Paulo Costa has no plans to let his heated rivalry with Khamzat Chimaev cool off anytime soon.
The two fighters share a well-documented grudge that dates back years. They were slated to settle their differences at UFC 294 in October 2023, but the matchup was scrapped just under two weeks out when Costa withdrew due to surgery. Despite the cancellation, tensions never eased as the duo continued to take shots at each other through relentless social media exchanges.
Now, after spending over a year on the sidelines, Paulo Costa is set to make his return to the Octagon this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 318, where heāll take on Roman Kopylov at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. However, āBorrachinhaā already has his eyes set on what comes next, with a potential grudge match against Chimaev firmly on his radar.
Top 15 middleweights will clash tomorrow š„@BorrachinhaMMA vs Roman Kopylov
Paulo Costa Says Khamzat Chimaev Must Pay For DMing His Girlfriend
Speaking to media during UFC 318 fight week, Paulo Costa addressed his ongoing feud with Khamzat Chimaev. The former middleweight title challenger made it clear heās locked in ahead of his bout with Roman Kopylov, aiming to deliver a statement win before calling out āBorzā to finally settle their long-standing feud inside the Octagon. āBorrachinhaā emphasized that he doesnāt care whether the undefeated Russian wins or loses against reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 ā the fight between them needs to happen regardless.
The Brazilian powerhouse revealed that his feud with Chimaev has become intensely personal after the “Borz” allegedly sent unsolicited messages to his girlfriend following the cancellation of their scheduled bout.
“I want to fight [Chimaev] very badly,ā Paulo Costa said. āI want to hurt him. It doesnāt matter if he won that fight or not. It doesnāt matter. We need to fight. He talk very bad things about me, in my girlās Instagram DMs, so this is totally personal. I feel angry just to hear his name, so we need to fight. We are young, weāre going to be on line, so Iām going to do my best Saturdayā¦ Iām pretty sure Iām going to get the victory and Iām going to call his name, it doesnāt matter whether he wins or not. This fight just will not happen if he retires.”
Costa didn’t hold back, accusing Chimaev of lacking character for sending direct messages to his partner rather than confronting him directly.
“Not the kind of things a real man, confident man would do. Why he message her? Why he didnāt message me instead of her? Coward. He is a coward.ā
#UFC318's Paulo Costa says "coward" Khamzat Chimaev sent "nasty" DMs to his girlfriend.
āBorrachinhaā last competed at UFC 302 in June 2024, where he dropped a hard-fought split decision to former champion Sean Strickland. The loss marked another setback in what has been a challenging stretch for Costa, who has now gone just 1-4 in his last five appearances inside the Octagon.
Dakota Ditcheva put on a dominant display over Sumiko Inaba, having a striking clinic in a one-sided decision victory in the co-main event of PFL Champions Series 2 — as part of PFL Cape Town.
Ditcheva’s striking was on display from the opening minute, using clinch control and sharp knees to repeatedly halt the consistent pressure of Inaba. Inaba had success with flurries and body shots, but Ditcheva’s elbows and knees were the key to success here.
Ditcheva picked up the pace more in the second round, rocking Inaba with a knee and overwhelming her with clinch work and combinations, controlling every aspect of the fight. Ditcheva’s full control stretched into the third, sweeping the scorecards for a strong victory.
Dakota Ditcheva Takes One-Sided Win Over Sumiko Inaba At PFL Cape Town
Itās not an exaggeration to say that Dakota Ditcheva could beat all the girls in the UFC #PFLcapetown
Feels like Dakota Ditcheva is very clearly the best women's fighter on the planet right now and we all just kinda have to ignore it because shes in PFL
I don't understand what the @PFLMMA is doing with Dakota Ditcheva. she's fighting fights but not defending a belt in 5 round fights, not working her way to another belt? #PFLCapeTown
Ditcheva won the inaugural PFL Europe women’s flyweight title in 2023 before running through Lisa Mauldin, Chelsea Hackett, Jena Bishop and Taila Santos to become the PFL women’s flyweight title in 2024. This was her first fight since winning the global season title.
Inaba entered tonight with two straight wins and an 8-1 record. Coming over to PFL from its purchase of Bellator, Inaba scored a split decision over Saray Orozco and a finish of Mackenzie Stiller last year.
A.J. McKee has made a statement in his return to featherweight, defeating Akhmed Magomedov via decision in the PFL Champions Series 2 portion of PFL Cape Town.
Round one saw both men trading strikes early, with Magomedov landing cleaner on the body and scoring a takedown. McKee, however, threatened submissions off his back and reversed position. McKee also turned up his striking pace late in the round.
Magomedov scored an early takedown in round two, but McKee quickly reversed and took the back with a body triangle. He hunted for a choke and struck Magomedov while maintaining control. McKee’s pressure was key for him in the second round.
Another grappling-heavy exchange in the final round saw Magomedov land a takedown, only to be swept and caught in a triangle attempt. McKee continued to threaten, taking Magomedov’s back again and landing strong ground-and-pound.
McKee scored a unanimous decision for the win.
A.J. McKee Successful In Featherweight Return, Defeats Akhmed Magomedov At PFL Cape Town
AJ McKee rallied a strong ending to R1 into R2 and hit some beautiful scrambles in R3, should easily get the nod here. Fought a bit differently than I expected, but I didnāt mind, showed some new stuff I liked to see. 145 is definitely his home, just looks so much better here.ā¦
Let's just say that there is a reason that the UFC hasn't looked into bringing in AJ McKee… Dominant but boring. Hasn't finished a fight since 2021… #PFLCapeTown
McKee had won four straight between Bellator and PFL since moving up to lightweight but came up short against Paul Hughes in a close split decision at PFL Battle of the Giants in October.
Magomedov has now lost two of his last three. He defeated Nathan Kelly in January — his first fight in over two years after losing to Henry Corrales.
With the crowd heavily behind him thanks to coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, Artur Zaynukov was able to come away with a dominant decision over Takeshi Izumi during the PFL Champions Series 2 portion of PFL Cape Town.
Izumi looked to assert pressure, but Zaynukov’s wrestling led to several takedowns and plenty of control time. Izumi scrambled well, but Zaynukov had the edge in terms of grappling exchanges.
Both men landed cleanly in round two, with Zaynukov’s power and timing beginning to shine. A key momentum shift came when Zaynukov reversed and Izumi takedown and dominated positionally, nearly taking the back and landing plenty of ground strikes.
