MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • VIDEO: Keiichiro Nakamura Wins Road To UFC Season 4 Featherweight Tournament With Comeback Finish Of Sebastian Szalay

    VIDEO: Keiichiro Nakamura Wins Road To UFC Season 4 Featherweight Tournament With Comeback Finish Of Sebastian Szalay

    Keiichiro Nakamura just earned a UFC contract in a memorable way, demonstrating resilience in the process.

    Seemingly down two rounds and minutes away from losing the Road to UFC Season 4 featherweight tournament final, Nakamura scored a finish of Sebastian Szalay in the third round of their fight at UFC 325.

    Szalay’s pressure and strikes were on display early on, utilizing reach to his advantage. Szalay worked Nakamura over well with combinations during the opening round, while Nakamura had a leg-kick focus.

    Szalay increased his output in the second round, but both men managed to rock one another at one point during the round. As the round went on, Nakamura’s offense came through and he took control of the round.

    Keiichiro Nakamura Wins Road To UFC Season 4 Featherweight Tournament

    Nakamura was completely aggressive in the third round, ultimately resulting in a knee that dropped Szalay for the victory.

    Nakamura has won eight straight fights since dropping his professional MMA debut. He reached the final with wins over Eoh Jin Park and Kaiwen Li.

    This was Szalay’s first loss since his second pro bout. He reached the final with wins over Baergeng Jieleyisi and Chang Min Yoon.

  • Lawrence Lui Claims Road To UFC Season 4 Bantamweight Tournament Title

    Lawrence Lui Claims Road To UFC Season 4 Bantamweight Tournament Title

    The Road to UFC season 4 has its first tournament winner, as Lawrence Lui claimed the bantamweight season title with a split-decision victory over Sulang Rangbo to start off UFC 325.

    Lui tried to establish pressure early on, but Rangbo countered and move around well. He even landed one hard shot during the round that stumbled Lui.

    Lui’s grappling pressure came to fruition in the second round, as he scored takedowns and pressed the action against the fence. Rangbo still worked his jab, however.

    Lawrence Lui Claims Season 4 Road To UFC Bantamweight Tournament Title

    Rangbo was still landing the cleaner shots in the third, but it didn’t do much to deter Lui’s pressure. Lui landed seven takedowns by the fight’s end, and his grappling helped to bring him control of the fight in its final minutes.

    All three judges scored the bout 29-28, with two giving the nod to Lui.

    Lui now moves to 7-1 in his professional MMA career. He reached this tournament final with wins over Qinghe Zhang and Van Y Nghiem.

    Rangbo started his professional MMA 1-3, but he entered tonight’s bout on a nine-fight win streak. He reached tonight’s final with wins over Peter Danesoe and Sim Kai Xiong.

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov Re-Injures Knee, Out For Most Of 2026

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Re-Injures Knee, Out For Most Of 2026

    Those who were hoping for a return of Shavkat Rakhmonov this year now have to face major disappointment.

    Footage of Rakhmonov at Naiza FC 80 surfaced on social media the morning of January 31. The social media video saw Rakhmonov appearing with a knee brace and crutches.

    Now, Ariel Helwani confirmed with Rakhmonov’s manager, Danny Rubenstein, that Rakhmonov has re-injured his knee.

    The welterweight will be out of action for 9-10 months.

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Re-Injures Knee, Out 9-10 Months

    Rakhmonov was originally pegged to main event UFC 310 in a welterweight title match with then-champion Belal Muhammad. Muhammad, however, was forced to withdraw due to a bone infection in his foot.

    Rakhmonov, who is 19-0, went on to defeat Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310.

    Rakhmonov’s knee injury prevented him from challenging Muhammad at UFC 315 — the event that saw Jack Della Maddalena upset Muhammad for the title.

    The welterweight championship is now held by Islam Makhachev, following his win over JDM at UFC 322 in November.

  • UFC 325 Results: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 325 Results: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 325 results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. It’s the second consecutive week with a numbered UFC card, serving as part of the promotion’s launch on Paramount+. The main event will feature Alexander Volkanovski defending the featherweight championship against Diego Lopes. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Volkanovski vs Lopes 2: Featherweight Title Fight

    Volkanovski and Lopes first battled for the featherweight championship at UFC 314 last April, following the title being vacated by Ilia Topuria. Volkanovski won a hard-fought, five-round decision to capture the title. This fight will mark his first fight since the title win.

    This marks Volkanovski’s second run as UFC featherweight champion. Volkanovski originally won the title by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 245, going on to defend the title against Holloway (twice), Brian Ortega, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, and Yair Rodriguez. Volkanovski would unsuccessfully challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title twice before dropping the featherweight title to Topuria at UFC 298.

    Lopes is 6-2 in the UFC thus far, with his two losses coming against Volkanovski and his short-notice UFC debut against Movsar Evloev. Lopes rebounded from his unsuccessful title attempt with a finish of Jean Silva in the main event of Noche UFC 3.

    The co-main event will see lightweight action featuring Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint-Denis.

    Hooker comes into this bout off a loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar in November, a loss that snapped a three-fight win streak. BSD has won three straight, most recently knocking out Beneil Dariush at UFC 322.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC 325!

