MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Nassourdine Imavov Demands Khamzat Chimaev’s Title Shot With UFC Saudi Arabia Win

    Nassourdine Imavov Demands Khamzat Chimaev’s Title Shot With UFC Saudi Arabia Win

    Nassourdine Imavov remains focused on his title aspirations, confident that his path to a middleweight championship is clearer than ever — despite past comments from UFC CEO Dana White.

    Imavov is scheduled to face former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at the second UFC Fight Night event in Saudi Arabia. The bout will take place on Feb. 1 at anb Arena in Riyadh.

    Currently boasting a 15-4 record, “The Sniper” has been on a strong run, winning three consecutive fights, including a decision victory over Brendan Allen in Paris last September. A win against Adesanya would mark the biggest triumph of his career and firmly place him in the middleweight title conversation.

    Although White has indicated that Khamzat Chimaev is likely next in line for a title shot, Imavov remains optimistic about his chances, particularly with middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis set to defend his title against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 in Sydney.

    “Of course, depending on the performance, I can get the next title shot,” Imavov told MMA Junkie through an interpreter. “It can be Khamzat. The fact that I went for four fights in one year, two top five, two top 10, that’s something very significant.

    “I’m never turning down any fights, and that’s something the UFC likes a lot. So we’ll see what happens. For now, I’m focusing on my next fight, and we’ll see after that.”

    Imavov’s consistent willingness to take on all challengers and his growing momentum make him a compelling contender in the middleweight division as he prepares for the toughest fight of his career.

  • Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes Added To UFC 314 On April 12

    Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes Added To UFC 314 On April 12

    The UFC has bolstered the lineup for UFC 314 with a pivotal light heavyweight matchup between Nikita Krylov and Dominick Reyes.

    The two fighters have agreed to meet at the pay-per-view event, which is expected to take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami on April 12.

    The matchup was first reported by MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin.

    Krylov is set to return to action after being sidelined since March 2023. He enters the fight riding a three-fight winning streak with victories over Ryan Spann, Volkan Oezdemir, and Alexander Gustafsson. Despite his hiatus, the veteran contender will look to extend his momentum against a tough opponent.

    Reyes, meanwhile, has been enjoying a career resurgence. After enduring a challenging four-fight losing streak, including title defeats to Jon Jones and Jan Blachowicz, “The Devastator” bounced back in 2024 with knockout victories over Anthony Smith and Dustin Jacoby. Now, Reyes aims to continue his climb back into title contention. 

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 314 on April 12 are as follows.

    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales
    • Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan
    • Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
  • ‘Sh*t Getting Toxic’ – Fans React As Chaos Erupts Between Dagestani & Irish Supporters Ahead Of Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes

    ‘Sh*t Getting Toxic’ – Fans React As Chaos Erupts Between Dagestani & Irish Supporters Ahead Of Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes

    It seems the fans are wearing their national pride louder than the fighters themselves as the buzz builds for the highly anticipated Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes showdown.

    Nurmagomedov is primed to defend his lightweight crown against Hughes in the headline clash of the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series. The event is slated for this Saturday at the Coca-Cola Arena in the UAE.

    The event, branded as “Dagestan vs Ireland 2,” echoes the acclaimed UFC 229 clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. Much like that legendary bout, the UFC Hall of Famer’s cousin Usman and Ireland’s Hughes seem to embody a feud cut from the same electrifying cloth.

    The buildup to this bout has been thick with tension, as both fighters have exchanged sharp words. “Big News” has alleged that the undefeated Dagestani has belittled his skills and insulted him, which prompted a fiery verbal confrontation between the two earlier this week.

    The fighters brought the same electric intensity to their final staredown at the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday, where Nurmagomedov and Hughes locked eyes in a heated faceoff.

    However, the ceremonial weigh-ins for the upcoming bout felt less like a pre-fight ritual and more like a battlefield.

    According to Parry Punch’s report on X, Dagestani and Irish fans reignited their bitter feud outside the Coca-Cola Arena, leading to an all-out brawl between the two factions. The exact cause of the chaos remains unclear at the moment.

    Fans were quick to react to the melee between Dagestani and Irish supporters, with many drawing parallels to the heated Khabib-McGregor rivalry, suggesting that Usman and Hughes are reigniting a national pride-fueled feud that shows no sign of fading.

    https://twitter.com/fantasiaapostle/status/1882826216711082317
    https://twitter.com/MadJim98/status/1882833498807074967
    https://twitter.com/tenziiin099/status/1882835283206701090

    Nurmagomedov will be making his third title defense. His most recent outing came last September at the Bellator Champions Series in San Diego, where he delivered a dominant performance, securing a unanimous decision victory over Alexander Shabliy to successfully retain his belt.

    Meanwhile, Hughes will be vying for the title in just his third appearance with the promotion. “Big News” is coming off a hard-fought split decision victory over AJ McKee in October at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants.

  • TJ Dillashaw On Kevin Holland After UFC 311: ‘He Will Never Be A Champion, I Promise You That’

    TJ Dillashaw On Kevin Holland After UFC 311: ‘He Will Never Be A Champion, I Promise You That’

    TJ Dillashaw, a former UFC champion, knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level and believes he can identify fighters with championship potential.

    Unfortunately, he doesn’t see that potential in Kevin Holland.

    The retired bantamweight recently shared his perspective following Holland’s loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311 this past Saturday. Holland was submitted in the first round after struggling to counter de Ridder’s grappling, eventually succumbing to a rear-naked choke.

    This critique from Dillashaw aligns with Holland’s own remarks on the JAXXON Podcast, where “Trailblazer” admitted that he doesn’t see himself becoming a UFC champion. The ex-titleholder, appearing on the same podcast, weighed in on Holland’s performance against de Ridder and his overall mindset toward the sport.

