MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Former UFC Champion Holly Holm Enters Free Agency, Open To MMA Or Boxing

    Former UFC Champion Holly Holm Enters Free Agency, Open To MMA Or Boxing

    Holly Holm is on the lookout for her next career move in combat sports.

    2024 marked Holm’s 10th year competing in the UFC, where she made a splash early on by defeating the previously unstoppable Ronda Rousey to capture the women’s bantamweight crown.

    Change is coming for “The Preacher’s Daughter” in 2025, though.

    Uncrowned’s Ariel Helwani revealed this week that Holm and the MMA leader have mutually agreed to part ways, with the promotion allowing the ex-champ to pursue other opportunities with two fights remaining on her contract.

    It’s unclear what lies ahead for the 43-year-old, who is part of the Boxing International Hall of Fame, but Helwani did note that she’s open to options in both the cage and ring.

    After her shock upset of Rousey in 2015, Holm struggled to find consistency inside the Octagon, going 5-7-1 across her subsequent 13 bouts.

    The veteran’s most recent win came over Yana Santos in 2023, the same year in which she had a submission loss to Mayra Bueno Silva overturned to a no contest owing to a failed drug test from the Brazilian.

    Holm’s final outing came last April at UFC 300, where she was asked with welcoming two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison to the promotion. “The Preacher’s Daughter” was comfortably beaten, submitting to a rear-naked choke in round two.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Addresses Injury Concerns Ahead UFC 311: ‘I Don’t Want To Panic People…’

    Merab Dvalishvili Addresses Injury Concerns Ahead UFC 311: ‘I Don’t Want To Panic People…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili is set to defend his title for the first time against undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 this Saturday night.

    Heading into the highly anticipated co-main event, Dvalishvili has revealed that he dealt with significant injury issues during his training camp but assured fans that he is now fully prepared for the fight.

    In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, as part of his role as a Stake ambassador, Dvalishvili spoke candidly about the challenges he faced.

    “I’m good now, I will post the injury or whatever after the fight, but before, I don’t want to show and panic people,” Dvalishvili said. “You know, the injury was serious, like, not a joke. Because I took the fight on six weeks’ notice, I was training hard, and I got a lot of pain, banged up, and I was dealing with some other injuries too. But thank God now I’m OK and ready to go.”

    Despite the setbacks, “The Machine” remains confident in his ability to perform on fight night. He emphasized that he was prepared to take more time to recover but stepped up when the UFC asked him to fight in January to accommodate Nurmagomedov’s schedule.

    “I was ready to fight and come back after five or six months, like every champion does,” Dvalishvili continued. “They even take more time. But when I said I was going to fight February or March, Umar started complaining and blaming me and disrespecting me.”

    The Georgian champ explained that his initial timeline was misunderstood by Nurmagomedov.

    “When I said fight February or March, he said February’s fight was in Australia and March was Ramadan. I had no idea because last year, Ramadan was in May. It’s not my problem also – I’m a champion. So Umar wanted to fight January, and UFC asked me. Then I went to UFC and I said, OK, I will step up. I love UFC, so no problem.”

    The bout between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov represents a clash of styles, with Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and wrestling prowess facing the calculated and undefeated Nurmagomedov.

    The champion is determined to prove his resilience and solidify his position as the division’s best.

  • Jan Blachowicz: ‘I Won Against Alex Pereira…I Deserve This Rematch’

    Jan Blachowicz: ‘I Won Against Alex Pereira…I Deserve This Rematch’

    Jan Blachowicz is eager to return to the title picture and reclaim his status as a UFC champion.

    The former UFC light heavyweight titleholder has faced some of the division’s toughest opponents and now aims to remind fans of his legacy.

    Błachowicz captured the vacant title at UFC 253 with a dominant TKO win over Dominick Reyes, a display that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. He successfully defended his belt against then-middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 259 before losing the title to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267.

    Later, at UFC 282, he fought Magomed Ankalaev for the vacant title, ending in a draw. And he most recently came up short against current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira before “Poatan” became the champion at UFC 291. The contest ended in a narrow split decision loss for the Polish veteran.

    On March 22 this year, Blachowicz will face Carlos Ulberg at UFC London, determined to reassert himself in the division. Speaking with MMA Fighting, the former champ expressed his desire to make a statement.

    “I want to remind people how tough I am,” Blachowicz said. “Because I think people forget that I won against Alex Pereira. He just won because the referee helped him, in my opinion. I have a draw with (Magomed) Ankalaev — those are the most dangerous fighters in our division right now. I think people just forgot about me.”

    Blachowicz attributed some of the lack of recognition to his inactivity.

    “I’m not surprised because I stopped. One and a half years, I’m not fighting so this is where I will remind them about the legendary Polish power to the people in the whole world.”

    Despite his respect for Ulberg, Blachowicz is already setting his sights on a rematch with Pereira.

    “Of course, I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done but this doesn’t change anything,” Błachowicz explained. “I want a rematch against him and after this fight — I’m focused on this fight right now — but if I win and I believe I’m going to win the fight, the next one will be against him. I deserve this rematch, like nobody else in this division.”

  • Umar Nurmagomedov: Sean O’Malley Hopes Merab Dvalishvili Wins At UFC 311 For ‘Easier’ Fight

    Umar Nurmagomedov: Sean O’Malley Hopes Merab Dvalishvili Wins At UFC 311 For ‘Easier’ Fight

    Umar Nurmagomedov is preparing to challenge UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles. If Nurmagomedov wins the title, he expects Sean O’Malley to be next in line for a shot at the 135-pound gold.

