BMF titleholder Max Holloway is not only down to run it back with former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, but he even has a date in mind for their second showdown.
Talk of “Blessed” and “Do Bronx” sharing the cage a decade on from their featherweight battle has reignited this week after the latter pondered his next step in the UFC.
Fresh off a dominant win over Michael Chandler last November, Oliveira attended UFC 311 on Saturday, expecting to potentially have his next opponent decided.
Islam Makhachev ultimately emerged victorious and with the lightweight belt still in his possession, submitting Renato Moicano after he replaced Arman Tsarukyan on just 24 hours’ notice.
With the Armenian seemingly needing to re-earn his shot, Oliveira believes he warrants top contender status. But should the Dagestani champ look to sit out until the promotion’s annual Abu Dhabi PPV in October, the former titleholder wants to compete in the meantime.
Holloway last competed at UFC 294 in October, where he failed in his pursuit of another reign at 145 pounds. He was knocked out for the first time by reigning champ Ilia Topuria.
Having previously earned the BMF title and a ranking at lightweight by sleeping Justin Gaethje, it would appear that a return to the higher weight class is likely for the fan favorite.
Their co-headliner went the distance and collected Fight of the Night honors, with defending champ Dvalishvili ultimately emerging with his hand raised and the 135-pound gold still in his possession.
While the Dagestani challenger enjoyed a strong start inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, the Georgian’s renowned pace and cardio ultimately proved to be the difference across the final three rounds.
Though he’d have no doubt expected that to be the case, one of the champ’s coaches admitted the victory over Nurmagomedov on Jan. 18 came more comfortably than he had foreseen during a recent appearance on Submission Radio.
“No, (nothing surprised us), not at all,” Syndicate MMA’s John Wood said. “He did what I thought he would do, and maybe he broke his hand in the first round, maybe he didn’t, who knows. I don’t think a broken hand affects your cardio from the last I checked. I don’t think your hand and your lungs are connected, so I don’t think that played into anything. And who cares? It’s a fight, that’s what happens.
“If anything, the only thing I’d say is it was maybe easier than expected,” Wood continued. “That’s not being disrespectful (to Nurmagomedov), it’s how good Merab is, and I really want people to start noticing that.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka disregarded any and all trash talk that Jamahal Hill had thrown his way when they shared a drink this past weekend.
The two ex-titleholders collided in one of the most important and highly anticipated matchups on the opening pay-per-view card of the year, UFC 311 inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
“BJP” was largely on top throughout an entertaining scrap, dropping “Sweet Dreams” more than once before a final flurry in round three forced the referee’s intervention to award the Czech star victory by way of TKO.
Though Hill gained a reputation as somewhat of a ‘sore loser’ in some circles of the MMA community owing to his reaction post-KO defeat to Alex Pereira, he was gracious and classy in reacting to the Jan. 18 setback.
That was most visible when the two combatants shared a drink following their battle. And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Procházka detailed what was said.
“We saw each other after the fight and in the bar when we were back in the hotel,” Procházka said. “I bought him a glass of vodka. So, we took a shot and I just told him like, ‘We fight together, we drink together…all good between us,’ and he is the same.
“He’s a good guy, man. He’s a really, really good guy,” Procházka continued. “In some situations, I don’t know why he was (talking trash) before the fight. We spoke about his speeches and all these things, but I don’t care right now. It is behind us.”
It remains to be seen what will come next for either man, but judging by his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, it’s clear that “BJP” has his sights set on a third opportunity to defeat Pereira.
Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is after redemption next time out, but not necessarily opposite Arman Tsarukyan.
Oliveira was in Los Angeles last week, expecting to see his likely next opponent decided in a planned title clash between champ Islam Makhachev and challenger Tsarukyan at UFC 311.
But after the Armenian withdrew 24 hours out from the pay-per-view event through injury, Oliveira’s countryman Renato Moicano stepped in and was quickly submitted inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
With that turn of events, it’s unclear what lies ahead for Makhachev following his fourth successful defense, especially after UFC CEO Dana White stated in no uncertain terms that Tsarukyan must re-earn the title opportunity he initially secured with a win over Oliveira last April.
But should the wait for a potential second clash with Makhachev be too long for his liking, a sophomore dance with Tsarukyan apparently won’t be the direction Oliveira looks in.
During a recent interview with the UFC, the Brazilian pointed to a different former adversary whom he’d like to run it back with.
“I prefer to leave it to my managers and focus only on training and being with my family, but we’ll have to see when he (Makhachev) will want to come back now,” Oliveira said. “If he only wants to fight in October, I definitely want to fight before that, so why not challenge Max Holloway for the BMF belt?
“I think Max himself talked about it (a possible rematch). We met before, but I suffered an injury right in the beginning, so there wasn’t an actual fight,” Oliveira continued. “I think we deserve to make this fight happen. He’s moved up, he’s the BMF, the toughest one. I’m very tough myself, I hold a lot of UFC records, so that would be huge.”
