MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Wanderlei Silva Knocked Out In Brawl After Getting Disqualified In Boxing Match

    Wanderlei Silva Knocked Out In Brawl After Getting Disqualified In Boxing Match

    Concern is revolving around MMA legend Wanderlei Silva after he was knocked during a post-fight brawl that took place following a boxing fight he competed in on September 27.

    Silva competed in an exhibition boxing bout at Spaten Fight Night 2 in Brazil, taking on former world champion Acelino Freitas. Silva was disqualified for repeated headbutts on Freitas, but little did fans know that would just be the start of the action.

    Chaos and melee ensued as people from both camps stormed the ring, and it’s in this madness where a man lands a hard punch on Silva, knocking him out cold.

    Wanderlei Silva KO’d In Post-Boxing Match Brawl

    Silva’s body is moved away from the action, but he is still seemingly unconscious by the time the footage ends.

    This was the first bit of combat sports action for the 49-year-old UFC Hall of Famer and former PRIDE champion. Silva had not been seen in a fight since his loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 206 in September 2018.

    Freitas was a replacement opponent, substituting for Vitor Belfort after Belfort withdrew from the fight earlier this month.

  • “Just Punched His Ticket (Literally) To A Title Shot” – Fans & Fighters React As Carlos Ulberg Sleeps Dominick Reyes In Light Heavyweight Contender Battle At UFC Perth

    “Just Punched His Ticket (Literally) To A Title Shot” – Fans & Fighters React As Carlos Ulberg Sleeps Dominick Reyes In Light Heavyweight Contender Battle At UFC Perth

    In a battle of top-10 light heavyweight contenders, Carlos Ulberg made a case for the next light heavyweight title shot, as he scored a knockout of former title challenger Dominick Reyes in the main event of UFC Perth.

    The fight’s pace started slow as they felt one another out, cautious of each other’s power. Ulberg then started to connect, focusing on the body before moving to the head.

    Late in the round, Ulberg landed a one-two that dropped Reyes hard to the mat, bringing a quick ending to the action.

    Carlos Ulberg KOs Dominick Reyes At UFC Perth

    Ulberg has now won nine straight since dropping his 2021 UFC debut. He came into this bout off a win over former champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC London.

    Reyes sees a three-fight win streak snapped with this defeat.

  • “Nearly Ripped This Dude’s Head Off” – Fans & Fighters React As Jimmy Crute Gets Back To Consecutive Wins, Submitting Ivan Erslan At UFC Perth

    “Nearly Ripped This Dude’s Head Off” – Fans & Fighters React As Jimmy Crute Gets Back To Consecutive Wins, Submitting Ivan Erslan At UFC Perth

    In front of a native Australian crowd, Jimmy Crute looked impressive in the UFC Perth co-main event, finishing Ivan Erslan.

    After some leg kick exchanging, Erslan seemed to trouble Crute with powerful punching. Crute, however, was able to work his way to a grappling advantage, keeping a hold of Erslan near the fence. Crute worked his way into a backpack position and threatened a choke, rolling through an Erslan transition attempt to get into mount.

    Crute would get under the chin and squeeze, scoring another first-round submission.

    Jimmy Crute Submits Ivan Erslan At UFC Perth

    After a period of over four years without a UFC win, Jimmy Crute now has won two straight. He submitted Marcin Prachnio at UFC 318 in July, which marked his first win since knocking out Modestas Bukauskas in October 2020.

    Erslan now falls to 0-3 in the Octagon, losing his first two UFC bouts to Ion Cutelaba and Navajo Stirling.

  • “Matthews Team Should File A Protest” – Referee Jim Perdios Gets Blasted By MMA Community After Botching Submission Call As Neil Magny Goes On To Submit Jake Matthews At UFC Perth

    “Matthews Team Should File A Protest” – Referee Jim Perdios Gets Blasted By MMA Community After Botching Submission Call As Neil Magny Goes On To Submit Jake Matthews At UFC Perth

    Neil Magny was able to come away with another come-from-behind, third-round finish at UFC Perth, defeating Jake Matthews, but it doesn’t come without much controversy courtesy of a referee’s botched call and changing his mind.

    Matthews appeared to be in full control in the first round and threatened to choke out Magny as the first round was coming to a close. Referee Jim Perdios, checking Magny, appeared to rule that Magny went unconscious with one second left in the round, seemingly stepping in to declare Matthews the winner.

    Magny immediately jumped to his feet in protest, and, conveniently, Perdios then ruled that the round was over and that was the reason he was stepping in.

    Matthews would control the action in the second round again, threatening a couple of more submissions, but Magny came from behind to score a submission via D’Arce choke in the third.

    Referee Changes Mind On Apparent Jake Matthews Win After Botch Call, Neil Magny Pulls Off Submission At UFC Perth

    Magny has now won two straight and three of his last five.

    The loss snaps a three-fight win streak for Matthews.

  • “Chaotic” – Fans React As Tom Nolan Goes From Knocked Down To Submitting Charlie Campbell At UFC Perth

    “Chaotic” – Fans React As Tom Nolan Goes From Knocked Down To Submitting Charlie Campbell At UFC Perth

    After finding himself dropped and in some trouble early, Australia’s Tom Nolan came back and managed to submit Charlie Campbell in a short but wild encounter that opened the UFC Perth main card.

    Campbell had Nolan hurt early, landing a left hand that dropped him in the opening stages of the fight. Campbell appeared to be in control and could have threatened a finish, giving Nolan a bloody nose. Nolan, however, fought back and stunned Campbell himself, as the two traded wildly throughout the brief contest.

