Cunningham revealed the decision in a vlog-style video recorded in his car, explaining that he ruptured a disc in his back that has not healed properly and that ongoing issues with the injury have led him to walk away from competition.
The American ends his career with an overall record of 11 wins and 5 losses, including an 0-2 mark inside the Octagon after earning his opportunity with a victory on Dana White’s Contender Series. His UFC run included a quick stoppage defeat to Jose Johnson in March 2024, part of a brief stint at the highest level that did not produce a win.
Cunningham’s retirement comes after a turbulent spell outside the cage as well. In October 2025, he faced widespread backlash for posting Nazi-themed propaganda on his Instagram account, drawing condemnation across social media and overshadowing his in-cage career.
Ian Machado Garry might be teasing that he’s next in line to challenge Islam Makhachev; however, Javier Mendez, Makhachev’s coach, is implying that Garry is no threat.
Garry has recently revealed that he is in Georgia, looking to improve his wrestling abilities for a potential title matchup with Makhachev. Georgia is known for producing high-level wrestling talent, including former bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Given the current state of the welterweight rankings, it’s not confirmed who will be the first to challenge Makhachev, but Garry — currently ranked No. 2 — is making a big push.
But according to Mendez, the head of the American Kickboxing Academy, that won’t matter because of Makhachev’s advantages when the fight goes to the mat.
“He does well with Islam on the standup because he’s rangy, he’s tricky, all those — but on the ground, he does okay, but he doesn’t survive on the ground,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “He might survive five rounds, but he won’t get the the best of Islam on the ground. That I’m 100 percent sure about that.
Though Garry has studied judo, he is better known for using his size and range. The 6’3″ welterweight uses his lankiness and frame to get the better of opponents with his striking.
“On the stand up, he’s pretty tricky,” Mendez admitted. “So, one punch can change everything on that. One kick, one punch, one knee…so, that’s a different story. But on the ground, I don’t see him dominating. I see him surviving, possibly…and then the takedown defense, that he is decent, but not great enough to stop Islam from taking him down.”
Mendez also admitted that Makhachev had preferred a matchup with Kamaru Usman, given Usman is a former champion and has perhaps the most star power out of the potential challenger list.
A matchup with Garry, however, is still entertaining and more than welcome.
“I feel good about it,” Mendez said. “He’s a well-known guy. He’s very highly skilled, and I look forward to the challenge.”
Makhachev claimed the welterweight title with a dominant win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. The win made Makhachev the latest UFC fighter to win titles in two different weight divisions during their career.
Garry is 17-1 and most recently bested another former welterweight champion in Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar two weeks after Makhachev’s title win over JDM.
The UFC has yet to announce the next title challenger at 170. Shavkat Rakhmonov was recently removed from the welterweight rankings due to inactivity, as he suffered another setback due to injury.
Sean Strickland feels he has all the skills that will give him a big edge when he faces off with Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston this weekend.
Strickland is known for being a pressure-heavy fighter, but most of that comes from his boxing. Strickland, in fact, prefers to use his fists when in combat.
But that doesn’t mean he’s not a good grappler; in fact, Strickland, who is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is considered underrated in the discipline.
Hernandez is known for his grappling, but Strickland says anyone expecting “Fluffy” to succeed with takedowns and wrestling might be in for a surprise.
During the UFC Houston media day, Strickland hinted that he may use grappling to help him set up a late finish.
“I’m not the hardest guy to take down — and I don’t care about getting taken down,” Strickland said. “I think it’s going to be a five-round grappling match, which I will out-grapple him. And then I’ll TKO him in the fourth or fifth round.”
Strickland, in fact, says he’s been looking forward to this matchup with Hernandez as a means of testing his grappling capabilities.
“I’ve never done much grappling, especially this late into my career, so this is a test that I wanted,” Strickland said. “I do much more wrestling than I do striking in my training camps — so really it’s just having the gas tank to wrestle for five rounds.
“Generally, he takes guys down and breaks them, but I’m not a guy who breaks.”
Strickland is 4-2 in his last six. This will be his first fight since losing a middleweight championship rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the title at UFC 293 but dropped the title to DDP at UFC 297.
Hernandez has won eight straight, including a decision win over Brendan Allen and a submission win over Roman Dolidze last year.
Lionsgate has released the official trailer for Beast, an MMA action drama starring Russell Crowe set to hit theaters on April 10, 2026. Crowe also co-wrote the screenplay alongside David Frigerio.
The film stars Daniel MacPherson as Patton James, a once-feared MMA champion who has stepped away from competition to build a quieter life. When his younger brother is put in danger, he’s pulled back into the cage — reuniting with his former trainer, played by Crowe, for one final brutal camp ahead of a showdown with the reigning title-holder. The film is directed by Tyler Atkins.
The cast also includes Luke Hemsworth, Bren Foster, Mojean Aria, Kelly Gale, and Australian musician Amy Shark, who makes her feature film debut. MacPherson and Hemsworth previously worked with Crowe on his 2022 film Poker Face.
Beast was developed in collaboration with ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial arts organization. A key fight scene was filmed at ONE Championship’s Friday Fights live event at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, in January 2025.
Watch the trailer below.
Beast opens exclusively in theaters on April 10, 2026.
