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  • Magomed Ankalaev: Alex Pereira ‘Will Never Be The Same’ After UFC 313 Headliner

    Magomed Ankalaev: Alex Pereira ‘Will Never Be The Same’ After UFC 313 Headliner

    Magomed Ankalaev is determined to make a statement when he challenges UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 313 on March 8. He isn’t just aiming for a victory — he wants to change Pereira’s career forever.

    Ankalaev enters the fight on a 13-fight undefeated streak. His last three bouts were a recent unanimous decision win against Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 last October and a knockout victory over Johnny Walker at the start of 2024 after going to a no contest against the Brazilian months prior.

    On Sunday, the Russian took to X to issue a warning to Pereira.

    “This guy keep traveling and he forget he will be fighting for his life March 8,” he wrote. “He will never be the same after this fight. [Dana White], mark my word.”

    Ankalaev’s comment appears to be a jab at Pereira’s frequent travels, specifically referencing his recent trip to Sydney to support Sean Strickland at UFC 312. Pereira was in the corner for Strickland’s lackluster loss to middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis.

    The upcoming challenger also criticized Pereira’s growing social media presence, likening him to a “TikTok chick.”

    “I never wanna hurt someone in my life like I want to hurt Alex,” he stated. “He is a fake humble boy.”

    “I’ve been climbing mountains, chopping wood, swimming in freezing lakes, and Alex has been dancing and making videos like a TikTok chick,” he added.

  • Dana White ‘Glad’ UFC Legend Dominick Cruz ‘Finally Hung It Up’ After Latest Injury Setback

    Dana White ‘Glad’ UFC Legend Dominick Cruz ‘Finally Hung It Up’ After Latest Injury Setback

    UFC CEO Dana White is pleased to see Dominick Cruz step away from the sport after a long and accomplished career.

    Cruz, a former champion in both WEC and UFC, last fought in August 2022, suffering a knockout loss to Marlon Vera. He had planned a farewell fight against Rob Font this month but another serious injury — his second dislocated shoulder in a matter of months — forced him to withdraw and ultimately retire.

    The 39-year-old officially announced his retirement in a heartfelt social media post. White shared his thoughts on Cruz’s decision during the UFC 312 post-event press conference.

    “I’m blown away that he hung in there as long as he did,” White said. “Who’s been more injured than this guy in his career? It’s fascinating. And the mental drive to just want to keep coming back and trying again and again after so many surgeries and so many injuries — you’ve got to give it to him. But I’m glad that he finally hung it up.”

    White also praised Cruz’s transition into broadcasting, emphasizing his value to the sport beyond fighting.

    “When you have the type of experience and type of career he’s had, and you can sit in the booth and talk fights, it’s awesome,” White added. “He’ll have a great career after his career.”

  • Dricus Du Plessis Matchmakes For Defeated Opponent Sean Strickland After UFC 312: ‘I Just Thought Of That…’

    Dricus Du Plessis Matchmakes For Defeated Opponent Sean Strickland After UFC 312: ‘I Just Thought Of That…’

    Dricus Du Plessis has a suggestion for Sean Strickland’s next fight following his loss at UFC 312.

    Strickland’s rematch with Du Plessis ended in a decisive unanimous decision defeat. The former champion endured significant damage, including a broken nose, as blood streamed down his face during the main event.

    Now, the question is: what’s next for the polarizing American?

    The answer is clear in the reigning champ’s mind. He believes Strickland should face Israel Adesanya in a rematch.

    “I know what’s going to happen next,” Du Plessis said during his UFC 312 post-fight press conference. “I can almost guarantee you what’s happening next: Is there any bets that he’s fighting Adesanya next? I just thought of that. … I think the Adesanya rematch will be amazing. That’s what’s going to happen. It’s going to be a Fight Night main event. I know it.”

    “The Last Stylebender” is coming off a second-round knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia.

    Strickland’s reign as UFC middleweight champion was brief. He defeated Adesanya at UFC 293 in September 2023 but lost the belt in his first defense against Du Plessis, who later went on to defeat Adesanya as well.

  • What’s Next After UFC 312? Current UFC 313 Card For Las Vegas On March 8

    What’s Next After UFC 312? Current UFC 313 Card For Las Vegas On March 8

    UFC 312 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 313 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The promotion was in Sydney, Australia this past week, where the Qudos Bank Arena played host to some intriguing matchups for its second numbered event of the new year. Of note were headline wins for Dricus Du Plessis and Zhang Weili, as well as victories for Tallison Teixeira and Jake Matthews.

    While the aftermath of the Feb. 8 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV — and from the middleweight title picture to the light heavyweight championship conversation.

    At UFC 313, set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8, reigning kingpin Alex Pereira will open his account for the new year, once again in defense of his 205-pound gold. After consecutive victories over Jamahal Hill, Jiří Procházka, and Khalil Rountree in 2024, the Brazilian will next meet the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev.

