MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • UFC Rankings Report: Carlos Ulberg Gets Big Jump After Macau Win

    UFC Rankings Report: Carlos Ulberg Gets Big Jump After Macau Win

    As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has been followed by the release of the updated UFC rankings.

    And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

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

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

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: The only movement this week came at 205 pounds, where Carlos Ulberg has reaped the rewards of his seventh straight win. The New Zealander recorded his biggest triumph to date in Macau, outpointing former title challenger and longtime contender Volkan Oezdemir to secure a three-place rise to #7 on the ladder.

    Nikita Krylov has endured the largest fall, slipping two spots to #8, while the defeated Oezdemir (#9) and Johnny Walker (#10) are both one position worse off.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • ‘The Joker’ Wang Cong Issues Statement On Shock UFC Macau Loss: ‘I Still Believe I Am The One’

    ‘The Joker’ Wang Cong Issues Statement On Shock UFC Macau Loss: ‘I Still Believe I Am The One’

    UFC flyweight prospect Wang Cong is keeping her head high after a disappointing and surprising defeat on home soil this past weekend.

    Wang, a former world champion in sanda and ex-Kunlun Fight titleholder, announced her arrival on MMA’s biggest stage in a major way this past August following success on Road to UFC.

    “The Joker” violently knocked out Victoria Leonardo on debut, and her previous kickboxing win over Valentina Shevchenko led to talk of a quick rise up the ladder at 125 pounds.

    That script, however, was emphatically ripped up by Gabriella Fernandes, who headed to enemy territory to face Wang as a significant underdog on the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau.

    The Brazilian executed a memorable club-and-sub finish in round two, dealing a blow to the hype behind Wang and the perception of her chances of success inside the Octagon.

    As if often the case when newcomers lose for the first time in the UFC, the defeat to Fernandes caused cries of “fraud checked” from some in the MMA community online. Wang, however, will not be deterred.

    “Thanks for those who came out on Saturday night and fans supported me,” Wang wrote on Instagram. “This is the fight game, one mistake can cost you the match. But I’m good, no injuries and in good spirit. I still believe I’m the one 🏆 without doubt. I will come back soon @ufc . Also congratulation @gabriella_tko , thank you for taking the fight. Hope you enjoy the China trip.❤️🤡 #ufcmacau“

    It remains to be seen what will come next for Wang, but the charismatic Chinese fighter will look to immediately return to winning ways when she makes the walk for the first time in 2025.

  • Leon Edwards Sets Timeline For Achieving Two-Time UFC Champ Status

    Leon Edwards Sets Timeline For Achieving Two-Time UFC Champ Status

    Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards expects to be holding gold on MMA’s biggest stage again by the end of 2025.

    Edwards is eyeing a big bounce-back year after having his reign — which had successfully gotten past challenges from Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington — brought to an emphatic halt at the hands of Belal Muhammad this past July.

    The pair ran it back in the headline act of UFC 304 at Manchester’s Co-op Live, where “Remember the Name” dominated across five rounds to achieve his championship ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage.

    For “Rocky,” the result brought to an end his 13-fight unbeaten run and marked his first defeat since a setback at the hands of Usman way back in 2015.

    With that in mind, the defeat has understandably been difficult for the Jamaica-born Brit to manage. But as this calendar year approaches its conclusion, Edwards is looking to rectify things with a big campaign in 2025.

    “My goal right now is to obviously get the belt back,” Edwards told Myprotein. “I’d love to be champion again by the end of the year, next year, around this time next year.

    “Just putting steps in place. I haven’t lost a fight now in, like, nine years. So, I was getting used to that feeling again. I think I hate losing more than I love winning,” Edwards continued. “My goal is to be a two-time world champion.”

    For the time being, Edwards will no doubt have his eyes on some key contests coming up toward the top of the 170-pound division.

    After Muhammad’s withdrawal, Shavkat Rakhmonov will defend his status as top contender opposite a fellow undefeated up-and-comer in Ian Garry at UFC 310 in Las Vegas on Dec. 7.

    The following week, the charging Joaquin Buckley will look to take another step up the welterweight ladder in Tampa by adding to the woes of Covington, who has aspirations of a fourth opportunity at reaching the undisputed throne.

  • Michael Chandler Compared With Tony Ferguson After Latest Loss: ‘Who’s He Going To Beat?’

    Michael Chandler Compared With Tony Ferguson After Latest Loss: ‘Who’s He Going To Beat?’

    Former MMA referee John McCarthy did not mince his words when analyzing UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler’s latest setback inside the Octagon.

    Chandler returned from a two-year layoff earlier this month, running it back with former champion Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of the UFC 309 pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden.

    After an unsuccessful wait to share the cage with Conor McGregor, “Iron” finally moved on and set his sights on redemption opposite “Do Bronx,” who previously knocked him out in 2021.

    But the former Bellator champion ultimately failed in that pursuit, suffering a lopsided unanimous decision defeat after five rounds of mostly dominance from Oliveira in New York City.

    With the result, Chandler has now lost two straight and four of his six UFC fights. And that’s left one prominent figure in the sport giving a grim outlook on the 38-year-old’s status on MMA’s biggest stage.

    During an episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside former UFC fighter Josh Thomson, McCarthy reflected on Chandler’s convincing defeat to Oliveira, which saw the Brazilian experience little adversity until a late surge from the American in round five.

    The former referee and Bellator commentator compared him with another veteran fighter in Tony Ferguson, who has lost eight straight since his last victory in 2019.

    “Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status. Just being honest,” McCarthy said. “Who’s he going to beat? He looked slow at times. You want to talk about looking slow, you cannot look slow in the lightweight division. You’re gonna die. And he got outwrestled by a jiu-jitsu guy.

