MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Jaqueline Amorim Locks Looma Lookboonmee In Nasty Armbar

    Jaqueline Amorim Locks Looma Lookboonmee In Nasty Armbar

    The China crowd saw action right out of the gate during the UFC Macau prelims, as Jaqueline Amorim scored a devastating submission win over Loma Lookboonmee.

    Amorim look to bring her grappling game right away, pressuring Lookboonmee to the fence before securing a takedown. Amorim got in top position and got to work, looking to score multiple submission attempts.

    After failing to secure a kimura, Amorim secured an armbar late in the first round. Lookboonmee looked to show toughness and defend the attempt, but she submitted as Amorim tightened the extension further.

    Jaqueline Amorim Lands Submission Of Loma Lookboonmee With Tight Armbar At UFC Macau

    Amorim has now won five of her last six fights, with all of her wins in MMA thus far coming via a finish. Amorim rebounds here after losing to Mizuki Inoue at UFC 321.

    This is Lookboonmee’s first time dropping consecutive fights in her MMA career. After previously going on a four-fight win streak, she entered this fight off a loss to Alexia Thainara in September.

  • UFC Macau Results: Yadong vs. Figueiredo Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC Macau Results: Yadong vs. Figueiredo Live Updates & Highlights

    MMA News updates UFC Macau results and highlights live as the action unfolds from the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China. The main event will feature a bantamweight bout between Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – Bantamweight Main Event

    Yadong enters this fight with three wins in his last five fights and a 7-3 record in his last 10. Yadong has lost two of his three most recent fights, but those losses came against current champion Petr Yan and former champion Sean O’Malley — the latter happening at UFC 324 in January.

    After a three-fight win streak to start his time at bantamweight, Figueiredo enters this fight with three losses in his last four. Figueiredo also fought at UFC 324, missing weight and dropping a decision to Umar Nurmagomedov.

    The UFC Macau co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang against Alonzo Menifield in a light heavyweight matchup.

    Mingyang has been making noise in the light heavyweight division since his UFC debut in early 2024. He, however, saw his 12-fight win streak snapped in his last bout, getting stopped by Johnny Walker in the main event of UFC Shanghai in August.

    After going unbeaten in 2022 and 2023, Menifield is 2-3 since, which includes knockout losses to Azamat Murzakanov and current champion Carlos Ulberg. Menifield comes into this bout off a loss to Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.

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

    How to Watch UFC Macau

    • Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
    • Venue: Galaxy Arena, Macau, China
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 4 AM ET / 1 AM PT
    • Main Card: 7 AM ET / 4 AM PT

    UFC Macau Quick Results

    • Main Event: Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo — Song Yadong def. Deiveson Figueiredo via submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 2, 4:42)
    • Co-Main Event: Zhang Mingyang vs. Alonzo Menifield — Alonzo Menifield def. Zhang Mingyang via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:15)
    • Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira — Sergei Pavlovich def. Tallison Teixeira via KO (Rd. 1, 0:39)
    • Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman — Kai Asakura def. Cameron Smotherman via KO (Rd. 1, 1:50)
    • Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris — Jake Matthews def. Carlston Harris via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-27 x2)
    • Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji — Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji ends in a no contest (accidental foul) (Rd. 2, 1:45)

    UFC Macau Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 4 AM ET)

    Women’s Strawweight: Loma Lookboonmee vs. Jaqueline Amorim

    Result: Jaqueline Amorim def. Loma Lookboonmee via submission (armbar) (Rd. 1, 4:04)

    Featherweight: Rodrigo Vera vs. Kangjie Zhu

    Result: Rodrigo Vera def. Kangjie Zhu via KO (Rd. 1, 1:50)

    Women’s Strawweight: Angela Hill vs. Jingnan Xiong

    Result: Angela Hill def. Jingnan Xiong via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Flyweight: Rei Tsuruya vs. Luis Gurule

    Result: Rei Tsuruya def. Luis Gurule via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 3:19)

    Bantamweight: Aoriqileng vs. Cody Haddon

    Result: Cody Haddon def. Aoriqileng via TKO (Rd. 2, 2:11)

    Welterweight: Meng Ding vs. Jose Henrique

    Result: Jose Henrique def. Meng Ding via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Middleweight: Luis Felipe Dias vs. Yi Sak Lee

    Result: Luis Felipe Dias def. Yi Sak Lee via TKO (Rd. 1, 3:40)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 7 AM ET)

    Flyweight: Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji

    Result: Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji ends in a no contest (accidental foul) (Rd. 2, 1:45)

    Welterweight: Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris

    Result: Jake Matthews def. Carlston Harris via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-27 x2)

    Bantamweight: Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman

    Result: Kai Asakura def. Cameron Smotherman via KO (Rd. 1, 1:50)

    Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira

    Result: Sergei Pavlovich def. Tallison Teixeira via KO (Rd. 1, 0:39)

    Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang vs. Alonzo Menifield

    Result: Alonzo Menifield def. Zhang Mingyang via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:15)

    Bantamweight: Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

    Result: Song Yadong def. Deiveson Figueiredo via submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 2, 4:42)

  • PFL MENA 9: Yahya vs. Saadi Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL MENA results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The main event will feature a featherweight bout between Mohammad Yahya and Mehdi Saadi. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Mohammad Yahya vs. Mehdi Saadi – Featherweight Main Event

    This marks the first PFL MENA event to be held outside Saudi Arabia. This card was originally planned to take place in Saudi Arabia on May 8; however, the event was relocated and rescheduled to today due to the ongoing tension and conflicts in the Middle East.