UFC president Dana White is pushing back at critics who are outraged by Sean Strickland’s “colorful” remarks this week, insisting that anyone offended by the controversial middleweight should stop asking him questions instead of demanding the promotion rein him in.
“If you get your feelings hurt that bad, you probably shouldn’t ask the kind of questions when you know the answer you’re going to get from Strickland.”
When Dana White was asked about policing Sean Strickland on a UFC microphone
“If you get your feelings hurt that bad you shouldn’t ask these questions when you know the response you’ll get from Strickland. I don’t tell any human what to say or think, there’s no leashes” pic.twitter.com/6PHqG0AxUP
Sean Strickland’s UFC Houston media day appearance turned into a torrent of slurs and inflammatory remarks that quickly escaped the MMA bubble. As detailed by Variety and other mainstream outlets, Strickland used a homophobic slur to describe upcoming Super Bowl halftime performer Bad Bunny, mocked the NFL for “gaying up” football with its entertainment choices, and derided him as a “gay foreigner” brought in to perform.
He also claimed women have been empowered “too much” and “ruined society,” then reduced their value to domestic roles like cooking and cleaning while dismissing interest in women’s sports.
Aaaaaaand he was just getting started.
When asked about Netflix’s planned MMA exhibition between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, he suggested they should fight “half naked,” joked about Rousey’s history of being abused by a former partner, and sexualized Carano while reminiscing about watching her fight as a teenager.
Paramount paid $7.7 billion for this operation. Strickland’s been doing this kind of routine for a long time. By every indication available, Paramount’s getting exactly what they wanted. Entreaties for them to challenge what they asked for won’t work. https://t.co/yK4A49gOwT
— Luke Thomas Gets Political (LTGP) (@LTGetsPolitical) February 19, 2026
The media day was staged to promote his main event bout with Anthony Hernandez this Saturday in Houston, airing on Paramount+, and marks Strickland’s first fight since a 2025 suspension for attacking another fighter while working as a cornerman.
The combination of misogynistic, anti-LGBTQ and xenophobic rhetoric turned what was supposed to be a standard promotional hit into a corporate headache. Variety noted that both Paramount+ and the UFC did not immediately respond to requests for comment, underscoring how sensitive the situation is for the promotion and its broadcast partner as the clip circulates beyond fight fans.
Dana White: ‘Don’t ask him if you’re going to cry about it’
While broadcast partners and sponsors may be bracing for fallout, Dana White’s stance on Strickland remains consistent with how he has handled past controversies involving the former middleweight champion.
Speaking previously about backlash to Strickland’s offensive comments, White argued that members of the media who get their “feelings hurt” by Strickland’s answers are partly to blame when they knowingly toss him provocative questions.
“If you get your feelings hurt that bad, you probably shouldn’t ask the kind of questions when you know the answer you’re going to get from Strickland,” White said when asked about criticism of the fighter’s language.
He scoffed at the idea that the UFC gives Strickland a long “leash,” insisting that he doesn’t try to police fighters’ speech and that they are responsible for what comes out of their own mouths.
White has framed the issue as one of individual freedom rather than corporate responsibility.
“I don’t tell any other human being what to say or what to think,” he said, rejecting the notion that he should intervene when Strickland’s talking points veer into bigotry or hate.
In his view, the media have a clear idea of who Strickland is and what kind of soundbites he generates, and they should not act surprised when he delivers exactly that.
‘No leashes’ and the UFC’s free-speech posture
White’s broader message is that fights are the UFC’s product, but fighters’ speech belongs to them—even when it crosses lines that many fans, media members and advocacy groups find offensive.
He has repeatedly rejected calls to muzzle Strickland, saying he does not put “leashes” on athletes or script their personalities, even as sponsors and partners must live with the fallout of what they say.
That posture is now being stress-tested as Strickland’s comments are amplified by mainstream outlets like Variety, which framed the Houston media day appearance as a “bigoted tirade” that targeted women, LGBTQ people and immigrants.
Instead of signaling a change in approach, White is doubling down on the idea that Strickland is an uncensored personality and that anyone offended by him should stop treating him like a reliable spokesman for the sport.
UFC, Paramount+ and the optics problem
The tension for the UFC is that Strickland is not just a random undercard fighter ranting on social media; he is a former champion headlining a Paramount+-streamed event that the company is actively promoting.
His tirade unfolded on an official UFC media platform, with UFC branding everywhere, and directly tied to a fight the promotion and its partners want fans to watch on Saturday.
UFC’s silence when reached for comment, combined with White’s “no leashes” rhetoric, paints the picture of a company willing to absorb reputational damage in exchange for the attention and viral clips that come with Strickland’s persona.
At the same time, Strickland’s opponent Anthony Hernandez has already addressed racially charged material involving Strickland in the build-up to UFC Houston, vowing to “torture” him in the cage after a racist post depicted Hernandez using stereotypical Mexican imagery.
For now, there is no indication that White plans to discipline Strickland over his latest comments, much less tell him to tone down his rhetoric.
With Strickland set to headline in Houston on Paramount+, the fallout from this week’s comments (and White’s refusal to distance himself from them) will loom over Saturday night’s broadcast.
Amanda Serrano has weighed in on the newly announced Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight, praising both women as pioneers and taking a shot at anyone who views the matchup negatively.
