas.
That relationship was evidently not able to be repaired, with the Californian having his departure from ONE confirmed in October. And over a month on, his next destination has been confirmed as the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
As of this writing, it’s unclear whether Northcutt will enter the PFL’s regular season and playoff format for 2025 or compete at the pay-per-view Super Fights events. It has been confirmed, however, that the 28-year-old will be fighting at welterweight.
The coach of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has explained why his man is hoping to leave the 145-pound division behind him and pursue success elsewhere.
Those comments come one defense into the Spaniard’s reign, which begun with an emphatic knockout of Alexander Volkanovski this past February. He’s since repeated the feat at the expense of Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi to keep hold of the belt.
While many have been pondering a rematch with “Alexander the Great” or first-time clashes with in-form contenders like Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes, Topuria is instead looking to compete in a title eliminator against Charles Oliveira at 155 pounds.
Many have been shocked by “El Matador’s” remarks, and during a recent appearance on Submission Radio, his coach added some context behind the decision by noting that a lack of motivation from potential opposition isn’t the reason.
“I think he is — he hates that weight (cut),” Climent said. “He do it a lot of times and it’s (much) harder every time we do it. He don’t want to do this anymore, and that’s why I want to go up to the next weight class.
“His normal way is in that weight class (lightweight),” Climent continued. “Ilia fighting (featherweight), he’s young, you know? Your body is changing. When you’re 20, you have the body. When you’re 25, you have another. And when you are 30, you have another, you know? Sometimes I see Ilia at 85 kilos, you know, and he needs to be 66. We do a very big weight cut.”
Ilia Topuria’s Coach Jorge Climent Reveals Weight Cut is the Main Reason Ilia Won’t Be Defending His Belt at 145 and moving to 155 Next:
While Topuria and Islam Makhachev have gone back and forth in recent months, the lightweight champ currently has business to attend to against Arman Tsarukyan before entertaining the prospect of a clash with his featherweight counterpart.
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping would like to see his podcast co-host, light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith, continue his active career inside the cage.
Smith’s latest outing on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage came at last weekend’s UFC 310 pay-per-view, where he competed in the featured preliminary bout opposite a fellow former title challenger in Dominick Reyes.
“Lionheart” was open during fight week about his recent struggles following the passing of a coach and friend. And the veteran was visibly emotional en route to the Octagon inside T-Mobile Arena, to the point where the commentary team questioned whether he was in the right head space to fight.
One prominent name who knows the 36-year-old well, however, doesn’t think that’s the case.
During a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping gave his reaction to Smith’s latest setback, which leaves him 1-3 across his last four bouts.
Similar to his thoughts on “Lionheart’s” defeat to Khalil Rountree a year ago, “The Count” suggested he was against Smith taking the fight in the first place. With that in mind, the Brit plans to share some advice to the light heavyweight if he chooses to make the walk again — something he’s expecting.
“I don’t think he should’ve taken that fight, at all,” Bisping said (h/t Bloody Elbow). “But I don’t think he will retire. I think when he watches that back, he’s going to be embarrassed when he watches it, and it’ll inspire him to come back. The world doesn’t deserve to remember him like that.
“Maybe it was therapeutic in some ways, but I’d like to see him fight again. … This isn’t a sport that you play, and that’s why Dana White says Chris Weidman and Clay Guida need to retire. That s*** will stay with you,” Bisping continued. “If he fights, I’m going to give him a call, and say, ‘If you do this, do it for the right reasons. Train as if you’re training for a world title fight, as if you’re going against Jon Jones. Leave no stone unturned, otherwise if you’re not willing to do that, then don’t even think about it in the first place!’”
It remains to be seen what comes next for Smith, and if UFC 310 did indeed mark a disappointing farewell.
Reyes, meanwhile, will look to continue his resurgence at 205 pounds next year. “The Devastator” has now won back-to-back fights since a knockout loss to Ryan Spann in late 2022 left him 0-3 post-fighting Jon Jones.
UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja is devoid of fresh options heading into 2025, and so he’s pointed to which potential rematch makes the “most sense” for his next fight.
