MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Archie Colgan on RAF: “I’ll step on the mat and wrestle again” if offered

    Archie Colgan on RAF: “I’ll step on the mat and wrestle again” if offered

    Archie Colgan continues to make waves in the PFL smart cage, but he seems open to an RAF opportunity if something ever came up. RAF refers to Real American Freestyle, which is an outlet that has served as the first, shoot professional wrestling organization.

    As someone who can into MMA with an impressive wrestling pedigree, when asked if he has been following what RAF is doing at all and if he is intrigued by their efforts in any way, Coglan said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, I think it’s really cool. I think it’s a good outlet for wrestlers to be able to become professional wrestlers.”

    “Be able to get paid for years and years of work. I think it’s cool. I’m going to try my best to follow these events.”

    “They got some weird subscription that it’s like.”

    “I don’t even remember what it’s called but it’s like some weird off like Fox something that you got to like subscribe to something else.”

    “It’s like you would literally only be subscribing to it for that. So I’m going to do my best to try and follow it.”

    “I think it’s sick. I think it’s really cool that these guys are getting opportunities to make money doing wrestling.”

    “If that was ever like an opportunity, I wouldn’t be opposed to like saying, “Yeah, I’ll step on the mat and wrestle again.””

    “Like, I’m not against that for sure. I think it’s great.”

    Archie Colgan thinks RAF is “a good option for MMA fighters”

    RAF has given independent contractor opportunities to accomplished wrestlers and MMA fighters who came from the wrestling world to get reacquainted with their roots.

    When asked for his thoughts on the kind of opportunities that RAF provides and who can benefit in the competitive martial arts scene, Archie Colgan stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, I think it’s cool. I think it’s a good option for MMA fighters to be able to step back and get back on the mat.”

    “make a little bit of money, have some fun, show off their wrestling skills.”

    “But also a really good option for the wrestlers who are still currently wrestling and trying to build something out of that.”

  • Will Dana White Ever Retire? The UFC President Reveals His Plans

    Will Dana White Ever Retire? The UFC President Reveals His Plans

    UFC boss Dana White has given his thoughts on the possibility of him retiring at some point in the future.

    As we know, Dana White is one of the hardest workers in all of combat sports. While he has certainly made more than a few enemies over the years, he’s also been instrumental in building the Ultimate Fighting Championship into the juggernaut that it is today. There are always going to be critics, but in terms of business success and financial gain, he has been able to achieve some great things throughout the course of his career.

    As is the case with many figures in positions of power for this long, people constantly wonder about what life will be like once Dana White steps away from the limelight. In recent times he has suggested that he wants to keep going for as long as he possibly can, which isn’t surprising given the work ethic that he has consistently shown.

    In a recent workout video with Luke Elsman, Dana White spoke about those who have previously said to him that he could have retired a long time ago.

    Dana White discusses his future plans

    “When I was younger, older people used to say, ‘When I retire, I’ll be drinking Mai Tais on the beach,’ etc.

    “I go on great vacations — after 10 days, I’m sick of drinking, I’m sick of all this sh*t, and I’m ready to get back to the grind.

    “I’m always thinking about how to make the business bigger and bigger every day.”

    Quotes via Home of Fight

  • Two Other UFC Vegas 110 Names Alleged To Be Flagged By FBI

    Two Other UFC Vegas 110 Names Alleged To Be Flagged By FBI

    Harry Mac, who has worked as both an MMA journalist and a New York-based promoter, has been the center reporting figure for the betting scandal that has engulfed the UFC and the MMA community over the past several days.

    Mac has claimed that over 100 UFC fights have been flagged by the FBI for suspicious betting activity. At the center of it all has been the Isaac Dulgarian first-round submission loss to Yadier Del Valle — which later resulted in Dulgarian’s release from the UFC and a number of fighters coming forward about being offered to throw fights.

    Mac’s original post on X (fka Twitter) on the situation mentioned that there were two other fighters from UFC Vegas 110 whose fights were flagged, though he did not name those athletes.

    However, on a recent episode of the Empty the Bench Network’s The MMA Outsiders podcast with Jack Gold and Zain Bando (and featured MMA News’ own Thomas Albano as a guest co-host), Mac alleged that UFC Vegas 110 headliner David Onama and Daniel Frunza as the other fighters he was making mention to.

    “In my original post, I had mentioned that there were two additional fighters on [UFC Vegas 110] flagged for abnormal betting activity,” Mac said. “Onama was one of them.”

    Mac then added “Frunza” when asked who the third fighter was.

    Harry Mac Names David Onama, Daniel Frunza As UFC Vegas 110 Names Flagged Alongside Isaac Dulgarian

    Onama was involved in the main event of the evening, facing Steve Garcia in a battle of top-15 ranked featherweights. The fight saw little offense from Onama as Garcia overwhelmed and flurried him into a first-round finish.

    Fight fans across the MMA community on X called for an investigation into that finish following the reveal of the Dulgarian controversy and Mac’s original post.

    Frunza was also involved in the UFC Vegas 110 main card, losing via last-minute submission to Charles Radtke.

    During the interview, Mac noted that while the fights and fighters have been flagged, it does not necessarily mean that any wrongdoing was committed by them and/or their teams.

    “That could just be some guy has a hunch and plays a little bit more than he normally would,” Mac said.

    The MMA Outsiders’ Jack Gold also made mention of receiving a potential list from an unnamed source of 50 fights that could have potentially been part of the 100 flagged mentioned by Mac — with Garcia vs. Onama being one of those fights.

    Gold noted that a number of the fights on the list he received were refereed by Jason Herzog. One of Mac’s allegations is that enough fights Herzog has officiated have been deemed questionable enough that an audit may be issued on them.

    In a recent interview, UFC CEO and President Dana White dismissed Mac’s claim of over 100 fights being flagged; however, he issued stern warnings to fighters thinking about partaking in fixed fights and to those who only came forward about their offers recently.

  • ‘We Will Be Your Worst Enemy’ – Dana White Breaks Silence On Isaac Dulgarian Situation

    ‘We Will Be Your Worst Enemy’ – Dana White Breaks Silence On Isaac Dulgarian Situation

    After about three days of silence following UFC Vegas 110 and the snowballing controversy that has engulfed the MMA world, UFC CEO and President Dana White is breaking his silence in regard to the situation involving Isaac Dulgarian.

    Dulgarian was involved in a highly controversial fight with Yadier Del Valle, which saw Dulgarian, who was originally pegged as a massive favorite earlier in the fight week, fall victim to a first-round submission via rear-naked choke.

    As the fight time got closer, however, the line on Dulgarian being a favorite massively shrunk.

    In an interview with TMZ, White claimed the UFC were informed of the matter and confronted Dulgarian and his team.

    “Probably about 1:00 pm that day, we’re with a company called IC360, and they are the best bet monitoring company in the business, and they reached out to us and they told us that there was some unusual action going on with that fight,” White said. “Do we know anything? You know, we didn’t. So, what we did was we called the fighter and his lawyer and said, “What’s going on? There’s some weird action going on in your bet…”

    Dana White Gives His Side To Isaac Dulgarian Situation

    White says that Dulgarian and his team said they were ready to go for the fight and nothing suspicious was going on — this coincides with Ariel Helwani’s reporting on the situation.

    White says the promotion took action after the fight played out as it did.

    “Literally, the first thing we did was call the FBI,” White said, adding that he had two meetings with the FBI on November 4.

    White, however, took aim at the reporting of MMA journalist and New York-based promoter Harry Mac, who alleges that over 100 fights have been flagged for unusual betting patterns by the FBI.

