MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Former UFC Champion Rashad Evans Claims He Was Drafted By The GFL Without His ‘Consent’

    Former UFC Champion Rashad Evans Claims He Was Drafted By The GFL Without His ‘Consent’

    If you thought things with the Global Fight League (GFL) were a circus after the draft, things took even more of a turn on Jan. 25 thanks to a claim on social media made by Rashad Evans.

    Evans, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, was announced by the promotion to have been drafted to the GFL team based in Los Angeles as one of its two light heavyweight competitors, with the other being Da Woon Jung.

    This caught the attention of another legendary former champion in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — a longtime rival of Evans’. The two have been pegged to reignite their rivalry with a boxing bout in April, with “Suga” confirming those plans in November.

    Jackson, via social media, asked how it was possible for Evans to be drafted by the promotion due to their booked bout.

    Well, according to Evans, he never agreed to be part of such a draft.

    If Evans’ claim is true, this is the latest in a series of confusing moves and criticism the promotion is already facing before an event is even scheduled.

    The GFL came under fire for several reasons in regard to its draft, from a stream for such an event not being set up until the day of, to the pacing of the draft broadcast, to the AI-created introduction video and content.

    There’s also the fact that the full teams were released in full after the fifth round, despite the promotion’s claim that this was to be a “live” draft.

    This news also brings speculation on fighters actually having signed with the promotion into question. Examples of this include Tony Ferguson signing with the GFL despite the UFC having not formally released him, as well as the promotion claiming to have signed Kenny Mokhonoana, who then fought on the PFL Champions Series card the day after the GFL Draft.

  • ‘Did What McGregor Couldn’t’ – Jake Paul, Belal Muhammad, Dustin Poirier & Others React As Paul Hughes Pushes Usman Nurmagomedov To The Limit

    ‘Did What McGregor Couldn’t’ – Jake Paul, Belal Muhammad, Dustin Poirier & Others React As Paul Hughes Pushes Usman Nurmagomedov To The Limit

    In what is certainly going to be an early nominee for the 2025 Fight of the Year in MMA, Usman Nurmagomedov will likely end up as the final defending Bellator champion in the brand’s history.

    Nurmagomedov narrowly retained the Bellator lightweight title in a five-round war with Paul Hughes in the main event of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event at the Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25.

    The Dagestani started aggressively, utilizing a variety of kicks to test his range before putting his striking on full display. Hughes found his rhythm and picked up his pace in the second, mixing initial strikes and counters. The champ kept up his kicks and clinch attempts, but he struggled to secure a takedown early. Both fighters traded combinations, with Nurmagomedov focused on knees and elbows as the challenger ripped to the body. The second round proved to arguably be the most difficult to score.

    The fight was marred a bit by groin strikes during the third round, which resulted in the defending champion being docked a point. The Russian, however, rebounded with a takedown and controlling the action against the fence. Hughes kept active before both men’s output increased in a big way during the fourth round, including a ferocious exchanging in the final minute.

    Nurmagomedov looked to use his grappling more in the final round, while simultaneously landing hard with knees on Hughes’ body. But the Irishman continued to push forward, landing combinations when possible before swinging wildly and taking over in the fight’s final, dramatic 30 seconds.

    One judge scored the fight a 47-47 draw, while the other two gave 48-46 scorecards, giving Nurmagomedov the win.

    Usman Nurmagomedov Defeats Paul Hughes In Early Fight Of The Year War

    Nurmagomedov became champion initially with a win over Patricky Pitbull at Bellator 288. His title defenses prior to tonight included a win over Benson Henderson, a no contest against Brent Primus, and a victory over Alexander Shabliy.

    The result in Dubai snaps a seven-fight win streak for Hughes. He earned a title shot off wins over Bobby King last summer and AJ McKee at the PFL: Battle of the Giants card in October.

  • ‘We Need Him vs. Ngannou’ – Fans React As Ex-Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Submits Tim Johnson In Final Fight Of PFL Contract

    ‘We Need Him vs. Ngannou’ – Fans React As Ex-Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Submits Tim Johnson In Final Fight Of PFL Contract

    What comes next for Vadim Nemkov is uncertain, but it can still include great opportunities following a win over Tim Johnson in the co-main event of PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai on Jan. 25.

    Nemkov made things look easily, landing several head kicks on Johnson that busted him open across the center of his head. The Russian was able to get a takedown and worked over his American foe against the fence. After dragging him away from the fence, Johnson attempted to power up.