    This main event will serve as one of two featherweight quarterfinal bouts on this card.

    This is Yahya’s first fight in the PFL and first fight since parting ways with the UFC last year after an 0-3 stint. He was the lightweight champion in UAE Warriors and has also fought for Bellator and Desert Force.

    Saadi also makes his PFL debut today, competing for the first time since January 2024. The 6-2 fighter comes into this bout off a finish of Jalal Al Daaja in UAE Warriors.

    The co-main event will feature one of four lightweight tournament quarterfinal matchups tonight, as Salah Eddine Hamli takes on Ylies Djiroun.

    The undefeated Hamli is the defending PFL MENA lightweight champion. He claimed last year’s tournament title with submission victories over Abbas Khan, Souhil Tairi, and Mohammad Fahmi.

    Djiroun competed in the 2019 PFL season, as well as having fought for promotions like BRAVE CF and ARES FC. Djiroun has won six of his last seven bouts, most recently submitting Antonio Roberto in 45 seconds in January.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from PFL MENA 9!

    How to Watch PFL MENA 9

    • Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026
    • Venue: Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    • Streaming: YouTube
    • Prelims: 9 AM ET / 6 AM PT
    • Main Card: 11:30 AM ET / 8:30 AM PT

    PFL MENA 9 Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (YouTube, 9 AM ET)

    Amateur Featherweight: Butti Alameri vs. Hamada Mohamed Osman

    Result:Butti Alameei def. Hamada Mohamed Osman via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Welterweight: Ahmed Albrahim vs. Khaled Mahmoud

    Result: Ahmed Albarahim def. Khaled Mahmoud via TKO (Rd. 3, 2:47)

    Flyweight: Hamad Marhoon vs. Saher Qasmieh

    Result: Saher Qasmieh def. Hamad Marhoon via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

    Lightweight Quarterfinal: Ahmed El Sisy vs. Harda Karim

    Result: Ahmed El Sisy def. Harda Karim via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Lightweight Quarterfinal: Abdullah Saleem vs. Basel Shalaan

    Result: Basel Shalaan def. Abdullah Saleem via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x3)

    Main Card (YouTube, 11:30 AM ET)

    Amateur Women’s Strawweight: Zamzam Al Hammadi vs. Abeer Mansour

    Result: Zamzam Al Hammadi def. Abeer Mansour via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight Quarterfinal: Mohammad Fahmi vs. Assem Ghanem

    Result: BOUT CANCELED DUE TO GHANEM INJURY PRIOR TO FIGHT; FAHMI ADVANCES IN THE TOURNAMENT BY DEFAULT

    Featherweight Quarterfinal: Hamza Kooheji vs. Taha Bendaoud

    Result: Hamza Kooheji def. Taha Bendaoud via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight Quarterfinal: Salah Eddine Hamli vs. Ylies Djiroun

    Result: Ylies Djiroun def. Salah Eddine Hamli via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:20)

    Featherweight Quarterfinal: Mohammad Yahya vs. Mehdi Saadi

    Result: Mehdi Saadi def. Mohammad Yahya via split decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)

  • Patrick Habirora Puts Away Benson Henderson In Just 20 Seconds

    For Patrick Habirora, it was the statement win over an MMA legend that gave a notable name on his resume. For Benson Henderson, it was a disastrous return to MMA after his retirement three years earlier.

    Habirora defeated Henderson by knockout in just 20 seconds in the main event of PFL Brussels.

    Habirora started to get things going, feeling things out with Henderson while landing a big body kick.

    But Habirora brought things to an end quickly when he connected with a left hand that slumped Henderson face-first in the center of the cage.

    Patrick Habirora KOs Benson Henderson In Mere Seconds At PFL Brussels

    Habirora is now 9-0 as a pro, including a 4-0 PFL record. He came into this bout off first-round knockouts of Danny Roberts and Kevin Jousset in 2025.

    This marked Henderson’s first MMA fight since 2023. While the former UFC and WEC champion has fought in boxing, Karate Combat, and RAF since, Henderson last fought MMA at Bellator 292, retiring after unsuccessfully challenging Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator lightweight title.

  • Taylor Lapilus Gets One-Sided Decision Over Jake Hadley

    Taylor Lapilus continues to rack up victories on the world’s biggest MMA stages, as he scores a decision win over Jake Hadley in the PFL Brussels co-main event.

    Hadley’s key to success in this fight would have been to use his wrestling and score takedowns. Lapilus, however, was ready, consistently stuffing his opponent’s attempts.

    Lapilus followed that up by landing a number of combinations over the 15-minute contest, knocking Hadley down more than once. Hadley showed little in the way of offense as Lapilus continuously shut him down.

    Taylor Lapilus Defeats Jake Hadley In Uncompetitive Co-Main Event

    Lapilus went on to sweep the scorecards.

    Lapilus has now won six straight and is 4-0 in the PFL since jumping over from the UFC. He entered this fight off a finish of Kasum Kasumov in February.

    Hadley has now lost three of his last four and five of his last seven.