    “Now, you see people out there talking, ‘Oh, there’s hundreds of fights under…’ – it’s total usual clickbait,” White said. “IC3, our company, they monitor all all of the betting. Like I said, they’re the best in the business. There aren’t hundreds of fights being investigated. all clickbait BS.

    “We’ve been with them for years and we get a report after every single fight that we do.”

    White added that he is in direct contact with FBI Director Kash Patel about the investigation. He added any fighter who has made comment about being offered to throw a fight — such as Vince Morales and Vanessa Demopoulos recently did on social media — will be contacted by the FBI for an interview.

    White ended with a strongly-worded message to his fighters.

    “If you try to do this, I have been very vocal and open about this; we will be your worst enemy,” White said. “We will immediately go after you, guns ablazing, with the FBI and whoever else we need to get. We will do everything we can to make sure you go to prison.”

  • Donald Trump, Dana White Expected To Host Pre-Fight Dinner With World Leaders In Lead Up To UFC White House Card

    Donald Trump, Dana White Expected To Host Pre-Fight Dinner With World Leaders In Lead Up To UFC White House Card

    While plans are still being discussed and yet to be revealed for the UFC White House event next summer, it sounds like U.S. President Donald Trump will not be the only VIP from the political world present.

    Per a new report from Variety, which discusses the start of David Ellison’s time with Paramount, a pre-fight dinner is expected to be held by Trump and UFC CEO and President Dana White at some point in the lead up to the card.

    The report notes that “dignitaries from around the world will attend a dinner and then head to the Octagon, the eight-sided ring where the main event will play out. Trump and UFC CEO Dana White are spearheading the telecast.”

    The targeted date of the event is Sunday, June 14, 2026, to coincides with Trump’s 80th birthday. That date, however, is not set firm at this time.

    Dinner With Dignitaries Expected As Part Of UFC White House Festivities

    The UFC event on the White House lawn is to be a part of a series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

    Trump first announced the plans for this card during a speech this past July 4th, with the UFC confirming plans to hold such a festivity. White has been adamant about this card going down as one of the biggest in the history of the promotion — promising several big names to be a part of the event.

    Fighters such as Conor McGregor and Jon Jones have put their names in the hat to potentially headline the card.

    The event will reportedly have a limited in-person audience and is presumed to be one of the CBS-broadcasted cards as part of the new UFC-Paramount broadcasting deal that begins in 2026.

  • Former UFC Champ Jiri Prochazka Eyeing a Move to Middleweight

    Former UFC Champ Jiri Prochazka Eyeing a Move to Middleweight

    UFC middleweight champion Jiri Prochazka has revealed that he is legitimately considering the possibility of a move to 185 pounds, depending on how things play out at light heavyweight.

    As we know, Jiri Prochazka is an absolute warrior. He has been able to tear through everyone he has faced in the light heavyweight division, outside of one man – Alex Pereira. It seems as if a third fight between them is feasible, but at the same time, ‘Poatan’ has made his intentions clear to face Jon Jones at heavyweight at next year’s UFC White House event.

    Of course, Jiri Prochazka has his heart set on avenging his two losses at the hands of Pereira, but he won’t be able to do that if Alex follows through on his promise to take on Jones at heavyweight next summer.

    In a recent interview, Jiri Prochazka was asked about the middleweight idea and gave an honest assessment of it all.

    Jiri Prochazka considers middleweight switch

    “For me to cut to 93 kg (205 lbs.), is not a problem. I think to 84 kg, like middleweight, will be really, really something,” Prochazka told Cageside Press backstage at Oktagon 79. “I believe I can make it with my body, because I know my body. So, I believe I can make it, but it depends. I really first want to bring the title to Czech Republic, light heavyweight.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

    Everyone loves Jiri and regardless of weight class, there’s a lot of potential left for him in terms of future UFC matchups.

  • Pair Of UFC Fighters Admit To Being Approached About Possibility Of Taking Dives

    Pair Of UFC Fighters Admit To Being Approached About Possibility Of Taking Dives

    UPDATE (Nov. 4): Vannata has backtracked his remarks, claiming he was joking. However, Edgar Chairez has now come forward about being approached to throw a fight as well.

    UPDATE: UFC veteran Lando Vannata has admitted to being approached seven times about the possibility of taking a dive.

    https://twitter.com/OnPointMMA/status/1985665473040826579

    Things continue to develop in rapidly quick fashion in the new UFC betting scandal, as two Octagon veterans have revealed that they have previously been approached about the possibility of throwing their fights.

    This coincides with Ariel Helwani’s report from earlier in the day on November 3, claiming on the recent edition of his show that a number of UFC fighters have been offered money to throw fights.

    In response to this report, Vince Morales, a UFC featherweight, confirmed on social media in a since-deleted post that he had been previously approached about taking a dive in at least one of his fights.

    Morales added that the offer had been $70,000 to throw the fight.

    “All this throwing the fight stuff is crazy!” Morales had posted. “I’ve been approached about doing it and it’s not something I could live with…even though I ended up losing the damn fight anyways.”

    UFC Fighters Vince Morales, Vanessa Demopoulos Admit To Being Approached Previously To Throw Fights

    This was followed up by another social media post from a fighter — this time UFC strawweight Vanessa Demopoulos.

    In an Instagram comment, Demopoulos mentioned that she also had been approached previously about purposing losing a previous fight.

    “My integrity could never,” Demopoulos said. “We’ve spent our lives learning skills and honoring this sport. Can’t believe people compromise their morels [sic] like this.”

    The UFC has found itself in the center of betting controversy following a suspicious fight that took place between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier Del Valle during the main card of UFC Vegas 110 on November 1. The fight saw Del Valle easily take down Dulgarian and lock up a quick first-round submission victory.

    Dulgarian had entered the fight a massive favorite; however, the line of the fight shrunk dramatically in the hours leading up to the fight. Bets on Del Valle, especially those of the first-round finish variety, led to some sportsbooks closing bets on the fight — with some even offering refunds to bettors.

    MMA journalist and New York-based promoter Harry Mac alleged that the FBI made the UFC aware of the circumstances surrounding the fight, with Helwani claiming Dulgarian and his team convinced the UFC there was nothing the matter.

    Mac has also alleged that over 100 fights have been flagged by the FBI for suspicious line movements, and that a potential audit might be sought after fights refereed by Jason Herzog.

    Dulgarian was cut from the UFC about 24 hours following the controversial fight. His fight purse is also being withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

  • NSAC Withholding Isaac Dulgarian’s UFC Vegas 110 Fight Purse

    NSAC Withholding Isaac Dulgarian’s UFC Vegas 110 Fight Purse

    The Nevada State Athletic Commission is withholding the entire fight purse of Isaac Dulgarian following his controversial bout with Yadier Del Valle at UFC Vegas 110.

    Ariel Helwani and Uncrowned were the first to report the matter.

    Per Helwani, an investigation by the commission is ongoing, and it’s unknown if or when Dulgarian will receive his fight purse.

    Isaac Dulgarian UFC Vegas 110 Purse Withheld, NSAC Investigating Fight

    Dulgarian was originally pegged as a heavy favorite for his fight with Del Valle. In the hours leading up to the fight, however, his line dropped massively from -250 to -166. A number of bets also came in on the first-round prop for Del Valle; both of these resulted in a number of sportsbooks pulling the fight from betting.

    Dulgarian was easily taken down and submitted in the first round.

    The aftermath of this fight has been monumental, from Dulgarian being released, to allegations of over 100 fights being flagged by the FBI, to reports of this circumstance not being an isolated incident.

