MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Georgio Poullas Makes Statement After Brawl with Arman Tsarukyan

    Georgio Poullas Makes Statement After Brawl with Arman Tsarukyan

    Georgio Poullas took to social media to send a message to his fans, RAF fans, and RAF 6 opponent Arman Tsarukyan after their chaotic post-match brawl.

    Tsarukyan took a 5-3 victory over Poullas, but the real story came after the match when Tsarukyan shoved Poullas down and looked to throw strikes at him. The corners of both men and officials quickly intervened to separate the two.

    Footage from the match appeared to show Poullas employing dirty tactics during the match, namely slaps, to the protest of Tsarukyan’s team.

    In a statement from the back of an ambulance, Poullas credited his family for being on his side despite being outnumbered during the aftermath. He also felt like the true winner of the matchup, claiming to have scored the only true takedown.

    “Unfortunately, I was jumped,” Poullas said. “But as you guys saw, my 62-year-old dad and both of my brothers came to my rescue. That’s the way we were brought up — to fight for each other no matter what.

    “To Arman, you’re a little b****. And by the way, if you guys watch the match, I’m the only one that got a takedown. He got pushed out and a couple of penalty points. I’m still the champ, baby.”

    Tsarukyan has been in the spotlight of controversy several times over the past couple of years. He was suspended following an altercation with a fan at UFC 300, lost a UFC lightweight title shot after pulling out with injury one day before UFC 311, and earned plenty of criticism for getting physical with Dan Hooker during the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins.

    Tsarukyan made his RAF debut at RAF 5 in January, defeating Lance Palmer. Poullas also made his RAF debut on that card, defeating Keelon Jimison.

    Following the event, RAF executives Eric Bischoff and Chad Bronstein assured that RAF is a family-friendly product and said they would review protocols to ensure preventative measures for another situation like this.

    As of press time, there is no update on the RAF status of Tsarukyan or Poullas.

  • Henry Cejudo Scores Shutout, Will Face Merab Dvalishvili in April

    Henry Cejudo Scores Shutout, Will Face Merab Dvalishvili in April

    While his UFC career did not end in the greatest of success, Henry Cejudo showed why he’s been one of the greatest wrestlers in the discipline, scoring an 11-0 technical fall win over Urijah Faber in the RAF 6 main event.

    Cejudo did not let Faber into the contest for a moment, as he ankle picked his fellow UFC alumnus and took over from there. Cejudo used several takedowns during the contest to rack up points. While Faber would try to use his grappling defense, it wasn’t enough.

    Cejudo scored 11 points before Faber could even get on the board, resulting in a dominant technical fall win for the former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion.

    Henry Cejudo Faces Off With Merab Dvalishvili After Win Over Urijah Faber At RAF 6

    Following his victory, Cejudo called out fellow former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.

    Cejudo made the challenge to be Dvalishvili’s first RAF opponent after his recent signing. Dvalishvili accepted the match, with the two being booked to headline RAF 8 in Philadelphia this April.

    “Merab Dvalishvili, you’re next!” Cejudo said. “You didn’t beat me! April in Philly, I’m going to spank you, Merab. Sign the contract. I’m going to make you bend the knee!”

    Cejudo and Dvalishvili faced off at UFC 298 in February 2024, with Dvalishvili winning before going on to capture the UFC bantamweight title later that year.

  • Bo Nickal, Khamzat Chimaev Respond To Colby Covington’s RAF Promo

    Bo Nickal, Khamzat Chimaev Respond To Colby Covington’s RAF Promo

    Colby Covington has always been one to ruffle feathers and stir up drama, but his mic time at RAF 6 has left some of his fellow competitors unimpressed.

    Covington was at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, for the RAF 6 event and took to the mic to ask the crowd who they’d like to see him face off with next.

    Covington polled the crowd on three potential names — Arman Tsarukyan, Kamaru Usman, and Georges St Pierre.

    “I’ve got a couple of names in mind,” Covington said. “How about that little spoiled brat from Armenia, Arman Tsarukyan? What about the trilogy with Marty FakeNewsman? I beat him last time we were in Madison Square Garden. Come to the Real American Freestyle mat, I’m going to beat you here, Marty.

    “And then I got one more name, because there’s nothing more like as an American than beating those Canadians’ a**. Georges St Pierre, where you at?”

    Colby Covington Makes RAF Callouts, Bo Nickal and Khamzat Chimaev Call Him Out

    Even though Covington did not refer to competing next in the Octagon, his comments at the RAF event sparked responses from some of his fellow UFC stars.

    One of those names is Bo Nickal, who has expressed a desire to compete against Covington on the UFC White House card in June.

    Nickal claims the former interim welterweight champion is using RAF to avoid facing off with him in a battle of former NCAA Division-I All-Americans in the Octagon.