  • Boris Mbarga Atangana Scores 65-Second Win In Brussels

    In front of a native crowd in Belgium, Boris Mbarga Atangana delivered a highlight, starching Jared Gooden in just over a minute at PFL Brussels.

    Atangana had the upper hand from the start, using pressure and striking to keep Gooden on the back foot. Atangana then quickly stumbled Gooden with a high kick.

    Pressing Gooden against the fence, Atangana fired off combinations that started with a strong right hand. A couple of solid hooks — one from the left and three from the right — cracked Gooden, seemingly knocking him out on his feet, bringing a quick end to the fight.

    Boris Mbraga Atangana Stops Jared Gooden Quickly At PFL Brussels

    Atangana is now 9-0 in MMA, including a 4-0 PFL record. He came into this bout off a second-round submission of Guilherme Soares at PFL Lyon in December.

    Gooden, who was making his PFL debut tonight, has now lost three straight and four of his last five.

  • Donegi Abena Wins MMA Debut with Bizarre Retirement

    One of the more interesting bouts on the PFL Brussels card was the debut of Donegi Abena, as he took on the returning Joe Schilling. And that fight ended up producing one of the most bizarre finishes in PFL history.

    Abena ended up getting the win after committing a foul, with his opponent refusing to continue.

    The fight quickly went to the ground with Abena on top. While there, Abena headbutt Schilling, resulting in referee Mike Beltran calling a timeout and deducting a point from Abena.

    Schilling was furious with his opponent, walking around the cage and refusing to stay in his corner.

    Donegi Abena Gets Win After Joe Schilling Refuses To Continue After Foul

    When Beltran checked in on Schilling, Schilling told him, “I’m done,” prompting the fight to be waved off.

    Abena found success in the world of kickboxing, competing for GLORY Kickboxing from 2019 to 2024. Abena is a one-time former GLORY light heavyweight champion and a former GLORY Light Heavyweight Grand Prix winner.

    Schilling, also a kickboxer, was fighting for the first time since 2019. He was knocked out by Tony Johnson in his last fight at Bellator 229.

  • PFL Brussels Results: Habirora vs. Henderson Live Updates And Highlights

    PFL Brussels results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the ING Arena in Brussels, Belgium. The main event will feature a welterweight bout between Patrick Habirora and Benson Henderson. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Patrick Habirora vs. Benson Henderson – Welterweight Main Event

    Patrick Habirora is one of Europe’s hottest MMA prospects, let alone perhaps PFL’s. Habirora is 8-0 in professional MMA, including a 4-0 PFL record so far, with seven finishes to his name. He comes into this bout off back-to-back first-round finishes of Danny Roberts and Kevin Jousset.

    Henderson, the former UFC and WEC lightweight champion, comes out of retirement for his first professional MMA bout in three years. Henderson’s last MMA fight came at Bellator 292, when he unsuccessfully challenged Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator lightweight title during the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix.

    Henderson has since kept busy in other disciplines, defeating Chris Avila and losing to Idris Virgo in boxing, losing to Anthony Pettis in Karate Combat, and losing to Aljamain Sterling in RAF.

    The co-main event will be a bantamweight contest featuring Taylor Lapilus and Jake Hadley.

    Lapilus has won five straight and 11 of his last 12, which includes a 3-1 stint with the UFC. Lapilus is 3-0 since moving from the UFC to the PFL, most recently finishing Kasum Kasumov at PFL Lyon in December.

    Hadley, the former Cage Warriors champion, had his own stint in the UFC after winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. After going 3-4 with the UFC between 2022 and 2024, Hadley arrived at the PFL last year. He scored a Scottish twister submission of Matheus Mattos before losing to eventual Bantamweight World Tournament champion Marcirley Alves.

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

    How to Watch PFL Brussels

    • Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
    • Venue: ING Arena, Brussels, Belgium
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited (full card), ESPN2 (main card), ESPN+ (prelims)
    • Prelims: 12:30 PM ET / 9:30 AM PT
    • Main Card: 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT

    PFL Brussels Quick Results

    • Main Event: Patrick Habirora vs. Benson Henderson – Patrick Habirora def. Benson Henderson via KO (Rd. 1, 0:20)
    • Co-Main: Taylor Lapilus vs. Jake Hadley – Taylor Lapilus def. Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Boris Mbarga Atangana vs. Jared Gooden – Boris Mbarga Atangana def. Jared Gooden via TKO (Rd. 1, 1:05)
    • Marcirley Alves vs. Naoki Inoue – Naoki Inoue def. Marcirley Alves via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
    • Asael Adjoudj vs. Keisuke Sasu – Asael Adjoudj def. Keisuke Sasu via KO (Rd. 2, 2:22)

    PFL Brussels Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 12:30 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Rustam Serbiev vs Ashley Reece

    Result: Ashley Reece def. Rustam Serbiev via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Featherweight: Adam Meskini vs Keweny Lopes

    Result: Adam Meskini def. Keweny Lopes via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Welterweight: Khamzat Abaev vs Luca Poclit

    Result: Khamzat Abaev def. Luca Poclit via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:56)

    Bantamweight: Movsar Ibragimov vs Youssouf Binate

    Result: Movsar Ibragimov def. Youssouf Binate via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 3:28)