  • “Not An Isolated Incident” – Ariel Helwani Alleges UFC Fighters Being Offered Money To Throw Fights, Harry Mac Teases New Information

    “Not An Isolated Incident” – Ariel Helwani Alleges UFC Fighters Being Offered Money To Throw Fights, Harry Mac Teases New Information

    After initial bombshell reports from Harry Mac, an MMA journalist and New York-based promoter, Ariel Helwani of Uncrowned acknowledged Mac’s reporting and added his own insight, knowledge, and details on the UFC’s betting controversy.

    In the hours following the much controversial Isaac Dulgarian vs. Yadier Del Valle fight at UFC Vegas 110 on November 1, Mac posted to social media with claims that the UFC was made aware by the FBI of the significant line movement that prompted several sportsbooks to close bets on the fight in the hours leading up to it. He claimed, however, that the UFC was willing to allow the fight to go on.

    On the November 3 edition of The Ariel Helwani Show, Helwani seemed to confirm his understanding is the same, alleging the UFC felt that, despite the line movement, the fight presented no danger of being fixed. In fact, in conversations with those close to Dulgarian, Helwani says they were just as shocked by the poor performance of Dulgarian in the fight.

    “UFC was made aware of this, and my understanding is there were conversations with Dulgarian and his team about this activity, and questioning him, ‘What is going on?’” Helwani said. “And, multiple times, he said that, according to my sources, that he was good to go. That there was nothing of this sort happening, and there was nothing to worry about, essentially.”

    Ariel Helwani Discusses Massive Issue UFC Is Facing Following UFC Vegas 110 Gambling Controversy

    Helwani added that he doesn’t believe the UFC had any involvement in the foul play of the odds; however, he feels their decision to not pull the fight after being notified of the line movement has led them to more controversy than they could have faced originally.

    Mac followed up his first claim by adding a bigger allegation — stating that over 100 fights in the UFC have been flagged for suspicious line movement.

    While Helwani did not confirm a number of fights, he did claim that this fight is “not an isolated incident” and alleges that more fighters have been offered to throw fights previously.

    “My understanding is this is on the FBI’s radar,” Helwani said. “How deep of an investigation is unclear at this time; this is all very new. But, yes, this is accurate.

    “My understanding is that this is not an isolated incident. And what I mean by that is I have talked to multiple people who have either experienced, or know of others who have experienced, situations where they have been approached about their willingness to do something like this…’Are you interested in throwing a fight for X amount of dollars?’

    Helwani followed up by comparing this incident to the Darrick Minner vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke fight from almost exactly three years ago — a fight that resulted in James Krause being exiled from the MMA community. Coincidentally, Dulgarian is a former trainee of Krause’s.

    Helwani claimed that this situation could get massive and sport a black eye not just in the UFC, but in the whole sport of MMA — exasperated by not only the simultaneous gambling scandal going on in the NBA, but also by a seemingly increased number of controversial referee and judging actions and decisions over this past year.

    “This is a massive issue for the UFC, and when you consider — now I haven’t been told this part I’m about to say — but when you consider the questionable refereeing as of late, you can’t help but let your mind go there as well,” Helwani said. “Because there is no other possible explanation for some of the wacky stuff we’ve seen as of late. And it’s easy to do.”

    On a related note, another one of Mac’s allegations is that an audit is being placed on fights refereed by Jason Herzog, sparking a bit of a back-and-forth beef on X (formerly Twitter) between the two.

    In the last couple of hours prior to press time, Mac is alleging new information that will worsen this story — potentially involving a notable MMA manager.

    While Helwani could not verify any more of Mac’s information, he gave his own opinion on the reason behind all this. Helwani theorizes fighters lower on the card and not making a lot of money are being offered “quick fixes” to get them needed cash.

    “I believe what is happening here is people are preying on lower-level fighters, who don’t make a lot of money, who are in tough spots, who are fighting in the major leagues, and they’re offering them a quick fix…” Helwani said. “How prevalent is this? I can’t tell you. But I’ve now heard it in multiple occasions in my conversations over the past 24+ hours.”

    Dulgarian was easily submitted by Del Valle — a fight that saw Dulgarian move from a -250 favorite to a -166 in only a few hours’ time, as well as large bets coming in on a prop bet of Del Valle via first-round finish. Some sportsbooks have since offered refunds to bettors due to the controversial nature of the fight.

    Dulgarian’s UFC tenure ended on November 2, released by the promotion just one day after the controversial fight. He went 3-2 in the Octagon.

    The UFC recently released a statement, claiming it is taking the allegations surrounding this fight very seriously.

  • UFC Releases Statement On Isaac Dulgarian Release

    UFC Releases Statement On Isaac Dulgarian Release

    Less than 24 hours following initial reports of their parting of ways with Isaac Dulgarian, the UFC has released a statement in regard to the controversy surrounding his fight with Yadier Del Valle at UFC Vegas 110.

    Dulgarian went into the fight a massive favorite; however, his odds shrunk in the hours leading up to the fight, which saw Dulgarian get submitted in the first round.

    In a statement, the UFC did not directly address Dulgarian’s release; however, it did note the seriousness of the allegations surrounding the fight.

    “Like many professional sports organizations, UFC works with an independent betting integrity service to monitor wagering activity on our events,” the statement read. “Our betting integrity partner, IC360, monitors wagering on every UFC event and is conducting a thorough review of the facts surrounding the Dulgarian vs. del Valle bout on Saturday, November 1. We take these allegations very seriously, and along with the health and safety of our fighters, nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport.”

    UFC Statement On Isaac Dulgarian vs. Yadier Del Valle, Dulgarian’s Release

    Dulgarian was released by the UFC on November 2, one day following his fight with Del Valle. The fight saw Dulgarian easily taken down and submitted within the first round — despite Dulgarian originally being pegged as a massive favorite and seemingly defending the fight-finishing choke for about a minute.

    Dulgarian was originally a -250 favorite, but his line fell to just -166 in a short span. Furthermore, a number of reports claim that prop bets for a first-round finish by Del Valle increased, which set off the red flags.

    Journalist and New York-based promoter Harry Mac reported that the FBI had informed the UFC of the potential violation and line movement, with Ariel Helwani confirming such a report. Helwani added that the UFC felt the fight was safe to continue.

    Helwani added that this was “not an isolated incident,” with Mac alleging the FBI flagging over 100 UFC fights with line movements deemed suspicious.

    Dulgarian also had previous connections to James Krause, who was blackballed from the MMA community almost exactly three years ago.

    Dulgarian went 3-2 in the UFC before his release.

  • Ben Rothwell vs. Gustavo Trujillo Fantasy Fight Broken Down by Ex-BKB Champ

    Ben Rothwell vs. Gustavo Trujillo Fantasy Fight Broken Down by Ex-BKB Champ

    Ben Rothwell and Gustavo Trujillo stand tall among heavyweight bare knuckle fighters but who would win a hypothetical clash between the BKFC and BKB, respectively titleholders? An ex-UFC vet who respects Rothwell quite a bit and also lost his BKB heavyweight crown to Trujillo has weighed in on how he would see the dream bout playing out.

    That fighter in question is Ike Villanueva, who appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker ahead of his Jarome Hatch title eliminator bout for BKB 48.

    In terms of who the best heavyweight overall in bare knuckle is, many cite names like Leonardo Perdomo, Ben Rothwell, or Gustavo Trujillo. With cross-promotional events not being the norm in combat sports, we will not have a chance to solve these questions in the immediate future. But when asked where he thinks Gustavo Trujillo sits in the general bare knuckle heavyweight landscape, Villanueva said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “The only one that would really give him trouble is Big Ben. Big Ben is; he’s a big; that’s a cornfed mofo, man [laughs].”
    “He’s big, and he can weather that. And like he says, Gustavo will have to be on his A game, but if it plays out.”