    “Colby the clown running scared,” Nickal posted on social media. “He doesn’t want me to embarrass him at the White House. Man up, brother, let’s do it.”

    The promo from Covington also brought out a response from UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, who expressed openness in having a showdown with Covington on the wrestling mats.

    “Next RAF, I will make American boy humble again,” Chimaev posted. “Colbiclown let’s go.”

    When asked if he is injured, Chimaev clarified that he is just waiting to figure out a date for a UFC middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland.

    Covington made his RAF debut at RAF 5 in January, defeating Luke Rockhold.

  • Arman Tsarukyan, Georgio Poullas Have Post-Match Brawl at RAF 6

    Arman Tsarukyan, Georgio Poullas Have Post-Match Brawl at RAF 6

    UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan finds himself in the controversial spotlight again following a post-fight brawl that erupted between him and RAF 6 opponent Georgio Poullas.

    Tsarukyan defeated Poullas 5-3 in a close and competitive battle with plenty of tension. Tsarukyan wasn’t finished after the final whistle, however.

    Tsarukyan shoved Poullas down and began to throw punches in an MMA-style ground-and-pound attack. The referee, fight officials, and both corners quickly intervened to separate the two.

    Tsarukyan’s attack appeared to come as revenge for dirty tactics employed by Poullas during the match. Footage from the match shows Poullas slapping the back of Tsarukyan’s head and throwing punches.

    In one video, Tsarukyan’s team can be heard yelling in protest over Poullas’ actions.

    In a post on X (formerly Twitter) following the RAF event, Tsarukyan showed frustration and no remorse for the brawl.

    “F*** around and find out,” Tsarukyan posted.

    Tsarukyan has seemed to clash with the UFC over the past couple of years for a number of controversies.

    He was suspended following his win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 following an altercation with a fan during his entrance. Tsarukyan withdrew from a scheduled lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 just one day before the event, and he hasn’t received a title shot since. Tsarukyan also got physical with Dan Hooker during the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins back in November.

    This marked Tsarukyan’s RAF debut. Poullas, meanwhile, competed at RAF 5 in January, scoring a technical fall over Keelon Jimison.

  • Topuria vs. Gaethje Possible For International Fight Week

    Topuria vs. Gaethje Possible For International Fight Week

    After a reported plan to be the main event of the UFC White House card fell through, Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the undisputed UFC lightweight championship could still get a big stage.

    Per a report from Álvaro Colmenero, a UFC analyst for Eurosport and a Team Topuria insider, there is a growing possibility that the bout between the undisputed and interim 155-pound champions of the UFC may take place at this year’s UFC International Fight Week.

    This report comes hours after Ariel Helwani reported that a heavyweight title fight — vacant or interim to be determined — between Alex Pereira and either Jon Jones or Ciryl Gane could headline the UFC White House card.

    Colmenero took to social media to suggest this was part of the reason Topuria vs. Gaethje fell through for that June 14 special event in Washington, D.C.

    Earlier this week, Colmenero reported (report via Yahoo!) that there have been concerns that Topuria vs. Gaethje might not be selected for the UFC White House card based on the theory that the fight wouldn’t be considered “American” enough for such a special occasion.

    In a stream with Adin Ross (video courtesy of Red Corner MMA), Topuria seemed to dismiss Colmenero’s initial report. Topuria claimed he “hasn’t received the call” for a UFC White House card due to the logistical challenges the UFC has of putting on such a complex spectacle of an event.

    The idea of Pereira competing in the main event of the White House card, however, gained more fuel when the UFC announced that he was vacating the light heavyweight championship. Pereira has entertained the idea of moving up to heavyweight. As mentioned, Pereira’s heavyweight debut in a heavyweight title fight could play a role, Colmenero said, as to why Topuria vs. Gaethje might not happen in June.

    In addition, Helwani’s reporting claimed that there could be a better chance that Conor McGregor’s long-awaited UFC return could take place at International Fight Week instead of UFC White House. If Topuria vs. Gaethje headlines International Fight Week, however, it leaves the scheduling of a potential return fight for McGregor in the air once again.

  • “Said This Kid Would…” – Lone’er Kavanagh Upsets Brandon Moreno

    “Said This Kid Would…” – Lone’er Kavanagh Upsets Brandon Moreno

    Flyweight division, beware: Lone’er Kavanagh is now in the mix of the flyweight title picture following his upset victory over Brandon Moreno in the main event of UFC Mexico.

    The two looked to get on a quick start at the beginning of the fight, with Kavanagh looking to bring speed and volume in his striking, including his jabs and leg kicks. Moreno reached on a number of his strikes, resulting in Kavanagh tagging him with counterstrikes.

