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  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, top-ten strawweights (#6) Mackenzie Dern and (#8) Amanda Ribas clashed. While in the co-main event, Santiago Ponzinibbio faced Carlston Harris in a welterweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Ribas via submission: R3, 4.56 
    • Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Carlston Harris via TKO: R3, 3.13
    • Middleweight: César Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan via KO: R1, 4.16  
    • Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. Chris Curtis via TKO: R3. 4.59
    • Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 
    • Welterweight: Punahele Soriano def. Uroš Medić via KO: R1, 0.31  

    Preliminary Card

    • Flyweight: Felipe Bunes def. Jose Johnson via submission: R1, 2.04
    • Middleweight: Marco Tulio def. Ihor Potieria via TKO: R1, 3.04
    • Lightweight: Thiago Moisés def. Trey Ogden via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Welterweight: Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons via KO: R1, 1.13
    • Women’s Flyweight: Ernesta Kareckaite def. Nicolle Caliari via split decision: (29-28×2, 28-29)  
    • Light Heavyweight: Bruno Lopes def. Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (29-28×3)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Fatima Kline def. Victoria Dudakova via TKO: R2, 4.27

    Lightweight: Nurullo Aliev def. Joe Solecki via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Fatima Kline def. Victoria Dudakova

    In this strawweight matchup, Fatima Kline stopped Victoria Dudakova late in the second round.

    Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons

    Jacobe Smith earned a first-round KO of Preston Parsons in their welterweight fight.

    Marco Tulio def. Ihor Potieria

    Marco Tulio got it done in the first round with a TKO of Ihor Potieria.

    Felipe Bunes def. Jose Johnson

    In this flyweight bout, Felipe Bunes earned a first-round armbar submission of Jose Johnson.

    Main Card Highlights

    Punahele Soriano def. Uroš Medić

    Punahele Soriano took just 31 seconds to KO Uroš Medić in their welterweight bout.

    Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi

    In this featherweight matchup, Christian Rodriguez earned a decision against Austin Bashi.

    Roman Kopylov def. Chris Curtis

    In this middleweight bout, Roman Kopylov TKO’d Chris Curtis with a head kick in the final second of round three.

    César Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan

    César Almeida knocked Abdul Razak Alhassan out cold in the first round of their middleweight matchup.

    Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Carlston Harris

    Santiago Ponzinibbio got it done with a TKO of Carlston Harris in round three.

    Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Ribas

    In the main event, Mackenzie Dern submitted Amanda Ribas with an armbar at the end of round three.

  • ‘Closest We’ve Had To Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry’ – Fans React As Cesar Almeida Overcomes Knockdown To Land One-Punch KO At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Closest We’ve Had To Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry’ – Fans React As Cesar Almeida Overcomes Knockdown To Land One-Punch KO At UFC Vegas 101

    The hits kept on coming at UFC Vegas 101, as the promotion’s first card of the year picked up in intensity on the main card real quick.

    Not long after Roman Kopylov scored a controversial, last-second finish of Chris Curtis, Cesar Almeida pulled off an unbelievable performance of his own, coming back from nearly being knocked out to emphatically finish Abdul Razak Alhassan.

    Alhassan was dominating Almeida throughout the first round. The Brazilian was dropped, and when he got up, the Ghanaian powerhouse landed rapid-fire shots, troubling Almeida and nearly putting him away.

    But while Alhassan was landing a barrage of shots with the two fighters near the fence, Almeida cracked him on the button, dropping Alhassan out cold in the final minute of the opening round to seal off a memorable comeback victory.

    Almeida Provides Early KO Of The Year Nominee With One-Shot Finish Of Alhassan At UFC Vegas 101

    With the win, the Brazilian rises to 7-1 and improves to 3-1 in the UFC since his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. His sole loss thus far came against Kopylov.

    Alhassan, meanwhile, is without a victory in his last three fights and has just one triumph across his last five.

  • ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    The first major fight controversy of 2025 has taken place at UFC Vegas 101 — the promotion’s first card of the year. And, of course, it had to involve Chris Curtis.

    In a jaw-dropping finish, “Action Man” was stopped by Roman Kopylov with just one second remaining in the contest.

    Both athletes brought fire in their striking during the first round. The Russian seemed to have the upper hand, but Curtis appeared to be gaining momentum as time went on.

    That stretched into the second, as the American continued his production, having landed over 100 significant strikes on his foe within the fight’s first 10 minutes.

    Kopylov was not deterred and had his own surge of momentum in the third round. But just as everything seemed to be wrapped up with the judges to present the scores, the Russian landed a head kick that badly rocked Curtis.

    Referee Marc Smith, with just one second remaining in the bout, stepped in and waved off the fight, giving Kopylov a victory via finish.

    Roman Kopylov Controversially Finishes Chris Curtis With One Second Left At UFC Vegas 101

    https://twitter.com/LhileDhonkheh/status/1878252122229055698
    https://twitter.com/JakeGerberMMA/status/1878253637182296280
    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1878253587874320637

    Kopylov has now won back-to-back fights and six of his last seven.

    Curtis, meanwhile, has won just one of his last five fights.

  • VIDEO: Punahele Soriano Stops Uroš Medić In 31 Seconds To Open UFC Vegas 101 Main Card

    VIDEO: Punahele Soriano Stops Uroš Medić In 31 Seconds To Open UFC Vegas 101 Main Card

    Welterweight Punahale Soriano got the first main card win of 2025, doing so in practically no time at all Saturday at UFC Vegas 101.

