MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • The Netflix Era Begins: Will MVP MMA Be The New Threat To UFC?

    The Netflix Era Begins: Will MVP MMA Be The New Threat To UFC?

    Saturday, May 16, marks an important day in the world of MMA, as Most Valuable Promotions holds its highly anticipated inaugural MMA event.

    The Jake Paul-led promotion, after putting on various boxing cards over the years, now looks to start a run in promoting MMA. It looks to be the latest alternative product to the UFC, starting things off with a bang by featuring a mix of star names and up-and-comers.

    The main event will feature the returns of two women’s MMA legends — Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The bout is scheduled to be a five-round women’s featherweight contest.

    This will be Rousey’s first fight since her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. The former UFC and Strikeforce champion has since had a pair of stints with the WWE, earning women’s championships.

    Carano, meanwhile, has not fought since her loss to Cris Cyborg in Strikeforce in 2009. After MMA, Carano made a career for himself in film and television.

    The co-main event will be a five-round welterweight bout featuring Nate Diaz taking on Mike Perry.

    Diaz has not fought in MMA since his win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in September 2022. Diaz has since fought in a pair of boxing matches, losing to Jake Paul and defeating Jorge Masvidal. Perry has not fought in professional MMA since parting with the UFC in 2021, but he’s made a name for himself in BKFC.

    Francis Ngannou also makes his return on this card, taking on Phillipe Lins. This is the former UFC heavyweight champion’s first MMA bout since defeating Renan Ferreira in his lone PFL bout in October 2024. Lins won the PFL heavyweight title in its inaugural 2018 season. He then went to the UFC, losing his first two bouts before winning four straight, before parting ways with the promotion. Lins has not fought since his UFC 299 win over Ion Cutelaba.

    Ahead of the MVP MMA card, MMANews’ Thomas Albano and Pranav Pandey shared their thoughts on the event.

    What do you think this Saturday’s MVP MMA event needs to do to be considered a success?

    Thomas Albano: When I heard Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano was going to happen under the MVP banner on Netflix, my head was scratching. Then they added Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou to the card, and I wondered if this was going to be a one-and-done gimmick show. Then the other names came in, and I’ve seen the pre-event hype behind this card. And I can honestly say I’m super pumped to tune in to MVP’s first MMA card on May 16.

    I think for this card to be a true success, MVP has to remember the mission of being an alternative product. Is there going to be Netflix crossover? Of course. That happens with a lot of Netflix products and broadcasts. Does having two people who haven’t fought in MMA in 10+ years each sound concerning? It can be.

    But ultimately, it just comes down to the fights delivering. Strong performances and fun fights up and down the card, even if not every fight is a home run, and highlight finishes will gain more traction. The better this card does, the stronger of a start for MVP MMA. And that can mean upward trajectory for future events.

    Pranav Prandy:  I think MVP has been pretty smart in how they’ve built this card. Stacking the main card with recognizable names who’ve already made a mark in the UFC almost guarantees attention. There’s a built-in audience there, and with the event streaming on Netflix, the reach alone could push it into “success” territory purely on numbers.

    That said, I’m not entirely convinced the fight week buzz will match that scale. The pre-fight press conference turnout might not be anything special, which could hint at a softer on-ground presence. But in today’s landscape, that doesn’t necessarily matter as much as digital traction, and I do expect this event to pull solid viewership on Saturday night.

    As for what MVP needs to do to be considered a success, in my opinion, most of the heavy lifting is already done. The promotion has been adequate, the names are there, and the platform is massive. Now it really comes down to delivering entertaining fights. If the action lives up to expectations, this event won’t just be a success, it might even force the UFC to pay attention a little more closely.

    Do you think Rousey vs. Carano will be a hit or a flop?

    Thomas Albano: If we were living in the early 2010s right now, this would be an all-time barnburner for women’s MMA. Carano is a pioneer of this sport for its female athletes. Rousey, meanwhile, built a legacy for herself with each fight, and she is one fighter who helped bring the UFC more and more mainstream in the previously mentioned decade.

    But time has not done this matchup any favors. It’s unique, it’s nostalgic, but that’s all. It’s been a decade since Amanda Nunes obliterated Rousey. It’s been longer since Carano ran into Cris Cyborg. The two have name value and star power, especially Rousey, but we shouldn’t expect a war in the cage.

    This fight, along with the other names of this card, will certainly bring eyeballs to the point where the event is a hit. The competitiveness and quality of the fight, however? Probably a different story.

    Pranav Prandy: I’m not entirely sure this is the fight fans were really asking for, especially when you consider the combined hiatus of both fighters, which is well over two decades. Personally, I’m not that excited for it from a competitive standpoint.

    Rousey’s name still carries serious weight, no doubt about that. In fact, this fight could serve as a reality check to see whether she still commands the same level of star power she had during her UFC run. With Carano, I think her presence adds more to the overall spectacle and glamour of the event, which isn’t a bad thing, but it does shift the focus slightly away from pure competition.

    When it comes to the actual fight, I don’t expect a high-level MMA showcase. The ring rust is likely to be quite evident on both sides. If they end up delivering an entertaining scrap, then full credit to them, but I’m not counting on it.

    So in terms of name value and mainstream attention, I think it will be a hit. But if we’re judging it strictly as a competitive MMA contest, I don’t see it being particularly engaging.

    What is the fight you are most looking forward to?

    Thomas Albano: I don’t want to discredit the rest of the MVP MMA card. I, for one, actually am looking forward to a Francis Ngannou return. And I want to see the prospective talents that MVP MMA has signed, because the promotion needs talent of the future to be the kind of alternative product it wants to be.

    But, come on, there’s only one choice for the people’s main event: Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry.

    Of the three major fights on this main card, which have taken a lot of the hype, this is the one I’m most uncertain about. Diaz is always fun to watch, and he’s not going to be afraid to go to war against “Platinum” Perry.

    He and Perry will probably have some of those fun exchanges; however, Perry’s aggressiveness and his striking, which he’s developed with the BKFC, might cause a problem and risk opening up a cut on Diaz. Diaz is definitely the better grappler, and getting Perry to the ground should be a mission for him.

    However long it lasts, I hope this ends up being the best fight of the night.

    Pranav Prandy: For me, it has to be Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry. Both guys are pure entertainment and have built their reputations on bringing chaos every time they step in to compete. It’s always a pleasure watching Diaz fight. There’s a certain unpredictability and toughness he brings that never really fades. On the other side, Perry is coming in with serious momentum, especially off his success in BKFC, and that makes this matchup even more intriguing.

    I do think Perry is going to pose some real problems with his aggression and current form. But at the same time, Diaz is not someone who goes away quietly. He thrives in those gritty, drawn-out battles. This one just feels like it has all the ingredients to steal the show.

    What name outside of the big 3 fights should people look out for?

    Thomas Albano: The obvious answer is going to be Salahdine Parnasse, given how he’s on the main card and how he fared for himself in KSW, becoming a two-division champion.

    Parnasse has the opportunity to be that kind of future talent MVP needs beyond established names. He’s 28 years old and comes into this bout with a 22-2 record, one of the top names outside the UFC. He’s been a featherweight and lightweight champion in KSW, and he once challenged for the welterweight title.

    For variety’s sake, I’ll also throw in Jason Jackson and Aline Pereira. If you never watched Bellator or PFL, or The Ultimate Fighter season 21, you’ll enjoy Jackson’s abilities in the cage. You know you have a solid card when a former Bellator champion is on the prelims. Pereira, meanwhile, is the sister of Alex Pereira. If she can deliver a knockout, she’ll definitely have some eyes on her in MVP.

    Pranav Prandy: One name I’m definitely keeping an eye on is Salahdine Parnasse. He’s already built a serious reputation in KSW as a two-division champion, and this feels like a big moment for him to introduce himself to a wider audience.

    What makes his story even more interesting is that the UFC has been interested in him for quite some time, but he’s turned those opportunities down, largely due to financial reasons. That’s not something you see often, and it says a lot about the position he’s built for himself in the European scene.

    He’s already a proven draw over there, but this card gives him a real chance to break into the U.S. market in a meaningful way. If he can deliver a standout performance against Kenny Cross, it could shift the conversation around him entirely.