    Dvalishvili claimed the championship by defeating O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas last September. O’Malley later disclosed that he fought that bout with a torn labrum, which he said hindered his performance.

    With that in mind, this weekend’s challenger anticipates that O’Malley will get his wish for an immediate shot at reclaiming the belt after UFC 311. And in his mind, it’s clear why “Suga” would rather a second dance with “The Machine.”

    “I think they’re going to do this match, and who will win this fight, I think O’Malley is next,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “I think like that. He wants Merab to win, not because he wants a rematch. He thinks Merab is going to be more easy than me. With Merab, he has some chance. With me, he knows.”

    As the UFC bantamweight division heats up, Nurmagomedov’s analysis adds intrigue to his potential championship reign and the implications for O’Malley’s comeback.

  • Justin Gaethje Confirms Opponent He’s Preparing To Face In First Fight Since UFC 300 Knockout

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje expects to be back in action before quarter one of 2025 comes to a close.

    Gaethje, who currently occupies the #3 ranking at 155 pounds, hasn’t competed since his BMF title defense at UFC 300 last April. “The Highlight” was on the receiving end of the year’s consensus best knockout — a buzzer-beating finish for Max Holloway.

    The result stalled plans for another championship opportunity for the Arizona native. And given the severity of the KO, Gaethje was sent to the sidelines for a period of rest and recovery.

    Now cleared to return, Gaethje is looking ahead to his first assignment of the new year. And while discussing that during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the 36-year-old confirmed reports of a showdown with Dan Hooker.

    Talk of that matchup first arose last month via journalist Alex Behunin, who described it as being in the works for UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8.

    While it remains unofficial, Gaethje revealed that he is indeed preparing for that exact task.

    “So there’s no official fight signed, but I told the UFC maybe two, three months ago that March was, you know, the date I was looking for,” Gaethje said. “I know there’s a fight March 8th in Las Vegas, so that’s the one I told them I wanted to be on. I think they’re figuring out fights right now, but I’m certainly mentally preparing, physically preparing to fight on that date.

    “When you take a loss like that and you’re as competitive as we are, then it lights a fire under your ass,” Gaethje continued. “So we’re back to it, back to, you know, back in the swing of things and back getting ready for a specific day, a specific opponent. I think it’s going to be Dan Hooker. But you know, with the UFC, things can always change.”

    Prior to his setback against “Blessed,” Gaethje was coming off consecutive wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier in 2023.

    While he’ll be looking to bounce back in 2025, Hooker will hope to continue his momentum from a massive result Down Under last August. At UFC 305 in Perth, he made it three wins in a row by outpointing Mateusz Gamrot to upset the odds and return to title contention.

  • Frontier Airlines Releases Statement Defending Flight Attendant Who Kicked Khabib Nurmagomedov Off Plane

    Frontier Airlines Releases Statement Defending Flight Attendant Who Kicked Khabib Nurmagomedov Off Plane

    Frontier Airlines is standing by its flight attendant who removed Khabib Nurmagomedov from a plane.

    On Sunday, a now-viral clip captured “The Eagle” in a tense exchange with a flight attendant aboard a Las Vegas to San Francisco flight. The footage showed Nurmagomedov being asked to switch seats, allegedly due to concerns about his ability to communicate in English during a potential emergency.

    Despite the request, he resolutely refused to comply, prompting the flight attendant to suggest that a supervisor could intervene and have him escorted off the plane. Ultimately, the UFC Hall of Famer chose to deboard the aircraft voluntarily.

    Initially, reports suggested the flight was with Alaska Airlines, but Nurmagomedov took to social media to clarify that it was operated by Frontier Airlines. The undefeated Dagestani expressed that, while he believed he handled the conversation with respect, the flight attendant was “very rude.”

    He also raised concerns about whether the incident was influenced by “racial” prejudice.

    Frontier Airlines has now issued a statement to MMA Fighting, addressing the incident involving Nurmagomedov and the exit row situation.

    The airline categorically rejected claims that the former UFC lightweight champion was targeted because of his ethnicity. Instead, they cited concerns over his alleged English proficiency, which aligns with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations requiring passengers in exit rows to be fluent in English on U.S. departures.

    Below is the full statement:

    “On Jan. 11, 2025, as flight 4401 from Las Vegas to San Francisco was preparing for departure, a flight attendant initiated the customary briefing for exit row passengers. Customer Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was seated in an exit row, was asked multiple times if he was willing and able to assist in the event of an emergency. According to the flight attendant, Mr. Nurmagomedov did not respond, despite repeated attempts, which placed him in non-compliance with FAA requirements. The flight attendant informed Mr. Nurmagomedov that he could be moved to a different upgraded seat or exit the plane.

    “Videos circulating on social media platforms do not capture this interaction, and instead show a subsequent interaction after a gate agent entered the plane and reiterated the option to be reseated. As a result of the customer’s initial unresponsiveness and repeated declinations of a seat change, he was asked to deplane per airline and FAA policy. The decision to deplane the customer was in no way related to his ethnicity and we have refunded him and his traveling companions for their flights.”