When the pair first fought back in 2015, a sudden oesophagus injury sustained by Oliveira handed Holloway the win by TKO.
Talk of a rematch between the pair arose last November in the aftermath of “Do Bronx’s” win over Michael Chandler, with “Blessed” welcoming the chance to defend his symbolic BMF belt for the first time opposite the Brazilian fan favorite.
When it comes to the ever-polarizing pound-for-pound debate between Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev, UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith is in the corner of his former opponent.
This past weekend, Makhachev did no harm to his claim to top spot, where he already currently sits in the official UFC rankings. The Dagestani secured a record-breaking fourth successful defense of his lightweight belt and fifth UFC title win at the expense of Renato Moicano.
One man who has long been against that has been UFC CEO Dana White, instead putting forth heavyweight kingpin Jones as the clear and obvious P4P number one.
Interestingly, despite Moicano being a lower-ranked and late-notice replacement opponent for Makhachev after the withdrawal of Arman Tsarukyan, White finally acknowledged Makhachev as the P4P best while interacting with the media in Los Angeles.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, though, Smith dismissed that take owing to one discrepancy when it comes to Jones and Makhachev’s record — one “legitimate” defeat.
“I still think it’s Jon Jones,” Smith said. “He’s gone through three different generations of fighters and has continued to win. And again, Islam has taken a legitimate loss and Jon Jones hasn’t.
“I think you take them all and put them in a room, Jon Jones walks out,” Smith concluded.
Makhachev’s sole career loss came a decade ago at UFC 192, where he was knocked out cold by Adriano Martins.
On paper, Jones boasts the same number of setbacks. But the importance of that has long been dismissed in MMA circles due to it coming via disqualification for a now-legal 12-6 elbow against Matt Hamill in 2009.
While facts such as fight-day weights and base purses are rarely seen officially, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) provides more disclosure for events under its jurisdiction.
Renowned MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter shared the figures via CSAC this week, with the most notable increases from weigh-in day to fight night coming from Tagir Ulanbekov, Payton Talbott, Merab Dvalishvili, Raoni Barcelos and Renato Moicano — all of whom weighed 17 percent more a day on from weighing in.
The California State Athletic Commission have released the fight night weights for UFC 311.
With his 26.8-pound change, Moicano was 3.8 pounds heavier for his unsuccessful title challenger opposite Islam Makhachev in the UFC 311 main event.
The biggest discrepancy, meanwhile, came in the main card middleweight contest between Reinier de Ridder and Kevin Holland. With a 15 percent increase, the Dutchman boasted a 21.6-pound advantage over “Trailblazer,” who gained just 4 percent post-weigh-in.
Paddy Pimblett had harsh words for Renato Moicano following his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 this past weekend.
“The Baddy” criticized Moicano for tapping out to a D’Arce choke midway through the opening round, rather than enduring the submission and passing out. Pimblett took to social media, repeatedly urging Moicano to “go to sleep” and accusing him of tapping “after like two seconds like a b*tch.”
Veteran fighter Matt Brown weighed in on the controversy, attributing Pimblett’s remarks to a desire for attention while speaking on MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast.
“I’m betting it’s just Paddy trying to talk and be in the news and get his voice out there and just say things.”
Brown, a seasoned jiu-jitsu practitioner, dismissed the notion that going to sleep in a submission proves anything.
“You start seeing the tunnel close — that’s what happens when you almost go to sleep. What’s the point at that stage? We all do jiu-jitsu. We know when we’re caught and when the end is inevitable. You either tap or go to sleep. Just tap. There’s no shame in it. You got caught. That’s it.”
Brown also suggested Moicano likely understands where he went wrong and doesn’t need criticism for choosing to tap. He called the Liverpool native’s remarks “utter nonsense,” emphasizing that there’s no added respect or benefit to losing consciousness in a fight.
“In training, you’re working to avoid getting caught in a submission—not testing how long your joints can hold out,” Brown explained. “It’s just silly. I think Paddy’s trying to start something with Moicano, maybe angling for a fight. Which is fine, but he knows better. When you’re caught, you’re caught. Tapping or going to sleep doesn’t change that.”
Brown concluded by reiterating that there’s no advantage to enduring a submission.
“No one respects you more for going to sleep. You’re not getting a bonus for it. There’s literally nothing you gain by not tapping.”
Arman Tsarukyan was originally set to headline UFC 311 in a lightweight title fight against reigning champion Islam Makhachev. However, an injury forced the Armenian to withdraw, costing him a chance to compete for the championship.
Renato Moicano stepped in as a last-minute replacement, but the Brazilian was defeated via first-round submission.
Following the event, UFC CEO Dana White stated that Tsarukyan would now have to work his way back up for another title shot. Tsarukyan himself appeared to agree, as he expressed on social media.
However, not everyone agrees with this assessment.
In his post-fight reaction, UFC commentator Daniel Cormier argued that Tsarukyan still deserves to be next in line for a shot at the title.
