MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Fellow Middleweight Claims Khamzat Chimaev Will Retire If He Wins Middleweight Title At UFC 319

    Fellow Middleweight Claims Khamzat Chimaev Will Retire If He Wins Middleweight Title At UFC 319

    The UFC has just dealt with one champion retiring when Jon Jones seemed to hang up the gloves a few weeks ago (only to seemingly unretire in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump teasing a UFC card at the White House). But could the UFC lose a second champion to retirement during the summer?

    If Caio Borralho is to be believed, that might come to fruition at UFC 319 if Khamzat Chimaev defeats Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight championship.

    During a “Nerd Talk” segment in a recent upload to MMA Today, Borralho is in the middle of a discussion about Chimaev’s fight with DDP and how a potential fight between he and Chimaev would go down.

    “I heard somewhere some people saying that if he wins the belt, he’s going to retire,” Borralho said. “I believe it.”

    Caio Borralho Feels He Can Beat Khamzat Chimaev — As Long As Chimaev Doesn’t Retire

    Borralho did not precisely name who he heard the rumor from or where it originated; only that he’s heard “little talks” and “whispers.”

    Borralho then followed up by saying he wasn’t sure if he believed it would happen, but he hopes that Chimaev doesn’t and he ends up facing the Emirati fighter one day — potentially for the belt.

    “I think we can do a phenomenal fight,” Borralho said. “I know that I have the tools and the way to beat him. Fighting is nowadays not about being brutal only. I win all my fights with my brain, with tactics, with strategy and all that. That’s why it’s so hard to fight me because I can adapt so easy in the fight, you know?

    “And I think everybody knows that. That’s why everybody was ducking me.”

    This would not be the first time Chimaev announces retirement from the Octagon. After his impressive series of bouts in 2020 — the year of his UFC debut — against John Phillips, Rhys McKee, and Gerald Meerschaert, and his quick rise up the ranks, Chimaev appeared to announce retirement in March 2021 after complications in recovery from COVID-19.

    Chimaev would end up returning to the cage at UFC 267 that October, submitting Li Jingliang.

  • Can Anyone Survive Khamzat Chimaev’s Opening Onslaught? Undefeated UFC Star Talks UFC 319

    Can Anyone Survive Khamzat Chimaev’s Opening Onslaught? Undefeated UFC Star Talks UFC 319

    In about a month’s time, the UFC will arrive in Chicago with a middleweight championship main event for UFC 319 that features Dricus Du Plessis defending the title against Khamzat Chimaev.

    Both men in their own right have been seemingly unbeatable, as both men will enter unbeaten in their UFC tenures — and just two losses (both Du Plessis’) in the 39 fights combined between their two professional MMA careers.

    Chimaev being so dominant in most of his performances, combined with the hype around him and his fighting style, have led plenty to feel he will leave Chicago with the belt strapped around his waist. Others, however, feel Du Plessis’ own, more awkward fighting style will land him yet another surprise victory in the cage.

    When breaking down a comparison between the two’s fighting styles, another unbeaten UFC fighter, Mansur Abdul-Malik, feels Chimaev’s will get the better of DDP.

    “Khamzat comes in that first round guns blazing,” Abdul-Malik told James Lynch recently. “He does a similar thing every single fight, but that thing has not failed. So, you really can’t bet against that.”

    Mansur Abdul-Malik Predicts Khamzat Chimaev Will Defeat Dricus Du Plessis For UFC Middleweight Title At UFC 319

    If there are two things Chimaev is known for in the Octagon, it is his dominant, freestyle-based wrestling and is “smashing” ground-and-pound that he’ll use on his opponents to try and finish the fight after securing the takedown. Sometimes those takedowns will also be set up through the usage of his boxing.

    That fight style has led Chimaev not only to an undefeated UFC tenure, but also an unbeaten record in the sport, and some feel Du Plessis may struggle with that kind of pressure.

    Abdul-Malik added that he feels Chimaev also is strong in terms of the mental aspects of the game, noting a specific example with his decision win in a highly entertaining bout with former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.

    “[Chimaev is] tough in his own right,” Abdul-Malik said. “Look at the Gilbert Burns example. Look at his mentality. Look at the way he competes. Look at the fire that he comes with. That’s not someone that’s going to give up.”

    Despite repeated one-year layoffs the last couple of years, and time off to deal with illnesses during his Octagon tenure, Chimaev has had plenty of hype around him, with early expectations of him becoming a UFC champion — something that could become a reality in about a month at UFC 319.

    Chimaev earned his title shot off a dominant performance against former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. It should be noted that Whittaker’s only other losses at 185 in the Octagon — Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis — have each tasted middleweight gold.

    Du Plessis won the middleweight title by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 and retained the gold against Adesanya at UFC 305 and Strickland at UFC 312.

  • Former Turner CEO John Martin Named New CEO Of PFL

    Former Turner CEO John Martin Named New CEO Of PFL

    The Professional Fighters League has announced former Turner and Time Warner executive John Martin is joining the organization as its new Chief Executive Officer.

    The PFL confirmed the news on the morning of Thursday, July 10, with a press release. This followed an initial hinting of a move in PFL’s management by longtime boxing promoter Don King on social media the evening before, as well as a series of posts on X (fka Twitter) from Robert Joyner.

    Martin will oversee all aspects of the PFL’s operations, including the promotion’s finances, management, strategies, and personnel decisions.

    “John Martin is THE ideal CEO to lead the next chapter of growth at PFL,” Donn Davis, PFL Founder and Chairman said in the statement. “He is a proven media, content, and sports executive who is a respected global leader and business operator at scale. I am thrilled to work closely with John to deliver on the vision to make PFL everything the fans, fighters, and sport of MMA deserves.”

    PFL Gains New CEO In John Martin

    Martin replaces Peter Murray, who the PFL says will be transitioning to a role as CEO of PFL International, “where he will lead the accelerated launch and growth of the PFL’s International Leagues” and serve under Martin.

    Martin previously served as Chairman and CEO of Turner from 2014 to 2018, overseeing the various cable networks, content, and digital platforms run by the company — including the Turner Sports brand, as well as the TBS, TNT, and CNN channels. He left Turner in 2018 following the AT&T-Time Warner merger.

    Prior to that role, Martin worked at Time Warner, working as Head of Investor Relations before going on to become CFO of Time Warner Cable and eventually CFO of Time Warner Inc. During his role there, Martin was an early advocate for expanding the UFC’s cable distribution, having become a fan of the UFC since the promotion’s earliest events.

    Martin himself has been a martial artist since his 20s, earning a black belt in karate and a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

    “MMA represents the biggest opportunity in sports, and the PFL has secured a unique position that will never be replicated,” Martin said in the statement. “I’m incredibly excited about the future of the PFL and confident that we’re only at the beginning of what this organization will achieve. My two greatest passions are leading media companies and MMA, so stepping into the position of PFL CEO is truly a dream role for me.”

    The PFL made significant changes in 2025, establishing the PFL Champions Series — a rebrand following the official dissolution of Bellator, which the PFL purchased in late 2023 — as well as eliminating its regular-season and playoff format in favor of eight World Tournaments, all of which will conclude at three PFL events in August.

    PFL’s Jonathan Coachman recently told MMA Fighting that the Champions Series will see eight PFL champions crowned, and the PFL World Tournament winners will go on to challenge those champions.

    The PFL has also been expanding on the number of international leagues, with PFL Europe starting in 2023, PFL MENA starting in 2024, and PFL Africa set to start next Saturday, July 19, with the PFL Cape Town event.

  • Why Are the World’s Biggest Fighters Scrambling to Be Part of a White House UFC Event? Jon Jones & Conor McGregor Want In

    The biggest talking point in the MMA world at the moment is not one that involves a particular fighter, but one that involves the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and the potential of something historic that 30 years ago would have been a crazy pipedream.

    The U.S.’ Fourth of July celebrations this year marked the beginning of a year-long celebratory series of events that will lead to the country’s Semiquincentennial — the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaring its independence from Great Britain.

    During one of this year’s U.S. Independence Day events, Trump hyped up a vision of what he sees for next year’s grand celebration on July 4, 2026 (a Saturday). And Trump mentioned a UFC “fight” occuring on the lawn of the White House.

    Turns out, this isn’t just hearsay, as the UFC would confirm to reporters that while nothing is set in stone, plans are indeed in motion for a July 4, 2026 card to be held in the nation’s capital.

    Hours later, the likes of Conor McGregor and Jon Jones each posted to social media about interest in fighting on the card. This comes when McGregor hasn’t fought in the Octagon since 2021 and Jones announced a comeback after retiring and relinquishing the UFC heavyweight championship just two weeks earlier.

    With MMA insider and personality Ariel Helwani and his crew — Petersy Carroll, Conner Burks, and Eric Jackman — back in the studio earlier this week, the group discussed what such an event could mean, if such an event is possible, and why fighters are scrambling to be a part of the card.

    Is A UFC Card At The White House A Realistic Possibility? Who Would Be Part Of It?

    Helwani and the others weren’t in complete agreement on if the card actually happens; however, they were in agreement about the significance of such a card — and perhaps why fighters want in on this. A UFC event on White House grounds would mark one of, if not the, most visible and mainstream moments for the sport of MMA in its history.

    “It’d be the biggest spot MMA has ever been in, wouldn’t it?” said Petesy Carroll. “Could you imagine what that would look like in terms of a spectacle? Like we talked about the spectacle of the Sphere and stuff. Like, could you imagine that? The White House in the background with the Octagon.”

    In fact, as Helwani mentions, MMA was targeted by American politicians and banned in most states 30 years ago. An event in the capital of the United States, on one of the country’s most prominent landmarks, underscores just how far the UFC has come.

    “Ten years ago, it was still banned in New York,” Helwani said. “And to think that 10 years later — actually, the symbolism of [Trump] being elected the same week as the first show at MSG, 10 years later, an actual event at the White House — is pretty insane.”

    That said, question arose as to the logistics of putting on such a card. President Trump said he sees 25,000+ people on the White House grounds, with Helwani and company being very skeptical of such a sight with proper maximum security measures put in place.

    Scheduling also came into question, as while July 4, 2026, is a Saturday, it would put the event one week after the recent running dates of the UFC’s International Fight Week event (the last weekend of June). While some proposed the idea of moving International Fight Week to DC (which would be a whole other headache in itself) or re-scheduling International Fight Week, Helwani feels it’s doable to keep the week where it is and make what he would consider the most anticipated two-week period for the UFC.

    On that note, it brings up the question of what kind of an event a UFC White House card would be — a traditional pay-per-view, a prominent Fight Night card (on either Netflix or ABC, depending on if Netflix and/or ESPN get the UFC’s US TV rights for 2026 and beyond), or a small but meaningful card similar to what the UFC had went it first joined up with FOX in 2011.