    Kavanagh landed a combination late in the second round that wobbled Moreno. Kavanagh stayed patient but kept pressure, and while Moreno fought back and survived, Kavanagh solidified himself as firmly in control.

    Moreno started to swing with the left hook, attempting to take momentum from a tired Kavanagh. About halfway through the third round, Moreno got a hold of Kavanagh, controlling him throughout the remainder of the round — a strategy that continued in the fourth. Moreno landed small shots inside the clinch, attempting to drain Kavanagh more.

    Lone’er Kavanagh Gets Decision Over Brandon Moreno At UFC Mexico

    Kavanagh, however, was remaining in the fight, stopping all six of Moreno’s takedown attempts through the first 20 minutes. He continued to fight smartly, with his leg kicks doing damage. Moreno was noticeably limping during the fourth round.

    Moreno continued to try and continue to clinch up and control the pace in the fifth round, but it wasn’t enough, as Kavanagh took the decision.

    Kavanagh, who took this fight with just under a month’s notice, rebounds from his loss to Charles Johnson at UFC Shanghai in August — the first loss of his professional MMA career. Prior to that, Kavanagh earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series and scored wins over Jose Ochoa and Felipe dos Santos.

    Moreno has now lost four of his last six since dropping the UFC flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290. He entered this fight off getting finished for the first time in his career when he lost to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323.

  • Nate Diaz Insults, Calls Out Ilia Topuria on Social Media

    Nate Diaz Insults, Calls Out Ilia Topuria on Social Media

    Nate Diaz can be a man of few words and one of many insults — and his latest targeted Ilia Topuria.

    In a post on social media, Diaz had a few simple words, yet fighting words, to say about the current UFC lightweight champion.

    “Topuria’s a dumba**,” Diaz said on his X (formerly Twitter) page.

    The post comes not long after King Green, a fellow UFC veteran, used part of his UFC Mexico post-fight interview to encourage the promotion to re-sign Diaz — so that he can fight him.

    “Hey Dana, bring my boy Nate Diaz back to the UFC and let him retire where he belongs,” Green said following his win over Daniel Zellhuber.

    Who Could Face Nate Diaz In A Potential UFC Return?

    For several months now, ideas about Diaz returning to MMA have been floated, with the talks intensifying over the last couple of weeks.

    Specifically, Diaz has teased challenging the winner of the BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, which takes place at UFC 326 next week. He also recently made call-outs of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Mike Perry to face him at the UFC White House card.

    McGregor has long advocated to be on the UFC White House card; however, recent reports have implied that such an occurrence would be unlikely. A McGregor vs. Diaz trilogy bout, however, was an early prediction for what could headline the event.

    Diaz vs. Poirier was notably scheduled to take place at UFC 230, but the fight ultimately fell through. Perry and Diaz have each had call-outs with one another for a bare-knuckle boxing bout.

    Diaz last fought in the UFC at UFC 279, submitting Tony Ferguson. Since then, he’s competed in a pair of boxing matches, losing to Jake Paul in 2023 and defeating Jorge Masvidal in 2024.

  • “No Sense of Urgency” – Marlon Vera’s Skid Continues At UFC Mexico

    “No Sense of Urgency” – Marlon Vera’s Skid Continues At UFC Mexico

    David Martinez has made a statement that he is a true bantamweight contender, and the future of Marlon “Chito” Vera might be uncertain, as Martinez scored the win in their UFC Mexico co-main event bout.

    Martinez got off to a strong start, working over Vera with his striking on the front foot and making Vera miss. Vera brought the fight to the ground, but Martinez stayed in control of the fight.

    Vera looked to build momentum again early in the second round, but Martinez kept distance and used his speed to land and cut Vera off. Martinez landed a pair of solid punches midway through the round, and while Martinez ate a head kick from “Chito,” he stayed on his feet and scored a sweep to control the action on the ground again.

    Vera looked to land power in the third round, but Martinez’s speed proved to be the difference again. Vera landed a pair of strong left hands in the closing seconds, but it wasn’t enough.

    David Martinez Defeats Marlon Vera At UFC Mexico

    Martinez extends his win streak to 10 and is now 3-0 in the UFC since coming in from Dana White’s Contender Series. Martinez entered tonight’s bout with a finish of Saimon Oliveira and a decision win over Rob Font.

    Vera has now lost four straight and five of his last six, with defeats to the likes of Sean O’Malley, Deiveson Figueiredo, Cory Sandhagen, and Aiemann Zahabi.

  • “Wanted To See A Dead Body” – Ref Under Fire In King Green Win

    “Wanted To See A Dead Body” – Ref Under Fire In King Green Win

    Herb Dean has irked ire from many MMA fans for decisions and stoppages over the last several years, and another such controversy — a late stoppage — occurred during King Green’s victory over Daniel Zellhuber at UFC Mexico.

