MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • ONE 172 Results & Highlights: Rodtang Stops Takeru In Under 90 Seconds

    ONE 172 Results & Highlights: Rodtang Stops Takeru In Under 90 Seconds

    The stacked ONE 172 event took place Sunday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    ONE Championship was back in Japan this past week, where the Saitama Super Arena played host to a number of intriguing battles across three different sports.

    Asia’s premier martial arts organization brought with it to the “Land of the Rising Sun” a deep lineup, filled with champions and plenty of prominent names in MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing.

    After four blockbuster title fights took place featuring the likes of MMA star Adriano Moraes, atomweight kickboxing champion Phetjeeja, and strawweight striker Jonathan Di Bella, the long-awaited showdown between Takeru Segawa and Rodtang Jitmuangnon headlined proceedings.

    It took “The Iron Man” less than 90 seconds to finish “The Natural Born Krusher.”

    With Sunday’s event concluded, see below for the full results and a replay via the promotion’s official YouTube channel.

    ONE 172 Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Flyweight Kickboxing: Rodtang Jitmuangnon def. Takeru Segawa via KO: R1, 1:20
    • Interim Featherweight Kickboxing Championship: Masaaki Noiri def. Tawanchai PK Saenchai via TKO: R3, 1:55
    • Flyweight MMA Championship: Yuya Wakamatsu def. Adriano Moraes via TKO: R1, 3:39
    • Interim Strawweight Kickboxing Championship: Jonathan Di Bella def. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao via unanimous decision
    • Atomweight Kickboxing Championship: Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom def. Kana Morimoto via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight Muay Thai: Nabil Anane def. Superlek via unanimous decision
    • Featherweight Kickboxing: Marat Grigorian vs. Kaito Ono
    • Atomweight Muay Thai: Nadaka Yoshinari def. Rak Erawan via KO: R3, 2:40
    • Lightweight MMA: Shinya Aoki def. Eduard Folayang via submission (armbar): R1, 0:53
    • Bantamweight Kickboxing: Hiroki Akimoto def. John Lineker via split decision
    • Lightweight MMA: Adrian Lee def. Takeharu Ogawa via submission (anaconda choke): R1, 1:03
    • Flyweight Muay Thai: Shimon Yoshinari def. Yodlekpet Or Atchariya via unanimous decision

    Early Card:

    • Flyweight Kickboxing: Hyu Iwata def. Zakaria El Jamari via KO: R1, 2:12
    • Catchweight (132lbs) Kickboxing: Ryusei Kumagai def. Suriyanlek Por Yenying via unanimous decision

    Ryusei Kumagai Def. Suriyanlek Por Yenying

    Hyu Iwata Def. Zakaria El Jamari

    Shimon Yoshinari Def. Yodlekpet Or Atchariya

    Adrian Lee Def. Takeharu Ogawa

    Hiroki Akimoto Def. John Lineker

    Shinya Aoki Def. Eduard Folayang

    Nadaka Yoshinari Def. Rak Erawan

    Nabil Anane Def. Superlek

    Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom Def. Kana Morimoto

    Jonathan Di Bella Def. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao

    Yuya Wakamatsu Def. Adriano Moraes

    Masaaki Noiri Def. Tawanchai PK Saenchai

    Rodtang Jitmuangnon Def. Takeru Segawa

  • Demetrious Johnson’s Successor Crowned As Adriano Moraes Suffers Shock Loss In ONE 172 Title Fight

    Demetrious Johnson’s Successor Crowned As Adriano Moraes Suffers Shock Loss In ONE 172 Title Fight

    Following Demetrious Johnson’s retirement last year, ONE Championship finally has a new flyweight king.

    Johnson officially announced his retirement from the sport of MMA at ONE 168 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado last September following 15 months of uncertainty. His final fight was a headline victory at ONE Fight Night 10, the Asian promotion’s United States debut in May 2023.

    After outpointing Adriano Moraes in their trilogy to keep hold of the ONE flyweight title, “Mighty Mouse” hinted that the victory may have marked his farewell. That ultimately turned out to be the case, with Johnson confirming his decision to hang up the gloves by delivering an emotional speech in front of his family and adoring fans.

    Months later, the promotion began to move forward as life without Johnson got underway, announcing a vacant title fight between former champ Moraes and a man whom he’d already beaten, Yuya Wakamatsu.

    That went down Sunday morning at ONE 172 in Japan, where the home favorite upset “Mikinho” with a first-round knockout.

    https://twitter.com/GBearMMA/status/1903776343990366622

    The result means a name other than Johnson or Moraes now holds the flyweight title for the first time in over six years.

    Wakamatsu won three straight over Wei Xie, Danny Kingad, and Gilbert Nakatani to earn a rematch with Moraes. “Little Piranha” previously made an unsuccessful challenge for the Brazilian’s belt back in 2022.

  • Dirty Boxing 1 Results & Highlights: Yoel Romero, Andrei Arlovski Win

    Dirty Boxing 1 Results & Highlights: Yoel Romero, Andrei Arlovski Win

    The Dirty Boxing Championship staged its inaugural event Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

    Dirty Boxing, co-created by former UFC fighter and BKFC star Mike Perry, mixes together elements of boxing and MMA. Bouts take place in a smaller 18-foot ring and are fought across three three-minute rounds. All strikes with the hands and elbows are legal, and fighters who score knockdowns can use follow-up ground strikes providing they remain on their feet.