    Gaethje vs. Hooker Sets The Stage For Title Headliner At UFC 313

    Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as top lightweight contenders Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker meet in a five-round battle that many expect to be in the conversation for Fight of the Year come the end of 2025.

    And that’s not the only sure-fire barnburner at 155 pounds. Also slated to collide at UFC 313 is veteran King Green and surging Fighting Nerds prospect Mauricio Ruffy.

    An important strawweight bout is also set, with former title challenger Amanda Lemos tasked with defending her position on the ladder against up-and-comer Iasmin Lucindo.

    See below for the UFC 313 card, as it stands.

    • Alex Pereira (C) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (light heavyweight championship)
    • Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker (lightweight)
    • Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
    • King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy (lightweight)
    • Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)
    • Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van (flyweight)
    • Alex Morono vs. Carlos Leal (welterweight)
    • Chris Gutierrez vs. Jean Matsumoto (bantamweight)
    • Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Santos (middleweight)
    • Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall (featherweight)
    Justin Gaethje
    Image: UFC.com
  • Demetrious Johnson Tells Sean Strickland To ‘Swallow His Ego’ & Change His Style After UFC 312

    Demetrious Johnson Tells Sean Strickland To ‘Swallow His Ego’ & Change His Style After UFC 312

    UFC legend Demetrious Johnson thinks it’s time for Sean Strickland to change his ways after a second championship defeat in the span of three fights.

    Strickland returned to action in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view, challenging for Dricus Du Plessis’ middleweight title in Sydney, Australia. Having had the gold taken away by narrow margins opposite Du Plessis 13 months ago, the polarizing American was looking for revenge Down Under.

    But he failed in that pursuit, instead falling to a lopsided decision defeat to the South African — and suffering a gruesome broken nose in the process.

    The challenger utilized his usual limited, non-aggressive offense. Coach Eric Nicksick’s pleas for more from his student fell on deaf ears, and one prominent ex-champ believes Strickland’s current style has taken him as far as it can.

    “Sean Strickland has a style where he would not deviate from it,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “In order to get better in this sport of mixed martial arts, you have to take the time, swallow your pride, swallow your ego, and put yourself in the position where you’re going to force yourself to evolve and get better and and learn new tools.

    “That’s the only way you’re going to become a better fighter in this game. Because otherwise, people who are younger, who will take the time to evolve and get better, are always going to beat you,” Johnson added.

    Strickland will now return to the gym and begin his path back to another shot at regaining the belt. Meanwhile, champ Du Plessis is expected to next face a challenge from undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev.

  • Dricus Du Plessis: Khamzat Chimaev ‘Deserves A Hiding’ Before Alex Pereira Fight

    Dricus Du Plessis: Khamzat Chimaev ‘Deserves A Hiding’ Before Alex Pereira Fight

    Dricus Du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title for the second time with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Sean Strickland in their rematch at UFC 312 in Sydney.

    Following the fight, Du Plessis turned his attention to light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who was in Strickland’s corner. While he expressed interest in a future showdown with “Poatan,” he made it clear that his immediate focus is on Khamzat Chimaev.

    “I have the utmost respect for Alex Pereira,” Du Plessis said. “I think he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. I respect everything he’s accomplished in such a short time in the UFC — coming from another sport and achieving what he has. But yes, I want to share the octagon with that man. I want to beat a guy — I’ve beaten [Israel] Adesanya, who has beaten him. I know I can beat him, and at 205 [pounds], one hundred percent.”

    The likelihood of a fight with the UFC light heavyweight king happening soon is slim, as Pereira is set to defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev next month in the main event of UFC 313.

    For now, Du Plessis is content with a fight against the undefeated Chimaev.

    “Khamzat’s first,” Du Plessis said. “I told [Pereira], ‘Please beat Ankalaev.’ No hate against Ankalaev — I just want to beat Alex Pereira. It’s nothing personal against Ankalaev, it’s just Pereira. He’s already a legend in this sport, and it would be amazing to beat him for my legacy. I want to be the greatest to ever do this. But Khamzat is next. Khamzat is next. I want to make sure that this belt — the middleweight title — has no questions left about who the greatest middleweight is.

    “I know you have Anderson Silva — in my mind, he is the GOAT of this division—and you have Adesanya, who has done incredible things. But it’s not just about how many times you defend. It’s about who you fight, how you defend it, and what period of time you’ve done it in. I want to make sure that there’s no question that I am the best middleweight before moving up. So I’m not rushing to fight Alex Pereira next. No, no, no. I want Khamzat next. I think he deserves a hiding.”

  • Dana White Reveals ‘Fascinating’ Revelation He Had While Watching Sean Strickland At UFC 312

    Dana White Reveals ‘Fascinating’ Revelation He Had While Watching Sean Strickland At UFC 312

    Sean Strickland’s loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 was a decisive unanimous decision. During the main event, the former champion endured significant damage, including a broken nose, as blood streamed down his face.

    Despite the adversity, though, he persevered and refused to quit.

    UFC CEO Dana White praised Strickland’s toughness and mental focus after the fight while also sharing an interesting observation about his demeanor inside the octagon.