    What Fighters Would Be Involved On A UFC White House Card?

    As mentioned, McGregor and Jones are the two most prominent names who volunteered for a card. And Carroll mentioned that despite circumstances and controversies surrounding both men, it’s not surprising that both have raised their hand — and that the two would be in consideration for such a unique event.

    “It doesn’t surprise me that likes Jones and Connor are suddenly interested in in being there,” Carroll said. “I mean, Connor had a massive PR pop when he arrived in the White House on St. Patrick’s Day — and [that] kind of became the catalyst for this political career he’s embarking on. So, I mean it would be a huge, huge deal.”

    While Carroll is more than skeptical of the idea, the Boys in the Back (Burks and Jackman) add that McGregor would bring a fitting boost to such a unique event, and that it would be a “perfect” time for him to fight Chandler — a fight that has been anticipated since 2023 before ultimately getting canceled in 2024.

    As far as Jones goes if there is one fight to make, Carroll feels there’s “one f****** fight to make” despite the Jones-Aspinall negotiations falling through officially with Jones’ brief retirement stint, which promoted Aspinall to undisputed champion.

    Debates went through the group, however, about if one of them should headline given their baggage, as well as McGregor not being an American (though Chandler is). It also sparks debate about what fighters (with Bo Nickal and Sean Strickland’s names thrown out there) could be on the card — and if the fighter selections would be based on name value, lack of controversy, etc. This also comes at a time where Kayla Harrison is the sole American champion in the UFC.

    A question was brought up additionally about if the UFC would be willing to sacrifice a high-revenue making fight like a Jones vs. Aspinall or McGregor vs. Chandler for the sake of the press they’d get for such a unique, historical, and political event.

  • ‘A Serious Mistake’ – Tim Kennedy Admits To Falsifying Bronze Star With Valor

    Former UFC fighter Tim Kennedy, often regarded as one of the most decorated fighters with military experience, has admitted that he never actually received a Bronze Star with Valor.

    “I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake,” Kennedy posted to social media. “Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. That is not true, and there is no excuse for it. I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise.”

    Tim Kennedy Releases Apology After Admitting To Never Receiving Bronze Medal With Valor

    A Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroic efforts in a combat zone. A Bronze Star with Valor, with a “V” device for distinction, is awarded for specifically “participation in acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy,” according to the U.S. Army.

    Accusations against Kennedy’s accomplishments began about seven months ago, when the Antihero Podcast produced an episode claiming that Kennedy’s memoir, Scars and Stripes, was “a book of lies.” They would produce a part two episode about a month later.

    In response, Kennedy made a since-deleted social media post (part of which can be found on MMA Mania) in January where he claimed others mis-listed his credentials, and that he never claimed that he received a Bronze Star with Valor.

    However, on June 27, a YouTube channel called Valhalla VFT, hosted by retired Green Beret Nathan Cornacchia, uploaded a video that includes a snippet from a 2017 interview Kennedy did where he claimed to have received such a distinction.

    “I was young when I stepped into the public eye, and while I wasn’t prepared for the scrutiny or pressure that came with it, that doesn’t absolve me,” Kennedy said in his apology statement. “I should have known better. Integrity is not situational, and I failed to uphold the standards I claimed to represent. To the military and veteran community, especially those who’ve served in combat or lost people they love. I am deeply sorry. I know I’ve let many of you down. You had every right to expect more from me, and I didn’t live up to that.”

    Kennedy promised that his apology would just be the beginning in terms of how he makes amends.

    “I am committed to rebuilding trust through honest reflection, visible accountability, and ongoing service to the community I misrepresented myself to,” he said. “I will no longer speak about my service in a way that elevates me beyond what I actually did. From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect. I understand that words alone don’t heal disappointment or restore trust. Only time and action will.

    “Thank you to those who have held me accountable. I will do my best to honor that accountability from this point forward.”

  • Randy Couture Suffers Burns In Single-Car Accident At Racetrack

    Randy Couture Suffers Burns In Single-Car Accident At Racetrack

    UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture was airlifted to a burn center on Tuesday, July 9, after getting injured in a single-car accident while at a professional stock car racetrack.

    According to initial reports from TMZ, Couture was making practice runs at a Kansas City racetrack when he was involved in an accident. Couture reportedly suffered first- and second-degree burns, as well as trauma injuries and smoke inhalation.

    It is unclear what caused the accident. The racecar that the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion was in was totaled in the wreckage.

    Randy Couture Suffers Burns In Racetrack Auto Accident

    Couture remains hospitalized, but the 62-year-old is expected to recover.

    Couture, who ESPN notes has been an avid motorcyclist, was slated to make his racing debut later this year for the National Hot Rod Association. Couture reportedly went through licensing in order to compete in the NHRA’s new Pro Mod program.

    Couture is currently a color commentator for the PFL and owns a professional gym, Xtreme Couture, in Las Vegas.

  • The Fight Fan’s Guide To July 19: Everything You Need To Know

    The Fight Fan’s Guide To July 19: Everything You Need To Know

    Next Saturday, July 19, is shaping up to be a memorable day filled with fights for combat sports fans everywhere.

    It sometimes can happen where fight cards will be stacked on top of one another on the same day, or even go head-to-head with each other. But only every so often do we get a day where fights will happen from one card to another throughout the day — and only every so often do we have a day of fights that are either heavily promoted, see titles on the line, or are all meaningful otherwise in some shape or way.

    We know for the obsessed fight fan that wants to see everything, a day like July 19 can be overwhelming in trying to figure out what’s going on, what’s important, and, more importantly, when and where to watch.

    Well, we here at MMA News are designing this guide here to help you put your feet up, grab your favorite foods and drinks, and watch all the action go down — from the first bell to the last!

    Everything Fight Fans Need To Know For July 19

    On July 19, the UFC and PFL will both be hosting heavily promoted cards, and the boxing world will feature a highly-anticipated title fight and the return of a legend.

    Here are — in order from the start of the day to the end — all the events going down on July 19, as well as when they start, where you can watch them, and what you need to know.

    PFL Cape Town

    Start Time: 10 am ET/7 am PT (Champions Series bouts will start at approx. 2 pm ET/11 am PT)

    Where To Watch: PFL App (PFL Africa 1) & ESPN+ (PFL Champions Series 2)

    After years of waiting, a major MMA player finally makes its way to the continent of Africa, as the PFL will host its first-ever event there with PFL Cape Town at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, South Africa.

    With the Bellator brand officially no more, Johnny Eblen — still considered one of the best talents in the sport outside of the UFC — will defend the newly-named PFL middleweight championship in the main event of the evening against Costello Van Steenis. Van Steenis comes into this title shot off a 2024 campaign that saw him submit Gregory Babene with a Von Flue choke at the Bellator Champions Series card in Paris and a 48-second head-kick knockout of Joao Vitor Dantas at the 2024 PFL World Championships.

    Dakota Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL women’s flyweight champion and 2023 PFL Europe women’s flyweight champion, returns in the co-main event, taking on Sumiko Inaba. The main card will also feature former Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson in action at heavyweight against 2024 PFL heavyweight champ Denis Goltsov, as well as former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee taking on Akhmed Magomedov.

    Before the five-fight Champions Series card, PFL Africa will host its first event, featuring first-round tournament matchups at heavyweight and bantamweight.

    KSW 108

    Start Time: 12pm ET/9am PT

    Where To Watch: KSWTV.com

    KSW gets a piece of the July 19 action, too, presenting KSW 108 from the Hala Urania in Olsztyn, Poland. Two noteworthy European featherweight up-and-comers do battle in the main event, as Adam Soldaev takes on Leo Brichta. Ibragim Chuzhigaev and Marcin Wójcik face off in the light heavyweight co-main event.

    Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois 2 — Undisputed Heavyweight Title Fight

    Start Time: 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT (Main event ring walks expected, per DAZN, approx. 4:50pm ET/1:50pm PT)

    Where To Watch: DAZN PPV

    For just the second time in the four-belt era of boxing, there will be an undisputed heavyweight champion, as WBA/WBC/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk faces IBF champion Daniel Dubois.

    Having been an undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, Usyk is just one of three male boxers to win four-belt undisputed gold in two weight classes. He became the first four-belt heavyweight undisputed champion when he defeated Tyson Fury in their first encounter in May 2024 — also becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion overall since Lennox Lewis in 2000.

    With a win in this fight, Usyk would further cement his history by reclaiming the title of undisputed champion of heavyweight boxing; however, he’ll have to get past a familiar foe in Dubois.

    The two first met in August 2023, with Usyk winning by ninth-round knockout to retain the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. The fight wasn’t without controversy, however, as Dubois and his team have disputed a fifth-round low blow call thrown by Dubois was a legal shot.

    Usyk’s reign as undisputed champion only lasted about a month, as the IBF stripped him of the title as he pursued a rematch with Fury, which Usyk went on to win this past December. That opened the door for Dubois to be promoted from interim to full-time IBF heavyweight champion.

    Dubois — also a former WBA (Regular) heavyweight champion — had won the interim IBF heavyweight belt in June 2024 with an eighth-round stoppage win over Filip Hrgović. He has since successfully defended the IBF world title once, scoring a fifth-round knockout of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua this past September.

    UFC 318

    Start Time: Early Prelims start at 6pm ET/3pm PT. TV prelims start at 8pm ET/5pm PT. PPV Main Card begins at 10pm ET/7pm PT.

    Where To Watch: Early Prelims available on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass. TV Prelims available on ESPN and ESPN+. Main Card available on ESPN+ PPV.

    For the final time in his illustrious career, “The Diamond” will make his way to the Octagon — and he’ll do so in front of a hometown crowd.

    UFC 318’s main event will be a BMF title fight between defending champion Max Holloway and challenger Dustin Poirier, the latter of whom will be retiring following this event.

    This is the third encounter between the two men. They first met in February 2012 at UFC 143 — Holloway’s UFC debut and just his fifth professional MMA fight. Poirier scored a first-round submission of Holloway. The two would then go on to have lengthy, successful careers before they met a second time at UFC 236. This time, interim UFC lightweight gold would be on the line (it was first UFC fight at lightweight for Holloway, who was the reigning featherweight champion at the time), and Poirier won an entertaining battle by decision.

    Since then, Holloway has dropped the featherweight title but remained one of the UFC’s most entertaining and winning fighters. Poirier has fallen short three times of becoming undisputed lightweight champion, but he picked up career wins in 2021 by scoring a pair of finishes over rival Conor McGregor. Both men, in fact, come into this fight off unsuccessful title shots, with Poirier losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 and Holloway losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.