    Green showed slick movement for a fighter of his age, 39, as he slipped away from Zellhuber’s striking, pelting him with jabs and counterpunches. Zellhuber looked to steal momentum back with a tight buggy choke attempt in the second round, but Green survived and worked his way out of it.

    Late in round two, Green clocked Zellhuber with a combination, continuing to throw a barrage of shots as Zellhuber collapsed to the mat, seemingly unconscious.

    Referee Herb Dean, however, gave what has universally been considered excessive attempts, making Zellhuber take unnecessary damage before the stoppage.

    Herb Dean Takes Heat For Late Stoppage As King Green Defeats Daniel Zellhuber At UFC Mexico City

    The 39-year-old Green has now won three of his last five. He entered tonight off a split decision win over Lance Gibson Jr. Green’s losses in this span came against notable names Paddy Pimblett and Mauricio Ruffy.

    Zellhuber has now lost three straight, coming in off losses to Michael Johnson and Esteban Ribovics.

  • “Top-Notch Prospect” – Imanol Rodriguez Gets Comeback TKO

    “Top-Notch Prospect” – Imanol Rodriguez Gets Comeback TKO

    Imanol Rodriguez continued his finish streak as he made a statement in his UFC debut, earning a stoppage win over Kevin Borjas at UFC Mexico.

    Rodriguez tried to get things started with low kicks and working his left hand. But Borjas pulled off a stunner by landing a counter left that wobbled Rodriguez, putting him on the ropes and on the back foot. Borjas looked to finish the fight, landing a number of knees in close, but Rodriguez gained back some control with a takedown.

    After some chatter between the two to end round one, Rodriguez began to take over in the second round, overwhelming Borjas with his pressure. Rodriguez landed a left hand that seemed to wobble Borjas. Borjas attempted to fight back, but a right hook caused a delayed drop on Borjas, leading to a TKO win for Rodriguez.

    Imanol Rodriguez Finishes Kevin Borjas At UFC Mexico

    Rodriguez improves to 7-0. He competed on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, losing to Joseph Morales via a controversial decision in the flyweight semifinals. Rodriguez rebounded and earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, scoring a knockout of Roque Conceição.

    Borjas has now lost four of his last five, including a loss to current flyweight champion Joshua Van.

  • UFC White House To Partially Air On CBS

    UFC White House To Partially Air On CBS

    At least part, if not more, of the UFC White House card is expected to air on broadcast television via CBS and its local affiliates.

    Per a new report from Front Office Sports, there is an expectation that the UFC White House card will have some sort of airing on the main CBS network.

    How much of the card airs on CBS is unknown.

    This report comes just one week before UFC 326, which will air on CBS from 8-10pm ET. This means the final hour of the UFC 326 prelims and the first hour of its main card will air on the channel. The rest of UFC 326 will be exclusive to Paramount+.

    UFC cards on CBS were an expectation following the MMA promotion striking a seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcasting deal with Paramount, parent company of CBS, this past summer.

    The deal officially began with January’s UFC 324. Reports indicate approximately five million people watched UFC 324, with the streaming service gaining approximately one million subscribers.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White is expected to announce fight information for the White House card in the coming days.

    Though Conor McGregor is unlikely to compete on the card and Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje negotiations have reportedly fallen through, there is a chance Alex Pereira makes his heavyweight debut, fighting for gold, as part of the event.

  • VIDEO: Ryan Gandra Runs Through Jose Medina At UFC Mexico

    VIDEO: Ryan Gandra Runs Through Jose Medina At UFC Mexico

    Another up-and-coming fighter earned a highlight performance in his UFC debut at UFC Mexico, as Ryan Gandra had an easy night at the office against Jose Medina.

    Gandra came out firing with strikes from the opening minute, using his pressure to back Medina up toward the fence.

    Gandra landed a flurry that did damage and brought Medina down forward, prompting a referee stoppage less than a minute into the bout.

    Ryan Gandra Blasts Jose Medina Into TKO At UFC Mexico

    Gandra improves to 9-1 and has won eight straight. He won a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last season, scoring a first-round finish of Trent Miller.

    Medina has now lost five straight, including a loss to Magomed Gadzhiyasulov that saw White still give Medina a contract.

  • “Building Lore for Bantamweight” – Ailin Perez Extends Win Streak

    “Building Lore for Bantamweight” – Ailin Perez Extends Win Streak

    In a top-10 women’s bantamweight contenders’ battle, Ailin Perez extended her win streak by scoring a victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC Mexico.

    Perez scored a takedown in the fight’s opening minute, but Chiasson controlled the action on the mat, looking to lock up a leg lock and a choke while maintaining top position. Perez would get another takedown before the round’s end but didn’t have enough time to do major damage.