    Nolan landed a counterpunch that dropped Campbell. Campbell attempted to scramble up, but Nolan took advantage and got him fully down on the floor, locking up a choke and scoring the submission in just over four minutes.

    Tom Nolan Scores Comeback, First-Round Submission Of Charlie Campbell At UFC Perth

    Nolan, who earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, has now won four straight since dropping his UFC debut.

    Campbell sees a three-fight win streak snapped, as he suffers his first loss in the Octagon.

  • “Statement Win” – Fans & Fighters React To Cam Rowston Going From DWCS Winner To Winning Short-Notice UFC Debut At UFC Perth

    “Statement Win” – Fans & Fighters React To Cam Rowston Going From DWCS Winner To Winning Short-Notice UFC Debut At UFC Perth

    It was just one month ago on Dana White’s Contender Series where Cam Rowston earned a UFC contract and called for a spot on UFC Perth. Now, not only did he earn that spot, but he made the most of it by putting away Andre Petroski during the preliminary card.

    Petroski tried to get out on the front foot and take control right away, focusing on leg kicks. Rowston would try to get his hands going, and it worked, as a left hand resulted in Petroski getting knocked to the mat.

    Petroski attempted to use his guard to defend against Rowston’s attacks, but Rowston’s ground-and-pound was too much, and the Australian earned the first-round TKO victory.

    Following the fight, Rowston paid tribute to his teammate and mentor, former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, as he declared himself the new dog in the yard at middleweight.

    Cam Rowston Gets First-Round Finish Of Andre Petroski In UFC Debut At UFC Perth

    Rowston has now won five straight, which includes his contract-earning performance on DWCS in a victory over Brandon Holmes.

    Petroski, an alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter season 29, has now lost back-to-back fights after winning three straight.

  • “Violence Delivered” – Fans And Fighters React To Powerful Ground-And-Pound KO From Brando Pericic In UFC Debut At UFC Perth

    “Violence Delivered” – Fans And Fighters React To Powerful Ground-And-Pound KO From Brando Pericic In UFC Debut At UFC Perth

    The UFC Perth prelims featured a battle of heavyweight debutants, and Brando Pericic made the most of his opportunity, needing just under two minutes to put away Elisha Ellison.

    Pericic tried to bring pressure from the first second of the fight, but Ellison caught his attention with a strong right hand. Pericic returned fire and continued to looking for openings and attacking. Ellison attempted to pull guard, but that worsened his situation, as Pericic laid into him from the top.

    The barrage of shots would result in Pericic putting Ellison into unconsciousness, ending the night in 115 seconds.

    Brando Pericic Delivers Brutal Ground-And-Pound KO Of Elisha Ellison At UFC Perth

    Pericic made his professional MMA debut in November 2019 but had a four-and-a-half-year layoff before his next fight in April 2024. He came into this fight off a similar, 68-second finish of Orion Kenny in November 2024.

    Ellison falls to 5-2 and sees a three-fight win streak snapped.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Carlos Ulberg Starches Dominick Reyes

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Carlos Ulberg Starches Dominick Reyes

    UFC Fight Night: Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes (aka UFC Perth) took place on Saturday, September 27, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    After a weekend off following the third annual Noche UFC event, the UFC returns to Australia, touching down in the city of Perth for the fourth time — and the first time a UFC Fight Night card is being held at the RAC Arena.

    In the main event, Carlos Ulberg made his case for the next light heavyweight title shot after putting away former title challenger Dominick Reyes. After a slow start to the round, Ulberg landed a strong one-two that knocked Reyes out cold and proclaimed he’d be in the crowd at next week’s UFC 320 with an up-close seat to watch Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2.

    The co-main event saw Jimmy Crute pull off a first-round submission of Ivan Erslan. After weathering some early power shots thrown by Erslan, Crute managed to get a hold of Erslan and brought the fight to the ground, locking up a tight choke to score the submission win.

    The main card also featured Jack Jenkins scoring a decision over Ramon Taveras, a controversial win by Neil Magny over Jake Matthews, and Tom Nolan pulling off a comeback, first-round submission of Charlie Campbell.

    If you missed any of the action, check here for all the results and highlights from the action in Perth!

    UFC Fight Night: Ulberg vs. Reyes Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Dominick Reyes via KO (R1, 4:27)
    • Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute def. Ivan Erslan via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1, 3:19)
    • Featherweight: Jack Jenkins def. Ramon Taveras via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Welterweight: Neil Magny def. Jake Matthews via submission (D’Arce choke) (R3, 3:08)
    • Lightweight: Tom Nolan def. Charlie Campbell via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1, 4:08)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling def. Rodolfo Bellato via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Middleweight: Cam Rowston def. Andre Petroski via TKO (R1, 2:41)
    • Lightweight: Jamie Mullarkey def. Rolando Bedoya via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse def. Josias Musasa via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Michelle Montague def. Luana Carolina via unanimous decision (29-26, 30-25, 30-26)
    • Heavyweight: Brando Pericic def. Elisha Ellison via KO (R1, 1:55)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Alexia Thainara def. Loma Lookboonmee via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Loma Lookboonmee vs. Alexia Thainara

    Brando Pericic vs. Elisha Ellison

    Michelle Montague vs. Luana Carolina

    Colby Thicknesse vs. Josias Musasa

    Jamie Mullarkey vs. Rolando Bedoya

    Cam Rowston vs. Andre Petroski

    Navajo Stirling vs. Rodolfo Bellato

    Tom Nolan vs. Charlie Campbell

    Jake Matthews vs. Neil Magny

    Jack Jenkins vs. Ramon Taveras

    Jimmy Crute vs. Ivan Erslan

    Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes

  • VIDEO: Debuting Professional MMA Fighter Taps Out Immediately As Fight Starts

    VIDEO: Debuting Professional MMA Fighter Taps Out Immediately As Fight Starts

    We’ve seen some great debuts and letdowns of debuts in this sport, but one fighter making his professional MMA debut did something that has probably never been seen before.