    “He’s fun,” Dillashaw said. “He’s entertaining, he’s fun. … I heard him in here talking — I commented on one of the posts you guys put out there about him not caring about being a champion, saying there’s too much politics in it. Like, alright dude, that’s just an excuse because you’ll never be a champion. But he’s a very entertaining fighter. He talks a lot, but he will never be a champion, I promise you that.”

    Dillashaw’s main criticism of Holland centers on what he perceives as a lack of willingness to evolve and improve his game. He pointed to specific moments during Holland’s fight with de Ridder as examples.

    “It’s the truth,” Dillashaw explained. “He has some holes in his game, and we saw it here. He’s got a guy on top of him, and he keeps trying to hold him in his guard. Right now, he’s going for attacks — it’s great — but when the attacks stop working, you’ve got to escape and get back to your feet, especially when you’re better on your feet. He doesn’t even try to put his feet on the hips and push off. Later in the fight, RDR’s standing above him doing ground-and-pound, and [Holland] is trying to hold on to guard rather than create space and stand up. That’s basic stuff. It shows he doesn’t have the skills on the ground or the mindset to fight to his strengths.”

    Despite the criticisms, Dillashaw clarified that there’s nothing wrong with Holland being satisfied with where he is in his career. However, he stressed that championship success requires a certain obsessive mindset — one he doesn’t see in Holland.

    “You sat here and let him say he doesn’t give a shit,” Dillashaw said. “Are you going to be a champion if you don’t care? No, you ain’t ever going to be. You need to obsess about it every day of your life. You need to be OCD about training, about being the best, not losing one practice. He was talking about bringing in training partners, going home, and smoking weed. Just sitting here listening to him talk and watching his skills on TV, he doesn’t have the mindset for it. He’s just happy being on TV.”

  • Global Fight League Announces Signing Of Tony Ferguson After 8-Fight UFC Losing Skid

    Global Fight League Announces Signing Of Tony Ferguson After 8-Fight UFC Losing Skid

    Ahead of its inaugural draft Friday, the Global Fight League (GFL) has claimed to have signed former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson.

    In recent weeks and months, the newly created GFL — the latest attempt at making a team format successful in MMA — has announced a lengthy list of signings ahead of its launch in 2025, including multiple former champions from the UFC and other promotions.

    And while the inaugural draft takes place today, the organization is still rolling out some notable names.

    Among its latest slew of social media announcements, the GFL posted that it has signed Ferguson, whose UFC future has been uncertain after his losing skid reached a record-breaking eight straight setbacks last year.

    It’s worth noting that many names announced by the GFL have refuted their signings, insisting that they remain under contract elsewhere.

    15 GFL cards are planned up until August, after which two playoff events and one final will take place before the year’s end. The first is slated to go down in April.

    The promotion’s team format will see six city teams — Los Angeles, Miami, New York, São Paulo, London and Dubai — select 20 fighters each (two per division) from a pool of over 400 fighters at Friday’s draft.

    Each team has been assigned a prominent coach and team manager, with the likes of Ray Longo, Javier Mendez, and Conan Silveira confirmed as trainers and Cain Velasquez, Lyoto Machida, and Thiago Alves as managers.

    Among the most notable fighter signings are former UFC champions Luke Rockhold, Tyron Woodley, Fabrício Werdum, Benson Henderson, Anthony Pettis, Frank Mir, Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski and Renan Barão. That’s in addition to high-profile veterans like Alexander Gustafsson, Yoel Romero, Gegard Mousasi, Aleksei Oleinik, Paige VanZant, Kevin Lee, Thiago Santos, Jeremy Stephens, Hector Lombard and Jimmie Rivera.

    The signing of 48-year-old Wanderlei Silva’s has been among the most controversial with the MMA community. “The Axe Murderer” and 47-year-old Werdum both cited irreversible brain damage in their statements for the now-settled antitrust lawsuit against the UFC last year.

    A number of other comebacks have also raised skeptical eyebrows, including the latest return from retirement for Brazil’s Marlon Moraes. The ex-WSOF champ most recently hung up the gloves after a brief stint in the PFL extended his losing skid to seven straight fights.

  • Alex Pereira’s Sister Hopes For Full-Time Fighting Career To Bring End To Amazon Delivery Job

    Alex Pereira’s Sister Hopes For Full-Time Fighting Career To Bring End To Amazon Delivery Job

    Alex Pereira’s sister has to juggle two careers as she works to make ends meet while chasing her dream in combat sports.

    Much like her brother, “Poatan,” Aline carved out a career in kickboxing before making the jump to MMA, though she remains a relative newcomer to the sport. Following her debut loss, she has been working to find her footing, posting a 1-2 record under the LFA banner between 2022 and 2023.

    Pereira is now signed with Karate Combat, where she made an explosive promotional debut in October 2024, securing a first-round left hook knockout over Dee Begley that echoed her brother’s iconic finish.

    https://twitter.com/KarateCombat/status/1879235852402033144

    While the pay in Karate Combat provides a considerable financial boost compared to her kickboxing and MMA days, the 34-year-old Brazilian acknowledges that she must grind through a part-time job when she’s not fighting, putting in long hours to supplement her income.

    During a recent conversation with MMA Fighting, Pereira opened up about balancing her fight career with her work as an Amazon delivery driver. When she’s not in fight camp, she takes on late-night shifts to make ends meet, all while working toward building a career that will provide a comfortable life for her family in the United States.

    She explained that the reason for her early start is to beat the traffic, allowing her the freedom to dedicate the rest of her day to training.

    “I do deliveries for Amazon, and we do what we have to do,” Pereira said. “This routine is very tiresome because we still have to accommodate the training hours and the job, but it all works out in the end… It’s not [not an] easy [job]. We do deliveries for four and a half hours. But it’s great to be here. The United States is very good for me and my son, too.”

    https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1882209161326555249

    Pereira is set to make her sophomore appearance in the Karate Combat Pit this Friday in Miami, Florida, where she’ll face a short-notice opponent in Amanda Torres for a 130-pound catchweight bout.

    Her brother, meanwhile, was not too pleased at the reporter whom Aline made mention of her job to. The UFC champion took aim at MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz in a social media post.

