MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Jay Jay Wilson Gets Major, Sub-Minute KO Of Darragh Kelly

    Jay Jay Wilson Gets Major, Sub-Minute KO Of Darragh Kelly

    A highly vocal and entertained Belfast crowd was left silent after the PFL Belfast main event, thanks to Jay Jay Wilson’s quick finish of the now-previously-undefeated Darragh Kelly.

    Right away, both men came out firing quick strikes, throwing combinations. But things came crashing down quickly and suddenly for Kelly, courtesy of a body kick by Wilson.

    Wilson followed that up with a left hand that dropped Kelly, along with follow-up shots that put Kelly out cold.

    Jay Jay Wilson KOs Darragh Kelly In Under One Minute

    Wilson is now 12-2, and he has improved to 2-1 since coming over to the PFL from Bellator. Before tonight, Wilson had most recently fought in October, losing a decision to Archie Colgan.

    Kelly took this fight on short notice, filling in for an injured Paul Hughes. This marked Kelly’s first loss in his professional MMA career. Kelly previously fought in September, submitting Bakhtiyar Abdulaev.

  • Rhys McKee Drops Alex Lohore, Earns One-Sided Decision In Belfast

    Rhys McKee Drops Alex Lohore, Earns One-Sided Decision In Belfast

    In his first fight with the PFL, Rhys McKee made an incredible entrance in front of a native crowd, filled with live music, before going on to defeat Alex Lohore in the PFL Belfast co-main event.

    Lohore started things out with a focus on calf kicks, doing damage to McKee’s leg. While McKee looked to fight back, Lohore continued to pressure, eventually scoring a pair of takedowns later in round one. McKee got up both times but couldn’t find a way out of Lohore’s grasp until the end of the round.

    McKee worked his jab well early in round two, and he appeared to be getting the better of Lohore in terms of striking. Lohore placed McKee against the fence again, but McKee had an easier time defending and getting into a grip control battle with Lohore.

    Then, McKee dropped Lohore with a right hand seconds into the final round. McKee followed Lohore to the ground and controlled the action there, at one point threatening a D’Arce choke. Lohore got back to his feet and tried to get his striking going, but it was too little and too late.

    McKee ended up sweeping the scorecards.

    This marked McKee’s PFL debut, his first fight since parting ways with the UFC. The BAMMA and Cage Warriors veteran went 1-5 in two combined stints with the UFC during the 2020s.

    Lohore, a veteran of OKTAGON and Brave CF, also made his PFL debut tonight. He last fought in May, defeating Mansur Abdurzakov. He also fought in Karate Comat, losing a middleweight title fight to Ilyas Khamzin last month.

  • Dean Garnett Puts Ciaran Clarke’s Lights Out With Spinning Elbow

    Dean Garnett Puts Ciaran Clarke’s Lights Out With Spinning Elbow

    After coming up just short of a PFL Europe title last year, Dean Garnett returned to the win column in highlight fashion, scoring a spinning back elbow knockout of Ciaran Clarke.

    Garnett looked to take control early, going into the center and working a mix of leg kicks and body strikes. Clarke, meanwhile, focused on his own body strikes, looking to answer Garnett’s attacks.

    Near the fence, Clarke looked to get inside. Garnett responded by landing a highlight spinning back elbow that cracked and dropped him.

    Dean Garnett KOs Ciaran Clarke At PFL Belfast

    Garnett competed in the 2025 PFL Europe season, defeating Tuomas Gronvall and Jan Cieplowski before losing to Baris Adiguzel.

    This marked Clarke’s PFL debut, as well as his first professional MMA loss. He was 10-0 entering this fight, having spent all of his time as a pro with Bellator before the promotion’s purchase and folding by the PFL. He had most recently fought Gronvall, winning by decision.

  • PFL Belfast Results: Kelly vs Wilson Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Belfast Results: Kelly vs Wilson Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Belfast results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The main event will feature a lightweight bout between Darragh Kelly and Jay Jay Wilson. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Darragh Kelly vs. Jay Jay Wilson – Lightweight Main Event

    Kelly has spent most of his professional career thus far with Bellator and the PFL, entering tonight’s bout with a 9-0 record. He last fought in September, scoring a first-round submission of Bakhtiyar Abdulaev.

    Kelly enters this fight as a substitute for Paul Hughes, who was injured and forced to withdraw from this bout.

    Wilson fought exclusively with Bellator during his pro career until the promotion was acquired and folded by the PFL. The 11-2 fighter enters this fight off a decision loss to Archie Colgan at the PFL Champions Series card this past October.

    The co-main event will see Rhys McKee take on Alex Lohore.

    This is McKee’s first fight since departing the UFC. He has lost three of his last four, most recently losing to Axel Sola at UFC Paris in September.

    The 26-11 Lohore makes his PFL debut tonight. A veteran of Cage Warriors, OKTAGON MMA, and Brave CF, Lohore’s last MMA fight came 11 months ago, scoring a late finish of Mansur Abdurzakov in Brave. Lohore also fought in Karate Comat in March, losing to Ilyas Khamzin in a middleweight title fight.