    Marcin Szoltysik made his professional MMA debut at Babilon MMA 54, held in Grudziądz, Poland, on September 27. His opponent was 3-2 fighter Jacek Kujtkowski.

    But when the referee called for the fight to start, Szoltysik immediately crouched to the mat and tapped out.

    Marcin Szoltysik Taps Out 1 Second Into Professional MMA Debut

    Kujtkowski turned away, but the referee attempted to get the two to engage in the action. But after Szoltysik did the tap out motion again, the referee was forced to stop the bout.

    No reason has been given as to why Szoltysik surrendered the fight immediately as it started.

    If the result stands, Kujtkowski will improve to 4-2 as a pro. He came into the bout off a loss to Michal Piwowarski in July, which snapped a three-fight win streak.

    It will also, obviously, go down as one of the shortest MMA bouts ever at one second in length.

  • VIDEO: Roy Jones Jr. Gifted Gold Medal He Lost In Controversial Decision At Seoul Olympics

    VIDEO: Roy Jones Jr. Gifted Gold Medal He Lost In Controversial Decision At Seoul Olympics

    One of the most controversial moments in Olympic boxing history — let alone at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea — was the controversial decision in the light middleweight final that saw Park Si-hun defeat Roy Jones Jr. via judges’ decision. The result proved to be one of the biggest black eyes in the Olympic sport, and allegations of corruption have seemed to be given evidential proof in the years since.

    Now, while the result of Jones Jr.’s loss can never be overturned, Si-hun made sure a right was wronged when he made a surprise visit to Jones Jr.’s farm in Pensacola, Florida in May 2023.

    It was there where he gave a gift to Jones — the gold medal that he beat Jones for in those Olympic games 37 years ago.

    Jones posted video of the exchange to his YouTube channel earlier this month.

    Park Si-hun Gifted 1988 Olympics Gold Medal To Roy Jones Jr. In May 2023

    Though Jones, who was only 19 at the time, completely out-struck Si-hun 86-32 during the contest, Si-hun was awarded the win and gold medal 3-2 on the judges’ scorecards. The decision led to changes in the Olympic boxing scoring structure, and judges who scored against Jones faced disciplinary action, including suspensions and/or bans.

    Si-hun never fought again after the 1988 Olympics, unable to deal with the aftermath of his controversial victory.

    Jones Jr., meanwhile, went on to become one of the greatest professional boxers in history, winning championships at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight. This included a run as the undisputed light heavyweight champion between 1999 and 2002.

    Jones last fought in April 2023, which was his first fight in five years at the time, dropping a majority decision to Anthony Pettis.

  • 2025 PFL MENA 3 Results & Highlights

    2025 PFL MENA 3 Results & Highlights

    The PFL MENA season continues on Saturday, September 27, and we have all the results and highlights from the action here at MMA News!

    PFL MENA was set up last year as part of the promotion’s expansion efforts, and alongside the already-established PFL Europe and soon-to-debut PFL Africa and PFL Pacific, PFL MENA has ventured on into its second season.

    The card takes place at The Arena Riyadh Venue for Exhibitions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will feature the semifinals in all four weight classes PFL MENA has tournaments in — welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight.

    The main event will feature a semifinal in the welterweight tournament, as Mohammad Alaqraa takes on Ayman Galal. Alaqraa, the runner-up of last year’s welterweight tournament, reached tonight’s semifinal with a decision win over Omar Hussein in July. Galal, meanwhile, originally lost his first-round matchup with Mohamed Zarey, but the result was overturned to a no-contest after a failed drug test, resulting in Galal advancing.

    The co-main event will see Mohsen Mohammadseifi facing Mohammad Fahmi in a lightweight semifinal bout. Mohammadseifi, last year’s lightweight tournament champion, began his quest for a second straight title with a decision win over Ahmed El Sisy in May. Fahmi pulled off a stunning first-round submission of Georges Eid on that same card.

    The event will be broadcast on DAZN in most countries, as well as on the PFL App in the U.S. If you can’t watch any of the action, MMA News has you covered with the full results and all the highlights below.

    2025 PFL MENA 3 Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Welterweight: Mohammad Alaqraa def. Ayman Galal via TKO (injury) (R1, 0:21)
    • Lightweight: Mohammad Fahmi def. Mohsen Mohammadseifi via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1, 4:25)
    • Flyweight Showcase: Malik Basahel def. Ahmed Mostafa via submission (rear-naked choke) (R2, 1:54)
    • Bantamweight: Islam Youssef def. Xavier Alaoui via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: Salah Eddine Hamli def. Souhil Tairi via submission (arm-triangle choke) (R3, 1:30)
    • Featherweight: Islam Reda def. Taha Bendaoud via unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 30-27)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Catchweight (160 lbs) Amateur Bout: Hassan Ahmed Moustafa def. Abdulaziz bin Moammar via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
    • Bantamweight: Nawras Abzakh def. Moktar Benkaci via unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 30-26)
    • Welterweight: Badreddine Diani def. Amir Fazli via split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)
    • Featherweight: Yanis Ghemmouri def. Izzeddine Al Derbani via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Yanis Ghemmouri vs. Izzeddine Al Derbani

    Badreddine Diani vs. Amir Fazli

    Moktar Benkaci vs. Nawras Abzakh

    Abdulaziz bin Moammar vs. Hassan Ahmed Moustafa

    Islam Reda vs. Taha Bendaoud

    Salah Eddine Hamli vs. Souhil Tairi

    Xavier Alaoui vs. Islam Youssef

    Malik Basahel vs. Ahmed Mostafa

    Mohsen Mohammadseifi vs. Mohammad Fahmi

    https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1972025392384168114

    Mohammad Alaqraa vs. Ayman Galal

  • UFC Perth Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Ulberg vs. Reyes And More

    UFC Perth Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Ulberg vs. Reyes And More

    UFC Perth is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.