    “The Eagle” will corner his teammates, Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, in their respective title bouts at UFC 311 this weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

    Makhachev will defend his Lightweight crown against Arman Tsarukyan in the main event, while Umar will challenge Merab Dvalishvili for the Bantamweight championship in the co-main event.

  • UFC 311 Lineup Takes Another Hit At The Start Of Fight Week

    UFC 311 Lineup Takes Another Hit At The Start Of Fight Week

    The upcoming UFC 311 pay-per-view event has lost another fight days on from Johnny Walker’s forced withdrawal.

    Walker was scheduled to figure in the featured preliminary bout of Saturday’s card opposite Bogdan Guskov in a clash of ranked light heavyweights. But with the Brazilian ruled out, the Hungarian will now face UFC newcomer Billy Elekana.

    And that’s not the only replacement the promotion will need to secure on late notice.

    The @octagonupdate account on X reported Monday that Sedriques Dumas has also pulled out from a UFC 311 prelim. “The Reaper,” who most recently outpointed Denis Tiuliulin last August in Abu Dhabi, was slated to face Zachary Reese inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    It remains to be seen whether or not a new opponent will be found for Reese, a 30-year-old middleweight prospect who has gone 2-1 since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023.

  • Elimination Of The Bellator Brand Among Host Of Changes Confirmed For The PFL In 2025

    Elimination Of The Bellator Brand Among Host Of Changes Confirmed For The PFL In 2025

    The Bellator brand has now been completely amalgamated into the PFL, marking the cohesive integration of the two MMA organizations.

    In November 2023, following months of swirling rumors, the PFL officially took over Bellator MMA in a groundbreaking agreement. Although the finer details of the merger remained under wraps, it was revealed that Paramount, Bellator’s former parent company, retained a minority ownership stake.

    Despite the transition, the Bellator brand continued as a distinct and “reimagined” product, with its roster of fighters immediately eligible to compete under the PFL banner.

    However, during a recent episode of his show, Ariel Helwani reported that the Bellator brand has been formally discontinued. Going forward, it will be rebranded as the PFL Champions Series, a new venture focused on hosting title bouts for PFL’s new divisional championships.

    “Right now I can tell you, on Monday, January 13th, at 1:20 P.M. Eastern time: Bellator is dead,” Helwani said. “Bellator as we know it is no more. Bellator is dead. You will not see Bellator events anymore.”

    Helwani further disclosed that the new title structure will stand apart from PFL’s established season tournament format, where six divisional champions are crowned after a series of four bouts within a single calendar year.

    Additionally, the veteran reporter revealed that the upcoming Road to Dubai: Champions Series card on Jan. 25 in Dubai will feature the final Bellator title fight. In the main event, reigning lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will put his title his title on the line against Paul Hughes.

    As of now, it’s unclear how the new PFL titleholders will be crowned, and whether they will simply be the current Bellator champs.

    “If you look at that event on Jan. the 25th, you will see that other than the picture of the belt and other than, you know, in the press release it says Bellator lightweight title, there’s no other mention of Bellator. Bellator as we know it is dead. From the Bjorn [Rebney] era to the Scott Coker era to the PFLator era, it is no more.”

    Last week, MMA journalist Al Zullino broke the news that the PFL’s iconic $1 million prize for seasonal tournament champions will be halved to $500,000, beginning with the 2025 season set to kick off in April.

    Furthermore, the organization is expected to scrap its signature tournament point system in favor of adopting a more classic grand prix-style MMA format. That news that was also corroborated by Helwani, alongside confirmation that tournament winners will no longer win a championship belt.

  • Tom Aspinall Says He’s ‘Back Training For Biggest Fight In MMA’

    Tom Aspinall Says He’s ‘Back Training For Biggest Fight In MMA’

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall has returned to training, potentially preparing for a highly anticipated unification bout against Jon Jones.

    Although the exact date of the long-awaited fight remains uncertain, Aspinall remains optimistic about it taking place sometime in 2025.

    In a new video posted on his YouTube channel, the Brit confirmed his focus is back on preparation.

    “Got to get back to reality now and get back training for the biggest fight in MMA at the moment,” he stated.

    Aspinall earned the interim heavyweight belt after a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023. He then defended hthe gold with another knockout win, this time against a familiar foe in Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July.

    When asked for updates on the fight with Jones, Aspinall admitted there wasn’t much progress to share.

    “I don’t have any latest on the Jones fight, unfortunately,” he explained. “Just waiting at the moment. I’ve said yes to the fight. I’ve agreed to it, obviously, and that’s it. I’m just waiting for his side now and [for] the UFC to sort it out.”

    In the meantime, Aspinall remains committed to staying in peak condition.

    “Yeah, I’m just training and getting everything focused to be as fit and ready as I possibly can because, who knows, they might spring the date on me quick,” he said. “Or they might say the date is in six months, I don’t know. But that’s always kind of what happens between fights anyway — you never really know when your next one is.”

  • Merab Dvalishvili Won’t Repeat Control-Heavy Sean O’Malley Strategy At UFC 311: ‘I’m Going To Punch His Face’

    Merab Dvalishvili Won’t Repeat Control-Heavy Sean O’Malley Strategy At UFC 311: ‘I’m Going To Punch His Face’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has provided insight into the approach he plans to take when sharing the cage with Umar Nurmagomedov this weekend.

    Dvalishvili is days out from his first title defense at UFC 311, which comes four months on from his capturing of the crown at the expense of Sean O’Malley last September.