    “You fight him in the BKFC style or the BKB style? It favors him in the BKB style, for Big Ben.”

    “because there’s no room for Gustavo really to move because he’s just gonna tie you up and just wear you down.”

    Ben Rothwell vs. Gustavo Trujillo would “be a hell of a fight”, per Villanueva

    Further expounding upon his thoughts regarding a dream-based, mega matchup with Ben Rothwell and Gustavo Trujillo, Villanueva continued [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “That’s a lot of weight behind Big Ben, and Gustavo’s like probably like 245. But I think that would be a hell of a fight, like for a fight fan.”

    “You got two just monsters, and you got guys, one is a great boxer.”

    “One’s just like a f****ing; man, I respect him but I hate saying this, it’s like a f***ing bar brawler.

    “because when he touches you, good night. You see what he did to last anyway. I mean God. Now I know why the dude was shying away to fight.”

    “He wanted no part of Big Ben. And I’ve been a fan of Big Ben since day one, and I’m glad he’s doing what he’s doing.”

    “But that’d be a hell of a fight, though. Him and Gustavo? Oh man, that’ll be a hell of a fight.”

  • Isaac Dulgarian Released By UFC After Loss In Controversial UFC Vegas 110 Bout Facing Fight Fixing Allegations

    Isaac Dulgarian Released By UFC After Loss In Controversial UFC Vegas 110 Bout Facing Fight Fixing Allegations

    Isaac Dulgarian, the losing fighter from a UFC Vegas 110 main card bout at the center of suspicious betting line movement, has reportedly been released from the UFC.

    Ariel Helwani of Uncrowned was the first to report the news on social media, citing unnamed sources.

    The promotion released Dulgarian on November 2, just one day following his loss to Yadier Del Valle. The fight was notable not only for the way that Dulgarian was dominated into a first-round submission loss, but also for how quickly his line as a favorite shrank in the hours leading up to the fight.

    The UFC has neither confirmed the release of Dulgarian, nor has it made any sort of statement in regard to the allegations surrounding the bout.

    Isaac Dulgarian Reportedly Released By UFC 24 Hours After UFC Vegas 110

    Dulgarian reportedly entered his fight with Del Valle as a -250 favorite, but the line managed to swing him down to just a -166 by the time of the fight. Furthermore, a lot of prop money was notably placed on a first-round finish for Del Valle, which was exactly what happened.

    Dulgarian was easily taken down, with Del Valle quickly getting to his back. Despite Dulgarian seemingly attempting to defend the choke for about a minute or so, he ended up tapping out.

    The line movement was so suspicious that several sportsbooks pulled the fight from bet availability — and at least a couple of sportsbooks offered refunds to those who placed bets on it.

    Journalist and New York-based promoter Harry Mac has alleged that the UFC was informed of the fight being flagged as suspicious with its betting lines, but reportedly allowed the fight to happen anyway.

    Though unconfirmed as of press time, Mac has further alleged that over 100 UFC fights this year have been flagged by the FBI for their unusual betting patterns, and that at a potential audit may involve several fights refereed by Jason Herzog.

    This betting controversy not only comes parallel to the NBA’s current betting scandal, but it also occurs nearly three years to the day of the Darrick Minner vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke bout that resulted in James Krause being forced out of MMA.

    It also comes almost exactly 10 years since Tae Hyun Bang’s controversial win over Leo Kuntz in South Korea — a fight that Bang had planned to throw before being warned by UFC officials about the unusual betting activity for that fight. Bang and three others would ultimately serve prison sentences.

  • Allegation: Over 100 UFC Fights Flagged By FBI, Potential Audit Sought For Fights Refereed By Jason Herzog

    Allegation: Over 100 UFC Fights Flagged By FBI, Potential Audit Sought For Fights Refereed By Jason Herzog

    An already underwhelming UFC Vegas 110 card has come under additional fire following fight fixing allegations surrounding the main card fight between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier Del Valle. And now, if an allegation is true, things might be getting even more drastic.

    MMA journalist Harry Mac posted several allegations to X (formerly Twitter). One of these alleges that the FBI informed the UFC of the Dulgarian vs. Del Valle fight being flagged and closed to bets by sportsbooks; however, the UFC allowed the fight to go on.

    Additionally, Mac claims that over 100 additional fights, including another two from UFC Vegas 110, were supposedly flagged by the FBI due to unusual betting patterns. Moreover, Mac claims that there is a possibility that fights refereed by Jason Herzog are being sought after by federal officials for an audit.

    MMA Journalist Alleges More Than 100 UFC Fights Flagged By FBI

    It should be noted that none of Mac’s claims have been verified by other sources. However, several sportsbooks, including Caesars, William Hill, and DraftKings all provided refunds to bettors following the line movement and potential violation seen for the Dulgarian vs. Del Valle fight.

    Reports noted that Dulgarian entered the fight as a -250 favorite, but the odds shifted so much so that he was just a -166 in a short time. Additionally, a lot of money had been placed on the Del Valle via first-round finish prop bet.

    Del Valle completely dominated the fight, easily taking Dulgarian down before scoring a first-round submission. Dulgarian’s performance was criticized after the fight by several members of the MMA community.

    These allegations come nearly three years to the day of the infamous Darrick Minner vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke that resulted in James Krause being blackballed from MMA. It should be noted that Dulgarian has had a previous association with Krause, having previously trained at Glory MMA. The UFC subsequently also tightened gambling rules in the immediate aftermath, forbidding fighters, coaches, managers, and any affiliated members from betting on any UFC fight.

    The news also comes as the mainstream sports world is bearing witness to the NBA and its own gambling scandal.

  • 3 Hits And 6 Misses From UFC Vegas 110: Steve Garcia vs. David Onama

    3 Hits And 6 Misses From UFC Vegas 110: Steve Garcia vs. David Onama

    It’s been a while, but the UFC has three cards as its UFC Apex in its headquarters of Las Vegas, Nevada, to close out the UFC’s 2025 calendar year. While there is another this coming weekend and one on December 13, the first went down yesterday, November 1, with UFC Vegas 110.

    It marked the first Fight Night card to go down at the Apex since August 9, with UFC Vegas 109 seeing Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez making easy work of Roman Dolidze.

    The main event of UFC Vegas 110 saw Steve Garcia face David Onama in a featherweight matchup. After losing two of three to start his UFC tenure, Garcia entered this night a winner of six straight and ranked No. 12 in his weight class, entering off a win over Calvin Kattar. Onama, meanwhile, entered this fight ranked No. 13 and a winner of four consecutive, including a win over Giga Chikadze.

    The co-main event featured a heavyweight battle between Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Ante Delija. Cortes-Acosta looked to rebound from a loss to Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Shanghai this past August. Delija, the former PFL heavyweight champion, made his UFC debut at UFC Paris in September with a highlight finish of Marcin Tybura.

    Who showed up? Who bombed? Let’s go through together with the hits and misses of UFC Vegas 110.

    Miss: Sedriques Dumas Facepalm-Worthy Performance

    At what point can the UFC no longer defend Sedriques Dumas being a member of the UFC roster? Because it’s hard not to imagine Dumas getting cut after the way he performed in his loss to Donte Johnson.

    Dumas, to his credit, did seem to get the better of Johnson with his striking. Dumas did get an early takedown and tried to keep on it, but Johnson worked his way back to his feet. But that’s when Dumas started performing some questionable spinning attacks, allowing Johnson to easily take him down and end the round on top.