  • Michael Chandler: Paddy Pimblett Fight Might Be ‘More Dangerous’ Than Conor McGregor

    Michael Chandler: Paddy Pimblett Fight Might Be ‘More Dangerous’ Than Conor McGregor

    While Paddy Pimblett is expected to make his Octagon return in the coming months, the rising UFC star has yet to secure an opponent.

    Pimblett recently hinted at a potential clash with Michael Chandler, who is also in search of his next fight after his highly anticipated bout against Conor McGregor fell through last year.

    Chandler, who has lost four of his last five fights, spent two years pursuing the McGregor matchup before finally moving on. Now, he’s eyeing other opportunities, including a showdown with “The Baddy.”

    “You might talk to a lot of people from a fight perspective that (think) Paddy might be more dangerous than Conor at this point,” Chandler told InstantCasino.com (via Newsweek). “We haven’t seen Conor in three years. Name-wise? Yeah, you’re not gonna get a bigger name than Conor, but when it comes to training for an opponent (like Paddy), it brings me back to the Bellator days.”

    Pimblett is undefeated in the UFC with a 6-0 record. His most recent victory was a submission win over King Green at UFC 304 last summer in London. Despite the Liverpudlian’s streak, Chandler believes many fans see him as the heavy favorite in this matchup.

    “I’m supposed to beat Paddy Pimblett in a lot of people’s eyes, so that wells up even more motivation in me,” Chandler continued. “He’s a young and hungry guy. He’s got his whole career ahead of him, whereas I’ve been doing this for 10 years longer than him, so I like it, man. Whether I’m a 1000-1 underdog or a 1000-1 favorite, I put in all the work necessary to be successful on fight night.”

    Chandler also acknowledged the financial and stylistic appeal of the fight, while maintaining his respect for Pimblett.

    “I like the idea of fighting Paddy Pimblett and making a ton of money,” Chandler said. “I don’t want to say it’s an easy fight, because I could go out there and slip on a banana peel and get knocked out in front of everybody, but let’s just say I like the fight stylistically. I like Paddy as a human. I think he’s one of the good ones. And with that being said, that does not stop me from wanting to separate him from consciousness.”

  • Michael Page Provides Update On Divisional Future Ahead Of Middleweight Fight At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Michael Page Provides Update On Divisional Future Ahead Of Middleweight Fight At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Michael “Venom” Page doesn’t plan to make middleweight his permanent home despite preparing for a high-profile bout in the division.

    Page is set to face Shara Magomedov in a middleweight co-headliner at the UFC Fight Night on Feb. 1 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, airing on ESPN+. The fight follows Magomedov’s callout of Israel Adesanya after UFC 308, prompting Page to suggest a matchup with him instead, which the UFC quickly booked.

    While excited for this one-off fight, Page clarified that middleweight is not his long-term focus.

    “To be fair, for me anyway, it’s back to work at welterweight,” Page told MMA Junkie. “If there is another opportunity at middleweight that looks good, looks juicy, looks tasty, 100 percent I’ll be there to do it again. For me, timing-wise, going to middleweight, knowing I had to go through Christmas and everything, it helped. It helped a lot.”

    Page explained that moving up to middleweight allowed him to enjoy the holiday season without the pressures of cutting weight. However, he emphasized that his ambitions remain in the welterweight division.

    “In general, I’ve still got a lot of business that I want to handle at welterweight. So for me, this is a one-off, exciting fight at that weight. Maybe in the future, you’ll see me there, but for now, I still find it comfortable to get to welterweight, and I’ve still got people I’d love to fight.”

    One fight, in particular, stands out for Page: a matchup with former welterweight champion and fellow countryman Leon Edwards, who is scheduled to headline UFC London against Jack Della Maddalena at The O2 this March.

    “I still think the fight with me and Leon would be great – in the U.K. though,” Page said. “I wouldn’t take it anywhere else. It does a disservice to our country. I think that fight needs to be over here. I know we’ve got the U.K. card coming, obviously we’ve missed that boat. Let’s say that’s the only one they do this year, then that wouldn’t happen. Again, I’m saying all this with all due respect.”

    Page believes the welterweight division is undergoing significant changes, making it an exciting time for potential matchups.

    “I just think it’s a great fight to have. I would have loved for it to have been for a belt, but just in general, I think it’s a great fight anyway. The division is wide open. I think we’re going through a bit of a change. Colby [Covington] didn’t look too good in his last fight and obviously lost. There’s a change of the guard that’s happening in that division at the moment, so I think it’s wide open for everybody, and I just want to be in the mix of it.”

  • Usman Nurmagomedov Believes Brother Umar ‘Won The First Three Rounds’ vs. Merab Dvalishvili 

    Usman Nurmagomedov Believes Brother Umar ‘Won The First Three Rounds’ vs. Merab Dvalishvili 

    Umar Nurmagomedov was pretty clear that he thought he did enough to win the bantamweight title at UFC 311. All three judges had the fight scored in favor of the defending champion, Merab Dvalishvili, but Umar’s own brother disputes this.

    A lot of fight fans, and two of the three judges, had the challenger winning the first two rounds of the fight where he was able to successfully implement his striking whilst defending takedowns from the champion. The most significant round of the fight ended up being the third where all of a sudden, the tide appeared to be turning.

    Whilst the round was competitive, the consensus opinion was that Dvalishvili was able to change the momentum of the contest in this period by starting to have more success with his constant pressure and output which started to wear on his opponent. Usman Nurmagomedov believes that the Georgian’s success in this round was not enough for him to get a 10 next to his name on the scorecards.

    The undefeated Bellator lightweight champion returns this weekend to face Paul Hughes in Dubai following an incredibly busy few weeks for his team and family. Nurmagomedov spoke in a recent interview with MMA Junkie about how from his point of view, “The Machine” needed a finish in the championship rounds to keep hold of the title.