    The BMF belt was established for Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in November 2019 but has since gone on to be occasionally defended like UFC’s sanctioned titles. Justin Gaethje knocked out Poirier to win the belt at UFC 291 in July 2023 but was knocked out in highlight fashion by Holloway for the title at UFC 300.

    Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao — WBC Welterweight Championship

    Start Time: 8pm ET/5pm PT

    Where To Watch: Prelims available on Amazon Prime Video. Main Card available on PBC PPV on Amazon Prime Video & PPV providers

    Whereas we say goodbye to one combat legend in Poirier, another legend makes his return. Legendary boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title.

    This will be Pacquiao’s first fight since losing a WBA welterweight title fight with Yordenis Ugás in August 2021. Barrios won the WBC interim title by defeating Ugás in September 2023. He retained the interim gold against Fabian Maidana and was promoted to full-time champion not long after. He defended the title once this past November, battling Abel Ramos to a draw.

    The co-main event will feature Sebastian Fundora defend the WBC and WBO super welterweight titles against Tim Tszyu.

    The card will feature three prelims, topped by the return of Gary Russell Jr. against Hugo Castaneda.

    Bonuses For The Mega Fans!

    If you’re just that fight fan that wants to soak up every minute and all the action, we’ve got some bonus bones being thrown your way!

    In addition to all the pre-fight festivities surrounding the fight cards, action gets underway on Thursday, July 17, when UFC Fight Pass airs Tuff-N-Uff 146 at 10pm ET/7pm PT. The main event will see Jamie Siraj take on Marlon Gonzales in a featherweight matchup. The card will also see Leon Shahbazyan, a Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus and the brother of UFC fighter Edmen Shahzabyan, in action against Aaron Phillips.

    Combate Global will also hold on card on Thursday, July 17, in Miami. The main event will see Jaden Ortega in welterweight action against Ivan Castillo. The event will air starting at 8pm ET/5pm PT on Combate Global’s YouTube channel. Those in the US with Samsung TV Plus can watch the action there as well.

    A pair of regional promotions will also hold events on Friday, July 18, as CFFC 144 goes down in Tampa, Florida, and Fury FC 106 takes place in New Orleans. CFFC 144 will be headlined by Auttumn Norton defending the CFFC bantamweight title against Emily Martins and Sean Mora facing Mark Grey for the vacant bantamweight title. Fury FC, meanwhile, will be headlined by Junior Maranhão taking on Artur Minev. Both cards can be watched on UFC Fight Pass.

  • ‘That’s Trash…Was Such An Easy Fight’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 7 Recap

    ‘That’s Trash…Was Such An Easy Fight’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 7 Recap

    Welcome, everyone, to the seventh edition of The TUF Stuff!

    Each week, I’ll be guiding you through a recap of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode — from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.

    This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it’s all said and done.

    Last week saw the third welterweight matchup of the season, as Matt Dixon continued newfound success for Team Sonnen with a finish of Team Cormier’s Alex Sanchez — a performance that left Cormier VERY unhappy.

    Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 7

    The last flyweight semifinal spot is on the line tonight, as Team Cormier’s Tumelo Manyamala take on Team Sonnen’s Roybert Echerverria.

    Let’s get into episode seven of The Ultimate Fighter!

    UFC Fight Pass Invitational

    Dana White mentions ho good this season has been, but how the stresses of the competition and being away from home for so long is weighing on the fighters. To give them a break, White allows the fighters to check out the UFC Fight Pass Invitational. White mentions that it’s a precursor to UFC BJJ — so this is basically just a UFC BJJ ad in a way? Either way, the pressure is off the fighters and they get to bond while watching Brazilian jiu-jitsu action.

    Cormier comes from behind the fighters and buys his team Cajun food, saying he wanted to see his fighters’ reactions to eating it. Cormier added that it was a lighthearted and fun-filled experience. Sonnen adds he felt the event was a “home run.”

    TUF House

    Roybert Echeverria tells a story of how he fought against the government when he was a young student in Venezuela in 2014, getting shot at while protesting. Echeverria remembered how he and other student protesters were fighting for their dreams and rights, as well as others. The experiences from that are why his nickname is “Unbroken.”

    Roybert Echerverria Backstory

    Echeverria says the government is still corrupt and was following his family. Echeverria lives with his wife and one-year-old son in Miami. We see Echeverria’s parents, and his father describes him as a devoted fighter with an unbreakable heart and mentality.

    Echeverria trains under Asim Zaidi, who calls Echeverria the most technical fighter in the gym.

    Tumelo Manyamala Fight Prep

    Cormier says they’re going to give Echeverria plenty up the middle in case he chooses to go back to his wrestling. He says that Echeverria is a “tough fight” for Manyamala. He feels Manyamala is a strong striker who can win, needing to fight at his range. Cormier says he needs to “go through the fire” and not get pressured and taken down.

    He adds Manyamala feels like a reserved guy, but he needs to let that personality take a back seat.

    Manyamala says people think he’s too calm to be a fighter, but he says he doesn’t need to act tough and get more than aggressive. “I don’t need to put on a persona,” he says.

    Team Sonnen Training Session – Robert Whittaker Joins

    Former UFC welterweight champion, TUF: The Smashes winner, and TUF season 28 coach Robert Whittaker joins Team Sonnen this week.

    Whittaker says TUF was a really hard experience but was “the beginning of my life.” He says TUF brought him from being an electrician to being a UFC champion. The show allowed him to start believing in himself and his abilities.

    Whittaker focuses his instruction on spacing and fighting with range. Sonnen says Whittaker is unique with his stance, calling him a “modern-day Bruce Lee.”

    “If you’ll be willing to die more than your opponent is, you will win,” Whittaker told Team Sonnen during the session. “That wins fights.”

    Tumelo Manyamala Backstory

    Manyamala shows a photo of his wife, noting she’s now a few months’ pregnant, and that he found out about the pregnancy around the time of his first TUF interview.

    He lives with his fiancee, Rachel, a yoga teacher, in Cape Town, South Africa, training out of the Pride Fighting Academy. He discusses his upbringing in the country, and how he parents instilled in him a hard-work attitude. He played sports throughout his youth, picking up karate at 8 and going on to win national martial arts championships.

    Roybert Echerverria Fight Prep

    Echerverria and Sonnen discuss the fight, with Echerverria feeling

    Sonnen wants Echerverria to pressure and throw down. He feels Manyamala is a counter fighter — a sloppy one — and Echerverria can be dangerous in that regard, especially when the fight goes to the ground.

    Echerverria says he’s a violent fighter but a smart fighter.

    “Make them remember me forever, that’s why I go for the highlights,” he said.

    Echerverria reflects on his loss against Jafel Filho, saying he took lessons from the tough loss but moved on and learned. Sonnen adds that every time he thinks Echerverria is slowing down, he answers right back. He feels Echerverria is a true contender for the finale.

    The Fight: Tumelo Manyamala vs. Roybert Echerverria

    Both fighters weigh in at 125.5. The fight is on!

    —–IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.———

    Joseph Morales feels Echerverria will smash Manyamala, taking him down and running through him. Jeff Creighton feels Manyamala uses distance well, and that will be key for this fight.

    White calls Manyamala a striker who loves to press the pace. White feels Echerverria is more well-rounded and is a dangerous striker but will probably use his wrestling here.

    Tumelo Manyamala vs. Roybert Echerverria

    Round 1

    Low kicks from Manyamala, who is moving slowly along the outside. Right hand from Manyamala. Front kick from Manyamala. Right hand from Manyamala misses. Echerverria lands to the body. One-two from Manyamala. Echerverria flashes the left hand. Manyamala with a couple of left hands. Low kick from Echerverria. Now a low kick from Manyamala. Manyamala connects with a pair of left hands. Echerverria throws a front kick and then lands a punch to the body. Round kick from Manyamala. Brief exchange between the two. Body shot by Echerverria. Echerverria narrowly misses a high kick.

    Low kick from Manyamala. Body shot from Echerverria. Right hand from Manyamala. Spinning back kick misses for Echerverria. Strong right hand from Manyamala. Low kick from Echerverria. Left hands from Manyamala. Strong right hand from Echerverria leads to a brief clinch. Jabs from both men and another exchange. Echerverria comes in. Manyamala pressures with a pair of left hands. Another exchange. Manyamala misses a front kick. Both men show the left hand. Strong right hand from Manyamala drops Echerverria! He’s back up, but Manyamala is pressuring. The two exchange by the fence. Echerverria might have his legs back under him. Side kick by Echerverria. Manyamala misses a head kick. A pair of left hands from Manyamala. Side kick by Echerverria.

    Round 2

    Low kicks from Manyamala to start. Right hand and more low kicks from Manyamala. Echerverria goes in for a clinch and presses Manyamala into the fence. Manyamala gets him off but is still near the fence. Low kick from Manyamala. Jab from Echerverria, and Manyamala throws a combination to answer. Low kick from Echerverria. Coaches tell Manyamala to go forward. Uppercut to the body by Manyamala. Body shot by Echerverria and a round kick from Manyamala. Left hand by Manyamala. Echerverria shoots in again, but Manyamala shakes him off. Manyamala keeping Echerverria at range now with the jabs. Echerverria shows the right hand. Manyamala lands inside. Manyamala shows the one-two. Jumping knee by Echerverria doesn’t land.

    Echerverria shoots in, and this time he scores the takedown. Right hands from Echerverria as Manyamala tries to get to his feet. He does so, but Echerverria quickly takes out his leg. Echerverria gets to his back. Strong left hand from Echerverria lands. Echerverria is searching for the choke. He gets it!

    Manyamalaputs on a hell of a showing, but Echerverria manages to get him down and get the submission.

    Cormier is PISSED. “That’s trash…was such an easy fight.”

    Winner: Echerverria via second-round submission

    Conclusion

    Cormier says when Manyamala didn’t load up and let things flow, he was able to hurt Echerverria. Cormier even noted during the first round that he could have finished the fight. Cormier added that Echerverria had no way in on Manyamala.

    Cormier, in what he calls “the part of coaching that drives me crazy,” says Manyamala didn’t listen to being first and not going to the Octagon side — and that’s why he got taken down. Sonnen adds that, for whatever reason, Echerverria’s sixth time going with the combination and takedown plan they made worked.

    White says that Manyamala showed good stuff, but Echerverria’s commitment to his gameplan brought him the win. Team Sonnen’s back in the game!

    Echerverria says he is so grateful for the opportunity, and that he knows “The Unbroken” will be on top again. Manyamala says Cormier told him he has a lot to learn in his young career, and he says that it’s a small bump in the road he will bounce back from. Cormier adds that Manyamala has to know to fight smart when he’s ahead in the fight.

    Cormier says it was a winnable fight and he’s made for him, not at him, because it’s going to produce a feeling of regret. He doesn’t want Manyamala to waste opportunities.