“I believe it still needs to be Tsarukyan,” Cormier said. “Because I believe Tsarukyan, even though it’s a rematch and even though we know Charles [Oliveira] is supposed to be next, I still feel like Tsarukyan’s size, his abilities, his skill set, could present the biggest problems for Islam Makhachev.”
Cormier also highlighted Makhachev’s dominance over the lightweight division.
“Look at what he does to the rest [of the contenders],” Cormier said. “He has submitted or finished so many of the best lightweights in the world. Think about this — he finished Oliveira to become the champ. He finished [Alexander] Volkanovski in the rematch. He finished Dustin Poirier in his last title defense and now he finished Renato Moicano.”
Cormier continued to praise Makhachev for accepting a short-notice fight against a surging contender.
“Once again, Islam Makhachev proves to be the best lightweight in the world, submitting Renato Moicano in the very first round with a D’arce choke. I run out of ways to describe who Islam Makhachev is. This guy is a champion in every sense of the word. Not many guys would have accepted a fight for their belt on 24 hours’ notice against a guy that was on a four-fight win streak that you did not train for. He’s the best and he’s proving that time and time again.”
As Tsarukyan works to regain his spot in the title conversation, the debate over who should challenge Makhachev next continues to intensify.
Tom Aspinall, like many fans and fellow fighters, tuned into UFC 311 to watch a man that many believe is at the very top of the sport right now. Islam Makhachev may have undergone a change to his opponent literally the day before fight night but this didn’t affect him one bit.
The lightweight champion still went out there like it was business as usual and submitted Renato Moicano in the first round. It may not have been the Arman Tsarukyan rematch that people have wanted to see for such a long time but it once again showed that when Makhachev says it doesn’t matter who you put him in there with, he means it.
At 33-years old, he’s now the record holder for the most consecutive lightweight title defenses with four and by earning his 15th consecutive win inside the Octagon, he is tied at second with Kamaru Usman for the longest winning streak in UFC history with one spot to go until he draws level with Anderson Silva.
Another Makhachev win meant more people making the case for why he is the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the sport today. Whilst some may argue that the accomplishments of Jon Jones speak for themselves, others might state that “Bones” hasn’t been overly active or facing the same level of opposition.
It was only a matter of time before Dana White was once again asked about this topic having been very vocal in the past that it’s Jones with no room for debate. After seeing the UFC boss change his answer, Aspinall commented on this during a video on his YouTube channel.
“Now we’re seeing Dana White coming out and saying that he’s the pound-for-pound No. 1 in the world, Islam Makhachev,” Aspinall said. “As we all know, to me, pound-for-pound is a lot of made-up stuff. I don’t look into that. But it’s just funny that he’s kind of jumped ship now from Jon Jones to Islam.”
Regardless of whether or not Makhachev was able to convince anyone else that he is the best fighter in the sport today, Aspinall was happy to see him go out there and get the win. In many ways, it felt like a fairly routine outing for the 155-pound king but that doesn’t bother the Brit one bit.
“Islam did what he was supposed to do: went out there, fought whoever was put in front of him, which is what a champion is supposed to do. Fought a guy that the UFC told him to fight, got the win, and he’s levels above anybody else in that division. He’s going to hold the belt for a long, long time, and that is something that I’m very excited for because I’m a massive Islam Makhachev fan.”
Jamahal Hill appears to be in good spirits following UFC 311 this past weekend where he was defeated by Jiří Procházka in a fantastic light heavyweight contest. The former champion is currently coming off of back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career after facing two of the most dangerous knockout artists in the sport in consecutive outings.
“Sweet Dreams” certainly had his moments in the fight, specifically in the second round where he appeared to swing the momentum back in his favor by starting to land more effective strikes on his opponent. After seemingly being hurt to the body in that round, Procházka bounced back in the third and was able to finish Hill to get himself back in the win column.
Whilst there are certainly positives for Hill to take from this fight, this was a big moment for him in his career but he isn’t letting that keep him down for too long. There was tension between the two men in the build-up to the fight following some comments that Hill made but this has since been put to rest in the aftermath of their long-awaited fight.
The Chicago native posted a video on his Instagram which shows the two men sharing a drink with one another in Los Angeles after putting on a great back-and-forth battle for the fans inside the Intuit Dome. The mutual respect shown in this video was also echoed by Hill in the caption as he reflected on the fight for the first time.
He gave props to his opponent whilst being grateful for the position he’s in right now with plenty of hunger to get back to winning ways in the near future.
“First of congratulations to @jirkaprochazka you made great adjustments and gave me a hell of a fight!!! I want to thank everybody that reached out with love and support I truly appreciate you all!!! My fire has never burned hotter or brighter for my future and growth!! Fighting against the elite of the elite is an honor and blessing that I don’t take for granted and yes it comes with some hard lessons but this is my journey and I’m going to set the course back right!!! Negative and hate are from those that know where they stand beneath you and want to bring you down to their level!! My head is high my heart is full and I can’t wait for my time to shine again Sweet Dreams Nation we move forward and onward!!!”
