MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Marvin Vettori Pulls Out Of UFC Baku Fight

    Marvin Vettori Pulls Out Of UFC Baku Fight

    Marvin Vettori has pulled out of his fight against Ismail Naurdiev at UFC Baku on June 27 after suffering a broken rib in training.

    Vettori revealed the injury on his Instagram Stories, explaining the timeline and what comes next.

    “Unfortunately, I am here to tell you that a few days ago I got hurt on my rib. I did an MRI and it came back today showing that the rib is broken. So I won’t be fighting on June 27. I was really looking forward to this fight. I moved from Florida to California for this camp. I wanted to get back to my roots, train with Beneil Dariush. I was feeling good. Sometimes sh*t happens and you can’t do nothing about it. Now I’m just gonna focus on my recovery. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long. Four to six weeks I am good to train again. For everybody that supported me, I am thankful for that. I promise you that I will be back.”

    Vettori has gone 2-5 in his last seven fights since challenging Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 263 in 2021. He is winless since beating Roman Dolidze in London three years ago.

    UFC Baku takes place June 27 at the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan. The event is headlined by Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres.

  • Conor McGregor’s First Statement On UFC 329 Return Sets Very High Bar For What Fans Should Expect

    Conor McGregor’s First Statement On UFC 329 Return Sets Very High Bar For What Fans Should Expect

    Conor McGregor says he is better than ever ahead of his UFC 329 return against Max Holloway and is relishing the chance to showcase his skills on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    McGregor broke his silence on Instagram following Dana White’s announcement of the fight, his first competitive appearance since suffering a broken leg at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    “Thank you for all the love, support, and encouragement over the last few days, people. I am feeling very energized entering intense training camp because of it. I am very grateful for the team I have around me. My coaches and training partners, we are all fully tuned in for the challenge at hand and it is a glorious time in our gym. I am better than ever, and I relish the opportunity to once again show my mastery in martial arts to the world.”

    McGregor defeated Holloway in their first meeting nearly 13 years ago at UFC Fight Night 26. Holloway enters the rematch coming off a lopsided decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 327 in March.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Had A Blunt Response To Khamzat Chimaev Weight Cut Narrative

    Dricus Du Plessis Had A Blunt Response To Khamzat Chimaev Weight Cut Narrative

    Dricus Du Plessis dismissed the suggestion that Khamzat Chimaev’s weight cut played a significant role in his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, calling it a rookie-level cut that does not justify being used as an excuse.

    Chimaev’s teammate Arman Tsarukyan revealed after the fight that Chimaev had to cut 12 to 13 pounds in the final 24 hours before weigh-ins, with some attributing his early slowdown to the drastic cut. Du Plessis, who lost his middleweight title to Chimaev before Chimaev dropped it to Strickland, had no sympathy speaking on Fight Forecast.

    “I think this whole weight cut excuse is ridiculous. I mean, they said he cut 12 pounds in the 24 hours. Those are rookie numbers. 12 pounds in 24 hours, that’s not that bad. What matters is that last 24 hours and 12 pounds is not that much. I definitely done more than that. Sometimes I’ve had bad weight cuts, too. Everybody that cuts weight has had that experience where the next day you feel, ‘Ugh,’ and you have a bad cut. One kilogram can make the world of difference in a weight cut. I just think using a weight cut as an excuse when it comes to the fight, even if you did have a bad weight cut, it’s fine.”

    Du Plessis delivered a broader message about accountability in the sport.

    “It’s happened to all of us, but you don’t go out and say, ‘Oh, I lost the fight because of that.’ No. If you want to change weight divisions, change weight divisions. But blaming a bad weight cut is like saying, ‘I lost the fight because I wasn’t fit.’ It’s on you. Be more disciplined. Be more disciplined and the weight cut would be easier. When you get to octagon, there is no excuse. Be a man and take your loss like a man. Don’t make any excuses. There are no excuses.”

    Chimaev initially told Dana White he wanted to move to light heavyweight after the loss, but later reversed course and expressed a desire to rematch Strickland.

  • Benson Henderson’s Return To MMA Came Down To One Persistent Text Message

    Benson Henderson’s Return To MMA Came Down To One Persistent Text Message

    Benson Henderson says PFL matchmaker Mike Kogan kept needling him about what people were saying online until he finally agreed to come out of retirement for a fight against Patrick Habirora at PFL Brussels on Saturday.

    Henderson retired from MMA in 2023 but remained active in boxing, karate combat, and freestyle wrestling. Speaking to MMA Fighting, he explained exactly how the comeback came together.