    Soriano needed just 31 seconds to score a quick finish of Uroš Medić at the promotion’s first event of the new year inside Las Vegas’ Apex on Jan. 11.

    The Hawaiian nailed his Serbian opponentwith a one-two that dropped him. Soriano followed this with some quick but vicious ground-and-pound to put the finishing touches on this win.

    Punahele Soriano Puts Away Uroš Medić In Quick Fashion At UFC Vegas 101

    https://twitter.com/TakeruCigarra/status/1878234400984314122?t=5AuyFKFGfAvCZk02gXmkfQ&s=19

    Soriano has now won back-to-back fights and three of his last five, improving to 5-4 in the UFC. It also marks his first knockout win since defeating Dalcha Lungiambula in 2022.

    After arriving to the UFC 6-0, meanwhile, Medić now falls to 10-3, having been finished in each of his losses.

  • VIDEO: Victoria Dudakova Slaps Coach After Falling To The First Finish Of 2025 At UFC Vegas 101

    VIDEO: Victoria Dudakova Slaps Coach After Falling To The First Finish Of 2025 At UFC Vegas 101

    The first finish of the UFC’s 2025 calendar has been delivered, and it came in some brutal fashion, as Fatima Kline scored a win over Victoria Dudakova during the UFC Vegas 101 prelims.

    And it’s safe to say that the Russian didn’t take the result well…

    Both women delivered powerful shots during the opening frame, but Kline appeared to gain control as time went on.

    Then, with Dudakova grounded late in the second, Kline landed some hard ground-and-pound to force the referee to step in and wave off the contest.

    Kline Scores First Octagon Win With Ground & Pound At UFC Vegas 101, Dudakova Slaps Cornerman

    What else is noteworthy occurred in the losing corner following the fight. It appeared that Dudakova slapped one of her cornermen after he attempted to console her.

    This marks the first UFC win for “The Archangel” after dropping her debut last year to Jasmine Jasudavicius.

    Dudakova, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back outings after starting her UFC run 2-0 in 2023.

  • ‘Is He Ever NOT Acting Like A Psycho?’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Makes ‘Disgusting’ Tackles In Soccer Appearance

    ‘Is He Ever NOT Acting Like A Psycho?’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Makes ‘Disgusting’ Tackles In Soccer Appearance

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is infamously known for his rise to stardom in the Octagon, as well as his antics and controversies inside and out of the cage. But for one day, the Irishman took his talents from the cage to the pitch.

    McGregor laced up his cleats earlier today and joined Black Forge FC, taking on Harding FC in a Premier Division matchup for the United Churches Football League (UCFL), an amateur soccer league in Dublin.

    While the game ended in a 1-1 draw, it took notoriety for not only the fighter’s appearance, but the hard-nosed intensity and aggression that he brought to the field.

    “I break jaws with my shoulder, and noses,” McGregor posted to social media. “I get the ball any pitch, anywhere. Moses”

    Conor McGregor Joins Up With Black Forge FC In Amateur Soccer Appearance

    McGregor has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons over the last couple of months. He was recently made by an Irish jury to pay over $250,000 to a woman, Nikita Hand, who was civilly suing the polarizing fighter. Hand accused McGregor of a December 2018 sexual assault.

    The Dublin native’s controversies resulted in another soccer team, Drogheda United, distancing themselves from the UFC star in a statement after the former two-division champ posted a photo of himself holding the team’s recently won FAI Cup.

    Despite rumors the past two years of a fight with Michael Chandler, “The Notorious” has not been seen in the UFC since his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

  • Report: UFC Seeking $1 Billion Yearly In New TV Deal, 5 Interested Broadcasters Revealed

    Whoever is interested in obtaining the US television rights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be paying more than a pretty penny.

    Per a new report from Bloomberg, the UFC is looking to obtain a TV rights deal in the United States that will give them more than $1 billion per year.

    The UFC’s current deal with ESPN expires at the end of the year. The two parties originally agreed to a five-year deal worth approximately $1 billion total back in 2018 before a contract extension that made the deal worth about $450 million a year.

    According to reports, ESPN is interested in re-upping its rights with the leading MMA promotion in the world but will face stiff competition from Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as YouTube and the Netflix and Amazon Prime streaming services. ESPN and TKO, the UFC’s parent company, are currently in the midst of an exclusive negotiating period that lasts until mid-April.

    “We started on ESPN seven years ago and had a rocky relationship in the beginning,” UFC CEO Dana White told Bloomberg TV in November. “But now I couldn’t be happier at ESPN, it’s a great relationship and I wouldn’t mind staying with them.”

    UFC Seeks More Than $1 Billion In New TV Rights

    What makes the UFC’s broadcasting services in the country so valuable is that the UFC is the only major sports broadcasting rights that are available for the foreseeable future. The NBA locked up new television contracts last year, while leagues like the NFL and MLB are already early into new broadcasting contracts.

    The UFC’s partner in TKO, the WWE, just started its new broadcasting rights, with its Monday Night Raw program having its Netflix premiere just this past Monday. The partnership, as well as Netflix’s previous ventures into live programming last year with NFL games and the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, giving speculation that the UFC could be interested in partnering with Netflix.

    Amazon Prime has recently been the broadcasting home to ONE Championship Fight Night cards in the U.S.

    There is also the chance that the UFC may split its broadcasting rights like the other U.S. major sports leagues do. This could see, for example, UFC pay-per-views heading to one platform, while UFC Fight Night cards and other programs such as Dana White’s Contender Series and The Ultimate Fighter, heading elsewhere.