    Does the UFC attempt to steal momentum with a Conor McGregor announcement on Saturday night?

    Thomas Albano: I’d be more surprised if there wasn’t an announcement. Ariel Helwani mentioned last week that he expected an announcement at UFC 328, but that event came and went with just an update from Dana White that things were looking good for McGregor’s return.

    But here’s the thing: If you really think about it, it makes more sense strategically for the UFC to do something like that this week. It’s a way for them to try to drag attention away from MVP. And this theory might have some legs now that the New York Post has reported on details being finalized for McGregor vs. Holloway.

    When McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fell through a couple of years ago, did you think it was just coincidental that the UFC’s confirmation — and announcement of UFC 303’s replacement main event — came on a Thursday night during a PFL card?

    I fully expect an announcement of McGregor’s UFC return on May 16, especially with the UFC’s International Fight Week two months away. Will the fight actually happen? Who knows. But if things are just about ready, I totally see this happening.

    That said, I don’t think it does too much damage to the traction MVP would get anyway.

    Pranav Prandy: There’s definitely some noise around a potential Conor McGregor return, possibly at UFC 329 in July, and even Ariel Helwani has hinted that an announcement could come as soon as this weekend.

    If that happens, it would clearly be a calculated move by Dana White and the UFC to grab headlines and shift some of the spotlight away from the MVP MMA card. Given the ongoing friction between White and Jake Paul, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if they chose this moment to make a statement.

    From a strategic standpoint, it makes perfect sense. If you have your biggest star ready to be announced, this is exactly the kind of moment you use to remind everyone who still dominates the space.

    That said, I don’t think it would drastically impact either promotion in the long run. Both sides are likely to generate their own traction regardless. An announcement might steal a few headlines for a day, but it won’t really take anything away from MVP, and it certainly won’t hurt the UFC either.

    Will MVP MMA be a one-and-done? Or will there be more?

    Thomas Albano: I know Jake Paul is not the most popular person in the combat sports space. I know that to this day, there are people who hate him because he doesn’t fall into the tradition of boxing. I know that his personality can be one that turns people off.

    But here’s the thing: If you’re someone who wants to see an alternate product, you have to root for MVP and hope it succeeds. More promotions mean more choice for fans and fighters. Disrupting the UFC’s tight grasp on the combat sports world is a lot easier said than done. However, if that were to happen, it’d have quite the effect on the MMA economy.

    With MVP’s commitment to try and do such a thing, it seems clear there will be more events beyond this first one. Two things are going to be needed, however. Firstly, while they loaded this card with names, they still need to save star power to headline future cards. That’s going to be needed while they build their own stars.

    That’s the second thing — they need their own homegrown talents that people will tune in to MVP for, regardless of where they’re on the card and who is headlining. Homegrown talents will help to further a strong identity for MVP MMA, and it will do more for showing fighters they have a choice in where they want to take their career and make money.

    Pranav Prandy: This is the one I’m least certain about. It’s clear that MVP, along with Jake Paul, is aiming to disrupt the UFC’s long-standing grip on the global MMA market. With Netflix backing them, the potential reach is massive, which suggests they’re at least thinking beyond just a single event.

    But sustaining that kind of momentum is a different challenge altogether. To keep this going, they’ll need to consistently bring in big names who can headline and draw attention. That’s not easy in a space where the UFC still holds most of the elite roster.

    In a perfect world, something like Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou would be the kind of blockbuster fight that changes everything. Realistically, though, that feels a bit out of reach for now.

    I think it ultimately comes down to how this weekend performs. The response they get, both in terms of viewership and overall buzz, will play a huge role in deciding whether this becomes a long-term venture or just a one-off experiment.

  • UFC Finalizing Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway At UFC 329

    UFC Finalizing Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway At UFC 329

    After a saga for years that saw one fight fall through and reported contract disputes, the long hiatus of Conor McGregor may finally be coming to an end.

    Per a report from the New York Post, the UFC is close to finalizing a deal that will see McGregor return to the Octagon against Max Holloway.

    The UFC has not yet announced the bout. Rumors and speculation, however, plan for an announcement during tomorrow night’s UFC Vegas 117 broadcast — potentially as a way to draw attention away from the MVP MMA event.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White claimed during the UFC 328 post-fight press conference that he was more confident than ever that McGregor’s return announcement would be coming sooner rather than later.

    The bout, as previous rumors and reports have speculated, is expected to serve as the main event of UFC 329 on July 11, during the UFC’s International Fight Week.

    Of particular note, the bout is expected to be fought at welterweight. McGregor has fought once at 170 pounds, which occurred in his sub-minute finish of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in January 2020. Holloway, meanwhile, has never fought at 170 in the Octagon.

    The two first fought in August 2013, with McGregor winning by decision.

    This July marks five years since McGregor last fought in the UFC. That came at UFC 264 in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier, losing due to injury after one round.

    McGregor has since gone through various ventures, including taking part-ownership in BKFC and a failed bid at the Irish presidency. McGregor has also faced several sexual misconduct allegations, with an Irish jury finding him liable for the December 2018 rape of Nikita Hand.

    This will be Holloway’s first fight since losing the BMF title to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 this past March.

  • MVP MMA Odds, Picks & Best Bets: Predictions for Every Fight on the Card

    MVP MMA Odds, Picks & Best Bets: Predictions for Every Fight on the Card

    The first MVP MMA card comes this weekend, and the inaugural MMA outing from Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions brings the returns of two women’s MMA legends.

    In the main event of MVP MMA, Ronda Rousey takes on Gina Carano in a women’s featherweight matchup.

    After winning a judo bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics, Rousey made her pro MMA debut in 2011, quickly going on to win the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight championship. She became the UFC’s inaugural champion in the weight class and competed in the UFC’s first women’s MMA bout, going on to have a legendary title reign until Holly Holm ended it at UFC 193.

    Rousey hasn’t fought since her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. She has since had two stints with the WWE, going on to become a multiple-time women’s world champion in professional wrestling.

    Carano made her professional MMA debut in 2006, winning seven straight fights while competing for promotions like Strikeforce and EliteXC. Carano has not fought since her sole pro loss, losing the inaugural Strikeforce women’s featherweight title fight in 2009 against Cris Cyborg. Carano has since gone on to have a career in film and television.

    The co-main event will feature another legendary MMA name, Nate Diaz, taking on Mike Perry.

    This will be Diaz’s first professional MMA fight since defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Diaz has since fought twice in boxing, losing to Jake Paul and defeating former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal.

    This will be Perry’s first MMA fight in five years, having not competed in the discipline since his April 2021 loss to Daniel Rodriguez. He’s since made a name for himself with BKFC, becoming their King of Violence and scoring wins over the likes of Michael “Venom” Page, Eddie Alvarez, and Jeremy Stephens.

    Also featured will be the return of Francis Ngannou, as he takes on Phillipe Lins. After departing the UFC as heavyweight champion, Ngannou fought just once with the PFL, defeating Renan Ferreira in October 2024. Lins, who won the inaugural PFL heavyweight season in 2018, hasn’t fought since defeating Ion Cutelaba at UFC 299. He departed the UFC on a four-fight win streak, going 4-2 in the promotion.

    The main card will also feature Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenneth Cross and Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne.