    After hosting a small, invite-only event last November, which culminated in Yoel Romero knocking out Duane Crespo, Dirty Boxing returned for its first high-profile, streamed event on March 22.

    “Soldier of God” once again topped the lineup, as the former UFC title challenger continued his winning form away from the cage at the expense of Ras Hylton.

    The co-main event feature another prominent ex-UFC star in Andrei Arlovski. The heavyweight veteran had his hand raised over Terrance Hodges in what marked his first combat sports outing since exiting MMA’s biggest stage.

    With the event at The Hangar at Regatta Harbour in Miami conclude, see below for the full results, followed by a replay via the promotion’s official YouTube channel.

    Dirty Boxing 1 Results

    Main Card:

    • Heavyweight Main Event: Yoel Romero def. Ras Hylton via KO: R3, 2:26
    • Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Andrei Arlovski def. Terrance Hodges via TKO (doctor’s stoppage): R2, 2:00
    • Light Heavyweight: Ulysses Diaz def. Brian Maxwell via TKO: R1, 1:22
    • Welterweight: Mike Breeden def. Keith Speed via TKO: R1, 2:46
    • Heavyweight: Robinson Perez def. Zac Pauga via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Featherweight: Alexander Schenk def. Tristan Gallichan via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
    • Middleweight: Jeff Craig def. Oluwale Bamgbose via TKO: R2, 0:25
    • Heavyweight: Rakim Cleveland def. Maurice Greene via KO: R1, 0:45
    • Bantamweight: Kat Nelson def. Claudia Zamora via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: CJ Brant def. Gabriel Macario via TKO: R1

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Sean Hotusing def. Diego Romo via decision (scorecards not read)
    • Lightweight: Corey Jackson def. Marcellus Wallace via KO: R1
    • Welterweight: Guilherme Bastos def. Gabriel Morales via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

    Dirty Boxing 1 Highlights

  • ‘Still On 5 AM Time’ – Belal Muhammad Mocks Leon Edwards’ UFC London Loss

    ‘Still On 5 AM Time’ – Belal Muhammad Mocks Leon Edwards’ UFC London Loss

    UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad was close by to rub Saturday’s losing result for Leon Edwards in.

    Edwards returned to action in this weekend’s UFC London main event, making his first appearance since having his title reign brought to an emphatic end by Muhammad in Manchester last July.

    “Rocky” was hoping to bounce back on home soil inside The O2 in England’s capital, believing a victory would see him granted a shot at regaining the gold. But that script was flipped by Philadelphia’s Sean Brady.

    Like Muhammad, the American contender took advantage of the holes in Edwards’ grappling game, controlling him and landing heavy damage across the first three rounds. And in the fourth, Brady found the finish by way of guillotine choke submission.

    Among those taking joy in the result was Muhammad, who fired shots at his former two-time opponent.

    One specific post saw him reference Leon Edwards’ claim that the overnight fight time last summer contributed to his title defeat, considering Saturday’s event took place in UK primetime.

    “Leon’s still on 5 am time zone,” Muhammad wrote on X.

    That marked one of many posts from the champ, who well and truly took the opportunity to poke fun at his longtime rival’s second straight setback.

  • Tom Aspinall Sends Message To Jon Jones In UFC London Broadcast Appearance

    Tom Aspinall Sends Message To Jon Jones In UFC London Broadcast Appearance

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall continues to taunt Jon Jones regarding his avoidance of a unification fight.

    Aspinall has been calling for a showdown with Jones ever since capturing interim gold in November 2023. He capitalized on the cancellation of the Rochester native’s planned defense against Stipe Miocic by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich on short notice.

    But 16 months later, the heavyweight division remains under the rule of two titleholders, both of whom have faced other opponents in the meantime. With Jones remaining steadfast on his desire to face Miocic, Aspinall passed the time by dominantly defending his strap against Curtis Blaydes last July.

    Since “Bones” had his hand raised four months later, talk of the pair unifying the titles has only increased, with the UFC also seemingly now firmly behind that plan.

    The one delay in getting it booked? According to the British champ, a familiar reluctance from Jones.

    In spite of Dana White’s ongoing confidence when it comes to the bout reaching the cage, Tom Aspinall continues to accuse “Bones” of ‘ducking’ him. And he once again brought with him an appropriate toy to Saturday’s UFC London event at The O2.

    For now, Aspinall will be continuing to stay ready in the gym while the UFC looks to reach an agreement with the heavyweight kingpin, who has thus far submitted Ciryl Gane and knocked out Miocic as a heavyweight.

  • Watch Ireland’s Shauna Bannon Recover From Brutal Head Kick To Armbar Opponent At UFC London

    Watch Ireland’s Shauna Bannon Recover From Brutal Head Kick To Armbar Opponent At UFC London

    As far as comebacks go, Shauna Bannon delivered one of the best in recent memory at Saturday’s UFC London event.