  • Diego Lopes vs. Yair Rodríguez Among The Options For UFC Mexico Main Event In March

    Diego Lopes vs. Yair Rodríguez Among The Options For UFC Mexico Main Event In March

    Diego Lopes could be finally getting his chance to headline a UFC event for the first time.

    The surging UFC featherweight sensation enjoyed a stellar run last year, racking up three consecutive victories inside the Octagon. His most recent outing was at UFC 306 in September, where he claimed a commanding unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Brian Ortega.

    After that victory, Lopes set his sights on high-profile matchups that could bring him one step closer to his first title shot. Among those he targeted was former kingpin Alexander Volkanovski for a potential title eliminator. However, “The Great” swiftly dismissed the challenge, revealing that he was instead focused on a rematch with the reigning champion, Ilia Topuria.

    It seems the 30-year-old Brazilian is already forging ahead with his journey, as he revealed in a social media post on Wednesday that he has officially begun training for his first fight of 2025. From the looks of it, he’s landed the big-name opponent he’s been aiming for.

    According to a recent report from Home of Fight’s Jake Noecker, Lopes is in line to face off against former interim 145-pound champion Yair Rodríguez in the headlining bout at UFC Mexico City. The upcoming Fight Night event is slated for March 29 at the Arena CDMX in Mexico.

    Canadian reported Ariel Helwani later clarified the extent to which the bout is a done deal, noting that it’s one of the options for the main event in Mexico but is “far from set.”

    Rodriguez has been on the sidelines since his third-round submission loss to Ortega in February 2024. He’s now on a two-fight skid, with his slide beginning after a knockout defeat to Volkanovski in their title unification bout at UFC 290 in July 2023.

    “El Pantera” secured the interim title at UFC 284 in February 2023, delivering a dominant third-round submission victory over Josh Emmett.

  • Dan Hooker On UFC Resurgence: ‘I Asked Myself Where I Wanted To Be In My Career…’

    Dan Hooker On UFC Resurgence: ‘I Asked Myself Where I Wanted To Be In My Career…’

    Dan Hooker has learned valuable lessons from his past mistakes in his fighting career and has worked to capitalize on them in recent years.

    After enduring a tough stretch, losing four out of five fights between June 2020 and March 2022, Hooker has since turned things around. He’s now on a three-fight winning streak, highlighted by a thrilling Fight of the Night victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 last August.

    “Who knew actually training for UFC fights is a great idea? These are things you learn,” Hooker joked during an interview on Israel Adesanya’s YouTube channel.

    Reflecting on his mindset during his rough patch in 2020, Hooker admitted that his focus was on the wrong goal.

    “At that stage in my career, I just wanted money, and [UFC] capitalized on that, and I sold my title shot. At the end of the day, that’s what it came down to. I just wanted money, then I got money, and I was like, ‘That’s not cool! I want a world title,’ and you can’t trade money for a world title.”

    Hooker revealed that a shift in mentality was key to his resurgence. He began focusing on his long-term goals rather than financial gain.

    “I asked myself where I wanted to be in my career and admitted that where I had been wasn’t where I wanted to be.”

    He later elaborated on the evolution of his ambitions.

    “You want to be a ranked UFC fighter, but then you want more. Then you want to be a main event fighter. Then you win a main event, and you’re like, ‘This is shit as well, I want something else.’ At the end of the day, chasing the goal is the extra fun part. It’s not sitting back and holding on to that goal. Once you do that, you’re trading order.”

  • Islam Makhachev Outlines His Mistakes In Dustin Poirier Win: ‘When I Watch The Highlights…’

    Islam Makhachev Outlines His Mistakes In Dustin Poirier Win: ‘When I Watch The Highlights…’

    UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has built a reputation as a dominant force in the Octagon, but he remains introspective about his performances.

    Reflecting on his third title defense at UFC 302, where he submitted Dustin Poirier, Makhachev acknowledged the challenges “The Diamond” presented and admitted to making mistakes during the bout.

    Speaking with Demetrious Johnson on his YouTube channel, Makhachev praised Poirier’s preparation and competitiveness, noting that Poirier even managed to win two rounds on one judge’s scorecard.

    “Last time I fought Poirier, he prepared for this fight very well,” Makhachev said. “He did good homework, and he defended my wrestling. I did like, a lot of mistakes. I also had the kimura, and when I closed, I thought it was finished.

    “I did mistakes a couple of times, you know, and he gave me a (gash). But when I watch the highlights, I like this fight. If you ask me which fight I want to watch again, I’m going to say with Poirier because I watched this fight many times, and I was enjoying it. I know what I did wrong, what I did right, what I have to change.”

    Makhachev’s focus now shifts to UFC 311, where he will face Arman Tsarukyan in a highly anticipated rematch. The bout will take place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

  • Dominick Cruz Confirms Status Of Potential Retirement Post-UFC Seattle Return

    Dominick Cruz Confirms Status Of Potential Retirement Post-UFC Seattle Return

    Dominick Cruz is set to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon next month at a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle, where he will face Rob Font. This marks Cruz’s first fight in two years, sparking speculation among fans that this might be his retirement bout.

    The bantamweight legend, while speaking with ESPN, admitted this could very well be the case.