    How to Watch UFC 325

    • Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
    • Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 5 PM ET / 3 PM PT
    • Late Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    UFC 325 Quick Results

    • Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes โ€” Volkanovski def. Lopes via unanimous decision
    • Co-Main: Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint-Denis โ€” Saint-Denis def. Hooker via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:45)
    • Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy โ€” Ruffy def. Fiziev via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:30)
    • Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira โ€” Teixeira def. Tuivasa via unanimous decision
    • Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey โ€” Salkilld def. Mullarkey via submission (Rd. 1, 3:02)

    UFC 325 Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: Sulang Rangbo vs. Lawrence Lui

    Result: Lawrence Lui def. Sulang Rangbo via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Road to UFC Featherweight Final: Keiichiro Nakamura vs. Sebastian Szalay

    Result: Keiichiro Nakamura def. Sebastian Szalay via TKO (Rd. 3, 3:48)

    Road to UFC Lightweight Final: Kim Sang-wook vs. Dom Mar Fan

    Result: Dom Mar Fan def. Kim Sang-wook via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Featherweight: Kaan Ofli vs. Yi Zha

    Result: Kaan Ofli def. Yi Zha via majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28)

    Late Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Jonathan Micallef vs. Oban Elliott

    Result: Jonathan Micallef def. Oban Elliott via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 3:31)

    Middleweight: Jacob Malkoun vs. Torrez Finney

    Result: Jacob Malkoun def. Torrez Finney via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)

    Middleweight: Cam Rowston vs. Cody Brundage

    Result: Cam Rowston def. Cody Brundage via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:08)

    Light Heavyweight: Junior Tafa vs. Billy Elekana

    Result: Billy Elekana def. Junior Tafa via submission (rear-naked choke, Rd. 2, 3:18)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey

    Result: Quillan Salkilld def. Jamie Mullarkey via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 3:02)

    Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira

    Result: Tallison Teixeira def. Tai Tuivasa via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight: Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy

    Result: Mauricio Ruffy def. Rafael Fiziev via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:30)

    Lightweight: Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint-Denis

    Result: Benoit Saint-Denis def. Dan Hooker via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:45)

    UFC Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes

    Result: Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes via unanimous decision (49-46 x2, 50-45)

  • “I’m Glad To Watch Warriors Like These Two” – Paulo Costa, Dustin Poirier, Belal Muhammad And Other Fighters & Fans Extol Justin Gaethje And Paddy Pimblett After Interim Title War At UFC 324

    “I’m Glad To Watch Warriors Like These Two” – Paulo Costa, Dustin Poirier, Belal Muhammad And Other Fighters & Fans Extol Justin Gaethje And Paddy Pimblett After Interim Title War At UFC 324

    Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett put an exclamation point to start the UFC on Paramount era, putting on a memorable classic that will be considered perhaps the first nominee for 2026’s Fight of the Year.

    And now after all that violence, Gaethje took the decision in the UFC 324 main event and became a two-time interim UFC lightweight champion in the process.

    The two went to a trading battle early, as both looked to control the cage and make the other taste their power. Pimblett connected with a pair of shots, only for Gaethje to respond with a solid counter. Gaethje landed a left hand that dropped Pimblett, stunning him, but Pimblett got back to the feet.

    The two continued to trade, though notably Pimblett was connected with a series of leg kicks to compromise Gaethje’s legs. Gaethje looked for a headlock early in round two, but Pimblett worked his way out of it. Gaethje continued his momentum, rocking Pimblett with a knee after a second front headlock and landing a barrage of ground strikes before the horn to end the second round.

    Gaethje’s momentum slowed during the third round, as the fight pace slowed but Pimblett’s jab was on display. A strong right late in the round caught Gaethje’s attention, and Gaethje attempted to respond back.

    Pimblett landed a strong left early in the fourth round, but Gaethje made Pimblett taste power again with a left hook before a wrestling-style cradle on the ground briefly. Gaethje scored another knockdown immediately after by catching a kick and landing an overhand right. Gaethje rocked Pimblett with another series of bombs against the fence. Pimblett connected flush on Gaethje, only for Gaethje to answer with strong ground strikes before the end of the round.

    Justin Gaethje Claims Interim Lightweight Title In War With Paddy Pimblett At UFC 324

    Entering the fifth, Gaethje had the edge in significant strikes 148-134. Both connected with hard shots in the first minute of round five. Pimblett looked for a takedown, but Gaethje countered, and the two battled against the fence until there were about 100 seconds remaining.

    With both men tired, Pimblett landed a strong combination that forced Gaethje to clinch. Both men landed on the inside before Gaethje pressed Pimblett against the fence again. The two threw down for the final 10 seconds, and they made it to the final horn.

    Gaethje has now won four of his last six fights. Previously, Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson for interim lightweight gold at UFC 249 but was unsuccessful in his UFC 254 unification bout with a retiring Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    Pimblett tastes defeat in the Octagon for the first time since his 2021 UFC debut. This is his first loss since falling to Soren Bak in Cage Warriors in September 2018.

  • “Just Give O’Malley A 30-24 At This Point” – Fans & Fighters Debate Sean O’Malley’s Chances At Gold After Decision Win Over Song Yadong At UFC 324

    “Just Give O’Malley A 30-24 At This Point” – Fans & Fighters Debate Sean O’Malley’s Chances At Gold After Decision Win Over Song Yadong At UFC 324

    It wasn’t the strongest performance, but it was a win when it mattered for Sean O’Malley, as he defeats Song Yadong in the co-main event of UFC 324.

    O’Malley seemed to have the advantage in the striking department during a quiet first round. Yadong, however, took control with a late takedown in spite of a guillotine attempt from O’Malley.

    Yadong’s grappling pressure was on display in the second round again, landing another pair of takedowns and controlling the action by focusing on O’Malley’s leg, compromising it.