    “My man Mike Kogan, the head matchmaker for PFL, great guy, I love him, he’s always done me right. But he texted me, he needled me a couple of times like ‘oh man, Henderson, guys online are talking smack, saying this, saying that’ and I’m like people can say whatever, it’s cool, no big deal. They’re saying you don’t have it anymore. I told him, I don’t care. People have been after me my whole career. I’ve done all right. People are allowed to have their opinion. But he kept needling me a couple more times and then he texted me two days later and said ‘hey, I’ve got a matchup for you, Patrick Habirora, why don’t you remind the world who you are, what you did and what you can do. You know what? Sounds good, Kogan. Let’s remind the world who I am and what I’ve done and how I do it.”

    Henderson, 42, said he never truly stepped away from training at The MMA Lab in Arizona, returning to the gym the week after retiring.

    “Since the day I retired, I was back in the gym the next week, on the mats training again. Our whole thing at The MMA Lab is being the hardest working gym in the world. We fight on Saturdays and back in the gym on Monday working to get better, win or lose, it doesn’t matter. I never stopped. I never stopped training.”

    Henderson said he is signed to a three-fight deal with PFL but is taking things one fight at a time.

    “My mindset after I beat Patrick, after the referee pulls me off of him, my mindset is more along the lines of whatever comes. I’m not itching to fight this guy or that guy. I’m not looking to get another belt around my waist. I’ll take it a fight at a time. I like to compete. I will compete until my body won’t allow me anymore.”

  • Ilia Topuria And Ryan Garcia Engage In Explosive War Of Words After Bold Boxing Callout

    Ilia Topuria and Ryan Garcia recently traded a series of heated messages after the reigning UFC lightweight champion floated the idea of stepping into the boxing ring in the future.

    Topuria, who is preparing to defend his title against Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event on June 14, made it clear he believes he could compete at a high level in boxing right away.

    “I’d be very comfortable,” Topuria said in an interview when asked about facing Garcia. “I think I would break him before it gets to the judges’ decision.”

    That confidence quickly drew a sharp response from Garcia.

    “You are a damn good striker for MMA that’s it,” Garcia fired back on social media. “You wouldn’t be sipping on tea after our fight you would be eating through a straw after our fight. Stay in your lane. I’ll gladly stay in mine.”

    “El Matador” didn’t hold back in his reply.

    “You built your name on hype,” he wrote. “I built mine by putting legends to sleep. I would give you a boxing lesson. We are not on the same level. Bring the guy that you fight in September. I would beat both of you in the same ring.”

    Garcia doubled down, dismissing the undefeated Spaniard’s chances in a pure boxing setting.

    “I built my name sleeping guys that are way better boxers then you will ever be,” Garcia responded. “You’ve seen many MMA fighters try and you’ll just be another UFC hype job cashing out by getting knocked out by a boxer.”

    The exchange escalated further when Topuria referenced a controversial chapter in “KingRy’s” career.

    “The biggest win of your career came with steroids,” Topuria wrote. “So that’s where your confidence comes from? Interesting.”

  • Scott Coker Plans New MMA League To Challenge UFC In 2027

    Scott Coker is returning to the promoter’s chair with a new global MMA league, and he has $60 million in financing lined up to take on the UFC and the PFL. The veteran promoter plans to launch the still unnamed venture globally in early 2027.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, funding is led by investment firm Creator Sports Capital, with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners. The investor group also includes trading card company Upper Deck, D.C. United owner and Oaktree Capital co-founder Steve Kaplan, Visional founder and New York Yankees limited partner Swimmy Minami, skateboarding icon Tony Hawk, and former Fortress Investment Group vice-chairman Dean Dakolias. The founders say the backers include several people with ownership stakes in NFL and NBA franchises.

    Coker will serve as co-founder and CEO. Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners, who was an advisor and investor in Coker’s Strikeforce, takes the co-founder and board chairman roles. The advisory group features former TelevisaUnivision CEO and ex-Viacom CFO Wade Davis, former Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko, and Kevin Kay, the former president of Paramount Network, CMT, Spike TV and TV Land.

    The pitch leans on a gap the founders see in the sport. MMA has grown into a market worth more than $20 billion with over 625 million fans worldwide, yet the founders argue that professional fighters across more than 40 countries still lack a clear path to elite competition. The new league says it wants to place athletes at the center of the sport, a positioning that sets it against the UFC, where Dana White has handed off fighter contract negotiations to other TKO Group executives.

    From Strikeforce To A New Challenger

    Coker founded Strikeforce, which grew into a genuine UFC rival before it was sold to the UFC in 2011. He took over Bellator MMA in 2014 and ran it for close to a decade, but did not move with the brand when the PFL acquired Bellator in late 2023. Bellator now operates as part of the PFL’s restructured tournament system.

    The founders pointed to Coker’s history of finding and developing fighters such as Daniel Cormier, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano during the Strikeforce era.

    “I always knew I wanted to come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully curated team. That time is now,” Coker said. “There is an incredible demand for a fresh, new global brand in MMA. This new league is about returning to what matters: the integrity of competition, respect for the athletes and sharing their remarkable journeys with the world.”