    “For me, it is,” Cruz said. “(It’s) not because of my mentality, not because of my skillset. Yeah, I lost my last fight, but I was in that fight every minute of the fight. When I got finished, I was going for the kill, which got me hurt. It wasn’t one of those situations where I was bowing out of the fight. It was that I was in the fight trying to kill the guy, and I hurt myself, and that led to the finish eventually.

    “I looked at that fight. I go, ‘OK, don’t be too harsh on yourself. This is part of the game. You get hit. You get caught. These things happen.’”

    Reflecting on his 2022 knockout loss to Marlon Vera, Cruz maintained confidence in his abilities.

    “I wasn’t slower. I wasn’t looking behind a step. I wasn’t not choosing the good techniques. Those are all things I add to my mindset before moving into this last nine months as well. The skills are still there. It’s just a matter of all the injuries and stuff. Can I keep them together to get through the camp? The camp is the hard part. We all know that. It’s not really the fight.”

    The Seattle event will also feature a high-profile bantamweight clash between former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo and rising contender Song Yadong, which is scheduled to headline at the Climate Pledge Arena.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Comments On Ex-Teammate Aiding Umar Nurmagomedov Ahead Of UFC 311

    Merab Dvalishvili Comments On Ex-Teammate Aiding Umar Nurmagomedov Ahead Of UFC 311

    Merab Dvalishvili harbors no ill will toward his former training partner, even though he has joined forces with his rival.

    “The Machine” is poised to put his bantamweight title on the line for the first time against Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event at UFC 311, taking place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    The buildup to this fight has been brimming with palpable tension, as Nurmagomedov has been vocal in his pursuit of a title shot for some time. While Dvalishvili initially seemed hesitant to accept the challenge, the matchup was ultimately confirmed.

    Interestingly, a recent social media post from Georgian journalist Giorgi Kokiashvili has injected even more drama into the upcoming matchup. Kokiashvili revealed that Magdi Amachov, the former teammate of the reigning 135-pound champion, is now lending his support to “The Young Eagle” in preparation for UFC 311.

    This comes after Dvalishvili had previously helped Amachov settle in the United States, even offering him accommodation.

    During a recent interview with The Schmo, Dvalishvili weighed in on the ongoing situation with Amachov, emphasizing that he holds no animosity towards his former training partner.

    “The Machine” explained that Amachov’s decision to join Nurmagomedov’s fight camp was motivated by a desire to support his Dagestani compatriot, rather than any personal conflict.

    “I love him and I did help him but I didn’t do it because I own him you know? He’s a big man and he can do whatever he wants,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s from Dagestan, and I know he loves Islam Makhachev, I know he loves Khabib Nurmagomedov, of course Umar Nurmagomedov. They call each other Muslim brothers, and I’m not surprised, of course. That’s his country, that’s his friends. I mean, I will not do that, but I will also not judge him. I love him, and I understand this, and I’m not mad at him. That’s OK.”

    Dvalishvili captured the bantamweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 in September 2024. He is riding high on an 11-fight unbeaten streak.

    Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi in August 2024, extending his undefeated streak to six straight wins inside the Octagon.

  • UFC Insider: LA Wildfires Create Concern Over UFC 311 Venue, Vegas In Play

    UFC Insider: LA Wildfires Create Concern Over UFC 311 Venue, Vegas In Play

    With UFC 311 just a week away, uncertainty looms over the events venue as reports suggest the ongoing crisis in Los Angeles has thrown the event’s location into uncertainty.

    The UFC is set to open its 2025 pay-per-view slate with an action-packed fight lineup. Scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the card is topped by two high-profile title clashes.

    In the main event, UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev will defend his belt against Arman Tsarukyan, while the co-main event features Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili defending his title against Umar Nurmagomedov.

    However, one pressing challenge facing Dana White and Co. is the raging wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, which have sparked uncertainty within the MMA community about whether UFC 311 will proceed as planned at the Intuit Dome. The natural calamity has already claimed over 10,000 homes and taken at least 11 lives. The once-thriving Pacific Palisades area has been almost completely destroyed, and the fires have now spread to the iconic Hollywood Hills, just a mere 20 miles from the UFC 311 venue.

    According to veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, the UFC has been assessing the situation regarding UFC 311 next Saturday. As of now, the highly anticipated event is set to proceed at the Intuit Dome. However, the promotion is keeping a vigilant eye on the unfolding crisis and stands prepared to relocate the event if necessary.

    Helwani revealed that talks about postponing the card have not taken place. If a venue change is required, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is reportedly the leading contingency option, though the UFC has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

    Numerous public events across Los Angeles County have already been called off for the weekend, as local resources are overwhelmed in an effort to control the growing damage. An official statement from the Intuit Dome confirmed that the two events slated for the arena have either been canceled or rescheduled.

  • UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results: Two Miss Weight

    UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results: Two Miss Weight

    UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading to Los Angeles to stage its first pay-per-view of 2025 next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to at the Apex to kick off the new year.

    The main event presents an opportunity for strawweight Mackenzie Dern to avenge the first loss of her professional career from back in 2019. She’s set to open her year against a former opponent and fellow top 10 contender in Amanda Ribas.

    Before that, the likes of welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, ranked middleweight Chris Curtis, and knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas takes place on Saturday, January 11, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

    See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the full results below!