    O’Malley turned up the heat in the third round, getting his striking going and scoring a decision win.

    Sean O’Malley Gets Needed Rebound With Decision Win Over Song Yadong At UFC 324

    https://twitter.com/JourdainAir/status/2015278769481584676?s=20

    This was O’Malley’s first fight after losing back-to-back bantamweight title fights to Merab Dvalishvili at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 and UFC 316. O’Malley held the UFC bantamweight title from his win at UFC 292 until his first loss to Dvalishvili.

    Yadong is now 3-2 in his last five, entering tonight’s bout off a win over Henry Cejudo at UFC Seattle last year.

  • “The Real Deal” – Fans & Fighters React To Waldo Cortes-Acosta Continue Heavyweight Momentum With Finish Of Derrick Lewis At UFC 324

    “The Real Deal” – Fans & Fighters React To Waldo Cortes-Acosta Continue Heavyweight Momentum With Finish Of Derrick Lewis At UFC 324

    Waldo Cortes-Acosta has made a statement — he’s coming for a heavyweight title shot. Cortes-Acosta emphasized that with a second-round finish of Derrick Lewis at UFC 324.

    Both men came out with stalking intentions, looking to find the opening to land the one power shot each needs. Though Lewis threw a few round kicks, there wasn’t much landing from either man during the first round.

    Cortes-Acosta’s strategy seemed to be to tire Lewis out, and he did a lot of countering and dodging during the first five minutes. It seemed to pay off for Cortes-Acosta early in the second, catching Lewis with a cracking counter. WCA continued to use his jab and dodging speed to give Lewis issues.

    Suddenly, in the second round, Lewis appeared to slip. Lewis did not get up immediately, and Cortes-Acosta jumped on, landing a flurry on of ground strikes until the referee waved off the bout.

    Waldo Cortes-Acosta Makes Easy Work Of Derrick Lewis At UFC 324

    Cortes-Acosta was one of the UFC’s top fighters in 2025, going 4-1. His star power rose in November by scoring a comeback, first-round knockout of Ante Delija at UFC Vegas 110, and then making a quick turnaround and knocking out Shamil Gaziev at UFC Qatar three weeks later.

    Lewis is now 3-2 in his last five fights.

  • “No Chance Thug Rose Lost That Fight” – Fans And Fighters React As Natalia Silva Gets Controversial Decision Win Over Rose Namajunas In Title Eliminator At UFC 324

    “No Chance Thug Rose Lost That Fight” – Fans And Fighters React As Natalia Silva Gets Controversial Decision Win Over Rose Namajunas In Title Eliminator At UFC 324

    Natalia Silva now finds herself closer to challenging for the UFC women’s flyweight championship after her win over Rose Namajunas at UFC 324; however, it was a win that was heavily disputed.

    The opening round appeared to be a quiet, tough to score one, with plenty of feints. Silva tried to get things going with her punches, but Namajunas’ footwork made it difficult for her to land anything major.

    Namajunas furthered the distance in the second round, which included landing a takedown and controlling the action completely on the ground. Silva turned up the heat in round three and completely out-struck Namajunas, controlling the action in the most clear round of the bout.

    Silva took 29-28 scores on all three judges’ cards.

    Natalia Silva Scores Controversial Decision Win Over Rose Namajunas At UFC 324

    Silva is now 8-0 in the UFC, having not lost in MMA since losing to Marina Rodriguez in 2017. Silva came into this bout off a win over former champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315.

    Namajunas is now 3-2 in her last five and is 3-3 since moving up to flyweight.

  • “Matchmaking At Its Finest” – Fighters & Fans React To Jean Silva Getting Nod In Tough Battle With Arnold Allen At UFC 324

    “Matchmaking At Its Finest” – Fighters & Fans React To Jean Silva Getting Nod In Tough Battle With Arnold Allen At UFC 324

    Arnold Allen and Jean Silva put on a clinic to open up the first UFC main card of 2026, with Silva getting the win at UFC 324.

    Allen kept his distance in the opening round, working his striking from the outside and controlling the action, slowly picking things up as the round went on. Silva landed a strong right hand and high kick in the closing seconds of the round, seemingly doing damage. He received a shove from Allen after the horn for his trouble.

    Silva scored a takedown on Allen early in the second, landing a strong left hand and high kick as Allen got back to his feet. The two had a back-and-forth exchange, with Silva getting a small cut under one of his eyes. Allen did damage with inside shots, including knees, but the two continued to answer one another.

    Allen looked to pressure in round three and utilize grappling control, but Silva out-landed him in terms of significant strikes during the frame and took the decision.

    Jean Silva Gets Decision In Back-And-Forth Battle With Arnold Allen At UFC 324

    Allen has now lost three of his last four. This was his first fight since defeating Giga Chikadze at UFC 304.

    Silva rebounds from a loss to Diego Lopes in the main event of Noche UFC 3 — a fight that snapped a 13-fight win streak Silva had been riding.

  • Dominick Cruz Revealed As First Inductee Of UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2026

    Dominick Cruz Revealed As First Inductee Of UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2026

    One of the greatest bantamweights the MMA world has ever seen, “The Dominator” now gets to finally claim his rightful place in the UFC Hall of Fame.

    Dominick Cruz, a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, has been named as the first inductee of this year’s UFC’s Hall of Fame class, to be inducted into the hall’s Modern Wing.

    The announcement was made officially at the conclusion of the UFC 324 prelims.