    A gassed Dumas was then easily taken down and submitted by Johnson — to the point some wonder if Dumas was looking for a way out before the submission was even fully locked in.

    Dumas is now 3-4, and with his track record, it’s a wonder if he’ll be given another chance.

    Hit: Billy Elekana Quick Like Lightning In Finish

    Billy Elekana ended the UFC Vegas 110 preliminary card with a bang, courtesy of the quick way he put away Kevin Christian.

    Christian seemed to be getting the upper hand with the early exchanges, namely in leg kicks. Elekana changed things, however, by making Christian overextend before dropping him with a hard right hand. Elekana then flattened Christian out and sunk in a rear-naked choke for the submission.

    Elekana dropped his UFC debut to Bogdan Guskov in January but has now won both fights he’s had since. It’ll be worth seeing how Elekana — an alumnus of PFL, LFA, and Tuff-N-Uff — goes from here in 2026.

    Miss: Chris Tognoni Shows Things Aren’t Changing With Refs

    Another referee/officials error in the sport of MMA in the year 2025? What a shock… (not).

    A referee being out of position can happen. But when a fighter is in the midst of being choked unconscious, the referee should be checking everywhere to ensure they can see the tap. Chris Tognoni went on the opposite side of where the tapout was occuring — and the submission was never called until Kevin Christian was unconscious — and he was unconscious for several seconds.

    All you have to do is do a Google search for “Chris Tognoni” to see the number of times he’s been slammed for one mistake or another. While the number of mistakes he’s made has seemingly gone down since an infamous 2020 for him, he’s had so many blunders in his tenure, it’s a wonder why some haven’t referred to him as the new Steve Mazzagatti.

    And yet my blame for him can only go so far; he’s the product of a system of commissions that don’t seem to hold their officials accountable. And I don’t know how many more times I can scream into the abyss about the need for such things.

    Hit: Yadier Del Valle Deals Out Another First-Round Submission

    Yadier Del Valle followed up on his solid performance in his UFC debut with another first-round submission victory, quickly putting away Issac Dulgarian.

    Del Valle brought pressure and was easily able to score a takedown. He managed to lock up a choke from there, and despite defensive efforts from Dulgarian, the choke proved to be too tight to fight out of.

    Del Valle made his UFC debut at UFC Vegas 106 this past May, defeating Connor Matthews in similar fashion. We still need to see Del Valle against tougher competition, obviously, but he just might be someone to keep an eye on.

    Unfortunately, this fight ended up getting a big shadow over it…

    Miss: An Apex Fight Fix?

    The prop of Yadier Del Valle scoring a first-round submission had a lot of bets on it coming in the hours leading up to the fight, according to a number of people in the MMA community. And their concerns proved to be true when a number of sportsbooks pulled the fight from betting availability.

    It didn’t help matters with how the fight played out as it did. And a number of sportsbooks then started to offer refunds for the fight and take the fight’s bets out of parlays. And now has come out a number of reports from the likes of Harry Mac in regard to this fight, among others, that have been flagged for line moments. Mac, in fact, is reporting an audit has been requested for fights refereed by Jason Herzog.

    To think, the mainstream pro sports world is dealing with the NBA gambling mess, and now we’re going to be dealing with this. Do I expect this to go as major as it could? No, not with Dana White’s connections to the current U.S. administration. But, it’s definitely not a good look.

    Miss: Another Eye Poke Controversy

    How is it that another headlining heavyweight fight, for a second week in a row, has a controversy via eye poke? Well, it happened, and this time it saw things go from an Ante Delija knockout victory to one for Waldo Cortes-Acosta.

    The fight appeared to be over after a flurry of strikes from Delija. But the referee supposedly called for a timeout instead of stepping in to stop the fight. But Delija’s corner celebrated and a number of people entered the Octagon while replay was used. As it turned out, Cortes-Acosta was poked in the eye at the start of the sequence, but the fact that the fight seemed over — in addition to replay being used and the number of people in the Octagon — meant it looked like another heavyweight No Contest.

    Instead, WCA was allowed time to sit on a stool and rest and recover. Seconds later, with both men swinging their power, Cortes-Acosta dropped and finished Delija. On one hand, it’s a phenomenal showing of guts and heart, and he’s worthy of a performance bonus. On the other, how is it no one — from officials to the UFC commentators — know of how rules work? We’ll see if this result stands as it does…

    Miss: Is Heavyweight Doomed?

    Now, I don’t want to completely diss the fact Waldo Cortes-Acosta won in the way he did. But let’s look at his winning streak more in depth.

    Andrei Arlovski in 2024 was not the Arlovski in his prime. He only fought one more time before retiring. Robelis Despaigne was a blip on the radar and only lasted three fights before he and the UFC parted ways. Ryan Spann had just made his debut at heavyweight. Spivac isn’t a bad win; however, many media outlets felt Spivac should have been given the nod over him. And now this controversy after a loss to Sergei Pavlovich.

    It feels like there isn’t any true competition available after Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane settle their business. Heavyweight just simply isn’t fun and needs a major hauling — maybe even a complete reset.

    Hit: Steve Garcia

    Thankfully the night was able to end on a high note with Steve Garcia’s solid, dominating performance over David Onama in the UFC Vegas 110 main event.

    Garcia brought the pressure and didn’t let up, overwhelming Onama, who seemed to be unable to figure out how to get things going. Garcia worked his boxing, dropping Onama briefly with a left hand before overwhelming him with a flurry of strikes to score the first-round finish.

    Garcia has now won seven straight and eight of his last nine. He’s definitely earned the right to either be placed in the top-10 and/or face a top-10 opponent next.

    Miss: David Onama

    What the heck kind of performance was that on the biggest stage of your career?

    Onama had all of two strikes in that main event bout, missing on another 14. He looked lost and too patient, showing too much respect for Garcia, and paying the price for it. If Onama is still in the rankings after this week, you know he’s going to get a rising unranked fighter in a make-or-break situation for Onama.

    Sorry, not sorry; this was a bad card, UFC. A very bad card.

  • “All Offense, All The Time” – Fans & Fighters React As Steve Garcia Puts On Dominant Beating Of David Onama In UFC Vegas 110 Main Event

    “All Offense, All The Time” – Fans & Fighters React As Steve Garcia Puts On Dominant Beating Of David Onama In UFC Vegas 110 Main Event

    Steve Garcia has made a statement that he is ready for the top competition at featherweight, quickly putting away David Onama in the main event of UFC Vegas 110.

    From the moment the fight started, Garcia came out on the front foot, bringing pressure to Onama and cutting off the cage. Garcia worked Onama over with his boxing before dropping Onama with a left hand. Onama got up but was hit by a barrage of blows from Garcia, quickly ending the fight in highlight fashion.

    Steve Garcia Scores First-Round Finish Of David Onama At UFC Vegas 110

    Garcia’s win streak increased to seven with this victory tonight.

    Onama sees a four-fight win streak snapped with this loss.

  • “Wild Sequence Of Events” – Fans & Fighters Stunned As Waldo Cortes-Acosta Goes From Getting KO’d After An Eye Poke, To Finishing Ante Delija Seconds Later In Bizarre UFC Vegas 110 Co-Main Event

    “Wild Sequence Of Events” – Fans & Fighters Stunned As Waldo Cortes-Acosta Goes From Getting KO’d After An Eye Poke, To Finishing Ante Delija Seconds Later In Bizarre UFC Vegas 110 Co-Main Event

    One week after an eye poke spoiled the UFC heavyweight championship match between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, UFC Vegas 110 has given us another major chaotic moment as Waldo Cortes-Acosta goes from losing via first-round finish, to winning via first-round finish after another eye poke controversy.