    “Sean is usually really good at shutting people down, like Izzy (Adesanya),” White told reporters. “When he fought Izzy, Izzy couldn’t get into a rhythm, and Sean was in his face, pressuring him the whole time. It feels like that’s what Dricus did to him.

    “I’ll tell you something fascinating that I noticed tonight for the first time. I don’t know why. We’ll see if you notice this. So, Sean Strickland — the way he acts leading up to fights, right? Normally, when you have people who act the way he does, you see signs of it in a fight. But who is more focused, professional, and solid in a fight than he is? When he gets hurt, there’s no sticking out the tongue, no, ‘No, no, that didn’t hurt me.’ The guy stays focused and keeps coming forward.

    “There’s never any hint of how he acts outside the octagon when he’s in there. Absolute professional the whole time. It’s actually fascinating. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that with a guy who acts the way he does leading up to fights.”

    Strickland’s UFC record has taken a downturn since his middleweight title win in September 2023. He is now 1-2 in his last three fights, with both losses coming in title bouts against Du Plessis.

    “I’ve never seen a guy so solid and professional,” White added. “He gets his nose broken, snaps it back into place, and keeps fighting. He gets hit with some nasty shots, but when he does, he doesn’t shake his head or do the goofy things that guys like Mayorga did. You can go into any combat sport, and you’ve seen it. But nobody is more professional during the fight than this guy is. It’s fascinating.”

  • Dricus Du Plessis ‘Super Frustrated’ By UFC 312 Boos: ‘If It Was Towards Me, You Are Stupid’

    Dricus Du Plessis ‘Super Frustrated’ By UFC 312 Boos: ‘If It Was Towards Me, You Are Stupid’

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis insists he’s not to blame for how his main event in Australia this past Saturday unfolded.

    Du Plessis ran it back with former titleholder Sean Strickland in the headlining act of UFC 312 inside Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, with the pair renewing hostilities 13 months on from the South African unseating “Tarzan” in Canada.

    After submitting Israel Adesanya in his first defense last August, “Stillknocks” was targeting a statement second time around against Strickland. And he succeeded in recording a much more definitive victory, smashing the polarizing American’s nose en route to a lopsided decision.

    While Du Plessis’ dominant performance drew plaudits, the fight itself failed to impress, with the challenger’s gun-shy approach leading to noticeable boos from the crowd.

    That disappointed the champ, who told Full Send MMA that he never has any intention of putting on a “boring” fight. With that in mind, he hopes the fans were directing their displeasure at Strickland.

    “I don’t put on boring fights. I don’t have the ability because I don’t know how to fight like that. When I heard the boos, in my mind they are 100 percent towards him. And if it was towards me, you are stupid, anyone who booed,” Du Plessis said. “I went forward the whole time. At the stage when I heard the boos, it drove me crazy. I was like, ‘Come on, dude. Fight me!’ The first and second round, I was piecing him up. In that third round, he was kind of just evading.

    “I got super frustrated because people pay a lot of money to be here and I wanna give the fans a show,” Du Plessis continued. “That irritated me. That makes me crazy. I’ll have to rewatch it. If it was boring, I’m really sorry, that’s not my fault. I went forward. I wanted to fight. I know there was times where it wasn’t a war, but it’s not my fault. I went forward and I wanted to fight.”

    Du Plessis is certainly not known for lackluster displays inside the cage, having gone the distance just three times in professional MMA fights and finished the likes of Robert Whittaker and Adesanya.

    Strickland, on the other hand, has been repeatedly criticized for promising wars during fight weeks but failing to deliver fireworks once the cage door closes behind him.

  • UFC Analyst Rips Sean Strickland After UFC 312 Performance: ‘He’s Not Who He Says He Is’

    UFC Analyst Rips Sean Strickland After UFC 312 Performance: ‘He’s Not Who He Says He Is’

    Sean Strickland’s pre-fight promises of a brutal, all-out war with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 ultimately fell flat when they met in their rematch.

    This is becoming a trend, as Strickland has a history of talking up his willingness to fight to the death — only for his bouts to be marked more by decisions than finishes. That pattern frustrated veteran analyst and coach Din Thomas, who expressed disappointment after Strickland’s latest performance.

    “We just have to admit it now. We have to admit it: Sean Strickland is not who he says he is,” Thomas said on the UFC 312 post-fight show (h/t MMA Fighting). “He’s not who he says he is. We want him to be something. He wants to be something, but he’s not that guy.

    “He’s not the guy who’s going to go to the death! To the death! He didn’t go to the death. He didn’t even go deep. I’m not saying he’s not a great fighter. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be where he’s at. But he’s not who he says he is. We’ve got to admit that.”

    Strickland’s rematch with Du Plessis mirrored their first fight, ending in another loss for the American. However, this time, his performance was noticeably less aggressive. Rather than pushing for a finish, he relied on his jab and attempted to outwork the South African on the feet.

    Between rounds, Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, repeatedly urged him to be more active, emphasizing the need for a finish in the final round. Despite the advice, the challenger’s approach remained largely unchanged, leading to another setback.