    “Michael Chandler got crushed. I mean, just crushed,” McCarthy continued. “The two years (away) showed that not only did Michael Chandler not improve as a fighter, but he declined, and he watched his career start to expire. … I like Michael Chandler as a person, and I think he’s great for the sport…(but) he’s calling out Conor McGregor after losing again — what the hell?! You can’t do that!”

    Should Chandler get his wish in 2025, he may be departing the 155-pound division next time out.

    During his post-fight Octagon interview, “Iron” once again called out McGregor despite his past failure to secure the lucrative fight. Should that finally come to fruition in the new year, it stands to reason that it would take place at welterweight.

    Oliveira, meanwhile, has his eyes on regaining the ultimate prize. He’s widely expected to challenge the winner of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan’s championship rematch, which is reportedly in the works for UFC 311 in Los Angeles early next year.

  • Carlos Ulberg Targets Former Title Challenger After UFC Macau Win

    Carlos Ulberg Targets Former Title Challenger After UFC Macau Win

    Following his latest triumph, UFC light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg is looking to take the next step toward the title.

    Ulberg kept his ball rolling in the 205-pound division at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, China, where he got the better of a former title challenger and longtime top-10 contender in Volkan Oezdemir.

    The City Kickboxing standout put in the kind of polished and technical display that he’s become synonymous with since falling on the wrong side of a wild brawl with Kennedy Nzechukwu back in 2021.

    That marked Ulberg’s last loss, with the New Zealander winning all seven of his fights since. And having likely strengthened his position close to title contention with his performance at the Galaxy Arena, “Black Jag” has a plan to earn a first shot.

    “Obviously Khalil had that opportunity last time, so I think for the next step, my next step would be up against a guy like Khalil Rountree,” Ulberg told the UFC’s Maddyn Johnstone-Thomas.

    Rountree had a surprise opportunity to achieve champ status last month in Salt Lake City, where he challenged Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 307.

    “The War Horse” put in a valiant effort opposite the former middleweight and reigning light heavyweight kingpin, winning the first two rounds before falling victim to a comeback and the famed power shots of “Poatan” in the fourth stanza.

    Having gotten past the #8-ranked Oezdemir, Ulberg wants a crack at the #6 man in the division next year as he looks to become the latest title challenger to emerge from Auckland’s City Kickboxing camp.

  • Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

    Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

    Petr Yan may have swept the scorecards at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, but his victory over Deiveson Figueiredo wasn’t without some adversity.

    Yan — a former undisputed and interim bantamweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage — continued his winning form this year at Saturday’s event inside the Galaxy Arena, where he made it two victories from two outings in 2024.

    The Russian headlined proceedings opposite ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo, whom he comfortably outpointed across five rounds of memorable action. The lopsided scorecards, however, don’t completely tell the full story.

    “Deus Da Guerra” certainly had his fair share of success, even threatening a late comeback when he knocked “No Mercy” down in round four.

    During his post-fight press conference in Macau, Yan spoke about that moment while reflecting on his latest UFC triumph, admitting that the blow briefly left him “lost” in the cage.

    “I’m very glad that I won. Figueiredo is a really tough opponent, and he showed that he’s championship caliber,” Yan said. “When he landed this knockdown with his punch, I thought, ‘It’s not New Year’s yet but the fireworks have already started.’ Maybe I got lost for a little second.

    “But I recovered pretty fast and knew what was going on. This is a tough sport, anything can happen, so you have to be ready,” Yan continued. “You can’t relax at any second, everybody can surprise you even in the last second of a fight.”

    Fortunately for Yan — who has yet to be finished in his professional career — he was able to recover from the scare and finish strong en route to a convincing decision win. And with that, the former champ has likely maintained his #3 spot on the bantamweight ladder and reinserted himself into the title picture.

    While many have pointed to Umar Nurmagomedov as the deserving first in line to challenge newly crowned king Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian was quick to accept Yan’s post-fight callout in Macau and even pitched a date for their rematch in 2025.

  • VIDEO: Yoel Romero Lands Quick Knockout At Inaugural Dirty Boxing Championship Event

    VIDEO: Yoel Romero Lands Quick Knockout At Inaugural Dirty Boxing Championship Event

    Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero wasted little time dispatching his opponent at the very first Dirty Boxing Championship event.

    To the surprise of many, Romero was a last-minute addition to the maiden card for Mike Perry’s new combat sports promotion. The striking-only organization announced the Cuban’s matchup last Friday, a day before the private event in Miami.

    “Soldier of God” — who unsuccessfully challenged Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya for UFC gold, as well as Vadim Nemkov for champ status under the Bellator banner — headlined opposite Power Slap competitor Duane Crespo.

    At the event, which had limited promotion and did not stream online, Romero quickly showed his superiority over Crespo by destroying “The Iron Giant” inside the very first round.

    Fights under the Dirty Championship Boxing banner consist of three-minute rounds (three for normal bouts and five for main events) and are fought with 5oz gloves. The fighters are also allowed to throw elbows.

    The result on Saturday came in Romero’s first combat sports appearance since this past February, when he got the better of fellow former UFC contender Thiago Santos at the PFL vs. Bellator event in Saudi Arabia.

    It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Romero in 2025, and whether or not his next outing will see a return to mixed martial arts following a foray into the ring at Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship.

  • Bellator Champions Slam PFL Amid Forced Inactivity: ‘This Merger Has Been A Disaster For MMA!’

    Bellator Champions Slam PFL Amid Forced Inactivity: ‘This Merger Has Been A Disaster For MMA!’

    Some of the top Bellator names who found themselves under the PFL banner last year are far from happy with their new employer.

    The PFL attempted to strengthen its standing in mixed martial arts and its pursuit of achieving “co-leader” status alongside the UFC by purchasing the Bellator MMA organization late last year.

    The promotion has since staged its first PFL vs. Bellator card, commenced global and regional seasons, and opened up a “reimagined” version of the brand it acquired in the form of the Bellator Champions Series.