    Bannon made the walk during the preliminary card of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night across the pond, staking her claim for a bonus by delivering a crazy highlight inside The O2

    It was originally her opponent, India’s Puja Tomar, who lit up England’s capital. After a strong display of striking in round one, Tomar dropped Bannon with a brutal head kick in the second.

    But while “The Cyclone” pounced on her stricken foe with ground-and-pound as she pursued a seventh career knockout, she suddenly found herself trapped in an armbar.

    After some adjustments, “Mama B” forced the tap from the Indian fighter, completing a remarkable turnaround at UFC London.

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1903512059939066249

    The result at UFC London marked Bannon’s second victory on MMA’s biggest stage, coming eight months on from her decision win against Alice Ardelean in Manchester. All three of her UFC fights have come on English soil, with her defeat on debut also taking place in London.

    Tomar, meanwhile, has had her Octagon record leveled at 1-1. She previously took home a controversial split decision victory over Rayanne Amanda in Kentucky last June.

  • KSI vs. Dillon Danis Off Again As Illness Scraps Misfits Event 8 Days Out

    KSI vs. Dillon Danis Off Again As Illness Scraps Misfits Event 8 Days Out

    The KSI vs. Dillon Danis matchup has once again failed to make it to the ring.

    Next weekend was set to see the pair’s longtime rivalry finally settled in the main event of Misfits Boxing 21 in Manchester, England. It was to come just over two years on from their first attempt at sharing the squared circle, which collapsed when Danis withdrew citing unpreparedness.

    The bout has once again been postponed, but this time due to an issue on the side of the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

    It emerged on Friday, eight days out from the planned event inside the AO Arena, that an illness to KSI has rendered him unable to compete. The Englishman confirmed the news himself in a video posted to the Misfits Boxing X account.

    With the high-profile main event off, the entire event has also been delayed.

    That means a canceled return for ex-UFC title challenger Darren Till, who was slated to co-headline the March 29 card opposite another former Octagon veteran in Darren Stewart.

    KSI hasn’t boxed since a decision defeat to Tommy Fury in October 2023. Dillon Danis, meanwhile, fell short to Logan Paul on the same night.

    Rebooking the seemingly cursed matchup between the bitter foes could prove tricky, with the American former Bellator fighter expected to make his MMA return to face Tony Ferguson under the Global Fight League banner in either May or June.

  • Watch Leon Edwards, Sean Brady Face Off At UFC London Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    Watch Leon Edwards, Sean Brady Face Off At UFC London Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    UFC London takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

    The upcoming UFC Fight Night event at The O2 in London, England, provides a chance for ex-welterweight champion Leon Edwards to bounce back after losing the title to Belal Muhammad last July. To return to winning ways, “Rocky” must get the better of another grappling specialist in Philadelphia’s Sean Brady.

    Co-headlining will be former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, who will look to reinsert his name into the title conversation at 205 pounds almost two years on from his last bout opposite Alex Pereira. In his return, the Polish standout is tasked with defending his ranking against Carlos Ulberg.

    Elsewhere on the card, the likes of Gunnar Nelson, Molly McCann, Morgan Charriere, Nathaniel Wood, Jai Herbert, and Mick Parkin mark some of the European names looking to impress close to home.

    Ahead of the event, all fighters set to compete tomorrow successfully made weight, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC London ceremonial weigh-ins.

    Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 2 PM ET.

    UFC London Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

  • UFC London Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady Card

    UFC London Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady Card

    UFC London is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming event takes place Saturday, March 22, at The O2 in London, England. The main card begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards. After losing his grip on the title courtesy of Belal Muhammad’s efforts last July, “Rocky” will look to get back on track opposite another grappling specialist in Philadelphia’s Sean Brady.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see ranked light heavyweight contenders Jan Blachowicz and Carlos Ulberg collide. The Polish ex-champ will be returning having overcome shoulder injuries that kept him away for close to two years. He’s tasked with stalling the rise of “Black Jag,” who has won seven straight and most recently beat Volkan Oezdemir to reach #6 in the rankings.

    And also making the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Molly McCann, Gunnar Nelson, Kevin Holland, Nathaniel Wood, Jordan Vucenic, Jai Herbert, and Marcin Tybura.

    UFC London: Edwards vs. Brady Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC London (as of 3/21), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Leon Edwards (+130) vs. Sean Brady (-155)
    • Jan Blachowicz (+245) vs. Carlos Ulberg (-305)
    • Gunnar Nelson (-120) vs. Kevin Holland (+100)
    • Molly McCann (+180) vs. Alexia Thainara (-218)
    • Jordan Vucenic (-455) vs. Chris Duncan (+350)
    • Nathaniel Wood (+120) vs. Morgan Charriere (-142)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Jai Herbert (-110) vs. Chris Padilla (-110)
    • Lone’er Kavanagh (-278) vs. Felipe dos Santos (+225)
    • Marcin Tybura (+105) vs. Mick Parkin (-125)
    • Christian Leroy Duncan (-575) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (+425)
    • Shauna Bannon (-170) vs. Puja Tomar (+142)
    • Nathan Fletcher (-122) vs. Caolan Loughran (+102)
    • Guram Kutateladze (-440) vs. Kaue Fernandes (+330)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi7WRz9Ll3c
  • UFC Fight Night: Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.