    The two engaged in exchanges and clinch work, with both men testing each other’s strength and feeling each other out. Delija, however, started to get more of the upper hand. That was emphasized in what appeared to be a fight ending sequence — where a barrage of punches left WCA seemingly out on his feet.

    Replay review, however, showed that Cortes-Acosta was the victim of an eye poke, halting any celebrating that was going on in Delija’s corner. A doctor then went into the Octagon and observed Cortes-Acosta.

    Despite the number of people in the Octagon and use of replay review, the fight was allowed to continue. And seconds later, as the two swung away, Cortes-Acosta folded Delija, sending him crumbling and finishing with a few shots from up top.

    Waldo Cortes-Acosta Gets Fouled, Scores Comeback KO Of Ante Delija At UFC Vegas 110

    Should everything stand, Cortes-Acosta has now won six of seven, rebounding from a loss to Sergei Pavlovich he suffered at UFC Shanghai in August.

    Delija has won seven of his last nine but is just 2-2 in his last four following his loss.

  • Yadier Del Valle Scores First-Round Submission At UFC Vegas 110 As Potential Betting Controversy Raises Eyebrows

    Yadier Del Valle Scores First-Round Submission At UFC Vegas 110 As Potential Betting Controversy Raises Eyebrows

    Yadier Del Valle’s second UFC appearance was another highly successful one; however, it appears issues with the odds of the fight have set off red flags, overshadowing the UFC Vegas 110 performance.

    Del Valle came into the fight against Isaac Dulgarian as an underdog; however, the line jumped significantly in the hours leading up to the fight. It was so significant that multiple members of the MMA community reported that the fight was pulled from a number of sportsbooks.

    Del Valle was able to easily take Dulgarian down in the fight’s opening minute before making his way to the back. Despite Dulgarian’s efforts to hold on and his refusal to tap, Del Valle was able to come away with the first-round submission.

    That prop bet supposedly had significant money come in on it during the line movement.

    Betting Controversy In Yadier Del Valle First-Round Submission Win Over Isaac Dulgarian At UFC Vegas 110?

    https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1984776266965205443

    After earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year, Del Valle made his UFC debut at UFC Vegas 106 in May, scoring a first-round submission of Connor Matthews.

    Dulgarian is now 2-2 in the UFC.

  • “Dude Was Tapping For His Life” – Fans Blast Chris Tognoni For Missing Tap Out As Billy Elekana Runs Through Kevin Christian At UFC Vegas 110

    “Dude Was Tapping For His Life” – Fans Blast Chris Tognoni For Missing Tap Out As Billy Elekana Runs Through Kevin Christian At UFC Vegas 110

    Another week, and another bad referee mistake — and this time it’s one that arguably spoils a strong performance from Billy Elekana, as he made easy work of Kevin Christian in the featured prelim of UFC Vegas 110.

    The two traded plenty of leg kicks early on, with Christian seeming to get the better of Elekana in that battle. But things changed when Christian overextended on a left hand, allowing Elekana to drop him with a right.

    The controversial moment came, however, when Elekana locked in a choke on Christian. Christian immediately tapped; however, referee Chris Tognoni looked on the opposite side of the tap. He never looked at the other side until Christian was out cold.

    Billy Elekana Beats Kevin Christian, Ref Misses Tap At UFC Vegas 110

    Elekana now improves to 9-2 as a pro, and he is 2-1 in the Octagon.

    Christian sees a six-fight win streak snapped with this defeat.

  • “Don’t Care About Takedowns If No Damage Is Done” – Fans And Fighters Debate Norma Dumont Scoring Split Decision Win Over Ketlen Vieira In Bantamweight Contender Battle At UFC Vegas 110

    “Don’t Care About Takedowns If No Damage Is Done” – Fans And Fighters Debate Norma Dumont Scoring Split Decision Win Over Ketlen Vieira In Bantamweight Contender Battle At UFC Vegas 110

    Norma Dumont appears to be one step closer to securing a women’s bantamweight title shot, as she took care of business with a controversial win over Ketlen Vieira in a contenders battle during the UFC Vegas 110 prelims.

    After some quiet back and forth striking during the first round, Vieira scored a takedown with about 90 seconds left in the frame. She managed to flatten Dumont out and threatened an arm-triangle choke a couple of times, but Dumont was able to survive.

    Dumont seemed to get the better of Vieira on the feet again in the second round, this time with more considerable effectiveness in her striking. Again, however, Dumont struggled in the last two minutes of the round after being taken down. Vieira pressed Dumont into the fence to start off the third round, holding her there for half the round, until Dumont was able to work herself off.

    Dumont didn’t deliver flurries in the closing minutes of the fight; however, it was enough to sweep the third round and score a split decision win.

    Norma Dumont Gets Split Nod Over Ketlen Vieira At UFC Vegas 110

    This win marks Dumont’s sixth straight. It was also her first fight in over a year, having last competed in a win over Irene Aldana at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306.

    Vieira hasn’t stringed consecutive wins together since 2021-22.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Steve Garcia TKO’s David Onama

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Steve Garcia TKO’s David Onama

    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, featherweights Steve Garcia and David Onama faced off. While in the co-main event, Waldo Cortes-Acosta met Ante Delija in a heavyweight bout.

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Featherweight Bout: Steve Garcia def. David Onama via TKO: R1, 3.34
    • Heavyweight Bout: Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Ante Delija via KO: R1, 3.59
    • Welterweight Bout: Jeremiah Wells def. Themba Gorimbo via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Featherweight Bout: Yadier del Valle def. Isaac Dulgarian via submission: R1, 3.41
    • Welterweight Bout: Charles Radtke def. Daniel Frunza via submission: R3, 4.29
    • Catchweight Bout (130 lbs): Allan Nascimento def. Cody Durden via submission: R2, 3.13

    Preliminary Card

    • Light Heavyweight Bout: Billy Elekana def. Kevin Christian via submission: R1, 3.33
    • Bantamweight Bout: Timmy Cuamba def. ChangHo Lee via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Middleweight Bout: Donte Johnson def. Sedriques Dumas via submission: R2, 1.25
    • Bantamweight Bout: Norma Dumont def. Ketlen Vieira via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
    • Strawweight Bout: Alice Ardelean def. Montserrat Conejo via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Welterweight Bout: Seokhyeon Ko def. Phil Rowe via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-26)
    • Strawweight Bout: Talita Alencar def. Arianne Carnelossi via submission: R3, 4:36

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Talita Alencar def. Arianne Carnelossi

    Donte Johnson def. Sedriques Dumas

    Billy Elekana def. Kevin Christian

    Main Card Highlights

    Allan Nascimento def. Cody Durden

    Allan Nascimento got it done in round two.

    Charles Radtke def. Daniel Frunza

    Charles Radtke earned victory with a rear-naked choke in round three.

    Yadier del Valle def. Isaac Dulgarian

    Yadier del Valle got it done in the first round.

    https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1984776266965205443

    Jeremiah Wells def. Themba Gorimbo

    Jeremiah Wells earned a unanimous decision win.

    Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Ante Delija

    In the co-main event, Waldo Cortes-Acosta overcame an eye poke to KO Ante Delija in the first round.

    Steve Garcia def. David Onama

    In the main event, Steve Garcia earned a TKO in the first round.

  • UFC Vegas 110 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Steve Garcia vs. David Onama Card

    UFC Vegas 110 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Steve Garcia vs. David Onama Card

    UFC Vegas 110 is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.