    Benjamin Grubbs, co-founder and co-managing partner of Creator Sports Capital, framed the bet on Coker directly. “Scott Coker is one of the few operators in combat sports who has built winning franchises at a global scale, and he has done it by putting athletes first,” Grubbs said.

    Details Still To Come

    The full leadership team is expected to be named in the coming weeks. The league’s name, format, participating regions and event schedule have not been announced.

    A 2027 debut would drop Coker’s promotion into a market led by TKO Group’s UFC, run by Dana White, with the PFL operating as the clear number two.

  • UFC Legend Khabib Nurmagomedov Rubbishes Dana White’s Claim About His MMA Retirement – ‘Piece Of Garbage’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov has pushed back strongly against past comments made by Dana White regarding the reasons behind his retirement from mixed martial arts.

    “The Eagle” walked away from the sport in October 2020, immediately after submitting Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. That victory not only marked his third successful title defense but also sealed a flawless professional record of 29-0, making him one of the few fighters to retire undefeated at the highest level.

    The former UFC lightweight champion’s decision at the time was deeply personal. Following the passing of his father and longtime coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov earlier that year, he revealed that he had promised his mother he would not continue fighting without him.

    However, during an interview on the Prince St. Pizza YouTube channel last year, White suggested that financial success may have also influenced the decision, claiming the Dagestani star earned substantial money during appearances across Muslim-majority countries after his win over Conor McGregor.

    Those remarks did not sit well with Nurmagomedov.

    “These are the kinds of headlines I sometimes read online. Of course, I’m not someone who likes to comment on every piece of garbage on the internet, but when Dana says things like this, it spreads everywhere,” he wrote on social media.

    “I’ll say this: I swear by Allah, this is an absolute lie. Nobody ever gave me those millions, and what they’re writing, that I left the sport because I made a lot of money, is also not true. The whole world knows the real truth.

    “I’ve already spoken about this more than once, and there’s no need to repeat it.”

  • Carlos Prates Says Something Happened In His UFC Meeting After Perth That Makes Him Very Confident About What’s Next

    Carlos Prates Says Something Happened In His UFC Meeting After Perth That Makes Him Very Confident About What’s Next

    Carlos Prates says he has spoken with the UFC after his knockout of Jack Della Maddalena and believes he will be the next welterweight title challenger, regardless of whether Islam Makhachev or Ian Machado Garry holds the belt.

    Speaking to Yahoo Sports, Prates was direct about what he expects to happen next.

    “I think Ian’s gonna fight Makhachev, and I’m going to fight the winner. I talked with them, with the UFC after my fight. Of course, we talked some things I cannot say, but I really think I will be the next. It doesn’t matter who gets the win between Islam and Ian Garry, I will be the next.”

    Prates has gone seven wins, seven stoppages, and seven Performance of the Night bonuses in eight UFC appearances. His third-round knockout of Della Maddalena at UFC Perth earlier this month was his third consecutive finish and made a title shot impossible to ignore.

    A Makhachev vs. Garry fight has been rumored but not officially announced, with the August numbered event reported as a possible target. That timeline could leave Prates waiting close to a year before fighting for the belt — a long layoff for a fighter who has competed eight times in two and a half years. He said the wait would not hurt him.

    “It’s good for me. Get my injuries better, train a little bit more, improve, grow up as a fighter. If it’s long to fight for the belt, I will be more well-prepared.”

    On the question of Ilia Topuria potentially jumping to welterweight to fight Makhachev, Prates said he does not see it happening and has a long-term plan if Topuria does want the fight.

    “No. I think he’s going to still fight at 155. I’m thinking about to get the belt and then asking Topuria if he wants to come to 170. Let’s do this. Let’s dance!”

  • Georges St-Pierre Reveals What Conor McGregor Must Do In Training Camp To Prepare For Max Holloway

    Georges St-Pierre says it would “break his heart” to see Conor McGregor return at UFC 329 and not be the fighter he once was, while stressing the importance of McGregor putting himself in uncomfortable situations during training camp.

    McGregor faces Max Holloway on July 11 in Las Vegas after more than five years away from MMA. St-Pierre, who ended his own four-year layoff to submit Michael Bisping for the middleweight title in 2017, told MMA Junkie what he believes is essential for a successful return.

    “You need to make sure when you prepare yourself that you recreate that environment and that level of discomfort that you will face. If you stay in your comfort zone during your training camp, it’s not good. You need to make sure you bring guys that make you uncomfortable. I’m not only talking about skills and sparring. Sometimes it’s good to bring guys that you’ve never trained with, and you have the butterflies, and you don’t know how they move. ‘They’re dirty, and they’re going to try to hurt me.’ It’s important.”

    St-Pierre said he was not surprised McGregor chose a fight of this difficulty for his comeback.