Izumi threatened positional advances during the third round, but Zaynukov’s defense shut him down, adding in another takedown before the end of the round to cap off the decision win.
Artur Zaynukov Scores Decision Over Takeshi Izumi At PFL Cape Town
Dominant win for Zaynukov, Khabibās gym continues to dominate!#PFLCapeTown
— In The Corner Podcast (@InTheCorner_Pod) July 19, 2025
Fight goes the distance. Zaynukov likely secures the decision win with strong control and grappling! ā³š§ #PFLCapeTown | #PFLMMA
Zaynukov appears to be getting looser with the striking, and utilizing great take down d with real good transitions. Although Izumi is no slouch. Really good at getting back to his feet. Round 2 again goes to Zaynukov. #PFLCapeTown
Zaynukov takes the decision, but there is a lot left to be desired there. His wrestling is good, but not at an elite level yet. Stout & Out moves to 5-5 on the night. #PFLCapeTown
Corey Anderson appeared to make a statement in his first heavyweight bout in years, making relatively easy work of Denis Goltsov to open up the PFL Champions Series 2 card portion of PFL Cape Town.
The fight started with both men exchanging jabs and low kicks, but it was Goltsov who initially controlled the clinch exchanges against the fence. Anderson reversed position and scored a takedown, controlling Goltsov along the cage. Despite Goltsov managing to get back to his feet multiple times, Anderson’s grappling pressure was relentless.
In round two, Anderson continued to press before scoring another takedown. This time, he was able to take advantage of Goltsov’s fatigue and get into full mount, landing ground-and-pound from there and side control until the ref stepped in.
Corey Anderson Stops Denis Goltsov At PFL Cape Town
Textbook performance from Corey Anderson. I had no idea how he'd look at heavyweight, but he dominated Denis Goltsov #pflchampionsseries
This was Anderson’s first fight since defeating Karl Moore for the Bellator light heavyweight championship last year. It was also his first heavyweight bout since competing on, and winning, season 19 of The Ultimate Fighter.
This was Goltsov’s first fight since finishing previously-unbeaten Oleg Popov to become the 2024 PFL heavyweight champion.
What should have been an impressive win for Abdoulaye Kane in under a minute now turns to a disqualification loss as a result of a pair of fouls — one especially egregious — during the PFL Africa 1 card.
Abdoulaye Kane faced Joffie Houlton in a heavyweight first-round tournament matchup. The two had a brief exchange which resulted in Houlton crumbling to the mat, appearing to have been stunned.
Instead of going for the finish there, however, Kane stepped back and landed a knee to a clearly grounded Houlton, which is a foul.
Replay then showed that the initial pain from Houlton was not from a punch, but from an eye poke, meaning Kane actually committed back-to-back fouls.
The doctor entered the cage, and after observing Houlton for a few minutes, deemed Houlton could not continue, resulting in a disqualification of Kane.
Abdoulaye Kane DQ’d Following Illegal Strikes On Joffie Houlton At PFL Africa 1
Kane what an idiot all u had to do was punch him a few more times and it was over. That knee come from an IQ of a gold fish #PFLAfrica
Houlton, who has never seen the scorecards in any of his fights, now moves on to the semifinals of the PFL Africa heavyweight tournament (pending medical suspension and/or injuries).
Kane, who had finishes in his first three pro fights, loses for the first time in his career.
Abraham Bably put on a violent display in the first PFL event in Africa, finishing Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze at the literal final second of the first round with a devastating right hand.
Bably and Gnaze opened with striking exchanges, as Bably landed early shots and Gnaze presses for clinches. After some back-and-forth control early on, Bably overtook momentum with a right hand that stunned Gnaze. Bably would score a takedown and land devastating ground-and-pound that nearly earned him a stoppage — even as Gnaze got back to his feet.
Bably didn’t let up near the round’s end, however, and found the finish when he landed a right hand that landed on the button, crumbling Gnaze to the mat.
Abraham Bably KOs Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze With Powerful Right Hand At PFL Africa 1
Abraham Bably at the bell!š±#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/iPBUkJmUzM
With the win, Bably advances to the semifinals of the PFL Africa heavyweight tournament. The PFL Challenger Series alumnus now improves to 3-2 in the PFL after a pair of losses in PFL Europe last year.
UFC middleweight Paulo Costa has spoken openly about how he mixed things up following his defeat to Sean Strickland.
Once upon a time, Paulo Costa was considered to be the next big thing in mixed martial arts. After a series of impressive victories, he was given the opportunity to challenge Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight championship. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t quite go to plan, and he wound up being finished with relative ease by the man known as ‘Stylebender’.
Ever since then, he hasn’t really been himself. Paulo Costa has shown glimpses of brilliance but for the most part, he hasn’t been able to live up to the potential that everyone once believed he had. Tonight, he’ll return to the cage at UFC 318 where he will meet Roman Kopylov in what is something of a ‘do or die’ fight for him and his future in the promotion.
In his media day interview, Paulo Costa spoke about his loss to Sean Strickland and how that helped him to change his mentality.
Former UFC fighter Jon Jones has explained why he is actively considering a return to competitive mixed martial arts, just weeks after announcing his retirement.
Right now, Tom Aspinall is the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He has that title because Jon Jones, the former champion, opted not to fight him, and instead decided to quietly retire. However, after the announcement that the UFC will be putting on an event at the White House next year, ‘Bones’ seems to have changed his stance – to the point where he is now openly thinking about a return to the cage.
Whether or not that comes to fruition, of course, remains to be seen. Jon Jones is easily one of the greatest fighters we’ve ever seen in MMA but even with that being the case, it’ll probably take some convincing for the UFC to trust him again. After all, he seemed to string them along for quite some time, and it was never really clear why he didn’t want to take on Aspinall in the first place.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones discussed the possibility of coming back and made it crystal clear that it’s on the table.
Jon Jones explains potential comeback
āI was retired. I felt like I was at a place where Iād done it all in the MMA space, and felt like there werenāt too many more challenges for me. I just wanted to do something more than championships and money.ā
āDonald Trump mentioned that he wanted to have a fight at the White House garden, and that seems like such a huge opportunity. Iām a very proud American, I have a lot of close friends who are in the military. This is my act of, I canāt call it service, but to be able to entertain the country and the world at this level at the White House, it just means the world to me. So, Iām back.ā
Former boxing world champion Amir Khan has offered to train Paddy Pimblett ahead of a potential title fight against Ilia Topuria.