Merab Dvalishvili produced a remarkable performance in the co-main event of UFC 311 to remain the bantamweight champion. Heading into his first title defense, there were some questions surrounding his decision to take this fight against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov for multiple reasons.
Not only did the champion appear to be emotional after admitting to taking the fight on six weeks notice because he felt disrespected by his challenger, there was talk ahead of Saturday night about both men coming in at less than 100%. This only makes Dvalishvili’s latest win even more impressive after he detailed some of the struggles he was battling to even make it to the Octagon, let alone the incredible tenacity that he showed inside the Octagon.
A leg injury in particular seriously threated the fight which considering what happened with Arman Tsarukyan having to withdraw from his rematch with Islam Makhachev due to a back injury, would have been a disaster for the UFC. The Georgian was at serious risk of being pulled from the fight but somehow, it healed enough for him to get the all clear and “The Machine” was never going to let some cuts and bruises stop him from doing what he does best, no matter how bad they were, especially after Nurmagomedov mentioned the champion pulling out to avoid fighting him.
Dvalishvili did detail these injuries in his post-fight press conference having been cut off by Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview but videos that he has since posted on social media show the true extent of the damage that was done to his leg. The following videos are certainly not for the squeamish but to an iron-willed champion like Dvalishvili, they are but a flesh wound.
Merab Dvalishvili has posted footage and a photograph of the leg injury he suffered in the lead up to his fight against Umar Nurmagomedov at #UFC311. 😬
Whilst Dvalishvili seems relatively unfazed by the injury in the video where he gives his initial reaction, he is certainly in the minority in that regard.
Henry Cejudo has expressed admiration for Merab Dvalishvili’s accomplishments in the UFC bantamweight division, even going so far as to call his former opponent the greatest of all time (GOAT) in the division.
Dvalishvili has built an impressive résumé, defeating top-tier opponents such as José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo and Sean O’Malley.
“The Machine” captured the bantamweight title at UFC 306 last September by defeating O’Malley. He successfully defended his title for the first time this past weekend at UFC 311, where he faced undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili won the bout by unanimous decision, earning another Fight of the Night award in the process.
Speaking on the latest episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Kamaru Usman, Cejudo explained why he considers Dvalishvili the bantamweight GOAT.
“You have to, man,” Cejudo said. “Yan, O’Malley, Cejudo, Umar, (Marlon) Moraes, Aldo. I mean, he’s fought everybody, dude. He’s beat everybody in this division, you could say in their prime. You just can, man. Merab is the bantamweight GOAT, at least in my eyes. He only has one title defense, but the people who he has beaten is great. Great top-five résumé, maybe in UFC period, right now.”
Dvalishvili’s dominance and ability to defeat elite contenders during their prime have solidified his reputation as one of the best fighters in UFC history. As his career continues, the debate over his legacy in the bantamweight division is likely to grow even stronger.
UFC lightweight contender Renato Moicano is already looking ahead to his next assignment — and a grudge that he wants to settle in 2025.
Moicano was the recipient of a surprise title shot this past weekend in Los Angeles, where MMA’s leading promotion opened its pay-per-view account for 2025 with UFC 311 from the Intuit Dome.
Originally scheduled to do battle with Beneil Dariush on the main card, Moicano found himself making the walk for the headliner and sharing the Octagon with champion Islam Makhachev.
His sudden title shot came about after the late withdrawal of Arman Tsarukyan. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, he was unable to shock the world on 24 hours’ notice, instead falling to a submission in the first round.
While some may say it’s difficult to criticize the fan favorite’s efforts given the manner in which his first championship opportunity arrived, longtime rival Paddy Pimblett found a way.
“@danawhite just book this fight already,” he wrote on X.
While Moicano is licking his wounds following an unsuccessful opening outing in 2025 and title shot, Pimblett remains without a date in the calendar for his next bout.
With that in mind, perhaps the #13-ranked lightweight will find himself with the chance to back up his promise to replicate Makhachev’s performance against the Brazilian later this year.
The coach of Sean O’Malley believes the former UFC bantamweight champion can be the “kryptonite” to Merab Dvalishvili.
Dvalishvili returned four months on from his victory over O’Malley to be crowned champ this past weekend, defending the title for the first time opposite undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov.
The Georgian enhanced his legacy on MMA’s biggest stage with a massive victory in the UFC 311 co-headliner, utilizing his renowned cardio and pace to outpoint his Dagestani rival across five rounds.
With the result, “The Machine” is now being firmly discussed in the division’s GOAT conversation, and many have questioned who has what it takes to unseat him at 135 pounds.
According to coach Tim Welch, the one hope is O’Malley.
“(Dvalishvili) is on a streak, I’ll tell you what,” Welch said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel. “You could tell after that fourth round that Umar was seriously gassed; he was really tired. He did a good job wrestling. Merab was shooting a ton and Umar was doing a great job at stuffing all of his shots. If he did hit his butt, he hit his butt just for a second and popped right up. But Merab just kept that pace and cardio on him. He’s got some cardio, I’ll tell you that.