Pantoja continued his reign of the 125-pound weight class at last weekend’s UFC 310 pay-per-view, which he headlined in defense of his throne opposite promotional newcomer Kai Asakura.
The former Rizin champ became the latest to fail in their bid to unseat “The Cannibal,” succumbing to a submission in round two to join Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg on Pantoja’s list of victims since he captured the crown in mid-2023.
With that, the Brazilian has beaten most of the top names inside the flyweight top 15, creating some uncertainty over who he could put the gold on the line against in 2025. That led to an ambitious callout of the retired Demetrious Johnson at T-Mobile Arena, which was quickly dismissed by “Mighty Mouse.”
During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Pantoja assessed the realistic options he has next year.
When presented with three — a rematch with Kai Kara-France, a second dance with current bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo, or a first-time clash with a re-signed Muhammad Mokaev — “The Cannibal” pointed to which he sees as the most likely.
“Yeah, (I’m interested in Kara-France). I think for now, that’s the fight that makes sense,” Pantoja said. “In the last three fights, he lost twice. But for now, after what I did in my division, everything doesn’t make sense anymore. I fight with the number one, number two, top 10, then you bring someone else. I think everybody has a chance right now.
“Kara-France is a very exciting fighter. That’s someone who is going to bring me to another level,” Pantoja continued. “Kai Kara-France is the only one in my division. Mokaev is not on the UFC roster right now…and Figueiredo’s coming off one loss. Everything can happen, nothing makes sense right now. But I think I am ready for the UFC to give me Kai Kara-France. This fight maybe can make good numbers and big pay-per-view…but I’m not going to Australia.”
Pantoja and Kara-France met way back in 2016 on season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter. The Brazilian defeated the New Zealander in the quarterfinal by way of unanimous decision.
Whether or not that result was enough to net him an opportunity at Pantoja remains to be seen. For now, the champ will no doubt still be celebrating his latest triumph and enjoying a break before resuming his divisional rule in the new year.
The newly created Global Fight League (GFL) has announced a lengthy list of signings ahead of its launch in 2025, including multiple former champions from the UFC and other organizations.
After years of preparation, the GFL is set to stage events for the first time next April, as the promotion looks to succeed in the fight game with a team-based format and season structure.
15 cards are planned up until August, after which two playoff events and one final will take place before the year’s end. GFL founder Darren Owen outlined that and more during an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned.
Perhaps most notably, he revealed some of the major names who have put pen to paper on deals with the GFL and will be in the mix for the inaugural draft on Jan. 24, when six city teams will select 20 fighters (two in each of the 10 divisions) from a pool of 300 athletes.
Among them are former UFC champions Luke Rockhold, Tyron Woodley, Fabrício Werdum, Benson Henderson, Anthony Pettis, Frank Mir, Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski, and Renan Barão, in addition to high-profile veterans like Alexander Gustafsson, Gegard Mousasi, Aleksei Oleinik, Kevin Lee, Thiago Santos, Jeremy Stephens, Hector Lombard and Jimmie Rivera.
Elsewhere, a number of other comebacks have raised skeptical eyebrows, including the latest return from retirement for ex-WSOF champ Marlon Moraes, who most recently hung up the gloves after a brief stint in the PFL extended his losing skid to seven straight fights.