    Light Heavyweight: Joe Schilling vs. Donegi Abena

    Result: Donegi Abena def. Joe Schilling via TKO (retirement) (Rd. 1, 0:37)

    Bantamweight: Baris Adiguzel vs Gustavo Oliveira

    Result: Gustavo Oliveira def. Baris Adiguzel via submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 2, 1:10)

    Main Card (ESPN+, 3 PM ET)

    Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj vs Keisuke Sasu

    Result: Asael Adjoudj def. Keisuke Sasu via KO (Rd. 2, 2:22)

    Bantamweight: Marcirley Alves vs Naoki Inoue

    Result: Naoki Inoue def. Marcirley Alves via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Middleweight: Boris Mbarga Atangana vs Jared Gooden

    Result: Boris Mbarga Atangana def. Jared Gooden via TKO (Rd. 1, 1:05)

    Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus vs Jake Hadley

    Result: Taylor Lapilus def. Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Welterweight: Patrick Habirora vs. Benson Henderson

    Result: Patrick Habirora def. Benson Henderson via KO (Rd. 1, 0:20)

  • MVP MMA Salaries: Ronda Rousey Earns $2.2 Million For Submission

    Those joking that Ronda Rousey’s 17-second armbar of Gina Carano in the main event of MVP MMA 1 was her “easiest payday” may not be stretching the truth too much.

    Though it’s more of a rarity these days, the base fighter pay for the MVP MMA card is now known, thanks to the disclosure by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

    Rousey, one of the headliners for the inaugural MVP MMA event, was the biggest earner of the evening, taking home a $2.2 million purse.

    Rousey’s opponent, Carano, was the third-biggest earner, taking home a $1.05 million payday.

    Between the two was Francis Ngannou. The former UFC heavyweight champion took home $1.5 million for his first-round knockout of Phillipe Lins.

    It should be noted that the reported pay by the CSAC does not include any win bonuses, signing bonuses, incentive-based bonuses, or sponsorship revenue.

    The lowest base pay for the MVP card was $40,000. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian previously told Uncrowned that this would be the minimum fighter pay, nearly four times more than the UFC’s lowest show money pay for fighters.

    The full list of MVP MMA fighter disclosed pay by the CSAC can be found below:

    • Ronda Rousey: $2,200,000
    • Gina Carano: $1,050,000
    • Nate Diaz: $500,000
    • Mike Perry: $400,000
    • Francis Ngannou: $1,500,000
    • Philipe Lins: $100,000
    • Salahdine Parnasse: $70,000
    • Kenny Cross: $50,000
    • Junior dos Santos: $80,000
    • Robelis Despaigne: $50,000
    • Namo Fazil: $40,000
    • Jake Babian: $40,000
    • Adriano Moraes: $80,000
    • Phumi Nkuta: $60,000
    • Jason Jackson: $110,000
    • Jeff Creighton: $50,000
    • David Mgoyan: $50,000
    • Albert Morales: $40,000
    • Aline Pereira: $40,000
    • Jade Masson-Wong: $40,000
    • Chris Avila: $50,000
    • Brandon Jenkins: $40,000

  • Ronda Rousey Submits Gina Carano In Seconds With Armbar

    She hasn’t stepped in the cage in over 10 years, but Ronda Rousey looked like her old self, needing mere seconds to put away Gina Carano in the main event of MVP MMA.

    Rousey scored a takedown immediately. After a failed guillotine, Rousey went right into the armbar, scoring the submission in just 17 seconds.

    Ronda Rousey Quickly Submits Gina Carano In 17 Seconds At MVP MMA

    This was Rousey’s first MMA fight since her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. The former UFC and Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion has since had a pair of stints with the WWE, where she became a multiple-time women’s world champion.

    This was Carano’s first fight since losing to Cris Cyborg in 2009. Carano has since gone on to a career in film and television media.

  • ‘War’ – Mike Perry Puts Beating On Nate Diaz For Stoppage Win

    In a bloody striking-filled war, Mike Perry scored perhaps the biggest win of his combat career, stopping Nate Diaz in two rounds in the MVP MMA co-main event.

    Perry came out aggressively from the opening seconds, looking to bring forward pressure and aggression with inside strikes, namely elbows. Diaz looked for an early leg lock attempt, but back on the feet, Perry had his way, working Diaz over with body strikes and quickly wearing him down.

    Diaz landed strong shots of his own, working the jab and busting Perry up as well. But Perry’s onslaught on the feet was too much, as he continued to land combinations and make the blood pour from Diaz.

    Perry landed a strong knee before the end of the round. While Diaz survived to the end of round two, the corner ended the fight due to all the blood pouring out of Diaz, giving Perry the victory.

    Mike Perry Bloodies, Finishes Nate Diaz At MVP MMA

    This was Diaz’s first MMA bout since submitting Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Since then, he competed in two boxing bouts, losing to Jake Paul and defeating Jorge Masvidal.

    Perry has built a name for himself in the BKFC, becoming their current King of Violence. This was Perry’s first professional MMA bout since losing to Daniel Rodriguez in April 2021.

  • Arnold Allen Outworks Melquizael Costa In UFC Vegas 117 Headliner

    Needing a win to keep himself in the upper echelon of featherweight contenders, Arnold Allen delivered in style, nearly sweeping the scorecards in a win over Melquizael Costa in the UFC Vegas 117 main event.