    The mixed martial arts leader is back across the pond this week to stage its latest event from The O2 in England’s capital.

    Headlining will be former welterweight champion Leon Edwards. After losing his grip on the title courtesy of Belal Muhammad’s efforts last July, “Rocky” will look to immediately bounce back on home soil at the expense of another grappling specialist in Sean Brady.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Jan Blachowicz, Molly McCann, Gunnar Nelson, Nathaniel Wood, and Mick Parkin will all be in action

    UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady takes place on Saturday, March 22, at The O2 in London, England. The main card begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.

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

    Main Card:

    • Welterweight: Leon Edwards (171lbs) vs. Sean Brady (170lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Jan Blachowicz (205lbs) vs. Carlos Ulberg (205lbs)
    • Welterweight: Gunnar Nelson (170lbs) vs. Kevin Holland (171lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Molly McCann (116lbs) vs. Alexia Thainara (116lbs)
    • Lightweight: Jordan Vucenic (155lbs) vs. Chris Duncan (155lbs)
    • Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood (145lbs) vs. Morgan Charriere (146lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Lightweight: Jai Herbert (156lbs) vs. Chris Padilla (155lbs)
    • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh (126lbs) vs. Felipe dos Santos (125lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura (250lbs) vs. Mick Parkin (260lbs)
    • Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (186lbs) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon (116lbs) vs. Puja Tomar (116lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Nathan Fletcher (135lbs) vs. Caolan Loughran (136lbs)
    • Lightweight: Guram Kutateladze (155lbs) vs. Kaue Fernandes (155lbs)
  • Rose Namajunas’ UFC Return Set For Atlanta On June 14

    Rose Namajunas’ UFC Return Set For Atlanta On June 14

    Former two-time UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas would appear to have her first assignment of 2025 in the calendar.

    Namajunas (13-7) has gone 2-2 since moving up to flyweight following a lackluster end to her second reign at 115 pounds opposite Carla Esparza in 2022.

    While a debut defeat to Manon Fiorot stalled her plans for two-division glory, “Thug Rose” rose the ranks in her new weight class by outpointing Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez.

    But after Erin Blanchfield stalled the veteran’s plans for a perfect 3-0 year in 2024 and surge into title contention, Namajunas must defend her ranking next time out.

    The 32-year-old Wisconsin will return at the UFC Fight Night expected for Atlanta on June 14, where a showdown with the #12-ranked Miranda Maverick (15-5) awaits.

    The news, which was first reported by @realkevink on X, was confirmed by Maverick in a post on Instagram.

    “@rosenamajunas has been an inspiration for so many women, especially in WMMA, and I am no exception,” Maverick wrote. “I watched her fight as I was coming up in the sport and then I got to train with her on a regular basis. We have been training together for the past few years, but luckily train primarily at different gyms. Now it’s time to duke it out in front of the world and then go back to sharpening each other’s tools. I’m honored to share the cage with a champion person and fighter and I am ready to put the stamp on where I belong! #fearthemaverick #mma #wmma“

    “Fear The” Maverick has hit the best run of her UFC career to date, winning four on the bounce since a decision setback to Jasmine Jasudavicius in mid-2023. The 27-year-old most recently got the better of Jamey-Lyn Horth in Tampa last December.

  • Kamaru Usman Pitches Lightweight Opponent For Ilia Topuria — And It’s Not Islam Makhachev

    Kamaru Usman Pitches Lightweight Opponent For Ilia Topuria — And It’s Not Islam Makhachev

    Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has an idea for how Ilia Topuria can earn a shot at two-division glory.

    Topuria is set to embark on a new pursuit of gold this year after choosing to vacate the featherweight title after just one defense.

    While a rematch with the man from whom he took the gold last February, Alexander Volkanovski, was expected to await him following a knockout of Max Holloway, a desire to bid farewell to the grueling weight cut has resulted in Topuria committing to a permanent move up.

    By all accounts, the Spaniard is hoping to immediately challenge the lightweight reign of Islam Makhachev. But recent speculation has suggested the Dagestani is looking to have “El Matador” fight a contender first.

    Should that sentiment be shared by the UFC, Usman named a potential foe for Topuria’s first clash back at 155 pounds during a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Henry Cejudo.

    “Ilia Topuria, Mateusz Gamrot,” Usman said before justifying himself following Cejudo’s disapproval. “Hey, hey, hey, hey. The one thing we really don’t see often is Ilia Topuria on his back.”

    It didn’t take long for Gamrot to co-sign Usman’s suggestion, backing the potential matchup in a post on X.

    “Gamer,” who currently occupies the #8 ranking at 155 pounds, hasn’t fought since a narrow split decision loss to Dan Hooker in Perth last August. That result snapped a three-fight winning streak for the Polish standout.

  • Michael Chandler Targeting Islam Makhachev In June After ‘Starching’ Pimblett At UFC 314

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler expects his performance in Miami next month to be so impressive that it nets him another shot at the division’s title soon after.