    MVP MMA Betting Odds

    Here are the latest betting odds for MVP MMA, as of 1 am ET on May 14, courtesy of DraftKings:

    NOTE: As of the time of writing, many prop bets for prelim bouts are not available

    Preliminary Card (YouTube, 6 pm ET)

    Catchweight (165 lbs): Chris Avila (+250) vs. Brandon Jenkins (-310)

    Catchweight (130 lbs): Aline Pereira (-425) vs. Jade Masson-Wong (+330)

    Featherweight: David Mgoyan (-535) vs. Albert Morales (+400)

    Welterweight: Jason Jackson (N/A) vs. Jefferson Creighton (N/A)

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

    Welterweight: Namo Fazil (-345) vs. Jake Bobian (+275)

    Main Card (Netflix, 9 PM ET)

    Heavyweight: Junior dos Santos (+300) vs. Robelis Despaigne (-380)

    Lightweight: Salahdine Parnasse (-1100) vs. Kenneth Cross (+700)

    Heavyweight: Francis Ngannou (-1450) vs. Philipe Lins (+850)

    Welterweight: Nate Diaz (+180) vs. Mike Perry (-218)

    Women’s Featherweight: Ronda Rousey (-535) vs. Gina Carano (+400)

    MVP MMA Predictions & Best Bets

    Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano: It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen either woman in action, and somehow, still one woman has been way out of the cage longer than the other. This one is ultimately going to come down to who has more rust on them and how seriously the two take this fight. Some feel that Carano will have a size factor in this fight and overwhelm Rousey with her striking; however, it’s hard to pick Carano when it’s been 17 years since her last fight. At least the time in WWE has kept Rousey in some form of combative, athletic action. (Prediction: Rousey) (Best Bet: Rousey to win via submission in Round 1 [+100])

    Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry: This one is WILD and can fall any way. Both men have been away from professional MMA for a few years, with Diaz having a couple of boxing matchups and Perry becoming the star of BKFC. Diaz could look to use his grappling to his advantage, but how much of that will he do compared to trying to get into a wild scrap with “Platinum” Perry? Let’s lean toward Diaz being smart in this one and catching a wild Perry for a victory. The fight’s going one of two ways, and both don’t see this fight going to the final horn. (Prediction: Diaz) (Best Bet: Fight does NOT go the distance [-130])

    Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins: Philipe Lins might have exited the UFC on a four-fight win streak, but he and Ngannou have been out of action for a similar amount of time. And when it comes to strength, Lins doesn’t compare to what “The Predator” can offer. He is going to need to find a way to touch up Ngannou while avoiding his power. Doing that for 15 full minutes is a lot easier said than done, though. (Prediction: Ngannou) (Best Bet: Ngannou to win via KO/TKO/DQ in Round 1 [-135])

    Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenneth Cross: For this event to be more than just a one-and-done, it needs to have some strong undercard and rising names to balance out with the big stars. Those who really love this sport and have not seen Salahdine Parnasse fight yet will be in for a treat. He’s won two titles in the KSW, and his boxing base has provided him with strong knockout power and a great finishing ability (with great ground game to balance it out). Meanwhile, Kenneth Cross is a solid veteran with a strong wrestling background who looks to end things on the ground. This should be a fun outing, but Parnasse has more to him in terms of skillset and upside, and that should give him the edge here. (Prediction: Parnasse) (Prediction: Parnasse to win in Round 2 [+330])

    Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne: Junior dos Santos is a legendary name in the UFC, but his tenure there ended with a four-fight losing skid between 2019 and 2020. He’s fought just three times since — two times competing in bare-knuckle MMA. Robelis Despaigne had a strong UFC start at UFC 299, but his two losses afterward left a lot to be desired. Still, he’s found a home for himself in Karate Combat, where he knocked out Sam Alvey to become their heavyweight champion. JDS’ age and time away from competition are not going to fare well for him here, especially against someone like Despaigne who can use his size and Taekwondo and karate-based striking to put the former UFC heavyweight champion in trouble. (Prediction: Despaigne) (Best Bet: Despaigne to Win by KO/TKO/DQ in Round 1 [-125])

    Namo Fazil vs. Jake Babian: These two are up-and-coming welterweights looking to make a statement on a big stage. Both are strong strikers, with Fazil combining Muay Thai and taekwondo, while Babian mixes up his boxing with work in jiu-jitsu. This might be closer than what the odds suggest as of now, but Fazil’s striking seems just that more developed, and it probably leads him to a win. (Prediction: Fazil)

    Adriano Moraes vs. Phumi Nkuta: It’s a shame that we’re not getting Adriano Moraes vs. Muhammad Mokaev, but Phumi Nkuta is one to watch. Nkuta, who trains under Ray Longo, is 11-0, a champion of Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat and Warrior Cage Grappling, ranked one of the top regional flyweights in the U.S., let alone the Northeast U.S. Moraes found plenty of success in ONE as their flyweight champion, but he’s lost three of his last four. This is going to be a battle between two grappling-heavy talents, and while Moraes has the experience, don’t be surprised if the younger Nkuta, fired up to make a statement, pulls off the victory. (Prediction: Nkuta)

    Jason Jackson vs. Jeff Creighton: After spending the last couple of years with the PFL, following its acquisition of Bellator, Jason Jackson gets the chance to show why he’s been a solid talent outside of the UFC. The former Bellator champ takes on Jeff Creighton, replacing Lorenz Larkin, who came onto the MMA scene after his time with The Ultimate Fighter last year. When you take into account the experience and championship factors of Jackson, combined with opponent history, it’s a solid chance for Creighton to impress, but it’s going to be hard for him to win against Jackson. (Prediction: Jackson)

    David Mgoyan vs. Albert Morales: Spotlight opportunity time for David Mgoyan. At just 21, Mgoyan is already 8-1, looking to continue to build himself following his loss to Tommy McMillen on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. Albert Morales has experience in the UFC and Bellator, but he’s fought a lot more on the regional circuit. And while he’s clearly the more experienced fighter, Mgoyan’s wrestling (benefited by being the training partner of Arman Tsarukyan) will elevate the young man to a win in this one. (Prediction: Mgoyan)

    Aline Pereira vs. Jade Masson-Wong: MVP hopes that they have an answer to “Poatan” — his younger sister. Though just 2-2 in professional MMA, Aline Pereira has shown herself to be an excellent striker through her experience in kickboxing and karate. Pereira, in fact, is a Karate Combat champion. Don’t count out Jade Masson-Wong, however, an accomplished striker herself with plenty of experience in BKFC. Let’s hope for a fun war in this one. (Prediction: Pereira)

    Chris Avila vs. Brandon Jenkins: Chris Avila has had fights with UFC and Bellator, but he’s more known for his boxing of late, battling the likes of Benson Henderson, Anthony Pettis, and Jeremy Stephens. Jenkins has also fought for the UFC, as well as the PFL and LFA in the past, with a lot of his recent work coming in karate and bare-knuckle MMA. While Jenkins doesn’t have the recent winning momentum, Avila hasn’t fought in MMA since 2021, and Jenkins has a better record under his belt. (Prediction: Jenkins)

  • Zuffa Boxing 06 Results: Mosley Jr. vs. Bohachuk Live From Las Vegas

    Zuffa Boxing 06 Results: Mosley Jr. vs. Bohachuk Live From Las Vegas

    Zuffa Boxing 06 results are coming in live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas, as the sixth event from Dana White’s boxing promotion will see the promotional debut of a boxing standout’s son.

    The TKO Group-backed boxing league brings another night of fights, headlined by Shane Mosley Jr. taking on Serhii Bohachuk in middleweight action.

    Joe Tessitore calls the action alongside analysts Max Kellerman and Andre Ward.

    How to Watch Zuffa Boxing 06

    • Date: Sunday, May 10, 2026
    • Venue: Meta APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    Zuffa Boxing 06 Results

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 6 PM ET)

    Light Heavyweight – Rakhmatullo Boymatov (0-0) vs. Caleb Hall (6-2-1)

    Result: Rakhmatullo Boymatov def. Caleb Hall via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:42)

    Bantamweight – Emiliano Cardenas (10-0) vs. Alexis Alvarado (9-1-1)

    Result: Alexis Alvarado def. Emiliano Cardenas via majority decision (57-57, 58-56 x2)

    Heavyweight – Damazion Vanhouter (11-0) vs. Raphael Murphy (18-1)

    Result: Damazion Vanhouter def. Raphael Murphy via TKO (Rd. 1, 1:06)

    Lightweight – Justin Viloria (12-0) vs. Cesar Ivan Ortiz (12-0-2)

    Result: Cesar Ivan Ortiz def. Justin Viloria via unanimous decision (78-73, 76-75 x2)

    Light Heavyweight – Raphael Monny (9-0) vs. Suray Mahmutovic (8-1-1)

    Result: Suray Mahmutovic def. Raphael Monny via split decision (75-76, 76-75, 77-74)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    Middleweight – Misael Rodriguez (16-0) vs. Andreas Katzourakis (16-0)

    Result: Andreas Katzourakis def. Misael Rodriguez via unanimous decision (99-91, 97-93, 96-94)

    Welterweight – Julian Rodriguez (21-1) vs. James Perella (21-0)

    Result: Julian Rodriguez def. James Perella via unanimous decision (100-89, 98-91 x2)

    Middleweight – Shane Mosley Jr. (22-5) vs. Serhii Bohachuk (27-3)

    Result: Shane Mosley Jr. def. Serhii Bohachuk via TKO (Rd. 6, 2:38)

  • ‘Does It Again’ – Strickland Bests Chimaev For Middleweight Title

    ‘Does It Again’ – Strickland Bests Chimaev For Middleweight Title

    The undefeated record and middleweight title reign of Khamzat Chimaev ends in his first title defense. Sean Strickland has pulled off another major upset for the middleweight championship, defeating Chimaev in the UFC 328 main event.