    Costa found success early with kicks to the body and scoring control on the ground. Allen, however, responded with his takedowns and boxing, landing strong combinations.

    Allen’s boxing became key, working Costa over with the jab while putting together strong combinations and limiting Costa’s offense. Costa worked the body and looked for submission attempts on the ground, but they were no match for the pressure and defense of Allen, limiting Costa’s attack.

    Allen’s positional pressure continued in the championship rounds, going on to take all three scorecards.

    Arnold Allen Scores Decision Over Melquizael Costa At UFC Vegas 117

    Allen started his MMA career 19-1. He entered this fight, however, having dropped three of his last four. He most recently dropped a decision to Jean Silva at UFC 325.

    Costa sees a six-fight win streak snapped. He entered this bout off a finish of Dan Ige at UFC Houston in February.

  • Jon Jones Says He’s Focused On Trying To Get UFC Release

    Jon Jones Says He’s Focused On Trying To Get UFC Release

    Jon Jones was present for the MVP MMA card and said he’d need to get out of his UFC contract to face Francis Ngannou.

    Jones was a guest at the analysts’ desk, present to react to Ngannou’s performance against Phillips Lins. Ngannou ended up finishing Lins in just under five minutes.

    Following the fight, Ariel Helwani asked Ngannou about potential next fights. Jake Paul was brought up as a possible opponent, as was Jones, but all parties seemed to recognize the difficulty of such a fight happening while Jones is locked under a UFC contract.

    Jon Jones Looking To Get Out Of UFC Contract For Francis Ngannou Matchup

    Jones was then asked to follow up on his thoughts, and he appeared to hint that he might be looking to get out of his contract.

    “I’ve got to try to focus on getting out of my UFC contract,” Jones said. “That’s going to be the difficult part if this fight [with Francis Ngannou] is going to happen. I don’t think [UFC CEO and President] Dana [White] is interested in doing business with Francis, so doing it with MVP would probably be the only way to make it happen, and if we can get out of my contract that would be great.”

    Jones has not fought since defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Jones and Tom Aspinall’s negotiations for a heavyweight title fight ended with Jones’ retirement. That retirement only lasted two weeks, when Jones requested to be put on the UFC White House card.

    When Jones was not placed on the card, he asked for his release.

    Jones and Ngannou have had previous negotiations with the UFC for a fight, but the fight fell through more than once before Ngannou left the UFC in 2023.

    The win over Lins was Ngannou’s first fight since his sole PFL bout — a first-round knockout of Renan Ferreira in October 2024.

  • ‘Still the Scariest’ – Francis Ngannou Puts Out Phillipe Lins

    Francis Ngannou still has the power, delivering a vintage knockout during the MVP MMA card, needing just one round to defeat Phillipe Lins.

    Ngannou stalked Lins right away, countering a Lins takedown attempt with a guillotine choke. Ngannou got Lins to his back, thanks to his power, as Lins tried to limit Ngannou by locking up his guard.

    Ngannou made Lins eat right hands as the fight got back to the feet. Ngannou connected on solid body shots to do more damage.

    Then, Ngannou landed one right hand to put Lins out cold and end things in a flash.

    Francis Ngannou KOs Phillipe Lins At MVP MMA

    This was Ngannou’s first professional MMA fight since defeating Renan Ferreira in October 2024. That was the sole PFL fight for the former UFC heavyweight champion, who parted ways with that promotion in 2023.

    This was Lins’ first fight since defeating Ion Cutelaba at UFC 299. Lins, the former PFL heavyweight champion, was on a four-fight win streak.

  • UFC Confirms Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2, UFC 329 Card

    UFC Confirms Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2, UFC 329 Card

    Those predicting a Conor McGregor announcement to counter the MVP MMA 1 card were proven correct.

    Before the UFC Vegas 117 main event, just as Francis Ngannou vs. Phillipe Lins was getting underway, the UFC dropped a promo confirming the second encounter between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.

    The fight will headline UFC 329, which will take place on July 11 in Las Vegas, serving as the card for this year’s UFC International Fight Week. The bout, as reported by the New York Post, will take place at welterweight.

    This will be McGregor’s first fight in five years, having not fought since losing his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

    Holloway last fought in March, dropping the BMF title to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326.

    UFC 329 Revealed, Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 To Headline

    In addition to the main event, the broadcast also revealed the rest of the UFC 329 card.

    The co-main event will be a key lightweight matchup as Benoit Saint-Denis battles Paddy Pimblett. BSD comes into this bout on a four-fight win streak, most recently finishing Dan Hooker at UFC 325. Pimblett will enter this fight off his loss to Justin Gaethje in the interim lightweight title main event at UFC 324.

    UFC 329 will also feature the UFC debut of former Olympic gold medalist and multiple-time NCAA wrestling champion Gable Stevenson, as he takes on Elisha Ellison.

    The rest of the UFC 329 main card will feature Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista and Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanaugh.

    The prelims will be headlined by former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker taking on Nikita Krylov.

  • Doo-ho Choi Scores Brutal Finish in War With Daniel Santos

    The winning ways for the “Korean Superboy” continue, perhaps with the most brutal finish from Doo-ho Choi possible, as he put away Daniel Santos in the UFC Vegas 117 co-main event.