    “Honestly, I was a little surprised because I thought Umar won the first three rounds,” Usman said. “When they said ‘and still,’ I thought they were going to say ‘and still undefeated.’ But anyway, Alhamdulillah. Of course, this has some effect on me, but I try to keep it inside of me. I don’t want to talk about that with people.”

    Despite this, Nurmagomedov is confident that his older brother will bounce back and that this just another chapter in his journey.

    “It’s just one step back for the streak, you know, Inshallah. All good Alhamdulillah for everything, we’re always thankful for God, and this time the same thing. Nothing changes.

  • Cory Sandhagen: ‘I Have The Style That Will Beat Merab Dvalishvili’

    Cory Sandhagen: ‘I Have The Style That Will Beat Merab Dvalishvili’

    Cory Sandhagen is one of the top contenders in the bantamweight division but several key losses have stopped him from claiming UFC gold to this point. He’s been beaten by the likes of Umar Nurmagomedov, Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling in the past but “The Sandman” is always circling the title picture meaning that he’s never too far away from getting the next shot.

    In a recent YouTube video on his channel, Sandhagen looked to breakdown the recent bantamweight title fight between Merab Dvalishvili and his former opponent, Nurmagomedov. The current titleholder is one of the few top names at 135-pounds that Sandhagen is yet to meet inside the Octagon and despite the incredible performance that “The Machine” delivered this past weekend at UFC 311, it’s obviously a fight that intrigues the #4-ranked contender.

    “Umar’s definitely a really good fighter,” Sandhagen said on his YouTube channel. “He beat me. He’s better than I am stylistically. That being said, styles make fights. If you’re going to be a guy that fights against Merab, you have to have really, really, really good footwork and be able to defend the takedowns in an energy efficient way. Merab has fought O’Malley, beat him pretty decisively. Yan, beat him pretty decisively. Umar, beat him pretty decisively. Those are the three guys that are ahead of me. I should be next in line.”

    With that analysis in mind and his position in the division, Sandhagen believes that he would be an interesting matchup for the reigning champion because of the clash of styles. He acknowledged that it would be a “tough sell” and he’s not going to call out Dvalishvili but nevertheless, “The Sandman” believes that he might be the man to dethrone the Georgian.

    “I do think that if there is a style that beats Merab, it’s one that can control the space the best. And say whatever you want about my style, what you have to say about it is I probably have the best footwork in the division. If not the best, way, way up there. I hold space, keep space, close it, open it better than anyone else in the division in my opinion. That’s what’s going to beat Merab. So when I get to fight him, I’m really excited to see how that gets to look like.”

  • Johnny Walker Explains Decision To Leave John Kavanagh’s SBG Ireland: ‘Environment Wasn’t Perfect For MMA’ 

    Johnny Walker Explains Decision To Leave John Kavanagh’s SBG Ireland: ‘Environment Wasn’t Perfect For MMA’ 

    Johnny Walker put a lot into his scheduled return at UFC 311 following some big changes that have taken place in his life and career. Unfortunately, the light heavyweight contender was unable to reap the rewards of his hard work after a rib injury forced him to withdraw from his prelim bout against Bogdan Guskov.

    The Brazilian is currently coming off of consecutive losses following an up and down trajectory in recent years. During that time frame, he was training out of SBG Dublin under John Kavanagh and Walker is very grateful of this experience. However, there were some key areas that he didn’t feel like he was fulfilling in his preparations whilst being based out of Ireland in recent times.

    After spending some time at different gyms, his led him to moving his entire life to Las Vegas where in the combat sports capital of the world, he has everything he could possibly need at his finger tips. Walker gave two specific examples during a recent interview with MMA Junkie regarding holes in his training camp that had recently appeared.

    The 32-year old believes that his last defeat inside the Octagon came about because of one specific reason with another key factor being his lack of training partners. Walker did have a small stable of guys to work with at one point whilst he was training in Dublin but that hasn’t been the case as time has gone on and finding bodies to work with at Xtreme Couture is not exactly difficult.

    “We had the best coach there. John was a very high-level coach,” Walker said. “He did the best for me. He improved my game a lot, but I just had one or two training partners. The last fight against (Volkan) Oezdemir, I was adapting myself to get ready as best as I could for the fight. I was doing boxing sparring in the ring. … In the fight, you can see I brought him close to the fence, which was wrong because I was sparring in the ring. You can’t spar in the ring and fight in the octagon. It’s totally different. In the octagon, if you step close to the fence, the guy is going to take you down, or the guy is going to knock you out because when you’re close to the fence, it’s the worst place to be. The guy (Oezdemir) knocked me out because I brought him to the fence.

    “This is the worst thing you can do in MMA. The environment wasn’t perfect for MMA. At SBG, I had just one training partner. Here in Vegas, I have the UFC PI for strength and conditioning, for nutrition, for recovery. At Xtreme Couture, I have high-level guys between top 10 and top 15. Light heavyweight and heavyweight, and Sean Strickland. Every day I have a high-level guy to train with. You need challenges, and now at Xtreme, I have that challenge. …I have everything now for recovery, for nutrition, for training, coaching. Now the light heavyweights are in trouble. Now you’re going to have the best version of Johnny Walker because I’m just going to be better. Now my career is going to fly.”

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Shows X-Ray Of Surgically Repaired Hand After UFC 311 Injury

    Umar Nurmagomedov Shows X-Ray Of Surgically Repaired Hand After UFC 311 Injury

    UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov has posted an X-ray image of his hand following a surgical procedure in the aftermath of his defeat this past weekend.

    Nurmagomedov is days on from his first title shot on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, which came in the co-main event of the UFC 311 pay-per-view at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    As an undefeated challenger competing out of the renowned team of Dagestanis led by Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar entered the Jan. 18 card as a betting favorite over defending champion Merab Dvalishvili.

    But “The Machine” upset the odds in style, utilizing his renowned pace and cardio to secure the final three rounds on every scorecard for the decision win.