    The former Bellator light heavyweight champion, however, answered by wrapping his legs around Johnson and bringing him back down, flattening the UFC veteran and scoring the rear-naked choke victory.

    Vadim Nemkov Easily Submits Late-Notice Opponent Tim Johnson, Fans Ponder Ngannou Showdown

    Nemkov is now 2-0 at heavyweight after defeating Bruno Cappelozza last February at the PFL vs. Bellator card. Nemkov is now a free agent after fighting out his PFL (formerly Bellator) contract.

    Jonhson, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back fights after three straight wins.

  • ‘I Have Never Seen That’ – Brutal Injury At PFL Road To Dubai Champions Series Event Has Fans Grimacing

    ‘I Have Never Seen That’ – Brutal Injury At PFL Road To Dubai Champions Series Event Has Fans Grimacing

    Just two fights into the PFL’s 2025 campaign and we may have had our first nominee for Gruesome Injury of the Year in this sport, seen in Haider Khan’s first-round victory over Mostafa Nada.

    The two did plenty of circling around the cage during the fight, with Khan keeping distance to avoid Nada’s power and setup kicks. One shot, however, brought the fight to a screeching halt.

    Khan threw a front kick, which Nada looked to block low. When he did this, one could see the impact of Khan’s shin landing causing Nada’s arm to break. The Saudi Arabian immediately felt the injury and the referee quickly stepped in to stop the fight, giving the Englishman the win.

    Haider Khan Gets Win At PFL Champions Series Event After Kick Breaks Opponent’s Arm

    This snaps a five-fight win streak Nada had coming into this fight, which included starting his PFL run at 2-0.

    Khan, who made his PFL debut in this fight, now moves to 9-1.

  • ‘Jon Jones Could Never’ – Fans React As Islam Makhachev Submits Renato Moicano On 24 Hours’ Notice At UFC 311

    ‘Jon Jones Could Never’ – Fans React As Islam Makhachev Submits Renato Moicano On 24 Hours’ Notice At UFC 311

    New, last-minute challenger, no problem for Islam Makhachev.

    Makhachev became the first fighter in UFC lightweight history to defend the championship four times with a quick submission victory over Renato Moicano in the main event of UFC 311.

    Moicano appeared to get off to a decent start, landing a couple of strong shots on the champ during the first round. When the fight got to the ground, however, it wasn’t close.

    The Dagestani was able to lock in a D’Arce choke and scored a quick submission to retain the gold.

    Islam Makhachev Submits Late-Notice Challenger Renato Moicano To Keep Lightweight Title At UFC 311

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    Makhachev was originally scheduled to defend the championship against No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan before the Armenian withdrew on the day of the weigh-ins with a back injury.

    The champ won the title by defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 before retaining the belt against then-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice, at UFC 284 and UFC 294, and Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.

    Moicano, meanwhile, was originally booked to face Beneil Dariush on tonight’s card. He entered UFC 311 on a four-fight win streak and with six wins in his last seven. He had most recently defeated Benoît Saint Denis at UFC Paris in September.

  • ‘Waiting On Hill’s Excuse’ – Fans React As Jiří Procházka Knocks Out Jamahal Hill In Battle Of Ex-Champs At UFC 311

    ‘Waiting On Hill’s Excuse’ – Fans React As Jiří Procházka Knocks Out Jamahal Hill In Battle Of Ex-Champs At UFC 311

    With plenty of anticipation around their fight, Jiří Procházka managed to come out on top in a battle of former UFC light heavyweight champions, defeating Jamahal Hill at UFC 311.

    After feints and feeling out on both sides, Hill started to work combinations, but Procházka soon found his rhythm and landed power shots, one of which dropped his opponent. The two traded throughout the later portion of the opening frame, but it appeared that the American was tiring from loading up, reaching, and missing his punches.

    “Denisa” and “Sweet Dreams” each had their moments in the second round, landing inside and connecting with powerful single punches and combinations, momentum swinging both ways.

    But the Czech fan favorite caught Hill at the right moment during the third round, dropping him with a one-two combination, punctuated with a right hand, before finishing things with some ground-and-pound.

    Jiří Procházka KOs Jamahal Hill In Back & Forth War At UFC 311

    Both of these men came into this fight off unsuccessful title shots against Alex Pereira last year. They are also both former light heavyweight champions who didn’t lose their title in the Octagon.

    Procházka defeated Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 to win the 205-pound championship but vacated due to injury. He lost to Pereira twice (at UFC 295 and UFC 303), with a win over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300 sandwiched in between.