    Main Card:

    • Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (116lbs) vs. Amanda Ribas (116lbs)
    • Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio (171lbs) vs. Carlston Harris (170lbs)
    • Middleweight: César Almeida (185.5lbs) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (185.5lbs)
    • Middleweight: Chris Curtis (185.5lbs) vs. Roman Kopylov (185.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez (145lbs) vs. Austin Bashi (145.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Punahele Soriano (171lbs) vs. Uroš Medić (171lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Flyweight: Jose Johnson (128.5lbs)* vs. Felipe Bunes
    • Middleweight: Marco Tulio (185.5lbs) vs. Ihor Potieria (188lbs)**
    • Lightweight: Thiago Moisés (155.5lbs) vs. Trey Ogden (155.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Preston Parsons (171lbs) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Ernesta Kareckaite (126lbs) vs. Nicolle Caliari (125.5lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205lbs) vs. Bruno Lopes (205.5lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Fatima Kline (116lbs) vs. Victoria Dudakova (116lbs)
    • Lightweight: Nurullo Aliev (155.5lbs) vs. Joe Solecki (155lbs)

    *Jose Johnson missed the flyweight limit by 2.5 pounds, fight status TBC

    **Ihor Potieria missed the middleweight limit by 2 pounds, fight status TBC

  • Gamebred Fighter On Jorge Masvidal’s Approach To Promotion: He’s Like ‘I’m Not UFC, Where We’re Going To Cut You’

    Gamebred Fighter On Jorge Masvidal’s Approach To Promotion: He’s Like ‘I’m Not UFC, Where We’re Going To Cut You’

    Jorge Masvidal may be seemingly on the cusp of a UFC return but he is one of the fighters who has dipped his toes into several other pursuits away from being an athlete towards the end of his career. One of the most obvious ventures for a veteran of the fight game is to start putting on your own shows and “Gamebred” has certainly got the experience, knowledge and credibility to have success in this field.

    The 52-fight veteran has attempted to carve out a niche for himself in combat sports via his Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion which first launched in 2021. They hosted two events in 2024 with the most recent one taking place on November 15 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

    Former UFC fighter Jesse Ronson, who competed six times inside the Octagon, fought on that card where he earned his second consecutive first-round submission win in the promotion. In a recent interview on Bare Knuckle Bowker, Ronson told Dylan Bowker about what it is like to fight for Masvidal.

    The Canadian spoke about how “Gamebred” is looking for entertaining fights and if you can deliver on that, than you’re in his good books and it’s that simple.

    “He [Masvidal] just flat out says it straight up. He’s like I just want fireworks guys. I’ll pay you, I’ll do whatever, just give me good fights. He’s like I don’t care how old you are, if you lose, or whatever it is. He’s like I’m not UFC where we’re going to cut you after two fights or three fights. If you’re making people scream and getting views.”

    Ronson continued, adding that Masvidal’s first-hand experience is what separates him from the other promoters. He made it clear that he wasn’t trying to discredit others as much as he was praising the former BMF title challenger.

    “You are always welcome back and he’s like I’ll take care of you. He’s like I’ll try to meet everything you need. He’s a great promoter and you’re right because he’s fought he understands what it’s like… Again I’m not gonna sh*t on Dana White or Scott Coker or whoever runs the PFL, because if they fought and they went through it they would know what it’s like.”

  • UFC Middleweight Doesn’t Give Dricus Du Plessis A Chance Against Alex Pereira: ‘He Can Beat DDP Easily’

    UFC Middleweight Doesn’t Give Dricus Du Plessis A Chance Against Alex Pereira: ‘He Can Beat DDP Easily’

    UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is set to return at UFC 312 next month where he will put the title on the line for a second time. “Stillknocks” certainly isn’t short on contenders at 185-pounds even when looking past his next challenge, a rematch with Sean Strickland in Sydney, Australia.

    However, there is always going to be talk and debate around champions moving up or down a weight class to face another titleholder in the promotion and this is something that has interested Du Plessis in the past. It also just so happens that the current champion in the division above him is the former middleweight king also.

    Many fans expect to see Alex Pereira defend the light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in his next outing inside the Octagon. The only exception might be that because “Poatan” has become such a star for the promotion, they could look to capitalize on putting together a super fight for the Brazilian.

    Middleweight contender Caio Borralho recently trained alongside Pereira and used that experience to weigh-in on how a potential matchup between him and Du Plessis would play out if they end up meeting at some stage. He told Submission Radio that whilst the debate would change if you factor Khamzat Chimaev into the conversation, he believes that Pereira would be a tough style clash for “DDP”.

    “I think he can beat DDP easily,” Borralho told Submission Radio. “I think very easily he can beat DDP. I think Khamzat (Chimaev) is a different story because of the grappling, but ‘Poatan’ is definitely getting better at defending takedowns. He’s a big guy, very big guy. It would be hard for Khamzat to keep him down.

    “He made a good choice moving up to the light heavyweight division. … I think he can knock DDP out really easily because DDP commits a lot of mistakes in his fights and a lot of openings,” Borralho said. “If you leave even a small opening with a guy like Alex, you’re going to get knocked out.”

  • UFC ‘Addicted’ Actor Reveals Which Fight Almost Left Him In Tears: ‘Was Getting His Ass Handed To Him’

    UFC ‘Addicted’ Actor Reveals Which Fight Almost Left Him In Tears: ‘Was Getting His Ass Handed To Him’

    A major UFC card being in town often turns into the most desirable destination for celebrities who fancy themselves as fight fans. Though these names might be used to the dazzling lights of stardom, it doesn’t mean that they’re immune to watching their favorite athletes go through it inside the Octagon.

    This is the case for the actor turned academy award winning director Mel Gibson who is one of the reoccurring faces that is shown on screen during the PPV broadcasts. The 69-year old recently appeared on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience where at one point, the conversation inevitably got onto mixed martial arts.