“That last 30 seconds of the fight I think really made Merab win the fight. He’s a problem, he’s a big problem,” Welch continued. “But I do believe that we can be the kryptonite to Merab with the right game plan and a good fight camp. With ‘Suge’ healthy, I think we take him out. And we’ll find out, now won’t we?”
Soon after his decision defeat to the current champ inside the Sphere last September, O’Malley headed to the surgery room for a procedure to repair a torn labrum.
Targeting a return in the second quarter of 2025, “Suga” will hope to do so in the form of an opportunity at redemption opposite Dvalishvili.
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has described the moment his ambitions of a title crowning in Los Angeles this past weekend came to a crashing halt.
Tsarukyan completed his media obligations and took to the stage for a press conference appearance last week ahead of the UFC 311 pay-per-view on Saturday night. Unfortunately for the Armenian, however, he didn’t make it to fight night.
It was announced Friday that Renato Moicano was stepping in on 24 hours’ notice to challenge Islam Makhachev after Tsarukyan suffered a back injury during his weight cut.
Many were quick to question how the original challenger had gotten hurt while using a stationary bike to cut the pounds. And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Tsarukyan revealed that he had actually felt some discomfort the night before.
“Everything was good, but on the last day, Wednesday after training, I went to sleep and I started to feel my lower back. And I couldn’t sleep all night,” Tsarukyan said. “The next day, I thought it’s going to be good and after press conference I’m going to start my weight cut. And when I started my weight cut. I was (using the) bike and like, that moment my back was stuck and I couldn’t move.”
That physical issue not only prevented him from running it back with Makhachev inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome on Jan. 18 but also seems to have forced him to relinquish number one contender status.
After UFC CEO Dana White announced as much during the post-fight press conference, Tsarukyan himself publicly supported the decision and outlined his intentions to re-earn a title shot later this year.
Merab Dvalishvili utilized some trickery to ensure an injury went unnoticed during medical checks ahead of UFC 311 — and it’s not a particularly strong advertisement for the California State Athletic Commission’s due diligence…
“The Machine” once again lived up to his moniker, putting on a relentless pace inside the cage that ultimately proved to be the difference, as he outpointed his Dagestani rival across five rounds at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
To make the result even more impressive, the Georgian was seemingly far from 100 percent in the lead-up. He notably sustained a deep cut to his shin just weeks before fight night that even became infected.
While that left the status of his clash against Nurmagomedov up in the air, nothing was going to stop Dvalishvili from making the walk in Los Angeles — pre-fight medical checks includes.
During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, “The Machine” explained how he was able to make the wound on his shin go undetected.
“I was worried the commission was not going to let me fight. … California has a very strict commission,” Dvalishvili said. “The commission guy asked me to show me him my shin, so I lifted my left leg pant to show him my shin. He kept talking and then asked to show my other leg, so I showed him my left leg again and then he never knew about the cut.”
Suffice it to say that one CSAC member isn’t too hard to dupe.
Dvalishvili will have been ecstatic that his deception paid off, as he put on a clinic in the final three frames of the UFC 311 co-headliner to keep hold of the bantamweight championship and extend his reign beyond its first hurdle.
Makhachev dominated Renato Moicano, who stepped in as Tsarukyan’s late replacement, securing a first-round submission to notch his fourth consecutive title defense in dominant fashion.
As if the injury wasn’t enough for the 28-year-old Armenian, things took an unexpected turn at the UFC 311 post-fight press conference. UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Tsarukyan won’t be given an immediate title shot. Instead, he’ll need to secure one or two more victories before earning being considered for another crack at the belt.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Hooker weighed in on Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from his first UFC title shot, expressing shock over the timing of the injury that led to the unexpected setback.
“How do you get injured on your day off?” Hooker said. “I got no idea… I thought it was pretty, pretty strange, bro, to get such a severe injury that you need to pull out when you’re cutting weight, you know?”
“The Hangman” didn’t hold back, taking sharp jabs at Tsarukyan for missing out on an immediate title shot, while mocking his apparently privileged background and his father Nairi Tsarukyan’s wealth.
“It must be a pretty severe injury. But, like, your world title is your absolutely everything. I don’t know how you would pass up on that opportunity. Yeah, like, I obviously saw Dana White just say that he ain’t getting the title shot next and he’s going to have to work his way back up to the belt, you know. Daddy can’t buy you a backbone, can he?”
Hooker is placing himself in the mix for a lightweight title shot as he’s set to clash with former interim champion Justin Gaethje in a five-round battle. The high-stakes bout will take place as the co-main event of UFC 311 on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Francis Ngannou has an exciting year ahead as he balances his pursuits in both boxing and MMA.
In his return to MMA, Ngannou delivered a dominant victory over Renan Ferreira at PFL: Battle of the Giants, reigniting fan interest in what the former UFC heavyweight champion will do next.