As we know, Paddy Pimblett is easily one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts today. Whether you love him or hate him, nobody can deny that he’s done an incredible job of promoting himself – and he’s also worked incredibly hard to get better in the cage.
After his recent win over Michael Chandler, Paddy Pimblett was considered to be a top contender at lightweight. Now, after his long-time rival Ilia Topuria won the belt, it seems as if the UFC is interested in pushing that as the next big title fight at 155 pounds. The two even shared the octagon together following Topuria’s triumph over Charles Oliveira.
In a recent interview courtesy of Genting live casinos, the aforementioned Amir Khan noted that he’d be willing to help Paddy Pimblett improve his boxing ahead of a possible striking battle with Topuria.
Amir Khan offers to train Paddy Pimblett
ā100% I’d like to offer Paddy Pimblett some boxing advice. I live in Dubai. I know he comes to Dubai here and there, if he ever needs any advice on the boxing aside, definitely, weāll do some pad work with him, help him out on that as well. Show him some stuff.
āI like doing stuff like that, it’s all about helping and being there, helping each other and that makes me happy, when I know that I’ve gone and helped someone, especially in a fighting sport, because they’ve got a life on the line.
āThey’re putting their life on the line and if you are there to help them in such a big fight like that, yeah, it would make me happy. It makes me happy, and I’ll do that for free as well.ā
Former boxer George Groves has given his thoughts on whether or not UFC boss Dana White would be good for the sport.
As we know, Dana White’s first love in combat sports was boxing. He attempted to break in many years ago but instead, opted to go down the path of mixed martial arts. Ever since then, he’s helped grow the Ultimate Fighting Championship to a point where they are now considered to be one of the biggest sporting organizations in the world – and financially, that certainly isn’t an exaggeration.
In addition to that, Dana White is still very interested in the idea of getting into the boxing market. He’s dipped his toe in before but now, it seems like he’s more serious than ever. During a recent Q&A event with Midnite, George Groves gave his thoughts on the UFC’s model and White as a whole.
George Grovesā view on Dana White
āI always look at boxing from the boxerās point of view and not the fanās point of view. To get the very best fights you have to build fighters properly to get them being at their very best.
āSo all these āRecords donāt matter, put them in early,ā you ruin fighters by putting them in early in too tougher tests or 50/50 fights. Someoneās going to suffer.
āThe money that the UFC fighters are paid compared to boxers is incomparable – itās peanuts. Thatās why anyone that gets a big enough name in the UFC transitions over to boxing like Conor McGregor or what not.
āI wouldnāt say he is good for boxing, but thatās from a boxerās point of view and not a fanās point of view. But I donāt think heāll be able to complete boxing, I donāt think anyone can.ā
UFC star Max Holloway has given his thoughts on Paddy Pimblett‘s chances if he is able to land a UFC title shot against Ilia Topuria.
As we know, Paddy Pimblett is one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts today. While a lot of people have often doubted his ability, the Liverpudlian’s dominant win over Michael Chandler made everyone realize that he is, in fact, the real deal. Now, the only question is this: will he jump the line and be thrust into a blockbuster title shot against rival Ilia Topuria?
It’s certainly possible, and it’s definitely what Paddy Pimblett wants. He believes that he has the answers necessary to put an end to the rise of ‘El Matador’ and while some will disagree with that assessment, ‘The Baddy’ has shown remarkable improvements throughout the course of his UFC tenure thus far.
In a recent interview, Max Holloway was asked about Paddy Pimblett and how that fight could play out.
Max Hollowayās view on Paddy Pimblett
āItās MMA. Itās mixed martial arts. Anybody can win,ā Holloway said. āEverybody can say we saw Paddy get cracked. I saw myself get cracked a bunch of times and when Ilia hit me, we saw what we saw. At the end of the day, itās mixed martial arts. I think Paddy and their team will prepare right for that fight. I think theyāll have a game plan and heās no slouch.
āA lot of people thought Paddy was this guy who just talks and runs his mouth and then he got to prove himself against a guy like [Michael] Chandler. Heās not a wrestler but he out-wrestled the wrestler, which was pretty crazy to see.ā
āHeās super good,ā Holloway said about Pimblett. āThis is mixed martial arts. Itās whatās going on that day and whoever can apply their game plan that theyāve been doing, you never know.ā
PFL Cape Town presents a historic night for the PFL and Africa, as global MMA action has touched down in the continent with both the second edition of the PFL Champions Series and the first-ever PFL Africa event — and MMA News has you covered with all the action.
A card in Africa has been a longtime coming for the PFL since its signing of Francis Ngannou in 2023 — with Ngannou being named a part-owner and chairman of PFL Africa. PFL Africa is the latest region-specific venture of the PFL’s, following its launch of PFL Europe in 2023 and PFL MENA in 2024.
This evening will simultaneously mark the second edition of PFL Champions Series — developed as part of the slew of changes made by PFL for 2025 that included the elimination of the Bellator brand.
Those championships will carry on, however, as seen in the main event of PFL Champions Series 2, as now-PFL middleweight champion Johnny Eblen defends the title against Costello Van Steenis.
Eblen won the then-Bellator middleweight title by defeating Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 282, retaining the belt against Anatoly Tokov at Bellator 290 and Fabian Edwards at Bellator 299. Since the PFL’s purchase of Bellator, Eblen scored a split decision win over Impa Kasaganay at PFL vs. Bellator Champions and retained against Edwards again at PFL Battle of the Giants last October.
Van Steenis comes into this title shot off two straight wins, submitting Gregory Babene at the Bellator Champions Series event in Paris in May 2024 before a 48-second head kick knockout of JoĆ£o Vitor Dantas at the PFL World Championships last fall.
Dakota Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL women’s flyweight champion and 2023 PFL Europe women’s flyweight champion, returns to action tonight against Sumiko Inaba, who defeated Saray Orozco and Mackenzie Stiller last year.
The PFL Africa 1 portion of the evening will see the African-focused promotion’s tournaments kick off with first-round heavyweight and bantamweight action.
PFL Cape Town begins with PFL Africa 1 action at 10am ET/7am PT on the PFL App, while PFL Champions Series 2 starts at 2pm ET/11 am PT on ESPN+. If you can’t watch the action, MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights below.