    Dominick Cruz To Be Inducted Into UFC Hall Of Fame

    Cruz made his professional MMA debut in 2005, becoming a key figure in Rage in the Cage early in his career. He’d make his way over to the WEC in 2007, losing a featherweight title fight against Urijah Faber in his promotional debut at WEC 26.

    Cruz would win the WEC bantamweight title at WEC 47 by defeating Brian Bowles. He’d defend the WEC title against Joseph Benavidez and Scott Jorgensen before becoming inaugural UFC champion when 135 was introduced into the UFC following the UFC-WEC merger.

    Cruz defended the UFC title against Faber and Demetrious Johnson, but injuries forced him to vacate the title in January 2014 without fighting in 2012 and 2013.

    Cruz successfully returned to the Octagon at UFC 178, knocking out Takeya Mizugaki, before defeating T.J. Dillashaw to regain the bantamweight title in January 2016. He’d defend the title against Faber at UFC 199 before losing to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207.

    After three years away from the Octagon due to injuries, Cruz came back again in 2020, falling short in a bantamweight title fight against Henry Cejudo at UFC 249. Cruz scored decision wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz before getting knocked out by Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC San Diego in August 2022.

    Cruz announced his permanent retirement from the Octagon in early 2025 after injuries prevented him from fighting Rob Font.

    The UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony is held annually during the UFC’s International Fight Week. No information about the 2026 edition of IFW has been revealed as of press time.

  • “I Do Not Feel Good About This Guy Fighting Yan Or Merab” – Fans & Fighters Debate After Umar Nurmagomedov’s One-Sided Decision Over Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC 324

    “I Do Not Feel Good About This Guy Fighting Yan Or Merab” – Fans & Fighters Debate After Umar Nurmagomedov’s One-Sided Decision Over Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC 324

    Deiveson Figueiredo seemed to have no answer for Umar Nurmagomedov, as the former bantamweight title challenger easily took a decision win in the featured preliminary card bout of UFC 324.

    Nurmagomedov took control of the fight from the opening minute, bringing his pressure and working Figueiredo around the cage. Nurmagomedov found success with a series of sneaky round kicks, adding in a pair of takedowns during the end of the opening round.

    Figueiredo didn’t seem to have much going in the first nine minutes or so of the fight, doing a lot of backing up as Nurmagomedov dictated the action. Figueiredo, however, did seem to get things going with his striking in the last minute of the second round.

    Figueiredo was on the outside again in the third round, as Nurmagomedov managed distance well. Nurmagomedov avoided a Figueiredo guillotine attempt as he scored a takedown and worked the former flyweight champion over in his guard. Nurmagomedov overwhelmed with top pressure from there as he cruised to a decision win.

    Umar Nurmagomedov Controls Action In Win Over Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC 324

    Nurmagomedov now has won back-to-back fights and improves to 20-1. His sole loss came at UFC 311, falling one round short of capturing the UFC bantamweight championship from Merab Dvalishvili.

    Figueiredo has now lost three of his last four. The former flyweight champion entered this fight off a split decision win over Montel Jackson in October. His other losses in this span came against current bantamweight champion Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen.

  • “Gautier Needed This Experience” – Fighters & Fans React As Ateba Gautier Goes Distance For First Time In UFC In Win Over Andrey Pulayev At UFC 324

    “Gautier Needed This Experience” – Fighters & Fans React As Ateba Gautier Goes Distance For First Time In UFC In Win Over Andrey Pulayev At UFC 324

    Andrey Pulyaev became the first fighter in the Octagon to make it past round one with Ateba Gautier, let alone go the distance with him. While that might be enough for a moral victory, Gautier still scored the decision win at UFC 324.

    Gautier cracked Pulayev with a right hand less than 15 seconds into the fight, and it looked like this one would be put away quickly like all of Gautier’s other fights. Pulayev, however, managed to survive the onslaught and looked to keep his distance.

    Pulayev found success with his distance-based kicks, circling away from the power of Gautier. Still, Gautier managed to stun Pulayev on a few occasions during the second and third rounds, including another dropping of Pulayev during the final frame.

    The judges scored the bout 30-27, 29-28 (x2) in Pulayev’s favor.

    Ateba Gautier Goes The Distance, Defeats Andrey Pulayev At UFC 324

    Gautier is now 4-0 in the UFC since coming in from Dana White’s Contender Series. He entered this fight off a first-round finish of Tre’ston Vines at UFC 320.

    Pulayev is 1-2 in the UFC since his own DWCS appearance. He earned his first UFC win last time out, defeating Nick Klein.

  • VIDEO: Nikita Krylov Earns Finish Of Modestas Bukauskas With Three Seconds Left At UFC 324

    Nikita Krylov just earned his $25,000 finish bonus in epic fashion, pulling off a buzzer-beater finish of Modestas Bukauskas at UFC 324.

    After three straight first-round finishes to open up the night, Krylov vs. Bukauskas’ pacing seemed to bring things down. While Krylov landed well, the fight had more of a grappling focus, with Krylov looking to keep Bukauskas pinned against the fence during the first and second rounds.

    In the closing seconds of the round, Krylov, after getting it going, landed a cracking right hand that put Bukauskas down. Krylov got on top, on Bukauskas’ back, and landed some follow-up shots to score the finish with three seconds left in the fight.

    Nikita Krylov Cracks, Downs Modestas Bukauskas At UFC 324

    Krylov has now won four of six and snaps a two-fight losing skid.

    Bukauskas sees a four-fight win streak snapped.