    In a case of deja vu, Chimaev got a takedown in the opening minute and didn’t let up the entire first round. Chimaev dominated with positioning, gaining mount and back mount, threatening a choke at the end of the fight’s first five minutes.

    Strickland looked to pressure with strikes to start the second round. Then, both times that Chimaev went for takedowns in the round, Strickland stuffed them. This time, it was Strickland who dominated with positioning, mixing in some strikes.

    Chimaev did not do any takedown attempts in round three, electing to stand and trade with Strickland. Strickland landed plenty of combinations early, but Chimaev landed arguably the most effective punch, tripping up Strickland on a late jab.

    This continued into the fourth round, but Chimaev started to pick things up, working with his right hand, while Strickland appeared to tire a little. Chimaev then started to look for a takedown at the end of round four and going into round five. Strickland attempted to defend and landed jabs, but Chimaev was on the front foot for the majority of the last round, and he landed a pair of takedowns.

    Sean Strickland Recaptures UFC Middleweight Title, Hands Khamzat Chimaev First Loss At UFC 328

    Strickland earned this title shot off a finish of Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February. Strickland’s first title defense began at UFC 293, when he upset Israel Adesanya. Strickland, however, dropped the title to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 and lost their UFC 312 rematch.

    Chimaev was 15-0 entering this fight. He had claimed the middleweight title with a win over Du Plessis at UFC 319 last August.

  • ‘Take A Bow’ – Joshua Van Retains In War With Tatsuro Taira

    ‘Take A Bow’ – Joshua Van Retains In War With Tatsuro Taira

    Joshua Van put on another strong performance in the Octagon to mark his first title defense, defeating Tatsuro Taira to retain the UFC flyweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 328.

    Taira pressured and scored a takedown on Van in the first minute of the fight, controlling Van for the first half of round one until an unsuccessful guillotine attempt. Van was able to avoid Taira’s grappling to start the second round, and he used slick handwork to land several shots upstairs on his challenger.

    Taira, however, scored another takedown halfway through the second round — though Van landed several shots from the bottom. Van turned things up again in the closing seconds of round two, landing a straight right that nearly put Taira out.

    Van avoided Taira’s takedown efforts and continued to work his striking in the third, touching Taira up and busting him open. Van grounded Taira again, landing ground-and-pound and attempting multiple submissions. Taira did manage to score a takedown at the end of round three.

    After a little trading to start round four, Taira scored another takedown on Van, controlling most of the frame on the ground before the last portion featured trading from both men. Taira also looked for a submission in this round, threatening a triangle armbar.

    The fight would not see the final horn, however. Van landed a couple of combinations, wobbling and dropping Taira in the fifth round, and the referee — despite a brief protest from Taira — waved off the action.

    Joshua Van Stops Tatsuro Taira To Retain Flyweight Title At UFC 328

    Van has lost just twice, with one of those fights coming in the UFC, bringing him to a 17-2 record. This was the first title defense for Van, who has now won seven straight, after claiming the belt from Alexandre Pantoja via injury TKO at UFC 323.

    That marked just the second loss of Taira’s MMA career. Taira earned this title shot off a finish of former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323.

  • ‘Heavyweight…Needs New Talent’ – Volkov Defeats Cortes-Acosta

    ‘Heavyweight…Needs New Talent’ – Volkov Defeats Cortes-Acosta

    In a battle of top heavyweight contenders that went down at UFC 328, Alexander Volkov managed to score a victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta.

    Volkov used leg kicks to his advantage in the opening round, landing a number of them on Cortes-Acosta. Cortes-Acosta landed some powerful shots, but Volkov’s volume and reach advantage helped him gain an early edge.

    Volkov did some damage in the second round as well, landing a solid right jab that pushed Cortes-Acosta back and a leg kick that gave a negative reaction from WCA. WCA, however, brought some power and pressure in the third round, giving it right back to Volkov.

    Volkov, however, did enough to earn the decision on the scorecards.

    Alexander Volkov Gets Decision Over Waldo Cortes-Acosta At UFC 328

    Volkov has now won six of his last seven fights. He came into this bout off a split decision victory over Jailton Almeida in another contender’s bout at UFC 321.

    This snaps a three-fight win streak for WCA. He went 5-1 in 2025, including a pair of knockout wins over Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev in November.

  • ‘Schooled’ – Sean Brady Dominates Joaquin Buckley On Ground

    ‘Schooled’ – Sean Brady Dominates Joaquin Buckley On Ground

    The ground game of Sean Brady seemed untouchable at UFC 328, as he put on an absolute clinic in a win over Joaquin Buckley.

    Brady scored four takedowns over the course of the 15-minute fight, gaining just over 12 minutes of control time. Buckley was able to get up at times, but Brady’s pressure just proved to be too much.

    Brady, in fact, landed 71 significant ground strikes and landed a total of 245 strikes during the bout. Brady swept the judges’ scorecards, with two judges giving Brady two 10-8 rounds for near finishes — both via TKO and submission.

    Sean Brady Shuts Out Joaquin Buckley At UFC 328

    Brady rebounds from his loss to Michael Morales at UFC 322. That loss had snapped a three-fight losing streak. The only other fighter to defeat Brady is former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.

    Buckley has now dropped two fights, coming into this bout off a loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta in June 2025. That loss snapped a six-fight win streak Buckley was previously on.

  • Paulo Costa, Josh Hokit Forced To Be Separated At UFC 328

    Paulo Costa, Josh Hokit Forced To Be Separated At UFC 328

    After causing a stir at the UFC Freedom 250 press conference one day earlier, Josh Hokit was involved in a mid-crowd confrontation with Paulo Costa at UFC 328.

    Costa and Hokit got into a verbal confrontation while sitting in the crowd at the Prudential Center, with the two getting close to one another. Hokit appeared to try and take Costa’s drink from out of his hand, with security quickly stepping in to separate the pair.

    Costa had teased something happening between the two of them earlier in the day on social media.

    One day before UFC 328, Hokit was present for a press conference for UFC Freedom 250, hyping up his bout at the event with Derrick Lewis.

    Hokit called out Alex Pereira, mocking the idea of Pereira being the “Baddest Man on the Planet.” Pereira appeared to ignore Hokit’s tirade, with Ilia Topuria stepping in to fire expletives at Hokit, with Hokit giving them right back.

    Topuria then threw an object at Hokit, who was quickly escorted off the stage.

    Hokit, who has been divisive in the eyes of the MMA community since his arrival to the UFC, earned the opportunity to compete at UFC Freedom 250 after his win over Curtis Blaydes last month.

    UFC Freedom 250, which takes place on the lawn of the UFC White House, will occur on Sunday, June 14.

    Costa made a jump to light heavyweight last month, knocking out the previously undefeated Azamat Murzakanov.

  • Chris Weidman To Be Inducted Into UFC Hall Of Fame Class of 2026

    Chris Weidman To Be Inducted Into UFC Hall Of Fame Class of 2026

    Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, praised for his wrestling and responsible for one of the UFC’s biggest upsets, has been announced as the next inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame.

    Weidman’s induction into the Hall’s 2026 class was announced during UFC 328.

    Chris Weidman Joins UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2026

    Weidman was a standout wrestler at Hofstra University, earning the All-American status that served as the basis of his nickname. Weidman made his MMA debut in 2009, winning his first four bouts with Ring of Combat before joining the UFC.

    Weidman won five straight, including wins over Demian Maia and Mark Munoz, before challenging then-longtime reigning middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 163.