  • Joe Rogan Reacts To Dricus Du Plessis’ UFC 312 Win Over Sean Strickland: ‘He’s A Tough Puzzle’

    Joe Rogan Reacts To Dricus Du Plessis’ UFC 312 Win Over Sean Strickland: ‘He’s A Tough Puzzle’

    While the UFC 312 main event itself didn’t exactly deliver fireworks, color commentator Joe Rogan was extremely impressed by how middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis controlled it.

    Du Plessis returned to the cage for his first assignment of the new year and second defense of the 185-pound title on Saturday night, headlining the pay-per-view in Sydney, Australia opposite a familiar foe in Sean Strickland.

    After narrowly dethroning the polarizing American by way of split decision 13 months ago, the South African champ put a stamp on his superiority over “Tarzan” second time around.

    During his JRE Fight Companion episode for UFC 312, Rogan reacted to Du Plessis’ dominant five-round decision victory over the former titleholder, who was left with a badly broken nose.

    “DDP fought really well, man,” Rogan said. “It was that big right hand that changed everything. … Dricus Du Plessis, ladies and gentlemen. He’s a tough puzzle to figure out. A very tough fight to figure out.

    “He’s a big f***** for 185 pounds too. That’s a big f*****,” Rogan continued. “He did a really good job of setting up, throwing that low kick, switch kick to the body, and kept that pace up for the entire five (rounds). He keeps getting better.”

    While Strickland goes back to the drawing board after being pushed out of the title conversation following two defeats to Du Plessis in his last three fights, “Stillknocks” has a ready list of challengers vying for a shot at his gold.

    It would appear that the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev is immediately next in line, with the rising Nassourdine Imavov chomping at the bit another step down the middleweight ladder.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Slams Controversial Stoppage At UFC 312: ‘Hate This!’

    Merab Dvalishvili Slams Controversial Stoppage At UFC 312: ‘Hate This!’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili was not pleased to see one fighter’s outing at Saturday’s pay-per-view brought to a controversial end after just 19 seconds.

    While the promotion’s second numbered event of the year — UFC 312 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia — wasn’t particularly thrilling or memorable, it certainly didn’t start slow.

    Kicking off proceedings was a debuting local favorite in Quillan Salkilld, who needed just one strike to finish Anshul Jubli and announce his arrival on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    The Indian was badly dropped by a clean right hand but was quick to grab a leg as Salkilld jumped on him. The referee, however, immediately decided he had seen enough and called off the bout.

    Jubli furiously protested the result, and his claim of an early stoppage has been backed by plenty in the community. That includes one prominent peer in Dvalishvili, who slammed the referee’s intervention in a post on X.

    “Work so hard in training camp and gets an early stoppage … hate this ! #UFC312“

    Dvalishvili frequently calls out stoppages he perceives to be early, having seen firsthand the effects of controversial finishes back in 2023 when teammate Aljamain Sterling was unseated from the bantamweight throne by Sean O’Malley.

  • Khamzat Chimaev & Nassourdine Imavov Among Fighters Unimpressed By UFC 312 Main Event

    Khamzat Chimaev & Nassourdine Imavov Among Fighters Unimpressed By UFC 312 Main Event

    Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland ran it back in Saturday’s UFC 312 headliner, and it’s safe to say the rematch didn’t thrill the MMA masses.

    The pair’s second dance went down this weekend in Sydney, Australia, 13 months on from Du Plessis securing a narrow split decision to capture the middleweight crown.

    The South African made good on his promise to show more evolution in the time since the first meeting, dominantly outpointing a gun-shy Strickland across five rounds in the UFC 312 main event at the Qudos Bank Arena.

    As is often the case, “Tarzan” promised fans a war on fight night but failed to deliver, with his approach even garnering boos from the crowd in attendance at some points in the fight.

    And it was far from just the locals in the arena who were bemused by how the fight played out at UFC 312. Among the critics online were a pair of top 185-pound contenders vying to compete for the gold next — Khamzat Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov.

    Many believed Chimaev was deserving of the first shot at Du Plessis in 2025. While “Tarzan” got the better of Paulo Costa in a lackluster 15-minute contest last June, “Borz” emphatically submitted Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi four months later.

    Imavov, meanwhile, staked his claim for a first championship opportunity last weekend in Saudi Arabia, where he knocked out former two-time champ Israel Adesanya.

  • Sean Strickland Reveals Extent Of Damage From Dricus Du Plessis Punch At UFC 312: ‘Broke My Nose In Like Six Places’

    Sean Strickland Reveals Extent Of Damage From Dricus Du Plessis Punch At UFC 312: ‘Broke My Nose In Like Six Places’

    Following his unanimous decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in Sydney, Sean Strickland took to Instagram to reflect on the fight and give credit to the reigning middleweight champion.

    In his first public statement since the bout, Strickland detailed the significant damage to his nose, which he admitted played a role in the fight’s outcome. He revealed that his nose was broken in six places but remained optimistic about the injury.