    After a second loss to Charles Oliveira left him 2-4 under the UFC banner, 2025 will mark a crucial year for Chandler and his ongoing championship ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage.

    His chance to return to winning ways comes on April 12, when he co-headlines the UFC 314 pay-per-view inside the Kaseya Center opposite rising Liverpudlian Paddy Pimblett.

    And more than just defending his #7 ranking in the fight, “Iron” is looking to stake his claim for a showdown with the lightweight king.

    During a recent interview with Covers.com, Michael Chandler suggested it’s not far-fetched that an emphatic display opposite Pimblett next month could see him quickly placed opposite Makhachev for a summer showdown.

    “There’s a world in which I go out there and emphatically starch Paddy Pimblett. And it’s the ‘what have you done for me lately business’,” Chandler said. “And all of a sudden, Islam wants to fight me and not someone else, and I fight him in June. Who knows? But with that being said, all of those names are on the table. Conor’s name was talked about. If Conor comes back this year I’m fighting him.

    “I am open to fighting Islam in June. The way this fight plays out, I think I’ll have less than a 60 day suspension, maybe a 30 day suspension, and I could fight again in June because the fight would be June 29, I believe it is,” Chandler continued. “So that’s like, 10 weeks later, so I could jump right back into a training camp and fight for the world title.”

    Makhachev is currently coming off his third defense of the lightweight crown, having submitted late-notice replacement opponent Renato Moicano at UFC 311 this past January.

    With Arman Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from that event costing him a title shot and talk of the Dagestani wanting Ilia Topuria to fight a contender before earning an opportunity at two-division glory, perhaps the door could be open for Chandler to make an impression.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Ranks José Aldo As Tougher Opponent Than O’Malley And Nurmagomedov

    Merab Dvalishvili Ranks José Aldo As Tougher Opponent Than O’Malley And Nurmagomedov

    According to UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili, neither the man from whom he took the title nor the one he recently defended it against come close to being among his toughest opposition.

    Dvalishvili has been on a tear in recent years, winning 10 straight to finally earn a shot at the 135-pound gold on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, capturing it from Sean O’Malley, and retaining it at the expense of previously undefeated Dagestani Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Prior to his championship bouts, the Georgian got past a trio of former champions in José Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo. And interestingly, Dvalishvili places all three above “Suga” and Nurmagomedov in terms of opponent difficulty.

    The reigning champion recently ranked his past five foes from easiest to hardest in a video uploaded to X by @judobetter995. He placed the man he defeated at UFC 311 this year, Nurmagomedov, in fifth. The bantamweight he dethroned inside the Sphere last September didn’t fare much better, coming in at fourth.

    Judging by the list, Dvalishvili’s toughest bout of the five came in August 2022, when he outpointed Aldo at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City. The manner of victory was widely criticized, and perhaps contributed to the Georgian having to defeat both Yan and Cejudo before getting his opportunity at the strap.

  • Belal Muhammad: Leon Edwards Will Lose To Brady Because Of ‘Flashbacks’ From UFC 304

    Belal Muhammad: Leon Edwards Will Lose To Brady Because Of ‘Flashbacks’ From UFC 304

    UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad believes the memory of his dominance over Leon Edwards will play a part in this weekend’s main event.

    Edwards is set to return to action on Saturday for the first time since losing his grip on the 170-pound gold last July. “Rocky” was comfortably beaten by Muhammad across five rounds in the UFC 304 headliner.

    In his pursuit of a second title reign, Edwards will share the Octagon with another grappler in the rising Sean Brady inside The O2 in London on March 22.

    Edwards anticipates a victory earning him a shot at regaining the welterweight title. The man who took it from him, however, doesn’t foresee a victory on home soil for the Brit.

    In a recent social media post, Muhammad reacted to Edwards’ continuing claim that injuries and a struggle to adapt to the 5 AM fight time impacted his performance last summer.

    “Remember the Name” pointed to such remarks as evidence that his longtime rival is “weak mentally,” and predicted that the memory of UFC 304 will ultimately hamper Edwards when he makes the walk in a few days’ time.

    “This guys full of excuses that’s why Brady will beat him,” Muhammad wrote on X. “I predict once Brady gets him down two or three times he’ll find a submission…because Leon’s weak mentally and he’ll have flash backs from what I did to him”

    While Leon Edwards looks to prove the champ wrong this weekend, Belal Muhammad will soon return to action himself.

    After having plans for his first defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov late last year scrapped due to injury, the Palestinian-American will instead put the belt on the line against Jack Della Maddalena at the Montreal-held UFC 315 pay-per-view on May 10.

  • Chael Sonnen Berates Jon Jones Over Reports Of 6-Month Training Demand For Tom Aspinall Fight

    Chael Sonnen Berates Jon Jones Over Reports Of 6-Month Training Demand For Tom Aspinall Fight

    Former fighter Chael Sonnen doesn’t understand UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ alleged stance on the timeline for a unification fight with Tom Aspinall.

    Months into 2025, fight fans are still none the wiser about whether or not they’ll see Jones and Aspinall share the Octagon. While the interim champ has been calling for the fight since his crowning in late 2023, “Bones” has continued to actively avoid it.