    On that occasion, the Georgian utilized his smothering grappling game to get the better of “Suga” across five rounds. But with his undefeated Dagestani opponent boasting a renowned wrestling ability, the champ may not be able to repeat the feat come fight night this Saturday.

    That much was acknowledged by Dvalishvili during a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, as he outlined plans to defeat Nurmagomedov via the striking realm inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    “I’m ready for striking. I’m not looking to take him down, control him, and lay on top like (Sean) O’Malley,” Dvalishvili said. “I’m going to punch his face, kick his legs, keep (the fight) on the feet, and I’m going to show a good fight. It’s going to be a great fight. A lot of scrapping, a lot of exchanges. I believe it’s going to be Fight of the Night or something.”

    Dvalishvili initially pushed back on Nurmagomedov’s top contender status, instead pitching a number of other matchups for his first defense in the weeks and months after his title win inside the Sphere.

    Nevertheless, the unbeaten Russian will be the first test to his reign, and “The Machine” has vowed to make a statement with his performance in Los Angeles.

  • Mark Smith Bashed by Fighter For Last-Second Chris Curtis Stoppage At UFC Vegas 101: ‘Got To Be The Lowest Graded Ref’

    Mark Smith Bashed by Fighter For Last-Second Chris Curtis Stoppage At UFC Vegas 101: ‘Got To Be The Lowest Graded Ref’

    UFC Vegas 101 brought fight fans the first UFC card of 2025 and with that came the first set of highlight reel finishes, entertaining contests and yes, controversial refereeing decisions. The middleweight clash between Roman Kopylov and Chris Curtis earned the first fight of the night bonus of the year following their back-and-forth encounter on the main card.

    What the fight will likely be remembered for however is the call that Mark Smith made to wave the fight off with just one second left on the clock. Kopylov landed a head kick that knocked Curtis off balance but with the clock running down and his opponent on the floor, the Russian decided to back away rather than chasing his opponent to the ground to land more strikes.

    Despite the fact that Curtis wasn’t in danger of taking any more damage, Smith stepped in and the stoppage was heavily disputed by “The Action Man” in the immediate aftermath. It’s also of note that the fight was tied at 19-19 across all three scorecards heading into the third round which would have been won by Kopylov if the fight had continued for one more second.

    Curtis has since posted a statement on social media where he seemed less frustrated at the ending of the fight though he was still disappointed to have not secured the victory. Kopylov, on the other hand, believes that the official made the right decision, stating in his post-fight press conference that he chose not to follow-up with any more strikes because it wasn’t neccesary and that he’s open to the idea of a rematch if that’s what people want.

    In a post on social media, UFC flyweight Charles Johnson criticized Smith by questioning the consistency of his decision making.

    “Mark smith has got to be the lowest graded ref on roster. Constantly interjects himself and only thing consistent with calls is his inconsistency”

    Some of the replies underneath Johnson’s post made reference to one of his previous fights which was refereed by Smith. In his fight with Sumudaerji last October, he believed that the fight should have been stopped but Smith didn’t step in and it ended up going the distance.

  • UFC 311 Headliner Islam Makhachev Reveals Longtime Khabib Rival As His Dream Fight

    UFC 311 Headliner Islam Makhachev Reveals Longtime Khabib Rival As His Dream Fight

    Islam Makhachev is set to defend his lightweight title at UFC 311 in a fight that fans have wanted to see for a long time. Considering their first encounter back in 2019, many have believed for a while now that a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan will be the toughest test for the pound-for-pound number one.

    Beating Tsarukyan will see Makhachev break the record for consecutive lightweight title defenses at four, passing the streak of his training partner and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov. A win for the defending champion on Saturday night in Los Angeles also means that as of right now, there isn’t a clear next step for him.

    Makhachev recently spent some time with streamer Adin Ross where he was asked if there is a dream fight that is out there for him. Whilst there isn’t anything that comes to mind right now, the 155-pound titleholder did look back on a contest that he wanted to pursue several years ago.

    At 29-0, Nurmagomedov was totally dominant but if there’s one opponent that got away, it is Tony Ferguson. The matchup might be the best example of the fight that the fans wanted the most that never happened despite the fact that it was booked multiple times.

    Makhachev said that at the time when his close friend was at the top of the lightweight division, he also wanted to face off with “El Cucuy” in order to bring that win back for his team.

    “Not like many years ago but my brother, Khabib, was supposed to fight with Tony Ferguson like five times, they both have injuries or fight is cancelled five times and my dream to fight this guy in that moment because I always with Khabib. When Khabib have injury, I ask my manager, I say ‘Hey, can I step in to fight with Tony,’ and you know, Tony in that moment is like very good athlete, very good fighter. He have like almost more than 10-fight win streak in the UFC and this is one of the fights which I want like 3-4 years ago but not right now because he has 8-fight lose streak. I wish him the best but couple years ago, he’s one of the high-level fighters from our division.”

  • Michael Chandler Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov After Viral Plane Removal: ‘If You’re Going To Kick Our GOAT Off…’

    Michael Chandler Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov After Viral Plane Removal: ‘If You’re Going To Kick Our GOAT Off…’

    UFC 311 is set to be a huge week for Khabib Nurmagomedov but before he corners back-to-back title fights on Saturday night, he has had some complications to get through on his way to Los Angeles. A video on social media showed “The Eagle” being asked to either move seats or leave the plane following a conversation with a flight atendant.