PFL Cape Town: PFL Champions Series 2: Johnny Eblen vs. Costello Van Steenis & PFL Africa 1 Results & Highlights
PFL Champions Series 2:
Middleweight Championship: Costello Van Steenis def. Johnny Eblen via submission (rear-naked choke) (R5, 4:51)
Juliet Ukah takes the first W of the day over Ceileigh Niedermayr!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/fnyXpzl8r0
Abraham Bably at the bell!š±#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/iPBUkJmUzM
The referee takes a point away from Frans Mlambo for the illegal blow to the back of the head.#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/CUEttVM5G9
The fight between Abdoulaye Kane & Joffie Houlton has been called off due to an illegal knee to the head by Abdoulaye Kane. #PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/IPv5B2eQlY
Things are heating up between Asiashu Tshitamba & Karim Henniene in Round 1 š„#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/SC86uBcAw6
Karim Henniene is the ultimate showman šš#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/xzZkJ5vqtU
Jashell Ticha Awa comes out HOT! š„#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/JFcGstODRJ
Justin Clarke wins it by TKO due to advice from the doctor to stop the fight. He remains undefeated. #PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/KolLMHuCvy
Boule Godogo lands a BIG left hand! šŖ#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/KhhNN0b46g
Maxwell Djantou Nana & MickaĆ«l Groguhe are throwing heavy blows in this one. šŖ#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/YUkUET7ukA
Maxwell Djantou Nana wins by unanimous decision! He will face Justin Clarke in the Heavyweight Semifinal. #PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/Q0dBmtnvPB
THAT'S IT! Nkosi Ndebele takes the W in Cape Town! #PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | 2pm on ESPN+ | šŗšø10am on the PFL App pic.twitter.com/YuGcKrdWrw
Corey Anderson with the 2nd Round TKO!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø 2pm on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/Yi4lCZuUYV
WHO WANTS IT MORE?! Artur Zaynukov vs. Takeshi Izumi is heating up! š„#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø 2pm on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/W6Mp2bbRto
AJ McKee lands a BIG body kick at the end of Round 1. Was Akhmed Magomedov saved by the bell? š#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/0477xISqHG
WHAT A FIGHT! This one will go to decision. š#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/zFyfGAU1ZV
Dakota Ditcheva comes out HOT. #PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/22nvTSM1pD
Dakota Ditcheva is showing off. šŖ#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/y5Kfs52Byj
WHO ELSE?! Dakota Ditcheva moves to 15-0!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/Dmva6qQsCN
It's been a grappling match! Who do you have winning? š#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/qbGtpxvSLn
WHO WANTS IT MORE?! Eblen & Van Steenis refuse to get tired šŖ#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/hauQeUruKm
Costello Van Steenis lands a beautiful calf-kick!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/8xVr7X4BVM
WHAT A WAY TO END ROUND 4 š¤ Costello Van Steenis refuses to give up!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/QHXLs8S9ZK
COSTELLO VAN STEENIS REAR NAKED CHOKE WITH 10 SECONDS LEFT!!#AndNew PFL Middleweight World Champion!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/eAby40lnU6
Winner by rear-naked choke #AndNew PFL Middleweight World Champion Costello Van Steenis!#PFLCapeTown šæš¦ | TODAY | Grand Arena, GrandWest | Cape Town, South Africa | šŗšø LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/A7IXXWDdsM
UFC 318 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 Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, July 19. The pay-per-view main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/7PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 6PM ET/3PM PT
The headline attraction for the event will feature the final fight in the career of Dustin Poirier, as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF championship.
In the co-main event, former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa faces Roman Kopylov.
The pay-per-view card will also feature Kevin Holland facing Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige clashing with former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson meeting Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 318 as of July 18 at 8pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway (-142) vs. Dustin Poirier (+120)
Middleweight: Paulo Costa (+190) vs. Roman Kopylov (-230)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (-625) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (+455)
Featherweight: Dan Ige (-225) vs. Patricio Pitbull (+185)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (+455) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (-625)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (+124) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (-148)
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (+164) vs. Brendan Allen (-198)
Welterweight: Francisco Prado (-148) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (+124)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier (-550) vs. Robert Valentin (+410)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt (+470) vs. Islam Dulatov (-650)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (-355) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+280)
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (-245) vs. Åukasz Brzeski (+200)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (-550) vs. Jackson McVey (+410)
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice (-395) vs. Nicolle Caliari (+310)
The UFC may be without Sean Strickland for some time, depending on what the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) determines at an upcoming meeting.
The NSAC will be holding a meeting this coming Wednesday, July 23, and one of the topics for discussion will be an “extension of temporary suspension” for Strickland “for possible action.”
Sean Strickland is on the Nevada Athletic Commission's agenda for next week and it appears he's been suspended for that incident where he rushed in the cage at that Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas.
A temporary suspension for Strickland has been confirmed, meaning that Strickland is unable to compete in the UFC until a full punishment is determined and served.
Sean Strickland Temporarily Suspended For Tuff-N-Uff Incident, NSAC To Hold Hearing Wednesday
The suspension stems from an incident at a Tuff-N-Uff event last month that Strickland was present at. Strickland, along with fellow UFC fighter Chris Curtis, were in the corner of Miles Hunsinger, who was submitted by Luis Hernandez.
Following Hernandez’s win, Hernandez made taunts in the direction of Strickland Curtis, who stormed the cage for a confrontation. Strickland threw punches toward Hernandez, including one that appeared to land, before security intervened.
Diego Sanchez now finds himself caught up in a serious legal mess.
According to KRQE News, Sanchez was arrested in Albuquerque on Thursday after allegedly firing a gun from a moving vehicle as it drove past the scene of a highway crash in New Mexico.
Police intercepted the Jeep Gladiator shortly after the incident and confirmed that the former UFC lightweight title challenger was riding in the passenger seat. While he was taken into custody, the driver was not charged.
Although Sanchez initially denied firing the weapon, he did tell officers there was a gun in the backseat on the driverās side. However, when police searched the vehicle, they found three rounds near the passenger seat and a black handgun stuffed into the back pocket of the driverās seat.
The driver, who said he was simply giving the MMA veteran a ride home, told police that Sanchez fired the gun out of the window from the passenger seat and noted that the 43-year-old Albuquerque native began laughing during the incident.
Diego Sanchez is now facing two criminal charges: a fourth-degree felony for allegedly shooting at or from a motor vehicle without causing bodily harm, and a misdemeanor count for the negligent discharge of a deadly weapon.