  • “Criminally Underrated” – Fans Debate And Defend Alex Perez’s Abilities As He Beats Down Charles Johnson At UFC 324

    “Criminally Underrated” – Fans Debate And Defend Alex Perez’s Abilities As He Beats Down Charles Johnson At UFC 324

    While he missed weight for the fight, Alex Perez managed to at least make a statement in a flyweight division matchup, pulling off a first-round finish of Charles Johnson at UFC 324 in what could be a UFC tenure-saving finish.

    Perez managed to stun Johnson a couple of minutes into the fight, dropping him with a right-left combination. Perez managed to stay on Johnson, applying pressure and landing a couple of more stunning punches.

    Perez faceplanted Johnson, which prompted a referee’s stoppage in spite of (a stunned) Johnson’s attempts to continue.

    Alex Perez Finishes Charles Johnson At UFC 324

    Perez entered this fight off back-to-back losses against Tatsuro Taira and Asu Almabayev.

    Johnson has lost two of three now, but he’s still 5-2 in his last seven.

  • “Finish Via Middle Finger” – Fans React To Josh Hokit Manhandling Denzel Freeman, Delivering Pro Wrestling-Style Post-Fight Interview At UFC 324

    “Finish Via Middle Finger” – Fans React To Josh Hokit Manhandling Denzel Freeman, Delivering Pro Wrestling-Style Post-Fight Interview At UFC 324

    Two fights in the Paramount+ era, two last-second, first-round finishes. Josh Hokit is now 2-0 in the UFC after defeating Denzel Freeman during the preliminary card at UFC 324.

    Hokit quickly scored a takedown in about 15 seconds before proceeding to overwhelm Freeman with his freestyle wrestling experience. Hokit poured on the pressure, pitching a shutout in terms of strikes — and even at one point spanking Freeman.

    Freeman was wobbly in the fight’s last minute, clearly drained from Hokit’s pressure. In the closing seconds of the round, Freeman landed a punch and round kick before flipping Freeman off and walking away — as Freeman collapsed to the mat.

    Hokit then delivered a post-fight promo full of rhymes, a stray on Brittney Griner, and a call-out of Waldo-Cortes Acosta (who competes later tonight against Derrick Lewis).

    Josh Hokit Stops Denzel Freeman In Buzzer Beater First-Round Finish At UFC 324

    After scoring a first-round finish of Guilherme Uriel on Dana White’s Contender Series, Hokit had a successful UFC debut at UFC Vegas 111, needing just 56 seconds to put away Max Gimenis.

    Freeman, a former LFA heavyweight champion who has also fought in the PFL, made his UFC debut in November, scoring a decision over Marek Bujlo at UFC Qatar in November.

  • VIDEO: Ty Miller Puts Away Adam Fugitt At Buzzer To Score First Finish In UFC’s Paramount Era At UFC 324

    VIDEO: Ty Miller Puts Away Adam Fugitt At Buzzer To Score First Finish In UFC’s Paramount Era At UFC 324

    Trivia question: Who competed in the first fight of the UFC’s Paramount Era and scored its first finish at UFC 324? The answer: Ty Miller.

    Miller opened up the UFC 324 card with a bang by scoring a first-round finish of Adam Fugitt at the last second.

    Miller and Fugitt both brought the power during the near-five minutes they were in the Octagon, both clearly vying for the new $25,000 finish bonuses implemented by UFC CEO and President Dana White.

    Despite being busted open on his forehead during the round, Miller was able to land a couple of solid right hooks that stunned Fugitt. A follow-up flurry led to referee Chris Tognoni waving off the fight before the horn could sound.

    Ty Miller Earns Buzzer-Beater Finish Of Adam Fugitt At UFC 324

    Miller remains undefeated, with a no contest in LFA being the sole non-win in his career thus far. This marked Miller’s UFC debut after scoring a decision over Jimmy Drago on Dana White’s Contender Series.

    Fugitt has now lost two straight and four of his last six.

  • Michael Johnson vs. Alex Perez Scrapped From UFC 324, Suspicious Bets Reported

    Michael Johnson vs. Alex Perez Scrapped From UFC 324, Suspicious Bets Reported

    The hits keep on coming to UFC 324 — the UFC’s debut event on Paramount — in the hours leading into the fights.

    Hours before they were set to duke it out on the preliminary card, the fight between Michael Johnson and Alex Perez was canceled.

    The UFC announced the news at about 2 pm ET on January 24 — three hours before UFC 324’s start.

    No reason was given by the promotion; however, those in the MMA betting space noted strange activity on the betting lines of this fight.

    Users across social media, including X (fka Twitter) and Reddit, noted a peculiar line change on DraftKings. On Jan. 22, Johnson was listed as a +135 underdog. After money “flooded in” on the 39-year-old, however, both fighters were listed in the sportsbook the next day as a -110 pick ’em play.

    Michael Johnson vs. Alexander Hernandez Off Of UFC 318; Suspicious Betting Activity Reported

    There has been some speculation that Hernandez may be dealing with a hand injury; however, that has not been confirmed by any parties as of press time.

    In November, the UFC came under heavy scrutiny after suspicious betting patterns were detected ahead of the Isaac Dulgarian vs. Yadier Del Valle fight at UFC Vegas 110. After Dulgarian was finished in the first round, Dulgarian was released by the UFC and investigations were launched.

    New York-based MMA promoter and writer Harry Mac made more claims of suspicious betting activity, while Ariel Helwani reported on his show that a number of fighters had been approached about the idea of throwing fights. A number of fighters (joking or not) released statements on social media claiming they had been approached in the past.