    In the aftermath, Nurmagomedov revealed that he had broken his hand in the very first round, displaying severe swelling. And the damage was so severe that the Russian has already undergone surgery.

    He posted an X-ray of the repaired hand on Instagram, showing the insertion of a metal rod.

    Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has pointed to the summer as a likely return timeframe for his man, when the Dagestani will need to bounce back to keep his name in the championship conversation.

  • Netflix Co-CEO Staying Quiet About Rumors Of Interest In UFC Broadcast Deal

    Netflix Co-CEO Staying Quiet About Rumors Of Interest In UFC Broadcast Deal

    The UFC is preparing for a new media rights deal as its blockbuster contract with ESPN, signed in 2018, nears its end.

    This agreement followed FOX’s $200 million bid to retain broadcasting rights to the leading mixed martial arts promotion. With the deal set to expire, other networks and streaming platforms will soon have the opportunity to bid for UFC rights, and Netflix is expected to be among the contenders.

    Netflix, which recently signed a lucrative deal with WWE for Monday Night Raw and WWE Network rights in several international markets, has remained tight-lipped about its potential interest in the UFC. Speaking on a quarterly financial call, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos declined to comment directly on UFC negotiations but offered insights into the success of their WWE deal.

    “Not going to comment anything specifically like the UFC, but WWE is off to a great start,” Sarandos said (h/t MMA Fighting). “The first week we drew about five million views, which is about two times the audience that Monday Night Raw was getting on linear television. Pretty consistent with how we modeled it, how we’d hope to build the audience for the league. We also saw that non-live viewings and the day after the live event grew by 25 percent, mostly outside of the U.S. time zones.”

    Sarandos highlighted international markets where the WWE deal has gained traction.

    “This is new viewing in the U.K. and Canada, Mexico, Australia, Brazil in particular, which are really big markets,” he said. “In the U.S., our viewing of Monday Night Raw was as big as it has been in five years. So we’re super thrilled with how that’s going and how that’s coming out.”

    The WWE deal, worth $5 billion over 10 years, is an indicator of Netflix’s willingness to invest in sports entertainment. With UFC now operating under the TKO Group Holdings banner — following its financial merger with WWE — negotiations for the UFC’s media rights are expected to be led by TKO President Mark Shapiro and CEO Ari Emanuel.

    ESPN retains an exclusive negotiating window for the UFC media rights, which will expire on April 15, 2025. After that, the bidding war for one of the premier properties in combat sports is expected to intensify.

  • Robert Whittaker Has A Bone To Pick With Daniel Cormier After ‘Scummy’ Move

    Robert Whittaker Has A Bone To Pick With Daniel Cormier After ‘Scummy’ Move

    Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker wasn’t pleased to see an image of his damaged teeth quickly circulating online last October.

    Whittaker hasn’t competed since suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

    The undefeated “Borz” emerged victorious from his toughest test to date in emphatic fashion, locking in a face crank for the first-round submission.

    His Australian opponent tapped almost immediately due to the pressure of the submission hold displacing his front teeth. And the severity of the issue was revealed when color commentator Daniel Cormier displayed an image of Whittaker’s damaged mouth toward the end of the broadcast.

    The following month, “The Reaper” questioned the former fighter’s decision to share the image — and it would seem he’s still quite irritated.

    During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Whittaker addressed “DC” broadcasting the image to the MMA fanbase, explaining why he would have rather it stay behind closed doors.

    “I was super annoyed! It’s such a scummy thing to do,” Whittaker said. “The doctor took a photo of my mouth and said, ‘I’m just going to go show Dana (White) and Hunter (Campbell) so that they know what’s up.’ And I’m like, ‘Cool.’ And then DC took a photo off the other guy’s phone to post all over socials. It’s like, is that not scummy?

    “I don’t care that much (about it being out there), but it looked a lot worse than it (was),” Whittaker continued. “The thing is though,, because it was posted all over the place, I was getting condolence messages, like people thought I was dead. And I would have liked to control the reaction a little better, but it is what it is, what are you gonna do?”

    Whittaker went on to note the quick nature of his recovery from what initially appeared to be a traumatic injury, with the ex-champ returning to training just four weeks later.

    He’ll now be looking ahead to his first assignment of 2025 and attempt to return to winning ways, as he looks to restart his journey back toward the 185-pound gold.

  • Dan Hooker Claims Ilia Topuria Rejected Alexander Volkanovski Rematch For UFC 313 Due To Weight Cut Demand

    According to lightweight contender Dan Hooker, plans for Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski to run it back this March fell through due to the UFC featherweight champion’s inability to make the weight.

    Hooker recently had his return to action confirmed for UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8, where he’ll collide with former interim champion Justin Gaethje in a sure-fire banger.

    The event looks set to be a stacked one, with light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira defending his gold in the main event opposite top contender Magomed Ankalaev.

    As it turns out, though, another high-profile title clash could have found itself on the lineup.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Hooker asserted that occasional teammate and fellow Oceanian fighter Volkanovski agreed to run it back with Topuria in competition for the 145-pound strap he formerly owned. But according to “The Hangman,” the Spaniard allegedly requested half-a-year to drop the pounds.

    “They wanted to put Volk and Ilia on the (UFC 313) card as well but Ilia said he needs six months to make weight or something. I’m like, ‘Bro, what?’”

    Volkanovski was quick to outline his plans to secure redemption against Topuria after being knocked out by “El Matador” 11 months ago.

    While the reigning champ pointed toward that rematch being his next assignment after defending the belt versus Max Holloway in October, he’s since discussed a lightweight move.

    Topuria’s coach has also added context to those plans by outlining the increasing difficult his man is having making the featherweight limit, perhaps adding some supportive evidence behind Hooker’s claim.

  • Former UFC Fighter Explains Why Cardio Isn’t Merab Dvalishvili’s ‘Biggest Strength’

    Former UFC Fighter Explains Why Cardio Isn’t Merab Dvalishvili’s ‘Biggest Strength’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili may be known for his cardio, but one analyst has pointed to another attribute as being his most important.