    Hill, meanwhile, defeated Teixeira for the vacated title at UFC 283 but had to relinquish the gold himself due to injury. He lost to Pereira at UFC 300 last April.

  • ‘Dricus Du Plessis 2.0’ – Fans React As Reinier de Ridder Taps Kevin Holland In One Round At UFC 311

    ‘Dricus Du Plessis 2.0’ – Fans React As Reinier de Ridder Taps Kevin Holland In One Round At UFC 311

    After a shaky outing in his UFC debut, Reinier de Ridder scored an impressive victory in his first performance on pay-per-view, opening up the UFC 311 main card with a submission of Kevin Holland.

    De Ridder scored a takedown in the opening seconds of round one. Despite a triangle attempt from Holland, the Dutchman was able to control the action and had success in top position. As “Trailblazer” tried to stand up, “RDR” got to Holland’s back, bringing him back to the ground and locking in a body triangle and choke for the first-round submission.

    Reinier de Ridder Makes Quick Work Of Kevin Holland Via First-Round Submission At UFC 311

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    De Ridder, the former champ-champ in ONE Championship, made his Octagon debut at UFC Vegas 100 last November, getting rocked by Gerald Meerschaert before coming back to score a third-round submission.

    Holland, meanwhile, has now lost four of his last five fights.

  • ‘Needs To Go To Dagestan’ – Fans React As Payton Talbott Suffers First Career Loss In One-Sided Fashion vs. Raoni Barcelos At UFC 311

    ‘Needs To Go To Dagestan’ – Fans React As Payton Talbott Suffers First Career Loss In One-Sided Fashion vs. Raoni Barcelos At UFC 311

    In what has perhaps been the biggest shock of the night thus far at UFC 311 — the promotion’s first pay-per-view card of the year — Payton Talbott’s undefeated record came to an end at the hands of Raoni Barcelos.

    Barcelos dominated the fight from start to finish, using his size and wrestling to success. The Brazilian, in fact, dominated the opening round and appeared to put a hurting on the American up-and-comer. Talbott had a sense of urgency in the second round, trying to take control and come out on the front foot, but Barcelos simply did more.

    The veteran’s success continued into the third round, as he swept the judges’ scorecards.

    Raoni Barcelos Hands Payton Talbott First Loss In Dominant Display At UFC 311

    https://twitter.com/HomelanderMMA/status/1880809647537566052

    Arriving to the UFC off a win on Dana White’s Contender Series, Talbott had scored wins over Nick Aguirre, Cameron Saaiman, and Yanis Ghemmouri.

    Meanwhile, Saturday’s result marked Barcelos’ second straight win, with his last fight coming back at UFC Mexico City last year, where he defeated Cristian Quiñonez.

  • VIDEO: Darren Till Flattens Anthony Taylor In Latest Post-UFC Boxing Match

    VIDEO: Darren Till Flattens Anthony Taylor In Latest Post-UFC Boxing Match

    Former UFC star Darren Till has come out on top in his first professional boxing bout, defeating Anthony Taylor via knockout in the main event of Misfits Boxing 20 in Manchester, England.

    After thoroughly dominating Taylor for five rounds, coming in with a notable advantage in height and reach, “The Gorilla” put his fellow MMA veteran down with a power combination in the sixth.

    Ex-UFC Contender Darren Till Scores KO Win In Pro Boxing Debut

    Till was originally booked to face Tommy Fury in this fight but “TNT” withdrew from the bout after the Liverpudlian claimed he’d use “MMA tactics” if he fell behind on the scorecards.

    “The Gorilla” previously competed in an exhibition boxing match back in July 2024, scoring a bizarre TKO over Mohammad Mutie, with a brief brawl coming after the fight.

    Till, a former UFC welterweight title challenger, went 18-5-1 in his 10-year MMA tenure, which ended with a loss to current middleweight kingpin Dricus du Plessis at UFC 282 in December 2022.

  • ‘Masterclass In Jiu-Jitsu’ – Fans React As Mackenzie Dern Avenges Amanda Ribas Loss With Classic Armbar At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Masterclass In Jiu-Jitsu’ – Fans React As Mackenzie Dern Avenges Amanda Ribas Loss With Classic Armbar At UFC Vegas 101

    Back in October 2019, Mackenzie Dern was matched up with Amanda Ribas for her third UFC fight. After a 7-0 start in MMA, the decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner was handed her first taste of defeat at Ribas’ hands, dropping a decision in Tampa.