    “He comes back for big things, and he doesn’t come back for small things. It’s appropriate. Of course, if I was in Conor’s camp I would say, ‘Strap in because it’s a hell of a fight.’ But he can do it. It’s going to be interesting.”

    Holloway has competed eight times since McGregor last fought, all in main events or title fights.

  • Eddie Alvarez Says Everything Tells Him Conor McGregor Can’t Beat Max Holloway — Except One Thing

    Eddie Alvarez says everything he believes about ring rust tells him Conor McGregor has no business beating Max Holloway at UFC 329, but left the door open based on one quality McGregor possesses that most fighters do not.

    Alvarez spoke to MMA Junkie ahead of the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where McGregor returns from a five-year absence. Alvarez compared stepping away from MMA to dropping out of a movie role mid-production.

    “I don’t like people taking off this sport. I think it’s dangerous when you put this sport down. It’s not something you can put down and pick up. It’s too dangerous, and when you’re fighting, I often compare it to someone who is getting ready for a movie role. You have to become the character. And once you’re in character then you go put on a good performance. But it takes a while to become that ruthless dog that you need to be in order to go in there and fight viciously the way we do. And you can’t just put it down and pick it up whenever you want. It takes a while to get into it.”

    Alvarez framed the inactivity gap as the central concern heading into the fight.

    “That comeback needs to be built in with a large amount of training, warm-up fights and things like that in order to build into a massive fight, especially coming back with a guy like Max Holloway. Max has been active. Max is younger. Max has been a lot more active and in the game and didn’t put the game down. You’re going against a guy that has been well fed, and he put the game down. He said, ‘I don’t want to do it right now anymore,’ and now he’s coming back. There’s a lot of guessing about Conor and the Conor we’re going to get to see. We’ll see.”

    Alvarez lost to McGregor by second-round TKO at UFC 205 in November 2016, the last meaningful win of McGregor’s MMA career and the fight that made him a two-division champion. Despite his concerns about the layoff, Alvarez said McGregor has one intangible that could change the equation entirely.

    “Conor has an obsessiveness about him that he can make up for years of not training in a short period of time that other guys don’t have. If anybody is able to come do this, it’ll be him. But it definitely to me would be one of the best comeback stories we’ve ever seen in the sport.”

    Holloway has competed eight times since McGregor last fought, all in main events or title fights.

  • Brendan Allen Shares Opinion On Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate That Makes A Lot Of Sense

    Brendan Allen Shares Opinion On Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate That Makes A Lot Of Sense

    Brendan Allen says the UFC middleweight division is in an uncertain position following Sean Strickland’s upset title win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, with the rematch vs. contender question still unresolved.

    Allen, who trained alongside Chimaev during part of his camp, believes Chimaev deserves a rematch but acknowledged Nassourdine Imavov has also earned his shot. Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio ahead of his own fight against Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 278 on June 6, Allen laid out how he sees it.

    “I think we’re in a crazy position and everyone’s just waiting for the bosses to say what avenue they’re going to go. I’m kind of caught. I think Khamzat deserves a rematch. It was a super close fight based on statistics. I had him winning, but I could also be biased. It was obviously still a close fight because it was a split decision. I would say he should get a rematch, but I also think Nassourdine has earned No. 1 contender. It’s a super tough spot. If it was me, and it’s way above my pay grade, but I think you give Khamzat the rematch, depending on timeline. I think Khamzat is already ready. It’s just up to Sean at this point. Then you make Nassourdine me vs. if I win.”

    Allen made clear that none of it matters unless he handles his own business first.

    “I think I can get him out of there. He’s a good fighter. He’s a young, talented guy and I’ve just got to go in there and do what I need to do and get him out of there. He’s getting a crack at the top five. He’s not even in the top 15, and he’s getting a crack at the top five. That’s super motivating. I never personally had that, but I know it’s got to be super motivating. So I know he’s coming to kill. I’m ready for that. I think I’m the best in the world and I need to go prove it.”

  • Gina Carano’s Coach Has Surprising Take On What Comes Next After Ronda Rousey Loss

    Gina Carano’s Coach Has Surprising Take On What Comes Next After Ronda Rousey Loss

    Gina Carano’s coach, John Wood, believes his fighter’s competitive fire has not been satisfied by her 17-second loss to Ronda Rousey at MVP MMA 1, and says he leans toward her returning to the cage.

    Carano returned to MMA competition for the first time since 2009 on Saturday and was submitted by Rousey’s armbar in the opening seconds of the main event at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Wood told Home of Fight that the quick ending may have left Carano wanting more.

    “I do not believe that that itch has been scratched yet for Gina, but we’ll see. There’s a lot of things already coming at her. I could tell you, behind the scenes, there’s a lot of activity already, so ultimately the decision is hers. It was never a need for money. This was a personal thing for her to come back and do this. Truthfully for me, she found the love of fighting again. And as a coach, I see somebody in the room who, she can still fight. And there’s a lot of people that she can still beat, I guarantee you. I think with the right matchups and the right, fair matchups, that we can have some fun out there. So we’ll see what she decides to do.”