    The two fought a wild first round, as Santos looked to bring heat with brutal striking as the two got into exchanges. Choi worked the jab and weathered the storm, taking over as Santos’ pressure slowed entering round two.

    Choi worked Santos over with pressure and combinations in that second round. He then ended things with some brutal body shots that folded Santos.

    Doo-ho Choi Batters Daniel Santos At UFC Vegas 117

    Choi has now won three straight, 3-0-1 in his last four. This was Choi’s first fight since his finish of Nate Landwehr at UFC 310.

    This snaps a four-fight win streak for Santos, who had won every fight since dropping his UFC debut. Santos entered this fight off a win over Joo-sang Yoo at UFC 320.

  • Salahdine Parnasse Puts On Show In US Debut At MVP MMA

    Competing in the United States for the first time, Salahdine Parnasse made a statement for the argument that he’s one of the best non-UFC names, scoring a first-round finish of Kenneth Cross at MVP MMA.

    Parnasse troubled Cross early by dumping him to the ground and landing ground-and-pound in the first few seconds. The two battled for grappling control, jockeying for position as they battled around the cage.

    But then Parnasse landed a pair of punches that appeared to do damage to Cross. Cross looked to fire back and get back in the fight, but Parnasse brought him to the ground and overwhelmed him with strikes while looking for the choke. Cross survived and got back to the feet, but a body shot folded him to give Parnasse the first-round finish.

    Salahdine Parnasse Puts A Hurting On Kenneth Cross At MVP MMA

    Parnasse, the former KSW featherweight and lightweight champion, came into this bout with a 22-2 record. Parnasse’s most recent fight came in January, finishing Marcin Held.

    Cross sees a four-fight win streak snapped in this fight. He entered this bout off a win over Tsogookhuu Amarsanaa in October.

  • ‘Eviscerated’ – Robelis Despaigne Brutalizes Junior Dos Santos

    ‘Eviscerated’ – Robelis Despaigne Brutalizes Junior Dos Santos

    Robelis Despaigne scored yet another first-round finish, getting perhaps the biggest win of his career with a first-round finish of Junior dos Santos at MVP MMA.

    Despaigne came out aggressive, taking the center and connecting strong and early. Dos Santos, however, got his own shots in, dropping him briefly with a leg kick and trying to pressure Despaigne.

    A three-punch combination landed perfectly, however, and it was enough to bloody and knock out the former UFC heavyweight champion.

    Robelis Despaigne KOs Junior Dos Santos At MVP MMA

    Despaigne now improves to 6-2 in professional MMA, with six finishes. This was Despaigne’s first MMA fight since losing to Austen Lane in 2024. Despaigne knocked out Sam Alvey in December to become Karate Combat heavyweight champion.

    JDS competed in his first MMA fight tonight since his loss to Yorgan De Castro in Eagle FC in 2022. He competed in a pair of bare-knuckle MMA fights since, defeating Fabricio Werdum and Alan Belcher.

  • Namo Fazil Gets Submission Win, Calls Out Arman Tsarukyan

    Namo Fazil Gets Submission Win, Calls Out Arman Tsarukyan

    Namo Fazil won a wild battle in the MVP MMA featured prelim against Jake Babian — then had quite the wild post-fight show.

    Fazil and Babian had a wild opening round filled with striking sequences, both landing big on one another as momentum swung back and forth. Babian found moments of success on the ground, but Fazil answered with heavy combinations and pressure.

    Fazil then put things away in round two by landing powerful punches on Babian against the fence before locking up an anaconda choke.

    Namo Fazil Has Post-Fight Confrontation With Arman Tsarukyan At MVP MMA

    Fazil then had a noteworthy post-fight interview, calling out co-main event competitors Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, as well as Arman Tsarukyan.

    Following the fight, Tsarukyan appeared to try and jump the fence to get after Fazil.

    Fazil continues the win streak he’s been on since 2023.

  • Khaos Williams Wins Power Punching Battle At UFC Vegas 117

    Khaos Williams Wins Power Punching Battle At UFC Vegas 117

    Khaos Williams is now back in the win column with a needed victory to kick off the UFC Vegas 117 main card, defeating Nikolay Veretennikov.

    Veretennikov tried to be the one to get off to an aggressive start, showing his punching power early. Williams, however, weathered the storm and brought it right back, landing the power that’s brought him attention.

    A series of right hands stumbled Veretennikov, giving Williams the first-round finish.

    Khaos Williams Brings Power In KO Of Nikolay Veretennikov At UFC Vegas 117

    Williams entered this fight 2-3 in his last five, coming in off a loss to Andreas Gustafsson at UFC 316.

    Veretennikov entered this fight off a win over Niko Price in February.

  • Adriano Moraes Earns Last-Second Submission At MVP MMA

    Adriano Moraes Earns Last-Second Submission At MVP MMA

    Appearing to be just seconds away from losing in upset fashion, Adriano Moraes pulled off a sudden finish, getting to the back of Phumi Nkuta and scoring a legitimate last-second submission victory.

    Nkuta brought it to Moraes early, working over the former ONE flyweight champion with boxing combinations and pressure. Nkuta dropped Moraes late in the first round, nearly scoring a submission. Moraes’ grappling pressure then started to take over, securing strong positioning in the backpack position and on the ground.