    Dvalishvili opened his account for 2025 in style this past weekend, co-headlining the very first pay-per-view event of the new year in defense of his 135-pound gold.

    The Georgian entered UFC 311 as an underdog, with many backing undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov to become the latest from his team to secure championship glory.

    That script wasn’t followed by “The Machine,” however, as he lived up to his moniker by putting a relentless pace on Nurmagomedov through rounds three, four, and five to overcome a strong start from the Russian and get the nod on all three scorecards.

    In the aftermath, Dvalishvili’s engine has unsurprisingly been the main talking point and leading point of praise directed at the champ. But one ex-fighter has highlighted a different skill while identifying the Georgian’s greatest strength.

    “I attribute a lot of Merab’s success to his — which is a skill in itself, it’s an underappreciated skill in itself — and that is his ability to stay comfortable at all times,” Din Thomas said during an episode of MMA Today on SiriusXM. “Nothing makes him uncomfortable. Like, missing a shot? ‘I don’t care.’ Losing two rounds in the beginning? ‘I don’t care.’

    “Nothing makes him panic and he still keeps the same pace. Nothing breaks him,” Thomas continued. “That is a remarkable skill, and I think that’s his biggest strength. It’s not his cardio. I think his ability to just stay focused on task and remain comfortable while he’s doing it is his greatest asset.”

    Nurmagomedov has questioned the result in the aftermath. Regardless, he’ll need to bounce back next time out and begin the road toward earning a second title opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage.

    For Dvalishvili, on the other hand, Saturday’s result ensured that his reign got past its first hurdle four months on from his crowning at the expense of Sean O’Malley.

    “The Machine” is now targeting an incredibly active year, with his next defense potentially coming in the year’s second quarter.

  • Belal Muhammad Attempts To Put Kamaru Usman In His Place: ‘You’re Just A Podcaster Now!’

    Belal Muhammad Attempts To Put Kamaru Usman In His Place: ‘You’re Just A Podcaster Now!’

    UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad hasn’t liked the recent remarks coming from the mouth of his division’s former titleholder, Kamaru Usman.

    Usman hasn’t competed since October 2023, sitting out the entirety of 2024 following a narrow decision loss to the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev up at middleweight.

    Prior to that, he suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of Leon Edwards, once to lose the title and then to fail in his attempt at regaining it.

    Nevertheless, “The Nigerian Nightmare” hasn’t lost faith in his ability to still compete at the top, something he plans to prove in his return later this year.

    Though it remains to be seen what opposition that could come against, Usman won’t be short on options. He’s spent recent times berating those in the division who frequently call him out, outlining that he will face whomever once fit and healthy.

    But during a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Muhammad criticized the tone of those comments with a fiery onslaught, which included him branding Usman a “coward” and “just a podcaster.”

    “It’s so funny when you have a guy like him, right?” Muhammad said. “He’s on a three-fight losing streak, and when these guys are calling him out, he’s acting like — he’s putting himself on this pedestal like he’s still the champion, like they shouldn’t be calling him out. Bro, you’re just a podcaster now. You haven’t fought in over a year, and if you’re not gonna defend your ranking, then leave, quit!

    “I just need Usman to get a win,” Muhammad continued. “Like, he sucks so bad right now, like it’s just embarrassing where I just feel bad for him. Like he goes out there, you obviously have to fight somebody that’s on a streak. I think (Joaquin) Buckley called him out. Buckley’s been killing it at 170 (pounds). He just made Colby (Covington) look like a rookie. I think he goes out there and figures out a way to beat him. I know they offered him JDM (Jack Della Maddalena), but he turned it down because he’s a coward.”

    The pair’s heated exchanges have certainly set the stage nicely for a possible showdown. For the time being, though, that is some way off from coming to fruition.

    Muhammad will first have his sights on Shavkat Rakhmonov. After the cancellation of their planned headliner at UFC 310 last month following an injury to the champ, they’re expected to renew hostilities for the next welterweight title fight.

    Usman, meanwhile, remains at the very least one win over a high-ranked contender away from reinserting himself into the championship conversation.

  • Payton Talbott Issues Statement On First Career Loss At UFC 311

    Payton Talbott Issues Statement On First Career Loss At UFC 311

    UFC bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott has broken his silence after having the undefeated start to his professional career brought to a close this past weekend.

    Talbott was among the heavy favorites to emerge victorious from the first pay-per-view event of 2025, UFC 311 from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Jan. 18.

    But in the featured preliminary contest, the charismatic 135lber had his charge up the ladder stalled by a veteran of the sport in Raoni Barcelos, who utilized his grappling prowess to outpoint his much younger opponent across three rounds.

    While three straight UFC wins and an unblemished 9-0 record brought plenty of hype to Talbott’s name, cries of “fraud checked” were quick to fly around some MMA circles — as is often the case when a promising prospect endures a setback.

    But after taking some days to digest the result before releasing a statement, it doesn’t appear as though the defeat in Los Angeles has dented the up-and-comer’s motivation.

    “The vet gave me my first scar,” he wrote on Instagram. “May the skin heal itself to be strong and never split again. lucky to have such people in my life. fortunate to be able to learn valuable lessons. still had fun.”

    Having opened his Octagon account for the year with a first career loss, Talbott will be looking to reverse his 2025 fortunes when he makes the walk once again.

    And at the age of just 26, it’s safe to say that there’s plenty of time for the talented striker to round out his game in the months and years to come.

  • Patricio Pitbull’s Brother Also Gets PFL Release, Signs With Global Fight League

    Patricio Pitbull’s Brother Also Gets PFL Release, Signs With Global Fight League

    After joining his brother in departing the PFL, former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull has signed with the Global Fight League (GFL).

    According to MMA Fighting, Pitbull secured a deal with the promotion following his exit from the PFL. The GFL is set to hold its 2025 season draft on Friday night, where Pitbull’s next chapter in professional MMA will begin.