    Wood expressed his hope to see Carano fight again and explained why a second camp would be entirely different.

    “I personally would like to see her do it again. I personally would like to see her take the work that we did and actually have another camp that would be focused on just fighting because all the hard work, the bullsh*t, the weight cut has been done. I would love to see her have another camp and do a fun fight. Do I think she’s going to do it? I would lean more to yes than no.”

    Carano lost 100 pounds to make the fight happen and came in at 141.4 pounds at the official weigh-in before rehydrating to 152 on fight night.

  • Ben Askren Identified Problem Holding Francis Ngannou Back And It Has Nothing To Do With His Fighting

    Ben Askren Identified Problem Holding Francis Ngannou Back And It Has Nothing To Do With His Fighting

    Ben Askren says Francis Ngannou’s biggest problem since leaving the UFC is the same one Askren faced when he left Bellator for ONE Championship — a lack of credible dance partners.

    Ngannou returned to MMA last Saturday with a first-round knockout of Philipe Lins at MVP MMA 1 on Netflix. Speaking on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel, Askren drew a parallel to his own career.

    “Actually, you know, that was one of my big issues is when Dana wouldn’t sign me in 2013, and then I went to ONE Championship. So, I was thinking of this of Francis, and this has been Francis’ problem ever since he left the UFC. Maybe it’s been like three or four years now? It feels like a little while, but you need dance partners. And when I left Bellator and went to ONE Championship, I just didn’t have anyone who could really fight with me. So it was hard to build it, you know? And Francis is in the exact same situation where he’s got no one that can really fight with him, and you need that to build a star.”

    Ngannou parted ways with the UFC as heavyweight champion. Potential opponents of the caliber of Tom Aspinall, Alex Pereira, and Jon Jones are unavailable to him given their UFC contracts and the promotion’s strained relationship with Ngannou.

  • Alex Pereira Has Very Simple Response To People Questioning Three-Division Title Pursuit

    Alex Pereira Has Very Simple Response To People Questioning Three-Division Title Pursuit

    Alex Pereira says he has felt no physical drop-off since moving up to heavyweight and is not concerned with whether a win over Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 would be considered a true three-division championship.

    Pereira faces Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on June 14 at the White House. A win would make him the first fighter in UFC history to claim a version of the title in three separate weight classes, having previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight titles.

    Speaking to MMA Junkie through an interpreter, Pereira said the move up has gone smoothly.

    “In terms of going for heavyweight, it’s nice because no restrictions. I’ve been eating clean and eating good. It’s been fun. In terms of performance, I feel the exact same. Obviously it’s not possible to bulk up to a much higher weight class, bigger, and not lose maybe a little bit of speed. We’ll see in the fight. But I feel the exact same. I just added, but didn’t lose anything.”

    On the debate over whether an interim title counts toward the historic achievement, Pereira was dismissive.

    “If it’s lineal, if it’s interim — for me, it doesn’t matter. Obviously I’ve heard people talking about that, that it’s not the lineal belt and this and that. What is the point of me trying to defend myself? I just want to keep fighting and making my money and let people talk, and whatever they decide for me is good.”

  • Dustin Poirier Has Very Specific Game Plan For How Justin Gaethje Can Upset Ilia Topuria

    Dustin Poirier says Justin Gaethje’s best chance against Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 is to force chaos rather than trying to match the champion’s technical precision.

    Gaethje holds the interim UFC Lightweight Championship and faces Topuria in a unification bout on June 14 at the White House. Poirier, who has fought both men, told UFC on Paramount+ that the stylistic matchup favors Topuria if the fight stays clean.

    “It’s not that I’m rooting against him or anything, I just think it’s a tough stylistic matchup for him. If he’s loose with the big punches he throws, Ilia is so tight, combinations are short and clean. Gaethje just has to clean it up a little bit and like I said in the past, Gaethje has said this leading up to fights, ‘I have to be perfect.’ This fight he has to be perfect because Topuria is so dangerous.”

    Poirier identified Gaethje’s leg kicks as a key weapon but warned they need to be set up properly.

    “He tore my legs up. He tore Chandler’s. He’s done it to a lot of people. Everything he throws is 100 percent. He can knock him out if he can get Ilia to brawl. But he has to set up those leg kicks. He can’t throw them dry, like empty leg kicks like that. He has to throw punches and finish combinations with leg kicks. Ilia’s too sharp to just throw single legs. He’s going to get counterpunched.”

    Poirier concluded that Gaethje needs disorder to land his shot.

    “There’s not enough time technically for him to sharpen up and outbox, outpoint Ilia on the feet. He needs it to be chaos, he needs it to be a brawl, and he needs to land that shot. I don’t know if he wins, but that’s his best chance.”