Ngannou has expressed his openness to competing in both sports, though his next move hinges on discussions with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). The promotion’s founder and chairman, Donn Davis, confirmed that Ngannou remains under contract with the organization and shared insights into their collaborative planning process.
“He is still under the same contract with us,” Davis explained during a Town Hall-style interview with MMA Fighting. “We’re happy, he’s happy. No. 2, we work very partner-like with Francis. We plan, ‘What does he want to do? Why does he want to do that? What are the full options?’ We sit down with him like you would any real partner.”
Davis indicated that Ngannou is likely to compete in both boxing and MMA in 2025 but suggested the former could come first due to the lucrative opportunities available.
“If I had to guess, I would think boxing will be first, given the opportunities he has,” Davis said. “I don’t want to say anything about that. That’s his business for him to announce, but he has unbelievable boxing opportunities. So I think that’s more likely to come first, and MMA is likely to come second.”
According to Davis, Ngannou’s fans can expect to see him compete in one fight in each sport this year.
“What I believe you’ll see from Francis this year is one MMA in PFL and one boxing from Francis,” Davis concluded. “So I think fans of Francis will see him do one of each this year.”
As Ngannou’s next steps unfold, the combat sports world will eagerly anticipate his dual-sport ambitions and the challenges that lie ahead.
For Ankalaev, his long-awaited second title shot has been a journey months in the making, as he has been calling out “Poatan” ever since the Brazilian champion successfully defended his title against Jiří Procházka at UFC 303 this past June. However, the MMA promotion took an unexpected turn by booking Khalil Rountree to face Pereira at UFC 307 in October, only adding to the Russian’s mounting frustration.
Subsequently, Ankalaev was matched up with Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308, where he delivered a dominant performance to further cement his status as the top contender for the title. Pereira cheekily teased him on social media, suggesting he had other opponents in mind for his next challenge. This sparked a wave of speculation from several fans and even the former title challenger himself, with many claiming that “Poatan” was attempting to sidestep their inevitable showdown.
Following the announcement of their matchup during the UFC 311 broadcast this past weekend, Pereira took to X to deliver a message to his future opponent, writing, “See you soon, Ankalaev.”
Ankalaev wasted no time firing back at Pereira, issuing a menacing ultimatum and mocking his past as a tire shop worker. He vowed to make the 205-pound champion regret allegedly stalling their upcoming bout.
You just sign your death certificate I’m gonna punish you for ducking me and I’m gonna make you look like a guy work in a tire shop not professional Fighter
“You just signed your death certificate. I’m gonna punish you for ducking me, and I’m gonna make you look like a guy work in a tire shop not professional Fighter.” Ankalaev wrote on X.
The 32-year-old Dagestani further asserted that he is far better prepared for this bout than Pereira.
“Alex Pereira, he goes to all UFC fights to get free alcohol and get camera time. On the other hand, I’ve been training so hard. March 8, alcohol won’t help you. CHAMA.”
@AlexPereiraUFC he go to all UFC fight to get free alcohol and get camera time on the other hand. I’ve been training so hard March 8 alcohol not help you. CHMA
Ankalaev is on an impressive 13-fight unbeaten streak, having secured two victories last year. He contended for the vacant light heavyweight title against former champion Jan Błachowicz at UFC 282 in December 2022, which ultimately ended in a draw.
Meanwhile, Pereira enjoyed a remarkable 2024, successfully defending his title three times, with each victory punctuated by a spectacular knockout.
In the co-main event of UFC 311, Umar Nurmagomedov suffered the very first defeat of his career. For the first time in 19 fights, his opponent was the better man on the night following an instant classic title bout against Merab Dvalishvili at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Nurmagomedov may have failed to capture the bantamweight belt at the first time of asking but he still gave a good account of himself when facing the current best in the world. He won the first two rounds on two of the scorecards and it was only until the pace and output of Dvalishvili started to really become a factor that the fight started to slip away from his control.
There’s no doubt that he will come back better from this and whilst he has repeatedly said that he isn’t making excuses for the defeat, the 29-year old did reveal in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that he thought he won the fight despite seemingly breaking his hand in the first round which limited him over the five rounds.
Nurmagomedov has since doubled down on both of these points via his own social media platforms by putting out a short statement to reflect on the fight. Whilst he is now focused on recovering from his injuries and getting back to it, he believes that we should have heard “And New” leave Bruce Buffer’s mouth on Saturday night.
“No excuses. InshaAllah I will become a champion. Nothing else matters. Praise be to Allah in any situation. And I don’t think I lost this fight. Even if the whole world convinces me otherwise. I’ll deal with my injuries and get back into action. InshaAllah.”
Islam Makhachev broke the record for consecutive title defenses in the lightweight division this past weekend at UFC 311. The pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport continued living up to his approach of not caring who is put in front of him by accepting to fight Renato Moicano on just one days notice before submitting him in the first round.
Makhachev’s dominant streak has many believing that the biggest test for him will be when he moves up a weight class, rather than anyone that currently competes at 155-pounds. There has already been talk of what could possibly be next for the champion and the options at lightweight are fairly limited right now.