    This altercation stemmed from the fact that the former UFC lightweight champion was seating on the emergency exit row which requires the passengers to listen, understand and potentially participate in the safety procedures regarding the emergency door. Nurmagomedov did not see what the issue was but there seemed to be some caution regarding his understanding of English.

    Nurmagomedov can even be heard saying in the video that he was asked ahead of time whether he knows English and he does so it wouldn’t be an issue. A fellow mixed martial artist has stuck up for the fighter turned coach on social media by outlining where some airlines may have double standards.

    Michael Chandler made the argument that if there is an issue about Khabib sitting in the emergency row due to his English, why is that not the same for people who may not be physically or mentally dependable in that same situation. “Iron” Mike even referred to the retired athlete as the greatest of all time in his statement on the matter.

    “If you’re going to kick our GOAT off the plane for a little accent, please start making passengers do a physical and mental fitness aptitude test before you let them sit in the exit row after uttering a one word, one syllable, ‘yes.’ Because I’ve seen some slugs in the exit row on flights. @TeamKhabib“

  • Amanda Ribas Gives Short & Sweet Reaction To Mackenzie Dern Loss At UFC Vegas 101

    Amanda Ribas Gives Short & Sweet Reaction To Mackenzie Dern Loss At UFC Vegas 101

    Amanda Ribas suffered a loss in the first UFC main event of the year this past Saturday night at the Apex in Las Vegas. The 31-year old was looking to return to strawweight with a big win against an opponent that she has got the better of once before.

    Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be as the #8-ranked contender was beaten by the #6-ranked Mackenzie Dern. Having handed Dern the first loss of her MMA career back in 2019, the jiu-jitsu specialist evened the score by becoming the first person to submit Ribas in her 19-fight pro career.

    There were some competitive grappling exchanges between the two women but ultimately, it was the submission skills of Dern that made the difference as she produced a beautiful armbar to earn a quick tap in the third round.

    Ribas has got some big wins under her belt with victories over the likes of Dern, Virna Jandiroba, Viviane Araujo and Luana Pinheiro but she has struggled to beat the top contenders. After fighting three times in 2023 where she picked up wins on either side of a loss to Maycee Barber, she only fought once last year in a five-round defeat to Rose Namajunas at 125-pounds.

    Despite this latest setback, the Brazilian appears to be in good spirits following her first outing of the new year. She posted a simple message on Instagram to stay connected to her fans and supporters even though she didn’t get her hand raised at UFC Vegas 101.

    “Off to the next one! Thanks to all the support, messages and barbecues that you’ve done”

  • Merab Dvalishvili ‘Grateful’ Dana White Defended Him Over UFC 310 Fan Incident

    Merab Dvalishvili ‘Grateful’ Dana White Defended Him Over UFC 310 Fan Incident

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili found himself in the middle of an altercation with a fan shortly after cornering Aljamain Sterling for his bout against Movsar Evloev at UFC 310 last month.

    Security intervened to separate Dvalishvili from the individual. However, tensions flared further when the fan began exchanging punches with Dennis Buzukja, a UFC featherweight and another member of Sterling’s team.

    UFC CEO Dana White addressed the incident during the post-fight press conference with a mix of frustration and understanding.

    “He’s my mini-Strickland — without the mouth,” White said of Dvalishvili. “What do you do? Let him buy the pay-per-view, I guess. You can’t keep fighting with f*cking fans. You can do it, but it’s going to cost you a lot of money. I say it all the time: we’re in the f*cking fight business. This happens. We’ve got to deal with it.”

    Dvalishvili shared his perspective in an interview with MMA Fighting, expressing gratitude for White’s support and addressing the situation in detail.

    “He defended me,” Dvalishvili said. “Before, the media would always ask him weird questions about me, like, ‘What about Merab doing this?’ They do that to get a bad answer from him. But this time, he defended me. The media again says, ‘Merab is scared of Umar.’ Bro, Dana knows I’m not scared. Every time they mention his name, I say yes, and Dana knows that’s true.”

    Describing the incident with the fan, Dvalishvili explained his side of the story.

    “Yeah, so Umar’s friend tried to provoke me and make me look bad. I’m a professional fighter. I love people. Usually, when I walk through the crowd, I show everyone love and support. But this guy was recording me [on his phone]. I thought he was being friendly, so I went closer. I was smiling, but then he started speaking Russian, using bad words. I know those words. He provoked me, and I wanted to fight the guy, but security jumped in.”

    He also reflected on the negative energy surrounding some fans and media members.

    “Thank you to Dana for defending me. I love the UFC; I’m grateful for this company. But there are so many haters and so many people — also in the media — who aren’t professional. Drama sells more, and that’s why they ask crazy questions. But I have a good relationship with the UFC, and we have no problems.”

    Dvalishvili will now shift his focus to defending his title for the first time against undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 this Saturday night.

  • VIDEO: UFC 311 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 & Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

    VIDEO: UFC 311 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 & Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

    Fight week for the UFC 311 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.

    Under the spotlight in this edition is the headline rematch between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan and the co-main event between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Saturday’s UFC 311 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with lightweight kingpin Makhachev (26-1) looking to add a fourth successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a memorable victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022.