  • Michael Bisping Noticed Something About The MVP MMA 1 Crowd That Is Not A Good Look For The Event

    Michael Bisping Noticed Something About The MVP MMA 1 Crowd That Is Not A Good Look For The Event

    Michael Bisping says the atmosphere at the UFC’s small Apex facility felt more electric than the Intuit Dome during MVP MMA 1 on Saturday night, despite the Netflix card featuring far bigger names.

    Speaking on his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping described switching between the two broadcasts.

    “I was bouncing back and forth, now, I don’t know, maybe I’m biased. The UFC was at the Apex. It sounded louder than the Intuit Dome. There definitely seemed like there was more vibe coming from the small Apex. Maybe it was because it was the prelims. It didn’t seem like there were many people there.”

    MVP MMA 1 drew an attendance of 15,795 at Intuit Dome and peaked at 17 million global viewers on Netflix. UFC Fight Night 276, headlined by Arnold Allen’s unanimous decision win over Melquizael Costa, took place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

  • Ex-PFL Fighter Arrested After Alleged Sexual Assault Outside Nightclub In Florida

    A professional MMA fighter has been arrested in Florida on a serious felony charge following an alleged incident in Key West.

    The 33-year-old welterweight was taken into custody in the early hours of May 18 and booked into Monroe County jail on one count of sexual battery. He was later released after posting a $50,000 bond.

    The fighter has been identified as Logan Storley. According to police reports, the situation began at a bar on Duval Street, where he allegedly made repeated advances toward a woman who attempted to avoid him. Investigators claim the encounter escalated after both individuals left the venue, with the alleged assault taking place in a nearby alley.

    Witnesses from a neighboring establishment reportedly saw the incident unfold and intervened. Authorities say “Storm” attempted to leave the scene but was stopped by a staff member and held until officers arrived. The woman was transported to a medical facility for examination.

    Police also noted the presence of alcohol, and the South Dakota native declined to speak with investigators without an attorney after being read his rights.

    The arrest comes just weeks after his most recent fight. “Storm” competed on May 2, earning a unanimous decision win over Florim Zendeli at PFL Sioux Falls. He is no longer part of the PFL roster, with reports indicating the separation occurred prior to the incident.

    A former Bellator standout and accomplished collegiate wrestler, Storley holds a professional record of 19-4. His arraignment is expected in early June as the legal process moves forward.

  • Ronda Rousey Reflects on MMA Retirement in Instagram Post

    Ronda Rousey Reflects on MMA Retirement in Instagram Post

    Ronda Rousey has confirmed her retirement from MMA is permanent, releasing a lengthy Instagram statement after submitting Gina Carano in 17 seconds at MVP MMA 1 on Netflix that detailed why she came back, what the camp meant to her, and why she is now ready to walk away for good.

    Rousey opened by admitting the weight of the moment had delayed her writing.

    “I’ve been putting off this post-fight post because I think I’ve been procrastinating admitting that it’s really over.”

    She explained that Carano herself was the reason she returned, tying the comeback directly to watching her opponent go through a difficult period in her own life.

    “This fight, the year and a half of training that went into it, and even the promotion was more fulfilling than I ever could have imagined. At nine months pregnant, when I saw Gina experiencing a low similar to what I endured — I KNEW she had it in her to pull herself out of it. And just like when I saw her fight for the first time I thought, ‘Well, if she can do it, I can, too.’ Pro wrestling helped me move on from my past in MMA, but Gina is the one who gave me a reason to confront it.”

    Rousey said the fight meant more than just a result.

    “The story we could tell together was one I desperately needed to believe. That you’re never too low to rise again, that your body is never too far gone to reclaim, and that it’s never too late to be better than you’ve ever been.”

    She revealed a behind-the-scenes moment where she and Carano worked out contract issues themselves.

    “When there were a few hiccups at the finish line getting her contract done I just said, ‘F*ck it, let’s meet up’ and we hammered out all the issues together over a bottle of wine — well, actually, she had martinis, I smoked a blunt and had the wine — and got the deal done ourselves.”

    Rousey also made clear she has no apologies for how she views her own legacy.

    “I am before anything else a martial artist. I’m better at MMA than I ever was at anything else — and f*ck who this may offend, but I am the best to have ever done it and nothing can compare to the experience of creating within my craft.”

    She described the camp itself as a healing process.

    “The joy of being in this camp and falling back into my skill again and seeing the shock on the faces of my coaches and training partners watching me create sh*t no one’s ever seen on the spot, watching me tap out some of the best in the world up to five times a round during sparring — it healed my soul.”

    Rousey closed the statement with gratitude for Carano and finality about what comes next.

    “The fight is over, it’s bittersweet because for the first time the experience of preparing for the fight eclipsed the joy any victory could have brought. But I’m finally ready to move on, this time with my head held high. Thank you, Gina.”