    With all other welterweight fighters having competed in their matchups already, the next fight will see Team Cormier’s Rodrigo Sezinando take on Team Sonnen’s Diego Bianchini to conclude the first round.

    These two — the first welterweight picks from each team — have not liked each other from the beginning. And now, things will boil over to end the first round with a bang!

    What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!

    Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!

  • ‘Looks Like Another European Star For PFL’ – Fans React To Patrick Habirora Landing Devastating KO With Head Kick In PFL Brussels Main Event

    ‘Looks Like Another European Star For PFL’ – Fans React To Patrick Habirora Landing Devastating KO With Head Kick In PFL Brussels Main Event

    Patrick Habirora is slowly making a name for himself in the PFL with his young career, and he may have just taken himself to a new level of status with his performance in front of his home country.

    Habirora scored a first-round knockout over UFC veteran Danny Roberts in the main event of PFL Brussels, held at the ING Arena in Belgium.

    Habirora controlled the center early, but Roberts pressed him into the fence after some exchanging. Roberts landed knees and short punches in the clinch, but Habirora eventually broke free.

    Habirora found his rhythm and worked combinations before landing a powerful headkick that dropped Roberts for the win.

    Patrick Habirora Knocks Out UFC Veteran Danny Roberts At PFL Brussels

    https://twitter.com/FrenchSavagery/status/1941606868314456154

    Habirora advances to 7-0 as a pro, including a 3-0 PFL Europe record that has also seen him finish Catalin Safta and score a decision over Claudio Pacella.

    Roberts fought in the UFC from 2015 to 2023, with his run ending on a three-fight losing skid that included a loss to current UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.

  • 2025 PFL Europe 2 Results & Highlights: Patrick Habirora Makes Statement With First-Round Head-Kick KO

    2025 PFL Europe 2 Results & Highlights: Patrick Habirora Makes Statement With First-Round Head-Kick KO

    The second PFL Europe event of the 2025 season took place on Saturday, July 5, with the PFL’s first venture to Brussels, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    PFL Europe was the initial expansion effort of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), an effort that has since grown out to MENA in 2024. PFL Africa and PFL Pacific will start up this year as well, with the former’s first event taking place in two weeks’ time.

    After the first leg of the third PFL Europe season started up in Belfast in May, today’s action continued to see who would advance to the playoffs card, now set for September 26 in France — and that will show who we’ll see at this year’s PFL Europe Championships (also in France) this December.

    The card, which took place at the ING Arena, saw seven Belgian fighters compete throughout the 16-fight card — a mix of bantamweight tournament and showcase bouts. And in the main event, Patrick Habirora blew the roof off the venue in his home country with a first-round knockout of UFC veteran Danny Roberts, who was making his PFL debut.

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

    2025 PFL Europe 2 Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Welterweight Showcase Main Event: Patrick Habirora def. Danny Roberts via KO (R1, 4:32)
    • Bantamweight Showcase Co-Main Event: Taylor Lapilus def. Ali Taleb via unanimous decision
    • Featherweight Showcase: Gaetano Pirrello def. Salvatore Liga via submission (D’Arce choke) (R1, 3:22)
    • Light Heavyweight Showcase: Boris Atangana def. Bruno Santos via TKO (R1, 0:56)
    • Welterweight Showcase: Chequina Noso Pedro def. Khamzat Abaev via unanimous decision

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight Showcase: Movsar Ibragimov def. Gerardo Fanny via submission (Von Flue choke) (R2, 1:42)
    • Featherweight Showcase: Ibragim Ibragimov def. Mathys Duragrin via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight Tournament Bout: Dean Garnett def. Tuomas Grönvall via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight Tournament Bout: Mahio Campanella def. Matiss Zaharovs via unanimous decision
    • Lightweight Showcase: Catalin Safta def. Nicolas Di Franco via split decision
    • Bantamweight Tournament Bout: Gustavo Oliveira def. Anas Azizoun via KO (R1, 3:25)
    • Bantamweight Tournament Bout: Jan Ciepłowski def. Julien Lopez via TKO (R1, 3:43)
    • Women’s Flyweight Showcase: Paulina Wiśniewska def. Jessica Cunha via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1, 4:12)
    • Featherweight Showcase: Adam Meskini def. Tiziano Ferranti via TKO (R2, 4:56)
    • Bantamweight Showcase: Levi Batchelor def. Fahdi Khaled via technical submission (Ezekiel choke) (R3, 4:56)
    • 163-Pound Catchweight Showcase: Salvo Giudice def. Brice Belghazi via submission (rear-naked choke) (R3, 2:14)

    Salvo Giudice def. Brice Belghazi

    Levi Batchelor def. Fahdi Khaled

    Adam Meskini def. Tiziano Ferranti

    Paulina Wiśniewska def. Jessica Cunha

    Jan Ciepłowski def. Julien Lopez

    Gustavo Oliveira def. Anas Azizoun

    Catalin Safta def. Nicolas Di Franco

    Mahio Campanella def. Matiss Zaharovs

    Dean Garnett def. Tuomas Grönvall

    Ibragim Ibragimov def. Mathys Duragrin

    Movsar Ibragimov def. Gerardo Fanny

    Chequina Noso Pedro def. Khamzat Abaev

    Boris Atangana def. Bruno Santos

    Gaetano Pirrello def. Salvatore Liga

    https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1941594334970654910

    Taylor Lapilus def. Ali Taleb

    Patrick Habirora def. Danny Roberts

  • VIDEO: Gustavo Oliveira Scores KO Of The Year Candidate With Stunning Spinning Backfist

    VIDEO: Gustavo Oliveira Scores KO Of The Year Candidate With Stunning Spinning Backfist

    One week after Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues made a strong case for Knockout of the Year, Gustavo Oliveira made a case of his own in his knockout win over Anas Azizoun at PFL Brussels.

    As a result of his win, Oliveira moves on in this year’s PFL Europe bantamweight tournament.

    Oliveira and Azizoun both came out aggressive, with Oliveira trying to press the action, including a left hook that briefly dropped Azizoun. The fight would return to the feet, and Azizoun battled back with strong combinations.

    Oliveira then landed a spinning backfist that dropped Azizoun out cold for a highlight finish.

    Gustavo Oliveira Flattens Anas Azizoun With Sudden Spinning Backfist

    This was Oliveira’s first MMA fight since July 2022, losing to Patrick Surdyn.

    Azizoun has now lost back-to-back fights after a five-fight win streak.

  • Jon Jones Announces He’s Re-Entered UFC Testing Pool Two Weeks After Retiring

    Jon Jones Announces He’s Re-Entered UFC Testing Pool Two Weeks After Retiring

    In what would be an insane plot twist to recent UFC events, former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones — just two weeks after announcing his official retirement from MMA — has announced he is coming out of retirement and re-entering the UFC’s drug testing pool.

    Jones announced the move himself on social media, stating “figured we’d keep everyone’s options open.”

    It appears the recent news of U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to have a UFC card on the grounds of the White House next Fourth of July weekend — as part of the nation’s events to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday — may have hooked in Jones as well, based on a different social media post about 20 minutes prior.

    Conor McGregor previously posted to social media earlier in the day, teasing that such an event could be what brings him out of his long UFC hiatus, and perhaps finally to take on Michael Chandler.

    Jon Jones Announcing Reversal On Retirement Decision?

    This news comes on the heels of Jones announcing his retirement recently in what many thought marked the end of a long, drawn-out saga of fight negotiations between him and new undisputed UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

    There is a dispute over whether or not a fight between the two was nearly official prior to Jones’ retirement. Jones has claimed that a fight was never signed; meanwhile, UFC President Dana White claimed the fight had been signed and was to be announced — only for Jones to change his mind and retire, citing a lack of interest in competing. Jones made those remarks on a podcast appearance. MMA insider Ariel Helwani, meanwhile, claims White’s side to the story is the true sequence of events.

    After dominating the UFC’s light heavyweight scene throughout the 2010s, Jones relinquished the light heavyweight title in 2020 and took a three-year hiatus, coming back at UFC 285 to defeat Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title.

    He was scheduled to defend the title at UFC 295 against Stipe Miocic, but the fight was delayed one year after Jones tore his pec. The UFC elected not to strip Jones, with Aspinall winning the interim title at the card and making a rare defense of an interim belt, defeating Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. Jones went on to defeat Miocic at UFC 309.

    Jones has dealt with plenty of legal troubles over the years as well, and just hours after retiring, a report came out accusing Jones of leaving the scene of an accident this past February. Police alleged that, when speaking with Jones — after finding a woman naked from the waist down in a vehicle allegedly driven by Jones — Jones implied “his capacity to employ lethal force through third parties.”

  • 2025 PFL MENA 2 Results & Highlights

    2025 PFL MENA 2 Results & Highlights

    The PFL MENA season continued on Friday, July 4, and we have all the results and highlights from the action here at MMA News!

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

    The card took place at The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    In the showcase main event, 2024 PFL MENA welterweight champion Omar El Dafrawy was able to come away with a quick submission win over 2023 PFL Europe welterweight finalist Daniele Miceli. Miceli scored a takedown and looked to get a Von Flue choke submission. But El Dafrawy escaped it and was able to lock up a triangle choke, surviving a pair of slams before getting the tap just 1:15 into the fight.

    Hattan Alsaif competed in her fourth amateur MMA bout on this night as well, scoring another second-round finish in front of a hometown crowd. Alsaif defeated Nour Al Fliti after a knockdown saw Al Fliti suffer an injury to her right leg.

    The 2024 PFL bantamweight and welterweight tournaments opened on this night, as participants looked to get their way into the semifinals this fall.

    In addition to being broadcasted live on DAZN in most countries, this event marked the first time that American viewers could watch an international PFL event live on the PFL App!

    If you missed any of the action, we here at MMA News have you covered with everything that went down. See below!