    “Dricus, f*cking hat’s off,” Strickland said in a video on his Instagram account. “Hell of a fight. Broke my nose in like six places. Silver lining — my nose is so broken it’s easy to reset. That was a new experience.”

    Despite previously feeling “robbed” in their first encounter at UFC 297, which Du Plessis won by split decision, Strickland took a more positive approach to this loss. He found satisfaction in pushing through adversity and acknowledged that others face far greater struggles in life.

    “I’m good. Losing sucks, but we all lose in life,” Strickland said. “I talk to so many people that lose their job, their girlfriend breaks up with them, and they just find themselves in this hole. I love the misery. I love the suffering because when you’re miserable, when you’re in pain and suffering — the moment that’s gone, and it will end—there will be a new day and a better day. Life’s good.”

  • ‘Thought He Was Going To War?’ – Fans React As Sean Strickland Gets Nose Broken In Lopsided Loss To Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

    ‘Thought He Was Going To War?’ – Fans React As Sean Strickland Gets Nose Broken In Lopsided Loss To Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

    The first fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland was a close battle that could have fallen either way, ending in a controversial decision for the South African despite UFC CEO Dana White feeling “Tarzan” won the fight. But the rematch between the two was not close at all.

    Du Plessis took complete control in a lackluster, dominant decision win over Strickland to retain the UFC middleweight championship in the main event of UFC 312.

    The opening round saw both men delivering single shots. Despite previous acknowledgement about the risks of close rounds, Strickland tried to use his jab for a lead, but the champ kept distance and strategically landed whenever he saw an opening.

    The American landed some strong strikes early in the second round, but “Stillknocks” completely took over the output of that frame from there, seemingly putting the former champion in an early 2-0 hole.

    The defending champion continued to take advantage of a lack of activity from the former one during round three. The big moment of the fight, however, happened in the middle of the fourth round when a right hand from Du Plessis connected harshly, breaking Strickland’s nose. Blood poured out as the challenger looked to up his power to get back into the fight.

    In spite of nearly getting caught in a guillotine during an unadvised rush in, Du Plessis stayed the course and landed from distance, with his output far exceeding Strickland’s.

    The South African nearly swept the scorecards, with two 50-45s and a 49-46 in his favor to keep the gold.

    Dricus Du Plessis Retains In Dominant Outing Over Sean Strickland

    https://twitter.com/MartialMind1/status/1888469449621283168

    Du Plessis won the middleweight title in the original fight with Strickland last year at UFC 297 and retained the gold with a submission of Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.

    Strickland, meanwhile, defeated Paulo Costa at UFC 302. He had won the middleweight title in upset fashion when he defeated Adesanya at UFC 293 in September 2023.

  • VIDEO: UFC 312 Post-Fight Press Conference After Dricus Du Plessis, Zhang Weili’s Headline Wins

    VIDEO: UFC 312 Post-Fight Press Conference After Dricus Du Plessis, Zhang Weili’s Headline Wins

    The UFC 312 pay-per-view recently concluded, and MMA News has you covered with the post-fight press conference in Sydney.

    The Qudos Bank Arena played host to Octagon action on tonight, as the mixed martial arts leader continued its PPV schedule for 2025 with a lineup that featured two championships and a host of local names.

    Of note were victories for Dricus Du Plessis, Zhang Weili, Jake Matthews and Tallison Teixeira.

    And before attention turns to UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues at the Apex next weekend, there remains some business to attend to backstage at UFC 312.

    Shortly after the main event’s ending, Dana White will appear in front of the media to reveal the recipients of the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses before answering questions. The victorious fighters from UFC 312 will also take queries from the press in reaction to their performances.

    With that said, see below for a live stream of the UFC 312 post-fight press conference via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 1:15 AM ET.

  • Zhang Weili Dominates Tatiana Suarez, Defends Title With Five-Round Masterclass At UFC 312

    Zhang Weili Dominates Tatiana Suarez, Defends Title With Five-Round Masterclass At UFC 312

    Despite coming into the bout as the betting underdog for the first time as a champion, Zhang Weili was able to dominate Tatiana Suarez in a five-round decision to end the challenger’s undefeated streak and retain the UFC women’s strawweight title in the UFC 312 co-main event.

    Suarez easily took control of the fight in the opening minute, scoring a takedown. The American did not land shots but remained on top without much trouble. Suarez even looked for a guillotine, but she was unable to complete the choke.

    Zhang was more than ready entering round two, however. She prevented a takedown and managed to drop right into mount. With the two practically against the fence in one way or another for quite a bit of the round, the defending champion landed plenty of shots from top control.

    “Magnum” scored a couple of noteworthy strikes in the third round, including a right hand that clearly rocked Suarez. The champ continued to stop the takedown attempts from the challenger, displaying complete control of the action.

    Zhang Weili Retains Strawweight Title, Hands Tatiana Suarez First Loss

    “Magnum” continued this pace over the course of the next two rounds, stopping any attempts from Suarez to get back into the fight and dominating more in top control.