    While that has brought with it some entertaining cards and fights, things have been far from entirely positive for the PFL in 2024.  In attempting to separate itself from the UFC, PFL higher-ups have frequently claimed to be “fighter first” and an improved home for athletes compared to its rival. This year, though, has seen numerous fighters share their issues. 

    Sabah Homasi repeatedly bemoaned the lack of payment to cover his medical expenses from a Bellator fight last September. Prior to her debut in October, Cris Cyborg frequently slammed the PFL online for not booking her. Gegard Mousasi and Douglas Lima claimed the organization was refusing to honor their contracts because they earn too much money, with the former even commencing legal proceedings against the company following his subsequent release.

    Those instances suggest the PFL’s purchase has left some Bellator fighters worse off, and the ongoing forced inactivity experienced by many is doing little to dismiss that suggestion.

    One champion who feels hard done by is bantamweight standout Patchy Mix. Since defending his title against Magomed Magomedov in Paris this past May, “No Love” hasn’t made it back to the cage.

    While he was scheduled for a return to the French capital this month, that event was among those suddenly canceled with little explanation. And in a post on X, Mix claimed a planned rescheduling of his return for January has also now been called off.

    “I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Mix wrote. “This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November cancelled? Then now again I’m being told I’m off January Dubai card? I am the best in the world and I want to fight to prove it.”

    It didn’t take long for another champ to share that sentiment — this time the consensus Bellator GOAT, Patrício “Pitbull” Freire, who is without a fight since March.

    “I haven’t fought since February. I wanted to fight 3x this year, but I was told I’d have to wait until December 31st and found out online my opponent would fight someone else. Then they had a replacement, I bring people over, spend more money with the camp and there’s no fight.”

    In follow-up posts, the Brazilian went as far as to brand the PFL’s acquisition of Bellator as a “disaster” for the sport of MMA.

    And it wasn’t just champions showing discontent this past weekend.

    The man scheduled to challenge Mix this month prior to the unexplained cancellation, Leandro Higo, also took to social media to express his fury with the PFL after seeing his opponent speak out.

    “This is very frustrating. We have no clue about when we might be fighting after two fight cancellations in a row. Time is of the essence in this game, we can’t waste our primes on the sidelines. I’m working hard to take that title, spending money, sweat and blood. What’s going on?”

    When announcing its plans for this year, the PFL laid out eight Bellator Champions Series events and promised two championship contests on each. But it’s ultimately only put on five, the most recent being in London this past September, and filled the outlined quota of champions on just one of those cards.

    It remains to be seen what the PFL has planned for the likes of Mix and Freire in 2025 — and for the rest of those who were hoping to compete on the now-scrapped Bellator Champions Series events in the back end of this year.

    For now, the promotion will be focusing on a successful return to Saudi Arabia this week for its PFL World Championship and PFL MENA Championship shows in Riyadh.

    But as another year comes to a close for the organization, it’s safe to say things haven’t gone as hoped since the purchase of Bellator, especially for the high-profile fighters who came with it.

  • Jon Jones ‘In Negotiations’ With UFC Over Return: ‘I Will Be Competing In 2025’

    Jon Jones ‘In Negotiations’ With UFC Over Return: ‘I Will Be Competing In 2025’

    It would seem that fans haven’t seen the last of the man widely considered the greatest of all time inside the Octagon, judging by UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ latest remarks.

    Jones returned to action earlier this month 20 months on from becoming a two-division kingpin. After quickly getting the better of Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut last year, “Bones” added a successful defense to his reign by sending Stipe Miocic into retirement.

    The pair headlined the promotion’s annual November visit to Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the champ closed the show with a brutal spinning back kick to the body in round three.

    Much of the lead-up surrounded Jones’ continued avoidance of his interim counterpart, Tom Aspinall. In addition to teasing a possible retirement, the Rochester native pointed to Alex Pereira as the one opponent he’d remain active for in 2025.

    Dana White, however, has been vocal in dismissing a clash between “Bones” and “Poatan.” Despite that, it appears negotiations have begun regarding another outing for the former multi-time light heavyweight king.

    During a recent interview with The Schmo, Jones provided an update on his status post-UFC 309, revealing that talks are underway with the promotion.

    “So right now, the UFC and I, we’re in negotiations, we’re in talks to see what happens next,” Jones said. “I’m back in the gym. I’m training. I feel really great. The team’s support, they’re right behind me, and we’ll just be ready for whatever opportunity comes out way.

    “There is (a figure in mind), but I’m not going to discuss that publicly,” Jones continued. “I will be competing in 2025, more than likely.”

    While Jones has stayed steadfast in rejecting the possibility of unifying the heavyweight titles versus Aspinall next, that would appear to still be the most desired matchup among the MMA masses for the 37-year-old.

    Whether or not the UFC can do what is needed to convince Jones, who has previously sat on the sidelines while criticizing the promotion’s failure to meet his financial demands, remains to be seen.

    In the meantime, fans can likely expect Jones to continue his habit of embracing the ‘ducking’ allegations on social media.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Fights Added To Los Angeles-Held UFC 311

    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, November 18, and Sunday, November 24, 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:

    Plenty of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted. For those, see below:

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    After a pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden — and before focus turns to the UFC’s final numbered event of the year in Las Vegas — the MMA leader was on the road to stage a card in Macau for the first time in a decade.

    Headlining at the Galaxy Arena were two former champions in ex-bantamweight kingpin Yan and a two-time occupier of the flyweight throne in Figueiredo. With both men coming off wins over top-10 opposition, a shot at Merab Dvalishvili’s 135-pound gold was discussed as being in store for Saturday’s victor.

    That turned out to be Yan, with “No Mercy” putting in a vintage striking performance to sweep the scorecards.