    The card will proceed on with 11 bouts. Cameron Smotherman was pulled from his UFC 324 matchup against Ricky Turcious yesterday after collapsing during the ceremonial weigh-ins.

    Johnson has won three straight and four of his last five. He was coming into this scheduled bout off a decision win over Daniel Zellhuber at UFC 318.

    Hernandez has won four straight, most recently scoring a finish of Carlos Diego Ferreira at Noche UFC 3.

  • UFC 324 Results: Gaethje vs Pimblett Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 324 Results: Gaethje vs Pimblett Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 324 results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This historic card marks the first UFC event streaming exclusively on Paramount+, headlined by Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight championship. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Gaethje vs Pimblett: Interim Lightweight Title Fight

    Gaethje enters this fight with three wins in his last four. His wins in this stretch include knocking out Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 for the BMF belt and, most recently, defeating Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313.

    Gaethje is a former interim lightweight champion. He defeated Tony Ferguson for that title at UFC 249 in 2020 but fell short in his undisputed title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov later that year.

    This will be the first UFC championship opportunity for Pimblett, who has been a rising star for the promotion since his Octagon arrival in 2021. The former Cage Warriors featherweight champion has won performance bonuses in five of his seven UFC fights, and he’s a perfect 7-0 in the Octagon so far.

    Pimblett comes into this bout off his highlight finish of Michael Chandler at UFC 314.

    The co-main event will see the return of former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, as he takes on Song Yadong.

    O’Malley enters off consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He dropped the bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 and was submitted in the rematch at UFC 316. Yadong, meanwhile, has won three of his last four, including a win over Henry Cejudo last year at UFC Seattle.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC 324!

    How to Watch UFC 324

    • Date:ย Saturday, January 24, 2026
    • Venue:ย T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • Streaming:ย Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
    • Late Prelims:ย 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card:ย 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    UFC 324 Quick Results

    • Main Event: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett โ€” Gaethje def. Pimblett via unanimous decision
    • Co-Main: Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong โ€” O’Malley def. Yadong via unanimous decision
    • Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis โ€” Cortes-Acosta def. Lewis via TKO (Rd. 2, 3:14)
    • Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas โ€” Silva def. Namajunas via unanimous decision
    • Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva โ€” Silva def. Allen via unanimous decision

    UFC 324 Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5:30 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Adam Fugitt vs. Ty Miller

    Result: Ty Miller def. Adam Fugitt via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:59)

    Heavyweight: Josh Hokit vs. Denzel Freeman

    Result: Josh Hokit def. Denzel Freeman via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:59)

    Late Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET)

    Flyweight: Alex Perez vs. Charles Johnson

    Result: Alex Perez def. Charles Johnson via TKO (Rd. 1, 3:16)

    Light Heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs. Modestas Bukauskas

    Result: Nikita Krylov def. Modestas Bukauskas via KO (Rd. 3, 4:57)

    Middleweight: Ateba Gautier vs. Andrey Pulyaev

    Result: Ateba Gautier def. Andrey Pulyaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

    Result: Umar Nurmagomedov def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva

    Result: Jean Silva def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Women’s Flyweight: Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas

    Result: Natalia Silva def. Rose Namajunas via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis

    Result: Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Derrick Lewis via TKO (Rd. 2, 3:14)

    Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong

    Result: Sean O’Malley def. Song Yadong via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Interim Lightweight Championship: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett

    Result: Justin Gaethje def. Paddy Pimblett via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46 x2)

  • Zuffa Boxing 01 Results: Walsh vs. Ocampo Live From Las Vegas

    Zuffa Boxing 01 Results: Walsh vs. Ocampo Live From Las Vegas

    Zuffa Boxing 01 results are coming in live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas as Dana White’s boxing promotion makes its historic debut.

    Tonight marks the first numbered event from the upstart league from TKO Group, and the launch of the new Paramount+ era, one night before UFC 324. Joe Tessitore calls the action alongside analysts Max Kellerman and Andre Ward.

    How to Watch Zuffa Boxing 01

    • Date: Friday, January 23, 2026
    • Venue: Meta APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT
    How to Watch Zuffa Boxing Z01

    Zuffa Boxing 01 Results

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 6 PM ET)

    Featherweight โ€“ Troy Nash (5-0-1) vs. Jaycob Ramos (4-0)

    Result: Troy Nash def. Jaycob Ramos via unanimous decision (59-55 x2, 58-56)

    Catchweight (133 lbs) โ€“ Robert Meriwether III (9-0) vs. Cesar Correa (5-0)

    Result: Robert Meriwether III def. Cesar Correa via unanimous decision (60-54 x2, 59-55)

    Bantamweight (6 Rounds) โ€“ Emiliano Cardenas (9-0) vs. Marcus Harris (7-1)

    Result: Emiliano Cardenas def. Marcus Harris via unanimous decision (60-54 x2, 58-56)

    Bantamweight (8 Rounds) โ€“ Floyd Diaz (13-0) vs. Guillermo Gutierrez (13-2)

    Result: Floyd Diaz def. Guillermo Gutierrez via unanimous decision (79-73 x3)

    Featherweight (10 Rounds) โ€“ Omar Trinidad (19-0-2) vs. Max Ornelas (17-2-2)

    Result: Omar Trinidad def. Max Ornelas via TKO (Rd. 10, 0:30)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    Welterweight (10 Rounds) โ€“ Cain Sandoval (17-0) vs. Julian Rodriguez (24-1)