    The judges ultimately scored the bout in the champ’s favor, with two 49-46s and a 49-45.

    Zhang has now won five straight, including successful defenses against Amanda Lemos and Yan Xiaonan in her second reign as UFC strawweight champion. She now ties Joanna Jedrzejczyk with six successful defenses of the 115-pound title.

    With her dominant victory tonight, some now wonder if “Magnum” will be booked for a superfight against flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko in the near future.

    Meanwhile, this was Suarez’s first fight since her August 2023 win over Jessica Andrade.

  • Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg Official For UFC Mexico City Main Event

    Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg Official For UFC Mexico City Main Event

    Brandon Moreno is heading back to Mexico City, where he will take on Steve Erceg in the main event.

    MMA Mania (following initial posts from Kevin K on X) reported that the UFC had put together a new headliner for their rematch to Arena CDMZ on March 29, with the former two-time flyweight champion topping the bill.

    The UFC officially confirmed the booking during Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view broadcast.

    The original main event was reported to be a featherweight contest between Mexico’s Yair Rodríguez and Brazil’s Diego Lopes.

    Moreno previously fought in Mexico City last February where he suffered a split decision loss to Brandon Royval before deciding to take some long overdue time off. He returned in Edmonton last November where “The Assassin Baby” looked back to his best, convincingly beating Amir Albazi to bring his opponent’s winning streak to an end.

    Whilst the Tijuana born contender is sure to receive another incredible reception from his home fans, March 29 is a huge opportunity for his opponent. Erceg currently finds himself coming off of back-to-back losses for the first time in his career.

    “Astroboy” was catapulted into a flyweight title shot off the back of a three-fight winning streak inside the Octagon and though he put on a good performance against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301, he was unable to leave Brazil with the gold. Erceg’s attempt to bounce back in front of his home crowd in Perth came to a sudden halt when he was stopped by Kai Kara-France in the first round at UFC 305 in August.

    The 29-year old was originally booked to take on the #8-ranked Asu Almabayev on March 1 until the promotion seemingly changed their plans around in order to book a fitting main event for the Mexican fans. Rather than fighting an opponent that was one spot above him in the rankings, Erceg will now take on the #2-ranked contender.

  • Israel Adesanya & Kelvin Gastelum’s 2019 Barnburner Announced For UFC Hall Of Fame

    Israel Adesanya & Kelvin Gastelum’s 2019 Barnburner Announced For UFC Hall Of Fame

    Israel Adesanya’s recently gone on a rough patch in his MMA venture, including his knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov last week. But in a moment of lightness, he will be honored for putting on one of the greatest bouts in Octagon history as part of this year’s UFC Hall of Fame class.

    Adesanya’s interim middleweight title fight with Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 will be inducted into the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame this summer during International Fight Week, the promotion announced during the UFC 312 pay-per-view.

    The two put on an absolute war at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, on that April 2019 night, with UFC CEO Dana White claiming in the immediate aftermath that it was one of the greatest fights he’s ever seen in his life.

    Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum Announced For UFC Hall of Fame Class Of 2025

    The fight was a back-and-forth affair, with plenty of moments from both men. Gastelum took many people by surprise when he rocked Adesanya with a head kick late in the fight. Adesanya, however, locked in and did plenty of damage during the final round, nearly prompting referee Marc Goddard to step in.

    Adesanya ultimately won the interim title on a unanimous decision before going on to defeat Robert Whittaker later that year at UFC 243 to become undisputed UFC middleweight champion.

    The fight joins The Ultimate Fighter Executive Producer Craig Piligian as the inductees announced thus far for the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025. More inductees are expected to be announced at the next couple of UFC pay-per-view events.

  • Watch Israel Adesanya Recite Alex Pereira’s Catchphrase While Sat Next To ‘Poatan’ At UFC 312

    Watch Israel Adesanya Recite Alex Pereira’s Catchphrase While Sat Next To ‘Poatan’ At UFC 312

    Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira have waged war plenty of times with one another between their time in kickboxing and MMA. But at UFC 312 in Australia, the longtime rivals appeared to be at peace, as the pair were sitting next to each other audience.

    After images emerged of the two stars seated together, a video showed Pereira flipping the camera to Adesanya, with the fellow former UFC middleweight champion calmly exclaiming, “Chama” — the catchphrase of the current UFC light heavyweight king.

    Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira Seated Next To One Another During UFC 312

    Adesanya and Pereira fought twice in kickboxing. Pereira won both fights, once via decision and the other via knockout.

    Pereira, who went on to win championships in GLORY Kickboxing, transitioned over to MMA full time and fought Adesanya twice there. Their first meeting came at UFC 281 in November 2022, with Pereira scoring a comeback fifth-round finish to win the UFC middleweight championship.

    Adesanya finally scored a win and regained the title when he went on to knock out Pereira at UFC 287 five months later.