    Perez scored another takedown during round two and fared better on top. The referee, however, elected a controversial stand up, which would result in Chiasson gaining control with her strikes in the clinch. Perez answered back with another pair of takedowns in the later stage of the round.

    Perez worked over Chiasson well with her grappling again in the third round, going on to score the decision.

    Ailin Perez Scores Decision Over Macy Chiasson At UFC Mexico

    Perez, who entered this fight ranked No. 7, has now won six in a row since dropping her UFC debut. Only Natalia Silva and Maycee Barber have bigger active win streaks among UFC female athletes.

    Chiasson has now lost three straight.

  • “Chaos!” – Javier Reyes Scores Buzzer-Beater TKO At UFC Mexico

    “Chaos!” – Javier Reyes Scores Buzzer-Beater TKO At UFC Mexico

    In a chaotic back-and-forth brawl, Javier Reyes survived early danger to score a dramatic late stoppage over Douglas Silva de Andrade at UFC Mexico.

    Silva de Andrade hurt Reyes first with some crushing hooks, nearly finishing the fight there. But Reyes roared back and connected with a right hand to score a knockdown and change the fight’s trajectory.

    Reyes landed some crushing ground-and-pound during the final minute of round one, and that offense went unanswered from Silva de Andrade. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight with a second remaining in the first round in Reyes’ favor.

    Javier Reyes Comes Back To Stop Douglas Silva de Andrade At UFC Mexico

    This marked the UFC debut of Reyes following his finish of Justice Torres on Dana White’s Contender Series. Reyes has now won three in a row.

    This is now Silva de Andrade’s third loss in his last four fights.

  • “A Washing” – Francis Marshall Runs Through Erik Silva

    “A Washing” – Francis Marshall Runs Through Erik Silva

    Francis Marshall impressed in his latest UFC outing and hopes it’s the start of consistent upward momentum, as he quickly put away Erik Silva at UFC Mexico.

    Things looked scary for Marshall early, as a wheel kick from Silva in the fight’s opening minute saw him barely get his guard up. Marshall, however, put his grappling into motion and took over the fight’s control from there.

    Marshall scored a takedown, but Silva threatened a guillotine. Marshall, however, easily got out of it and worked his way into full mount. From there, Marshall got to Silva’s back and locked in a rear-naked choke to score the submission in just half a round.

    Francis Marshall Submits Erik Silva at UFC Mexico

    Marshall is 3-3 in the Octagon since winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022. He came into this fight off a highly controversial split decision loss to Mairon Santos at UFC 313.

    Silva falls to 9-4 overall, and he is now 0-3 in the Octagon since his own DWCS win in 2022.

  • “Damian Pinas is a Problem” – Pinas Quickly Puts Away Wes Schultz

    “Damian Pinas is a Problem” – Pinas Quickly Puts Away Wes Schultz

    Some felt that Damian Pinas would prove to be dominant in his UFC debut, and that proved to be true with a first-round finish of Wes Schultz that kicked off the UFC Mexico card.

    Pinas came out firing from the opening minute, punishing Schultz with a series of leg kicks and working him over well with his boxing. After stuffing an early takedown attempt from Schultz, Pinas dropped him with a right hand, following up with some brutal ground-and-pound.

    Back on the feet, Schultz continued to have no answer for Pinas. A solid one-two dropped Schultz and put the fight away.

    Damian Pinas Quickly Stops Wes Schultz At UFC Mexico

    “The Baby Yaga” improves to 9-1. This marked his UFC debut after a similar quick finish over Vitor Costa on Dana White’s Contender Series this past fall.

    Schultz also made his UFC debut in this fight. He, too, earned a contract on DWCS last season, submitting Mario Mingaj with the rare Suloev Stretch.

  • Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones “Being Discussed” For UFC White House

    Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones “Being Discussed” For UFC White House

    It appears that Alex Pereira’s next step will be seeking UFC gold at heavyweight, and that could come true in his next fight, which could be in the main event of the UFC White House card.

    In a new video regarding Pereira vacating the light heavyweight title, Ariel Helwani claims, as many have assumed, the reason for Pereira vacating the championship is that he is being allowed to move up to heavyweight.

    In addition, according to Helwani, there have been discussions about having Pereira vs. Jon Jones taking place as the featured bout of the UFC White House card — either for a would-be vacant heavyweight championship or an interim one.

    Helwani says that this fight is not a guarantee, and there’s not a lot of positive momentum about this fight taking place. It has, however, at least been talked about as a potential idea.

    “Alex Pereira is no longer the light heavyweight champion, and I can tell you right here and now that there have been some talks of him fighting Jon Jones,” Helwani said. “And there have been talks of him fighting Jon Jones on the White House card.