    Just over five years later, she can now say that she avenged that loss after submitting Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas 101.

    The Brazilian ranked strawweight and flyweight was able to land some sharp elbows early. But Dern, the grappling specialist, was able to get Ribas on the ground for over half of the first round. During that time, she brought down some effective ground-and-pound.

    Ribas worked her way back to the feet late in the first and then had more activity in a quiet second round. Dern, however, brought the action back to the ground in the third frame and locked up a classic, late armbar to score the submission.

    In doing so, the elite BJJ artist became the first to ever submit Ribas inside the cage.

    Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas In Rematch Over Five Years In The Making

    Dern, who looks to crack back into the top five of the women’s strawweight rankings, has now won two straight and three of her last five bouts.

    Ribas, meanwhile, has now lost three of her last five fights.

  • ‘Closest We’ve Had To Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry’ – Fans React As Cesar Almeida Overcomes Knockdown To Land One-Punch KO At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Closest We’ve Had To Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry’ – Fans React As Cesar Almeida Overcomes Knockdown To Land One-Punch KO At UFC Vegas 101

    The hits kept on coming at UFC Vegas 101, as the promotion’s first card of the year picked up in intensity on the main card real quick.

    Not long after Roman Kopylov scored a controversial, last-second finish of Chris Curtis, Cesar Almeida pulled off an unbelievable performance of his own, coming back from nearly being knocked out to emphatically finish Abdul Razak Alhassan.

    Alhassan was dominating Almeida throughout the first round. The Brazilian was dropped, and when he got up, the Ghanaian powerhouse landed rapid-fire shots, troubling Almeida and nearly putting him away.

    But while Alhassan was landing a barrage of shots with the two fighters near the fence, Almeida cracked him on the button, dropping Alhassan out cold in the final minute of the opening round to seal off a memorable comeback victory.

    Almeida Provides Early KO Of The Year Nominee With One-Shot Finish Of Alhassan At UFC Vegas 101

    With the win, the Brazilian rises to 7-1 and improves to 3-1 in the UFC since his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. His sole loss thus far came against Kopylov.

    Alhassan, meanwhile, is without a victory in his last three fights and has just one triumph across his last five.

  • ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    The first major fight controversy of 2025 has taken place at UFC Vegas 101 — the promotion’s first card of the year. And, of course, it had to involve Chris Curtis.

    In a jaw-dropping finish, “Action Man” was stopped by Roman Kopylov with just one second remaining in the contest.

    Both athletes brought fire in their striking during the first round. The Russian seemed to have the upper hand, but Curtis appeared to be gaining momentum as time went on.

    That stretched into the second, as the American continued his production, having landed over 100 significant strikes on his foe within the fight’s first 10 minutes.

    Kopylov was not deterred and had his own surge of momentum in the third round. But just as everything seemed to be wrapped up with the judges to present the scores, the Russian landed a head kick that badly rocked Curtis.

    Referee Marc Smith, with just one second remaining in the bout, stepped in and waved off the fight, giving Kopylov a victory via finish.

    Roman Kopylov Controversially Finishes Chris Curtis With One Second Left At UFC Vegas 101

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    Kopylov has now won back-to-back fights and six of his last seven.

    Curtis, meanwhile, has won just one of his last five fights.

  • VIDEO: Punahele Soriano Stops Uroš Medić In 31 Seconds To Open UFC Vegas 101 Main Card

    VIDEO: Punahele Soriano Stops Uroš Medić In 31 Seconds To Open UFC Vegas 101 Main Card

    Welterweight Punahale Soriano got the first main card win of 2025, doing so in practically no time at all Saturday at UFC Vegas 101.

    Soriano needed just 31 seconds to score a quick finish of Uroš Medić at the promotion’s first event of the new year inside Las Vegas’ Apex on Jan. 11.

    The Hawaiian nailed his Serbian opponentwith a one-two that dropped him. Soriano followed this with some quick but vicious ground-and-pound to put the finishing touches on this win.

    Punahele Soriano Puts Away Uroš Medić In Quick Fashion At UFC Vegas 101

    https://twitter.com/TakeruCigarra/status/1878234400984314122?t=5AuyFKFGfAvCZk02gXmkfQ&s=19

    Soriano has now won back-to-back fights and three of his last five, improving to 5-4 in the UFC. It also marks his first knockout win since defeating Dalcha Lungiambula in 2022.

    After arriving to the UFC 6-0, meanwhile, Medić now falls to 10-3, having been finished in each of his losses.