Serrano, who signed a lifetime deal with Most Valuable Promotions in March 2025, shared her thoughts on social media following the announcement that Rousey and Carano will headline MVP’s first-ever MMA event on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, streaming live on Netflix.
“It’s so cool to have one of the Best combat Athletes back @RondaRousey vs another pioneer of combat sports the beautiful @ginacarano,” Serrano wrote. “Others shining lights won’t dim yours Unless you’re insecure, these women will break Numbers both in Viewerships & in live Attendance. I’m certain they will make a ton of money Raising the game!!”
She continued, “I feel it for the Lames that think it’s all about them. Real Empowered Women Empower Women! Tissues for the rest.”
The Puerto Rican boxing champion knows firsthand what MVP and Netflix can deliver. Serrano’s rematch with Katie Taylor in November 2024 became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in U.S. history with 74 million global viewers, and their trilogy at Madison Square Garden in July 2025 headlined the first-ever all-women’s boxing card at the iconic venue.
MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian called Rousey and Carano “the two most formative figures in the history of women’s MMA” when announcing the bout. The fight will be contested at 145 pounds over five five-minute rounds under the Unified Rules of MMA.
A kickoff press conference is scheduled for March 5 at the Intuit Dome, with additional fights on the undercard to be announced in the coming weeks.
Former Bellator champion Sergio Pettis will face undefeated contender Mitch McKee in a bantamweight main event at PFL Chicago on April 11 from Wintrust Arena. The winner will move directly into title contention for the promotion’s still-vacant 135-pound championship.
PFL CEO John Martin confirmed the matchup on Thursday, calling it “a divisional inflection point” for the bantamweight division. Pettis currently sits atop PFL’s bantamweight rankings, while McKee brings a perfect 10-0 record into the biggest fight of his career.
Pettis Riding Momentum After Highlight-Reel KO
Pettis (25-7) enters on a two-fight win streak in 2025, including a Knockout of the Year contender over Magomed Magomedov at PFL Dubai in October. The former Bellator bantamweight champion was being dominated on the scorecards before uncorking a devastating spinning back elbow that flatlined Magomedov in the second round.
McKee (10-0) is a former University of Minnesota wrestling All-American who turned pro in MMA in 2021. The 28-year-old Minnesota native trains at Kill Cliff FC in South Florida and boasts six knockouts in his 10 career victories. He was most recently seen headlining LFA 217 in September 2025, where he scored another knockout win.
This represents a significant step up in competition for McKee, who has primarily competed in LFA throughout his professional career. A win over the PFL’s top-ranked bantamweight would immediately establish him as a legitimate title contender.
Newman vs. Silveira in Middleweight Co-Main
The PFL also announced a middleweight co-main event between undefeated prospect Jordan Newman (8-0) and veteran Josh Silveira (15-5). Newman, who fights out of Roufusport in Milwaukee, competed in the 2025 PFL World Tournament, while Silveira is a former 2023 PFL light heavyweight finalist who has transitioned to middleweight.
The PFL’s bantamweight, featherweight, and women’s flyweight world championships all remain vacant as the promotion continues building its divisional hierarchies. With the winner of Pettis vs. McKee heading straight into championship contention, PFL Chicago could prove pivotal in determining when and how the 135-pound title picture takes shape.
Carlos Prates has taken to social media to put pressure on an unnamed opponent, posting an Instagram story urging them to sign a fight contract.
“I was told the offer is on your hands,” Prates wrote. “The fans are waiting, I’m waiting… Are we doing this or just playing around? Let’s give them the fight of the year. Sign this contract, man.”
While Prates did not name his target, the callout is widely believed to be directed at former UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena. The two have been publicly linked since their respective performances at UFC 322 in November, where Prates knocked out Leon Edwards while Della Maddalena lost his title to Islam Makhachev.
The back-and-forth has been building since December 2025. Della Maddalena accepted the challenge in January, telling streamer N3on he was “in” and predicting he would finish Prates in a five-round fight.
Despite mutual interest, delays have persisted, with reports linking the bout to a potential UFC Fight Night card in Perth on May 3.
However, the landscape may have shifted. Just yesterday, Fighting Nerds coach Flavio Alvaro told Sherdog that while he personally wanted the Della Maddalena fight, Prates’ next opponent could end up being someone different, with an announcement expected soon.
The matchup has captured fan interest due to both fighters’ elite finishing ability. Prates has scored knockouts in six of his seven UFC bouts, with his only loss being a decision defeat to Ian Machado Garry. Della Maddalena was riding an 18-fight win streak before his title loss to Makhachev and is looking to fight his way back into title contention.
Alex Pereira is still open to a future fight with Jon Jones despite the former champion’s recent revelation of severe arthritis in his left hip. Jones’ condition, serious enough to qualify him for a hip replacement, has cast doubt on his return to the Octagon.
Jones recently revealed he has severe arthritis, which could impact Pereira’s plans for a potential heavyweight bout. Jones last competed in November 2024, defeating Stipe Miocic via third-round TKO at UFC 309. He also re-entered the USADA drug testing pool in hopes of competing at a UFC White House event.
Jones stated the UFC knows the full extent of his arthritis condition and is considering retirement for a second time, though he remains interested in competing at a UFC White House event if the opportunity justifies the physical demands of his arthritis condition.