    At that event, Weidman produced one of the UFC’s most memorable moments, knocking out a taunting Silva in the second round to become the new champion. Weidman then won the UFC 168 rematch after Silva broke his leg during the second round.

    Weidman then defended the gold against Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida before losing to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194. Weidman would only win three more times in his MMA career.

    Weidman also suffered a nasty leg break, as Silva did before him, suffering the injury against Uriah Hall at UFC 261. He’d successfully come back two years later, showcasing a major display of heart and determination to compete again.

    Weidman’s last fight came at UFC 310, losing to Eryk Anders.

    Weidman joins a Hall of Fame Class of 2026 that also includes Thomas Gerbasi, Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk I, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Dominick Cruz, and Forrest Griffin Community Service Award winner Alex Pereira.

  • “One-Way Traffic” – King Green Dominates At UFC 328

    “One-Way Traffic” – King Green Dominates At UFC 328

    King Green continues to perform impressively at his age, needing just one round to defeat Jeremy Stephens at UFC 328.

    Green and Stephens looked to trade early, with Green getting the clear upper hand in strikes. After a pause for a low blow, Green scored a takedown, and the end seemed near at that point as Green got to work with strikes.

    After Stephens unsuccessfully attempted a kimura from the bottom, Green rained down heavy ground-and-pound before getting to Stephens’ back, scoring the first-round submission.

    King Green Runs Through Jeremy Stephens At UFC 328

    Green has now won three straight and improves to 35-17 (1 NC).

    Stephens has now lost three straight and has won just one MMA fight since mid-2018.

  • Ateba Gautier Puts Ozzy Diaz’s Lights Out At UFC 328

    Ateba Gautier Puts Ozzy Diaz’s Lights Out At UFC 328

    Mark off another win and another strong outing for Ateba Gautier, as he put Ozzy Diaz to sleep with a knockout win in the featured prelim of UFC 328.

    Diaz tried to test Gautier early, trying to defend Gautier’s power shots early by trying to work his grappling. Gautier continued to search for the perfect punch, finding success with the effective utilization of his jab.

    Finally, Gautier landed the shot he was looking for in round two, landing a right hand that dropped Diaz, prompting the referee to step in almost right away.

    Ateba Gautier KOs Ozzy Diaz At UFC 328

    Gautier has now won 10 straight, moving to 11-0 as a pro. He’s won all five fights he’s had in the UFC since making his promotional debut last year.

    Diaz is now 1-2 in the UFC, arriving after a pair of wins in the LFA. Diaz fought Joe Pyfer in the fight that earned Pyfer a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.

  • UFC Inducting Thomas Gerbasi Into Hall Of Fame Contributor Wing

    UFC Inducting Thomas Gerbasi Into Hall Of Fame Contributor Wing

    Thomas Gerbasi, the former longtime UFC Editorial Director who passed away in 2025, will be honored posthumously as the next inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

    Gerbasi was on the UFC’s editorial team for over 20 years, serving as an essential historian and record-keeper for everything that is the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

    Gerbasi also contributed to several publications, including The Ring Magazine, ESPN, and the Boston Globe.

    “Tom was a close member of the UFC family and a very talented writer,” UFC CEO and President Dana White said in a statement.

    A New Yorker, Gerbasi graduated from St. John’s University before making a name for himself in the world of boxing content. Gerbasi eventually joined the UFC team and oversaw the official UFC website.

    Gerbasi’s boxing writing landed him a 2022 induction into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame and the 2024 Nat Fleischer Award.

    Gerbasi also authored a number of works, including UFC: A Visual History,The UFC Encyclopedia,The Official UFC Fan Guide, and Boxing: The 100 Greatest Fighters.

    Gerbasi joins a 2026 Hall of Fame class that includes Dominick Cruz, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk I, and Forrest Griffin Community Award winner Alex Pereira.

  • Slam, Submission, Break Dancing: Amosov Celebrates 2nd UFC Win

    Slam, Submission, Break Dancing: Amosov Celebrates 2nd UFC Win

    Yaroslav Amosov’s encore UFC performance saw another impressive outing, as the former Bellator welterweight champion submitted Joel Alvarez during the UFC 328 prelims.

    Amosov was dominant with his wrestling throughout the fight. Even as Alvarez tried to keep distance and work Amosov into exchanges, he was continuously taken down by Amosov, who dominated with positioning and strikes on the ground and against the fence.

    This led to the highlight finishing sequence in round two, where Amosov landed a slam before immediately jumping into a head-and-arm choke submission position. Amosov scored the submission win and promptly celebrated with break dancing.

    Yaroslav Amosov Lands Slam And Submission At UFC 328

    Amosov made his UFC debut in December, scoring a first-round submission of Neil Magny. Amosov is now 30-1 as a pro MMA fighter, with his sole loss coming when he dropped the Bellator title to Jason Jackson at Bellator 301.

    Alvarez sees a four-fight win streak snapped.

  • ‘Legendary’ – Jim Miller Extends UFC Wins Record At UFC 328

    ‘Legendary’ – Jim Miller Extends UFC Wins Record At UFC 328

    At 42 years old, Jim Miller continues to raise his legacy, adding to his UFC win record with a first-round submission of Jared Gordon during the UFC 328 prelims.

    Miller came right after Gordon with his striking, landing with quite a few heavy punches early. Gordon tried to pick up momentum by catching a kick from Miller, using it to execute a takedown.

    Miller, however, was ready, and he quickly locked up a guillotine choke, scoring the first-round submission.

    Jim Miller Submits Jared Gordon At UFC 329

    The win was Miller’s 39th of his MMA career and 28th in the UFC, extending the UFC record for most career wins.

    The New Jersey native is now 2-2 in his last four and 4-2 in his last six.

    Gordon, meanwhile, is now winless in four of his last six.

  • UFC 328 Results: Chimaev vs Strickland Live Updates & Highlights

    MMA News updates UFC 328 results and highlights live as the action unfolds from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The main event will feature Khamzat Chimaev defending the UFC middleweight championship against Sean Strickland. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Chimaev vs Strickland: Middleweight Title Fight

    The undefeated Chimaev has been seemingly unstoppable in the sport, especially since his 2020 UFC debut. Tonight marks Chimaev’s first UFC title defense after defeating Dricus Du Plessis to become the middleweight champion at UFC 319 last August.

    Strickland enters this fight with five wins in his last seven fights, including a finish of Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston. This marks his fourth middleweight title fight in his last six bouts. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the belt at UFC 293 but dropped the title to Du Plessis at UFC 297. He then lost a rematch with DDP at UFC 312.

    The co-main event will also feature gold at stake, as Joshua Van puts the UFC flyweight championship on the line against Tatsuro Taira.

    Van has won six straight and is 9-1 in the UFC. This is his first title defense since winning the title from Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323. On that same card, Taira, who is 18-1 in his MMA career, scored a finish of former champion Brandon Moreno.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC 328!

    How to Watch UFC 328

    • Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
    • Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
    • Streaming: Paramount+
    • Prelims: 5 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
    • Late Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    UFC 328 Quick Results

    • Main: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland — Sean Strickland def. Khamzat Chimaev via split decision (48-47 x2, 47-48)
    • Co-Main: Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira — Joshua Van def. Tatsuro Taira via TKO (Rd. 5, 1:32)
    • Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta — Alexander Volkov def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
    • Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley — Sean Brady def. Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision (30-25 x2, 30-27)
    • King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens — King Green def. Jeremy Stephens via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 4:20)

    UFC 328 Results & Highlights

    Early Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    Flyweight: Jose Ochoa def. Clayton Carpenter via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev def. Djorden Santos via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 3, 4:12)

    Featherweight: Pat Sabatini def. William Gomis via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. Marco Tulio via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET)

    Lightweight: Jim Miller def. Jared Gordon via submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 1, 3:29)

    Lightweight: Grant Dawson def. Mateusz Rebecki via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 3, 4:42)

    Welterweight: Yaroslav Amosov def. Joel Alvarez via submission (arm-triangle choke) (Rd. 2, 1:13)

    Middleweight: Ateba Gautier def. Ozzy Diaz via KO (Rd. 2, 1:10)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    Lightweight: King Green def. Jeremy Stephens via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 4:20)

    Welterweight: Sean Brady def. Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision (30-25 x2, 30-27)

    Heavyweight: Alexander Volkov def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Flyweight Championship: Joshua Van def. Tatsuro Taira via TKO (Rd. 5, 1:32)

    Middleweight Championship: Sean Strickland def. Khamzat Chimaev via split decision (48-47 x2, 47-48)

  • Watch the UFC 328: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland Weigh-Ins

    Watch the UFC 328: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland Weigh-Ins

    We are now just one day shy of UFC 328, which will see the highly intense middleweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. Get the latest from all of today’s weigh-ins in New Jersey here with MMANews!