Alongside rebooking the rematch with Arman Tsarukyan or potentially facing the winner of Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker, there is one name that appears to have been excluded from conversations despite him being one of the most popular fighters on the roster. Charles Oliveira may have been beaten by Makhachev once in the past but the two men were scheduled to meet in a rematch that never happened.
After bouncing back from his loss at UFC 280, he was set to challenge the champion at UFC 294 but “Do Bronx” withdrew from the fight due to a cut that he suffered in his final training session. The former champ recently put on a dominant performance against Michael Chandler in November to return to the win column following a defeat to Tsarukyan at UFC 300.
Oliveira was in attendance at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Saturday night where in a video posted on social media by the UFC, he called for his long awaited rematch with Makhachev.
“It was a great fight, he’s the champion. He did what he had to do but I’m next and he knows that. The lightweight champion is called Charles Oliveira, I’m ready for that.”
While the aftermath of the Jan. 18 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the lightweight title picture to the middleweight championship conversation.
At UFC 312, set for the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Feb. 8, reigning kingpin Dricus Du Plessis will open his account for the new year, once again in defense of his 185-pound gold. After following his crowning against Sean Strickland with a retention opposite Israel Adesanya, the South African will next run it back with Strickland.
Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as two-time strawweight champ Zhang Weili looks to defend her gold for the third time since winning it back at the expense of Carla Esparza in 2022. In her way of a continued reign will be the undefeated Tatiana Suarez.
Tafa, Crute, Matthews Set The Stage For High-Profile Headliners At UFC 312
Before Du Plessis and Weili defend their belts, a number of local names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major UFC 312 card.
That includes heavyweight powerhouse Justin Tafa. Against undefeated newcomer Tallison Teixeira, the Australian-Samoan will look to bounce back from a decision loss to Karl Williams last March and return to the knockout ways that saw him sleep Austen Lane, Parker Porter, and Harry Hunsucker during a four-fight unbeaten streak between 2021 and 2023.
Prior to that, another home favorite will be in action as light heavyweight Jimmy Crute returns almost two years on from a submission loss to Alonzo Menifield. “The Brute” hasn’t tasted victory since a 2020 KO of Modestas Bukauskas that left him 12-1 and among the most promising prospects at 205 pounds. To revive his career amid a four-fight winless run, the 28-year-old must stall the charge of former LFA champion Rodolfo Bellato.
And opening the UFC 312 main card will be Jake Matthews, a longtime Australian prospect who has failed to live up to his promise thus far. “The Celtic Kid” has exchanged wins and losses across six fights since his most recent winning streak in 2020, and against Francisco Prado next month, he’ll be looking to build some momentum following a decision victory over Phil Rowe last time out.
Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over another Aussie in Jack Jenkins, who is slated to top the prelims against Gabriel Santos.
See below for the full UFC 312 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Sean Strickland (middleweight championship)
Zhang Weili (C) vs. Tatiana Suarez (strawweight championship)
Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira (heavyweight)
Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato (light heavyweight)
Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado (welterweight)
Preliminary Card:
Jack Jenkins vs. Gabriel Santos (featherweight)
Cody Haddon vs. Aleksandre Topuria (bantamweight)
Tom Nolan vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (lightweight)
HyunSung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (flyweight)
Early Preliminary Card:
Quillan Salkilld vs. Anshul Jubli (lightweight)
Kevin Jousset vs. Jonathan Micallef (welterweight)
Renato Moicano faced a huge uphill battle in the main event of UFC 311. Facing the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the sport today with a full camp would’ve been the toughest test of his career to date, let alone doing it with just one day to prepare.
“Money” was unable to pull off one of the biggest upsets of all time after replacing Arman Tsarukyan to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title this past Saturday night. The Brazilian has become a fan favorite in recent times, partly down to his winning streak and partly because of his entertaining and unpredictable personality.
Moicano’s post-fight interviews have become must-watch as he always has a lot to say and you never know where it’s going to go. Following his submission loss at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, a dejected contender spoke about what this setback means to him during his time on the mic.
“That wasn’t one day notice, that was a life’s notice. I’m very sad, I spent my whole life for this moment and I tap in the first round. Islam was much better than I today and I had so much to say but that’s not the right time. I’m not done and I don’t know if I will ever get a chance like that again but I will try my best to do.”
As Moicano told Joe Rogan inside the Octagon, a post-fight speech in victory would’ve been vastly different and he’d already given some thought into how he would use his time on the mic. He posted on X after the fight to state his plans for what his first interview as a UFC champion would’ve looked like.
Rather than basking in the moment of an incredibly emotional win, in true Moicano fashion, he had a book recommendation and a point to get across.
“I wish I had won yesterday, grabbed the microphone, and told you to read Murray Rothbard’s What Has Government Done to Our Money! Why money should be a commodity with a floating price dictated by the free market! Why central banks are institutions that, instead of helping the economy, enslave new generations through debt! The control of interest rates and quantitative easing are driving global economies toward collapse!