    Their careers have gone in opposite directions since. Pereira has become the champion at 205 pounds, defeating the likes of Jiří Procházka, Jamahal Hill, and Khalil Rountree. “The Last Stylebender,” meanwhile, dropped the middleweight title in upset fashion to Sean Strickland, failed to regain the belt against Dricus Du Plessis, and was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov last week at UFC Saudi Arabia.

  • ‘Never Close To His Brother’s Level’ – Fans Split As Ilia Topuria’s Sibling Wins Debut At UFC 312

    ‘Never Close To His Brother’s Level’ – Fans Split As Ilia Topuria’s Sibling Wins Debut At UFC 312

    Though the jury may still be out on him, Aleksandre Topuria, the brother of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, undoubtedly scored a victory in his Octagon debut, defeating Colby Thicknesse during the preliminary card of UFC 312 in Australia.

    The Spaniard and his Australian foe traded plenty of strikes to start things off, with the former also shaking off a pair of takedown attempts in the fight’s opening minute.

    Late in the first, Topuria rocked Thicknesse with a right hand, with the latter going down to the mat. In spite of “El Conquistador” taking his back, Thicknesse was able to get back to his feet and got away from his grasp. Topuria, however, managed to land one nasty-looking suplex in the round’s closing seconds.

    Thicknesse picked up the pacing and volume of his striking in the second round. The Spanish newcomer, however, maintained his stalking, pressure-based approach en route to another strong performance.

    By the middle of the third round, Topuria had stuffed eight of Thicknesse’s takedown attempts before “El Conquistador” took the fight to the ground himself. Ilia’s brother rode out about half of the final round in top position, controlling the position and stopping any desperation submission attempts from Thicknesse.

    Aleksandre Topuria, Ilia’s Brother, Wins UFC Debut At UFC 312

    The Spanish debutant went 2-1 in fights during 2015 before taking years off, helping Ilia out with his MMA journey. He competed three times between December 2021 and May 2023, winning all three fights, before making his UFC debut tonight.

    Thicknesse, meanwhile,was 7-0 prior to tonight, most recently defeating Marven Malunes at a HEX Fight Series event in November.

  • Australian Debutant Sends Crowd Wild At UFC 312 With Knockout From First Punch Of The Night

    Australian Debutant Sends Crowd Wild At UFC 312 With Knockout From First Punch Of The Night

    Things got off to a fast start at UFC 312 — first punch of the night, fast.

    Lightweight prospect Quillan Salkilld needed just one strike and 19 seconds to make a statement in his debut at Saturday’s pay-per-view Down Under in Sydney, Australia.

    The Perth native, who earned a contract by way of Dana White’s Contender Series, opened his Octagon account in style, flooring Anshul Jubli with a clean right hand on home soil.

    Despite the Indian fighter immediately looking to grapple his way out of the situation, the referee had seen enough.

    https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1888375423546909098

    25-year-old Salkilld is now 8-1 as a professional, with six of his wins coming via finishes. Jubli, meanwhile, has lost back-to-back fights since winning the Road to UFC tournament.

    Tonight’s UFC 312 PPV will be headlined by two title fights, with Dricus Du Plessis defending his middleweight belt in a rematch against Sean Strickland and strawweight queen Zhang Weili facing a challenge from undefeated contender Tatiana Suarez.

  • Usman Nurmagomedov: I Was Only ’50 Percent’ In Bellator Title Defense Over Paul Hughes

    Usman Nurmagomedov: I Was Only ’50 Percent’ In Bellator Title Defense Over Paul Hughes

    Usman Nurmagomedov has voiced his dissatisfaction with his latest performance inside the cage.

    Despite successfully defending his Bellator lightweight title against Paul Hughes at the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series event, Nurmagomedov felt he did not showcase his true potential.

    While he remained undefeated with a close majority decision win, the Dagestani admitted he was far from his best that night.

    “I think I can prepare for this fight better,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “I know I can be better — more than I was that night. I for sure know I can finish this guy. After this fight, I see a lot of my mistakes. For myself, I know I was 50 percent in that cage. I will be ready for 100 percent. I know I can finish this guy.”

    Nurmagomedov also pointed to a lack of training partners during his camp as a major factor in his underwhelming performance.

    “For training camp, I did it with tough guys — like one or two — but this is not enough,” Nurmagomedov said. “I was alone, and it’s really hard to push yourself when you don’t have your coaches. Everyone was focused on Umar (Nurmagomedov), Islam (Makhachev), Tagir (Ulanbekov) in America.”

    Additionally, he revealed that he had been sick in the weeks leading up to the fight, which further affected his conditioning.

    “Of course, they control me, but it’s different when you’re training at home with your family and your friends. Sometimes, you have to spend a little time with your family, have dinner with your brothers. This made me a little tired and didn’t let me recover properly for the next training session. Also, when I came to Dubai, I was sick two weeks before the fight.”

    Following Nurmagomedov’s close victory, many fans called for an immediate rematch. However, Nurmagomedov dismissed the idea, believing the fight was not as close as some suggest and insisting that Hughes should earn another shot before they meet again.