    The card takes place from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on Saturday, September 27. The main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/7PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 7PM ET/4PM PT.

    The main event will see a light heavyweight battle between Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes.

    Light heavyweights are also featured in the co-main event as Jimmy Crute takes on Ivan Erslan.

    The UFC Perth main card will also feature Jack Jenkins face Ramon Taveras, Jake Matthews squaring off with Neil Magny, and Tom Nolan going toe-to-toe with Charlie Campbell.

    UFC Perth: Ulberg vs. Reyes Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Perth as of September 26 at 9pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg (-238) vs Dominick Reyes (+195)
    • Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (-225) vs Ivan Erslan (+185)
    • Featherweight: Jack Jenkins (-290) vs Ramon Taveras (+235)
    • Welterweight: Jake Matthews (-380) vs Neil Magny (+300)
    • Lightweight: Tom Nolan (-148) vs Charlie Campbell (+124)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling (-258) vs Rodolfo Bellato (+210)
    • Middleweight: Cameron Rowston (+150) vs Andre Petroski (-180)
    • Lightweight: Jamie Mullarkey (-122) vs Rolando Bedoya (+102)
    • Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse (+130) vs Josias Musasa (-155)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Michelle Montague (-230) vs Luana Carolina (+190)
    • Heavyweight: Brando Pericic (-225) vs Elisha Ellison (+185)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Loma Lookboonmee (+195) vs Alexia Thainara (-238)
  • Watch Carlos Ulberg, Dominick Reyes Face Off At UFC Perth Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    Watch Carlos Ulberg, Dominick Reyes Face Off At UFC Perth Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    We’re a little less than 24 hours away from UFC Perth, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!

    UFC Perth takes place on September 27 from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

    The main event will see a light heavyweight battle featuring Carlos Ulberg and former title challenger Dominick Reyes. Ulberg is 12-1 as a pro and has won every fight since losing in his UFC debut back in 2021. Ulberg’s most recent win saw him take a decision over former champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC London in March. Reyes, meanwhile, has won three straight, most recently knocking out Nikita Krylov at UFC 314 in April.

    The co-main event will also feature light heavyweight action, as Jimmy Crute takes on Ivan Erslan. Crute scored his first UFC win since 2020 in his last outing, submitting Marcin Prachnio. Erslan is still looking for his first UFC win after suffering losses to Ion Cutelaba and Navajo Stirling.

    The UFC Perth main card will also feature Jack Jenkins face Ramon Taveras, Jake Matthews squaring off with Neil Magny, and Tom Nolan going toe-to-toe with Charlie Campbell.

    Illness saw Justin Tafa’s scheduled outing with Louie Sutherland scrapped during the UFC Perth weigh-ins. All other fights remain on, even as Ramon Taveras missed weight for his scheduled bout with Jack Jenkins.

    The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!

  • Illness Makes UFC Perth Lose Yet Another Fight 24 Hours Before Fight Time

    Illness Makes UFC Perth Lose Yet Another Fight 24 Hours Before Fight Time

    After already losing two of its scheduled bouts during fight week, including its originally scheduled co-main event, UFC Perth has been hit with another blow to its main card.

    Australian native Justin Tafa was one of two fighters who had not weighed in for UFC Perth as the minutes were ticking down. But it was at the weigh-in deadline of 8pm ET that the UFC announced Tafa had withdrawn from his scheduled fight with Louie Sutherland.

    An illness for Tafa was the cited reason for the bouts cancelation.

    Justin Tafa vs. Louie Sutherland Scrapped From UFC Perth Due To Illness

    The number of fighters at UFC Perth is now down to 12.

    Tafa’s brother, Junior Tafa, was originally scheduled to compete in the UFC Perth co-main event against Ibo Aslan. An injury, however, took Junior Tafa out of the fight, with Jimmy Crute vs. Ivan Erslan bumped up to the new co-main slot.

    Oban Elliott was forced to withdraw from the card yesterday, also due to illness, with his planned bout against Jonathan Micallef being canceled.

    UFC Perth, which takes place at the RAC Arena and has been also plagued with poor ticket sales, will be headlined by Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes.

  • UFC Perth: Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes Weigh-In Results

    UFC Perth: Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes — UFC Perth — takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.

    This is the fourth time that the UFC has invaded Perth, Australia, but this will be the first time that the card is not a pay-per-view event. The RAC Arena has previously played host to UFC 221 in February 2018, UFC 284 in February 2023, and UFC 305 in August 2024. That most recent event saw Dricus Du Plessis retain the UFC middleweight championship with a fourth-round submission of Israel Adesanya in the main event.

    The main event of UFC Perth will see Carlos Ulberg face off with former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes.

    Ulberg is 12-1 in professional MMA and has won all eight fights he’s had since dropping his UFC debut. Ulberg already bested a former light heavyweight champion earlier this year, defeating Jan Blachowicz at UFC London in March.