    2025 PFL MENA 2 Results & Highlights

    • Welterweight Showcase Main Event: Omar El Dafrawy def. Daniele Miceli via first-round submission (triangle choke)
    • Welterweight Co-Main Event: Mohammad Alaqraa def. Omar Hussein
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight Showcase: Hattan Alsaif def. Nour Al Fliti via second-round verbal submission (retirement [injury])
    • Welterweight: Mohamed Zarey def. Ayman Galal via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight: Xavier Alaoui def. Ziad Ayman Mokhtar via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight: Moktar Benkaci def. Marcel Adur via first-round TKO (body punch)
    • Welterweight: Badreddine Diani def. Ahmad Abdelbast Darwish via unanimous decision
    • Welterweight: Amir Fazli def. Rostem Akman via second-round KO
    • Bantamweight: Nawras Abzakh def. Ali Yazbeck via second-round KO (knee and strikes)
    • Bantamweight: Islam Youssef def. Benyamin Ghahraman via second-round KO (flying kick)
    • Lightweight: Abdelrahman Alhyasat def. Anthony Zeidan via second-round submission (rear-naked choke)

    Abdelrahman Alhyasat def. Anthony Zeidan

    Islam Youssef def. Benyamin Ghahraman

    Nawras Abzakh def. Ali Yazbeck

    Amir Fazli def. Rostem Akman

    Badreddine Diani def. Ahmad Abdelbast Darwish

    Moktar Benkaci def. Marcel Adur

    Xavier Alaoui def. Ziad Ayman Mokhtar

    Mohamed Zarey def. Ayman Galal

    Hattan Alsaif def. Nour Al Fliti

    Mohammad Alaqraa def. Omar Hussein

    Omar El Dafrawy def. Daniele Miceli

  • Donald Trump Plans a UFC Match at the White House for America’s Big Birthday, Conor McGregor Shows Interest In Michael Chandler Fight For Card

    Donald Trump Plans a UFC Match at the White House for America’s Big Birthday, Conor McGregor Shows Interest In Michael Chandler Fight For Card

    July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the United States declaring independence from Great Britain. That particular date also falls on a Saturday, and while the UFC typically takes off for American Independence Day weekend, could a chance to be involved in Washington D.C.’s events alongside U.S. President Donald Trump cause a one-time change?

    It could be if Trump has his way. And perhaps that kind of event would be enough to draw a matchup, once thought to be dead in the water, involving MMA’s biggest star ever back to life.

    During an event on Thursday (July 3), Trump, at an event that marked a year-long celebration leading to the U.S.’ semiquincentennial, teased the idea of having a UFC event on the grounds of the White House, the residency of the U.S. President, during next year’s Independence Day events.

    “So every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250,” Trump said. “And I even think we’re going to have a UFC fight. “Think of this on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”

    According to the Associated Press, a spokesperson from the White House had no official details for such an event. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, claims the U.S. President is “dead serious” about it.

    Other logistics would also have to be worked out. The UFC has typically used the last weekend in June or the first or second weekend of July for it’s annual International Fight Week celebrations in Las Vegas.

    Trump and UFC President Dana White have enjoyed a long-standing friendship. The Trump Taj Mahal (now the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) in Atlantic City, New Jersey, hosted a pair of UFC events in 2001 as Zuffa, the then-recent new owners of UFC, were getting their feet under them at the same time the UFC was working alongside athletic commissions to get professional MMA sanctioned.

    Since his first election to the presidency, Trump has been a key figure at several UFC events, most recently appearing at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, last month.

    Could Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler Headline A Proposed UFC Event At The White House?

    Hours after Trump made the tease, Conor McGregor took to social media, announcing his desire to end his long layoff from the cage to compete in the main event of the White House’s UFC card. McGregor even posted an Instagram message to White, with White saying he “loves” the idea.

    McGregor has not been seen in the Octagon since losing his UFC 264 trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier due to injury.

    Hours after his initial posts, McGregor made another social media post, showing what appears to be an AI-rendered image of him and Michael Chandler facing off in suits on the White House, with President Trump smiling in the background.

    Neither Chandler nor the UFC have made an official statement on the White House event, let alone the potential McGregor vs. Chandler could headline such a card.

    McGregor and Chandler were initially scheduled to fight after the two coached season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. As time went on, no fight announcement happened, however, until White announced at the UFC 300 post-fight press conference that McGregor and Chandler would face off at UFC 303 — during 2024’s International Fight Week.

    The month of UFC 303, however, a press conference scheduled for Dublin was suddenly canceled at the eleventh hour, and the fight ended up dissolving. The official claim is a toe injury to McGregor, but some have speculated a contract dispute between McGregor and the UFC.

    McGregor, also a part-owner of BKFC, has two fights remaining on his current UFC deal, and some have speculated the UFC want McGregor to sign another deal and lock him up.

    McGregor, of course, has also dealt with his long list of controversies outside the cage, including a jury’s ruling last November implicating him in the alleged December 2018 sexual assault of a woman, Nikita Hand, in a Dublin hotel. Additionally, a video surfaced weeks ago of McGregor punching a man at a nightclub in Ibiza.

  • ‘If He Asks For A Fight…He Doesn’t Like His Life’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 6 Recap

    ‘If He Asks For A Fight…He Doesn’t Like His Life’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 6 Recap

    Welcome, everyone, to the sixth edition of The TUF Stuff!

    Each week, I’ll be guiding you through a recap of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode — from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.

    This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it’s all said and done.

    Last week saw the third flyweight matchup of the season, as Alibi Idiris continued Team Cormier’s winning streak, defeating Team Sonnen’s Furkatbek Yokubov.

    Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 6

    Tonight’s matchup at welterweight will see Team Cormier’s Alex Sanchez taking on Team Sonnen’s Matt Dixon.

    Let’s get into episode six of The Ultimate Fighter!

    TUF House

    Alibi Idiris gifts a Kazakh robe to Furkatbek Yokubov, calling him a respectable opponent he’s always looked to. Yokubov feels some shame in his performance but says he plans to show what more he can do.

    Diego Bianchini appears to be making fun of Team Cormier for not having a jiu-jitsu coach. That doesn’t still well with Rodrigo Sezinando, who starts to exchange words. Sezinando implies that no one cares about Bianchini.

    Sezinando makes a comment about his sole loss in Mexico, and that sets Bianchini off, claiming he was robbed. This results in a yelling match between the two, with Bianchini saying something about Sezinando’s only loss — and the tension continues to boil and boil. Sezinando says “You’re not a bad boy, you’re a playboy.” Bianchini calls Sezinando jealous, and Sezinando says he smells fear on Bianchini.

    “If he asks for a fight with me, he doesn’t like his life, dude,” Sezinando says. “Such a stupid idea.”

    Team Cormier Training Session – Rose Namajunas & Raquel Pennington Join

    Team Cormier introduces former UFC champions Rose Namajunas and Raquel Pennington, who were on seasons 20 and 18, respectively. Season 18 was the first TUF season to feature women — featuring Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate as coaches. Pennington lost to Jessica Rakoczy in the semifinals.

    Namajunas competed on season 20, which introduced the strawweight division to the UFC. Namajunas lost to Carla Esparza in the finals.

    Pennington tells the team to “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Namajunas adds to embrace everything that has gotten the fighters to this point and to have their “go-tos.”

    They lead the team through shadowboxing and other drills.

    Namajunas says TUF came at a perfect point in her life, while Pennington reflects on it being a pivotal part in her career — coming into the UFC at a time when women were first just entering the Octagon.

    Matt Dixon Fight Prep

    Dixon reflects on his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series as a 9-0 fighter, taking on Orion Cosce. Dixon says he was winning the fight, but a failure to pace himself resulted in gassing out and getting finished. Dixon says the loss took out some of his joy in the sport, but he says that TUF will be what makes up for it.

    Sonnen calls Dixon “dog tough,” and Clayton Hires tells Sonnen that he sees something — a hunger, a spark — in Dixon’s eye. Mason Fowler added he’d “put money” on Dixon in this fight.

    Sonnen feels Dixon will be in control for all of the fight and can reach the finale; however, he has to pace himself in this fight.

    Dixon says he’s going to look to walk Sanchez down and pressure him into knocking Sanchez out.

    “You’re going to see kicks, dynamic footwork, dynamic movement.”

    Dixon says he predicts this fight to be an all-out striking war.

    Team Sonnen Training Session

    Sonnen’s longtime teammate, TUF 3 alumnus Ed Herman, joins to assist the team with their dirty boxing and striking training. He shows the team how to execute ground-and-pound by using the half-guard.

    “Nasty, dirty, kind of grind stuff to break guys down and finish them,” Herman said.

    Dixon calls Herman “brutal” with his ground-and-pound. Echerverria appreciates the opportunity to mix new-school and old-school striking techniques.

    Herman loves the opportunity to teach the next generation of MMA stars.

    Alex Sanchez Backstory

    Sanchez was born in Jalisco. He didn’t have time to train martial arts as a kid because of working from a young age. Sanchez, in fact, worked in the fields in the U.S. at a young age, and he used the money to eventually be able to pay for martial arts training. He shares this experience with Sezinando, who tells him “this is what makes us stronger.”

    Suarez lives in Mexico City and received a grant to train at the UFC Performance Institute there. “It has changed my life, and it’ll change the lives of many more.”

    Matt Dixon Backstory

    Dixon is asked about missing his family and missing (or not) the single life. Dixon introduces his wife and his young daughter, saying they are his greatest success. He adds having a daughter brought about new-found motivation in — something deeper he didn’t know he had.

    We see Dixon’s childhood home. His dad is a preacher, and his mom worked two job, so he admitted he and his two siblings were a little wild. Dixon would have a pair of boxing gloves and boxed with friends while struggling to stay focused in school.

    Dixon trains at the Hurricane Training Center with TUF alumnus Gerald Harris. Harris calls Dixon “the future” and “a great guy.”

    Caleb Benton, his boxing coach, says he’s seen Dixon battle through adversity and has the ability to win the TUF competition. Dixon says winning TUF means everything to him, otherwise he wouldn’t make the sacrifices he’s making.

    Alex Sanchez Fight Prep

    Sanchez describes himself as a striker with his eight KO/TKO wins — and he hasn’t lost since 2020.

    Sanchez feels he’ll be able to handle wherever the fight goes.

    Cormier says the fight is “tough” for him because he feels Sanchez cannot get pressured into the fence. Cormier says Sanchez needs to attack and back Dixon up and stop Dixon’s takedown attempts.

    Cormier says Sanchez has “serious pop in his hand.”

    Sanchez says he won’t be worried if Dixon wants to grapple or strike and feels he is the kind of fighter who can deliver a great knockout, this fight included. In fact, Sanchez calls Dixon “an average fighter” and that it’s Dixon’s turn to lose his dream.

    The Fight: Alex Sanchez vs. Matt Dixon

    —–IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.———

    Dixon weighs in at 171. Sanchez weighs in at 170.5. The fight is on!

    Dana White feels this will be an exciting fight, given that it is striker vs. striker.

    Andreeas Binder says Dixon is aggressive with his striking, and that Sanchez cannot start slow. Jeff Creighton says that Sanchez is tough and strikes heavy, and he says that if Sanchez can move and make Dixon miss, he has a good shot.

    Dixon says he wants to make things entertaining and that he will do “anything” to ensure he wins this fight. Sanchez says he fights for the people who believe in him and to build a legacy, looking to put on a show and represent Mexico well.