  • VIDEO: Victoria Dudakova Slaps Coach After Falling To The First Finish Of 2025 At UFC Vegas 101

    VIDEO: Victoria Dudakova Slaps Coach After Falling To The First Finish Of 2025 At UFC Vegas 101

    The first finish of the UFC’s 2025 calendar has been delivered, and it came in some brutal fashion, as Fatima Kline scored a win over Victoria Dudakova during the UFC Vegas 101 prelims.

    And it’s safe to say that the Russian didn’t take the result well…

    Both women delivered powerful shots during the opening frame, but Kline appeared to gain control as time went on.

    Then, with Dudakova grounded late in the second, Kline landed some hard ground-and-pound to force the referee to step in and wave off the contest.

    Kline Scores First Octagon Win With Ground & Pound At UFC Vegas 101, Dudakova Slaps Cornerman

    What else is noteworthy occurred in the losing corner following the fight. It appeared that Dudakova slapped one of her cornermen after he attempted to console her.

    This marks the first UFC win for “The Archangel” after dropping her debut last year to Jasmine Jasudavicius.

    Dudakova, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back outings after starting her UFC run 2-0 in 2023.

  • ‘Is He Ever NOT Acting Like A Psycho?’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Makes ‘Disgusting’ Tackles In Soccer Appearance

    ‘Is He Ever NOT Acting Like A Psycho?’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Makes ‘Disgusting’ Tackles In Soccer Appearance

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is infamously known for his rise to stardom in the Octagon, as well as his antics and controversies inside and out of the cage. But for one day, the Irishman took his talents from the cage to the pitch.

    McGregor laced up his cleats earlier today and joined Black Forge FC, taking on Harding FC in a Premier Division matchup for the United Churches Football League (UCFL), an amateur soccer league in Dublin.

    While the game ended in a 1-1 draw, it took notoriety for not only the fighter’s appearance, but the hard-nosed intensity and aggression that he brought to the field.

    “I break jaws with my shoulder, and noses,” McGregor posted to social media. “I get the ball any pitch, anywhere. Moses”

    Conor McGregor Joins Up With Black Forge FC In Amateur Soccer Appearance

    McGregor has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons over the last couple of months. He was recently made by an Irish jury to pay over $250,000 to a woman, Nikita Hand, who was civilly suing the polarizing fighter. Hand accused McGregor of a December 2018 sexual assault.

    The Dublin native’s controversies resulted in another soccer team, Drogheda United, distancing themselves from the UFC star in a statement after the former two-division champ posted a photo of himself holding the team’s recently won FAI Cup.

    Despite rumors the past two years of a fight with Michael Chandler, “The Notorious” has not been seen in the UFC since his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

  • Report: UFC Seeking $1 Billion Yearly In New TV Deal, 5 Interested Broadcasters Revealed

    Whoever is interested in obtaining the US television rights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be paying more than a pretty penny.

    Per a new report from Bloomberg, the UFC is looking to obtain a TV rights deal in the United States that will give them more than $1 billion per year.

    The UFC’s current deal with ESPN expires at the end of the year. The two parties originally agreed to a five-year deal worth approximately $1 billion total back in 2018 before a contract extension that made the deal worth about $450 million a year.

    According to reports, ESPN is interested in re-upping its rights with the leading MMA promotion in the world but will face stiff competition from Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as YouTube and the Netflix and Amazon Prime streaming services. ESPN and TKO, the UFC’s parent company, are currently in the midst of an exclusive negotiating period that lasts until mid-April.

    “We started on ESPN seven years ago and had a rocky relationship in the beginning,” UFC CEO Dana White told Bloomberg TV in November. “But now I couldn’t be happier at ESPN, it’s a great relationship and I wouldn’t mind staying with them.”

    UFC Seeks More Than $1 Billion In New TV Rights

    What makes the UFC’s broadcasting services in the country so valuable is that the UFC is the only major sports broadcasting rights that are available for the foreseeable future. The NBA locked up new television contracts last year, while leagues like the NFL and MLB are already early into new broadcasting contracts.

    The UFC’s partner in TKO, the WWE, just started its new broadcasting rights, with its Monday Night Raw program having its Netflix premiere just this past Monday. The partnership, as well as Netflix’s previous ventures into live programming last year with NFL games and the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, giving speculation that the UFC could be interested in partnering with Netflix.

    Amazon Prime has recently been the broadcasting home to ONE Championship Fight Night cards in the U.S.