    “Jon Jones on the White House card is not dead, but I could tell you I don’t feel as of right now a ton of positive momentum in that direction. But I’m not here to tell you that it’s dead. There have been talks of this.”

    Helwani adds that if Pereira vs. Jones doesn’t get done, then there are discussions of Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane, for what Helwani assumes would be an interim heavyweight championship.

    Whether Pereira’s heavyweight debut features an undisputed or interim heavyweight title at stake will also depend on the status of champion Tom Aspinall. Aspinall has been sidelined with eye issues since he and Gane’s no-contest at UFC 321 in October.

    Jones has publicly hoped at the possibility of competing in front of U.S. President Donald Trump on the UFC White House card. Jones, in fact, ended his retirement after just two weeks when the opportunity first opened up.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White, however, has previously stated apprehension about Jones being involved in such a card.

    White has also stated he preferred Pereira to stay at light heavyweight, but his stance on that seems to have softened over time.

    Pereira is a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion. He regained the 205-pound title in his last fight, knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in just over a minute at UFC 320.

    A heavyweight title win would make Pereira the first UFC fighter ever to win championships in three different weight classes.

    Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka will fight for the vacated light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 327, which takes place on April 11 in Miami.

  • Conor McGregor Unlikely To Compete at UFC White House

    Conor McGregor Unlikely To Compete at UFC White House

    After all the rumors and speculation, it does not seem like Conor McGregor’s UFC return will take place on the UFC White House card.

    This news comes courtesy of Ariel Helwani, who provided an update on plans for the June 14 event in the U.S. national capital, held as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration.

    In a video discussing the aftermath of the Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg light heavyweight title fight announcement, Helwani dropped that the chances that McGregor competes in Washington, D.C are not positive.

    That doesn’t mean, Helwani says, that McGregor won’t fight at all in 2026. In fact, Helwani speculates there’s a better chance McGregor competes in the main event of UFC’s International Fight Week event — which he revealed will be on July 11 in Las Vegas.

    “It doesn’t look like it’s going to be Conor on the White House card,” Helwani said. “They have an International Fight Week card scheduled for July 11 in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. There’s a greater chance of him fighting on that card than on the White House card.”

    Could Conor McGregor Fight At International Fight Week in 2026?

    Since U.S. President Donald Trump’s first tease of a UFC event on the White House lawn last summer, several fighters have campaigned to be featured at the event. McGregor, in fact, was one of the very first names.

    McGregor has gone through the process of “unretiring,” and it’s recently been revealed that he has been drug tested three times in the first two months of 2026.

    Helwani, however, explains the UFC probably prefers McGregor compete on a numbered card for the chance to increase profit, attendance figures, and viewership numbers for a card that won’t have the White House’s unique appeal, citing financials.

    “As I’ve told you, there’s no money to be made [from the White House event],” Helwani said. “In fact, they keep touting the fact that there’s money to be lost from the White House event. No one’s crying for them. I think they made like $850 million last year, according to what was released.”

    UFC CEO and President Dana White recently announced he will announce the White House card and its main event in the coming days.

    Michael Chandler has previously advocated for a long-awaited fight with McGregor to take place at UFC White House, but White shot that down in January.

    McGregor and Chandler, after coaching season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, were scheduled to face off at UFC 303 before McGregor withdrew weeks before the event.

    McGregor has been open about fighting even “a no name” to return to the UFC.

    McGregor, who has two fights left on his UFC contract, hasn’t fought since losing his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    Since then, he’s had an unsuccessful bid for the Irish presidency and has had sexual assault allegations against him, including being found liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018.

  • UFC Mexico: Moreno vs. Kavanagh Results & Highlights

    UFC Mexico: Moreno vs. Kavanagh Results & Highlights

    UFC Mexico results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. The UFC returns to the arena for an annual visit a year after its last touchdown. The main event will feature a flyweight battle between former two-time champion Brandon Moreno and Lone’er Kavanagh. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Brandon Moreno vs. Lone’er Kavanagh – Flyweight Main Event

    Moreno enters this fight off a TKO loss to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323 in December, a fight that marked Moreno getting finished for the first time in his career. Moreno has hit a bit of a rough skid since dropping the flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja, going 2-3 since. The span has seen him earn decision wins over Steve Erceg and Amir Albazi but drop a split decision to Brandon Royval, in addition to his losses to Pantoja and Taira.

    Kavanagh took this fight on short notice earlier this month, filling in for an injured Asu Almabayev. Kavanagh earned a UFC contract with a knockout of An Tuan Ho on Dana White’s Contender Series. He started his UFC run with wins over Jose Ochoa and Felipe dos Santos but was knocked out by Charles Johnson at UFC Shanghai in August, marking the first loss of Kavanagh’s career.