Image courtesy: MMA Fighting
When Did Diego Sanchez Last Fight In The UFC?
Diego Sanchez secured his UFC contract in April 2005 by stopping Kenny Florian via TKO to become the inaugural middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 1. “Nightmareā quickly earned a reputation as one of the promotion’s most relentless fighters. His impressive run eventually led to his first UFC title shot against then-lightweight champion B.J. Penn at UFC 107 in December 2009, where he suffered a TKO loss.
After an up-and-down run across multiple weight classes, Sanchez made his final Octagon appearance at UFC 253 in September 2020, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Jake Matthews.
“Nightmare’s” last outing in combat sports came nearly three years later at BKFC: Knuckle Mania 3 in April 2023, where he suffered a loss to veteran boxer and future bare-knuckle champion Austin Trout.
Weāre about 24 hours away from UFC 318, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC 318 takes place on July 19 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The main event of the evening will feature Dustin Poirier, who makes the Octagon walk for the final time, challenge familiar foe Max Holloway to a trilogy bout with the BMF title on the line. Poirier is 2-0 against Holloway, having bested him at both UFC 143 and UFC 236. Poirier enters this fight off a loss in a lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway won the BMF title from Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 but was knocked out by Ilia Topuria in a featherweight title clash at UFC 308.
The co-main event will see former middleweight title challenge Paulo Costa look to get back on winning ways against Roman Kopylov.
The rest of the main card sees Kevin Holland face Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige take on Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson square off with Daniel Zellhuber.
All fighters for the card made weight. All the fights are on!
The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFCās official YouTube channel!
We are just one day away from UFC 318, and weāve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMA News.
UFC 318 takes place from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. And in the main event, the UFC’s BMF title will be up for grabs again as New Orleans’ favorite MMA son takes his final walk to the Octagon — against another beloved MMA legend.
In the main event, BMF champion Max Holloway will place the title on the line as he faces Dustin Poirier in a trilogy bout. Poirier has won both fights in the set thus far, submitting Holloway at UFC 143 in Holloway’s UFC debut and scoring a decision over “Blessed” at UFC 236 to capture the interim lightweight title. Both men come into this bout off unsuccessful title challenges, with Poirier losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 and Holloway losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will see former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa back in action, as he takes on Roman Kopylov. Costa has lost four of his last five — after starting his MMA career undefeated — losing to former champions Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland last year. Kopylov has won six of his last seven, including a finish of Chris Curtis in January.
The main card will also feature Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318 Weigh-In Video, Results
UFC 318 takes place Saturday, July 19 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above to watch the UFC 318 Weigh-In Show (beginning at 9:45 a.m. ET), and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway (155) vs. Dustin Poirier (156)*
Middleweight: Paulo Costa (185) vs. Roman Kopylov (185)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (170) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (170)
Featherweight: Dan Ige (145) vs. Patricio Pitbull (145)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (155) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (156)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (135) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135)
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (186) vs. Brendan Allen (185)
Welterweight: Francisco Prado (170) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (169)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier (185) vs. Robert Valentin (186)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt (171) vs. Islam Dulatov (171)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (205) vs. Marcin Prachnio (205)
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (252) vs. Åukasz Brzeski (242)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (186) vs. Jackson McVey (185)
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice (125) vs. Nicolle Caliari (126)
*Holloway and Poirier are allowed to weigh in at 156 due to the BMF not being a “true division”, as compared to division-specific titles
The BKFC made major signings last week, one of whom was former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero. Romero has been seen as a welcome edition to the roster, with hope he will fit in well with the bare-knuckle style.
What may have gone under the radar, however, is that Romero had a run in with a man who is no longer on the BKFC roster as of last month — and that incident could have had a bad ending for Romero.
Last week, the YouTube account Ragdoll MMA released a video taking a look into former BKFC bantamweight champion Alberto Blas’ release from the promotion, which occurred on June 26.
In a statement BKFC President David Feldman announced that “a pattern of unprofessional behavior outside of competition” led the promotion to strip Blas of the bantamweight title and release him.
“There were multiple infractions that went into this decision,” the statement read. “We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Former BKFC Champion Alberto Blas Acquitted Of Second-Degree Murder After Stabbing Recent BKFC Signee Yoel Romero
While not directly mentioned by BKFC, one of the incidents in question involved a confrontation with Romero that saw him stab the “The Soldier of God” with a samurai sword in January 2022.
As explained by an anonymous source in the video, Blas and Romero had gotten into a verbal confrontation at the American Top Team gym. In the parking lot, Blas attempted to strike Romero with his car before retrieving a samurai sword from his trunk. He used the sword to reportedly strike Romero in the arms and hands.
Blas was charged in Florida on one count of second-degree attempted murder and one count of battery. Blas, however, was found not guilty on both charges. While the charges were dropped in 2024, a stay-away order of protection one month after the incident ordered Blas not to be in contact with the victim — whose named is listed on the document as Romero.
Interestingly, as the video mentions, this press release from BKFC announcing Blas’ release came out hours after rival promotion Bare-Knuckle Boxing announced they had signed Blas to a multi-fight deal.
BKB President Mike Vasquez recently told MMA News that he questions the nature of Feldman’s press release, since it did not come out until after BKB signed Blas. He furthermore claimed that several former BKFC fighters have messaged him, claiming the promotion did not pay fighters on time.
Blas put out his own statement, claiming “While my record is not spotless, I stand by my reputation and wish to call this out for what it is: an insecure individual trying to save face while the company he built and subsequently sold off continues to spiral downward.”
Dustin Poirier will hope for his final UFC fight to be one that’s memorable — and he’ll get that with UFC 318, as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF title in a trilogy bout that headlines the evening.
The moments won’t stop there for the Louisiana native, however.
On Wednesday, July 16, Poirier announced that legendary rapper Lil’ Wayne, who is also from Louisiana, will be accompanying him for his final walk-out.
Dustin Poirier officially announces Lil Wayne will be walking out with him at #UFC318 in New Orleans šš„ pic.twitter.com/NSwItcgtIp
“[Lil’] Wayne is walking me out, 100 percent,” Poirier said.