    The card takes place from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, November 1. The main card portion of the event will start at 7PM ET/4PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 4PM ET/1PM PT.

    The headline attraction for the event will feature Steve Garcia facing David Onama in a battle of rising featherweights.

    In the co-main event, Waldo Cortes-Acosta looks to rebound from watching a winning streak snapped, as he meets former PFL heavyweight champion Ante Delija.

    The main card will also feature Jeremiah Wells vs. Themba Gorimbo, Isaac Dulgarian vs. Yadier del Valle, Charles Radtke vs. Daniel Frunza, and Allan Nascimento vs. Cody Durden.

    UFC Vegas 110: Steve Garcia vs. David Onama Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 110 as of November 1 (Fight day) at 12:30pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Featherweight: Steve Garcia (-130) vs. David Onama (+110)
    • Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta (+105) vs. Ante Delija (-125)
    • Welterweight: Jeremiah Wells (+124) vs. Themba Gorimbo (-148)
    • Featherweight: Isaac Dulgarian (-265) vs. Yadier del Valle (+215)
    • Welterweight: Charles Radtke (-175) vs. Daniel Frunza (+145)
    • Flyweight: Allan Nascimento (-325) vs. Cody Durden (+260)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Billy Elekana (-245) vs. Kevin Christian (+200)
    • Bantamweight: Timothy Cuamba (-108) vs. Lee Chang-ho (-112)
    • Middleweight: Donte Johnson (-345) vs. Sedriques Dumas (+275)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira (+142) vs. Norma Dumont (-170)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Alice Ardelean (-325) vs. Montserrat Ruiz (+260)
    • Welterweight: Phillip Rowe (+154) vs. Ko Seok-hyun (-185)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Talita Alencar (-205) vs. Ariane Carnelossi (+170)
  • UFC Legend: “No one fights for the fighters.” The Commissions and Promoters Have Failed the Athletes

    UFC Legend: “No one fights for the fighters.” The Commissions and Promoters Have Failed the Athletes

    During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, UFC veteran Matt Brown delivered a stark assessment of the current state of fighter representation and compensation in mixed martial arts.

    Matt Brown Calls Out Systemic Failure in UFC Fighter Advocacy: No One Fights for Fighters

    Speaking with the passion of someone who has spent 16 years inside the UFC while also learning about the business side of the promotion post-retirement, Brown articulated a fundamental problem plaguing the sport: the complete absence of meaningful advocacy for fighters across every level of combat sports infrastructure.​

    He explained:

    “No one fights for the fighters. The commissions won’t do a single thing for the fighters. That’s literally what their job is for. They’re not there to work for TKO or the UFC. They’re there to work for the fighters. And the politicians have all been bought out. The managers don’t do anything. The media is controlled. There’s no one there for us.”

    Brown’s comments came in the aftermath of his testimony before the California State Athletic Commission regarding the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, where he stood out among over 90 public commenters for the raw conviction behind his message. The commission voted 6-0 to support the controversial legislation on October 15, 2025, despite overwhelming opposition from MMA fighters and industry observers who viewed the act as a roadmap for applying UFC-style monopolistic practices to boxing.

    The core issue Brown identified extends across multiple institutional failures. He characterized the role of athletic commissions as fundamentally contradictory to their stated purpose. Athletic commissions exist to protect fighters, Brown argued, yet they consistently vote in ways that favor promoters and corporate entities.

    In the case of the Ali Act hearing, the commission’s unanimous support for legislation that MMA fighters believe would harm their sport’s athletes demonstrated this misalignment. Brown stated that commissions “won’t do a single thing for the fighters” despite that being “literally what their job is for” and that they exist “to work for the fighters,” not for TKO or the UFC.

    The financial disparity between the UFC as a multi-billion-dollar enterprise and fighter compensation underscores the urgency of Brown’s advocacy. The UFC generated $1.4 billion in revenue in 2024, surpassing the previous year’s $1.292 billion. Yet fighters receive an estimated 14.5 to 16 percent of total revenue, translating to approximately $200 million distributed among hundreds of athletes competing across the organization.

    This stands in stark contrast to other major sports leagues: the NBA distributes roughly 50 percent of revenue to players, while major league baseball allocates approximately 48 percent. Brown emphasized that despite record-breaking revenues, the UFC’s response involves only minimal increases to discretionary bonuses – amounts he characterized as insignificant relative to the organization’s financial scale.​ He added:

    “Fighting should be about competing and making a living, but the reality is there’s a huge power imbalance. UFC is a multi-billion-dollar business, yet the fighters get 0% of that revenue. They might up the bonuses by 10K or something, but that’s minimal compared to the scale of the business.”

    He contended that politicians involved in regulatory and legislative decisions affecting fighters have been compromised through lobbying and financial influence. This assessment aligns with documented evidence of UFC influence over athletic commissions and regulatory bodies.

    The Nevada State Athletic Commission, which oversees events in the state where the UFC hosts its most significant fights, has historically maintained close relationships with UFC leadership. Lorenzo Fertitta, one of the UFC’s original owners, was appointed to the Nevada commission in 1996, and subsequent UFC executives have maintained strategic relationships with regulatory bodies and political figures.

    Perhaps most cutting was Brown’s assessment of fighter representation structures. He highlighted the failure of managers and agents to advocate on behalf of their clients. According to Brown, attorney Rob Macy, a lawyer working on fighter advocacy initiatives, reached out to multiple managers regarding participation in antitrust litigation, and not a single manager agreed to work with the plaintiffs. This represents a systemic betrayal of fighter interests, as managers’ primary obligation should theoretically be to their clients rather than to their relationship with the promotion.

    Brown suggested that managers consistently prioritize maintaining favorable standing with the UFC over advocating for the fighters they represent, a dynamic that undermines the entire fighter advocacy structure.

    Brown’s frustration ultimately stemmed from a recognition that despite clear evidence of monopolistic market conditions and fighter exploitation, no institutional actor possesses both the power and the motivation to intervene on the fighters’ behalf. The 2024 settlement of the Le v. Zuffa antitrust lawsuit resulted in a $375 million payout to fighters, with Judge Richard Boulware specifically criticizing the UFC’s contract practices and noting the prevalence of class-action waivers that prevented many fighters from participating in the lawsuit.

    Yet even this landmark victory failed to produce structural reforms that would address the underlying power imbalance. The UFC remains the only viable employer for most elite fighters, granting it unilateral control over contract terms, compensation structures, and the ability to suspend or restrict any fighter’s career.

    Photo by Tim Wheaton

    The reality Brown articulated reflects a system where power has concentrated entirely with promoters, where regulatory bodies have become captured by the industries they oversee, where political actors lack adequate incentive to intervene, and where the fighters themselves lack sufficient leverage to enforce their own interests.

    UFC
    Photo By Tim Wheaton
  • Rising UFC Featherweight David Onama Sees Steve Garcia as Gateway to Top 10 Status

    Rising UFC Featherweight David Onama Sees Steve Garcia as Gateway to Top 10 Status

    David Onama enters Saturday’s main event at UFC Fight Night 263 with a clear objective: secure a victory over Steve Garcia and break into the UFC featherweight top 10.

    David Onama Targets Top 10 After Steve Garcia UFC Main Event Win

    Speaking at the pre-fight press conference, Onama articulated how this matchup represents the culmination of his journey and a critical stepping stone toward contention. “A win over Steve Garcia will definitely put me in the top 10 of the division. Getting a win over him, especially in the main event against a tough opponent, will boost me up for sure.”