    The 39-year-old Brazilian took to social media to express gratitude for his time with previous promotions.

    “Former Bellator lightweight champion, most wins in the lightweight division, and most KOs in company history,” he wrote. “I’ll never forget all the amazing moments I had with the organization. And a couple of fun fights on PFL. I’m excited for what will be coming next.”

    Pitbull had an impressive tenure with Bellator before the organization ceased operations. During his 16-10 run, he set the record for most knockouts in company history with 11, scoring key victories over notable fighters such as Benson Henderson, Josh Thomson, Ryan Couture, and Peter Queally.

    The Brazilian captured the lightweight championship but eventually lost the title to Usman Nurmagomedov.

    Internationally, he made his mark in Japan as part of Bellator’s collaboration with RIZIN. He delivered memorable knockouts against fighters like Luiz Gustavo, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and RIZIN champion Roberto Satoshi. His final fight under the Bellator banner was a decision loss to Alexander Shabliy.

    After joining the PFL for its 2024 season, Pitbull faced challenges, dropping both of his lightweight bouts to Clay Collard and Bruno Miranda.

    Despite these setbacks, he remains optimistic about his future in the GFL, which offers him a fresh start as he continues his storied career.

  • Robert Whittaker Can’t See How Sean Strickland Does Anything ‘Differently’ To Beat Dricus Du Plessis In Rematch

    Robert Whittaker Can’t See How Sean Strickland Does Anything ‘Differently’ To Beat Dricus Du Plessis In Rematch

    Sean Strickland is set to face middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 312 on February 8 in Sydney.

    This bout comes after Du Plessis narrowly defeated Strickland via split decision at UFC 297 last January, a razor-close contest that has sparked debates and fueled speculation about the possibility of the title changing hands again.

    Former champion Robert Whittaker, who faced Du Plessis in a title eliminator at UFC 290, shared his doubts about the American’s chances in the rematch. The Australian was stopped by Du Plessis in their fight and doesn’t believe Strickland has what it takes to reclaim the belt.

    “People will argue with me, saying it [the decision] was controversial anyway, and I thought so too,” Whittaker said on the MMArcade Podcast, referencing Strickland’s loss at UFC 297. “But that was when he was champion, and he still lost a controversial [decision] to the challenger. What is going to happen differently in their next fight?”

    Whittaker expressed skepticism about Strickland’s ability to adapt his approach, pointing out the predictable nature of his fighting style.

    “Because I don’t see Sean fighting any different way. That’s how Sean fights, and that’s how Dricus fights,” Whittaker explained. “I don’t know — maybe Dricus gets more takedowns because he had decent enough success with it, but honestly, I don’t see how Sean does anything different to eke out the victory.”

    As UFC 312 approaches, fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see if “Tarzan” can defy expectations or if Du Plessis will cement his reign as middleweight champion.

  • ‘Hope He Has Good People Around Him’ – Fans React To Anthony Smith Revealing Request To Compete In Power Slap After UFC Retirement

    ‘Hope He Has Good People Around Him’ – Fans React To Anthony Smith Revealing Request To Compete In Power Slap After UFC Retirement

    Following his second consecutive loss at UFC 310 last month, Anthony Smith suggested that it may be the final time that he steps inside the Octagon. “Lionheart” was incredibly emotional in that moment but the decision to put a full stop on his career is something that fans have expected for some time with Dana White even saying after the event that he hoped it would be the end of the line.

    It was clear from his walk out in Las Vegas on December 7 that the former light heavyweight title challenger wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be competing following the loss of a very close friend and former cornerman. He was stopped by Dominick Reyes in the second round but after having some time to reflect on the fight, he recently announced on The Ariel Helwani Show that he has a fight scheduled for April that will allow him to go out on his own terms.

    “Yeah, it’s one more. Win, lose, or draw, that’s going to be it.”

    During the same interview, Smith also said that he had inquired about the possibility of competing in a different arena once he lays the gloves down. Rather than swapping them for boxing gloves like several high-profile names have in recent times, the 36-year old was interesting in abandoning them for good by stepping into Power Slap.

    Smith said that after posing the question to the UFC’s Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, his request was denied. Considering that he he will have 59 pro MMA bouts under his belt by the end of April, this could be to stop other fighters who are at the end of their careers from taking more damage.

    “Dude, I tried. They told me no, straight up. I asked Hunter, he told me no. He wouldn’t even bring it to Dana.”

    Fight fans reacted on social media to Smith’s statement with a lot of messages from people who want the best for him.

    “I sincerely hope he’s okay. I was worried about him after his last fight.”

    “No one wants to see that :(“

    “no plz… he got kids and family”

    https://twitter.com/ChopDewey/status/1881835276743704827

    “Glad the UFC is looking out for him because doing Power Slap would be horrible for him. He already has his next job in the media secured.”

    “On and off paper, this is for the best”

    “I hope he has good people around him. He seems extremely troubled.”

  • Former Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Outlines What PFL Must Do To Keep Him

    Former Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Outlines What PFL Must Do To Keep Him

    Vadim Nemkov isn’t entirely satisfied with how he has been treated since becoming a PFL fighter but he isn’t looking for the exit door either. In fact, despite having the last fight on his current contract this weekend, he is happy to stay with the promotion if they’re able to give him what he was initially promised.

    The Russian is one of the big names and talents that the PFL acquired when they bought Bellator towards the end of 2023 but embedding that huge influx of new fighters have been far less than seamless. Several fighters have been very vocal about this with major names like Gegard Mousasi and Patrício Pitbull being granted their releases from their contracts as a result.

    The promotion is seemingly looking to address this in 2025 by re-shaping their format and Nemkov is seemingly optimistic about the future. One problem did arise when he wasn’t happy with the way that the promotion went about announcing a fight between him and Corey Anderson, who he beat in 2022, without him agreeing to this matchup.