    Elsewhere on the UFC Fight Night lineup, Yan Xiaonan emerged victorious from her first outing since falling short of the title against Zhang Weili earlier this year, Carlos Ulberg got the better of fellow hard-hitting light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir, and the Road to UFC finals delivered some memorable moments on the prelims.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Main Event: Petr Yan def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
    • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Yan Xiaonan def. Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Welterweight: Muslim Salikhov def. Song Kenan via KO (spinning wheel kick): R1, 3:49
    • Women’s Flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes def. Wang Cong via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 3:49
    • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang def. Ozzy Diaz via TKO (elbow & punches): R1, 2:25

    Preliminary Card:

    • Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: SuYoung You def. Jieleyisi Baergeng via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Road to UFC Flyweight Final: DongHun Choi def. Kiru Singh Sahota via KO (punch): R1, 2:36
    • Road to UFC Women’s Strawweight Final: Ming Shi def. Xiaocan Feng via KO (head kick): R3, 0:46
    • Flyweight: Carlos Hernandez def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh def. Jose Ochoa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Bantamweight: Long Xiao def. Quang Le via KO (punches): R3, 1:28
    • Lightweight: Nikolas Motta def. Hayisaer Maheshate via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Nikolas Motta Def. Hayisaer Maheshate

    Long Xiao Def. Quang Le

    Lone’er Kavanagh Def. Jose Ochoa

    Carlos Hernandez Def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel

    Ming Shi Def. Xiaocan Feng

    DongHun Choi Def. Kiru Singh Sahota

    Zhang Mingyang Def. Ozzy Diaz

    Carlos Ulberg Def. Volkan Oezdemir

    Gabriella Fernandes Def. Wang Cong

    https://twitter.com/oliveirafan999/status/1860298121135423761

    Muslim Salikhov Def. Song Kenan

    Yan Xiaonan Def. Tabatha Ricci

    Petr Yan Def. Deiveson Figueiredo

    https://twitter.com/FIGHTZSS/status/1860325240682815892
  • UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading back to Las Vegas to stage its final pay-per-view of the year at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to across the world in Macau.

    The main event presents an opportunity for ex-flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo to further climb the ranks at 135 pounds. “Deus Da Guerra’s” fourth outing in the division will come against former titleholder Petr Yan, who is looking to stake his claim for a chance to regain the title off the back of a key win over Song Yadong earlier this year.

    Before that, the likes of former strawweight title challenger Yan Xiaonan, will all be in action, flyweight prospect Wang Cong, and hard-hitting light heavyweights Volkan Oezdemir and Carlos Ulberg will be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo takes place on Saturday, November 23, at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China. The main card begins at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.

    Check out the full results from the weigh-ins below!

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Main Event: Petr Yan (135.5lbs) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (135lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Yan Xiaonan (116lbs) vs. Tabatha Ricci (115.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Song Kenan (171lbs) vs. Muslim Salikhov (170.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong (126lbs) vs. Gabriella Fernandes (126lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Volkan Oezdemir (206lbs) vs. Carlos Ulberg (205.5lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang (205lbs) vs. Ozzy Diaz (205lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: SuYoung You (135.5lbs) vs. Jieleyisi Baergeng (235lbs)
    • Road to UFC Flyweight Final: Kiru Singh Sahota (126lbs) vs. DongHun Choi (125.5lbs)
    • Road to UFC Women’s Strawweight Final: Xiaocan Feng (115lbs) vs. Ming Shi (115.5lbs)
    • Flyweight: Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (125.5lbs) vs. Carlos Hernandez (125.5lbs)
    • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh (126lbs) vs. Jose Ochoa (125lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Long Xiao (135lbs) vs. Le Quang (126lbs)
    • Lightweight: Maheshate Hayisaer (155.5lbs) vs. Nikolas Motta (155lbs)
  • Vicente Luque On Second Nick Diaz Fight Cancellation: ‘I Hope He Seeks Help’

    Vicente Luque On Second Nick Diaz Fight Cancellation: ‘I Hope He Seeks Help’

    UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque is concerned for Nick Diaz after their matchup once again hit a roadblock en route to the Octagon.

    Luque was originally set to welcome Diaz back to the cage at the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi this past August. That fell through weeks beforehand, with travel issues being cited as the reason.

    It was later rescheduled for the final pay-per-view of 2024, UFC 310 in Las Vegas next month. But doubts over that coming to fruition arose when a video emerged appearing to show the shirtless Stockton native attempting to light grass on fire in the street.

    People’s fears were realized when the bout’s cancellation was confirmed, with rising prospect Themba Gorimbo taking Diaz’s place to face Luque inside T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, “The Silent Assassin” reacted to losing his planned opponent again, this time expressing more concern given the apparent circumstances.

    “I don’t know exactly why (it was canceled),” Luque said, before commenting on the apparent video of Diaz. “I saw that video of him in the streets, and he didn’t look OK. And more than anything, I hope his family and he’s taking care of himself. I hope he recovers and goes back to his best state possible. … I didn’t know if it was a recent video or not, but I kept thinking, if it’s recent, I hope he really seeks help to get out of the situation he’s in because Nick is a fighter I follow since before I was in the UFC. He has inspired me a lot in the past. … You see his accomplishments, and see his state at 40 years of age, that’s not how I want to see any fighter.

    “This sport is very tough and we dedicate so many years to be able to make a living off this, and to see him in that situation, at his age… We don’t know what he’s going to do from now on, if he’s going to recover, if he’s going to be able to fight again, maybe open a gym and teach, whatever, but we hope for the best,” Luque continued. “It’s very sad to see him at that stage, because I don’t want that for anyone, much less a man that has inspired so many.”

    While fight fans wish the best for Diaz, a big opportunity has opened up for Gorimbo.

    The Zimbabwean gained prominence when his inspirational story was noticed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who subsequently bought the fighter a house in Miami.