    If the Dagestani is to continue his rule atop the 155-pound mountain, he must stall the title ambitions of a familiar foe in Tsarukyan (22-3). The Armenian fell to Makhachev by way of a narrow decision in his UFC debut almost six years ago. Having risen the ranks and most recently gotten the better of Oliveira himself, “Akhalkalakets” has the chance for redemption opposite the champ.

    Before those two run it back in the main event at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, another UFC title will be at stake.

    The bantamweight gold will be contested by current champ Dvalishvili (18-4) and undefeated contender Nurmagomedov (18-0), as they settle a rivalry that has only intensified in recent months. While “The Machine” will return four months on from his capturing of the strap at the expense of Sean O’Malley, the “Young Eagle” is set to make the walk for the first time since a statement-making victory over Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi last August.

    Ahead of those two contests in LA, fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 311 Countdown on the promotion’s official YouTube channel.

    UFC 311 Countdown: Full Episode

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxY2zoeT2UI
  • ‘Hell Yeah, We Got Goku & Vegeta’ – Fans React As Israel Adesanya Teams Up With Two-Time Rival Ahead Of UFC Return

    ‘Hell Yeah, We Got Goku & Vegeta’ – Fans React As Israel Adesanya Teams Up With Two-Time Rival Ahead Of UFC Return

    Israel Adesanya is pulling out all the stops for his next fight, even if it means joining forces with a former rival to sharpen his skills.

    Adesanya finds himself navigating the toughest stretch of his career to date, with just one win in his last four Octagon appearances.

    Currently on a two-fight losing streak, he first suffered a unanimous decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, a fight where he also relinquished his middleweight crown. The downward trajectory continued at UFC 305 last August, where reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis handed him a submission defeat, deepening the slump for the once-dominant fighter.

    “The Last Stylebender” is now gearing up to headline UFC Saudi Arabia, where he will face Nassourdine Imavov on Feb. 1 at the anb Arena in Riyadh. This highly anticipated showdown marks a notable change for the ex-champ, as it will be his first non-pay-per-view bout since July 2018.

    With the fight just under a month away, Adesanya’s preparations are in full swing. In a surprising turn, he has brought in his former two-time adversary, Robert Whittaker, to assist with his training.

    The 35-year-old Nigerian-born Kiwi recently shared several photos and videos from his sparring sessions with “The Reaper” on social media.

    “‘New year, new friends,” Adesanya wrote on X.

    MMA fans responded to Adesanya’s sparring session with Whittaker, with many humorously celebrating the unexpected collaboration between the two fighters.

    https://twitter.com/909424310r/status/1878585928362742265
    https://twitter.com/L01771/status/1878594624559976691
    https://twitter.com/eldenlordv/status/1878589751055532161
    https://twitter.com/yodalorian9/status/1878596301052645437

    Adesanya and Whittaker first squared off at UFC 243 in October 2019, where “The Last Stylebender” clinched a stunning second-round knockout to seize the undisputed middleweight title.

    Meanwhile, their second encounter took place at UFC 271 in February 2022, where the matchup was far more competitive. Despite Whittaker’s resilience, though, Adesanya ultimately gritted through the challenge and earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory to retain his championship.

  • Abdul Razak Alhassan Addresses Scary Knockout At UFC Vegas 101: ‘I Got Greedy…’

    Abdul Razak Alhassan Addresses Scary Knockout At UFC Vegas 101: ‘I Got Greedy…’

    Abdul Razak Alhassan has made his first public remarks following a brutal defeat at this past weekend’s UFC Vegas 101 event.

    The promotion’s first card of 2025 wasn’t short on memorable moments and brutal finishes. Unfortunately for Alhassan, he was on the wrong end of arguably the top one.

    In his main card clash with César Almeida, the Ghanaian powerhouse got off to a strong start, dropping his Brazilian counterpart. But he got slightly too wild chasing the finish.

    After backing Almeida up against the fence, Alhassan was struck with a vicious counterpunch that rendered him unconscious.

    The resulting scene saw the 39-year-old Accra native on wobbly legs after coming to. Thankfully, he appears to have avoided any immediate health issues at UFC Vegas 101 and took to his Instagram Stories to address his supporters.

    “I’m sorry fans,” Alhassan said. “I got greedy and I got caught. No excuses. I’m sorry to my fans, my true fans. I got greedy and went for it and got caught. There’s nothing I can do but cry myself to sleep.”

    Alhassan is now without a win in his last three, having fallen to a submission at the hands of Joe Pyfer in 2023 and had the disappointment of a no contest after striking Cody Brundage to the back of the head last July.

    Almeida, meanwhile, has won two on the bounce since suffering the first loss of his professional career against Roman Kopylov in June 2024.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Issues Statement After Being Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘Did My Best To Stay Calm…’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Issues Statement After Being Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘Did My Best To Stay Calm…’

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has spoken publicly after footage of his removal from a flight before takeoff went viral this weekend.

    Khabib will be in Los Angeles next week as two of his team’s star fighters compete with gold on the line at the UFC 311 pay-per-view. Inside the Intuit Dome, Islam Makhachev will headline in defense of his lightweight crown, while Umar Nurmagomedov will first challenge for the bantamweight gold.

    But while attention will soon be on their showdowns with Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili, respectively, the biggest talking point a day out from UFC 311 fight week has surrounded their coach.

    A video emerged on Sunday showing Khabib being removed from a plane due to fly from Las Vegas to LA. Audio from the incident appeared to reveal a dispute with a flight attendant over the Dagestani’s seat on the emergency exit row.