    Alex Sanchez vs. Matt Dixon

    Round 1

    Dixon comes forward. Sanchez with a one-two. Solid right hand from Dixon. Dixon fires off some strikes. One-two from Sanchez. Low kick from Sanchez. Dixon with a one-two. Dixon pressuring Sanchez. Sanchez with a low kick. Cormier calls for more calf kicks from Sanchez. Dixon with a left hand. Jabs from Dixon. Clinch now, and Dixon brings Sanchez toward the fence, landing an elbow in the process. One-two from Dixon after the break. Solid left hand from Sanchez.

    Right hand and a left from Dixon. Dixon works his punches. Strong hook from Sanchez. One-two from Sanchez. Body kick from Dixon. Low kick from Sanchez. Body kick from Sanchez. Overhand right from Sanchez. Right hand catches Sanchez clean. Sanchez lands a combination. Right hand from Dixon. Sanchez misses a right hook. Right hand lands for Sanchez. Left hand from Dixon. Another left hand from Dixon.

    Strong left hand DROPS SANCHEZ! Dixon with some follow-up ground-and-pound! The fight is over!

    The losing streak for Team Sonnen is over!

    Cormier is PISSED that Sanchez continuously backed up. “Of course you’re going to get caught.”

    Winner: Matt Dixon via first-round TKO

    Conclusion

    Cormier says that he told Sanchez to press and go forward, but he didn’t do that. Cormier says Sanchez didn’t listen to him and his team.

    Dana White said the fighters did as expected — keep the fight standing. White says Dixon controlled the pace and made Sanchez uncomfortable.

    Sonnen says Dixon landing to the body was what led Sanchez to drop his hands and set up the knockout shot.

    Cormier adds “you can’t run” when being in a fistfight like he and Dixon were in.

    Dixon calls the experience surreal and feels justified in being here and that he is a real threat, getting the job done on the biggest stage.

    Cormier tells Sanchez that his style doesn’t allow him to back up. “DON’T BACK UP!” he yells several times at Sanchez. “When we’re telling you something, listen! Simple concept, don’t back up. You got to f****** fight.”

    Sanchez feels disappointed in how he performed and can’t make excuses, but now he has to shake it off and go from here.

    With all other flyweight fighters having competed in their first-round matchups already, the next fight will see Team Cormier’s Tumelo Manyamala take on Team Sonnen’s Roybert Echerverria.

    The fighters will also get to experience the UFC Fight Pass Invitational next week, and former UFC middleweight champion and TUF: The Smashes winner Robert Whittaker joins Team Sonnen for a training session.

    What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!

    Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!

  • UFC Rankings Report: Ilia Topuria Becomes New Men’s Pound-For-Pound Best

    UFC Rankings Report: Ilia Topuria Becomes New Men’s Pound-For-Pound Best

    The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC 317 in Las Vegas, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Ilia Topuria has moved up two spots and is the new No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Islam Makhachev moves down one spot to No. 2 and Merab Dvalishvili moves down one spot to No. 3.

    Alexandre Pantoja moves up four spots to No. 5. Magomed Ankalaev moves down to spots to No. 7, while Jack Della Maddalena, Tom Aspinall, and Alex Pereira each move down one spot to, respectively, No. 8, No. 9, and No. 10.

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

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez moves up two spots to No. 8 after defeating Vivane Araujo, who falls two spots to No. 10. Maycee Barber moves down one spot to No. 6, as Jasmine Jasudavicius takes sole possession of No. 5.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: With his victory over Brandon Royval, Joshua Van moves up 11 spots to the No. 1 contender position. Royval moves down two spots to No. 3. As a result, a number of people — Amir Albazi, Kai Kara-France, Tatsuro Taira, Manel Kape, Alex Perez, Asu Almabayev, Steve Erceg, Tim Elliott, and Tagir Ulanbekov — move down one spot to, respectively, Nos. 4-12.

    Bruno Silva moves up in the ranks to No. 14, swapping places with Kai Asakura (now No. 15).

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: With Topuria’s capturing of the UFC lightweight championship and officially leaving the division, he leaves the 145-pound rankings. Movsar Evloev moves up two spots to No. 2. Diego Lopes falls one spot to No. 3.

    A number of people move up one spot — Yair Rodriguez (to No. 4), Brian Ortega (to No. 5), Arnold Allen (also to No. 5), Lerone Murphy (No. 7), Aljamain Sterling (No. 8), Josh Emmett (to No. 9), Jean Silva (to No. 10), and Youssef Zalal (to No. 11).

    Dan Ige moves up two spots to No. 12. Calvin Kattar moves up one spot to No. 14, while Giga Chikadze re-joins the featherweight rankings at No. 15.

    Lightweight: With Topuria moving up to lightweight and capturing the championship, a number of fighters move down one spot in the rankings. Islam Makhachev, the now-former champion, moves down to No. 1, while Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Dan Hooker, and Mateusz Gamrot move down to No. 2-8, respectively.

    Paddy Pimblett falls two spots to No. 10. Rafael Fiziev, Renato Moicano, and Michael Chandler each move down one spot to, respectively, No. 11, No. 12, and No. 13. Grant Dawson falls two spots to No. 15.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: Abus Magomedov falls one spot to No. 15, giving Roman Kopylov sole possession of the No. 14 spot.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • What’s Next After UFC 317? Full Confirmed UFC 318 Main Card For New Orleans On July 19

    What’s Next After UFC 317? Full Confirmed UFC 318 Main Card For New Orleans On July 19

    UFC 317 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 318 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

    The promotion was in Las Vegas last week, where the T-Mobile Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its sixth numbered event of the year. Of note were headline wins for Ilia Topuria and Alexandre Pantoja, as well as important victories for Joshua Van, Beneil Dariush and Payton Talbott.

    While the aftermath of the June 28 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the lightweight and flyweight championship title pictures to conversation around two BMFs — one of whom steps into the Octagon for the final time.

    In front of his native hometown crowd at UFC 318, set for the Smoothie King Arena on July 19, Dustin Poirier will take to the Octagon one last time, as he faces off with Max Holloway for the BMF belt. It will be the third encounter these two have had, with Poirier up 2-0 in the series and going for the clean sweep. A 4-0, 20-year-old Max Holloway made his UFC debut against Poirier at UFC 143, with Poirier winning via first-round submission. They would rematch seven years later at UFC 236, with Poirier scoring a clean decision to win the interim UFC lightweight championship.

    Poirier, who had been teasing retirement for some time now, will be competing for the first time in over a year, after getting submitted by Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title bout that headlined UFC 302. Poirier is 2-3 since winning his trilogy bout with Conor McGregor, including another failed lightweight title bid against Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. Poirier has fought for the BMF title once before, getting knocked out by Justin Gaethje at UFC 291.

    Holloway, the legendary former featherweight champion, will be competing in his first fight since failing to reclaim the title, getting knocked out by new lightweight champion Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 308. While Holloway began his MMA career at lightweight, he dropped to featherweight upon arriving to the UFC. Holloway’s other lightweight bout outside of facing Poirier for the second time came at UFC 300, when Holloway had his legendary knockout of Gaethje to win the BMF title.

    The co-main event will see Patricio Pitbull’s second UFC bout, as he takes on Dan Ige. Pitbull, the legendary former two-division Bellator champion, made his UFC debut at UFC 314 in April, losing a decision against Yair Rodriguez. Ige has lost three of his last five but will enter this fight off a third-round finish of Sean Woodson at UFC 314.

    Gautier, Costa, Johnson Set The Stage For BMF Title Headliner At UFC 318

    Before Poirier and Holloway make their way out for the BMF title fight, several names will look to make their own statements on the main card for UFC 318.

    This includes “The Silent Assassin” Ateba Gautier, who will be facing Robert Valentin. Gautier earned a UFC contract with a second-round finish of Yura Naito on Dana White’s Contender Series in September and scored a first-round knockout of Jose Medina in his UFC debut in March. Gautier will be taking on Robert Valentin, who fell short to Ryan Loder in The Ultimate Fighter season 32 finale and dropped a controversial split decision to Torrez Finney in April.

    Former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa will also be in action, taking on Roman Kopylov. This fight was scheduled for UFC 317 but was pushed back to this card. Costa has lost four of his last five and has only fought four times since unsuccessfully challenging Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 253. He most recently fought at UFC 302 last year, losing to Sean Strickland. Kopylov has won six of seven, most recently scoring a knockout of Chris Curtis in January.

    The main card is scheduled to open with veteran Michael Johnson taking on Daniel Zellhuber. Johnson has won two straight and four of his last six, most recently scoring a highlight knockout of Ottman Azaitar at UFC Tampa in December. This fight will mark Zellhuber’s first fight since losing to Esteban Ribovics at Noche UFC 2 (UFC 306) in what many people consider to be the best MMA fight of 2024.

    Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the likes of a long-awaited middleweight clash between bitter rivals Marvin Vettori and Brendan Allen, as well as Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez, Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira, and Neil Magny vs. Gunnar Nelson, all of whom are expected to be featured players on the event’s preliminary card.

    See below for the UFC 318 lineup, as it stands.

    Main Card:

    • BMF Championship: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
    • Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
    • Middleweight: Ateba Gautier vs. Robert Valentin
    • Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
    • Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber

    Preliminary Card (full card and bout order TBA):

    • Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
    • Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
    • Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira
    • Middleweight: Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira
    • Welterweight: Neil Magny vs. Gunnar Nelson
    • Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Lukasz Brzeski
    • Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio
    • Welterweight: Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov
    • Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari
    • Welterweight: Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
  • Sean Strickland Punches Fighter After Being Taunted During Tuff-N-Uff Event

    Sean Strickland Punches Fighter After Being Taunted During Tuff-N-Uff Event

    Sean Strickland got into a cage and threw, and he wasn’t even at a UFC event — he wasn’t even in a match at all.

    Strickland, along with Chris Curtis, was in the corner for a teammate’s fight at Tuff-N-Uff 145 on June 29, held at The Theatre at The Sahara in Las Vegas, Nevada. The teammate, Miles Hunsinger, was in action in a middleweight contest against Luis Hernandez.

    Less than a minute into the second round of the fight, Hernandez had Hunsinger caught in a standing guillotine, scoring the submission. Following the win, Hernandez appeared to make vulgar taunts in the direction of Curtis and Strickland.

    Strickland, not one to let jeers at him fly by, entered the cage with Curtis. While Curtis tried to speak to Hernandez, Strickland punched the Tuff-N-Uff fighter, resulting in officials having to intervene to break up the pair. Hernandez and Curtis did exchange some words before Curtis and Strickland exited the cage.

    Sean Strickland Punches Taunting Fighter At Tuff-N-Uff Event

    It is unknown what action, if any, the Nevada State Athletic Commission will take against Strickland, or anyone else involved in the incident at the Tuff-N-Uff event.