    This will be the first title defense for Chimaev, who has been seemingly unstoppable since he arrived in the UFC in 2020. Chimaev defeated Dricus Du Plessis to win the middleweight title at UFC 319 last August.

    Strickland comes into this title fight off his finish of Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez at UFC Houston three months ago. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 293 but dropped the belt to Du Plessis at UFC 297. Strickland lost again to DDP in a championship rematch at UFC 312.

    The co-main event will also have gold at stake when Joshua Van defends the UFC flyweight championship against Tatsuro Taira.

    Van had a memorable 2025, culminating in him defeating Alexandre Pantoja via injury to become the champion at UFC 323 this past December. The one-loss Taira, meanwhile, earned this title shot by finishing former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323.

    UFC 328 Official And Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    You can find the YouTube video to view the UFC’s official UFC 328 Morning Weigh-In Show below.

    The Morning Weigh-In show begins at 8:50am ET/5:50am PT.

    You can watch the UFC 328 Ceremonial Weigh-In in the video player below.

    The UFC 328 Ceremonial Weigh-In begins at 6pm ET/3pm PT.

  • UFC 328 Odds, Picks & Best Bets: Predictions for Every Fight on the Card

    UFC 328 Odds, Picks & Best Bets: Predictions for Every Fight on the Card

    UFC 328 is this week, and we’re that much closer to two title fights, including a heated championship main event. Get the latest betting odds and best bets from MMANews!

    In the main event of UFC 328, the UFC middleweight championship will be on the line as Khamzat Chimaev defends against former champion Sean Strickland.

    Despite some inactivity due to illness during his tenure, Chimaev has been seemingly unstoppable since his memorable 2020 arrival to the Octagon. This is Chimaev’s first defense since winning the championship by defeating Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 last August.

    Strickland is 2-2 in his last four but has won five of his last seven, including his finish of Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez at UFC Houston in February. Strickland scored a major upset when he defeated Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 293. Strickland, however, dropped the championship to Du Plessis at UFC 297 and lost a rematch at UFC 312.

    The co-main event will see Joshua Van defend the UFC flyweight championship against Tatsuro Taira. This was the planned co-main event for UFC 327 last month, but the bout was delayed to this event after a minor injury to Van.

    Van enters this fight on a six-fight win streak, having an incredible stretch since the middle of 2024. Last year, in fact, saw Van defeat Rei Tsuruya in March, finish Bruno Silva at UFC 316, and take a short-notice bout with Brandon Royval at UFC 317, winning in that card’s Fight of the Night. Van won the title at UFC 323 after Alexandre Pantoja suffered an arm injury 26 seconds into the fight.

    Taira comes into this fight with an 18-1 record. He has rebounded since suffering his first loss by Park Hyun-sung in August and stopping former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323.

    Other UFC 328 main card bouts include Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley, and King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens.

    UFC 328 Betting Odds

    Here are the latest betting odds for UFC 328, as of 12 am ET on May 6, courtesy of DraftKings:

    Early Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    • Flyweight: Clayton Carpenter (+145) vs. Jose Ochoa (-175)
    • Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev (-675) vs. Djorden Santos (+490)
    • Featherweight: Pat Sabatini (-218) vs. William Gomis (+180)
    • Middleweight: Roman Kopylov (+154) vs. Marco Tulio (-185)

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET)

    • Lightweight: Jim Miller (+250) vs. Jared Gordon (-310)
    • Lightweight: Grant Dawson (-176) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (+140)
    • Welterweight: Joel Alvarez (+160) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (-192)
    • Middleweight: Ateba Gautier (-1350) vs. Ozzy Diaz (+800)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    • Lightweight: King Green (-360) vs. Jeremy Stephens (+285)
    • Welterweight: Sean Brady (-175) vs. Joaquin Buckley (+145)
    • Heavyweight: Alexander Volkov (-166) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (+140)
    • Flyweight Championship: Joshua Van (+140) vs. Tatsuro Taira (-166)
    • Middleweight Championship: Khamzat Chimaev (-575) vs. Sean Strickland (+425)

    UFC 328 Predictions & Best Bets

    Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland: There is a lot of anticipation around this fight, given the heat between the two. Chimaev is trying to get his first successful defense, and Strickland is looking to pull off another upset to become a two-time champ. Strickland may have a 76 percent takedown defense, per UFC Stats, but the numbers in Chimaev’s grappling statistics are beyond those of the normal UFC fighter. And while Strickland has his own grappling abilities, the wrestling style of Chimaev is a whole other level. For all the hype this fight has on it, it’s probably going to be another one-sided bout in Chimaev’s favor; so far, no one has shown they can be a true, credible threat, to be honest. (Prediction: Chimaev) (Best Bet: Chimaev via decision [+300])

    Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira: Van is the champion and has an amazing 2025; however, he’s the underdog given the circumstances of how he defeated Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title at UFC 323. Regardless, he won the fight and has shown skills in the Octagon that state he is one of the best flyweights in the world. Yet, people have been hoping for a Taira title shot for some time, and he got that by finishing Brandon Moreno (not an easy feat) at UFC 323. This is probably a striking vs. grappling matchup, and while Van isn’t popular in fans’ books, I’m leaning to his 81 percent takedown defense being the key difference. He may not stop all of Taira’s attempts, but it’ll be enough to control the fight through most of its duration. The real question is if the winner of this fight will have a chance against a returning, healthy Pantoja… (Prediction: Van) (Best Bet: Van ML [+140])

    Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta: A major heavyweight contender’s battle here. It’s unfortunate for Volkov that he didn’t get a title shot after his title eliminator win over Jailton Almeida, but that’s par for the course with the state of the UFC’s heavyweight division. And now he has to deal with Waldo Cortes-Acosta, one of the only other positive names in the heavyweight division, coming off a 2025 where he went 5-1 and was one of the top fighters of the year. This is one of the fights on this card that can be a coin flip, but the edge will go to Volkov based on his technical striking. That said, don’t be surprised if WCA lands one of his major power shots that turns the fight’s tide in his favor. (Prediction: Volkov) (Best Bet: Volkov via decision [+140])

    Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley: Major top-10 welterweight matchup here, with the winner finding themselves a fight or two away from earning a shot at the gold. Brady may have had a loss to Michael Morales, but Morales is one fight away from a title shot himself — and Brady had previously rebounded from his first loss with three straight wins and two post-fight bonuses. Buckley comes in off his loss to Kamaru Usman, but he had won six consecutive fights before that. This fight comes down to who can control the action first and best. If it’s Brady, he uses his wrestling for the win. If it’s Buckley, it’s a third loss via KO/TKO for Brady. (Prediction: Brady) (Best Bet: Brady via decision [+150])

    King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens: Jeremy Stephens has made a name for himself post-UFC with his work in BKFC. Even then, he and Mason Jones provided a fun bout last year. But Stephens’ record in his last 10 fights is 1-8 (1 NC)! Green, meanwhile, continues to find ways to win at his age and in the state of his career. While this will be a fun battle, I don’t see a way Stephens gets his hand raised. (Prediction: Green) (Best Bet: Green via decision [+110])

    Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz: Ateba Gautier’s power has been his calling card, but his last fight showed him facing some adversity. He was able to rock Andrey Pulyaev, but Pulayev gave him some struggle as the fight went the full 15 minutes. While Diaz can be seen as another test, his only UFC performances have seen him get stopped in one round by Zhang Mingyang and earn a decision over Djorden Santos. It’s pretty doubtful Gautier goes two fights in a row without a finish. But given the odds, honestly, stay away from betting this fight. (Prediction: Gautier) (Best Bet: Gautier via KO/TKO/DQ in Round 2 [+450])