    After the video went viral and drew out plenty of reactions from the MMA community online, Khabib took to Instagram to give his side of the story and clarify which airline he was attempting to fly with.

    “First of all, I need to clarify that it was @flyfrontier not AlaskaAir. Lady who comes to me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, even though I speak very decent English and can understand everything and agreed to assist, she still insists on removing me from my seat. What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I’m not sure.

    “But after 2 minutes of conversation, she called security and I was deplaned from this aircraft, after 1,5 hour I boarded another airline one and left to my destination. I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you can see on the video. But those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients.”

    It remains to be seen what will come of the incident, which has spread across the Internet and resulted in some of the former UFC champion’s fans calling for a boycott of the airline in question.

    “The Eagle” himself, meanwhile, will no doubt be looking to keep his focus on the task at hand next week, as he gears up for two crucial contests for his team at the UFC 311 PPV on Jan. 18.

  • Santiago Ponzinibbio Names Ranked Opponent He’s Targeting For UFC 314 In Miami

    Santiago Ponzinibbio Names Ranked Opponent He’s Targeting For UFC 314 In Miami

    UFC welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio is looking to make a late-career surge up the ladder on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Ponzinibbio, who formerly had a number next to his name at 170 pounds, showed that he’s got plenty left in the tank at 38 years old in the co-main event of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night.

    The card, which marked the UFC’s first of 2025, included plenty of memorable fights and finishes. Not many scraps were more entertaining than the “Argentine Dagger’s” with Carlston Harris.

    The pair exchanged moments of success and knockdowns through the best part of 13 minutes before Ponzinibbio found the standing TKO finish with less than two minutes remaining in the third and final round.

    While the result marked the La Plata native’s first win since 2022 and snapped a two-fight losing skid, he’s still hoping for an opportunity to break back into the welterweight top 15 next time out.

    “There are so many good names,” Ponzinibbio said at the post-fight press conference after revealing his intent to fight at UFC 314 in Miami this coming April. “So many good guys come to mind (who) have a long time in the road like me. We can make a great fight. I need to think quickly.

    “Maybe Vicente Luque is a name that comes into my mind because the guy has so many years in the sport like me. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a gentleman. He’s coming off a really good victory,” Ponzinibbio continued. “We both have a lot of Latin people behind us and we can make a good fight. But there are so many good guys. We’ll see what the company says.”

    The UFC is expected to head back to Miami’s Kaseya Center for its April pay-per-view.

    A clash between Ponzinibbio and Vicente Luque could make sense, especially given that the latter’s teammate and friend Gilbert Burns is expected to battle Michael Morales at the event.

  • Former Champion Describes Featherweight As ‘Future Of The Division’ After UFC Vegas 101 Win

    Former Champion Describes Featherweight As ‘Future Of The Division’ After UFC Vegas 101 Win

    One of the biggest winners from this past weekend’s UFC Vegas 101 event is being tipped for greatness by a former champion.

    Among the top talking points to emerge from the UFC’s very first event of 2025 was the performance of featherweight Christian Rodriguez, who further enhanced his reputation as a prospect killer by defeating the previously undefeated Austin Bashi.

    The UFC Vegas 101 result means that all of Rodriguez’s last four wins saw him take an up-and-comer’s ‘O’, with Raul Rosas Jr., Cameron Saaiman, and Isaac Dulgarian also being ousted from the ranks of the unbeaten by “CeeRod.”

    With weight issues leading to the end of his bantamweight stint, Rodriguez looks to have found a home at 145 pounds. And a prominent teammate of his, for one, is predicting big things for the 27-year-old.

    “Another 0 collected. Christian Rodriguez is the future of the 145 division,” former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis wrote on X in reaction to Rodriguez’s UFC Vegas 101 triumph.

    Like Pettis, Rodriguez is part of the team over at Roufusport MMA Academy, where he trains under the guidance of Duke Roufus in Milwaukee.

    The renowned coach will be hoping to guide “CeeRod” to the success “Showtime” found on MMA’s biggest stage when he submitted Benson Henderson back at UFC 164 in 2013.

  • Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    UFC middleweight Chris Curtis could be committing to a major change following his latest setback.

    Curtis was among the fighters tasked with kicking things off for the mixed martial arts leader in 2025, as he got his campaign for the year underway Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas.

    After narrowly falling short in a main event rematch opposite Brendan Allen last April — and subsequently requiring a lengthy stint on the sidelines to heal from injuries — “Action Man” was looking to bounce back at the expense of Roman Kopylov.

    He was unable to do so, however, with the Russian emerging victorious from a highly entertaining affair. The end came by way of a perfectly timed head kick that saw Curtis stopped with just one second remaining on the clock.

    Though the American was furious with the stoppage and berated referee Mark Smith, the knockdown had no doubt sealed a certain decision victory for Kopylov had the scorecards been required.

    That was seemingly acknowledged by Curtis, who made no mention or complaint of the finish during his first post-fight statement on Instagram. The 37-year-old instead spoke on his own failure to have his hand raised, and he admitted the result may have signaled the end of his journey at 185 pounds.


    “Only job in the world where you can make 200k in a night and still be absolutely heartbroken and questioning where you go from here. No damage, I’m fine. Probably train tomorrow for my sanity but just frustrated and heartbroken. 8 months off. Hamstring tear, broken foot and then a calf tear. Trained through it all. Never lost sight of the goal. Just hurts to come up short. Thank you to everyone who reached out, have had a lot of love online and in person, it means the world to me. I guess I should take some comfort in fight of the night, but I only view tonight as a failure.