    There is also the chance that the UFC may split its broadcasting rights like the other U.S. major sports leagues do. This could see, for example, UFC pay-per-views heading to one platform, while UFC Fight Night cards and other programs such as Dana White’s Contender Series and The Ultimate Fighter, heading elsewhere.

  • Dan Hooker Doubts Ilia Topuria’s Lightweight Claims: ‘He’s Just Working Off McGregor’s Playbook’

    Dan Hooker Doubts Ilia Topuria’s Lightweight Claims: ‘He’s Just Working Off McGregor’s Playbook’

    While Ilia Topuria and his team have teased a move up to lightweight, it appears not everyone believes that the UFC featherweight champion will make such a jump.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Topuria’s coach, Jorge Climent, teased that Topuria is looking at a move up to lightweight, even if it means leaving the UFC flyweight title he won just 10 months ago behind.

    The expectation had been that Topuria would have a rematch with the man he took the belt from, Alexander Volkanovski, at some point in 2025. But “El Matador” caused a stir during a radio appearance in Spain when he suggested he’s competed at 145 pounds for the last time.

    One key lightweight contender, Dan Hooker, thinks that talk from Topuria and his camp is just that — talk.

    Dan Hooker Doesn’t Believe Ilia Topuria Will Make Jump To Lightweight

    During his own recent interview with Submission Radio, Hooker described Topuria’s remarks as “classic s***” that stems from McGregor’s own playbook from 2015-16.

    “It’s pretty evident that he’s just working off the line one from McGregor’s playbook, which is keeping your name in the headlines,” Hooker said. “So, all I kind of see from it is that Ilia Topuria is keeping his name in the headlines — like the guy doesn’t fight that often. I think he just fights Volk next year.”

    Topuria won the featherweight title by knocking out Volkanovski at UFC 298. He then successfully retained the title at UFC 308, becoming the first man to knock out former champion Max Holloway.

    It should be noted the featherweight division is not cleaned out, with Diego Lopes and Movsar Evolev each making their claims of late for a potential title shot down the line.

    Hooker, meanwhile, won his third straight fight at UFC 305 in August, defeating Mateusz Gamrot in an entertaining upset.

  • Sean O’Malley Reveals Plan To Aid Chances Of Becoming UFC Champ Again: ‘I Just Need A Detox…’

    Sean O’Malley Reveals Plan To Aid Chances Of Becoming UFC Champ Again: ‘I Just Need A Detox…’

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has been known for a strong media presence, but it appears that he is planning to take a step back from such.

    After losing the 135-pound gold earlier this year, O’Malley has announced on his Instagram that he is planning to take a social media “detox” in the new year, hoping that this will help him focus on building a path toward earning back the gold.

    Sean O’Malley To Put Social Media Posting On Hold In 2025

    “2025, I am deleting all my social medias off my phone until my next fight,” O’Malley posted. “My team will be running my socials. We will still make content but I just need a detox from my phone. Going to focus on reaching my full potential as an athlete and a father.”

    The ever-popular UFC fighter finally won the bantamweight championship at UFC 292 last year with a knockout of Aljamain Sterling. He successfully defended the title against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 this past March before dropping it to Merab Dvalishvili at the Noche UFC event inside the Sphere.

    The loss was just the second in O’Malley’s career, following his 2020 defeat to Vera. In the aftermath, “Suga” went under the knife to repair a torn labrum. He’s looking to return in the first or second quarter of the new year, with a rematch opposite Dvalishvili in his sights.

    “The Machine,” meanwhile, is scheduled to defend the title against Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event of UFC 311 next month.

  • Ilia Topuria’s 5-1 Brother Booked For Long-Awaited UFC Debut In 2025

    Ilia Topuria’s 5-1 Brother Booked For Long-Awaited UFC Debut In 2025

    A prominent name on the European regional MMA scene will now be making his UFC debut — and that means one UFC titleholder won’t be the only one in his family in the Octagon.

    Aleksandre Topuria, the brother of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, will be making his UFC debut at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 in Australia. He will be taking on Cody Haddon in a bantamweight clash Down Under.

    The news was first revealed by Spanish reporter Álvaro Colmenero on X.

    Ilia Topuria’s Brother To Make UFC Debut At UFC 312

    The younger Topuria brother is 5-1. He made his professional MMA debut in 2015 but took a layoff of over six years from the sport following a loss to Ivo Ivanov at the end of that year.

    “El Cazador” has won three straight, all by way of first-round finishes, to earn his path on to the sport’s biggest stage.