    After a year-and-a-half break following a four-fight losing skid, Reyes enters tomorrow night’s main event on a three-fight win streak. He most recently fought at UFC 314 in April, knocking out Nikita Krylov.

    After the originally planned co-main event fell out earlier this week, the new co-feature will see Jimmy Crute take on Ivan Erslan in more 205-pound action. Crute scored his first victory since 2020 his last time out, submitting Marcin Prachino at UFC 318 in July. Erslan is still looking for his first UFC win after decision losses to Ion Cutelaba and Navajo Stirling.

    The rest of the UFC Perth main card will see Jack Jenkins face Ramon Taveras, Jake Matthews squaring off with Neil Magny, Justin Tafa taking on Louie Sutherland, and Tom Nolan going toe-to-toe with Charlie Campbell.

    UFC Fight Night: Ulberg vs. Reyes Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Ulberg vs. Reyes takes place on Saturday, September 26, at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT.

    See below for the official results of the official UFC Perth weigh-ins.

    Main Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg (205) vs Dominick Reyes (206)
    • Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (205) vs Ivan Erslan (206)
    • Featherweight: Jack Jenkins (146) vs Ramon Taveras (147*)
    • Welterweight: Jake Matthews (170) vs Neil Magny (170)
    • Heavyweight: Justin Tafa () vs Louie Sutherland (259) – BOUT CANCELED DUE TO TAFA ILLNESS
    • Lightweight: Tom Nolan (155) vs Charlie Campbell (155.5)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling (205.5) vs Rodolfo Bellato (205)
    • Middleweight: Cameron Rowston (184.5) vs Andre Petroski (185.5)
    • Lightweight: Jamie Mullarkey (156) vs Rolando Bedoya (156)
    • Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse (135.5) vs Josias Musasa (135.5)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Michelle Montague (134.5) vs Luana Carolina (136)
    • Heavyweight: Brando Pericic (261) vs Elisha Ellison (236.5)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Loma Lookboonmee (115.5) vs Alexia Thainara (115.5)

    *Tavares misses non-title featherweight limit by 1 pound

  • 2025 PFL Europe 3 Semifinals Results & Highlights: Amin Ayoub Finishes With Strikes After Wild War With Keweny Lopes

    2025 PFL Europe 3 Semifinals Results & Highlights: Amin Ayoub Finishes With Strikes After Wild War With Keweny Lopes

    The third PFL Europe event of the 2025 season took place on Saturday, September 26, with the PFL landing in Nantes, France, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    PFL Europe was the initial expansion effort of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), an effort that has since grown out to MENA in 2024. PFL Africa started up earlier this year, and PFL Pacific will be on the way.

    After the first leg of the third PFL Europe season started up in Belfast in May, and continued through Brussels in July, today’s action hosted the lightweight and bantamweight semifinals, as participants competed to see who will fight at the PFL Europe Championships — scheduled for December 13 in Lyon, France.

    The main event saw a lightweight showcase battle that featured Amin Ayoub pulling off the win over Keweny Lopez. The fight opened with a fast-paced opening round that saw Ayoub rock Lopes on a couple of occasions, threatening a guillotine more than once. Lopes, however, looked for a pair of leg locks of his own, landing heavy shots and scrambling nonstop just as much as Ayoub did.

    Ayoub started to take over in the second round, however, as he worked the body and reversed positioning following a takedown by Lopes. Ayoub controlled the ground striking in the second round and was relentless with pressure in the third, forcing the referee to step in for a third-round TKO victory.

    The event was broadcasted on DAZN in most countries, as well as on the PFL App in the U.S. If you missed any of the action, MMA News has you covered below with the full results and all the highlights below.

    2025 PFL Europe 3 Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Lightweight Showcase: Amin Ayoub def. Keweny Lopez via TKO (R3, 3:19)
    • Light Heavyweight Showcase: Boris Atangana def. Jhony Gregory via TKO (R1, 2:17)
    • Bantamweight Semifinal: Baris Adiguziel def. Julien Lopez via TKO (R1, 0:36)
    • Lightweight Semifinal: Connor Hughes def. Gino Van Steenis via KO (R1, 2:56)
    • Bantamweight Semifinal: Dean Garnett def. Jan Cieplowski via submission (guillotine choke) (R3, 0:38)
    • Lightweight Semifinal: Alex Chizov def. Claudio Pacella via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Lightweight Showcase: Darragh Kelly def. Bakhtiyor Abduloev via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1, 2:27)
    • Middleweight Showcase: Vincent Del Guerra def. Sofiane Aissaoui via TKO (R3, 0:24)
    • Lightweight Alternate Bout: Mark Ewen def. Sebastien Di Franco via submission (D’Arce choke) (R1, 3:18)
    • Women’s Strawweight Showcase: Maria Guedez Jr. def. Kiya O’Sullivan via split decision (30-26, 28-29, 29-28)

    Maria Guedez Jr. vs. Kiya O’Sullivan

    Sebastien Di Franco vs. Mark Ewen

    Vincent Del Guerra vs. Sofiane Aissaoui

    Darragh Kelly vs. Bakhtiyor Abduloev

    Claudio Pacella vs. Alex Chizov

    Dean Garnett vs. Jan Cieplowski

    Connor Hughes vs. Gino Van Steenis

    Baris Adiguziel vs. Julien Lopez

    Boris Atangana vs. Jhony Gregory

    Amin Ayoub vs. Keweny Lopez

  • UFC Perth Loses Another Fight As Oban Elliott Pulls Out Due To Illness

    UFC Perth Loses Another Fight As Oban Elliott Pulls Out Due To Illness

    After already losing its originally scheduled co-main event bout earlier this week, UFC Perth has taken another hit to its card.