    Joel Alvarez vs. Yaroslav Amosov: Yaroslav Amosov had a decent UFC debut at the end of 2025, fending off early pressure from Neil Magny to score a first-round submission. Now the former Bellator champ gets a tougher test in Joel Alvarez, who has won four straight and eight of his last nine fights (though he has just made his welterweight debut in his last bout). This bout probably spends a lot of time on the floor and comes down to who the better wrestler is — and the lean here will be to Amosov. (Prediction: Amosov) (Best Bet: Fight goes the distance [-105])

    Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rebecki: From teammates to opponents — Dawson and Rebecki go at it in a Fight of the Night sleeper nominee. Both men don’t have many losses in competition, but Dawson has been stopped twice in his last five fights, and Rebecki has three losses in his last four. Rebecki has power in his fists, but Dawson has the wrestling to counter that — and go toe-to-toe with Rebecki and his jiu-jitsu. This one’s probably going the distance, and the slight edge should go to Dawson, as the odds suggest. (Prediction: Dawson) (Best Bet: Fight goes the distance [-135])

    Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon: Jim Miller is an absolute legend who can still pull off big finishes, and people would love to see in a firefight. Jared Gordon has the potential to be that kind of fun opponent — but potential has been a word that has kind of plagued Gordon’s career. Gordon has been the victim of bad luck, bad strategy, and getting finished (namely KO/TKOs) in his career. The 37-year-old hasn’t found consistent success in the Octagon since the pandemic era. Many may expect Gordon to have the edge in this one, but don’t be surprised if Miller pressures his way to a win here. This fight might be in the “too close to call” category. (Prediction: Miller) (Best Bet: Fight goes the distance [-160])

    Roman Kopylov vs. Marco Tulio: A Combat Sambo specialist, Roman Kopylov has had his share of highlights in the Octagon, as seen with his last-second knockout of Chris Curtis and his finish of Josh Fremd. Losses to the likes of Paulo Costa and Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues aren’t bad losses. The 35-year-old Kopylov, however, needs to show he can hang with the better middleweight contenders. Tulio scored a finish of Matthieu Duclos on DWCS, then finished Ihor Potieria and Tresean Gore before running into Christian Leroy Duncan. Perhaps a case of too much, too soon for Tulio? (Prediction: Kopylov) (Best Bet: Kopylov ML {+154])

    Pat Sabatini vs. William Gomis: Pat Sabatini has great wrestling and grappling abilities, and that should give him an edge against William Gomis. It helps that Sabatini has been on a roll between his UFC and grappling competitions, with his last two losses coming in 2022 and 2023 against, respectively, Damon Jackson and Diego Lopes. Sabatini has faced stronger competition, is more experienced, and will have the New Jersey crowd behind him (shout-out to Rider University). The only thing in Gomis’s favor here is that he tends to go the distance; his only submission loss was early in his career, in 2016. (Prediction: Sabatini) (Best Bet: Sabatini via decision [+175])

    Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Djorden Santos: This isn’t to say that Baisangur Susurkaev isn’t deserving of being the favorite here. The problem is, the odds reflect this idea of him being the “Next Big Thing” when he didn’t show the greatest offense (albeit still getting finishes) against Eric Nolan and Eric McConico. Djorden Santos has as much experience, but the fight probably plays out the same — Susurkaev either goes too grapple-heavy to the crowd’s dismay or gets himself in trouble, only for him to find the finish later in the fight. The hope here is to see if Susurkaev can show he’s making progress. (Prediction: Susurkaev) (Best Bet: Susurkaev via KO/TKO/DQ in Round 2 [+450])

    Clayton Carpenter vs. Jose Ochoa: Both men need a win here. Carpenter looked good in his first two outings but went 0-2 in 2025, dropping a decision to Tagir Ulanbekov and getting submitted by Jafel Filho. Ochoa is 1-2, but he’s younger, and he’s faced three talented names in Lone’er Kavanagh, Cody Durden, and Asu Almabayev (with the Almabayev fight coming on short notice). No particular strong edge in this fight, but Ochoa is the more (fairly) well-rounded fighter. (Prediction: Ochoa) (Best Bet: Ochoa via decision [+150])

  • Hometown Hero Logan Storley Scores Decision At PFL Sioux Falls

    Hometown Hero Logan Storley Scores Decision At PFL Sioux Falls

    It was another successful homecoming in the MMA career of Logan Storley, as the former standout wrestler from South Dakota defeated Florim Zendeli in the PFL Sioux Falls main event.

    Storley, in typical fashion, scored a strong early takedown. Zendeli was not only unable to get out of his grasp, but he also was deducted two points in the first round for repeated fence grabs.

    Zendeli held his own defensively in the first half of the second round, and he even landed close shots that opened a cut on Storley. Zendeli went for a throw, but Storley rolled through and managed to get right back in control.

    Logan Storley Wrestles His Way To Clean Decision Win Over Florim Zendeli At PFL Sioux Falls

    Zendeli looked to get his striking going in the early portion of the third round. Storley, however, scored another takedown halfway through the frame, remaining in top control until the horn.

    All three judges scored the bout 30-25 for Storley.

    Storley, the former Bellator welterweight champion, has now won four of his last five. Storley competed in last year’s Welterweight World Tournament, defeating Joseph Lucaino and Masayuki Kikuiri before losing to Thad Jean in the final.

    This loss snaps a seven-fight unbeaten streak for Zendeli. Zendeli defeated Tomas Langowski, Jack Grant, and Daniele Miceli to capture the 2024 PFL Europe welterweight title. He then fought in Abu Dhabi this past October, defeating Omar El Dafrawy.

  • Gadzhi Rabadanov Takes Decision Win Over Alex Chizov

    Gadzhi Rabadanov Takes Decision Win Over Alex Chizov

    Gadzhi Rabadanov hopes PFL Sioux Falls started a new long win streak for him, as he defeated Alex Chizov in the evening’s co-main event.

    Rabadanov controlled most of the action during round one, scoring a pair of takedown attempts. Chizov almost made him pay for one to start the second round; however, thanks to his guillotine attempt.

    Chizov managed to work his jab well in the second round, but Rabadanov’s strikes swelled up one of his eyes, and Rabadanov still maintained the grappling advantage.

    Gadzhi Rabadanov Earns Decision Over Alex Chizov In PFL Sioux Falls Co-Main

    Chizov picked up the pace in the third round, landing a knee and holding off most of Rabadanov’s grappling attempts.

    This was Rabadanov’s first fight since losing the 2025 PFL Lightweight World Tournament final to Alfie Davis. That loss marked the end of a 12-fight win streak for Rabadanov, who was the lightweight champion of the PFL’s 2024 season.

    This was Chizov’s first fight since running through Mark Ewen, Claudio Pacella, and Connor Hughes last year to capture the 2025 PFL Europe lightweight title.

  • Simeon Powell Cracks Emiliano Sordi For Wild TKO Win

    Simeon Powell Cracks Emiliano Sordi For Wild TKO Win

    A wild, back-and-forth fight that could have seen a finish for either fighter ended with Simeon Powell’s success. Powell defeated Emiliano Sordi at PFL Sioux Falls.

    Sordi’s relentless pressure and grappling gave him control for most of the early portion of the fight. Powell rallied late in the first round, however, rocking Sordi with combinations, with Sordi saved by the bell.

    Sordi battled back with his control again in the second round, as Powell had not much of an answer when the fight went to the ground. Both men, however, had their fair share of strong strikes in the third.

    Powell got the last laugh, however, when he landed a knee that dropped Sordi, en route to a TKO victory.

    Simeon Powell Bests Emiliano Sordi In Back-And-Forth Battle At PFL Sioux Falls

    Powell, the 2023 PFL Europe light heavyweight runner-up, has now won three of his last four. He came into this fight off a loss to Antonio Carlos Junior this past June.

    This was Sordi’s first fight in the PFL since 2022. Sordi, who was the light heavyweight champion of the PFL’s 2019 season, entered this bout on a four-fight win streak.

  • Sergey Bilostenniy Nabs One-Sided Win Over Renan Ferreira

    Sergey Bilostenniy Nabs One-Sided Win Over Renan Ferreira

    Sergey Bilostenniy may now be considered a top heavyweight in the PFL scene after he finished former champion Renan Ferreira at PFL Sioux Falls.