    Since Jones defeated Stipe Miocic last November, UFC CEO Dana White has expressed confidence in the matchup coming to fruition. The latest update, however, has suggested that even if the promotion comes to terms with the heavyweight kingpin, the fight won’t be reaching the cage anytime soon.

    According to renowned reporter Ariel Helwani, who was speaking on his YouTube channel, Jones “wants six months to prepare once the fight is locked in.”

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, a former rival of Jon Jones’ in Chael Sonnen offered a bemused reaction to that claim.

    “It’s been four and a half months since that fight (against Miocic). Did he not train? Train with Aspinall in mind? Did he not full-well know the undisputed champion was going to take on the interim champion?” Sonnen said. “What do you mean you need six months? Six months from when? Six months starting when? Dare do I guess, you mean from right now, don’t you?”

    While Aspinall continues to wait for news of the UFC’s talks with Jones, he has stressed his willingness to fight any other contender next as long as undisputed status is on the line.

  • Yoel Romero Announces ‘Shogun’ Rua Out, Gegard Mousasi In For GFL Fight On June 22

    Yoel Romero Announces ‘Shogun’ Rua Out, Gegard Mousasi In For GFL Fight On June 22

    It seems that former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero has a new target in his sights for this year’s Global Fight League launch.

    After years of preparation, the GFL is expected to stage events for the first time this year, as the promotion looks to succeed in the fight game with a team-based format and season structure. The organization initially claimed that 15 cards are planned up until August, after which two playoff events and one final will take place before the year’s end. 

    Following the release of the six city teams, as well as a manager and head coach for each, 120 fighters were picked as part of the inaugural draft toward the start of 2025. And while little is known about dates and venues for the first events, which were originally slated for April, the matchups have begun to roll out.

    Among the first to emerge was a clash between Team Miami’s Romero and fellow former UFC veteran Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, of Team São Paulo. That bout, however, looks to be no more.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Romero announced that his fight with Rua is off and he will instead collide with Team London’s Gegard Mousasi. “Soldier of God” also revealed a date and location for the clash.

    “(Rua’s) out, he is out. And now, I moved for middleweight again and I am fighting Gegard Mousasi,” Romero said. “That is happening June 22 in New York. That is the fight that is coming for me. I don’t know what happened with ‘Shogun,’ but my manager called me last week. … I said, ‘Okay, beautiful, I am ready.’

    “For me, both guys are legends. I have very good respect, big respect for both guys,” Romero continued. “Both have a very good history in MMA. For me, it is a great honor to fight now Gegard. But I (was) very excited when the people said ‘Shogun.’ … This is a medal for me. Because when I finish in my career, I’d say, ‘I fought with that guy.’”

    First-round matchups taking place in June would seemingly disrupt the GFL’s original plan of 15 events up until August. And with March coming to its end, the goal of April cards also appears to have been scrapped.

    The legitimacy of the new organization has also been brought into question due to a number of fake announcements. Both Rashad Evans and Jeremy Stephens were drafted in January but have since rejected claims they signed contracts. “Lil Heathen” has now re-signed with the UFC instead.

    While 48 years old, the game doesn’t appear to have left Yoel Romero as of yet. Since a loss in his Bellator debut, the Cuban has won three out of four fights in the cage, most recently defeating fellow former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos under the PFL banner last February.

    He’s currently days away from returning to action under the banner of Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship this weekend.

  • Yoel Romero Sends Former Opponent Israel Adesanya Advice Amid UFC Losing Skid

    Yoel Romero Sends Former Opponent Israel Adesanya Advice Amid UFC Losing Skid

    Former UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero has laid out some words of wisdom for a struggling ex-foe of his.

    Israel Adesanya once ruled over the 185-pound division with an iron fist and surged toward legendary status on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. But he’s currently enduring the worst run of his career to date.

    “The Last Stylebender” has won just once since 2022, with four of his last five bouts ending in defeat. The Nigerian-New Zealander most recently made an unsuccessful return to non-title competition following losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. He was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov at the UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia early last month.

    It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Adesanya. While some in the community have advised retirement, one face familiar to the Lagos-born star has outlined a potential path for the former champ to get back to his best.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Yoel Romero sent some advice the way of Adesanya, stressing the importance of rest and recovery.

    “Israel, he needed time, he needed rest,” Romero said. “That’s what I think. He needs to rest a little bit, because too much damage. The problem is, the UFC (doesn’t) give you time. When the UFC calls you, you need to come because you have a contract.

    “Now, he needs to think about training. Not too hard; not too hard in the sparring,” Romero continued. “He needs to go to training like a therapy; recovery for the body. He doesn’t need now too much sparring. That is my opinion for Israel. If he wants to be back again, he needs to recover the body. He’s still training very hard; it’s not good.”

    Adesanya defended the middleweight title against Romero at UFC 248 in early 2020. The highly anticipated clash turned out to be a lackluster contest across five rounds that was firmly overshadowed by the co-main event war between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

    While “The Last Stylebender” looks to regain his winning form in the UFC, Romero is days away from his second fight for Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship this weekend.