    Haddon, meanwhile, submitted Billy Brand earlier this year on Dana White’s Contender Series before making his UFC debut in October, taking a decision over Dan Argueta.

    Aleksandre’s brother, Ilia Topuria, has taken up plenty of the MMA headlines of late. He’s notably teased a move up to lightweight and squashed a rumored bout between him and Conor McGregor.

  • ‘Judges Weren’t Corrupt For Once?’ – Fighters & Fans React To Oleksandr Usyk’s Convincing Decision Win In Tyson Fury Rematch

    ‘Judges Weren’t Corrupt For Once?’ – Fighters & Fans React To Oleksandr Usyk’s Convincing Decision Win In Tyson Fury Rematch

    The final major boxing fight of 2024 saw a lot of unity from fans, pundits, media, and fighters — it was a close, competitive fight but the right man won.

    Oleksandr Usyk edged out Tyson Fury in a unanimous decision to retain the WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight championships in the main event of a Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 21.

    Usyk worked his jab well in the opening frame, which proved to be a bit of a feeling-out process. The Ukrainian came out with a strong combination to start the second round, but Fury seemed to start to gain control, working his jab as the round went on.

    “The Gypsy King” got on the front foot in the third round after a shot that Usyk thought was illegal but was not called such. The champ looked to land the big shots late in the round, which saw plenty of utilization of the jab by Fury. Usyk cracked the Brit with a couple of strong left hands during the fourth round, troubling Fury, who tried to use his reach and keep his opponent back. The former WBC titleholder fired back in the fifth, however, as he showed his physical prowess and landed strong, inside shots, especially to the body.

    After a bit of a slower start to the sixth round, Usyk continued to land well on the inside. The seventh and eighth remained particularly quiet, though the Ukrainian remained in control, working over the challenger’s body.

    And he appeared to open up a cut above one of Fury’s eyebrows late in the ninth frame, as he remained in control and forced “The Gypsy King” to need to answer quickly. Fury threw power from the get-go, looking to bully the champion with his own back to the scorecard wall seemingly. He appeared to gas out in the later portion, however, backing up to “The Cat’s” attacks.

    Usyk landed a couple of strong left hands throughout the 11th, still backing Fury up. Both men emptied the tank in the 12th round, with the challenger landing some strong punches but the champ landing a rocking combinations in the closing seconds.

    Oleksandr Usyk Retains Heavyweight Championships In Decision Win Over Tyson Fury

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    This was a rematch from their initial encounter in May, which saw Usyk edge out Fury in a split decision to win the WBC heavyweight title, becoming boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era. This reign was not for long, however, as the IBF stripped him of the title not long after the win as a result of taking tonight’s rematch.

    The IBF title was awarded to Daniel Dubois, who retained the championship with a knockout of Anthony Joshua in September.

    Dubois was knocked out by Usyk in their August 2023 title fight. He called “The Cat” out following Saturday’s fight for a rematch of his own, which could realistically happen and give boxing another undisputed heavyweight champion, pending Dubois successfully defending the IBF title against Joseph Parker in February.

  • Manel Kape Misses Out On Title Shot, Faces Top Contender In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Manel Kape Misses Out On Title Shot, Faces Top Contender In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Manel Kape’s recent performance will not earn him a UFC flyweight title shot — at least not yet. He may, however, be one fight away from getting such.

    Per Ag. Fight, Kape’s next fight has already been booked, as he will take on former title challenger Brandon Royval in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card at the APEX on March 1, 2025.

    Kape competed on last week’s UFC Tampa card, taking out Bruno Silva in a highlight TKO. The result marked “Starboy’s” fifth win in his last six fights and helped him bounce back from a loss in his dlackluster outing with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 earlier this year.

    Manel Kape vs. Brandon Royval Targeted For March 1 UFC Fight Night

    Royval is on a similar path, having defeated former champion Brandon Moreno and the highly touted Tatsuro Taira in his two 2024 fights. His sole loss in recent times was an unsuccessful challenge of current flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296. “Raw Dawg” also lost to Pantoja in their initial 2021 meeting.

    Pantoja, meanwhile , successfully defended the title against former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura in the Japanese star’s UFC debut earlier this month at UFC 310.

  • ‘Perfect End To His Silly Career’ – Fans React As Colby Covington Gets Battered By Joaquin Buckley At UFC Tampa

    ‘Perfect End To His Silly Career’ – Fans React As Colby Covington Gets Battered By Joaquin Buckley At UFC Tampa

    Joaquin Buckley added to the woes of Colby Covington on Saturday night, battering the former interim welterweight champion in the main event of UFC Tampa.