    That came after Gorimbo’s first UFC win, and “The Answer” has since had his hand raised in three straight fights this year to put him on the brink of a number next to his name at 170 pounds.

    https://twitter.com/TheAnswerMMA/status/1859436493368086676
  • Henry Cejudo: ‘Predictable’ Colby Covington Could Get Stopped By Joaquin Buckley

    Henry Cejudo: ‘Predictable’ Colby Covington Could Get Stopped By Joaquin Buckley

    Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo can envision Colby Covington falling to a losing skid courtesy of Joaquin Buckley next month.

    Covington is set to make his return to the Octagon a year on from his third failed bid at achieving undisputed champion status on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    After two setbacks opposite Kamaru Usman, the former interim titleholder most recently fell short against Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 296. In the eyes of many, that loss marked the likely end of his pursuit of the welterweight mountaintop.

    “Chaos,” however, sees things differently. He’s vowed throughout the year to bounce back, secure another opportunity, and be crowned kingpin. And his first step toward that comes in a late-notice showdown with Buckley in Tampa.

    Covington is set to headline a UFC Fight Night close to home on Dec. 14, marking the final fight inside the Octagon of 2024. That was originally set be between Ian Garry and Buckley, but after the Irishman was drafted in to fight Shavkat Rakhnmonov at UFC 310 a week prior, Covington has stepped in to meet “New Mansa.”

    During an episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside fellow former UFC champion Usman, Cejudo commented on the new pairing set to close the show inside Amalie Arena.

    “Triple C” gave a disparaging assessment of Covington’s current game, suggesting that the “predictable” nature of it could lead to a knockout loss at the hands of the powerful Buckley.

    “The style that Colby Covington is doing is so predictable now,” Cejudo said. “The fact that they see him lose time and time again, whether it’s with Leon Edwards or yourself (Usman), it’s there. Once you stop Colby’s takedowns, things will fall into place.

    “Look at how Joaquin covers distance, bro. Double feints, dipping in to eventually stop a dude like ‘Wonderboy.’ So, I’m high on this kid. This kid is dangerous,” Cejudo continued. “I can see Colby Covington losing via stoppage to a guy like Joaquin Buckley, and I truly do believe that.”

    Buckley, the #9-ranked contender who is coming off a knockout win over Stephen Thompson, will look to prove Cejudo right by becoming only the second man to stop Covington with strikes after “Triple C’s” podcast co-host, Usman.

  • Bo Nickal Reveals ‘Only Regret’ From UFC 309 Win Over Paul Craig

    Bo Nickal Reveals ‘Only Regret’ From UFC 309 Win Over Paul Craig

    Despite being pleased with his performance this past weekend, UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal does wish he did one thing differently against Paul Craig.

    Nickal extended his undefeated record in the UFC and professional mixed martial arts as a whole at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he got the better of experienced veteran Paul Craig on the main card.

    The formerly ranked light heavyweight and middleweight was expected to mark the toughest test of Nickal’s career to date owing to his renowned jiu-jitsu ability, but that ultimately didn’t rear its head on fight night.

    Instead, the submission specialist and the decorated wrestler fought out three lackluster rounds on the feet, much to the dismay of the New York crowd in attendance.

    But despite boos raining down on the Octagon following his unanimous decision win, Nickal has been firmly defending his display and expressing his joy at how he was able to emerge victorious from a striking battle.

    However, the three-time NCAA Division I national champion and three-time Big Ten Conference champion out of Pennsylvania State University does have one regret, albeit a small one…

    “I was winning the striking and I was happy to get experience in the cage doing something I’ve never done before,” Nickal wrote on X. “My only (small) regret is not being more aggressive in the 3rd round after I hurt him. I need to build a better system to attack when my opponent is hurt.”

    Having added Craig’s name to a list of defeated UFC opponents that also includes Cody Brundage, Val Woodburn, and Jamie Pickett, Nickal has moved closer to breaking through into contention at 185 pounds.

    But with his latest win leaving a lot to be desired in the eyes of some fans and pundits, it would appear that the 28-year-old still has some work to do before mixing it up with the division’s best.

  • Petr Yan: Nurmagomedov Not A Worthy Challenger, UFC Macau Main Event Is ‘No. 1 Contender’s Fight’ 

    Petr Yan: Nurmagomedov Not A Worthy Challenger, UFC Macau Main Event Is ‘No. 1 Contender’s Fight’ 

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan believes a victory this weekend should put him above Umar Nurmagomedov in the pecking order.

    Yan is set to headline Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, as the promotion returns to the region for the first time in a decade. Inside the Galaxy Arena, “No Mercy” will do battle with ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

    For Yan, the upcoming event marks the opportunity for him to secure a first win streak since he captured the 135-pound crown at the expense of José Aldo in 2020. He subsequently went on a difficult 1-4 run before bouncing back against Song Yadong at UFC 299 this past March.

    Figueiredo, meanwhile, has enjoyed a perfect start to life as bantamweight, winning all three of his fights to date and most recently getting past Marlon “Chito” Vera in comfortable fashion.

    That result left newly crowned champ Merab Dvalishvili branding “Deus Da Guerra” a more worthy first challenger to his reign than the consensus number one contender, Dagestan’s Nurmagomedov.

    And during an interview with the UFC ahead of his clash with Figueiredo in the “Las Vegas of the East,” Yan suggested that the Georgian’s stance — which he agrees with — could pave the way for his second dance with “The Machine” in 2025.

    “Deiveson is a former champ, and also Merab has been saying that he’s the only real deserving challenger for his belt,” Yan said through an interpreter. “So for me, it’s a good opportunity for me to get this position, to beat him and challenge for the belt instead of him.

    “I believe this is a No. 1 contender’s fight,” Yan continued. “Merab is currently champ, but I believe that he’s not ready to defend his title just yet, especially against Umar. It seems like he is avoiding him. Also, Umar, I believe he maybe needs a couple of good wins too. So, with a win over Deiveson, I believe that I can get back into the title picture and challenge for the belt again.”