  • Diego Lopes Believes Alexander Volkanovski Fight At UFC 314 ‘Makes Sense’

    Diego Lopes Believes Alexander Volkanovski Fight At UFC 314 ‘Makes Sense’

    Diego Lopes has shifted his focus beyond Yair Rodriguez and is now eyeing a potential title fight.

    Lopes recently confirmed that he will not be fighting Rodriguez, a bout that was rumored for the UFC Mexico City main event on March 29. Instead, he revealed in an interview that the UFC has other plans for him.

    “The fight with Yair never happened,” Lopes told Submission Radio. “UFC talked to me, ‘OK, now you sit down, you stay here, relax. Maybe we do a big fight for you.’ I’m training, I’m staying ready for one big fight. I need one big fight now. I’m No. 3 in the rankings. I think Max (Holloway) is out of the rankings, but moved to lightweight. I don’t know what’s happening in the division now.”

    With UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria teasing a potential move to lightweight, Lopes has turned his attention to a possible championship fight against Alexander Volkanovski. This comes after the Australian suggested a fight with Lopes at UFC 314 should Topuria vacate the featherweight belt.

    “If (Topuria) moves, I think I’m next for the title to face Volk,” Lopes said. “I think they vacate the belt, no? I don’t know if Ilia would be ready for 145, maybe October, September? I don’t know. Ilia, I think he’ll move to lightweight.”

    Lopes believes a fight against Volkanovski makes the most sense, given the current rankings.

    “I think this makes sense, right? Because I’m No. 3, Alex is No. 1,” Lopes said. “Ilia has moved to lightweight. Who’s the next fight for the title? I don’t have one fight for the title. I think me and Alex makes sense for the fight.

    “April for me is really good timing. This is a great fight — I need it so much,” Lopes continued. “Alex has a lot of experience in the UFC. I think his last 10 fights were five rounds. The guy has a lot of experience, but it’s a good fight for me. I proved myself. I’m ready for the champ.”

  • Jack Della Maddalena Disagrees With Leon Edwards Using Timing As Excuse For Belal Muhammad Loss

    Jack Della Maddalena Disagrees With Leon Edwards Using Timing As Excuse For Belal Muhammad Loss

    Jack Della Maddalena disagrees with Leon Edwards’ claim that the unusual fight time at UFC 304 affected his performance against Belal Muhammad last July.

    Edwards, who lost his welterweight title to Muhammad that night, attributed his fatigue and sluggishness to the late-night start time, which was scheduled to accommodate U.S. pay-per-view audiences. However, Della Maddalena believes that excuse takes credit away from Muhammad’s victory.

    “In my opinion, I feel like Leon has always fought like that, so just to blame the timing, I don’t think, is fair on Belal’s part,” Della Maddalena told The Mac Life. “I think Leon has shown that he’s happy sort of not doing too much, using his precise striking just to sit back, and I think Belal pulled off the perfect game plan — just to push the pace, grab a hold of him, make it a bit more ugly.”

    Della Maddalena is set to face Edwards on March 22 in the UFC Fight Night London main event at The O2. As he prepares for the matchup, he plans to employ a similarly aggressive strategy to what Muhammad used.

    “That would be my plan: Put him up against the cage, build upon a pace, keep pushing the pace, and try to make it ugly,” Della Maddalena said. “I think it’s a good game plan for me, and I’m going to go in there and use the blueprint to try and do what Belal did. I’m not going to try and grab ahold of Leon. I’m just going to be trying to get in the pocket, land big shots, and try to beat him down.”

  • Michael Bisping Explains Why Ilia Topuria’s Chances Are High To Beat Islam Makhachev

    Michael Bisping Explains Why Ilia Topuria’s Chances Are High To Beat Islam Makhachev

    Michael Bisping is intrigued by a potential showdown between UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

    The 145-pound titleholder has expressed interest in moving up to challenge Makhachev, who is currently ranked as the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. While acknowledging the Dagestani’s dominance, the former fighter-turned-commentator believes Topuria’s well-rounded skill set could make the fight competitive — despite the size difference.

    “That’s an incredible fight,” Bisping told Submission Radio. “Ilia Topuria, what he’s been able to do, what he’s achieved in such a short space — so impressed. The same with Islam. Islam is incredible. Nobody can sit here and criticize Islam. The fight style that he has, the way that he’s able to use his wrestling to such effectiveness. The striking is always improving and catching up.

    “But on the flip side, Ilia is a smaller guy, though. So you take two guys with great skill sets — the bigger guy is always going to win. But if anyone could make that happen, it’s Ilia Topuria. The man said what he’s going to do right from the beginning, changed his bio to champion of the world. He’s knocked out (Alexander) Volkanovski. He’s knocked out Max Holloway. He’s knocking out everybody, and apparently, he’s even better at wrestling than he is at boxing.”

    Topuria’s stock has skyrocketed following his knockout victories over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.

    Meanwhile, Makhachev recently secured his fourth lightweight title defense with a quick submission of Renato Moicano at UFC 311.