Lil’ Wayne To Lead Dustin Poirier To The Cage For Retirement Fight At UFC 318
This will be the third and final encounter between Poirier and Holloway, with “The Diamond” up 2-0. Poirier first met Holloway at UFC 143 — when a 4-0 and 20-year-old Holloway was making his UFC debut. Poirier submitted “Blessed” in the first round. Poirier and Holloway then faced off at UFC 236, with Poirier taking a decision over the then-featherweight champion to become interim UFC lightweight champion.
Poirier enters this fight off a loss to Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title fight that headlined UFC 302.
Holloway was finished for the first time since the original loss to Poirier — and knocked out for the first time in his career — when he faced Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title at UFC 308.
Holloway has been BMF champion since UFC 300, where he knocked out Justin Gaethje in highlight fashion. Gaethje had been champion since UFC 291, where he knocked out Poirier for the belt.
We’re in the middle of UFC 318 fight week, and we find ourselves just a couple of days away from Dustin Poirier making his final walk to the Octagon. Time to add to the build, and get some more hype around this card, with a good olā fashion question-and-answer session.
The seventh UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, July 19. UFC 318 will be headlined by a BMF title fight between defending champion Max Holloway and Poirier.
The co-main event will be a middleweight matchup that sees former title challenger Paulo Costa taking on up-and-comer Roman Kopylov.
The main card will also feature a welterweight matchup between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, the second UFC appearance of former Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion Patricio Pitbull (as he takes on Dan Ige), and Michael Johnson meeting Daniel Zellhuber in a lightweight matchup.
Watch The UFC 318: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 3 Pre-Fight Press Conference
As per tradition, the UFC pay-per-view main card participants will be featured in a press conference during fight week. This is the opportunity for fighters to answer questions from media and fans, as well as potentially lay in some smack talk on their opponents.
UFC star Conor McGregor has reiterated that he is interested in the idea of returning to mixed martial arts for next year’s UFC White House card.
One thing we all know to be true is that Conor McGregor is a pretty controversial figure. Every week there seems to be a new claim about something that he’s done or something he’s said, and the Irishman just seems to roll with the punches. Alas, if he keeps going down this road, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to end particularly well for him.
One thing we haven’t seen is Conor McGregor actually competing in the cage. It’s been four years since he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier and while he’s been close to a comeback since then, it’s never quite come to fruition. At this point, it’s hard to imagine it happening, especially given the kind of lifestyle that he leads.
Alas, in a short interview recently with The Schmo, Conor McGregor made it known that he wants to fight on the UFC White House card that was announced by Donald Trump and later confirmed by Dana White.
Conor McGregor looks ahead to UFC White House
Q: “The White House. Dana White said, āYou and Jon Jones, thatās the real deal.ā
A: āIām going home. Iām going to get the head down. Iām going to rest. Theyāre testing me. Iām in the pool. I says, āGo tell him, man. I thought thatās what the pools are for ā jumping in and out of.ā But Iām back in the pool. So, get ready and stay ready, ācause damage will be done.ā
UFC legend Dustin Poirier has spoken about how he’s been preparing for the last fight of his mixed martial arts career this weekend at UFC 318.
On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will make the walk to the octagon for one last time. He will do so against Max Holloway, with ‘The Diamond’ hoping to go out by capturing the BMF championship. He currently holds a 2-0 record over Holloway in his career but as we know, ‘Blessed’ has gotten a lot better since the last time they fought – even if some people don’t want to believe that.
Dustin Poirier is a fan favorite and that much is an understatement. He has done some wonderful things for the sport of mixed martial arts and although he never claimed an undisputed title, that really doesn’t matter when you consider the body of work he produced.
He’s a legend of the game and you won’t find too many people who would disagree with that. In a recent interview, Dustin Poirier spoke openly about what he’s been doing in order to get ready for this final test.
Dustin Poirier reveals his current carnivore diet
āIām ninety-something days completely sober – no alcohol, no marijuana. And for the last four, five months, Iāve kind of done the carnivore thing: meat and berries, little vegetables. Dude, Iām in the best shape ever. This is the lightest Iāve ever shown up to fight week.ā
One thing we know for sure is this: DP is going to bring the best version of himself to the cage on Saturday in New Orleans.
UFC legend Jon Jones has claimed that he’d be interested in ending his mixed martial arts retirement in order to compete on the recently announced UFC White House card.
As we know, Jon Jones is a pretty controversial figure in this sport – and that’s us putting it lightly. He has had a series of personal and professional setbacks throughout the course of his career, many of which have harmed the public’s opinion of him. The most recent was him seemingly ducking a fight with Tom Aspinall, who is now the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
However, after the White House card was announced, things seemed to change for Jon Jones. He appeared to like the idea of being part of such an iconic event, and made it clear that he would be willing to come back.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones doubled down on that, suggesting that he’ll be coming after the UFC heavyweight championship once again.
Jon Jones is down to fight Tom Aspinall at the UFC White House event if heās still the champion next year šš„
āI have a very strong feeling Iāll be on that card.ā
Jon Jones considers Tom Aspinall fight at White House
āI canāt promise anyone anything, but I have a very strong feeling that Iāll be on that card. Itās gonna be historic.ā
āI would wanna take one whoeverās holding the belt at the end of the year.
āWell you know, as of right now, the champion is Tom Aspinall. But weāll see whoās the champion at the end of the year. Itād be only fitting to have an American guy fight for the championship that night. Iād be willing to put it all on the line one more time.ā
UFC 318 fight week is here, which means we are now days away from the final Octagon walk for a UFC legend in his hometown. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.
The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, July 19. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will see a highly-anticipated trilogy bout between two beloved fighters, as BMF champion Max Holloway defends the title against Dustin Poirier, who will be retiring following the fight.
Poirier comes into this fight 2-0 against “Blessed.” “The Diamond” faced Holloway at featherweight at UFC 143, which marked the UFC debut for then-20-year-old Holloway. Poirier submitted Holloway in the first round. The two then met in the main event of UFC 236, which marked Holloway’s first lightweight bout in the UFC. Poirier defeated the then-featherweight champion by decision, claiming the interim lightweight title.
Both men enter this fight off losses. Poirier was unsuccessful in challenging then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway, meanwhile, was knocked out for the first time in his career against then-featherweight champion (and now new lightweight king) Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will feature Paulo Costa taking on Roman Kopylov in middleweight action. This fight was scheduled to take place at UFC 317 last month before being moved to this card. Costa fought twice in 2024, losing to former middleweight champs Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland, making it four losses in Costa’s last five fights. It was Costa’s first time fighting more than once in a year since 2017. Kopylov, meanwhile, has won six of his last seven, most recently scoring a third-round TKO of Chris Curtis in January.