    Result: Julian Rodriguez def. Cain Sandoval via unanimous decision (99-91 x2, 98-92)

    Co-Main Event: Middleweight (10 Rounds) โ€“ Misael Rodriguez (15-0) vs. Austin Deanda (17-0)

    Result: Misael Rodriguez def. Austin Deanda via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) (Rd. 4, 3:00)

    Main Event: Middleweight (10 Rounds) โ€“ Callum Walsh (15-0) vs. Carlos Ocampo (38-3)

    Result: Cullum Walsh def. Carlos Ocampo via unanimous decision (98-90 x2, 97-91)

  • Ilia Topuria Teasing Spring Return Against Winner Of Justin Gaethje Vs. Paddy Pimblett

    Ilia Topuria Teasing Spring Return Against Winner Of Justin Gaethje Vs. Paddy Pimblett

    A warning message to Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett: Ilia Topuria is watching.

    Topuria’s fighting career was left uncertain late last year when he announced that he would be stepping away indefinitely due to personal matters. The UFC lightweight champion has been dealing with a harsh custody battle involving his ex-wife.

    The champ’s unavailability led to the UFC’s decision, as revealed on Thanksgiving, to book Gaethje vs. Pimblett in an interim title fight to serve as the main event of UFC 324. But it doesn’t seem like the winner will have to wait long before unifying with “El Matador.”

    In a reply to fan questions on X, Topuria said he is aiming for a spring bout with whoever comes away with the interim gold.

    Ilia Topuria Aiming For Undisputed Title Fight In Spring

    The opponent he’s aiming for comes at a time where Arman Tsarukyan has recently spoken out on The Ariel Helwani Show about not receiving a lightweight title opportunity. Tsarukyan claims the UFC wants Pimblett to be a champion and teased the idea of either dropping to featherweight or going for the BMF belt.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White recently told Complex that Tsarukyan needs to work his way back to a title shot, citing the controversial headbutt in his staredown with Dan Hooker and pulling out of a title fight with Islam Makhachev with one day to go before UFC 311 at this time last year.

    Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 last year to win the UFC lightweight championship, which was vacated after Makhachev moved up from lightweight to welterweight.

    Topuria had been featherweight champion in 2024, winning the belt by finishing Alexander Volkanovski before retaining with a knockout of Max Holloway.

    UFC 324 takes place on January 24 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be the UFC’s first event as part of its lucrative deal with Paramount.

  • Jorge Masvidal Teasing Return To Action, Addresses UFC White House Rumors

    Jorge Masvidal Teasing Return To Action, Addresses UFC White House Rumors

    Perhaps we’ll be seeing Jorge Masvidal returning to action for at least one more matchup soon? Masvidal is teasing such in a new interview, and it has rumors swirling about what Masvidal could be referencing.

    In an interview with MMAJunkie, Masvidal said that while he isn’t allowed to reveal much right now, he can confirm he has been training at American Top Team in Florida.

    Masvidal says he is in the midst of preparing for “something big.”

    “Some of it is like level-five only access, so I can’t really say too much,” Masvidal said. “I can say it’s some big news. I have some fight news coming soon, and it’s very big news.”

    Jorge Masvidal Willing To Take Any Spot To Be On UFC White House Card

    Plenty of speculation around this news points to the possibility that Masvidal could compete at the UFC White House card on June 14.

    Masvidal is a longtime supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Trump was present for UFC 272. That event saw Masvidal and former teammate-turned-rival Colby Covington, also a devout Trump supporter, facing off in the main event.

    This also comes off the heels of a recent interview UFC CEO and President Dana White did with Complex, shooting down rumors of a Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler matchup for the event.

    White, however, has also shot down the idea of a McGregor vs. Masvidal matchup in the past, worried about a noteworthy size disadvantage for McGregor.

    While Masvidal could not provide more details about his ongoings, he did emphasize the honor it would be to compete at such a unique, once-in-a-lifetime kind of event like UFC White House.

    “Really, just the honor of fighting at the White House card,” Masvidal said. “I’ve fought at the Playboy Mansion, I’ve fought in Russia, I fought in South Korea, South America โ€“ I’ve fought in many places. Madison Square Garden. There’s not too many things I didn’t get to do throughout my career, and a lot of unexpected turns as well…So, I would definitely like to do this because, in my opinion, in my book, I don’t think this gets done again.

    “I get it if people don’t want to fight for the elitists or however they distribute the tickets, but I just want to fight at the White House. I’m a Latin m***********, from immigrant parents on both sides, putting my crafts and skills on display, at the highest level in the White House lawn. Who’s ever done that? Nobody. It should be a great honor for me and also to represent my Latin community.”

    Masvidal’s UFC career ended on a four-fight losing skid, last fighting at UFC 283 in a loss to Gilbert Burns.

    The inaugural BMF belt holder’s last taste of combat action came in July 2024, losing a boxing matchup to Nate Diaz.

  • Josh Emmett Vs. Kevin Vallejos Set To Headline UFC Vegas 114 In March

    Josh Emmett Vs. Kevin Vallejos Set To Headline UFC Vegas 114 In March

    After pulling off a finish in what was the biggest fight of his life, Kevin Vallejos has now earned his first UFC main event opportunity.

    Vallejos is scheduled to meet UFC veteran and former interim featherweight title challenger Josh Emmett in the main event of UFC Vegas 114 on 14.

    Emmett confirmed the news on his social media.