    Yan fell to a three-fight losing skid in March 2023 when he was handily defeated across five rounds by Dvalishvili. But should he stall Figueiredo’s two-division ambitions in Macau this week, “No Mercy” is hoping to have the chance for redemption.

    Nurmagomedov would no doubt have something to say about that, however. He’s been widely branded next in line for a shot at the gold ever since he outpointed the highly regarded Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi this past August.

  • UFC 310 Loses Two More Fights Following Main Event Switch-Up

    The year-ending UFC 310 pay-per-view has already taken plenty of damage to its lineup, and the withdrawals don’t appear to be slowing down.

    Things haven’t been easy going for the MMA leader’s final numbered card of 2024, which has already undergone some notable changes. The original co-headliner between UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja and newcomer Kai Asakura is now in the main event spotlight.

    That’s following the cancellation of Belal Muhammad’s title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov after an injury to the champ. “Nomad” has remained on the card and will instead do battle with a fellow undefeated contender in Ian Garry.

    Further down the UFC 310 lineup, a crucial strawweight clash between Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba was scrapped under mysterious circumstances, while Nick Diaz’s planned return against Vicente Luque fell through for the second time this year.

    And this week, the preliminary card took a pair of blows with the cancellation of two heavyweight bouts.

    News of the first came by way of Eurosport Nederland’s Marcel Dorff, who revealed that Slovakia’s Martin Buday is out of his UFC 310 matchup with former Eagle FC and PFL fighter Rizvan Kuniev.

    Minutes later, MMA Junkie’s Nolan King emerged with news of another bout for the scrap heap, posting that recent Dana White’s Contender Series alum Tallison Teixeira has been forced out of his planned debut against “The Bull” Łukasz Brzeski.

    It remains to be seen whether Kuniev and Brzeski will remain on the card. Given that they both compete in the same weight class, perhaps the promotion will simply pair them together for UFC 310.

    As it stands, the Dec. 7 card does still boasts 13 fights, partially thanks to the rescheduling of Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders after that bout’s fight-day cancellation last weekend in New York City.

  • Michael Chandler Says First-Round Injury Affected Performance Against Charles Oliveira At UFC 309

    Michael Chandler Says First-Round Injury Affected Performance Against Charles Oliveira At UFC 309

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes he fought “23 minutes” of his rematch against Charles Oliveira with a severely compromised leg.

    Chandler’s negative Octagon record took further damage at this past weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he fell to 2-4 since making the switch from Bellator to the sport’s leading promotion a number of years ago.

    In the co-main event at Madison Square Garden, Oliveira added his name to the American’s losing column once again, this time in much more convincing fashion.

    While the Brazilian had to mount a memorable comeback to get the better of “Iron” back in 2022, he was on top from the word go when the pair ran it back. And after weathering a late burst from Chandler in round five, “Do Bronx” had his hand raised by way of a lopsided decision.

    Given the success and near-title win he had against Oliveira previously, many were expecting more from the ex-Bellator champ. And that was evidently the case for the man himself, who believes he was prevented from competing at his best by a physical issue.

    During a recent appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Chandler suggested that an early grappling exchange with Oliveira in the first round injured his knee, thus preventing him from employing his usual forward-pressure style.

    “I think something happened to the knee in that first exchange when he had the leg and I did that full 360, he did a kneebar thing, because I walked back to the stool and I looked down at my left leg and it was not working right,” Chandler said. “It wasn’t stepping, it wasn’t catching, it was unstable, it was weird. … You know what it feels like to be on a solid foundation, to walk forward, move forward, attack, and I just wasn’t. 

    “Moving backwards was no problem, so my body and my brain was telling me moving backwards was cool but moving forward, planting and being in his face, pressure — even if you go back and watch the fifth [round] … whenever I was pursuing him, my leg was almost flopping rather than stalking and moving forward,” Chandler continued. “We’ll see what happened, but essentially for 23 minutes of that fight I don’t know if the leg was really working that well.”

    Regardless, that won’t affect Oliveira’s celebrations as he looks ahead to an expected showdown opposite whoever emerges from Islam Makhachev’s defense against Arman Tsarukyan with the lightweight gold in their possession.

    Chandler, meanwhile, made his intentions for 2025 clear inside the Octagon, once again calling for MMA superstar Conor McGregor to face him for his comeback fight — should that ever happen.

  • Tom Aspinall Explains Why Jon Jones’ Usual Advantage Over Opponents Won’t Work With Him

    Tom Aspinall Explains Why Jon Jones’ Usual Advantage Over Opponents Won’t Work With Him

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall remains high on self-belief when it comes to his chances in a fight against the great Jon Jones.

    Jones maintained his place on the heavyweight throne at this past weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, which he headlined inside Madison Square Garden opposite returning former champ Stipe Miocic.

    “Bones,” who achieved two-division glory 20 months prior by submitting Ciryl Gane in one round, threatened another quick finish when he slammed Miocic down and employed some vicious ground-and-pound.

    But the Rochester native ultimately had to wait until the third frame to put Miocic away for good, doing so with a brutal spinning back kick to the body. And with that, Jones has now added a successful defense to his already illustrious résumé.

    Jones’ status as heavyweight king, however, is far from undisputed.

    During Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Aspinall explained why he would expect an edge over Jones.

    While “Bones” would boast a significant lead in Octagon experience, the interim titleholder believes his short fight time would actually play in his favor against the GOAT contender.

    “One of Jon Jones’ biggest advantages that he has over everybody is that he’s a tape studier, as am I,” Aspinall said. “I’m a massive tape studier. I watch my opponents, my coaches watch my opponents, pick up on the tendencies, pick up on what they like, what they don’t like, what they’re good at, when they’re tired, what tires them out, how they’re getting up off the bottom, how’s their defense when you throw this shot, etc.