For the full list of names confirmed by Owen and those on the GFL website, see below:
Heavyweight (265lbs)
Alan Belcher (18-8)
Aleksandr Maslov (11-1)
Aleksei Oleinik (61-18-1)
Andrei Arlovski (34-24)
Fabrício Werdum (24-9)
Frank Mir (16-11)
Greg Hardy (7-5)
Guto Inocente (11-6)*
Junior dos Santos (21-10)
Oli Thompson (18-9)
Philipe Lins (18-5)
Robelis Despaigne (5-2)
Roggers Souza (15-8)
Stuart Austin (18-9)
Tanner Boser (21-10)
Image: UFC.com
Light Heavyweight (225lbs)
Alexander Gustafsson (18-8)
Cleiton Silva (16-4)
Emiliano Sordi (23-10)
Ilir Latifi (16-9, 1 NC)*
Rafael Carvalho (17-8)
Thiago Santos (22-13, 1 NC)*
Image: UFC.com
Middleweight (200lbs)
Gegard Mousasi (49-9)
Chauncey Foxworth (19-10)
Glaico Franca (23-8)
Hector Lombard (34-10)
Jozef Wittner (16-4)
Kyle Daukaus (15-4)
Luke Rockhold (16-6)
Markus Perez (14-6)
Phil Hawes (15-4)
Wanderlei Silva (35-14)
Image: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Welterweight (180lbs)
Abubakar Nurmagomedov (17-4)
Austin Tweedy (11-4)
Benson Henderson (30-12)
Dominick Meriweather (8-1)
Francisco Trinaldo (32-14)
Jordan Mein (31-14)
Julio Spadaccini (8-3)
Michael Irizarry (14-5)
Rousimar Palhares (19-11-1)
Ruan Machado (7-2)
Tyron Woodley (19-7)
Image: UFC/YouTube
Lightweight (165lbs)
Amirkhon Alikhuzhaev (11-4)
Anthony Pettis (25-14)
Ayinda Octave (5-0)
Ayton De Paepe (12-4)
Charles Rosa (14-8)
Feruz Usmonov (4-1)
Gabriel Souza Galindo (9-1)*
Jefferson Pontes (6-1)
Jeremy Stephens (29-21)
John Makdessi (18-9)
Kevin Lee (20-8)
Killys motta (15-4)
Lucas Martins (22-7)
Mohamed Tarek Mohey (9-4)
Oscar Ownsworth (8-3)
Raimundo Batista (18-3)
Sidney Outlaw (19-6)
Stephen Beaumont (11-3)
Will Brooks (26-5)
William Lima (6-3)
Yan Cabral (15-3)
Image: PFL MMA
Featherweight (155lbs)
Alexsandro Cangaty (10-4)
Andre Harrison (22-3-1)
Claudeci Brito (11-4)
Deberson Batista (12-4)
Lance Palmer (22-5)
Lucas Martins (22-7)*
Marcel Adur (16-5)
Marcelo Dias (14-6)
Marlon Moraes (23-13)
Patrizio de Souza (18-6)
Renan Oliveira (11-2)
Image: PFL MMA
Bantamweight (145lbs)
Andre Soukhamthath (14-10)*
Andre Harrison (22-3-1)*
Bubba Jenkins (21-9)*
Cameron Else (11-6)*
Denis Palancica (10-1)
Diego Teixeira (7-4)
Jimmie Rivera (23-5)
Marciano Ferreira (13-3)
Omar Arteaga (11-1)
Pedro Carvalho (13-10)*
Renan Barão (34-0)
Image: UFC.com
Women’s Bantamweight (140lbs)
Alexa Conners (8-5)
Kalindra Faria (19-10-1)
Pannie Kianzad (16-9)
Tonya Evinger (19-8-1)
Women’s Flyweight (130lbs)
Chiara Penco (9-5)
Karolina Owczarz (5-3)*
Miao Ding (18-8)
Women’s Strawweight (120lbs)
Bi Nguyen (6-9)
Silvania Monteiro (11-4)
Image: UFC.com
*Fighter’s weight class for the 2025 draft not yet disclosed on the GFL website
While the chances of a team-based format succeeding in MMA have been doubted by plenty of analysts in the media space, Owen explained to Helwani why he’s confident of it working.
“We’re able to create unique storylines that have never existed in the sport,” Owen said. “That’s one thing we keep hearing. Everyone loves the sport of MMA but the storylines are often not there. What this brings is the talking points, the, ‘OK, are these two fighters going to be teammates or are they going to be potentially fighting?’ And different strategies that come in, different betting elements that come in.
“The No. 1 driver in sports fandom proven is cheering for your favorite team. Favorite teams have never really existed in the sport of MMA. So we’re just creating what already exists and you see it across all the major professional leagues in the world, and this is just the implementation of that team-based league model for the third most popular sport in the world.”
Fighter contracts with the GFL will be exclusive and include a rare 50/50 revenue split. The promotion is also promising to contribute eight percent of each athlete’s purse into a retirement fund and two toward insurance.