Speaking with Valter Walker, Pereira addressed Jones’ revelations stating, “I think every athlete has chronic injuries, serious injuries,”
He also expressed his willingness to face any opponent at light heavyweight or heavyweight.
“Whoever they put in front of me, I’ll be fighting,” Pereira said. “I love fighting, so it doesn’t matter weight classes — of course, if you say middleweight I can’t make that anymore. At the other two divisions, light heavyweight and heavyweight, [the opponent] is indifferent to me.”
Pereira remains interested in competing at the UFC event at the White House in June, even if Jones is not his opponent. He is keeping the door open for a move to the heavyweight division.
Gable Steveson returns to the cage tonight at Mexico Fight League 3 (MFL 3) in Monterrey, Mexico, where he’ll headline against heavyweight veteran Hugo Lezama. The event streams live and free on the official Mexico Fight League YouTube channel, and you can also watch through the free live stream right here at MMA News.
Steveson enters tonight’s fight at 2-0 with two first-round finishes to start his professional MMA career. The Olympic gold medalist made his debut with a 98-second TKO of Braden Peterson at LFA 217 last September, then followed it up with a 24-second knockout in his second outing.
Lezama, meanwhile, brings a 11-3 record and more than a decade of professional experience to the matchup. The Mexican heavyweight has a high finishing rate, making him Steveson’s toughest test to date.
MFL 3 prelims begin at approximately 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the main card kicking off around 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Again, watch MFL 3 for free right here at MMA News.
Islam Makhachev has backed Kamaru Usman to beat every top welterweight contender, dismissing recent hype around Joaquin Buckley in the process.
Speaking with Ushatayka ENG, the lightweight champion was asked about a potential move up in weight and how Usman would fare against today’s elite at 170 pounds.
Makhachev didn’t hesitate to throw his support behind the former welterweight king.
“I’m confident that if you take those four, Kamaru Usman beats all of them. Recently, they were saying that Buckley is the new star. Kamaru doesn’t even break a sweat, and Buckley is already forgotten.”
Buckley has enjoyed a late surge at welterweight, scoring high‑profile wins that pushed him into the title conversation before dropping a unanimous decision to Usman in June 2025.
Makhachev’s comments underline how highly he still rates Usman’s skill set despite the Nigerian’s title loss and mileage, and they add further intrigue to long‑standing talk of a future super fight between the dominant lightweight champion and the former welterweight ruler.
The pre-fight medicals that Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano will have to go through ahead of their May 16 matchup will be more extensive than the usual for an MMA fighter.
Per an update from ESPN, Andy Foster — California State Athletic Commission executive director — confirmed that Rousey and Carano will be mandated to go through medical and neurological testing that is more than what is normally required.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of the additional medical requirements is that the 39-year-old Rousey must go through concussion battery testing.
“We’re going to put her through neurological and concussion battery testing and make sure she’s OK,” Foster said. “We’re going to have our doctors take a look. The fighters are going to have to do a lot of medicals.”
In her years away from the Octagon, Rousey has come clean about her history and battles with concussions. The inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion and former Olympic bronze medal judoka admitted that she kept concussion diagnoses hidden from the UFC and fight officials, fearing a premature end to her career, as well as a target being placed on her in fights.
The 43-year-old Carano, however, will go through her own set of in-depth testing due to her inactivity and age. The CSAC requires fighters over the age of 40 must undergo the following: a magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, electrocardiogram (EKG), cardiac testing, an exercise stress echocardiogram, neurocognitive testing, blood work, metabolic panel and ophthalmologic eye exam.
This is in accordance of recommendations from the Association of Ringside Physicians.
In spite of the extensive testing, Foster assures that if both women pass everything, the fight will go through.
“As long as these women pass their medicals and pass all their neurological batteries and do the things they need to do, there’s nothing wrong with this fight,” Foster said.
Rousey, a 2018 inductee of the UFC Hall of Fame, has not fought in MMA since her sub-minute loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. She has since had a couple of stints with the WWE, becoming a multiple-time women’s world champion.
Carano, meanwhile, has not fought since her August 2009 loss to Cris Cyborg in Strikeforce. After the end of her MMA run, Carano had a successful transition to Hollywood, earning roles in films such as Fast & the Furious 6 and Deadpool, as well as the first two seasons of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
Rousey vs. Carano will headline the first MMA card for MVP Promotions, taking place on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, and airing on Netflix.
If one were to believe Javier Mendez, Usman Nurmagomedov will have the same success with a quest for gold in the UFC as he did in PFL.
Nurmagomedov, the current PFL lightweight champion, will be a free agent at the end of the year. While there is no guarantee yet on what his future will be, let alone what his next fight is, many speculate he will jump to the UFC.
This is a move that Mendez sees happening. The American Kickboxing Academy leader, who trains Nurmagomedov, as well as the longtime trainer of his cousin — the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov — guarantees that if Usman Nurmagomedov goes to the UFC, he will become a champion.
“When he gets in there, I believe he’s going to win the title,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “He’s that good. People just — they’re going to doubt because he’s not in the UFC. Whatever; this kid’s that good.”
Mendez quickly followed and clarified that this would be a prediction if he gets to the UFC, saying there is a chance Usman Nurmagomedov never becomes part of the UFC roster during his career.