    Having a personal attachment to a fighter is what turns so many people into MMA fans but that is taken to a whole new level of investment if you personally know the person who is stepping into the cage to put it all on the line. Gibson experienced this in a fight that he said nearly brought him to tears as he watched it unfold.

    Brian Ortega may be best known for his elite submission skills but he has also displayed his remarkable toughness several times at the highest level. At UFC 266 in September of 2021, he challenged for the featherweight title for the second time when he faced Alexander Volkanovski in the main event.

    Despite coming incredibly close to submitting the champion in one of the best fights of the year, Ortega took a lot of damage from the defending champion over the five round duration which saw Volkanovski retain the title via a unanimous decision. Gibson spoke about how this fight in particular was a tough watch for him more than any other because of his personal connection to the challenger.

    “I’m addicted to the UFC, I love it. But I know that these guys are…I feel kind of sorry for them,” Gibson said. “I knew one of the guys fairly well, and usually I’m pretty immune to [nausea]. He was fighting Alexander Volkanovski and it was Brian Ortega, and he was getting his a** handed to him. He almost got him a couple of times.

    “But because I knew Brian, it was like my son was in there. I almost started crying, and it got to me, ‘I should probably feel like this about all these guys but I don’t know them as well’”

  • Gilbert Burns Set For UFC 314 Return In Miami, Faces Undefeated Prospect

    Gilbert Burns Set For UFC 314 Return In Miami, Faces Undefeated Prospect

    A big fight in the welterweight division is the first major matchup to have been reported for the UFC’s return to Miami on April 12. Ag. Fight revealed that the former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns will be back in Miami for the second consecutive year to take on the undefeated Michael Morales.

    Burns is currently coming off the biggest winless streak of his career after losing his last three bouts inside the Octagon. In May of 2023, he suffered an injury in his defeat to Belal Muhammad, returning the following year in Miami where he was finished by Jack Della Maddalena. His difficult run of form continued last September where he lost a unanimous decision to Sean Brady over five rounds at the UFC Apex.

    In order to return to the win column, the #8-ranked contender will need to be the first man to defeat Ecuador’s Morales in 17 fights. The 25-year old arrived in the UFC back in 2022 after earning his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series and he has made quiet the impression ever since.

    He has since beaten the likes of Neil Magny, Jake Matthews and Max Griffin to put together a five-fight winning streak inside the Octagon which has earned him the #12-spot in the top 15. With 12 wins via knockout, Morales is a dangerous contender who will be hoping to earn the biggest win of his career to date in Miami.

    For “Durinho”, beating a highly regarded rising star like Morales could be the confidence boost that he needs to re-establish himself as a serious player at the top of the welterweight division.

    Though the fight was not a done deal at the time, Burns recently spoke about the potential matchup during an episode of the Show Me The Money Podcast. He gave Morales plenty of praise before saying that despite it being a tough fight for both of them, like his friend Renato Moicano, he “cannot afford to lose”.

  • Joe Rogan Retracts Claim Of Jon Jones’ Pay Demand For Tom Aspinall Fight: ‘Dana Contacted Me…’

    Joe Rogan Retracts Claim Of Jon Jones’ Pay Demand For Tom Aspinall Fight: ‘Dana Contacted Me…’

    Joe Rogan is backpedaling on his recent assertion regarding Jon Jones’ potential title fight against Tom Aspinall.

    Interim UFC Heavyweight champion Aspinall has been relentlessly campaigning for a title unification showdown with Jones for over a year now. However, “Bones” has repeatedly brushed off the challenge, though he hasn’t entirely shut the door — hinting that he’d consider stepping into the Octagon if the UFC presents him with the most lucrative payday of his career.

    Interestingly, Rogan claimed on his podcast that he had heard whispers of the reigning UFC Heavyweight champion demanding a staggering $30 million to face Aspinall. He even expressed optimism that the UFC might meet the hefty price tag to make the highly anticipated clash a reality.

    However, during a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, the seasoned UFC commentator shared that he received a call from UFC CEO Dana White, who refuted his earlier statements. Rogan admitted the particular episode was recorded roughly two weeks ago and confessed he couldn’t recall the source who mentioned Jones’ rumored $30 million demand.

    “We were talking about Jon Jones and I had heard a rumor that Jon Jones wanted $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall,” Rogan said. “And I did hear that rumor and I did hear that the UFC said yes. But it is not true, Dana contacted me and said that rumor is bullsh*t. So I felt obligated to tell everybody that was a fake rumor. I don’t even remember because we did that podcast two weeks ago, I don’t remember who told me that.”

    “Bones” was last seen in action at UFC 309 in November 2024, where he secured a dominant third-round knockout win over former champion Stipe Miocic in his first heavyweight title defense.

    Meanwhile, Aspinall has held the interim heavyweight title since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023. He further solidified his reign with another knockout win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024.

  • Former Champ-Champ Henry Cejudo Opens As Betting Underdog For UFC Seattle Main Event vs. Song Yadong

    Former Champ-Champ Henry Cejudo Opens As Betting Underdog For UFC Seattle Main Event vs. Song Yadong

    February 22 is a huge date for the former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion, Henry Cejudo. “Triple C” made his return to the Octagon in May of 2023 after announcing that he had retired three years prior at UFC 249.

    Having gone out on top as a champ-champ, the 37-year old has come up short in back-to-back fights since stepping back inside the Octagon at UFC 288. A split decision loss over five rounds to Aljamain Sterling and a further defeat to his teammate and the current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili have doubled his career losses from two to four.

    With his next fight recently being made official for Seattle at the Climate Pledge Arena next month, the oddsmakers don’t have Cejudo turning things around at this stage in his career. BetOnline.ag have him as a +160 underdog in his matchup with the #8-ranked Song Yadong.

    The 27-year old Team Alpha Male fighter is coming off of a loss to Petr Yan at UFC 299 last March having beaten Ricky Simón and Chris Gutierrez in consecutive main events before that. Despite also holding victories over the likes of Marlon Vera and Marlon Moraes, beating Cejudo will certainly be the biggest win of his career in terms of name value and he’s currently at -185.

    Of course, these betting lines will shift back and forth before the two men step back inside the Octagon but when you look at what Cejudo has been able to achieve in MMA and the level of opponents that he is used to facing, a loss here may be his biggest setback to date considering that his other defeats came in a close fight with Joseph Benavidez and his first encounter with flyweight great Demetrious Johnson.

  • Coach: Social Media Detox Will Take Sean O’Malley To The ‘Next Level’

    Coach: Social Media Detox Will Take Sean O’Malley To The ‘Next Level’

    Sean O’Malley’s coach is confident of seeing an improved iteration of the former UFC bantamweight champion following a change to his approach in 2025.

    Not many fighters have been able to accumulate the kind of social media following and presence that O’Malley has since rising to prominent on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. From YouTube and X to Instagram and Snapchat, “Suga” has long been active in building his brand online.

    But that looks set to change moving forward after O’Malley was thrust off the 135-pound throne by Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September.

    That result seems to have brought about a significant adjustment for “Suga” as he gears up for his pursuit of regaining the crown in 2025, with the Montana native revealing plans to take a break from social media.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, coach Tim Welch expressed his support for the decision, suggesting that an O’Malley who is focused on nothing but the cage will mark a dangerous proposition for his opponents.

    “He’s worked so hard for years on these socials, and you’d be surprised by the amount of money he makes on them, it’s crazy, but it’s like, right now, to win in this top five, you’ve got to be focused on your training,” Welch said. “Being creative on Instagram, being creative on Snapchat, being creative on YouTube, and then worried about all your deliverables (and) when they’ll be posted – your mind’s thinking about all this stuff, and it takes more energy than you think.

    “Every single person wants you on their podcast, every single person wants you at their party, celebs (and) athletes, they’re messaging you asking to hang out and you’re just taking all this in,” Welch continued. “So for him to put it all down, to put Snapchat down, to put Instagram down, put the YouTube down; he needs to do that and it’s going to be able to take him to the next level.”

    While O’Malley is without a fight date in the calendar after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum post-title loss to Dvalishvili, he is expecting to return in competition for the bantamweight gold in quarter two of 2025.

    Should that come to fruition, “Suga’s” opponent will be decided next weekend at UFC 311, where “The Machine” is set to defend his gold for the first time against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.

  • Payton Talbott Has Surprise Opponent In Mind After UFC 311 Return: ‘He Has This Vendetta Against Women’

    Payton Talbott Has Surprise Opponent In Mind After UFC 311 Return: ‘He Has This Vendetta Against Women’

    Payton Talbott was one of the breakout stars of 2024 after extending his winning streak inside the Octagon to 3-0. The 26-year old earned back-to-back performance bonuses for his finishes over Cameron Saaiman and Yanis Ghemmouri which have marked him out as one of the most exciting bantamweights in the world right now.

    He’s now set to continue this momentum into 2025 when at UFC 311 on January 18, he takes on Brazil’s Raoni Barcelos at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Whilst the 11-fight UFC veteran is his primary focus right now, Talbott has his eyes on another potential opponent.

    Rather than having a name in and around the top 15 which he hopes to meet inside the Octagon if he is successful against Barcelos, the Las Vegas native has a bone to pick with the incredibly controversial Andrew Tate. As a former kickboxer who last competed in 2020, Tate has been linked with fighters calling him out for several years.

    His current legal issues, which include him being placed under house arrest in Romania for human trafficking, have stopped any form of contest from ever happening but Talbott still wanted to put his intentions out there during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani show.

    “Yeah, that’s the one. Yeah, let’s get that going. I’d take that; I’d take that. Yeah, yeah, it’s just a free-for-all.”

    When asked why he wants to have a fight with Tate, who is a huge name in popular culture for a lot of undesirable reasons, Talbott said that it’s his heavily criticized views on women that particularly bother him.

    “He’s just the antithesis of me,” Talbott said. “It seems like someone just cheated on him when he was younger, and now he has this vendetta against women. I feel like he takes himself super seriously, and it’s just like, he’s kind of a poison for masculine culture.”

  • Manager Recalls Scary Weight Cut That Put Bellator Fighter Into A Coma: ‘If They Had Not Acted That Fast…’

    Manager Recalls Scary Weight Cut That Put Bellator Fighter Into A Coma: ‘If They Had Not Acted That Fast…’

    Daiane Silva was put into a medically induced coma this past September after suffering from kidney failure during a difficult weight cut. The Brazilian was set to make her Bellator debut on short notice in London, England which would have seen her compete at featherweight for the first time in her career.

    It was a long time before this news was made public with many questioning why there wasn’t any health updates coming from the PFL at this time. Donn Davis stated when talking publicly about it for the first time that the promotion made the decision to not put out any statements regarding Silva’s current state out of respect for her family who wanted privacy.

    This was recently backed up by Silva’s manager, Alex Davis, who spoke in a recent interview with MMA Fighting about the initial reaction to the situation and how the staff at the promotion worked quickly and effectively to support their fighter.

    “It’s very scary,” Davis said. “Daiane and her family all through the process, they didn’t want anything divulged in the media.

    “I’m just going to as far as I can go on the medical side — as soon as it happens, Bellator did a very good job. They found out they had a problem, they got a doctor on it. When the doctor saw how serious it was, they got her to the ambulance. They got her to the hospital. If they hadn’t acted [as quickly], mainly Eduardo [Lima], who works for PFL and Bellator during the event, if they had not acted that fast, it could have been a different outcome.”

    Davis didn’t find out about Silva’s issues until he woke up the following morning to messages about her being in hospital due to the time difference. He has never experienced anything like this during his time as a veteran manager but through communication with the hospital, Silva’s family, loved ones, coaches and the promotion, they were able to support her.

    “We had a group of people working, everybody’s on top of this,” Davis said. “She had an angel, a friend of hers, who was an angel in her life, stayed beside her through thick and thin and is still beside her.

    “It seemed like we were going to have to put her in an ambulance plane with a doctor and a nurse to send her back to Brazil. Mike Kogan, Eduardo from Bellator, they never blinked an eye. They said whatever she needs. Whatever is needed. You can only imagine what that would cost but they never blinked.”

    The latest update on Silva’s condition was that she had returned to Brazil where she was being treated in a support facility where she was showing promising signs of recovery. Davis stated that a GoFundMe page may be set-up in the near future in order to help the 29-year old fighter fund her medical care.

    “Amazingly, she started getting better,” Davis said. “She started showing improvement. Slow improvement with this angel beside her. When you have a situation like this, they start bringing her out of the coma but it’s not like you turn on a switch and she wakes up. No, it happens slowly. She’s coming back slowly and it’s important to have someone there talking and stimulating her. That’s how that process happened.

    “She started getting up. She started talking. She was intubated and they managed to take her tubes out and then it was up and up and up. We’re still going up, but she’s not playing basketball yet. There’s still a long road to go until she’s fully healed.”

  • Ranked UFC Featherweight Calls Brian Ortega Out For ‘Massive’ Clash At UFC London

    Ranked UFC Featherweight Calls Brian Ortega Out For ‘Massive’ Clash At UFC London

    Brian Ortega has not been the most active contender in the featherweight division for some time and yet, due to his high position in the rankings, he’s fairly consistently called out by his fellow 145-pounders. Though for a long time, it seemed like saying his name likely wouldn’t lead to anything, “T-City” did fight twice last year for the first time since 2018.

    After submitting Yair Rodriguez last February, the former two-time title challenger suffered a decision loss to Diego Lopes at UFC 306 in September meaning that he currently sits at #6 in the rankings. Five spots below him is one of the division’s most exciting additions in recent years who has won seven in a row since fighting to a draw on his UFC debut back in 2019.

    Lerone Murphy is remarkably the same age as Ortega but he still feels like the next generation of featherweight contenders in some ways. He also fought twice in 2024 where he secured his two biggest wins to date over Edson Barboza and Dan Ige.

    Having missed out on the opportunity to fight on home soil last year at UFC 304 in Manchester, he wants to put on a show for the UK fans when the Octagon returns to London, England on March 22 for a Fight Night event. When looking at the fighters who are above him in the rankings right now, a fight with Ortega would make a lot of sense for Murphy right now.

    “T-City” is still a highly regarded opponent who is coming off of a loss meaning that it makes sense for him to fight down the rankings next time out. “The Miracle” looked to shoot his shot via social media by getting the fans excited about the possibility of him facing off with the submission specialist at the O2 Arena.

  • PFL Reportedly Set For Major Changes To Tournament Format In 2025, Including Removal Of $1 Million Prize

    The PFL is reportedly set to undergo some major changes to the season format before it begins in 2025. The previous year also saw the promotion shift significantly due to the acquisition of Bellator but now it looks like it will be the very foundation of the PFL that will be evolving over time.

    We’ve already had the announcement from Donn Davis that elbows will be legal in all PFL fights from now on and whilst that changes the fights inside the Smart Cage, the newest changes will affect the format that these bouts take place in. For a long time, the PFL has pushed the $1 million tournament as it’s main selling point with the winner of each final towards the end of the year being granted a world championship and a huge prize sum.

    Al Zullino (@phre on X) was the first to report that this prize money would be cut in half moving forwards after he shared details of a new PFL contract which lists the “Tournament Champions Bonus” as $500,000.

    Uncrowned’s Drake Riggs also wrote that according to sources, another big change will be the way that fighter’s progress through the regular season format. In previous years, fighters were awarded a certain amount of points for winning and fight and the method/speed of victory. For example, a first-round finish would earn a fighter six points on the scoreboard with these points tallies then determining the matchups for the play-offs.

    Though the new format is yet to be confirmed, it looks like the points system will no longer be in use due to a change in direction for the way that the PFL distributes its talent. It appears that the biggest names in the promotion and the most anticipated bouts will now take place on the Road to Dubai Champions Series events with the first one set to take place on January 25.

    The season format will instead be focused on rising stars in the promotion and building exciting talent rather than it being the end goal for everyone on the roster. Zullino also shared details of a revised bonus scheme for the fighters who are involved in non-season title fights.