“Whatever revenue we receive, whether it’s media rights deals, sponsorships, ticket sales, all of that, 50% goes into the fighter revenue pool from that specific event and then those fighters that are on that event are the ones who share in that revenue percentage.
“Athletes get paid either or — whatever is greater — their guaranteed amount or their revenue share percentage. So someone might have a $50,000 guaranteed purse and they earn 1% revenue share, but if there’s $10 million in that revenue pool for that event, then they’re going to receive $100,000 instead of what they were thinking was $50,000.”
A lot seemingly still needs to come together before the GFL’s launch in 2025, including a broadcast deal before events are staged in April.
Owen confirmed talks are set to take place regarding that in January, and if no agreement is made with an outside entity, he told Helwani the organization is prepared to create its own platform to stream on.
“The Cannibal” closed out the final numbered event of 2024 in style, submitting UFC newcomer Kai Asakura in round two with a rear-naked choke. The victory over the ex-Rizin champion, who was left unconscious by the fight-ending sequence, marked Pantoja’s third successful defense.
There might be one rematch, however, that gets the champ’s fire lit…
During a recent interview with Brazilian reporter Laerte Viana, former two-time flyweight champ and current top-10 bantamweight contender Deiveson Figueiredo threw his name in the hat to be Pantoja’s next challenger.
While “The Cannibal” already boasts victories over many vying for a shot in the flyweight rankings, he lost his 2019 contest with “Deus da Guerra” on the scorecards. And feeling that things were comfortable back then, Figueiredo likes his chances of repeating the feat in a championship scenario.
“Since Pantoja is looking for someone, I think I’m the best option,” Figueiredo said in Portuguese (translated by @Home_of_Fight). “I’m available, man. In my entire career in the UFC, I only missed weight once. If I have to make weight, I’ll go there and fulfill my commitment. And our first fight wasn’t easy for Pantoja. It was a three-round fight and I certainly won all three.”
Figueiredo departed the weight class following the end of his second reign on the flyweight throne at the hands of Brandon Moreno early last year. He began life at the more comfortable weight of 135 pounds in strong fashion, dominating Rob Font and submitting Cody Garbrandt.
UFC featherweight Jack Shore has suddenly called time on his career as a professional fighter.
Shore (17-3), a former bantamweight champion under the Cage Warriors banner, began life on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in impressive fashion, winning all five of his opening UFC bouts en route to a ranking at 135 pounds.
But after Ricky Simón took his ‘0’ by way of submission in 2022, the Welshman bid farewell to the bantamweight division and started anew at 145 pounds. The 29-year-old has since gone 1-2 in the featherweight class, first defeating Makwan Amirkhani but then suffering consecutive setbacks versus Joanderson Brito and Youssef Zalal.
“Hello guys, been quiet for a while enjoying time with my friends and family,” Shore wrote. “As what may come as a surprise to a few I’ve decided to hang up the gloves on my professional fighting career. After fighting out my contract and taking some time to think about what’s next it’s clear to me that my time with professional fighting is done. Although I had the chance to re sign with ufc I’ve decided my times done. I want to thank the ufc for letting me live out my childhood dream of fighting for the worlds biggest organisation and against some of the best in the world, I’ve enjoyed every minute!
“From what started as a kid with a dream lead me to amateur titles, world titles and living out my dream of fighting in the ufc. I can truly say for every single fight I gave the training and the fights my all, never said no, never asked questions just kept my head down, stayed true to myself and achieved more than I ever thought possible,” Shore continued. “For the entirety of my 20’s fighting and training was my life and sole focus, however the last few weeks/months have showed this is no longer the case. And I always promised myself when I was mentality checked out I would retire from the sport rather than the sport retire me. Injures have caught up with me after a lifetime in the sport. I’m leaving with my mental in check, good health, financially stable and am fully ready to move onto the future.”
Shore now plans on continuing his involvement in the sport by coaching the next generation of United Kingdom fighters alongside his father.
During his career in the cage, “Tank” defeated notable names like Hunter Azure and Timur Valiev. He departs active competition with a 6-3 UFC record and his health intact.