    The co-main event will see Marlon “Chito” Vera taking on David Martinez. Vera enters on a three-fight losing streak and losses in four of his last five, most recently dropping a decision to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Vancouver in October. Martinez is 13-1 and on a nine-fight win streak. After a 2024 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Martinez’s 2025 saw him finish Saimon Oliveira and score a decision over Rob Font.

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

    How to Watch UFC Mexico

    • Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
    • Venue: Arena CMDX, Mexico City, Mexico
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT
    • Main Card: 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT

    UFC Mexico Quick Results

    • Main Event: Brandon Moreno vs. Lone’er Kavanagh — Lone’er Kavanagh def. Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47 x2)
    • Co-Main Event: Marlon Vera vs. David Martinez — David Martinez def. Marlon Vera via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Daniel Zellhuber vs. King Green — King Green def. Daniel Zellhuber via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:55)
    • Edgar Chaírez vs. Felipe Bunes — Edgar Chairez def. Felipe Bunes via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
    • Imanol Rodríguez vs. Kevin Borjas — Imanol Rodriguez def. Kevin Borjas via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:21)
    • Santiago Luna vs. Angel Pacheco — Santiago Luna def. Angel Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    UFC Mexico Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    Middleweight: Damian Pinas vs. Wes Schultz

    Result: Damian Pinas def. Wes Schultz via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:30)

    Featherweight: Erik Silva vs. Francis Marshall

    Result: Francis Marshall def. Erik Silva via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 2:29)

    Women’s Catchweight (130 lbs.): Regina Tarin vs. Ernesta Kareckaite

    Result: Regina Tarin def. Ernesta Kareckaite via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Featherweight: Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Javier Reyes

    Result: Javier Reyes def. Douglas Silva de Andrade via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:59)

    Bantamweight: Cristian Quinonez vs. Kris Moutinho

    Result: Cristian Quinonez def. Kris Moutinho via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Women’s Bantamweight: Macy Chiasson vs. Ailin Perez

    Result: Ailin Perez def. Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Middleweight: Ryan Gandra vs. Jose Daniel Medina

    Result: Ryan Gandra def. Jose Daniel Medina via TKO (Rd. 1, 0:41)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 8 PM ET)

    Bantamweight: Santiago Luna vs. Angel Pacheco

    Result: Santiago Luna def. Angel Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Flyweight: Imanol Rodríguez vs. Kevin Borjas

    Result: Imanol Rodriguez def. Kevin Borjas via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:21)

    Flyweight: Edgar Chairez vs. Felipe Bunes

    Result: Edgar Chairez def. Felipe Bunes via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Lightweight: Daniel Zellhuber vs. King Green

    Result: King Green def. Daniel Zellhuber via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:55)

    Bantamweight: Marlon Vera vs. David Martinez

    Result: David Martinez def. Marlon Vera via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Flyweight: Brandon Moreno vs. Lone’er Kavanagh

    Result: Lone’er Kavanagh def. Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47 x2)

  • McGregor Accepts ‘No Name’ Opponent, Dana White Responds

    McGregor Accepts ‘No Name’ Opponent, Dana White Responds

    If you take Conor McGregor’s word for it, when he said he’d fight anyone for his UFC return bout, he meant it.

    McGregor was one of several UFC fighters watching along and sharing his thoughts on X (fka Twitter) during the UFC Houston card.

    During that time, McGregor posted about making his UFC return, something that he has teased on and off again, especially since U.S. President Donald Trump’s first announcement about a UFC White House card.

    In a now-deleted post, McGregor told the MMA community that his next opponent might be a “no name” — but he also didn’t care.

    “It’s a no name up next for me possibly, folks,” McGregor posted. “And as you know, I don’t give a f***. I ACCEPT. Send the contract, lads. CONOR MCGREGOR’S DEAL.”

    McGregor would later make a post responding to those saying they were tired of McGregor’s ego.

    “I have no ego whatsoever but sublime confidence earned through decades of hard work!” McGregor posted.

    McGregor has been one of the UFC names who have pushed the heaviest to compete on the UFC White House event, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 14.

    Still, as of press time, no announcement of any UFC White House fights, let alone a McGregor one, has been announced.

    In fact, at the UFC Houston post-fight press conference, when asked about the truth to McGregor’s recent posting about being offered a fight, UFC CEO and President Dana White suggested such a claim was not true.

    “If it was done and he accepted it, I would announce it,” White said.

    Michael Chandler had been teasing a long-awaited fight with McGregor would take place at the White House card, but White nixed that idea last month.

    A fight between McGregor and Chandler had been awaited since the two coached season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. The two were booked for the original UFC 303 main event before McGregor withdrew a few weeks before the fight.

    McGregor has not been seen in action since his loss to Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout that headlined UFC 264 in July 2021.