“This book explains how government took over gold and turned it into this cursed fiat currency! And how governments have been doing this long before they were democratic—scraping gold coins, counterfeiting! The first step was to seize real money and then control interest rates! We all know how the story ends: the U.S. government with an almost unpayable debt! History is written by the winners! Yesterday I lost and stayed silent. But I will return to say what needs to be said! Last year, I fought for money; from now on, I fight for freedom! Study Bitcoin!”
I wish I had won yesterday, grabbed the microphone, and told you to read Murray Rothbard’s What Has Government Done to Our Money! Why money should be a commodity with a floating price dictated by the free market! Why central banks are institutions that, instead of helping the…
Paddy Pimblett is no stranger to engaging in online beefs with his fellow fighters but his latest social media feud ended up being settled on the mats. “The Baddy” had been going back and forth with Irish/Ghanaian athlete Denis Frimpong before both men agreed to put on some gloves and shin guards to handle their differences.
Frimpong is a 30-year old fighter who previously competed in European promotion OKTAGON before parting ways with the promotion last year but he has recently re-signed with them. He trains out of Manchester Top Team alongside the likes of Lerone Murphy and Lewis McGrillen with the gym recently opening the doors to Liverpool’s Pimblett this past Saturday.
With fighters from the gym sat around the edges of the mat, Pimblett and Frimpong engaged in some striking which mostly consisted of leg kicks, which Pimblett appeared to get the better of. After Frimpong threw a big right hook, “The Baddy” dipped underneath and secured a body lock takedown to put the fight in his element.
From here, the 30-year old took his opponent’s back and secured a rear-naked choke which quickly led to Frimpong tapping. Despite multiple taps, Pimblett did not let go of the choke which led to several spectators pulling him off of “The Menace” as tensions flared between the Manchester hosts and their visitors.
Paddy Pimblett sparred with Denis Frimpong, a fighter he’d been feuding with online, and ended up choking him out
Paddy had to be pulled off him since he wouldn't let go of the choke despite multiple taps 😳
Pimblett has since responded to some of the criticism he has faced after videos of the fight were posted on social media. He posted a statement to say that people were judging him for not letting go the submission despite not knowing about an agreement between the two fighters that had taken place before they started exchanging blows.
“He agreed to no tapping beforehand. All you butthurt idiots who don’t know what your talking about just pipe down don’t talk when you don’t know the context. Not me fault he tapped like a… when he was saying was going to KO me on the feet and got outstruck.”
Paddy Pimblett speaks out following the video that surfaced showing him sparring a rival and refusing to let go of the choke:
"He agreed to no tapping beforehand… don't talk when you don't know the context. Not my fault he tapped like a 🐈"#UFC#MMApic.twitter.com/heePRFeKdG
The Dagestani champion was originally set to face Arman Tsarukyan in a highly anticipated rematch. However, the plan took an unexpected turn last Friday when UFC CEO Dana White announced that “Ahalkalakets” had been forced to pull out due to a back injury.
Makhachev’s victory at UFC 311 etched his name into the record books with a remarkable fourth consecutive title defense, reaffirming his status as the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighter. The dominant performance reignited discussions about a potential move to a higher weight class to fulfill his long-held dream of becoming a two-division UFC champion.
While the reigning lightweight king stated in the UFC 311 post-fight press conference that he isn’t rushing the decision, he emphasized his determination to capture gold in a second weight class. He also outlined plans to make his return during the UFC’s annual International Fight Week, typically held in late June or early July.
As for Makhachev’s next challenge, a rematch with Charles Oliveira, whom he defeated at UFC 280 to claim the belt, seems like a strong possibility. Meanwhile, reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has also hinted at moving up in weight for a potential champion vs. champion super fight.
However, according to Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, none of these three names are even on the table for his client’s next opponent.
In a recent social media post, Abdelaziz hinted that the UFC is planning something entirely surprising for the 33-year-old Russian.
“The UFC has a completely different plan for Islam which doesn’t include Oliveira, Arman or Ilia. But it’s an unpredictable sport and you don’t know what could happen.” Abdelaziz wrote on X.
The UFC has a completely different plan for Islam which doesn’t include Oliveira, Arman or Ilias. But it’s an unpredictable sport and you don’t know what could happen.
The Dominance MMA owner further spotlighted two fresh contenders who could be next in line to challenge Makhachev.
“If Justin Gaethje beats [Dan] Hooker he can be easily next. If Beneil Dariush beats Poirier he can also be next. These would be two new names that Islam hasn’t fought yet.”
If @Justin_Gaethje beats Hooker he can be easily next. If @beneildariush beats Poirier he can also be next. These would be 2 new names that Islam hasn’t fought yet.
Makhachev is riding an unprecedented 15-fight win streak, a remarkable run that includes triumphs over a roster of high-profile opponents such as Tsarukyan, Dustin Poirier, and Alexander Volkanovski, among others.