    Josh Emmett vs. Kevin Vallejos To Headline UFC Vegas 114

    For Emmett, this fight presents the opportunity of a needed rebound. Emmett has lost four of his last five, stemming back from his interim title fight loss against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 284. Emmett’s losses in that span have come against Rodriguez, Ilia Topuria, Lerone Murphy, and Youssef Zalal.

    Emmett’s sole win in that time period was his highlight knockout of Bryce Mitchell at UFC 296.

    Vallejos is 3-0 in the Octagon since earning a contract by knocking out Cam Teague on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024. Last year, Vallejos put away Seung Woo Choi, earned a decision over Danny Silva, and finished Giga Chikadze.

    UFC Vegas 114 takes place on March 14 from the UFC Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Mohammed Usman Earns Lengthy Suspension For Failed Drug Test

    Mohammed Usman Earns Lengthy Suspension For Failed Drug Test

    You won’t be seeing Mohammed Usman putting on the gloves for a while — if ever again.

    The brother of former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has accepted a two-year, six-month suspension as a result of violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy.

    Usman’s failed test stems back to October, when he was pulled from his scheduled UFC Rio matchup against Valter Walker for elevated testosterone levels.

    Usman’s suspension began retroactively on October 9, the day he was informed of the violation.

    Mohammed Usman Suspended For 2.5 Years For October 2025 Failed Drug Test

    “While Usman ultimately took responsibility for the above details, he did not do so in a timely fashion and not until CSAD confronted him with evidence they had independently collected during a detailed investigation of his use of these multiple prohibited substances as well as his attempt to deceive CSAD with a false explanation,” the UFC said in a statement.ย 

    “Under the UFC ADP [Anti-Doping Program], if a UFC athlete uses multiple substances like Usman did and engages in deceptive or obstructive conduct to avoid the adjudication of an Anti-Doping Policy Violation like he did, then aggravating circumstances are determined to exist.ย While aggravating circumstances can double a standard suspension, because Usman ultimately admitted to the prohibited behavior, CSAD determined that a six-month addition to the standard 2-year suspension for using these substances was appropriate for these aggravating factors.”

    Usman’s suspension will end on April 9, 2028. He will be 39 years old by that point.

    “The Motor” is 11-4 in MMA and last fought in June, defeating Hamdy Abdelwahab at UFC Baku. He is 4-2 in the UFC and won the heavyweight tournament of The Ultimate Fighter season 30.

    Prior to the UFC, Usman competed in Titan FC and had one bout with the PFL.

  • ‘Pick Who Ya Want’ – Conor McGregor Doesn’t Mind Dana White Shutting Down Fight With Michael Chandler

    ‘Pick Who Ya Want’ – Conor McGregor Doesn’t Mind Dana White Shutting Down Fight With Michael Chandler

    Conor McGregor says he’s ready to make his long-awaited UFC return — regardless of who that may be against.

    In a recent interview with Complex, UFC CEO and President Dana White said he has no interest in trying to make a fight between McGregor and Michael Chandler happen. Chandler had been on CBS recently promoting a positive sign that the two could face off at UFC White House.

    Now, McGregor has taken to social media, seemingly to respond to White’s remarks. And it appears that McGregor is not crying over the spilled milk that would be a fight with Chandler never coming to fruition.

    “Pick who ya want!” McGregor posted. “The Mac sweats nothin [sic] and nobody. I’m tasty shots.”

    Conor McGregor Open To Any Fight After Dana White Scraps Potential Fight With Michael Chandler

    McGregor and Chandler had been rumored to fight for about three years now. This stretches back to when the two were opposing coaches on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023.

    Despite no rumblings of a fight in that year, the two were booked to fight in the originally planned UFC 303 main event. Less than a month before the fight, however, McGregor withdrew with a toe injury.

    McGregor re-joined the UFC drug testing pool this past summer, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s first revelation of the UFC’s plans for a card at the White House.

    The UFC card on the White House lawn is scheduled for Sunday, June 14.

    McGregor has not been seen in the Octagon since losing to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

  • Dana White Dismisses Michael Chandler’s Claims Of Conor McGregor Fight At UFC White House

    Dana White Dismisses Michael Chandler’s Claims Of Conor McGregor Fight At UFC White House

    Michael Chandler can hope all he wants, but UFC CEO and President Dana White claims a fight between Chandler and Conor McGregor is dead in the water.

    A fight between Chandler and McGregor has been nearly three years in the making now, stretching back to when the pair faced off as opposing coaches on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter.

    Chandler recently appeared on CBS as part of the network’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash show to ring in 2026 and promote the UFC’s new partnership with Paramount. As part of his time there, Chandler claimed that things were looking up for a fight with McGregor to finally happen — and happen at the UFC’s card on the White House lawn in June.

    In a new interview with Complex, however, White suggested that the fight is no longer possible.

    Dana White Says No Shot To Conor McGregor Vs. Michael Chandler At UFC White House

    “I mean, that was a couple years ago,” White said. “No.”

    Despite promotion that the two would face off at the end of TUF 31, the year 2023 came and went without a hint of a matchup announcement.

    Finally, at the UFC 300 post-fight press conference, White announced that the two would face off in the main event of UFC 303. The fight went up in smoke less than a month before the event, however, due to a toe injury suffered by McGregor.

    Since then, no fight announcement has been made, and Chandler has gone on to lose to Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett at UFC 309 and UFC 314, respectively.

    Since the first announcement of the UFC White House card this past summer, McGregor has publicly advocated to make his UFC return at the event, going as far as to re-join the UFC’s drug testing pool.

    McGregor has not fought in the UFC since losing his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.