    “Maybe 170 is the way to go from here. Rest this weekend and I guess we have a talk with the team and management about what comes next. It thanks again to @mickmaynard2 for the opportunity to do what I love. I’m not sure who or where I would be without this. Thank you to the @ufcpi , you guys put me back together 3 times this year. It was an incredibly hard road back, but @gav_pratt and @heatherlinden and their teams really went above and beyond for me, and I will never not be grateful for that. For now, thankfully, we are uninjured and healthy. We work on figuring out what comes next.”

    The fact he took home an additional $50,000 for earning Fight of the Night honors was evidently of little consolation for Curtis, who now has just one win across his last five fights.

    Curtis began his UFC career with a 3-0 run that included memorable knockouts of Phil Hawes and Allen.

    Having subsequently failed to achieve similar consistency after breaking into the rankings, “Action Man” could return to the welterweight division, where he previously held a number of regional titles and fought at under the PFL banner.

  • Mackenzie Dern In No Rush For Title Fight After UFC Vegas 101 Win: ‘I Want To Be A Dominant Champion’

    Mackenzie Dern secured an impressive victory at UFC Vegas 101 on Saturday night, submitting Amanda Ribas in the third round of the main event.

    The win improved Dern’s UFC record to 11-5 and marked a strong step forward in her career resurgence. Despite her momentum, though, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist emphasized that she isn’t rushing toward a title shot.

    Instead, the strawweight contender is focused on continued growth to ensure long-term success when she eventually claims the belt.

    “I think I’m very hard on myself,” Dern told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “I’m always trying to get better. Even when I have a great performance, I think I did so many things wrong. I think it’s a lot of play messing in your head, so it can take your journey and maybe make it a little longer. But I think in the end, it really helps you evolve to be the best fighter possible if you can really look back and have constructive criticism on yourself.

    “My idea isn’t to go fight for the belt and then lose it fast. My idea is to get the belt, and I want to be a dominant champion. I’m not in a rush to get there. I want to have good fights and I want to make a statement.”

    UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili is scheduled to defend her title against Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312 in February. Dern, meanwhile, continues to rebuild her path to contention after rebounding from back-to-back losses to Jessica Andrade and Amanda Lemos.

    Before her latest win, Dern earned a decision victory over Loopy Godinez in August, showcasing her improved all-around game.

    With her focus on gradual improvement, Dern remains determined to evolve into a fighter capable of not just winning the title, but holding it for an extended reign.

  • VIDEO: Khabib Nurmagomedov Gets Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311

    VIDEO: Khabib Nurmagomedov Gets Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311

    After being removed from a flight, Khabib Nurmagomedov will need to find alternative transportation to Los Angeles ahead of UFC 311.

    At the event, he is set to corner both lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and bantamweight challenger Umar Nurmagomedov in the title fights scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18.

    The incident reportedly occurred during a flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Khabib was asked to leave the plane following an argument with a flight attendant regarding his seating in an emergency exit row.

    Passengers seated in these rows are required to understand and comply with crew commands and may be asked to assist in operating the emergency door if necessary. According to reports, Khabib initially did not understand the flight attendant’s instructions, which prompted her to request that he either switch seats or get off the plane. 

    In a video of the incident, the flight attendant explained the situation.

    “Okay, so what we’re gonna do is either have you switch your seat, because my flight attendants are not allowing you to sit in the exit row, or you’re gonna have to get off this plane.”

    Khabib responded by questioning the decision.

    “When I was in check-in, they asked me, ‘Do I know English?’ And I say yes. Then why you guys do this?”

    The flight attendant replied by repeating the options.

    “I understand that, but it’s also off of their judgment. I’m not going to do this back and forth. I’ll go call a supervisor. You can either take a different seat or we can go ahead and escort you off the plane.”

    Khabib’s current travel status is unclear.

  • ‘Masterclass In Jiu-Jitsu’ – Fans React As Mackenzie Dern Avenges Amanda Ribas Loss With Classic Armbar At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Masterclass In Jiu-Jitsu’ – Fans React As Mackenzie Dern Avenges Amanda Ribas Loss With Classic Armbar At UFC Vegas 101

    Back in October 2019, Mackenzie Dern was matched up with Amanda Ribas for her third UFC fight. After a 7-0 start in MMA, the decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner was handed her first taste of defeat at Ribas’ hands, dropping a decision in Tampa.

    Just over five years later, she can now say that she avenged that loss after submitting Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas 101.

    The Brazilian ranked strawweight and flyweight was able to land some sharp elbows early. But Dern, the grappling specialist, was able to get Ribas on the ground for over half of the first round. During that time, she brought down some effective ground-and-pound.

    Ribas worked her way back to the feet late in the first and then had more activity in a quiet second round. Dern, however, brought the action back to the ground in the third frame and locked up a classic, late armbar to score the submission.

    In doing so, the elite BJJ artist became the first to ever submit Ribas inside the cage.

    Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas In Rematch Over Five Years In The Making

    Dern, who looks to crack back into the top five of the women’s strawweight rankings, has now won two straight and three of her last five bouts.

    Ribas, meanwhile, has now lost three of her last five fights.