    A scheduled preliminary card bout featuring Oban Elliott and Jonathan Micallef is now off mere hours before weigh-ins, per a report from MMAJunkie’s Nolan King.

    According to King, the bout was scrapped after Elliott came down with an illness.

    Oban Elliott vs. Jonathan Micallef Scrapped From UFC Perth

    The UFC has confirmed the news of both this bout’s cancelation, as well as that of the originally planned co-headliner featuring Junior Tafa and Ibo Aslan. Tafa withdrew earlier this week due to injury.

    No replacement opponent will be found for Micallef; meanwhile, Jimmy Crute vs. Ivan Erslan has been promoted to the new co-main event slot.

    Elliott, who won a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, went 3-0 in the Octagon in 2024 before a loss to Seok Hyeon Ko at UFC Baku in June.

    Micallef, who won a UFC contract on DWCS last year, made his UFC debut at UFC 312 in February, scoring a decision win over Kevin Jousset.

  • “Think It’s The Right Call To Move On From MMA” – Kiefer Crosbie Requests Release From UFC

    “Think It’s The Right Call To Move On From MMA” – Kiefer Crosbie Requests Release From UFC

    UFC welterweight Kiefer Crosbie appears to be interested in other combat sports ventures outside the world of MMA, and he has requested his release from the promotion.

    A recent post on Instagram from Crosbie pictured a pair of UFC gloves, with Crosbie thanking the UFC in the caption. This led to the belief from many that Crosbie was hanging up the gloves and retiring from the sport of MMA.

    In a new Instagram post, however, Crosbie provided an update of clarification. Crosbie confirmed that he has no interest in competing in MMA anymore; however, he still wishes to be a professional fighter, competing in other disciplines of martial arts.

    In order to fulfill these desires, however, Crosbie is requesting that the UFC let him go from his contract.

    Kiefer Crosbie Desires UFC Release To Pursue Other Combat Sports Avenues

    “I’ve been doing this sport a long time,” Crosbie said in the Instagram video. “My body is absolutely rallied and broke up my life, my money, my mental and physical health on the line for so long. And to be honest with you, it’s not worth it continuing on the MMA journey. That being said, that doesn’t mean I’m retired. I absolutely would love to fight again, multiple times, and explore different avenues.

    “Now, funny enough, the UFC haven’t actually cut me or released me. I don’t know what the gameplan is there. Maybe that want to honor me another fight because I was f***** over so bad the last time. But, to be completely honest with you, I would like to ask for a release. I have no desire to step foot in the Octagon and have another MMA fight…”

    Crosbie’s last fight at UFC Shanghai came under controversy. Opponent Taiyilake Nueraji hit Crosbie with an illegal knee but was allowed to continue. He was quickly finished seconds later.

    Crosbie then alleged that he was not checked on by any doctor and given any concussion test or brain scan. He alleges he was “just stitched up and f**ked in a taxi and good luck.”

    Crosbie, an SBG Ireland product, went 10-6 in professional MMA, including an 0-3 UFC record and a 4-3 Bellator record.

  • $100 Million And 100 “Golden Visas” – Conor McGregor Laying Out Demand To Fight At UFC White House?

    $100 Million And 100 “Golden Visas” – Conor McGregor Laying Out Demand To Fight At UFC White House?

    Conor McGregor is seemingly in preparations to compete at the UFC White House card next summer, but did he just post a demand he needs to see for that to be met?

    It appeared that McGregor would never compete in the Octagon ever again given the amount of money and brand he’s made over the years. But since U.S. President Donald Trump and the UFC first started teasing the idea of a UFC card on the White House lawn — in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the United States — there arguably has been no fighter who has done more advocating to compete on the card than McGregor.

    In a post on social media, however, McGregor appeared to state that he was looking for a $100 million payday to compete on the special UFC card in Washington D.C. He would also be looking for 100 “Golden Visas” in the U.S. for his family and friends.

    “I look very forward to entertaining the fighting world once again,” McGregor added in his social media post. “A pleasure I never take for granted!”

    Conor McGregor Wants $100 Million And 100 Golden Visas To Compete At UFC White House?

    The “Golden Visa” McGregor may be referring to is a newly announced “Gold Card” plan by U.S. President Trump that would see residency and citizenship given to those who gift $1 million ($2 million for corporations) to the U.S. government’s Department of Commerce.

    This would mark a departure from the country’s EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which saw foreign investors qualify to become lawful U.S. residents by making “the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States” and planning “to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.”

    McGregor teased a bid for the Ireland presidency earlier this year before withdrawing. McGregor is no strange to controversy over his UFC career; however, he’s come under fire in particular over the last year, thanks to being found civilly liable of the rape of Nikita Hand in a hotel room in December 2018.

    McGregor has not competed in the Octagon since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. He was scheduled to face Michael Chandler, his opposing coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, at UFC 303 last year before pulling out of the fight less than one month prior to the card.

    McGregor recently teased on Fox and Friends, however, that a fight with Chandler would be the headline fight for UFC White House.

  • UFC Perth Reportedly Facing Poor Ticket Sales Days Before Event

    UFC Perth Reportedly Facing Poor Ticket Sales Days Before Event

    While the Australian fanbase has been one of the strongest and most vocal in terms of internal UFC audiences and attendees, UFC Perth is struggling to get fans in the door.

    A recent broadcast report from 7 News Australia stated that the venue of this weekend’s card, RAC Arena, in Perth, is only at about half capacity — a poor number in comparisons to sellouts in previous UFC events across the country over the recent years.

    “The WA [Western Australian] government’s financial investment in cage fighting is in question tonight with poor ticket sales to a UFC event this weekend,” 7 News Australia’s Rick Ardon said. “UFC Fight Night is being staged at RAC Arena, but the venue is only about half full, and tickets are now being discounted.”

    RAC Arena Showing Poor Sales For UFC Perth

    The last UFC event to take place in Australia was UFC 312 in February, held at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. A sold-out crowd of 18,537 saw Dricus Du Plessis score a decision win over Sean Strickland to retain the UFC middleweight title. The last event held in Perth prior to this weekend’s card was UFC 305 in August 2024, which saw Du Plessis retain via submission over Israel Adesanya.

    The sales for this coming weekend’s card, however, have been, in the words of reporter Geoff Parry, “disappointing, not the sellout of previous years.”

    Andy Hickey confirmed the news on social media, calling UFC Perth, “easily the worst selling event at this point post-COVID” and noting that ticket prices have dropped to $167 AUS.

    Yahoo Sports points to a number of factors for the poor sales, including the number of notable names on this weekend’s card being lackluster, as well as injury forcing native Junior Tafa out of the originally scheduled co-main event against Ibo Aslan.

    Yahoo also notes, however, that the UFC will profit from the event off site fees alone, which may mean the UFC won’t be too bothered by poor ticket sales for this outing.

    The UFC signed a deal with the Western Australian tourism board earlier this year to bring a number of events to Perth in the coming years.

  • “Let’s See If You’ve Got The Balls…” – Oleksandr Usyk Teases Stepping Into Cage With Jake Paul

    “Let’s See If You’ve Got The Balls…” – Oleksandr Usyk Teases Stepping Into Cage With Jake Paul

    Jake Paul has made his call-outs of Oleksandr Usyk, and even at one point had a face-off with him. But it appears Usyk has tried to one up Paul with a challenge that involves the two of them venturing into a different combat world.

    Paul made a post on social media detailing a five-year plan that he had for himself which included, among other things, defeating Usyk.

    The undisputed heavyweight champion would respond by welcoming a challenge from Paul; however, he proposed a different kind of fight. Usyk brought up the idea of potentially facing Paul in an MMA bout following the end of his boxing career.

    “Good plan, Jake Paul. But I’m not here for fifth place — only first,” Usyk posted. “Soon, I’ll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype.”

    Could Oleksandr Usyk Face Jake Paul In An MMA Fight Instead Of Boxing?

    Paul signed a deal with the PFL in January 2023 but has yet to make a debut in the sport of MMA.

    Paul most recently fought in June, scoring a one-sided victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. It was recently announced that Paul will face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis in an exhibition match on November 14.

    The undefeated Usyk most recently fought in July, stopping Daniel Dubois to regain the IBF heavyweight championship and become undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time in his career, becoming the first multiple-time undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

    Following the fight, Usyk had a stare-down with Paul in the ring, which earned plenty of negative attention from the combat community.

  • PFL CEO John Martin Says He Plans To Discuss Future With Francis Ngannou

    PFL CEO John Martin Says He Plans To Discuss Future With Francis Ngannou

    PFL CEO John Martin is hoping to gain clarity into what the future is for the promotion and Francis Ngannou, who has not fought since the PFL Battle of the Giants event in October 2024.

    A recent press release from Martin addressed the PFL’s championship picture, in which he stated he will be looking to simplify the PFL’s championships to demonstrate one true champion at the top of each weight class in the PFL.

    Part of that press release stated that the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title Ngannou won last year was a “special, one-time designation” and that “going forward, those belts may be used only for occasional special events.”

    Martin, who took over as the new CEO of PFL this past July, added that “importantly, I will be engaging directly with Francis to determine what’s next for him in the PFL.”

    John Martin To “Engage Directly” With Francis Ngannou Over Future

    After his UFC departure at the start of 2023, Ngannou and the PFL agreed to a contract in May, with Ngannou competing in the pay-per-view Super Fights division and receiving perks such as becoming the owner and chairman of the PFL Africa promotion and being a member of the PFL’s global advisory board.

    Ngannou’s fight with Ferreira, however, has been the only fight he’s had in the PFL thus far. Ngannou, meanwhile, competed twice in boxing, nearly upsetting then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in October 2023 before getting knocked out by Anthony Joshua in March 2024.

    The relationship with the PFL and Ngannou, however, has seemed to hit a bit of a rocky road. PFL Chairman Donn Davis expressed disappointment in Ngannou for not attending either of the first two PFL Africa events this summer. Ngannou would respond on The Ariel Helwani Show in August, expressing disappointment in how the PFL Africa brand has been built in comparison to the vision he had for it. Ngannou specifically noted not as much of a focus on African fighters as he preferred.

  • PFL CEO Vows A Simple System For Championships

    PFL CEO Vows A Simple System For Championships

    Since John Martin took the reigns of the PFL during the summer, many in the MMA community have wondered what changes could potentially come under the new CEO. And it appears that Martin’s first mission is to address the PFL’s championship situation.

    After a 2025 season that was filled with uncertainty over what would happen with Bellator champions, the re-branding of the regular season to the World Tournament and making championships for them and PFL world titles, Martin is looking to make things simple.

    “My goal is clear: one champion, one division, one world title, a system that is simple for athletes to chase and for PFL fans to follow,” Martin said in a press release.