    “He loves to study opponents like this. He has no chance of doing that with me because my average fight time is the shortest in UFC history at two minutes and two seconds over 10 fights. That’s something that keeps him up at night, that will keep him up at night, for sure. I am a massive, massive question mark for him. I know a lot of his game. He’s got a lot of Octagon time over a lot of years. I’ve got next to nothing. There’s next to no footage of me out there besides me doing anything apart from bouncing peoples’ heads off the canvas, and he has no idea what to prepare for, and that is fantastic for me.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not Aspinall will have the chance to prove as much.

    While Jones appeared to finally entertain the prospect of facing Aspinall during his Octagon interview, he quickly reverted to his stance of avoiding the Brit when backstage at MSG, reiterating his desire to fight Alex Pereira instead.

    The MMA masses continue to push back on that, however, and even the UFC’s official Europe handle on X has seemingly had enough of the apparent ‘ducking’…

  • PFL Announces ‘Dagestan vs. Ireland 2’ As Paul Hughes Challenges Usman Nurmagomedov

    PFL Announces ‘Dagestan vs. Ireland 2’ As Paul Hughes Challenges Usman Nurmagomedov

    The Bellator Champions Series will head to Dubai in 2025, where lightweight kingpin Usman Nurmagomedov headlines in defense of his title.

    In a press release this week, the Professional Fighters League announced a multi-year partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism that will see the promotion return to the United Arab Emirates annually.

    And the first major event there is set for the Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25, as the first Bellator Champions Series event of the new year goes down.

    Headlining will be the return of Nurmagomedov (18-0, 1 NC), the Bellator lightweight titleholder who made his first outing since the PFL acquired his previous employer in San Diego this past September.

    Having got past Alexandr Shabliy to maintain his undefeated status, the Dagestani will next look to stall the championship ambitions of Ireland’s Paul Hughes (13-1).

    “I am always excited to challenge myself against the best athletes and I view Paul Hughes as a worthy opponent,” Nurmagomedov said. “I’m proud to be the first MMA main event in Dubai history.”

    Hughes has made a splash since signing with the PFL off the back of title glory under the Cage Warriors banner. After knocking out Bobby King on debut, “Big News” most recently recorded the biggest win of his career over AJ McKee on the undercard of Francis Ngannou’s return.

    A result of that magnitude has unsurprisingly bagged him a first shot at gold opposite Nurmagomedov.

    “The championship has always been in my plans, and now it’s coming to fruition in January when I face Usman,” Paul Hughes said. “I respect what he brings to the table and I am not discrediting him, but I know I will leave Dubai on January 25 as the new champion.”

    The PFL’s “Dagestan vs. Ireland 2” branding references the memorable feud between the great Khabib Nurmagomedov — cousin of Usman — and Conor McGregor back in 2018. In recent months, Hughes has called for his “Notorious” fellow countryman to corner him for his clash with the Russian next year.

    The press release announcing the title fight also revealed that all Bellator Champions Series events will now be co-branded as the “Road to Dubai,” with the cards leading up to the finale in the UAE each year.

  • Paul Craig Saw ‘Progress’ In UFC 309 Loss To Bo Nickal: ‘Every Setback Is Just Setup For A Comeback’

    Paul Craig Saw ‘Progress’ In UFC 309 Loss To Bo Nickal: ‘Every Setback Is Just Setup For A Comeback’

    UFC middleweight Paul Craig hasn’t lost confidence despite falling to another defeat this past weekend.

    Craig marked the latest challenge for undefeated prospect Bo Nickal at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view. The Scotsman joined the likes of Cody Brundage and Val Woodburn on the list of those unable to blemish the decorated wrestler’s MMA record.

    The two grappling specialists remained standing throughout their three-round affair, with Nickal edging a striking-only contest that frustrated the crowd in attendance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

    For Craig, the result marked his third straight loss, leaves him 1-5 across his last six, and has pushed his middleweight record to a negative 1-4.

    But although things may not have gone his way on fight night, “Bearjew” remains in good spirits and happy with the “progress” he felt was in display.

    “Saturday night didn’t go as I envisioned, but every setback is just a setup for a comeback,” Craig wrote. “Progress is happening, and my resilience is my fuel. Here’s to the relentless pursuit of greatness! #bearjew #bearjewjitsu#setbacks #comebacks”

    Craig, a formerly ranked light heavyweight contender, initially made a strong start at 185 pounds when he knocked out Andre Muniz. But a main event loss to Brendan Allen and brutal knockout setback at the hands of Caio Borralho left him out of the top 15.

    Having fallen short of having his hand raised again, “Bearjew” is in desperate need of a rebound result next time out. And judging by his post-fight statement, he’s evidently confident that he’s moved in a good direction toward achieving that.

  • Mauricio Ruffy Names Another Desired Opponent After Saint Denis Callout At UFC 309

    Mauricio Ruffy Names Another Desired Opponent After Saint Denis Callout At UFC 309

    UFC lightweight prospect Mauricio Ruffy has names on his mind as he looks toward his third outing inside the Octagon.

    Ruffy made it two wins from two appearances on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this past weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he got the better of late-notice replacement opponent James Llontop.

    As he did on debut against James Llontop, the Fighting Nerds standout once again put his powerful and innovative striking on full display, most memorably flooring his opponent with a no-look uppercut in round two.

    Having ultimately gone the distance and collected a comfortable decision victory, Ruffy is now on the radar of most as one to watch at 155 pounds moving forward.

    The Brazilian, however, isn’t looking to remain a prospect rising the ranks for much longer.

    During his Octagon interview, Ruffy called out a ranked contender in Benoît Saint Denis, who likely has to fight down the ladder next time out after losing consecutive bouts to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano.

    During an interview with MMA Fighting, Ruffy added another name to his list of post-fight callouts, highlighting the formerly ranked King Green as an alternative option should a clash with “God of War” not come together.