    Buckley clearly took the opening round, stopping every takedown attempt from Covington and damaging his eye, including a knockdown of “Chaos” late in the round. The rising contender continued to land well in the second round, and while he was taken down once, “New Mansa” managed to work his way up with strength and still showed strong defense.

    Covington, who was warned about the cut around his eye that had been busted up over two rounds, continued to be battered as the fight entered the third. Even when the fight was on the ground, Buckley’s attack showed no sign of slowing, targeting that cut.

    In the midst of the third round, the doctor was called in to check on the cut and ruled that Covington could no longer safely continue.

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    This marked Buckley’s sixth straight win and perhaps his biggest since a viral knockout of Impa Kasaganay. This most likely will give him a top-five contender as his next opponent.

    Covington, meanwhile, has now lost three of his last four. This was his first fight in almost exactly one year since his unsuccessful challenge of then-UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 296.

  • ‘Age Is Just A Number’ – Poirier, Masvidal, & More Laud 41-Year-Old Cub Swanson After Classic KO At UFC Tampa

    ‘Age Is Just A Number’ – Poirier, Masvidal, & More Laud 41-Year-Old Cub Swanson After Classic KO At UFC Tampa

    If this was the last time we saw Cub Swanson in the Octagon, he went out with a bang by pulling off a devastating knockout of Billy Quarantillo in the co-main event of UFC Tampa.

    The two pulled off an entertaining first round, with both men looking to pick the other apart and each having their moments of control and rocking the other. They then fought another competitive second frame before the fight came to an end in the final round.

    Swanson landed a one-two that dropped Quarantillo out cold, giving “Killer” a walk-off victory.

    https://twitter.com/Full_Violence/status/1868171200800997456

    Swanson has traded wins and losses consecutively since the start of 2021, and he may increase his record for the most post-fight bonuses in UFC/WEC featherweight history.

    “Billy Q,” meanwhile, has now lost three of his last four.

  • ‘Where Was This When He Fought Mokaev?’ – Fans React As Manel Kape Puts On A Show In UFC Tampa Return

    ‘Where Was This When He Fought Mokaev?’ – Fans React As Manel Kape Puts On A Show In UFC Tampa Return

    Manel Kape looked to make a statement as to why he should be next in line for Alexandre Pantoja and the UFC flyweight championship. And perhaps he’s made a case after his finish of Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa.

    Kape’s path to victory in the fight didn’t come without battle scars. Silva landed three low blows on “Starboy” before the halfway point of the fight, resulting in the Brazilian being deducted one point.

    Ultimately, that didn’t make a difference for Silva. Kape’s offense was on full display over the course of the second round, and though Silva landed some power during the third frame, the top 10 contender landed a kick that started a flurry and quickly put “Bulldog” away.

    Silva argued (ironically) that the initial kick was a low blow, but it wasn’t enough to overturn referee Keith Petersen’s original no call.

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    Kape has now won five of his last six fights and rebounds from his lackluster fight with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 this past July.

    Meanwhile, this loss snaps a four-fight win streak that Silva rode into UFC Tampa on.

  • ‘Shades Of Usman vs. Masvidal’ – Fans React As Dustin Jacoby Melts Vitor Petrino With One Shot At UFC Tampa

    ‘Shades Of Usman vs. Masvidal’ – Fans React As Dustin Jacoby Melts Vitor Petrino With One Shot At UFC Tampa

    Dustin Jacoby has just pulled off an absolute shocker of a result.

    Jacoby needed just one punch to pull off a third-round knockout of Vitor Petrino during the main card of UFC Tampa.

    The fight featured plenty of back and forth from both men. They looked to stay patient, but the Brazilian was arguably landing the more effective strikes.

    But just when it looked like he would get his hand raised in a decision, “The Hanyak” changed things out of nowhere, landing a perfectly timed right hand to knock Petrino out cold.

    Fans reacted to the brutal result, with many comparing the manner of it to Kamaru Usman’s one-shot KO of Jorge Masvidal in 2021.

    After going 6-0-1 to start his UFC career following an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Jacoby had lost four of five entering UFC Tampa and was likely fighting for his job.

    Petrino, after an 11-0 start to his professional MMA career, has now lost back-to-back fights. He was finished by Anthony Smith earlier this year at UFC 301.