The rest of the UFC 318 main card will see a welterweight bout between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, Patricio Pitbull facing Dan Ige in the former Bellator champ’s second UFC appearance, and Michael Johnson facing Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 318 just a couple of short days away, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through seven cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (20-12) Thomas Albano (19-13)
Ryan Jarrell (18-14)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 318!
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This is one of those classic crossroads matchups where two generations collide. Zellhuber is on the rise, and even his razor-thin split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics did more to raise his stock than to diminish it. Heās scrappy when the pace picks up, and he also possesses a finishing instinct that can swing a fight in his favor.
On the other side, Johnson is the ultimate spoiler. Heās derailed the momentum of elite names in the past and has quietly looked sharper in his recent outings. Give him even a small opening, and heāll use his experience to take control of a fight. However, Iām not convinced he can match fire with fire against a younger, faster āGolden Boy.ā For me, this feels like a straightforward pick. Iām backing Zellhuber to outpace Johnson and make a statement against a seasoned veteran. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Thomas Albano: Michael Johnson is always a pleasure to see fight. Though he never reached the pinnacle in his career, heās usually in competitive outings even today and is always a tough test for an up-and-comer. So, this is going to be a good test for Daniel Zellhuber in the wake of his loss to Esteban Ribovics in the 2024 Fight of the Year. Johnson might be able to take a punch and fire one back, presenting a strong back-and-forth battle, but Zellhuber is younger, quicker, and has the advantages in reach and height. Johnson may have power, but heāll need a chin, an aggressive pace, and then some to match the volume and speed of Zellhuber. I donāt think āThe Menaceā does that. Give me Zellhuber ā either via a finish in the second half of the fight or a strong decision win. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Ryan Jarrell: If this fight was happening circa 2015 I would have a very different take. But we are midway through 2025 now, and Michael Johnson is almost 40 years old. “The Menace” is not nearly as menacing as he once was, and Zellhuber has all the tools to show out in this fight. The “Golden Boy” is younger, taller, longer and probably coming into this fight with a chip on his shoulder after losing a razor close split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics last September. I just donāt see any where Johnson can beat Zellhuber in this fight. I expect Daniel to use his range and frustrate Johnson until he makes a mistake and leaves an opening for the “Golden Boy” to close the show. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Consensus: 3-0 Zellhuber
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Images: UFC.com & Bellator YouTube
Pranav Pandey: Dan Ige is easily one of the most resilient fighters in the featherweight division. Time and again, heās shown the ability to weather adversity and remain composed under pressure. Despite facing some of the divisionās toughest names, no one has been able to finish him, which speaks volumes about his durability. Still, inconsistency continues to be his biggest hurdle, preventing him from truly breaking through.
As for Patricio Pitbull, his UFC debut was a rough one. He was soundly beaten by Yair Rodriguez, and itās fair to say he hasnāt quite looked like the dominant force we saw during his Bellator reign. His recent performances havenāt helped that perception either. Still, this fight feels like a closely contested battle. If Pitbull can control the pace with takedowns and avoid the heavy hands of ā50Kā, he has a clear route to victory. But pulling it off will be anything but easy. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Thomas Albano: Patricio Pitbull did not look great in his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez outstruck him, outpaced him, and even did better on the ground against him. Pitbull even had questionable Fight IQ in the bout. Now itās one thing to lose a competitive fight against a former interim UFC champ like Rodriguez; itās another to lose in the fashion that he did, getting swept on the scorecards. Pitbull, however, has a strong opportunity in front of him in someone like Dan Ige. Ige is tough in his own right and has quite the chin and heart to be called a UFC fighter, even if heās lower ranked in the contender standings and has lost three of his last five. Ige did get a strong rebound win by finishing Sean Woodson last time out.
Pitbullās ground expertise will be matched up against someone with a collegiate wrestling background. Pitbullās chin will be tested by Igeās strikes, and vice versa. This is going to be an ultimate test, and there are plenty of people who doubt Pitbull based on how he looked against Rodriguez. Iām going to say Pitbull just cracked under the first-time pressure lights and will rebound against Ige.
That said, if Pitbull loses this fight, or he has another bad performance win or lose, then we have to question not only if he made the UFC jump too late, but also if heās even competitive with the 145ers the UFC has. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tough one to pick confidently as both guys are very well rounded and seem to have a somewhat even skillset, or so it seems. Pitbull got off to a slow start in his UFC debut against Yair and it makes me wonder if that was the octagon jitters that a lot of fighters have when making their UFC debut, or if he may be starting his run in the big show just a touch too late in his career. Having said that, I expect to see a much more desperate Pitbull who will start strong and put the pressure on Ige from the opening bell. Patricio Pitbull has a ton of pride and he will find a way to will himself to his first victory as a UFC fighter. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Consensus: 3-0 Pitbull
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Truth be told, Kevin Holland has been showing real improvement after hitting a rough patch. Letās not forget, most of his losses came against elite competition who exposed gaps in his overall game. But with āTrailblazer,ā unpredictability is always part of the package. You never really know what youāre going to get, except that itāll be entertaining.
On the other side, Rodriguez is a tough, durable opponent whoās managed to bounce back with two straight wins after dropping three in a row. Heās got heavy hands and a gritty style, but one thing that stands out is his tendency to slow down in the later rounds. Against someone like Holland, who thrives when the pace picks up, that could be a real problem.
I see this fight leaning in Hollandās favor, especially if he stays aggressive and maintains his rhythm. If he keeps the pressure on, I believe he gets it done. (Prediction: Holland)
Thomas Albano: Kevin Holland has come into question in the past over how serious he takes his fights; however, heās really looked like heās living up to potential in his last couple of outings. Since dropping back to welterweight earlier this year, Holland has racked up back-to-back performance bonuses in wins over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque ā the latter coming just last month at UFC 316. D-Rod has recently claimed wins over Alex Morono and Santiago Ponzinibbio, but it doesnāt scream ready for a guy like Holland ā especially since he was on a three-fight skid before those two wins.