    “Soldier of God” is also expected to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the Global Fight League, though dates and venues for the new promotion’s first events remain undisclosed.

  • Charles Oliveira Still Targeting ‘Only Thing’ UFC Career Is Missing

    Charles Oliveira Still Targeting ‘Only Thing’ UFC Career Is Missing

    Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira likes the sound of adding “reigning BMF titleholder” in front of his name.

    Oliveira has accomplished virtually everything possible during his career on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. A career resurgence post-2017 saw “Do Bronx” win 11 straight, a run that culminated in title glory and a successful defense.

    The Brazilian, who holds an abundance of records and a certain place in the UFC Hall of Fame upon his career’s conclusion, is currently pursuing a second stint on the 155-pound throne.

    That, however, isn’t the only belt Oliveira has his sights on.

    During an interview with Oddspedia, “Do Bronx” reiterated his desire to run it back with featherweight legend and current 155-pound contender Max Holloway, citing his desire to secure one thing missing from his résumé — Holloway’s BMF strap.

    “The BMF means the toughest guy in the division, right? I want to show that I’m the toughest guy in the division,” Charles Oliveira said. “When we speak about legacy, we speak about being the champion, but BMF is about being the toughest guy, and that’s what I consider myself to be in this division. 

    “I believe that I have shown that and having the BMF belt is the only thing that is missing,” Oliveira concluded.

    Holloway and Oliveira first collided back in 2015, with an esophagus injury rendering the latter unable to continue early into the first round.

  • Paul Craig Booked For Light Heavyweight Return At UFC Vegas 106 After Bo Nickal Loss

    Paul Craig Booked For Light Heavyweight Return At UFC Vegas 106 After Bo Nickal Loss

    It would seem that Paul Craig’s brief middleweight experiment in the UFC has come to a relatively swift end.

    After testing the waters of a cut down to 185 pounds, Craig (17-9-1) looked to re-find winning form in a new division. While his arrival was strong, defeating the once highly touted Andre Muniz by TKO, the Scotsman has since lost three straight.

    Following a submission loss to Brendan Allen and knockout at the hands of Caio Borralho, “Bearjew” was most recently outpointed by the undefeated Bo Nickal at UFC 309 last November.

    That result has evidently marked Craig’s final straw at middleweight, with the veteran set to return to the division in which he was formerly ranked.

    Craig will reportedly share the cage with Rodolfo Bellato (12-2-1) at UFC Vegas 106 on May 17. The news was first reported by @MagicM_MMABets on X and later corroborated by Marcel Dorff.

    Bellato is currently undefeated in his two fights since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023. After a memorable comeback to knock out Ihor Potieria on debut, “Trator” most recently fought to a majority draw against Jimmy Crute at UFC 312 last month.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night at the Apex on May 17 are as follows:

    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (heavyweight)
    • Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato (light heavyweight)
    • Serghei Spivac vs. Shamil Gaziev (heavyweight)
    • Luana Santos vs. Tainara Lisboa (women’s bantamweight)
    • Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman (heavyweight)
  • Dricus Du Plessis: Magomed Ankalaev Took The ‘Biggest Payday Of My Life’ At UFC 313

    Dricus Du Plessis: Magomed Ankalaev Took The ‘Biggest Payday Of My Life’ At UFC 313

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis watched on as his chances of a showdown with Alex Pereira appeared to slip away earlier this month.

    Talk of a champ vs. champ clash between the pair dwindled when Pereira’s light heavyweight reign came to an abrupt end at the hands of Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 313 main event.

    The Dagestani made good on his promise to mark “Poatan’s” toughest test to date, using his well-rounded arsenal to outpoint the Brazilian fan favorite across five rounds inside T-Mobile Arena.

    Among those watching on was Du Plessis, who has long expressed his plans to eventually move up and challenge for two-division glory. Should that occur anytime soon, the South African will no longer be getting a high-profile money fight with arguably the UFC’s top star.

    During a video uploaded to Jackson O’Doherty’s YouTube channel, Du Plessis can be seen reacting live as the UFC 313 main event unfolded.

    “And he (Pereira) wants to go down to middleweight?” Du Plessis said with a laugh while watching the fight. “Ankalaev fought a good game. Thanks Ankalaev for taking the biggest payday of my life.”

    Pereira, though, has plans to return to the 205-pound throne. The former middleweight and light heavyweight kingpin outlined his intention to seek immediate redemption opposite Ankalaev later this year, and UFC CEO Dana White was quick to green light a rematch.

    Du Plessis, meanwhile, is expected to place his attention on the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev next after already pushing past challenges from Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland.

  • UFC Counts Down Top 5 London Moments, Including Brutal Masvidal KO

    UFC Counts Down Top 5 London Moments, Including Brutal Masvidal KO

    Former welterweight star Jorge Masvidal featured as the UFC looked back on some memorable moments in London.

    The mixed martial arts leader is back in England’s capital this week, with The O2 playing host to UFC Fight Night action on Saturday, March 22. Headlining will be former 170-pound champion Leon Edwards, who returns to compete in the city where he recorded a successful title defense back in 2023.

    “Rocky” has had plenty more memorable moments in London, including a backstage altercation with Masvidal.