    The UFC and Tuff-N-Uff both have yet to release statements on the incident as of 9pm ET on June 29.

    This is far from Strickland’s first controversy outside of the Octagon. Strickland has also been under fire for batterings of content creators, including Nick Nayersina and Sneako. He has also come under heavy fire in the past for sexist and homophobic comments, as well as verbal attacks on media.

    Strickland was last in action in February, losing a UFC middleweight title rematch to Dricus Du Plessis.

    Hernandez improved to 6-0 with the win, while Hunsinger fell to 7-2.

  • 6 Hits & 2 Misses From UFC 317: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira

    6 Hits & 2 Misses From UFC 317: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira

    UFC International Fight Week usually brings alongside it a card with a highly-anticipated championship showdown, and that’s what we got with this year’s edition, UFC 317.

    The main event saw the vacant UFC lightweight championship on the line as Ilia Topuria took on Charles Oliveira. Topuria won the featherweight title at UFC 298 last year and defended it at UFC 308 against Max Holloway, but he chose to vacate the title in order to move up to 155. Oliveira, meanwhile, initially won the lightweight title at UFC 262 and made one successful defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.

    Gold was also on the line in the co-main event, as UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja put the belt on the line against Kai Kara-France. Pantoja won the strap originally at UFC 290, defeating Brandon Moreno, and he retained the belt against Brandon Royval at UFC 296, Steve Erceg at UFC 301 and Kai Asakura at UFC 310. Kara-France came into this title shot off a highlight knockout of Erceg at UFC 305.

    Who delivered in Las Vegas? Who fell flat? Let’s look back at the night of action together with the hits and misses of UFC 317!

    Hit – Entertaining Prelims With Plenty Of Finishes

    The preliminary card set the tone for the evening early, as there were several fighters who put up strong performances to start the card off with a bang.

    Terrance McKinney did such to kick off the televised portion of the prelims, quickly locking Viacheslav Borshchev in a guillotine choke and submitting him in just 55 seconds. Not to be outdone, Jose Miguel Delgado landed a one-two on Hyder Amil, followed by a devastating knee that dropped and finished him.

    Jacobe Smith, the heaviest odds favorite for a fight in UFC history, put away Niko Price, while Jhonata Diniz scored a decision win over Alvin Hines in the evening’s lone heavyweight bout.

    Tracy Cortez got a key victory over Viviane Araujo that should elevate her into the top-10 of the women’s flyweight rankings.

    And then came the final prelim fight of the evening…

    Hit – Gregory ‘Robocop’ Rodrigues Goes Viral With KO Of The Year Candidate

    In one of the most devastating knockouts the UFC has ever seen, Gregory Rodrigues landed a left hook that dropped Jack Hermansson to the mat, out cold. Hermansson was out for several minutes, bringing back memories in this writer to when Alistair Overeem was knocked out by Francis Ngannou at UFC 217.

    It ended up being one of the top moments of the evening, and social media immediately blew up the moment the finish happened.

    “Robocop” has been known for his finishes, scoring knockouts now in 11 of his 17 victories in professional MMA. He’s been a consistent presence in the middleweight division and has now won four of his last five fights. This win allows him to rebound from a loss he suffered against former title challenger Jared Cannonier in February.

    This was the kind of finish that says we shouldn’t be looking away from “Robocop” out of receiving notable opportunities, and a fight against a top-15 contender at 185 should be next for him.

    Having said all that…

    Miss – The Debated Follow-Up Shot, Herb Dean’s Slow Response

    The left hand was not the last shot of the fight. A couple of seconds after landing the left, Rodrigues followed up with a hammerfist to the face before referee Herb Dean could step in to officially stop the fight.

    It was a punch that was not necessary, as Hermansson was out the minute the back of his head landed on the mat. And while one media member felt it brought back memories to when Dan Henderson landed such a follow-up shot on Michael Bisping at UFC 100, the follow-up shot became a huge contention point on social media.

    In fact, plenty of people on social media said they lost respect for the moment — and Rodrigues — because of the “unnecessary” shot.

    Where does the blame lay? Some say it falls on Rodrigues, as the fighter should have been able to tell Hermansson was out cold — especially given that the follow-up came seconds after the shot, not necessarily right away.

    When asked about the moment in a post-fight press conference, Rodrigues implied that he was only fighting until the referee told him to stop. And in his defense, that is something fighters are told to do.

    And in his defense, unfortunately, this is not the first time we’ve seen a controversial finish involving compromised fighter safety and Herb Dean. Joe Rogan pointed out on commentary that Dean was out of position; however, there is a thing called using your voice. Imagine Dean has projected his voice and yelled “Stop!” At the very least, it would have cleared him from potential fault in this mess.

    Fortunately, Hermansson was okay. Fortunately, “Robocop” still has his career-defining moment that will get him another big opportunity down the line. But this controversy isn’t going to go away for a while as the MMA world debates who is more at fault and we have another concern about the responsibilities of fighters and referees when it comes to protecting the athletes.

    Hit – Payton Talbott Rebounds In Big Way

    At UFC 311 in January, plenty expected Payton Talbott to make easy work of Raoni Barcelos and continue the strong start to his Octagon career. But everyone was shocked when Talbott was completely worked over in that fight en route to a dominating decision loss.

    At UFC 317, Talbott righted his personal ship by scoring a statement decision win over Felipe Lima to kick off the main card action.

    Talbott looked completely improved in all aspects of his game. Talbott stuffed multiple takedown attempts from Lima and was able to show great strides in his wrestling, adding in some pretty strong ground-and-pound while he had top control at points. Lima had success with his hands but continued to push, and fail, with his takedown efforts.

    The loss in January must have done something for Talbott, as he looked better than he did before in this outing. Hopefully he continues to look better in his next matchup.

    Miss – “Money” Moicano Tastes Defeat, Beneil Dariush Unimpressive

    For a bout between two notable names at lightweight, things could have gone better for both men, as Beneil Dariush defeated Renato Moicano.

    Moicano seemed to control things early on, going from getting his leg damaged by Dariush’s low kicks, to marking him up with his hands and dropping Dariush with a clean right.

    But Dariush came out aggressive in the second, taking control of strong wrestling and working him over with ground pressure and strikes from the top position. Dariush employed this focused over the course of the second and third round, draining Moicano as Dariush cruised to a decision victory.

    For Moicano, this is pretty unfortunate. After taking a title fight opportunity on just one day’s notice, he now has back-to-back losses after losing to Dariush. His next fight will probably come against a lower-ranked or unranked lightweight name, and a loss there could drop him out of the rankings completely.

    For Dariush, there’s no question he should feel good about this win. It rebounds him from a pair of losses to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan and shows he’s still a name in a crowded lightweight contender scene. Considering the trouble he was in, however, Dariush didn’t demonstrate enough to be considered a serious threat to the new champion, however. Against someone like a Max Holloway, Mateusz Gamrot, or Dan Hooker, for instance, Dariush could find himself in some deep trouble.

    Hit – Joshua Van’s Meteoric Rise As He And Brandon Royval Throw Down In One Of The Best Flyweight Fights

    Though he wasn’t competing in one of the evening’s title fights, Joshua Van should be considered the Fighter of the Month for June 2025. After putting on a beating of Bruno Silva at UFC 316, Van, days later, agreed to step in on short notice in just a few weeks’ time to take on No. 1 ranked flyweight contender and former title challenger Brandon Royval.

    The result was one of the greatest performances displayed in one of the most entertaining, exciting wars the UFC Octagon has ever witnessed — let alone within the flyweight division.

    Royval looked to put the pressure on Van early, throwing a lot in volume to try and keep Van at bay. But while Royval had the quantity, Van had the quality, landing effectively whenever he did throw. Then, Van picked up his intensity in the second round, and things turned into a true bloody slugfest, with both fighters having their moments throughout the second and third rounds.

    With the fight potentially falling either way in its closing seconds, and both fighters putting on personal bests for striking, Van dropped Royval, though he was unable to score the finish before the horn. Van earned the decision, and the two eared the Fight of the Night bonus (even Royval got his win bonus).

    Just weeks ago, Joshua Van was on the lower end of the flyweight ranks as he continued to work his way up. Now, not only did he put on a superhero effort to take a fight on short notice and get involved in a war, he won that war and will now be next in line to challenge for the flyweight title.

    Hit – Alexandre Pantoja: Greatness In Real Time

    Alexandre Pantoja already looked like an all-star fighter at International Fight Week a couple of years ago when he dethroned Brandon Moreno to win the UFC flyweight championship. But the man continues to get better with each fight, and that continued as he defeated Kai Kara-France in the co-main event of UFC 317 to retain the championship.

    It wasn’t even a close fight, as Pantoja scored a takedown in the opening minute and didn’t let up, controlling KKF for over four of the round’s five minutes, at one point threatening a choke. Pantoja continued to control the fight’s pace, scoring another pair of takedowns before locking up a rear-naked choke in the third round to score the submission.

    Pantoja has now defended the flyweight title on four occasions. And he has continued to make strides while making defenses, and that has been notably on display in consecutive title defenses now (see his defense against Kai Asakura from UFC 310 in December as well).

    Pantoja will now be taking on Joshua Van next. This should be an exciting showdown, and a win should further the argument that Pantoja is one of the UFC’s best champions — and perhaps should have a much higher spot in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings (if he shouldn’t already).

    Hit – Ilia Topuria Already Building His Legacy

    A 9-0 record in the UFC now, with seven of those victories coming via a finish. An undefeated fighter. Jaw-dropping wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway to win and retain, respectively, the UFC featherweight championship.

    And now, more history for Ilia Topuria, as he becomes the first undefeated fighter, and 10th UFC fighter overall, to win a UFC title in a second weight division. And he did so in more highlight fashion.

    Topuria and Charles Oliveira both land strong strikes early before Oliveira attempted to take control with his expert-level grappling. Topuria, however, countered a takedown attempt and ended up on top. Oliveira tried to threaten a leg lock, but Topuria got out of it. Then, on the feet, Topuria landed a devastating one-two that dropped Oliveira out cold — becoming the first fighter since Cub Swanson all the way back in 2012 to score a first-round knockout of “Do Bronx.”

    With Spain and Georgia both behind him, and him continuing to make history after history, moment after moment, the world is Ilia Topuria’s oyster.

  • ‘A Disgrace To The Sport’ – Fans & Fighters Mock, Trash Jake Paul Victory Over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

    ‘A Disgrace To The Sport’ – Fans & Fighters Mock, Trash Jake Paul Victory Over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

    In what many people will justifiably consider to be a farce of a fight, Jake Paul scored a win in his return to the boxing ring, defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in their bout at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

    Paul was the only one doing any activity in the opening pair of rounds, laying in jabs and working combinations to force Chavez Jr. back, while the disgraced son of the legendary boxer failed to respond. Chavez finally did land something in the third round…one left hand.