Hollandās got the height and reach advantages, and heās actually the younger fighter with MORE fight experience despite arriving to the UFC a couple of years before Rodriguez. Iām staying hopeful that Holland is finding a true place for himself at 170 and scores a statement win here. (Prediction: Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Kevin Holland is coming off two consecutive impressive wins over Gunner Nelson and Vicente Luque. āBig Mouthā is way more dangerous at welterweight than when he fights the naturally thicker competition at Middleweight. Additionally, Holland has a seven inch reach advantage and is six years younger than Rodriguez. Look for Kevin to make it three wins in a row at 170 and start to make some real noise in the division he should have been in all along. (Prediction: Holland)
Consensus: 3-0 Holland
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This might just be one of the most exciting fights on the entire card, and Iām genuinely looking forward to it. Kopylov has quietly put together an impressive run, and while that submission loss to Anthony Hernandez stands out on paper, it doesnāt tell the full story of how skilled he really is. His striking is razor-sharp, he carries serious knockout power, and stylistically, heās a nightmare if you give him space to operate. The big question now is whether he can handle someone like Paulo Costa.
Now, letās be honest. Costa hasnāt looked like the wrecking ball he once was. A string of losses, inactivity, and some questionable performances have taken the shine off his name. But still, when heās locked in, āBorrachinhaā is an absolute menace. I donāt think Kopylov will be rushing in blindly, because once Costa starts moving forward with intent, heās like a pressure-cooker with fists.
To me, this feels like a make-or-break fight for Costa. I believe he knows the stakes and will come into this one with a renewed sense of urgency. That said, heāll need to be cautious, because Kopylovās well-rounded skill set can pose real problems if Costa lets his foot off the gas. (Prediction: Costa)
Thomas Albano: There is zero chance I ride with Costa in this fight. I was barely on his hype train when he made his way up, and he lost all credibility with me as a legitimate contender when he had the performance that he had against Israel Adesanya. That said, Iāll give him this ā he actually fought more than once in a year last year and he looked great when facing Sean Strickland his last time out. At least three of Costaās losses are not bad in terms of opponent (and the thing with the Marvin Vettori fight is that it was out of the division technically), but itās hard when youāre a fighter on that kind of skid, and youāre taking on someone whoās on the rise such as Kopylov.
Kopylov has power in his strikes that can match Costaās. Heās also got good footwork and a developing wrestling game on top of that. Costa needs the win here; however, Kopylov will make a strong statement by coming out on top with a strong performance. Given Kopylovās rise and slowly developing all-roundness, Iām going to pick him via decision. (Prediction: Kopylov)
Ryan Jarrell: I am trying not to overthink this one, because when I do I find all these reasons why Kopylov wins. But my initial instinct was to lean Costa because of his boxing and power. Roman is definitely a wild card and has the tools to beat almost anyone at middleweight on any given night. But Paulo has fought the tougher competition and his only losses are to the absolute best in the division. I believe Costa will dictate where this fight takes place and his power will lead to him to a decision victory. (Prediction: Costa)
Consensus: 2-1 Costa
Lightweight: BMF Title: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Images: UFC.com & UFC YouTube
Pranav Pandey: These two warriors know each other like the back of their bruised hands. Both men have shown time and again that they can crank up the violence on command, and while we’ve seen nearly everything from these all-action veterans, thereās still something magnetic about watching them collide. Their last meeting was a fan-favorite classic filled with nonstop action.
Poirier is stepping into the Octagon one last time against the very man heās already beaten twice. But donāt let that 2-0 record fool you; this is no victory lap. āThe Diamondā is throwing himself into the fire once again, fully aware of how dangerous āBlessedā can be. Yes, Holloway is coming off a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, but letās not kid ourselves. This is a different opponent, a different stage, and a different Max.
Like Poirier, Holloway doesnāt know how to take a backward step. Heās made a career out of throwing volume like a man possessed. And while I fully expect another chaotic war, I have a strong feeling it wonāt go the distance. I think Holloway has absorbed more cumulative damage over the years, and that wear and tear might finally catch up to him. If Poirier stays disciplined and avoids diving into those adrenaline-fueled guillotines, I believe āThe Diamondā gets the finish and the storybook ending heās been chasing. (Prediction: Poirier)
Thomas Albano: Throughout my journey from teenhood to adulthood, Iāve watched the rises of Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, and Iāve watched their first two encounters in the Octagon. Now, I get to witness their third. These two have become my favorite fighters today, and in the words of Tim McGraw, I love it, I hate it, I want some more of it. I loved the battles between these two that have already happened. I love that Poirier gets to end his career in this kind of fight. But it stinks that one of these two is going to have to lose this matchup. I just hope it doesnāt end in a way where weāre going to talk about someoneās stock (namely Holloway since heās still going to be fighting after this) dropping.
Now for the fight itself, this is the hardest pick of the night. Something might seem in the air that makes it feel like the third time is going to be the charm for Holloway. I donāt doubt that and wouldnāt put it past Holloway to win this; however, I have my concerns. Dana White had some skepticism about Holloway in terms of his size when first trying out lightweight ā back when he and Poirier fought for the second time. Holloway looked more even in terms of size when he fought Gaethje, but will Poirier still look like the bigger fighter when they match up again? My thoughts say yes ā even with Holloway as the slightly taller fighter.
The concern for Holloway is if heāll be able to work around Poirierās reach. The concern for Poirier is if his chin can handle the boxing of Holloway. I could say Poirier has the edge if this one goes to the ground, but who am I kidding? This is NOT going to the ground unless someone gets a knockdown. This oneās tough, and I wouldnāt bet on this unless itās a go the distance prop, but Iāll take Poirier to ride into the sunset with a win ā either by a narrow unanimous decision (48-47s on all three cards?) or a controversial split decision. (Prediction: Poirier)
Ryan Jarrell: These are two of my all time favorite fighters so Iād love to say this fight ends in a draw so neither man takes a loss on their record. But thatās not going to happen. The last time these two fought was back in 2019 when Dustin won a unanimous decision over 5 exciting action packed rounds. It is safe to say that both men have evolved tremendously since that contest, so we may be in for absolute treat as fans for this hugely anticipated main event scrap. I belief this will be a very even matchup on the feet and I do expect it to stay on the feet for the majority of the fight. Ultimately, I think āThe Diamondā will have the more meaningful moments and land more significant strikes en route to a decision victory and sail off into retirement on a high note. (Prediction: Poirier)
Consensus: 3-0 Poirier
Thatāll do it for our UFC 318 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, you can check out the full UFC 318 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
Welterweight: Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Robert Valentin
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Åukasz Brzeski
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari