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

    How to Watch PFL Belfast

    • Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
    • Venue: SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited (full card), ESPN2 (main card), ESPN+ (prelims)
    • Prelims: 2:30 PM ET / 11:30 AM PT
    • Main Card: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT

    PFL Belfast Quick Results

    • Main Event: Darragh Kelly vs. Jay Jay Wilson — Jay Jay Wilson def. Darragh Kelly via KO (Rd. 1, 0:37)
    • Co-Main Event: Rhys McKee vs. Alex Lohore — Rhys McKee def. Alex Lohore via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Tyson Pedro vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov — Dovlet Yagshimuradov def. Tyson Pedro via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    PFL Belfast Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 2:30 PM ET)

    Women’s Flyweight: Chelsea Hackett vs. Andrea Vazquez

    Result: Chelsea Hackett def. Andrea Vazquez via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Bantamweight: Eoghan Masoliver vs. Shane Mullen

    Result: Eoghan Masoliver def. Shane Mullen via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 1:55)

    Bantamweight: Sean Gauci vs. Liam Gittins

    Result: Sean Gauci def. Liam Gittins via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Welterweight: David Martinez vs. Giannis Bachar

    Result: David Martinez def. Giannis Bachar via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 0:53)

    Catchweight (165 lbs.): Pedro Carvalho vs. Sergio Cossio

    Result: Pedro Carvalho def. Sergio Cossio via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Bantamweight: Ciaran Clarke vs. Dean Garnett

    Result: Dean Garnett def. Ciaran Clarke via KO (Rd. 1, 1:52)

    Welterweight: Omran Chaaban vs. Chequina Noso Pedro

    Result: Omran Chaaban def. Chequina Noso Pedro via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:16)

    Bantamweight: Caolan Loughran vs. Alan Philpott

    Result: Caolan Loughran def. Alan Philpott via submission (face crank) (Rd. 1, 1:11)

    Welterweight: Chris Mixan vs. Eoin Sheridan

    Result: Eoin Sheridan def. Chris Mixan via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Main Card (ESPN2, 7 PM ET)

    Light Heavyweight: Tyson Pedro vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov

    Result: Dovlet Yagshimuradov def. Tyson Pedro via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Welterweight: Rhys McKee vs. Alex Lohore

    Result: Rhys McKee def. Alex Lohore via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Lightweight: Darragh Kelly vs. Jay Jay Wilson

    Result: Jay Jay Wilson def. Darragh Kelly via KO (Rd. 1, 0:37)

  • “Still Catches Him” – Carlos Ulberg KOs Jiri Prochazka

    Despite appearing to injure his leg — potentially tearing his ACL — in the first minute of the fight, Carlos Ulberg knocked out Jiri Prochazka in highlight fashion to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion in the main event of UFC 327.

    Prochazka and Ulberg did some trading early, and things looked grim for Ulberg. One of Prochazka’s leg kicks caused Ulberg to stumble, and something appeared to pop in Ulberg’s leg, with some claiming it was an ACL tear.

    Prochazka attacked the knee a bit but admitted to taking things easy, daring Ulberg to stand and trade.

    Prochazka paid for that decision; landing a massive left hand and follow-up strikes that put Prochazka out to give Ulberg the championship despite his injury.

    Carlos Ulberg KOs Jiri Prochazka For UFC Light Heavyweight Title At UFC 327

    Prochazka is a former light heavyweight champion, defeating Glover Teixiera for the title in the main event of UFC 275. Prochazka, however, vacated the title due to injury before making a defense.

    Prochazka entered this fight 6-2 in the UFC, with his two losses coming in light heavyweight title fights with Alex Pereira.

    Pereira vacated the light heavyweight title tonight due to his impending move to heavyweight. He fights Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250.

  • UFC Announces Signing Of Gable Steveson, Will Debut At UFC 329

    UFC Announces Signing Of Gable Steveson, Will Debut At UFC 329

    In a move that has been expected for a while, the UFC have signed former Olympic gold medalist and NCAA wrestling champion Gable Steveson.

    The signing was made official in an announcement during the UFC 327 broadcast. Steveson was in the crowd for the event, seated next to former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones has been overseeing Steveson’s transition to full-time Mixed Martial Arts.

    The UFC broadcast also announced that Steveson will make his UFC debut at UFC 329 on July 11, during the UFC’s International Fight Week.

    Former Olympic, NCAA Champion Gable Steveson Signs With UFC

    Steveson was a standout wrestler, becoming a four-time conference champion and five-time NCAA-Division I All-American while wrestling at the University of Minnesota. Steveson won the NCAA championship twice and made the finals a third time.

    Steveson, in addition, was a gold medalist at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

    After failed stints with the WWE and Buffalo Bills, Steveson made the move to professional MMA in 2025. He has scored three first-round finishes so far.

    Steveson is also signed to RAF and is expected to debut on May 30 at RAF 9, taking on Alexandr Romanov.

  • Dana White Announces Lewis vs. Hokit Added To UFC Freedom 250

    Dana White Announces Lewis vs. Hokit Added To UFC Freedom 250

    Despite the previous announcement that there will be six fights for the UFC Freedom 250 card, a seventh has been added tonight after the UFC 327 performance of Josh Hokit.

    In an announcement posted to social media during the event, UFC CEO and President Dana White announced that Hokit will compete on the UFC Freedom 250 card, taking on Derrick Lewis.

    Derrick Lewis vs. Josh Hokit Added To UFC Freedom 250 At White House

    Hokit competed in just his third UFC bout during UFC 327, going toe-to-toe with Curtis Blaydes. The two put on a bloody heavyweight slugfest, with the two wobbling one another throughout. Hokit landed the more effective strikes and got the win via decision.

    Hokit, a former NFL player, won a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. He then scored first-round finishes of Max Gimenis and Denzel Freeman in his first two UFC fights.

    Lewis is 3-2 in his last five. He’ll enter this fight off a loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 324.

  • “He Finds A Way” – Paulo Costa Hands Azamat Murzakanov First Loss

    “He Finds A Way” – Paulo Costa Hands Azamat Murzakanov First Loss

    The undefeated record of Azamat Murzakanov is no more, as Paulo Costa’s move up to light heavyweight produces a strong start. Costa knocked out Murzakanov in the third round of the UFC 327 co-main event.

    Despite Murzakanov’s pressure and stalking attempts, Costa’s kicking helped to get him off to an early start, landing kicks to the body and legs of Murzakanov that did damage. A body kick in the closing minute of the first round, in fact, dropped and troubled Murzakanov.

    As the fight went on, however, it appeared that Costa’s gas tank was giving him an issue. Murzakanov fought back with his own body shots, and his power came more to fruition, which bothered Costa.

    Costa was refreshed in round three, and a kick that landed on one of Murzakanov’s arms appeared to damage it badly. Costa later followed it up with a head kick that resulted in Murzakanov crumbling to the mat to give Costa the win.

    Paulo Costa Takes The 0 Of Azamat Murzakanov At UFC 327

    Costa is now 3-2 in his last five fights. This was his second fight at light heavyweight, previously fighting Marvin Vettori at 205 in 2021. Costa entered this fight off a victory over Roman Kopylov at UFC 318.

    Murzakanov now falls to 16-1. He entered this fight off a first-round finish of Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 321.

  • Mitch McKee Uses Wrestling To Take Decision Over Sergio Pettis

    Mitch McKee Uses Wrestling To Take Decision Over Sergio Pettis

    In just one fight with the PFL, Mitch McKee has established himself as someone to watch out for at bantamweight, defeating Sergio Pettis in the main event of PFL Chicago.

    McKee’s wrestling proved to be the distance from the start, taking Pettis down quickly and overwhelming him with grappling control and ground-and-pound. McKee continued this strategy in the second round, and while Pettis looked for multiple submissions, McKee was able to easily shake those off.

    Pettis, needing a finish, looked to pick up his striking in the final round. He, however, had no answer for McKee’s takedowns, as McKee went on to score 29-28 totals on all three scorecards.

    Mitch McKee defeats Sergio Pettis In PFL Chicago Main Event

    McKee made his PFL debut tonight, spending most of his career with the LFA. He last fought at LFA 217 in September, defeating Pedro Nobre.

    Pettis, the former Bellator bantamweight champion, scored a pair of wins in his first two PFL appearances last year. He defeated Raufeon Stots by decision in June and scored a highlight knockout of Magomed Magomedov in October.

  • “15 Minutes Of Carnage” – Josh Hokit Bests Curtis Blaydes In War

    “15 Minutes Of Carnage” – Josh Hokit Bests Curtis Blaydes In War

    In one of the greatest heavyweight battles ever seen in the Octagon in what has felt like forever, Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hokit put on an epic, bloody battle that will go down as a Fight of the Year contender.

    Ultimately, Hokit got the judges’ nod to remain undefeated.

    The two did plenty of trading to start the fight, and that played into Hokit’s favor, wobbling Blaydes in the first minute. Blaydes was wobbled but fought his way back into the fight, getting Hokit into his grasp. Blaydes then landed a flurry of shots on Hokit, though it didn’t deter Hokit from taunting Blaydes during the round.

    Blaydes appeared to be gassed in the second round, and it showed with Hokit landing the better shots early. Blaydes attempted to fight back, but Blaydes showed a lack of head movement. Hokit battered Blaydes near the fence in another near-finish; however, Blaydes endured it and gave a flurry right back.

    Josh Hokit Defeats Curtis Blaydes In Fight Of The Year Contender At UFC 327

    Hokit, now 9-0, was competing in just his third UFC fight. The former NFL player, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, scored first-round finishes of Max Gimenis and Denzel Freeman.

    Blaydes entered this fight off a controversial decision win over Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Baku 10 months ago.

  • Renat Khavalov Gets Grappling Edge, Decision Over Raufeon Stots

    Renat Khavalov Gets Grappling Edge, Decision Over Raufeon Stots

    Renat Khavalov remains undefeated and scores the biggest win of his professional MMA career, defeating former interim Bellator champion Raufeon Stots in the co-main event of PFL Chicago.

    Despite Stots’ NCAA wrestling experience, it was Dagestan’s Khavalov who outworked him in grappling. Khavalov controlled the action for the first 10 minutes with his clinchwork and takedowns, mixing in inside shots for good measure.

    The two traded strikes throughout the third round, with Stots seemingly landing the more effective strikes but not doing enough to deter Khavalov.

    All three judges scored the bout 29-28 in Khavalov’s favor.

    Renat Khavalov Defeats Raufeon Stots At PFL Chicago

    This bout was promoted to the co-main event slot just minutes before PFL Chicago’s start after Jordan Newman withdrew from his bout against Josh Silveira.

    Since the closure of Bellator, Stots, the former interim Bellator bantamweight champion, has had two fights in PFL prior to tonight. He defeated Marcos Breno at the PFL Battle of the Giants card in October 2024 and lost to Sergio Pettis this past June.

    Khavalov was a perfect 10-0 entering tonight. The former Eagle FC champion entered tonight 3-0 in the PFL, scoring wins over Cleiver Fernandes, Vilson Ndregjoni, and Edgars Skrivers.

  • “No Contest” – Dominick Reyes Beats Johnny Walker In Snoozefest

    “No Contest” – Dominick Reyes Beats Johnny Walker In Snoozefest

    A fight at UFC 327 that no one expected to go the distance and could have fallen either way ended up being close…but not in the good way.

    Boos rained down from the crowd as Dominick Reyes got his hand raised, defeating Johnny Walker via split decision at UFC 327.

    Walker got off to a good start in the opening round, focusing on the leg kicks, while Reyes stayed patient, looking to use his range and timing to land strong shots from distance.

    Reyes finally got to pressuring Walker in the second round, picking up his punching volume and adding in kicks to the body. Unfortunately, neither fighter seemed to show urgency in the third as they traded weak shots.

    All three judges scored the fight 29-28, with two giving it to Reyes for the win.

    Dominick Reyes Gets Split Decision Over Johnny Walker At UFC 327

    Reyes has now won four of his last five fights. He entered tonight off a knockout loss to Carlos Ulberg at UFC Perth last September.

    Walker is now winless in four of his last five fights. He came into this bout off a second-round finish of Zhang Mingyang at UFC Shanghai last August.

  • UFC Releases Video Promo, First Look At Stage For UFC Freedom 250

    UFC Releases Video Promo, First Look At Stage For UFC Freedom 250

    With U.S. President Donald Trump in attendance at UFC 327 in Miami, the UFC released the first video promo for the UFC Freedom 250 event that takes place on June 14.

    The promo included a first glance at the setup for how the UFC “arena” will look like on the White House lawn. The Octagon can be seen in the middle of the stage, surrounded by seats on all sides, under a pair of Americana-decorated arches.

    The video has the arena appear to overtake a significant area of the White House front lawn.

    UFC Release First Promo Video, Stage Look For UFC Freedom 250 At The White House

    UFC Freedom 250 will be headlined by Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje battling to determine the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.

    The co-main event will see Alex Pereira move up to heavyweight to take on Ciryl Gane in an interim UFC heavyweight title fight. With a win, Pereira will become the first fighter in UFC history to claim UFC titles in three different weight divisions.

    UFC Freedom 250 will consist of six fights and begin at 8pm ET/5pm PT on June 14, which is a Sunday. June 14 is Flag Day and the 80th birthday of President Trump. The event is being held as part of the celebrations for the Semiquincentennial of the United States.

    UFC Freedom 250 will also feature Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia.

  • “Fairy Tale Ending!” – Cub Swanson Wins Retirement Fight

    “Fairy Tale Ending!” – Cub Swanson Wins Retirement Fight

    At 42 years old, Cub Swanson ends his professional MMA career a winner, dropping Nate Landwehr three times en route to a first-round knockout victory.

    Landwehr looked to start things off with leg kicks, but Swanson was patient and pressed forward slowly. Swanson eventually started to get his strikes going, landing on Landwehr when they were against the fence.

    Swanson dropped Landwehr with a left hand, and then again with a right. Swanson then cracked Landwehr with a right hand to fold him again, prompting referee Herb Dean to wave off the action.

    Cub Swanson Retires After First-Round Finish Of Nate Landwehr At UFC 327

    Swanson made his professional MMA debut in July 2004, working his way up by competing in promotions like King of the Cage and the WEC. Swanson made his UFC debut in November 2011, going 10-3 between then and April 2017, scoring wins over the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier and Jeremy Stephens. Two of the three losses came against Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar.

    Before tonight, Swanson was 5-7 stretching back to December 2017, losing to the likes of Brian Ortega, Renato Moicano, and Shane Burgos, along with losing a rematch with Edgar. Swanson entered tonight’s bout off a knockout of Billy Quarantillo at UFC Tampa in December 2024.

    Landwehr has now lost four of his last five fights, though he still holds three post-fight bonuses in his last six.

  • Jena Bishop Chokes Out Borena Tsertsvadze At PFL Chicago

    Jena Bishop Chokes Out Borena Tsertsvadze At PFL Chicago

    After falling just short in last year’s World Tournament, Jena Bishop is back in the win column, scoring a quick finish of Borena Tsertsvadze during the PFL Chicago prelims.

    Bishop quickly took the center and got the fight to the ground, getting in a dominant position early. Bishop then flattened Tsertsvadze out, raining down blows before locking in a body triangle.

    From there, Bishop searched and found the choke, scoring the submission just before the halfway mark of round one.

    Jena Bishop Submits Borena Tsertsvadze In Under Three Minutes At PFL Chicago

    Bishop, a veteran of LFA and Bellator, came close but fell short in both women’s flyweight tournaments in 2024 and 2025. She lost to the eventual champions — respectively, Dakota Ditcheva (in the semifinals) and Liz Carmouche (in the finals).

    This marked Tsertsvadze’s PFL debut and marks her first professional MMA loss. She entered this fight 6-0, most recently defeating Mobina Babanataj in November.

  • Alex Pereira To Be Honored With 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award

    Alex Pereira To Be Honored With 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award

    Alex Pereira will be this year’s recipient of the 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award, as announced by the UFC during the UFC 327 broadcast on CBS.

    Per UFC play-by-play Jon Anik, Pereira will receive the award for his dedication and time toward sick and underprivileged youth in his native Brazil.

    Alex Pereira To Receive Forrest Griffin Community Award At 2026 UFC Hall Of Fame Ceremony

    The Forrest Griffin Community Award is annually handed out to fighters who make impacts and special contributions to their communities. Past winners have included Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, and the Nogueira Brothers.

    Pereira will receive the award at this year’s UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony this July. He will be honored alongside new Hall of Fame inductees Dominick Cruz and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, as well as the UFC 248 bout between Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

    Pereira will fight at UFC Freedom 250 in June, facing Ciryl Gane to determine the interim UFC heavyweight champion.

  • Omar El Dafrawy Quickly Starches James Vake At PFL Chicago

    Omar El Dafrawy Quickly Starches James Vake At PFL Chicago

    Omar El Dafrawy rebounded from his first PFL defeat in a big way, scoring a quick, first-round knockout of James Vake during the UFC Chicago preliminary card.

    El Dafrawy had the reach advantage in this one, and he used that well by connecting with several kicks to start things off. Vake got working with his hands early, but El Dafrawy’s reach and offense kept him at bay.

    Then, El Dafrawy landed a left hand that put Vake down to the mat immediately, leaving him unable to defend himself and continue. The fight ended in just 1:12.

    Omar El Dafrawy KOs James Vake At PFL Chicago

    El Dafrawy, a veteran of Brave CF and UAE Warriors, was the original PFL MENA welterweight champion in 2024. He won that tournament by going through Anthony Zeidan, Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi, and Mohammad Alaqraa. In 2025, El Dafrawy submitted Daniele Miceli but dropped a decision to Florim Zendeli.

    Vake entered this fight, his PFL debut, on a four-fight win streak and with a 7-1 professional MMA record. This was Vake’s first fight since his October 2024 win over Cameron Clatworthy.

  • “Robbed” – Padilla vs. Mederos Changed To Draw After Errors

    Another week, another major screw-up in the world of MMA officiating and judging, courtesy of a set of judges at UFC 327.

    The botch occurred during the preliminary card matchup between Chris Padilla and MarQuel Mederos. The fight was filled with plenty of striking volume, especially from Padilla, who brought plenty of pressure. Mederos had his own strong strikes, including bloodying Padilla up with an elbow. Mederos, however, was deducted a point for an eye poke during round three.

    Padilla was originally announced as the winner by majority decision, with two 29-27 scores and a 28-28 draw. Following the Tatiana Suarez vs. Loopy Godinez bout, however, the UFC broadcast announced that the score for Padilla vs. Mederos was corrected to be ruled a majority draw.

    The corrected scorecards were then revealed, with all three judges appearing to not count the point deduction Mederos received during the third round.

    Furthermore, under the original scorecards, Mederos was the one who would have been awarded a split decision win. The original scorecards’ totals had it two 29-28s in his favor, from judges Derek Cleary and Eliseo Rodriguez. Solimar Miranda originally had it 29-28 for Padilla, resulting in the lone 29-27 Padilla total on the corrections.

    Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos Ruled Majority Draw After Scoring Mix-Up At UFC 327

    The mix-up prompted another round of mockery and anger from the MMA community.

    Padilla stepped into this fight with a seven-fight win streak, including a 4-0 UFC record. Padilla had most recently fought Ismael Bonfim in November, scoring a second-round finish.

    Mederos entered this bout with a nine-fight win streak and an 11-1 professional MMA record. He was 3-0 in the UFC before tonight, most recently defeating Mark Choinski at UFC 316.

  • Biaggio Ali Walsh Gets Sub-Minute Finish At PFL Chicago

    Biaggio Ali Walsh Gets Sub-Minute Finish At PFL Chicago

    Biaggio Ali Walsh’s journey into combat sports continues, as the grandson of Muhammad Ali starched Dash Harris in under a minute during the PFL Chicago prelims.

    Ali Walsh targeted the body with shots in the opening seconds, and that did Harris in then and there. Ali Walsh continued with flurries, while also preventing Harris’ efforts to grapple.

    Ali Walsh overwhelmed Harris until he folded, prompting “Big” John McCarthy to step in 46 seconds into the fight.

    Biaggio Ali Walsh Stops Dash Harris In 46 Seconds At PFL Chicago

    Ali Walsh, who has been with PFL since his amateur days, is now 4-1 as a pro. He entered this fight off a win over Adryan Grundy in August.

    Harris, who made his PFL debut tonight, loses as a pro for the first time. Harris, who missed weight for this fight, fought in Elite Fight Night twice in 2025, defeating Michael Anderson and Devon Jackson.

  • “The D’Arce Knight Rises” – Vicente Luque Submits Kelvin Gastelum

    “The D’Arce Knight Rises” – Vicente Luque Submits Kelvin Gastelum

    Vicente Luque found himself in some early trouble, but he was able to gather himself up and battle back to drop and submit Kelvin Gastelum during the UFC 327 prelims.

    Gastelum came out on the front foot early, trying to pressure Luque with single shots. Gastelum brought Luque to the fence and pinned him there before scoring the takedown. Gastelum troubled Luque, holding him for a while and attempting a choke.

    Luque, however, was able to work his way out of Gastelum’s grasp. Despite Gastelum’s strong chin, Luque landed a strong right uppercut that dropped him. Luque then held Gastelum down on the ground for a bit before locking in a D’Arce choke to score the submission.

    Vicente Luque Submits Kelvin Gastelum At UFC 327

    Luque rebounds from back-to-back losses to Kevin Holland and Joel Alvarez, improving to 3-3 in his last six.

    Gastelum is now 3-5 in his last eight.

  • PFL Chicago Loses Co-Main Event Minutes Before Start Time

    PFL Chicago Loses Co-Main Event Minutes Before Start Time

    PFL Chicago’s planned co-main event bout between Jordan Newman and Josh Silveira will not take place as scheduled.

    The promotion announced the news in an update minutes before the PFL Chicago preliminary card began. According to the PFL, Newman made the last-minute withdrawal.

    It is currently unknown what prompted Newman’s withdrawal.

    Due to the last-minute nature of the circumstance, no replacement opponent has been named for Silveira. It is unknown if the promotion will attempt to re-book Newman vs. Silveira for a future PFL card.

    The bantamweight bout between former interim Bellator champion Raufeon Stots and Renat Khavalov will now serve as the evening’s co-main event.

    Additionally, the bout between Viviane Araujo and Shanna Young has been promoted from the prelims to the main card. The main card will go on with four fights.

    The main event of PFL Chicago sees former Bellator bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis face the unbeaten Mitch McKee.

  • Jon Jones Changes Retirement Tune Again After Stem Cell Treatment

    Jon Jones Changes Retirement Tune Again After Stem Cell Treatment

    The Jon Jones saga continues after all?

    After hinting at retirement in a video posted on social media on Friday, April 10, stating he had “hung up his gloves,” Jones has appeared to leave the door open on fighting in the future.

    Per MMA Fighting, while appearing at the Dirty Boxing 6 event held on that same night, Jones said he had a conversation about the situation with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell.

    Jones stated that his body had started to feel more capable after undergoing stem-cell treatment.

    “We had that conversation tonight,” Jones said. “I took a stem cell right before the White House card was created, and I’m starting to feel the effects of that stem cell, I feel really good physically.”

    Jones has publicly stated that dealing with arthritis has been a hurdle for him to continue his MMA career. It appeared to be the reason he was formally retired in June 2025. That same month, UFC CEO and President Dana White announced Jones’ retirement status, awarding the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship to then-interim champion Tom Aspinall.

    After three years away from the Octagon, dominating the light heavyweight scene through the 2010s, Jones moved up to heavyweight at UFC 285, defeating Ciryl Gane for the then-vacant UFC heavyweight title.

    Jones last fought at UFC 309, defeating Stipe Miocic. He was scheduled to fight Miocic one year earlier at UFC 295, the same night Aspinall went on to win the interim title, but suffered a torn pec.

    Jones changed his stance on retirement a couple of weeks later, when U.S. President Donald Trump first teased what would become UFC Freedom 250. Jones, to his disappointment, was left off the card in favor of an interim heavyweight title fight between Gane and Alex Pereira.

    It’s uncertain if and when Jones will return to the Octagon, but he stated that his priority right now is coaching Gable Steveson. Steveson, the former NCAA wrestling champion, competes at RAF 9 on May 30. He is currently 3-0 in professional MMA, and many expect him to be picked up by the UFC sooner or later.

    “So I told them let’s not put any pressure on anything, I want to focus on coaching Gable right now,” Jones said. “But who knows what the future holds?”

  • UFC 327 Results: Prochazka vs Ulberg Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 327 Results: Prochazka vs Ulberg Live Updates & Highlights

    MMA News updates UFC 327 results and highlights live as the action unfolds from the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The main event will feature Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg battling for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Prochazka vs Ulberg: Light Heavyweight Title Fight

    The championship is being vacated today as Pereira aims to move up to heavyweight, being booked in an interim heavyweight title fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in two months.

    Prochazka has tasted light heavyweight gold before, defeating Glover Teixeira to capture the title at UFC 275. Prochazka, however, vacated the title due to injury before he could ever make a defense.

    Prochazka, who is also a former RIZIN champion, is 6-2 in the UFC, with both losses coming in light heavyweight title fights with Alex Pereira at UFC 295 and UFC 303. Prochazka last fought at UFC 321, finishing Khalil Rountree Jr.

    Ulberg is 13-1 in MMA entering tonight, with his sole loss coming against Kennedy Nzechukwu in his UFC debut. Ulberg has won nine straight, most recently knocking out Dominick Reyes, another former light heavyweight title challenger, in September. Ulberg also holds wins over former champion Jan Blachowicz and former challenger Volkan Oezdemir.

    The co-main event will also be contested at light heavyweight, as the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov takes on Paulo Costa, who is jumping up to the division from middleweight.

    Murzakanov is a perfect 16-0. Since winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has won all six fights he’s had in the Octagon, with five of those coming via KO/TKO. He most recently scored a first-round finish of Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 321.

    Costa enters this fight off a decision win over Roman Kopylov at UFC 318. This is Costa’s second 205-pound bout; he previously faced Marvin Vettori at the weight in October 2021, losing via decision.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC 327!

    How to Watch UFC 327

    • Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
    • Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida
    • Streaming: Paramount+ , CBS (8pm ET – 10pm ET [last hour of prelims and first hour of main card])
    • Prelims: 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
    • Late Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    UFC 327 Quick Results

    • Main Event: Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg — Carlos Ulberg def. Jiri Prochazka via KO (Rd. 1, 3:45)
    • Co-Main: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa — Paulo Costa def. Azamat Murzakanov via TKO (Rd. 3, 1:23)
    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit — Josh Hokit def. Curtis Blaydes via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker — Dominick Reyes def. Johnny Walker via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
    • Cub Swanson vs. Nate Landwehr — Cub Swanson def. Nate Landwehr via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:06)

    UFC 327 Results & Highlights

    Early Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5:30 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Charles Radtke vs. Francisco Prado

    Result: Charles Radtke def. Francisco Prado via unanimous decision (30-26 x3)

    Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Vicente Luque

    Result: Vicente Luque def. Kelvin Gastelum via submission (D’Arce choke) (Rd. 1, 4:08)

    Lightweight: Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos

    Result: Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos goes to a majority draw (28-28 x2, 29-27) (Fight was originally announced as a majority decision win for Padilla)

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET [CBS 8 PM ET – 9 pm ET])

    Women’s Strawweight: Tatiana Suarez vs. Loopy Godinez

    Result: Tatiana Suarez def. Loopy Godinez via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 2:29)

    Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Estevan Ribovics

    Result: Mateusz Gamrot def. Estevan Ribovics via submission (arm-triangle choke) (Rd. 2, 4:19)

    Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Randy Brown

    Result: Kevin Holland def. Randy Brown via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Featherweight: Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico

    Result: Aaron Pico def. Patricio Pitbull via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET [CBS 9 PM ET – 10 pm ET])

    Featherweight: Cub Swanson vs. Nate Landwehr

    Result: Cub Swanson def. Nate Landwehr via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:06)

    Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker

    Result: Dominick Reyes def. Johnny Walker via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit

    Result: Josh Hokit def. Curtis Blaydes via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Light Heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa

    Result: Paulo Costa def. Azamat Murzakanov via TKO (Rd. 3, 1:23)

    Light Heavyweight Championship: Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg

    Result: Carlos Ulberg def. Jiri Prochazka via KO (Rd. 1, 3:45)

  • PFL Chicago Results: Pettis vs McKee Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Chicago Results: Pettis vs McKee Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Chicago results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The main event will feature a bantamweight bout between Sergio Pettis and Mitch McKee. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Sergio Pettis vs. Mitch McKee – Bantamweight Main Event

    Pettis is 2-0 since arriving in the PFL, giving him two straight wins and eight wins in his last 10 fights. After dropping the Bellator bantamweight title to Patchy Mix in the promotion’s final event, Pettis fought Kyoji Horiguchi in RIZIN before debuting in the PFL last year. Pettis’ 2025 saw him earn a decision over Raufeon Stots and score a highlight knockout of Magomed Magomedov.

    This is the PFL debut for the 10-0 McKee. The highly touted prospect is an LFA and Bellator veteran. McKee most recently fought at LFA 217 in September, knocking out Pedro Nobre.

    The co-main event will be a middleweight battle between the undefeated Jordan Newman and PFL veteran Josh Silveira.

    Newman is 8-0 and fought exclusively in Bellator before the promotion’s closing. He made his PFL debut last August, needing just one round to put away Eslam Abdul Baset.

    Since coming to the PFL from the LFA, where he was a champion, it’s been a case of “the bridesmaid but never the bride” for Silveira. The 15-5 fighter is a veteran of the promotion’s old light heavyweight and middleweight tournaments, consistently falling short. Silveira made the 2023 PFL light heavyweight tournament final, only to lose to Impa Kasaganay.

    Silveira is 3-3 in his last six but has won two of his last three. He most recently fought in August, scoring a decision over Murad Ramazanov.

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

    How to Watch PFL Chicago

    • Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
    • Venue: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited (full card), ESPN2 (main card), ESPN+ (prelims)
    • Prelims: 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    PFL Chicago Quick Results

    • Main Event: Sergio Pettis vs. Mitch McKee — Mitch McKee def. Sergio Pettis via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Co-Main Event: Raufeon Stots vs. Renat Khavalov — Renat Khavalov def. Raufeon Stots via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Viviane Araujo vs. Shanna Young — Viviane Araujo def. Shanna Young (30-27 x3)
    • Gabriel Braga vs. Cheyden Leialoha — Gabriel Braga def. Cheyden Leialoha via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    PFL Chicago Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 6 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Valanti Atsas vs. Nate Jennerman

    Result: Valanti Atsas def. Nate Jennerman via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight: Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Dash Harris

    Result: Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Dash Harris via TKO (Rd. 1, 0:46)

    Heavyweight: Alexandr Romanov vs. Rodrigo Nascimento

    Result: Alexandr Romanov def. Rodrigo Nascimento via submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 2, 3:10)

    Women’s Flyweight: Kana Watanabe vs. Paulina Wisniewska

    Result: Paulina Wisniewska def. Kana Watanabe via TKO (Rd. 2, 3:15)

    Welterweight: Omar El Dafrawy vs. James Vake

    Result: Omar El Dafrawy def. James Vake via KO (Rd. 1, 1:12)

    Women’s Flyweight: Jena Bishop vs. Borena Tsertsvadze

    Result: Jena Bishop def. Borena Tsertsvadze via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 2:21)

    Main Card (ESPN2, 9 PM ET)

    Featherweight: Gabriel Braga vs. Cheyden Leialoha

    Result: Gabriel Braga def. Cheyden Leialoha via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo vs. Shanna Young

    Result: Viviane Araujo def. Shanna Young (30-27 x3)

    Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots vs. Renat Khavalov

    Result: Renat Khavalov def. Raufeon Stots via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Middleweight: Jordan Newman vs. Josh Silveira – NEWMAN WITHDRAWS FOR UNKNOWN REASON, BOUT CANCELED

    Result:

    Bantamweight: Sergio Pettis vs. Mitch McKee

    Result: Mitch McKee def. Sergio Pettis via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

  • “My Gloves Are Hung Up” – Jon Jones Says He’s Done Fighting

    “My Gloves Are Hung Up” – Jon Jones Says He’s Done Fighting

    After back-to-back retirement/fighter negotiation sagas, it seems like perhaps Jon Jones really is done with his fighting days for good.

    In a new video posted on social media by Red Corner MMA, Jones claims that he no longer considers himself a fighter, but a businessman.

    “My gloves are hung up,” Jones said in the video. “I’m chilling these days. You got business Jon Jones, no more fighter Jon Jones.”

    The last couple of years have been an ongoing saga regarding Jones’ availability and status, going back to his time as the UFC heavyweight champion.

    Jones appeared to be formally retired for good when UFC President Dana White announced such during the UFC Baku post-fight press conference in June 2025. In that same press conference, Aspinall was promoted from interim to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.

    This seemed to bring an end to long-standing negotiations for the two to meet in a title unification bout. Aspinall won the UFC interim heavyweight title at UFC 295, a card where Jones was scheduled to defend the UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic before tearing his pec. Jones would defeat Miocic when they finally met a year later at UFC 309.

    But when U.S. President Donald Trump first teased the plans for a UFC card at the White House, now known as UFC Freedom 250, Jones was one of the first people to raise his hand to participate in the event. This came just two weeks after White confirmed Jones’ retirement.

    White admitted at one point that Jones vs. Aspinall was his own White House “dream main event.” There was also some clamoring for Jones vs. Pereira to headline UFC Freedom 250 in the wake of Aspinall’s unavailability since his eye injury against Ciryl Gane in the UFC 321 main event.

    White, however, made it clear on more than one occasion that he did not trust Jones with headlining such a major card, pointing to some of Jones’ issues outside of the Octagon. That decision was made final with the release of the UFC Freedom 250 card.

    Now, it seems less certain we’ll see Jones compete in the UFC again.

    UFC Freedom 250 will feature an interim heavyweight title fight between Gane and Pereira. Its main event will be Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje battling to unify the UFC lightweight championship.