    White has previously teased that the booking for the White House card is done, with a couple of different main event options.

  • ‘Overthink Nothing’ – Sean Strickland Stops Anthony Hernandez

    ‘Overthink Nothing’ – Sean Strickland Stops Anthony Hernandez

    Sean Strickland wants his middleweight championship back and thinks he’s ready for Khamzat Chimaev, making that statement with a finish of Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston.

    Strickland started the fight by working behind the jab, looking to keep Hernandez at bay and prevent any takedown attempts. Strickland landed a strong right hand that caught Hernandez’s attention about halfway through the first. Hernandez, however, battled hard during the second half of the round, landing a couple of strong rights.

    Strickland continued to work a strong jab during the second round, while Hernandez looked to come forward and turn the momentum with his pressure.

    Strickland ended things with a body shot that hurt “Fluffy” during the third, following it up with clinch knees to the body and some ground shots before the referee stopped the action.

    This was Strickland’s first fight since losing his UFC middleweight championship rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 one year ago. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the title at UFC 293 before losing to DDP at UFC 297.

    “Fluffy” Hernandez sees an eight-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Strickland. He came into this bout off a dominant submission of Roman Dolidze this past summer.

  • Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley Tops UFC Vegas 116 on April 25

    Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley Tops UFC Vegas 116 on April 25

    Two men looking to break into the upper echelon of the welterweight contender scene will do battle in the main event of UFC Vegas 116, as Sean Brady takes on Joaquin Buckley.

    The UFC confirmed the bout in an announcement during the UFC Houston broadcast.

    Both men are coming in off losses but are still ranked in the top 10 at 170 pounds, and a strong performance could gain the winner a top-five opponent.

    Brady comes into this bout off a loss to Michael Morales at UFC 322 in November. He had won three straight prior to that and was once 15-0 before running into then-future welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.

    Buckley last fought this past June, dropping a decision to the returning former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta. Prior to that, Buckley had won six straight and hadn’t lost since 2022.

    UFC Vegas 116 takes place on April 25 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan Headlines UFC Vegas 115

    Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan Headlines UFC Vegas 115

    A lightweight main event has been booked to headline UFC Vegas 115 on April 4, as former lightweight title challenger Renato Moicano faces Chris Duncan.

    The UFC confirmed the pairing in an announcement during the UFC Houston broadcast.

    What makes this fight particularly interesting is that both men train at American Top Team in Florida. It is unknown which man, if either, will not train at the facility for this bout.

    Moicano is looking to rebound from a pair of losses, losing a short-notice lightweight title bout with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 and dropping a decision to Beneil Dariush at UFC 317. Moicano is currently ranked No. 10 in the division.

    Moicano was scheduled to face Brian Ortega at UFC 326 in early March, but the bout was scrapped following an injury to Ortega.

    Duncan has won four straight and is 6-1 in the UFC since coming in off a knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series. He most recently submitted Terrance McKinney at UFC 323 in December.

    UFC Vegas 115 takes place on April 4 from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • ‘Just Gained A Lot Of Fans’ – Uros Medic KOs Geoff Neal

    ‘Just Gained A Lot Of Fans’ – Uros Medic KOs Geoff Neal

    Uros Medic has scored the biggest win of his career and has most likely forced his way into the welterweight rankings, scoring a first-round knockout of Geoff Neal in the UFC Houston co-main event.

    Medic eyed an early end to the fight, looking to use his speed to set up power shots. Medic appeared to be getting the better of Neal in the opening minute of the fight.

    Medic landed a brutal combination, cracking Neal with a left hand and dropping him out cold for the win.

    Medic has now won three straight and four of his last five while retaining his 100 percent finish rate.

    Medic called out Leon Edwards for a fight this summer.

    Neal has now lost four of his last five. This is his second straight fight where he was knocked out in brutal fashion, following his loss to Carlos Prates at UFC 319.

  • VIDEO: Melquizael Costa Becomes First To Finish Dan Ige

    VIDEO: Melquizael Costa Becomes First To Finish Dan Ige

    Melquizael Costa extends his win streak and will most likely become a ranked featherweight, putting away Dan Ige at UFC Houston.

    Ige looked to take control of the fight, coming forward with pressure and mixing in a takedown attempt. Costa, however, showed strong work in the clinch to take momentum, adding in some kicks that left their mark on Ige.

    Costa then finished things by landing a spinning kick on the side of Ige’s head, crumbling him and landing follow-up shots to end the fight.

    Costa becomes the first in the UFC to finish Ige.

    After starting his UFC career 1-2, Costa has now won six consecutive fights. He came into this bout off a head kick knockout of Morgan Charriere this past December.

    Ige has now lost four of his last five, and he is 4-8 in his last 12.