    Rousey vs. Carano reportedly peaked at 17 million global viewers, with the final three fights on the card averaging 12.4 million. She finishes her MMA career at 13-2.

  • Jorge Masvidal Did Not Hold Back When Asked About Conor McGregor’s Chances At UFC 329

    Jorge Masvidal says Max Holloway will “smoke Conor McGregor like a brisket” when the two meet at UFC 329 on July 11, pointing to the contrasting lifestyles of the two fighters as the deciding factor.

    McGregor returns from a five-year layoff at UFC 329 in Las Vegas during International Fight Week. Masvidal, speaking alongside Dustin Poirier on the Deep Waters podcast, was not interested in giving McGregor any chance.

    “I think Max smokes him like a brisket.”

    Masvidal elaborated on why he believes McGregor’s time away from discipline will cost him.

    “I think Conor lives a certain lifestyle we’ve all seen. You can kind of tell it’s not for show, and it’s really his lifestyle. Max lives a completely different lifestyle. I’ve never seen Max at the club drunk. You never see him in the headlines for anything bad. That guy lives a different life where he is in the gym, family, gym family. I think that’s gonna pay the biggest dividends. You can be away from the sport for five years and come back like nothing happened if you live that life.”

    McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in July 2021, suffering a broken leg in the first round against Poirier. Holloway is coming off a stretch in which he became a multiple-time featherweight champion and recently moved up to lightweight.

  • Daniel Cormier Has A Take On The Ronda Rousey Win That Hunter Campbell Is Going To Love

    Daniel Cormier says Ronda Rousey’s 17-second submission of Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1 actually vindicated UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, who had been publicly criticized for blocking the fight from happening in the UFC.

    Cormier addressed the result on his YouTube channel, pushing back on the narrative that Campbell made the wrong call.

    “If I’m Hunter Campbell, who has been getting beat up in the media because he didn’t want to make this fight, I don’t know that last night did anything to say that he made the wrong decision because of the way that it ended, and that’s just me being 1,000 percent truthful. Had you had a great fight, maybe people may have questioned Hunter’s decision. But again, Hunter has made good decisions time and time again, and I believe that last night showed that he made another one by not paying a boat load of money to make that event.”

    Rousey had publicly blamed Campbell for preventing the fight from taking place in the UFC, claiming Dana White was interested in making it happen. The fight ultimately landed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions on Netflix, where Rousey submitted Carano at 17 seconds of the first round.

  • Dana White Has A New Problem With UFC Freedom 250 That Nobody Saw Coming

    Dana White Has A New Problem With UFC Freedom 250 That Nobody Saw Coming

    Dana White says an unexpected bug problem at the White House could create real issues for fighters competing at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, and he is already working on solutions.

    White visited the White House recently when President Trump invited him to dinner at the newly opened Rose Garden, and the gnat situation he encountered immediately triggered concern about the outdoor event.

    Speaking to Boardroom, White described what he saw.

    “Another problem that I always think about, especially on the East coast: bugs. So President Trump just opened The Rose Garden two nights ago. He invited me to dinner there. The amount of gnats that are flying around, I’m like, ‘Holy sh*t.’ As soon as I got on the plane, I got on the phone with my head of production and said, ‘Yeah, let me tell you about the gnat situation tonight.’ When you’re a fighter, think about that lighting grid and the claw we’re going to have and the amount of power in the lights. Moths, gnats, and God knows what else, fighters trying to deal with that.”

    White reached out to UFC executive producer Craig Borsari immediately and has already begun brainstorming possible fixes.

    “In your mouth, in your nose while you’re trying to fight. I was telling Craig, my head of production, I’m like, ‘Maybe we put fans in, because gnats have a bad time in the wind.’ I don’t know. These are all the little details we have to think about. That’s why I don’t like fighting outside ever.”

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place on the South Lawn of the White House with approximately 4,000 attendees expected. The card is headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout.

  • Herb Dean Has Very Specific Explanation For Most Controversial Moment At MVP MMA 1

    Herb Dean Has Very Specific Explanation For Most Controversial Moment At MVP MMA 1

    Herb Dean says he is certain he made the right call in stopping the Adriano Moraes vs. Phumi Nkuta bout at MVP MMA 1, despite the controversy surrounding the finish.

    Moraes sank in a rear-naked choke in the final seconds of Round 3, with Nkuta going unconscious just before the bell rang. Moraes was awarded the win at 4:59 of the third round, but the timing of the stoppage immediately drew debate. Dean addressed the decision on The Ariel Helwani Show.

    “I’m certain that the right decision was made. Definitely sure that he went unconscious before the bell — like, a fraction of a second before the bell — and then I went and stopped the fight. He held on for a fraction of a second past the bell. I don’t think it was egregious enough for me to disqualify him.”

    Dean also addressed why Moraes may have continued holding the choke past the bell.