    Nkuta continued to get the upper hand in the third round; however, a late knee attempt from Moraes got Nkuta off balance, resulting in Moraes jumping on the back and locking up the choke.

    The time expired; however, Nkuta did not move for several seconds, resulting in a technical submission being called — and upheld by the California State Athletic Commission.

    Adriano Moraes Scores Final-Second Technical Submission Of Phumi Nkuta At MVP MMA

    Multiple MMA media members, however, took issue with the fact that Moraes still held onto the choke when the bell sounded.

    Moraes, the former ONE flyweight champion, entered this fight with three losses in his last four fights. He was finished in the first round by Yuya Wakamatsu in their March 2025 ONE flyweight title fight.

    Nkuta, who took this fight on short notice to fill in for Muhammad Mokaev, entered this fight 11-0.

  • Jason Jackson Obliterates Jeff Creighton In 22 Seconds At MVP MMA

    Jason Jackson Obliterates Jeff Creighton In 22 Seconds At MVP MMA

    In his first fight away from Bellator and the PFL, Jason Jackson delivered and showed his striking still has style, quickly putting away Jeff Creighton during the MVP MMA prelims.

    Creighton looked to get things started and bring the pressure. Creighton, however, missed a couple of low kicks. And following a combination, he paid the price.

    Jackson landed a right hand, followed by a left hand that dropped Creighton out cold in highlight style.

    Jason Jackson Puts Jeff Creighton Out Cold At MVP MMA

    Jackson scored the last-ever victory in Bellator as an independent promotion, defeating Yaroslav Amosov for the Bellator welterweight championship. After losing that title to Ramazan Kuramagomedov, Jackson competed in the 2025 PFL Welterweight World Tournamnet, defeating Andrey Koreskov and losing to Thad Jean.

    Creighton, who took the fight on short notice to replace Muhammad Mokaev, was a participant on season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter. Creighton then fought fellow TUF contestant Diego Bianchini in November, scoring a decision win.

  • Alice Ardelean Performs First Capsule Lock At UFC Vegas 117

    Alice Ardelean Performs First Capsule Lock At UFC Vegas 117

    Alice Ardelean has pulled off a submission unlike anyone has ever seen in the Octagon, using a capsule lock to put away Polyana Viana during the UFC Vegas 117 prelims.

    The two battled for control with their striking pressure, with Ardelean taking control thanks to sharp combinations. Ardelean dropped Viana in the first round before scoring a takedown in the second.

    While on the ground, Ardelean uniquely secured Viana’s leg, twisting it, making Viana scream a verbal submission in what goes down as the first capsule lock submission victory in the UFC’s 30+-year history.

    Alice Ardelean Makes History In Submission Win Over Polyana Viana

    Ardelean has now won three straight. She came into this bout off a decision win over Montserrat Conejo Ruiz at UFC Vegas 110 in November.

    Viana has now lost four straight and five of her last six.

  • MVP MMA Results: Rousey vs. Carano Live Updates & Highlights

    MVP MMA Results: Rousey vs. Carano Live Updates & Highlights

    MVP MMA results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The main event will feature a women’s featherweight bout between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano – Women’s Featherweight Main Event

    This will be Rousey’s first professional MMA fight since losing to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. After winning a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics, Rousey elevated herself and women’s MMA with her finishes in the cage, going on to become Strikeforce and (the inaugural) UFC women’s bantamweight champion. This marks Rousey’s first fight at women’s featherweight since the very early portion of her career.

    This marks Carano’s first MMA fight since losing to Cris Cyborg in 2009, the sole loss in Carano’s MMA career. Carano, a women’s MMA pioneer, won seven straight fights before that defeat.

    The co-main event will see Nate Diaz take on Mike Perry. This marks Diaz’s first professional MMA fight since defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Diaz has since fought twice in boxing. Perry, now a standout fighter in BKFC, will be competing in a professional MMA bout for the first time since parting with the UFC in 2021.

    Francis Ngannou also makes his MMA return at this event, taking on Phillipe Lins. Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, fought just one time for the PFL, defeating Renan Ferreira. Lins, who won the 2018 PFL heavyweight title, went 4-2 in the UFC. Lins last fought in professional MMA at UFC 299, defeating Ion Cutelaba.

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

    How to Watch MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano

    • Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
    • Venue: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
    • Streaming: Netflix (Main Card), YouTube (Prelims)
    • Prelims: 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano Quick Results

    • Main Event: Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano — Ronda Rousey def. Gina Carano via submission (armbar) (Rd. 1, 0:17)
    • Co-Main Event: Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry — Mike Perry def. Nate Diaz via TKO (stoppage) (Rd. 2, 5:00)
    • Francis Ngannou vs. Phillipe Lins — Francis Ngannou def. Phillipe Lins via KO (Rd. 1, 4:31)
    • Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenneth Cross — Salahdine Parnasse def. Kenneth Cross via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:18)
    • Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne — Robelis Despaigne def. Junior dos Santos via KO (Rd. 1, 2:59)

    MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (YouTube, 6 PM ET)

    Catchweight (165 lbs): Chris Avila vs. Brandon Jenkins

    Result: Brandon Jenkins def. Chris Avila via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Catchweight (130 lbs): Aline Pereira vs. Jade Masson-Wong

    Result: Aline Pereira def. Jade Masson-Wong via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30)