    His bout at this weekend’s Road to Dubai event was then changed to be a clash with Tim Johnson who Nemkov believes is a viable opponent for him as he continues to progress as a heavyweight having previously been the Bellator light heavyweight champion. With this settled, the former titleholder’s main complaint, as he detailed in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, is the same issue that the other fighters have had and that’s activity.

    Nemkov says that having not fought since February last year where he submitted Bruno Cappelozza, he’s open to the idea of committing his future to the PFL if they’re going to honor their claims of how many fights he will be offered over a set amount of time. At 32-years old, he just wants to be able to regularly compete.

    “It’s the last fight on my contract,” Nemkov said through an interpreter. “I was supposed to have four fights during the two years, and I only had one. This is going to be the second fight. … Honestly speaking, I’m OK with the PFL. The thing is I’m at the peak of my fighting career. I feel great. If they’re able to provide what we were supposed to do from the beginning, with three or four fights a year, I would be fine with that. But as of right now, I’m just concentrating on this fight.”

  • Timeline Revealed For Umar Nurmagomedov’s Return Following UFC 311 Loss

    Timeline Revealed For Umar Nurmagomedov’s Return Following UFC 311 Loss

    It will be at least a good few months until we see Umar Nurmagomedov step back inside the Octagon following UFC 311 this past weekend. The bantamweight title challenger may have suffered the first loss of his career in the co-main event but there were a lot of positives for him take from this fight.

    For a start, his highly anticipated clash with Merab Dvalishvili ended up producing one of the best title fights in some time, earning both men a fight of the night bonus at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Nurmagomedov also won the first two rounds on two of the scorecards with the relentless cardio of the defending champion seeing him take over from this point on as the tide began to turn in his favor.

    What makes the challenger’s display even more impressive is that immediately after the bout in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, the 29-year old said that he believed he had broken his hand in the first round. Dvalishvili also came into the fight in less than ideal condition but you wouldn’t have been able to tell from either of their performances and that’s a huge credit to both of them.

    Following the confirmation of Nurmagomedov’s hand injury, his manager has since posted a timeframe for his return as the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov looks to get back in the mix. Ali Abdelaziz posted the following message on X to state that after taking some time off to recover, his fighter will be ready to go again in several months time.

    Given that Nurmagomedov is yet to face many of the top contenders at 135-pounds, as Dvalishvili remarked throughout the build up to January 18, there are a lot of exciting options for him even after suffering a defeat.

    “@UNmgdv getting a surgery tomorrow on his hand, he will be back in the cage mid or late summer”

  • Update Provided On Nick Diaz’s Status Following Concerning Video & Canceled UFC Return

    Update Provided On Nick Diaz’s Status Following Concerning Video & Canceled UFC Return

    Following a surprise announcement last year, fight fans learned that Stockton’s own Nick Diaz was gearing up for another Octagon return that would take place against Vicente Luque. The matchup was initially set for the UFC’s Abu Dhabi event on August 3 before it was pushed back to UFC 310 which took place in Las Vegas last month.

    The last time that Diaz made a comeback was in 2021 where both before and after his loss to Robbie Lawler, there were serious concerns regarding his health. This was the same in the lead up to his bout with Luque which ended up being removed from the card with Luque going on to face and submit Themba Gorimbo in the final PPV card of 2024.

    A video that went viral on social media several days after the news that Diaz would be in action on December 7 prompted further worries as the former welterweight title challenger appeared to be trying to light grass on fire whilst being shirtless at the side of a road. Having not won a fight since 2011, many were critical of him returning in 2021 from a competition point of view alone.

    Following this period of concern, a close friend of Diaz’s gave a promising update about his current situation. His long-time training partner Jake Shields recently stated that this has been a difficult period for both the 41-year old and his loved ones.

    However, Shields is optimistic that things are now on the up for the fan favorite who has been dealing with “some stuff” behind the scenes.

    “He’s doing a lot better,” Shields said on The Overdogs podcast. “I’m not going to get into anything personal with him. But he had some stuff that’s been going on for a little while and he’s finally heading in the right direction. “So, I’m hopeful for Nick because he’s like a brother of mine, one of my best friends.

    “Life’s tough sometimes, ups and downs, and things can happen. Nick was dealing with something, and I think he’s headed in the right direction. I haven’t felt that way in a long time. I finally feel a lot better about that situation. We’ll see, time will tell. I’m so close to him so it’s painful watching you know someone struggle with some things. But I think he’s going to be finally better.”

  • VIDEO: Alex Pereira Sharpens Grappling Skills Ahead Of Magomed Ankalaev Title Defense

    VIDEO: Alex Pereira Sharpens Grappling Skills Ahead Of Magomed Ankalaev Title Defense

    Alex Pereira is smartly not taking Magomed Ankalaev’s previous comments as total fact. The two men are set to finally meet in the main event of UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas in what many believe will be the defending champion’s toughest test to date.

    In recent times, Ankalaev has largely relied on his striking and whilst he hasn’t had a reason to abandon this approach because it has been working, everyone knows that he is a talented grappler even if he hasn’t shown that inside the Octagon for some time. In pursuing this fight with “Poatan”, the challenger has claimed that he is only going to stand and strike with Pereira which would seemingly put him at a disadvantage.

    Pereira has accomplished incredible things since signing with the UFC in 2021 but what makes his success even more impressive is that he’s still playing catch-up to the opponents that he faces who will have vastly more experience than him both in the cage and in the MMA gym. In a recent clip posted on social media, fans got to see some insight into the evolution of the 205-pound champion.

    The former Glory kickboxer recently spent some time training in Brazil alongside the Fighting Nerds team who have got some serious momentum behind them right now following star-making years for the likes of Jean Silva and Carlos Prates. The gym’s Instagram page posted a video of Pereira doing some grappling arounds alongside Geovanis Palacios who is a former Olympic wrestler for Cuba who has 7 MMA bouts under his belt.

    Pereira is already a master striker so it makes sense that he would be continuing to put himself through the grappling ringer just in case Ankalaev decides to flip the script that he has wrote himself in Las Vegas.