    “Each fight is the most important fight of your career, and you have seconds to lock something in. Who knows where his mind was at? He’s fighting for everything, for his whole career, and giving it everything he’s got. Sometimes it takes a second for someone to realize it’s over.”

    Nkuta’s manager has filed a formal appeal of the result with the California State Athletic Commission. The outcome of that appeal remains uncertain.

  • Stitch Duran Breaks Down Every Reason He Stopped The Nate Diaz Fight And The List Is Longer Than You Think

    Nate Diaz’s cutman, Jacob “Stitch” Duran, says he has no regrets about stopping the Diaz vs. Mike Perry fight between rounds, revealing Diaz suffered 15 staples and 20 stitches combined and had broken a finger during the bout.

    Duran spoke to MMA Junkie Radio on Monday, explaining the sequence of events that led to his decision to call off the fight before the third round at MVP MMA 1.

    “He ended up with 15 staples, 20 stitches all together. He was beat up. He was too strong for him. I always look at it as a judge, and at that point, he was getting his ass whooped. Mike was just too strong, too aggressive and he was working him. Then, Nate broke his finger right about here. He said, ‘I couldn’t do nothing.’ The cuts were so big here, it kept pulsating. It kept going and then his nose kept bleeding. It was the sign of maybe a broken nose. I told Nate, ‘I’m going to have the doctor stop the fight, man.’ I said, ‘It’s too much blood and you keep bleeding.’ The referee said, ‘Come on, let’s go.’ I said, ‘No, no, no. He’s not going out.’”

    The crowd at Intuit Dome booed the stoppage. Duran said what mattered most was that Diaz himself understood and expressed his gratitude.

    “Nate thanked me. He said, ‘Thanks.’ I said, ‘Of course.’ I was there to take care of him. That was a proper move. The thing about it is he said he couldn’t see. That’s always No. 1. It wasn’t a hard decision to make. He had blood everywhere. My job is to protect the fighter. That’s exactly what I did with Nate. At the end, when we were saying goodbye, he gives me a hug, ‘I love you.’ His dad was there. He thanked me. So of course I did the right thing. No question about it.”

    Duran also revealed he received a message of support from boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera.

    “You know what’s cool? I got a message from Marco Antonio Barrera from Guadalajara. He thanked me. He said great job. I got a lot of compliments from guys within the industry. They understand. My only job is to give that guy one more round and if he can’t go one more round, to take care of him. So I’m glad I was there for Nate.”

  • Jon Jones And Rampage Jackson Appear To Squash Beef In Hilarious Backstage Reunion At MVP MMA 1

    Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson appeared to squash their long-running beef backstage at Saturday’s MVP MMA 1 event, sharing a lighthearted reunion that was captured on video.

    The two former rivals headlined UFC 135 in 2011, with Jones submitting Jackson in the fourth round. The buildup was contentious, with Jackson accusing Jones of planting a spy in his training camp, and the bad blood lingered after the fight when Jackson repeatedly accused Jones of being a lifelong cheater.

    Despite that history, the two ran into each other backstage at the Rousey vs. Carano card at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and the interaction was notably warm. Jones posted a video on Instagram described as him “apologizing” to Jackson in a humorous exchange.

    Jones remains at odds with the UFC following a contract dispute that prevented a fight with Tom Aspinall from happening. He has been publicly critical of UFC CEO Dana White’s decision to exclude him from the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House on June 14.

    Jackson retired from MMA in 2019 following a loss to Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237 and has since built a career as host of the JAXXON Podcast.

  • Dustin Poirier Raises Serious Question About Max Holloway Before Conor McGregor Fight

    Dustin Poirier says Conor McGregor will have a puncher’s chance against Max Holloway at UFC 329 and warned that Holloway’s chin may finally be showing signs of wear.

    Poirier, who has fought both men three times each, going 2-1 in both trilogies, spoke about the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on his Deep Waters podcast.

    “Conor has the power. No matter the injury that’s going to be there still, the timing — other things matter. But the power is going to be here. This is going to be a firefight. Oliveira was able to smother Holloway, which I was surprised by, because Max is hard to hold down. Conor is going to kickbox with him for 25 minutes. He has a puncher’s chance. Max for sure is a volume puncher, but at 155 when I fought him last, he has power behind his shots, and I’ve got to think at 170 he’s got to have even more power, because Max can punch now. He’s not just a volume puncher. He can finish fights.”

    While favoring Holloway overall, Poirier raised a concern about the Hawaiian’s durability heading into the fight.

    “The thing that I keep thinking about is in Max’s last three fights, he’s touched the canvas more times than he’s touched his whole career. Gaethje and Topuria dropped him, I dropped him. That’s his last few fights. If Max’s chin is finally catching up to the style of fighting he does, Conor could put him down.”

    McGregor, who turns 38 three days after UFC 329, last competed at UFC 264 in July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in the first round of his trilogy fight with Poirier.