Javier Mendez Confident Usman Nurmagomedov Will Succeed With a Move to UFC
Lightweight has been a prominent division within the UFC over the last decade. To this day, it is filled with a high level of talented athletes, especially those in the top-10 of the title picture.
A move to the UFC would bring about ideas of new and potentially entertaining matchups for Nurmagomedov that can include the likes of current undisputed champion Ilia Topuria, interim champion Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett, Arman Tsarukyan, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
Of course, concern will be had over how Nurmagomedov would fare in the UFC. While some fighters who have jumped from one promotion to the UFC, including Gaethje and Kayla Harrison, have fared well for themselves, others like the recently released Patchy Mix have not.
Mendez feels Nurmagomedov’s work with his cousin, as well as fighters like former UFC lightweight champion and current UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, gives him an edge in being able to hang with this crop of talent.
“That’s why I make some bold statements, because I get to see that,” Mendez said. “If I didn’t get to see that, I don’t think I would make those bold statements. I get to see him, so I can see what he can do.
“…I get to watch him with the best that’s ever done it.”
Nurmagomedov fought in the main event of PFL Dubai earlier this month, retaining the PFL lightweight championship with a finish of Alfie Davis.
The question as of now becomes if the PFL will give him another title defense fight to finish out his contract before the end of 2026 — or leave him on the shelf to end his contract at the latest date possible while trying to work out a new deal with him.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has suspended Justin Jaynes retroactively for 18 months after a failed drug test following his most recent MMA fight.
Per Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, Jaynes will be eligible to compete again after April 24, 2027 — a suspension that goes back to his fight with Marlon Gonzales at Tuff-N-Uff 149 on October 25.
Jaynes tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite.
During the NSAC meeting to approve the measure, chairman Dallas Haun implied that another drug-related sanction against Jaynes could result in “Guitar Hero” being outright banned for life by the commission.
“I have a problem, the third drug offense,” Haun said. “The proposed adjudication agreement I think is fine, but I think we need to add that if Mr. Jaynes comes back for any drug-related [offense] then he will be barred from the state of Nevada permanently, would be my input.”
In addition to the suspension, Jaynes was fined $200 and had to pay $250.60 in prosecution fees.
The status of Jaynes’ victory over Marlon Gonzales in October is unclear. Martin reports the commission upheld the victory; however, Tapology lists the fight as a no-contest.
Jaynes, who is 17-11 in MMA, fought for the UFC in 2020 and 2021. Jaynes earned a performance bonus in his debut with a 41-second finish of Frank Camacho, but he then lost to Gavin Tucker, Gabriel Benitez, Devonte Smith, and Charles Rosa before being cut by the promotion.
Jaynes went 1-3 after being released by the UFC and lost to Lloyd Mix in a bare-knuckle boxing bout last year.
Mexico Fight League 3 (MFL 3) takes place Thursday, February 19, 2026, from the Showcenter Complex in Monterrey, Mexico, headlined by Olympic gold medalist and former WWE star Gable Steveson making his third professional MMA appearance against veteran heavyweight Hugo Lezama.
The event streams live and free on the official Mexico Fight League YouTube channel. Prelims begin at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the main card kicking off around 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
MFL 3 Full Fight Card
Main Card (YouTube – approx. 10 p.m. ET)
Heavyweight – Main Event: Gable Steveson (2-0) vs. Hugo Lezama (11-3)
Welterweight – Co-Main: Irving “Mustang” Cardona (4-4) vs. “Smooth” Edgar Escarrega (12-4-1)
Bantamweight: Luis Solorzano (10-7) vs. Alexandro Bravo (5-3)
Bantamweight: Ricardo Hurtado (2-3) vs. Matias Molero (4-2)
Lightweight: Gael Resendiz (1-1) vs. Emanuel Arzola (1-0)
Prelims (YouTube – approx. 8 p.m. ET)
Welterweight: Kevin Javier Villareal (3-0) vs. Kevin Arreola (3-3)
Flyweight: Roberto Morales Gonzalez (0-0) vs. Kevin Rodriguez (0-0)
Bantamweight: Abraham Nava (7-5) vs. Omar Diaz (2-2)
Heavyweight: Hector “Negroe” Garcia (1-1) vs. Renzo Aldave (0-0)
Catchweight: Carolina Rojas (0-0) vs. Diana Serrano (0-0)
How to Watch MFL 3
MFL 3 is available as a free worldwide live stream on the official Mexico Fight League YouTube channel. No subscription or pay-per-view purchase is required.
Main Card: 10 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. PT / 3 a.m. GMT (Feb. 20)
A dominant showing for Steveson on Thursday would likely accelerate his push to land a UFC deal, something he’s been calling for publicly ahead of this fight.
Ronda Rousey is confident her upcoming return to MMA will make a major splash — and she’s not shy about saying so at the UFC’s expense.
On Wednesday, Rousey responded to coverage of her announced fight against Gina Carano, set for May 16 on Netflix, by taking a direct shot at her former employers. “This rivalry has so many layers – @netflix isnt playing around – bet you we can beat @paramountplus @ufc numbers,” she wrote on X.
The comparison isn’t exactly apples-to-apples, however. Netflix is available in significantly more homes than UFC’s streaming partner, with more than 325 million paid subscribers worldwide at the end of 2025. Paramount+ had approximately 79.1 million subscribers as of Q3 2025 — less than a quarter of Netflix’s footprint.
Interestingly, while Rousey’s marketing push involves taking shots at the UFC, she admitted on ESPN SportsCenter on Tuesday (Feb. 17) that she actually approached Dana White first about the Carano fight. “It didn’t exactly work out,” she said, which is what led her to partnering with MVP. MMA News previously reported on the UFC passing on the fight.
Rousey vs. Carano on May 16 marks the return of one of MMA’s most anticipated potential matchups, a rivalry that dates back to both women’s time as the faces of women’s MMA in the sport’s early mainstream growth period.
The main event features a Middleweight (185 lbs) clash between #1 seed Ante Eblen and #9 seed AC Battle. Both fighters are American, making it an all-USA showdown at the top of the card.
Also on the main card, #5 Chris Rosta takes on #3 Farrukh Kasanganay in another Middleweight bout. In the Women’s Flyweight division, #10 Bianca Basilio Da Silva of Brazil faces off against #5 seed Randi Inaba.
The Featherweight division sees #9 Tyler Pergande square off against Jesus Arce, and the card closes with a Bantamweight bout between #9 Yusuf Dayron of Cuba and Clay Thrall.
PFL Pittsburgh: Early Card Preview
The early card opens with a Bantamweight matchup between Lance Meredith and England’s Declan Cartwright. In Lightweight action, #7 Lucas Schulte meets #9 Mateusz Kaszuba of Poland, followed by Earl Watley vs. Cameron Bush.
The Welterweight division is represented by Pedro Rodriguez of Cuba taking on #7 seed Ryusei Kikuiri of Japan. The Women’s Flyweight division sees Ekaterina Postarnakova battle Larissa Dana of Brazil.
Rounding out the preliminary card, Cody Fremd faces Fares Al-Selawe at Middleweight, and Jimmy Goss meets Renan Dupras of Canada in a Featherweight bout.
Gina Carano’s head coach is not interested in just showing up on May 16. John Wood, head coach at Syndicate MMA, spoke to MMA Fighting this morning and made clear that Carano’s return against Ronda Rousey on Netflix is being treated as a genuine competitive fight – not a cash grab.
“She’s fired up and we’re firing on all cylinders already,” Wood said. “She’s coming out there to win that fight. There is no intention of just showing up. Showing up for me isn’t even acceptable. It’s we’re going out there to win the fight.”
A Serious Camp, Not a Cash Grab
Wood said he would have been upfront with Carano if she had walked into Syndicate looking like she wasn’t ready. That’s not what he found. Carano is training twice a day, taking her diet seriously, and has had to be reined in during sparring sessions.
“Had she come in and just been a pile of hot garbage, I’d have been like, ‘Hey, do you need the money? Cause we’ll do it for this, but…’ That’s not been the case, man. She looks great. She’s training every day, twice a day. She’s killing it.”
Wood also pushed back against the idea that this fight is a novelty act.
“This isn’t just a cash grab of like, hey, we’re going to do this. This is a woman.. two women, who actually want to fight and want to come back and get into it. And I can tell you that the fire is there.”
The Fighter Who Never Actually Retired
Carano’s last professional fight was in 2009. But according to Wood (and reportedly per Carano herself) she never formally retired. She just stopped fighting. Wood says the competitive instinct was never fully extinguished.
“Her goal is.. she misses the fight game. She still loves to fight. She’s a fighter at heart. I think she probably retired a little early and so I think there’s still that need to get out there and prove that she can still do it – and I know she can.”
Wood has known Carano for over 20 years, going back to her K1 days before her first MMA fight. He said her willingness to absorb new techniques has been one of the highlights of camp so far.
“She’s kind of like a sponge now, absorbing things. There’s not a lot of bad habits to break. So we’re learning new habits and she’s picking things up very, very fast.”
“I truly believe she has the capabilities to go out there and shock the world. And that’s what our plan is. Come May 16th, you’re going to see something that I don’t think has ever been seen from her before. You’re going to see the best Gina Carano that’s ever stepped into a ring or cage.”
Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez arrived at UFC Houston media day with one message: he’s not here to survive a main event, he’s here to take over the UFC middleweight division.
In a sit-down with Full Send MMA’s Shawny Mack, Hernandez laid out his strategy against former champion Sean Strickland and made clear the stakes couldn’t feel higher to him heading into Saturday night.
“I don’t know what I’m going to get, but at the end of the day I’m going to cut off the cage and I’m going to stay in his face and make him hate his life and regret calling me out,” Hernandez said. “I need that spot. I need this belt. This is the perfect fight for me.”
Who Goes Backwards First?
Much of the pre-fight chatter around this matchup has centered on which version of Strickland shows up. Will it be the aggressive pressure fighter or the more passive, disengaged version that appeared in some recent bouts? Hernandez isn’t building a game plan around either option. He’s focused on imposing his own.
“He says he always brings it and he comes forward. We’ll see who goes backwards first.”
His strategy is built on cage-cutting — suffocating Strickland’s ability to create distance and making the fight ugly and physical from the opening bell. The main event is five rounds, which plays directly into Hernandez’s relentless pace.
More Than a Grappler
Hernandez has built his eight-fight win streak largely on the strength of his wrestling and grinding pressure, but he pushed back firmly on being labeled a one-dimensional fighter. Against Strickland, he says, fans are going to see the full package.
“Everybody knows me as this grappling guy, but I’ve said it myself — I like to strike. I’m really good at grappling, but that’s just what I’ve done to win,” he said. “And now I finally get a guy that I can strike with. I’m planning on giving everyone a show. I’m going to go out there and show that I know how to do martial arts at the highest level of MMA. I’m going to mix it up and I’m going to keep it nasty. I’m going to make his life hell.”
Strickland, meanwhile, has said publicly he believes he’s the better wrestler and predicts the fight becomes a kickboxing match. Hernandez isn’t buying it — but he’s also not spending energy on the back-and-forth. His focus is the performance.
“Tune in. It’s two violent motherf***ers getting to face each other. I hope you guys enjoy the show.”
Islam Makhachev has clarified that a superfight with Ilia Topuria will not be happening at the UFC’s planned White House event in June, citing that the featherweight champion already has another opponent lined up.
Speaking to Russian outlet MatchTV, the welterweight champion stated there “definitely won’t be a fight with Topuria at the White House” because “he already has an opponent.”
The comments walk back Makhachev’s own public enthusiasm for the matchup just days prior, when he said he “liked” the idea and was “ready” if the UFC wanted to make it happen.
Makhachev had previously expressed interest in competing on the card, noting the timing aligns well with his post-Ramadan training schedule. However, reports have consistently pointed to Topuria being booked against another opponent at lightweight — with Justin Gaethje’s interim title situation frequently mentioned in connection with the show.
Makhachev has also questioned the legacy value of a Topuria fight if it required him to drop back down to lightweight again, suggesting his focus is on defending against top welterweight contenders going forward.
The Makhachev-Topuria superfight remains a compelling long-term possibility, but it won’t be materializing on the White House card.
With Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano finally signed for May 16, it’s worth revisiting the offensive text message from Dana White that killed this superfight a decade ago — and ended his relationship with Carano entirely.
In a 2019 interview with Ariel Helwani, Carano revealed the full story of how close she came to fighting Rousey in the UFC, and how spectacularly it fell apart over broken trust and a text message that was never meant for her to see.
The Setup: A Million Dollars and One Request
Around 2015, at the height of Ronda Rousey’s dominance, UFC president Dana White and then-owner Lorenzo Fertitta took Carano to a “nice dinner” and offered her $1 million to fight Rousey. Carano left the meeting “stoked” about the opportunity.
She had one specific request: six months to step away from her Hollywood career, find a legitimate gym, build a proper team, and get back into fighting shape. Most importantly, she asked White to keep the negotiations quiet during that preparation period.
White agreed.
The very next day, he began publicly discussing signing Carano.
“I asked him to just keep it quiet for six months while I built a team and got ready,” Carano told Helwani. “The next day, he’s talking about it publicly. That broke the trust.”
The Text Message
As public pressure mounted and Carano struggled to prepare under the media spotlight she’d specifically asked to avoid, White sent her a text message clearly intended for someone else:
“This b**** isn’t f**king us around.”
Carano’s response was ice-cold: “I think you sent that to the wrong person.”
White’s reply was even colder: “I don’t think I did.”
That exchange marked their last communication. The million-dollar superfight was dead.
Why It Hurt
The text wasn’t just offensive. It represented everything Carano had come to resent about her dealings with White and the UFC. Years earlier, when she was fighting for Strikeforce and preparing to face Cris Cyborg, White and Fertitta had approached her with an offer to join the WEC instead, specifically encouraging her not to take the Cyborg fight. Carano refused, stating she’d given her word to Strikeforce and her fans.
When the Rousey opportunity came around, the pattern repeated: an agreement made in private, immediately broken in public, followed by pressure tactics when she tried to hold White to his word.
“I have a problem with the abuse of authority. People holding money over my head has never been a turn-on for me. That’s ultimately what led to me cutting off communication.”
Gina Carano to Ariel Helwani
The Apology That Didn’t Matter
White did eventually apologize to Carano in person at a Sports Hall of Fame event where both her father and Mike Tyson were being honored. But by then, the damage was irreversible.
The text message had confirmed what Carano already suspected about how White viewed her — not as a partner in negotiations, but as someone to be controlled and pressured into compliance.
The fight is happening a decade late and under a completely different banner than anyone expected. Despite Rousey being heavily favored, at least Dana White won’t be anywhere near the negotiations.
Conor McGregor briefly sent the MMA world into a frenzy on Wednesday by posting — and then quickly deleting — a tweet confirming he had accepted a UFC fight offer. The Irish superstar posted on X:
“I have been offered an opponent and a date and I accept. Waiting on my contract.”
He deleted the post within minutes, but not before screenshots were captured and spread widely online. Notably, he did not reveal who his opponent would be or when the bout was scheduled to take place.
Conor McGregor’s Road Back to the Octagon
The tweet comes just days after UFC CEO Dana White confirmed he had been building a fight card for a historic event on the lawn of the White House this summer. White later walked back his comments slightly, clarifying: “I didn’t say it was done; I said the card was built.” McGregor has been linked to the event and has publicly suggested the White House card could be his comeback stage.