    A 2019 trip across the pond provided plenty of notable highlights, largely thanks to “Gamebred.” Inside the cage, the Miami native began his surge to stardom by brutally knocking out home favorite Darren Till in the main event. Soon after, he delivered the infamous “three piece and a soda” to Edwards after having his backstage interview interrupted.

    Of those two actions, Masvidal’s victory over “The Gorilla” made it onto the UFC’s recent video looking back on the five best moments from its past London cards.

    The KO of Till was included alongside Arnold Allen’s rapid finish of Dan Hooker, Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev’s barnburner, Michael Bisping’s triumph over the legendary Anderson Silva, and Jan Blachowicz’s Fight of the Night battle with Jimi Manuwa.

    Of those names, only Blachowicz will feature as part of this weekend’s lineup at The O2. The former light heavyweight champion will return from a lengthy injury layoff looking to defend his spot in the rankings against the fast-charging Carlos Ulberg.

  • ‘Angry Marvin Vettori’ Back After Loss In UFC Return ‘Sparked The Fire Again’

    ‘Angry Marvin Vettori’ Back After Loss In UFC Return ‘Sparked The Fire Again’

    According to former UFC middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori, something good came out of his loss this past weekend.

    Vettori returned to action for the first time in almost two years, running it back with Roman Dolidze in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event at the Apex.

    While the Georgian marked the last man Vettori has beaten, the Italian was unable to repeat his 2023 feat in London when they squared off in a rematch, instead falling to a convincing decision defeat.

    Having now lost three of his last four, Vettori is firmly out of the championship conversation at 185 pounds. But although that will no doubt be a disappointment for him, it isn’t all negative.

    In a recent social media post, “The Italian Dream” claimed his latest setback has “sparked the fire again.”

    Vettori will now look to prove as much when he makes the walk again, and he seemingly has a name in mind for his second outing of 2025.

    “Saturday sparked the fire again, 21 months out was a bit,” Marvin Vettori wrote on X. “Angry Vettori might be back lol. Time to win some fights. Allen before I see you outside, what you doing next? Who is gonna retire who?”

    Brendan Allen also started this year on the wrong foot, having fallen to a two-fight losing skid courtesy of Anthony Hernandez in Seattle last month.

    After consecutive losses to Nassourdine Imavov and “Fluffy,” Allen sits one place below Vettori in the UFC middleweight rankings at #11.

  • UFC Rankings Report: UFC 313 Winner Gets Late Addition To Division’s Top 15

    UFC Rankings Report: UFC 313 Winner Gets Late Addition To Division’s Top 15

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

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

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

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: Joshua Van has received a late reward for his victory at UFC 313 earlier this month. After defeating Rei Tsuruya to make it three wins on the bounce, the Burmese prospect has entered the flyweight UFC rankings at #15, replacing recent title challenger Kai Asakura on the list. The changes have seen Charles Johnson boosted by one spot to #14.

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: Roman Dolidze is this week’s biggest mover, having surged three positions up the 185-pound ladder to #9 courtesy of his victory over Marvin Vettori in Saturday’s main event. The defeated Italian, meanwhile, is down two spots to #10.

    The moves have benefitted Anthony Hernandez, who finds himself on the rise at #8, but not Brendan Allen (#11) and Paulo Costa (#12), both of whom have dropped a place.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: After knocking out Ryan Spann this past weekend, Waldo Cortes-Acosta has had a small boost up the heavyweight pecking order. He’s risen by one place to #11, surpassing Bahrain’s Shamil Gaziev (#12).

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Charles Oliveira: Michael Chandler Must Finish Paddy Pimblett In First Two Rounds

    Charles Oliveira: Michael Chandler Must Finish Paddy Pimblett In First Two Rounds

    Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira believes Michael Chandler’s hopes of a bounce-back victory next month rely on finding a quick finish.

    After a second defeat to Oliveira last November left him 2-4 in the UFC, Chandler’s first outing of 2025 will be a crucial one.

    The former three-time Bellator champ is set to make the walk in the co-main event of UFC 314 in Miami on April 12, where the challenge of handing up-and-comer Paddy Pimblett his first loss in the Octagon will await.

    During a recent interview with Oddspedia, Charles Oliveira gave his take on the bout, assessing his ex-opponent’s chances against the polarizing Liverpudlian.

    “Michael Chandler is a very aggressive and explosive guy. I have nothing but respect for him, he has power in his hands,” Oliveira said. “On the other side, you have a younger guy that believes in himself, moves very well and has really good jiu-jitsu and also a good stand-up game. He moves well, but experience counts for a lot.

    “In the first two rounds, Chandler has a chance to knock him out because of how explosive he is,” Oliveira continued. “But if the fight goes into the third round, I believe it’s going to be hard for Chandler because Paddy is younger and he’s very talented.”

    Pimblett has gone to the scorecards twice in his UFC career thus far, securing a controversial decision over Jared Gordon and a more convincing one opposite Tony Ferguson.

    “The Baddy” is coming off an emphatic performance last time out opposite King Green, whom he rendered unconscious by way of triangle choke in one round at UFC 304 last July.