    The PFL’s champions originally were determined annually through the regular season-and-playoffs format that was in effect from the inaugural 2018 season through 2024. The championship pictures, however, became more complicated over the past couple of years since the PFL’s purchase of Bellator in November 2023. Bellator champions defended their titles in Bellator Champions Series branded events, which became PFL Champions Series events following the full dissolution of the Bellator brand.

    PFL CEO John Martin Clarifies PFL Championship Picture

    Martin stated that the annual champions did create “some confusion about who truly sat atop of each division” and admitted the handling of Bellator’s brand and champions left “fans unclear on who was the definitive champion in each weight class.”

    “We are now simplifying our championship system,” Martin said. Going forward, each division will have one PFL World Champion, the single, undisputed titleholder in that weight class.”

    A PFL middleweight champion was crowned at PFL Cape Town in July, which saw Costello Van Steenis score a last-minute, come-from-behind submission of Johnny Eblen to win the title. The rematches between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Huges and Corey Anderson and Dovlet Yagshimuradov to be held next week at PFL Champions Series 3 will determine the PFL lightweight and light heavyweight champions, respectively.

    Martin additionally announced two world title fights to be held at the 2025 PFL Europe Championships in December — a PFL heavyweight title fight between former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov and 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira, and a women’s featherweight title fight that will see the legendary Cris Cyborg face Sara Collins.

    The PFL title picture may have more confusion thanks to the PFL Battle of the Giants event held in October 2024, which saw Francis Ngannou beat Ferreira for the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title and Cyborg defeat Larissa Pacheco for the PFL Super Fights women’s featherweight title.

    Martin, however, claimed these title were special one-off titles that could be used occasionally for special events. Martin further claimed he will speak with Ngannou about what is next for him and the PFL.

  • Gable Steveson To Headline Dirty Boxing Card On October 30

    Gable Steveson To Headline Dirty Boxing Card On October 30

    Following a successful MMA debut a couple of weeks ago, Gable Steveson has his next outing booked, and it will come in the world of boxing.

    Steveson will be featured in the main event of a card held by Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing on October 30, taking on Billy Swanson.

    The news was confirmed by both Dirty Boxing and Jon Jones.

    Gable Steveson To Make Boxing Debut In October

    This will be the first boxing match of Steveson’s career. He just made his professional MMA debut on September 12, scoring a finish of Braden Peterson in 98 seconds at LFA 217.

    Steveson is one of the more accomplished wrestlers in recent history. Steveson won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and was a multiple-time national champion, All-American, and conference champion while competing at the University of Minnesota.

    Steveson’s career was briefly halted by a 2019 sexual assault allegation, as well as stints with the WWE and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills between 2021 and 2024.

    Swanson is 4-3 as a professional MMA fighter. He had most recently fought at BKFC 79 in August, getting stopped by Bear Hill.

  • Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9, Episode 7 Highlights As 6 Awarded UFC Contracts

    Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9, Episode 7 Highlights As 6 Awarded UFC Contracts

    The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with a highlight, finished-filled night in Las Vegas.

    DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.

    Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode seven of season nine this week saw six prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.

    The night had a strong start, courtesy of Rafael Tobias scoring a win over Jair de Oliveira. Tobias landed a counter shot in the opening minute of the fight, appearing to hurt de Oliveira and forcing him to use the clinch to recover. Tobias did not let up on the pressure and power, however, cutting off the cage on a constant basis. Tobias was able to score a takedown after a body kick, and he locked in a rear-naked choke on de Oliveira, scoring a first-round submission and earning a UFC deal.

    Things only got better with Javier Torres pulling off a comeback finish of Justice Torres. Torres looked to bring pressure to Reyes early and get him toward the fence with his striking. But Reyes was able to find an opening and land a right hook to the body, starting up a sequence of power that overwhelmed Torres. The shots would bring Torres down to the mat covering up, giving Reyes the first-round finish and a UFC contract.

    In what will go down as one of the best fights DWCS has ever seen, Jeisla Chaves came out on top in a war with Sofia Montenegro. Chaves and Montenegro came out with striking exchanges right away, with both ladies sporting blood on the sides of their faces within the first minute. Montenegro’s straight shots were finding their mark, but Chaves’ combinations and hooks were also leaving an impact. After a violent first round that earned praises for both women, Montenegro’s striking dropped Chaves in the first minute of round two. Chaves was able to get to her feet and landed some strong shots in the round’s final minute, but most of the round saw her pinned to the ground and fence by Montenegro.

    The bloody war continued into a solid third round, with Chaves earning the split decision victory in a fight that could have fallen either way. It truly was one of the best fights of the DWCS season, and White displayed that by giving both women contracts. This makes both women’s fights this season the two fights so far to have both the winner and loser earn contracts.

    Finishes returned in the co-main event, as Murtazali Magomedov pulled off a victory over Brahyan Zurcher. As the two seemed to get their striking going in the opening frame, Magomedov landed a jab that appeared to stumble Zurcher, getting through his guard and wobbling him. Magomedov then pressed and scored the finish seconds later, earning a victory and a UFC contract in quick fashion.

    And one more strong performance came courtesy of the main event, as Mantas Kondratavicius put away Dani Barbir. Kondratavicius pressured right away, intending to get the fight to the ground quickly. He was able to do so, but Barbir scambled up and pressed himself. After a minute, Kondratavicius landed a one-two with a right hand that put Barbir’s lights out, giving him a UFC contract and capping off one of the best DWCS nights of the season.

    Rafael Tobias vs. Jair de Oliveira

    Javier Reyes vs. Justice Torres

    Sofia Montenegro vs. Jeisla Chaves

    Brahyan Zurcher vs. Murtazali Magomedov

    Dani Barbir vs. Mantas Kondratavicius