    Featherweight: David Mgoyan vs. Albert Morales

    Result: David Mgoyan def. Albert Morales via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)

    Welterweight: Jason Jackson vs. Jeff Creighton

    Result: Jason Jackson def. Jeff Creighton via KO (Rd. 1, 0:22)

    Catchweight (130 lbs): Adriano Moraes vs. Phumi Nkuta

    Result: Adriano Moraes def. Phumi Nkuta via technical submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 3, 4:59)

    Welterweight: Namo Fazil vs. Jake Babian

    Result: Namo Fazil def. Jake Babian via submission (anaconda choke) (Rd. 2, 0:58)

    Main Card (Netflix, 9 PM ET)

    Heavyweight: Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne

    Result: Robelis Despaigne def. Junior dos Santos via KO (Rd. 1, 2:59)

    Lightweight: Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenneth Cross

    Result: Salahdine Parnasse def. Kenneth Cross via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:18)

    Heavyweight: Francis Ngannou vs. Phillipe Lins

    Result: Francis Ngannou def. Phillipe Lins via KO (Rd. 1, 4:31)

    Welterweight: Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry

    Result: Mike Perry def. Nate Diaz via TKO (stoppage) (Rd. 2, 5:00)

    Women’s Featherweight: Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano

    Result: Ronda Rousey def. Gina Carano via submission (armbar) (Rd. 1, 0:17)

  • UFC Vegas 117 Results: Allen vs. Costa Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC Vegas 117 Results: Allen vs. Costa Live Updates & Highlights

    MMA News updates UFC Vegas 117 results and highlights live as the action unfolds from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event will feature a featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa – Featherweight Main Event

    Allen started his professional MMA career 19-1, quickly rising in the UFC’s featherweight ranks. Allen, however, is just 1-3 in the four fights he’s had since 2023. Allen returned to the Octagon for the first time in over a year this past January at UFC 325, losing to Jean Silva.

    Costa made his UFC debut in 2023, losing two of his first three fights. Since then, however, Costa has built his name, entering tonight on a six-fight win streak. Costa most recently fought at UFC Houston in February, finishing Dan Ige.

    The UFC Vegas 117 co-main event will also be fought at featherweight, as Doo-ho Choi takes on Daniel Santos.

    Choi is 2-0-1 in his last three; however, this will mark his first fight since UFC 310 in December 2024, where he finished Nate Landwehr. After dropping his UFC debut, meanwhile, Santos enters this fight on a four-fight win streak. Santos most recently fought at UFC 320, finishing Joo-sang Yoo.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC Vegas 117!

    How to Watch UFC Vegas 117

    • Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
    • Venue: Meta Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT
    • Main Card: 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT

    UFC Vegas 117 Quick Results

    • Main Event: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa — Arnold Allen def. Melquizael Costa via unanimous decision (50-45 x2, 49-46)
    • Co-Main Event: Doo-ho Choi vs. Daniel Santos — Doo-ho Choi def. Daniel Santos via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:29)
    • Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Juan Diaz — Juan Diaz def. Malcolm Wellmaker via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 4:08)
    • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Christian Edwards — Modestas Bukauskas def. Christian Edwards via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
    • Timmy Cuamba vs. Bernardo Sopaj — Bernardo Sopaj def. Timmy Cuamba via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 2:25)
    • Nikolay Veretennikov vs. Khaos Williams — Khaos Williams def. Nikolay Veretennikov via TKO (Rd. 1, 3:31)

    UFC Vegas 117 Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon vs. Nicolle Caliari

    Result: Nicolle Caliari def. Shauna Bannon via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 3, 3:08)

    Flyweight: Daniel Barez vs. Luis Gurule

    Result: Luis Gurule def. Daniel Barez via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Women’s Strawweight: Alice Ardelean vs. Polyana Viana

    Result: Alice Ardelean def. Polyana Viana via submission (capsule lock) (Rd. 2, 4:36)

    Middleweight: Cody Brundage vs. Andre Petroski

    Result: Cody Brundage def. Andre Petroski via TKO (Rd. 2, 0:44)

    Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti

    Result: Ketlen Vieira def. Jacqueline Cavalcanti via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight: Thomas Gantt vs. Artur Minev

    Result: Thomas Gantt def. Artur Minev via TKO (Rd. 2, 2:51)

    Light Heavyweight: Tuco Tokkos vs. Ivan Erslan

    Result: Ivan Erslan def. Tuco Tokkos via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 8 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Nikolay Veretennikov vs. Khaos Williams

    Result: Khaos Williams def. Nikolay Veretennikov via TKO (Rd. 1, 3:31)

    Bantamweight: Timmy Cuamba vs. Bernardo Sopaj

    Result: Bernardo Sopaj def. Timmy Cuamba via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 2:25)

    Catchweight (215 lbs): Modestas Bukauskas vs. Christian Edwards

    Result: Modestas Bukauskas def. Christian Edwards via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Bantamweight: Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Juan Diaz

    Result: Juan Diaz def. Malcolm Wellmaker via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 4:08)

    Featherweight: Doo-ho Choi vs. Daniel Santos

    Result: Doo-ho Choi def. Daniel Santos via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:29)

    Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa

    Result: Arnold Allen def. Melquizael Costa via unanimous decision (50-45 x2, 49-46)