Several names have surfaced as possible opponents for McGregor’s return. Michael Chandler remains the most frequently mentioned, as the two were previously booked for June 2024 before McGregor withdrew with a broken toe. Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, and Nate Diaz have also been floated as potential matchups. Diaz recently told TMZ he wants the McGregor trilogy, and McGregor responded on Instagram hinting at the same.
McGregor hasn’t competed since July 2021, when he broke his leg in the first round of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He becomes eligible to compete again on March 20, after completing an anti-doping suspension stemming from three whereabouts failures.
Gordon Ryan has announced his retirement from competitive grappling due to ongoing health issues. The seven-time ADCC champion and three-time IBJJ No-Gi World champion cited recurring stomach and immune system problems stemming from staph infections and antibiotics that damaged his gut biome as the reason for stepping away from the sport.
Ryan revealed on Instagram that he has been unable to train or lift intensely since January 2024 due to these health complications. Despite the challenges, he competed at ADCC 2024 at approximately 10% capability without proper preparation. His last competition was ADCC 2024, where he participated in three matches.
Ryan stated, “For now, I can confidently say, I am done.” He plans to focus on coaching and growing Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu with a global affiliation program.
While retiring from competition, Ryan left the door open for a potential return if his health improves. He also expressed interest in future matches against Vinny Magalhaes and Felipe Pena.
Jorge Masvidal revealed Monday that Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA’s lightweight tournament is nearly fully assembled — and when it drops, it’s going to turn heads.
Speaking on Fighter vs. Writer on MMA Fighting, the Gamebred FC president confirmed the 16-man lightweight bracket is 12 fighters deep, with the final four signatures still in progress.
“We also have a lightweight tournament. We got about 12 guys. We’re missing four keynote people that we’re just working on getting their signatures. Once that one drops, I’ll come right back on here and let you know who these 16 lightweights are. So far confirmed, we got about seven UFC veterans, three PFL veterans, and four or five Bellator alumni.”
Best Fighters, Not Most Marketable
Masvidal explained the philosophy driving his fighter recruitment, distinguishing Gamebred FC from other promotions that prioritize name recognition over competitive quality. For him, the two are inseparable in the long run.
“I’m not trying to find the most marketable guy in the world — I know what business is doing, that’s what the other people on the team are doing. I’m trying to find the world’s best fighters, the biggest dogs, because I believe they will be the most marketable at the end of the day and the biggest engine for the company.”
Masvidal cited the old Pride FC and Dream tournaments as his model for why the format works, noting that the structure naturally produces compelling matchups with real stakes — no promoter thumb on the scale.
“Personally, some of the most exciting fights were those Pride tournaments. I participated in some of those as well. It’s pretty pure, right? There’s not too much matchmaking. We care about the wins but we also care about the performance.”
2026 Schedule and the $500K Prize
The heavyweight tournament — headlined by Anthony Smith vs. Chase Sherman in the opener — kicks off April 10 in the Dominican Republic. The full 2026 calendar runs through Miami events in May and December, with the heavyweight champion crowned on December 2.
Each tournament carries a $500,000 championship prize, a number Masvidal wants to grow significantly as the promotion scales. “I want that number to one day be like five million and get these fighters as much as I can, especially putting it all on the line with no gloves.”
Masvidal has built a reputation among fighters for paying talent and not cutting performers simply for losing, separating Gamebred FC from the standard UFC model. The lightweight tournament announcement, when it comes, figures to further cement the promotion as a legitimate destination for elite free agents.
Ronda Rousey is a heavy favorite to defeat Gina Carano when the two pioneers return to MMA on May 16 for their Netflix-streamed bout.
BetOnline released opening odds for the highly anticipated matchup, listing Rousey at -450 while Carano enters as a significant underdog at +350. The line indicates bettors would need to wager $450 on Rousey to win $100, while a $100 bet on Carano would return $350 in profit.
The odds reflect the dramatic difference in competitive experience between the two fighters. Rousey last competed in MMA at UFC 207 in December 30, 2016, while Carano’s last fight came against Cris Cyborg in August 15, 2009—nearly 16 years ago.
Tale of Two Careers
Rousey retired from MMA with a 12-2 record after consecutive losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Despite those setbacks, she remains one of the sport’s most accomplished competitors, having defended the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship six times.
Carano walked away from MMA with a 7-1 record, with her only loss coming via first-round TKO against Cyborg in the final Strikeforce women’s bout. She transitioned to acting and has remained largely inactive in combat sports since.
The 16-year layoff for Carano versus Rousey’s eight-year absence creates a significant gap in recent competition. Rousey also has the advantage of high-level training during her WWE tenure, while Carano’s athletic focus shifted entirely to Hollywood.
What’s Next for Rousey
Following the fight announcement, Rousey teased “much more to come” on social media, suggesting the Carano bout may be the first of multiple MMA appearances rather than a one-off return.
The Netflix platform provides a massive audience for both fighters, potentially setting up additional legacy fights if Rousey emerges victorious. The streaming giant has made aggressive moves into combat sports, making this a potential launching pad for future content.
The May 16 fight date gives both competitors roughly three months to prepare for their comebacks. Rousey’s status as a prohibitive favorite reflects the betting market’s skepticism that Carano can overcome such an extended absence against elite-level competition.