    Chavez Jr. picked up the pace for real during the fourth round, but his work still paled in comparison to the YouTuber-turned-boxer. Chavez Jr. had another burst of offensive in the sixth round, making things a little more competitive, but the fight was all Paul by this point.

    After two more dominating rounds from Paul, Chavez Jr., if perhaps out of realizing he was done 8-0 in terms of rounds, put up a solid round of offense. Chavez Jr. continued to produce and had a fight-ending battle with Paul, but it wasn’t enough.

    Jake Paul Scores Win Over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. In Widely-Criticized Boxing Bout

    https://twitter.com/BroncoAdames/status/1939182337700319276

    This was Paul’s first fight in the boxing ring since his infamous victory over Mike Tyson in November.

    Chavez Jr. last fought a year ago, scoring a six-round decision win over former UFC fighter Uriah Hall. It was Chavez Jr.’s first boxing match in three years.

  • ‘This Path To Greatness Is Bigger Than Conor McGregor’ – Fighters & Fans React To Ilia Topuria Knocking Out Charles Oliveira For Lightweight Title At UFC 317

    ‘This Path To Greatness Is Bigger Than Conor McGregor’ – Fighters & Fans React To Ilia Topuria Knocking Out Charles Oliveira For Lightweight Title At UFC 317

    Former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has become the 10th fighter in UFC history — and the first undefeated fighter in UFC history — to win a championship in a second weight class, scoring a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira to win the UFC lightweight championship.

    The title was vacated after Islam Makhachev announced plans to move up to welterweight to challenge new champion Jack Della Maddalena.

    The two came out swinging early, with Topuria opening a cut around one of Oliveira’s eyes and Oliveira landing a strong right hand. Oliveira then pressed Topuria against the fence and went for a takedown — but Topuria countered and ended up on top. Topuria got into side control, but Oliveira threatened a leg lock temporarily before the fight retuned to the feet.

    And it was there where Topuria landed a one-two that dropped Oliveira and knocked him out cold to become the new champion.

    Following the fight, Topuria had a confrontation in the Octagon with Paddy Pimblett, who shoved Topuria before security separated the two.

    Ilia Topuria Becomes New Lightweight Champion With First-Round KO Of Charles Oliveira At UFC 317

    Topuria won the UFC featherweight championship at UFC 298 last year with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski. He then became the first man to knock out Max Holloway at UFC 308 before jumping up in weight.

    Oliveira is now 3-3 in the six fights he’s had since losing the UFC lightweight title on the scales in 2022. He won the belt originally by defeating Michael Chandler at UFC 262 and retained against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.

  • ‘Flawless Performance’ – Fighters & Fans React To Alexandre Pantoja Dominating Kai Kara-France, To Face Joshua Van Next

    ‘Flawless Performance’ – Fighters & Fans React To Alexandre Pantoja Dominating Kai Kara-France, To Face Joshua Van Next

    Alexandre Pantoja appears to continue to evolve as a fighter even while on top of his division, defeating Kai Kara-France in one-sided fashion to retain the UFC flyweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 317.

    Pantoja worked Kara-France into swinging early, which Pantoja took advantage of by level changing and scoring a takedown. After working his way to Kara-France’s back and threatening a choke, Pantoja continued to control the action from up top, threatening an arm-triangle choke at another point during the opening frame. Pantoja, who had over four minutes of control time during the round, got to the back and threatened another choke before the end of the round.

    Pantoja continued to get the better of Kara-France in the second round, scoring another takedown and controlling the pace throughout. It was a bit notable, however, that Pantoja’s pace seemed to slow as the round got closer to the end. Pantoja charged at Kara-France again in the third, clinching up and getting to KKF’s back after another takedown.

    Pantoja then worked his way into locking up a rear-naked choke, scoring the third-round submission win and retaining the title.

    Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France To Keep Flyweight Gold At UFC 317

    https://twitter.com/TheAnswerMMA/status/1939178631823003829

    Pantoja won the championship by defeating Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 two years ago. Prior to tonight, he had retained the belt against Brandon Royval at UFC 296, Steve Erceg at UFC 301, and Kai Asakura at UFC 310.

    Kara-France earned the title shot tonight with a knockout of Erceg at UFC 305.

  • ‘High Level Fighting’ – Fighters & Fans React To Joshua Van Dropping, Defeating Brandon Royval In Bloody Fight Of The Year Slugfest At UFC 317

    ‘High Level Fighting’ – Fighters & Fans React To Joshua Van Dropping, Defeating Brandon Royval In Bloody Fight Of The Year Slugfest At UFC 317

    Just three weeks ago at UFC 316, Joshua Van scored a dominant finish of Bruno Silva — and then was quickly asked days later to fill in for Manel Kape against No. 1 contender and former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 317.

    And now, after one of the most action-packed, memorable, and most entertaining fights the UFC flyweight division has ever seen — let alone a Fight of the Year nominee — Van defeated Royval via decision — and now has solidified himself as a top name in the UFC at 125.

    Royval brought the pressure early to start the fight, landing several leg kicks and working his jab. Van did land a small series of single punches, and all brought notable power. Royval continued to throw, though not much landed, as it seemed to be more about keeping distance and preventing Van from landing much. Van’s output in the first was significantly less, but when he did throw, it landed most of the time.

    Royval looked to implement some dirty boxing and make things more of a brawl in the second, staying busy with volume. This included a straight left that solidly landed. Van, however, continued to connect. A one-two from Royval backed Van up, but Van answered back with his own combination. Royval would bring the pressure, but Van would continue to answer, resulting in a memorable back-and-forth striking war over the course of these five minutes.

    The third round showcased the war that these two displayed — with both men landing personal bests for significant strikes. As one brought pressure and landed well, the other responded the same. But Van dropped Royval in the closing seconds, and while he wasn’t able to get the finish, it was enough to give him the win in a bloody battle.

    Joshua Van Edges Out Brandon Royval In War At UFC 317

    Van has now won five straight and is 8-1 in the Octagon.

    Royval has won five of seven, with his only losses in this stretch now coming against Van and UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja. Royval came into tonight’s bout off wins over Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira.

  • ‘Chin Very Well Could Be Shot’ – Fans & Fighters Debate Beneil Dariush’s Future After Going From Knocked Down To Decision Win Over Renato Moicano At UFC 317

    ‘Chin Very Well Could Be Shot’ – Fans & Fighters Debate Beneil Dariush’s Future After Going From Knocked Down To Decision Win Over Renato Moicano At UFC 317

    In his first fight in just over 18 months, Beneil Dariush put on a strong showing in the Octagon, scoring a unanimous decision win over Renato Moicano at UFC 317.

    After some feeling of each other’s power, Dariush focused on a kick-based offense, while Moicano looked to use his reach advantage and use the power in his hands. Dariush got Moicano off balance and appeared to do damage with one of his leg kicks. Moicano, however, did tag Dariush a couple of times, resulting in some swelling around one of his eyes. The two would exchange, with both men having their moments, before Moicano knocked Dariush down with a right hand. Dariush would scramble as Moicano got to Dariush’s back. Dariush got to his feet, but Moicano landed some more shots as Dariush recovered right as the round ended.

    Dariush landed a strong left hand early, and Moicano responded by attempting to wrestle. Dariush got to Moicano’s back on more than one occasion, using his wrestling to nullify Moicano’s offense and waste his energy. In the clinch, Dariush got the better of Moicano again before dumping him back to the mat. Dariush controlled the rest of the round from the top position, adding in some ground-and-pound before the horn.

    Dariush got the action back to the ground in the third, but Moicano reversed it and tried to get to Dariush’s back — only for Dariush to get free. Moicano clinched Dariush up briefly before a striking battle during the third, with Dariush seemingly getting the upper hand before scoring another takedown and pressuring Moicano until Moicano gets back to his feet with 90 seconds to go.

    A drained Moicano could do nothing, however, as Dariush cruised to a decision win.

    Beneil Dariush Uses Takedowns, Grappling To Score Win Over Renato Moicano At UFC 317

    https://twitter.com/dillondanis/status/1939160435808194578

    This is Dariush’s first win in three years, having suffered defeats to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan in 2023 and not competing in 2024.

    Moicano has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time since 2019. He was defeated by Islam Makhachev in a last-minute lightweight title bout at UFC 311.

  • ‘Just Reminded Everyone That He’s The Real Deal’ – Fighters & Fans React To Payton Talbott’s Strong Rebound Showing In Win Over Felipe Lima At UFC 317

    ‘Just Reminded Everyone That He’s The Real Deal’ – Fighters & Fans React To Payton Talbott’s Strong Rebound Showing In Win Over Felipe Lima At UFC 317

    After suffering his first loss in shocking fashion this past January, Payton Talbott showed an improved game in all areas and is now back in the win column, defeating Felipe Lima to open up the main pay-per-view card for UFC 317.

    Talbott looked to bring the pressure early, but Lima answered by touching him up in the opening stages. Lima then looked to get Talbott against the fence and ended up in a clinch battle before securing a pair of takedowns on Talbott. On the second, however, Talbott rolled through and ended up on a top, landing some strong ground-and-pound before Lima got back to his feet. Back on the ground, Lima got to Talbott’s back, though Talbott was able to get back to his feet.

    Lima landed a solid combination early in the second round before pursuing another takedown. Talbott countered it, however, and ended up on top again, getting the edge in striking both on the ground and on the feet. Talbott stuffed another takedown in the middle of the round, landing some noteworthy ground-and-pound before letting Lima back up. Lima would get a second takedown of the fight in the round’s final minute and got to the back. He rode the back clinch too high, however, and Talbott shook Lima off and mounted him before the second round’s end.

    Lima looked to put his power on display in the third, catching Talbott with some of his strikes. Talbott looked to walk him down, but Lima would score one more takedown. He’d try to hold Talbott there, but Talbott was able to return to his feet and get out of his grasp. Talbott got the upper hand with strikes again before stopping another takedown attempt and working his way into mount. Lima tried to escape out the back, though Talbott continued to land ground-and-pound, hurting Lima with a right hand in the closing seconds.

    Talbott won the fight 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards.

    Payton Talbott Shows Improvements In Decision Win Over Felipe Lima

    https://twitter.com/WhyGarth/status/1939149739678663076

    Talbott, who made his UFC debut in late 2023 after an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, scored wins over Nick Aguirre, Cameron Saaiman, and Yanis Ghemmouri before a loss to Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311.

    This is Lima’s first loss since dropping his professional MMA debut in 2015, snapping a 14-fight win streak. Lima had won his first two UFC fights last year, submitting Muhammad Naimov and scoring a decision over Miles Johns.