    Bilostenniy stayed on the outside, trying to work around Ferreira’s size advantage. Bilostenniy knocked Ferreira down in the opening minute with an uppercut, going to the ground with the former PFL champ, and dominating on top, but unable to score the finish.

    Bilostenniy connected on a one-two in the first minute of round two before scoring a single-leg takedown and completely controlling again.

    Ferreira appeared to hurt an ankle in an early third-round exchange. Then, Bilostenniy connected with a solid right hand that dropped Ferreira again. Some follow-up shots brought an end to the fight.

    Sergey Bilostenniy Outworks Renan Ferreira On Ground Before Third-Round Finish At PFL Sioux Falls

    Bilostenniy is now 4-1 with three finishes in the PFL since his promotional debut in 2024. He competed in last year’s Heavyweight World Tournament, losing his opening-round bout to Valentin Moldavsky.

    Ferreira has now lost three straight, a stretch that started with his losses to Francis Ngannou at PFL Battle of the Giants. Prior to that, Ferreira won the 2023 PFL heavyweight season and quickly knocked out Ryan Bader in a PFL champion vs. Bellator champion matchup.

  • Taila Santos Lands Liver Kick KO At PFL Sioux Falls

    Taila Santos Lands Liver Kick KO At PFL Sioux Falls

    Taila Santos is back in the win column and made a case for a future PFL women’s flyweight title opportunity after a first-round finish of Yan Qihui during the PFL Sioux Falls preliminary card.

    Santos worked her range well early, using her jab to connect on Qihui. Qihui couldn’t get a rhythm going, as her volume wasn’t there, and Santos fought fire with fire to answer Qihui’s strikes.

    After preventing Qihui from getting inside, Santos landed a quick, hard kick to the liver that crumbled Qihui, finishing the fight in just over two minutes.

    Taila Santos Finishes Yan Qihui With Liver Kick At PFL Sioux Falls

    This was Santos’ first fight after missing all of 2025. She competed in the 2024 women’s flyweight season, defeating Ilia Joanne, Jena Bishop, and Liz Carmouche before losing to Dakota Ditcheva in the final.

    Yan has now lost two straight and is 3-3 in her last six. This was her first fight since August 2024, when she lost to Danni McCormack in Road to UFC.

  • PFL Sioux Falls Results: Storley vs. Zendeli Live Updates And Highlights

    PFL Sioux Falls Results: Storley vs. Zendeli Live Updates And Highlights

    PFL Sioux Falls results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The main event will feature a welterweight bout between Logan Storley and Florim Zendeli. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Logan Storley vs. Florim Zendeli – Welterweight Main Event

    Storley, a former four-time NCAA Division-I All-American wrestler, was successful in Bellator, going on to be a one-time Bellator welterweight champion, before the promotion was purchased by the PFL. Storley is 3-2 in PFL thus far, which includes making it to last year’s welterweight World Tournament final, coming up short against Thad Jean.

    Zendeli enters tonight with an 11-1-1 professional MMA record. In 2024, he defeated Tomasz Langowski, Jack Grant, and Daniele Miceli in 2024 to become that year’s PFL Europe welterweight champion. He then competed in Abu Dhabi this past October, defeating Omar El Dafrawy.

    The co-main event will be a lightweight contest featuring Gadzhi Rabadanov and Aleksandar Chizov.

    Rabadanov came over to the PFL from Bellator and went on to defeat Solomon Renfro, Elvin Espinoza, Michael Dufort, and Brent Primus to win the 2024 PFL lightweight title. He then competed in the PFL Lightweight World Tournament last year, defeating Marc Diakiese and Kevin Lee before losing to Alfie Davis in the final.

    After a rough 0-2 start in PFL, Chizov defeated Mark Ewen, Claudio Pacella, and Connor Hughes to capture the 2025 PFL Europe lightweight title.

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

    How to Watch PFL Sioux Falls

    • Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
    • Venue: Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited (full card), ESPN2 (main card), ESPN+ (prelims)
    • Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT

    PFL Sioux Falls Quick Results

    • Main Event: Logan Storley vs. Florim Zendeli — Logan Storley def. Florim Zendeli via unanimous decision (30-25 x3)
    • Co-Main: Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Aleksandr Chizov — Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Aleksandar Chizov via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Simeon Powell vs. Emiliano Sordi — Simeon Powell def. Emiliano Sordi via TKO (Rd. 3, 3:05)
    • Renan Ferreira vs. Sergey Bilostenniy — Sergey Bilostenniy def. Renan Ferreira via TKO (Rd. 3, 1:56)
    • Magomed Magomedov vs. Leandro Higo — Magomed Magomedov def. Leandro Higo via split decision (30-27 x2, 28-29)

    PFL Sioux Falls Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 7 PM ET)

    Heavyweight: Maxwell Djantou Nana vs. Karl Williams

    Result: Maxwell Djantou Nana def. Karl Williams via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

    Welterweight: Brett Bye vs. Taylor Michels

    Result: Brett Bye def. Taylor Michels via TKO (Rd. 1, 3:40)

    Lightweight: Angel Alvarez vs. Bryce Logan

    Result: Angel Alvarez def. Bryce Logan via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Women’s Flyweight: Taila Santos vs. Yan Qihui

    Result: Taila Santos def. Yan Qihui via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:02)

    Featherweight: Humberto Bandenay vs. Kim Sang-won

    Result: Kim Sang-won def. Humberto Bandenay via TKO (Rd. 2, 2:56)

    Women’s Flyweight: Cheyanne Bowers vs. Sabrinna de Sousa

    Result: Sabrinna de Sousa def. Cheyanne Bowers via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Light Heavyweight: Rasul Magomedov vs. Rafael Xavier

    Result: Rasul Magomedov def. Rafael Xavier via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Main Card (ESPN2, 10 PM ET)

    Bantamweight: Magomed Magomedov vs. Leandro Higo

    Result: Magomed Magomedov def. Leandro Higo via split decision (30-27 x2, 28-29)

    Heavyweight: Renan Ferreira vs. Sergey Bilostenniy

    Result: Sergey Bilostenniy def. Renan Ferreira via TKO (Rd. 3, 1:56)

    Light Heavyweight: Simeon Powell vs. Emiliano Sordi

    Result: Simeon Powell def. Emiliano Sordi via TKO (Rd. 3, 3:05)

    Lightweight: Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Aleksandr Chizov

    Result: Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Aleksandar Chizov via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Welterweight: Logan Storley vs. Florim Zendeli

    Result: Logan Storley def. Florim Zendeli via unanimous decision (30-25 x3)

  • “Like Prime Anderson Silva” – Prates Dominates Della Maddalena

    “Like Prime Anderson Silva” – Prates Dominates Della Maddalena

    Carlos Prates has made a statement toward earning a welterweight title shot in the near-future, putting a beating on former champion Jack Della Maddalena with a TKO win in the main event of UFC Perth.

    Prates got his striking going from the beginning. Della Maddalena scored a late takedown in the first and blocked a lot of shots, but Prates got plenty of shots through.

    The volume increased in round two, as Prates scored 41 significant strikes in those five minutes, blowing JDM out of the water in that category. Prates avoided an early rear-naked choke attempt from Della Maddalena before working combinations, doing damage to JDM. A left hand rocked the former champ, and a leg kick from Prates wobbled and downed him before the end of round two.

    Prates continued to pressure in round three, battering JDM. Prates scored another knockdown via leg kick, and he didn’t waste time. Prates went to the ground and rained shots down until Carlos Beltran waved off the bout.

    Carlos Prates Puts One-Sided Beating On Jack Della Maddalena At UFC Perth

    Prates is now 23-7 as a pro and 7-1 in the UFC, with his sole loss in the Octagon coming against Ian Machado Garry. Prates has finishes in all of his UFC victories, and he has now scored back-to-back victories over former welterweight champions. Prates knocked out Leon Edwards at UFC 322.

    Della Maddalena has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time since dropping his first two pro bouts. After those two fights, JDM went on an 18-fight win streak, culminating in him defeating Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title at UFC 315. This was JDM’s first fight since losing the title to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322.