    “I’m very excited for a fight with Saint Denis,” Ruffy said. “I think that would be such a cool fight. Some people are advising me to go slow and whatnot, but everything I’ve been through in my life and career earns me that opportunity. The hype is nice, people are talking, and Saint Denis is coming off two losses, so it’s an interesting fight.

    “Another fight that would also be very interesting is Bobby Green,” Ruffy continued. “I’d love to fight any of those two names. I’m hoping the UFC will send me a good name and we’ll fight soon. I’m taking a break now, but already thinking about fights.”

    Green has long shown a willingness to face any and everyone, including young up-and-comers looking to earn a number next to their name at his expense.

    That was the case just this past July when the veteran headed across the pond to face the challenge of Paddy Pimblett in Manchester, England. Green was unable to stall “The Baddy’s” rise, instead finding himself choked unconscious in one round.

  • Chael Sonnen Has Firm Stance On Jones vs. Ngannou Prediction After UFC 309: ‘In Hindsight…’

    Chael Sonnen Has Firm Stance On Jones vs. Ngannou Prediction After UFC 309: ‘In Hindsight…’

    A former opponent of UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ has a strong opinion on how a clash with Francis Ngannou would have played out inside the Octagon following this past weekend’s event.

    Jones returned to action in defense of his title at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view. The Rochester native was putting the heavyweight gold on the line for the first time at Madison Square Garden, having had injury derail his plans to do so in late 2023.

    As was scheduled to be the case last year, “Bones” shared the cage with returning former champ Stipe Miocic, despite the presence of an interim titleholder in Tom Aspinall. And as many had predicted given Miocic’s age and lengthy layoff, Jones tore through the veteran en route to a brutal body-kick TKO stoppage in round three.

    But the result did little to affect the bid of Jones’ doubters to dismiss claims he sits as the world’s best heavyweight, with Aspinall front and center in that debate following his recent results.

    Also in the conversation is Ngannou, who departed the UFC as lineal heavyweight kingpin at the start of 2023 and recently made a successful debut under the PFL banner.

    But when it comes to “The Predator,” one man with experience facing Jones has little doubt how that bout would have gone had he stayed in the UFC…

    During a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen spoke on Jones’ recent triumph in New York City.

    “The American Gangster” was impressed, so much so that he now firmly believes the heavyweight iteration of Jones would have had little trouble dispatching Ngannou inside the cage.

    “Do you know what Jon would have done to Francis Ngannou in hindsight?” Sonnen said. “Now that we look back, Jon would have picked that big man a part. I mean, I’m just sharing with you, like, that’s a big man’s nightmare. Jon’s not a heavyweight; Jon is fighting at heavyweight. There’s a massive difference.”

    A clash between Jones and Ngannou remains the stuff of fantasy, in spite of both the latter and his organization’s higher-ups calling for a cross-promotional showdown between the two behemoths.

  • Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez Booked For UFC Fight Night On Feb. 22

    Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez Booked For UFC Fight Night On Feb. 22

    Ranked middleweights are set to run it back at a UFC Fight Night in the first quarter of the new year.

    Brendan Allen (24-6), who currently occupies the #9 spot in the middleweight top 15, had his charge toward a desired first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage stalled this past September. At the UFC Fight Night in Paris, France’s own Nassourdine Imavov snapped the American’s seven-fight win streak to defend his place in the championship conversation.

    “All In” will be looking for a quick rebound, and the chance to achieve that will come on Feb. 22 when he also has the opportunity to avenge a past defeat.

    Per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, Allen is set to renew hostilities with Anthony Hernandez (13-2, 1 NC). “Fluffy” outpointed the top-10 contender back at LFA 32 in 2018, a result that earned him a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series and paved his path into the UFC.

    A location is yet to be confirmed for the UFC Fight Night on Feb. 22, but Seattle is the reported target.

    Before suffering defeat at the hands of Imavov, Allen had risen the ranks with submission victories over Andre Muniz, Bruno Silva, and Paul Craig, as well as a hard-fought main event decision against Chris Curtis.

    Hernandez, meanwhile, has won six on the bounce since a knockout loss to Kevin Holland in 2020. That run includes memorable submissions of decorated BJJ specialist Rodolfo Vieira and Roman Kopylov, in addition to knockouts of Edmen Shahbazyan and Michel Pereira.

  • VIDEO: Petr Yan & Deiveson Figueiredo Have First Faceoff Ahead Of UFC Macau Main Event

    VIDEO: Petr Yan & Deiveson Figueiredo Have First Faceoff Ahead Of UFC Macau Main Event

    Top bantamweights Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo stood toe to toe just days out from their UFC Macau headliner.

    After staging its latest pay-per-view event inside the prestigious surroundings of Madison Square Garden this past weekend, the mixed martial arts leader is on the road for a return to the “Las Vegas of the East.”

    The Octagon is back in Macau — an autonomous region on the south coast of China — for the first time in a decade, with the Galaxy Arena playing host to a UFC Fight Night card on Nov. 23.

    The lineup will be topped by a key clash at 135 pounds, as ex-champion Yan looks to stall the two-division ambitions of former two-time flyweight kingpin Figueiredo.

    Ahead of the #3 and #5-ranked bantamweights colliding, the pair had their first faceoff on Tuesday after touching down for UFC Macau.

    Figueiredo has won all three of his fights since moving up from flyweight, most recently following wins over Rob Font and Cody Garbrandt with a convincing triumph over former title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera.

    Yan, meanwhile, snapped his three-fight losing skid this year by getting the better of Song Yadong at UFC 299 in Miami this past March. The result marked his first taste of victory since interim title glory over Cory Sandhagen back in 2021.

    Elsewhere on Saturday’s UFC Macau lineup, Yan Xiaonan returns for the first time since her failed title bid to defend her ranking against Tabatha Ricci, while top-10 light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir faces a fellow hard hitter in Carlos Ulberg.