    The 31-year-old Ugandan fighter’s emphasis on the top 10 positioning shows the significance of this encounter, as both competitors sit just outside that threshold in the UFC rankings heading into November 1st. Garcia, ranked No. 12, carries a six-fight win streak with five of those victories coming by knockout.

    Onama, ranked No. 13, has strung together four consecutive wins, most recently defeating former ranked featherweight Giga Chikadze via unanimous decision in April.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxkCVKlyAjQ

    When asked about his mindset heading into the bout, Onama maintained focus on the immediate task at hand rather than looking ahead. “I’m just focused on Steve Garcia right now. My time will come, like I said. Defeat him, get top 10, but for now, let’s focus on what’s in front of us and then see what’s next.”

    David Onama Credits Factory X for Career Trajectory

    The fighter credits his transformation to Factory X Muay Thai, the Colorado-based camp led by head coach Marc Montoya. When discussing his trajectory, Onama emphasized the collective environment. “The keys to why I’ve been so successful? For sure, it’s the team. I’ve trained at one of the best gyms in the world. Having those people around me, training with them, bettering each other, that’s what it is.”

    Onama trains alongside featherweight contenders Youssef Zalal and Jonathan Martinez, as well as fellow top prospects like Chris Gutierrez.

    The Ugandan fighter first watched Garcia’s career trajectory from a distance before the bout materialized. Onama noted his familiarity with Garcia’s work, particularly his performance against Calvin Kattar in July. “I’ve been watching Steve for a pretty long time, especially since he fought Kattar . When he called me out, I wasn’t surprised because I was actually thinking the same thing, that we could end up fighting in the future.”

    The featherweight division landscape makes this main event particularly consequential. Alexander Volkanovski currently holds the title, while fighters ranked above both Garcia and Onama include Movsar Evloev, Diego Lopes, Yair Rodríguez, Lerone Murphy, Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen, and Youssef Zalal. The top 10 represents prestige and also tangible movement toward title contention opportunities.

    Onama characterized the matchup as mutually beneficial for both main event competitors. “It’s a very, very fun matchup between two guys who go for the finish and are exciting fighters.” The fighter’s striking-first approach has defined his recent performances, as he demonstrated against Chikadze by controlling the striking exchanges while maintaining grappling competency. This versatility positions him as a serious threat against Garcia’s knockout-heavy style.

    Victory for either fighter establishes them as a legitimate threat to the established top 10, potentially opening doors to matchups against currently ranked opponents. For Onama specifically, a top 10 finish would align him with his Factory X teammate Zalal, creating a situation where two fighters from the same camp occupy top-15 status.

  • $1 Million Performance Bonus for UFC Athletes: Former UFC Titleholder Explains Why This Must Happen

    $1 Million Performance Bonus for UFC Athletes: Former UFC Titleholder Explains Why This Must Happen

    UFC needs to offer up bigger financial rewards for exciting fighters, according to a former light heavyweight champion with the promotion.

    This was expressed by Rampage Jackson on a recent episode of the Jaxxon podcast. Jackson as well as TJ Dillashaw and Bobby Green were discussing a lot of the big fallout from the recent UFC 321 show.

    “Imagine how the fights would change if the bonus was a million. Guys would go all out, not just looking to win but looking to entertain, to put on shows that fans remember forever.”

    “It’s about respect for the craft and the risks they take. If the UFC wants to keep the best talent and raise the level of competition, raising the bonuses is the way to do it.”

    “Look, the business side has to catch up with the reality of what these fighters do. They deserve the big bucks.”

    “These bonus payouts could be life-changing, not just for the fighters but for their families. It’s time the UFC steps up and gives them what they deserve.”

    How UFC 321 played into Jackson’s comments above

    UFC 321 resonated with many fans as a bit of an underwhelming affair, even outside of the inauspicious outcome to the Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane main event. A lot of MMA fans do have a certain fixation point on striking-heavy affairs, constituting an exciting fight, which means that the promotion’s alst pay-per-view offering was not seen as a satisfying watch.

    The card actually set the record for most successful takedowns within a singular UFC event, and the Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Volkov fight seemed to serve as a bit of a microcosm for how many perceived the action from the card.

    Jackson mentioned in the embedded video above that he could see the Ultimate Fighting Championship upping the bonuses, but perhaps to a scale of taking it from 50 K to $100,000. The former UFC light heavyweight titleholder notched multiple performance bonuses during his tenure with the promotion years back.

  • BKFC’s Esteban Rodriguez Hungry for Big Redemptive KO vs. Zac Cavender at 1st BKFC Michigan card

    BKFC’s Esteban Rodriguez Hungry for Big Redemptive KO vs. Zac Cavender at 1st BKFC Michigan card

    This week’s BKFC main event has some redemption related underpinnings as Esteban Rodriguez aims to take out Zac Cavender after Cavender knocked out a long time teammate of Rodriguez’s right in front of him.

    Esteban Rodriguez takes on Zac Cavender at BKFC Fight Night: Michigan on November 1st. Rodriguez appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker to discuss Cavender stopping training partner and friend Erick Lozano. Zac Cavender secured a brutal first round finish over Lozano at BKFC 74 and when asked if there was any redemptive components associated with getting one back for his teammate/friend, Rodriguez said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “100%, man. Listen, I was in that corner when that happened. I was cornering [Erick] Lozano. I went to go help him out with that. I was so helpless in that corner right there.”

    “It was like; it’s new to me. You know what I mean, being in somebody’s corner. So it was just a whole different experience. But to see your friend get taken out like that and like me not being able to do anything about it.”

    “I was just like, “Oh, man.” And in a way, I kind of manifested it because then it’s like, “Oh, let me get him, man.” I couldn’t get, you know, coming from where we come from, man.”

    “It’s like, you got to challenge him right there. Oh, you took him out? Now, it’s my turn. How dare you. Like, but it’s just; now like being able to see that. I talked to him in the back. You know what I mean?”

    “Cuz I told him, “You coming for that championship in the 205 division, man, that’s my throne right there.” I was like, “You know, you’re going to have to go through me if you’re going to have to handle those men.””

    “So, we had a little talk in the back and he’s like, “Well, yeah. we’ve seen you on the radar and I definitely know we would put on a hell of a hell of a show, man.””

    “Because he’s been able to put pressure, but he’s never felt a pressure fighter like me before. You know what I mean? So, it’s like when I’m going to be able to get; like since this point forward, I’ve been able to see that, you know, all the competition is coming in the 205 division.”

    “Him getting a knockout like that, you know, especially one of my friends and in front of me. Yeah, I’m like, I got to get [that] back, man.”

    “I got to do something about this. I just can’t let that happen, man. And it’s like it’s just not; I don’t know. Regardless of what it is like just there’s something in me that just can’t let that slide.”

    BKFC throws him to the wolves but Esteban Rodriguez is “still standing, baby”

    When playfully mentioning how this seems like one of those BKFC bouts where you have to make sure you got your drink and your snacks lined up. This because Cavender has back-to-back first round knockouts and Rodriguez has a 3 second KO win in his last outing.

    Responding to that comment referencing this being a ‘don’t blink or you’ll miss it’ kind of outings, Rodriguez stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “Back to back to back, bro. I’m telling you, man. These guys, all they say that there’s these fighters that are undefeated and all that. I’ve been thrown to the wolves every single time. They’ve been trying to take me out since the beginning, man, and I’m still standing, baby.”

    “And I’m still going to be standing strong. Once they send their best, man, when they send their best, that’s when they’re going to see me going pulling out the worst. Where it’s just going to be nitty gritty and just taking them out back to back to back to back, baby.”