MMA News

Category: MMA

  • BKFC Announcer Gives Intel on BKFC Philly’s KnuckleMania Producing “Largest [Philly] Combat Sports Crowd” In Over 70 Years

    BKFC has always had it’s home operations based in Philadelphia but relatively recently getting the green light to throw bare-knuckle cards in that city in 2025 has produced some incredible results for the company with their BKFC Philly series so far. Appearing on Bowks Talking Bouts, BKFC commentator Sean Wheelock covered several subjects with a particular focus on the multi-event run that Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has had in the Pennsylvania city.

    BKFC KnuckleMania 5 broke an attendance record in the city for indoor Philadelphia fight cards and is the largest fight crowd that city had seen in over half a century. In September of 1952, Rocky Marciano and Jersey Joe Walcott had their first fight at Municipal Stadium which has held the Philly attendance record for a combat sports event since that date with over 40,000 live and in-person. The fifth instalment of BKFC’s tentpole event which featured a headlining attraction of Eddie Alvarez clashing with Jeremy Stephens produced a sold out BKFC Philly crowd where just shy of 18,000 fans were live in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center for the night of gloveless combat.

    When discussing BKFC Philly with the Wells Fargo effort as well as the focus on the 2300 Arena aka the old ECW arena where the promotion returns on July 25th, Wheelock said,

    “So it took a change in leadership. Greg Sirb who, my wife is English and there’s a great English expression, she would say he’s been there since the year dot. Which means he’s been there a very long time, right. Greg Sirb had been there from the year dot. Greg Sirb was not a fan of bare knuckle. Although interestingly he showed up even though he’s retired at BKFC KnuckleMania 5 [laughs] in Philadelphia. But I would not know his motivations for that. He seemed like he enjoyed himself. Greg Sirb was a person who was adamant in keeping bare knuckle out of his state of Philadelphia when he ran the commission, he retired, he was successful in doing so.”

    “Fantastic guy named Ed Kunkle, one of the best regulators in the country who used to be a deputy in New York, took over that job and now it happened. That’s really how it works in regulatory world. You have to have someone in a high position being the executive director, chairman of the commission, leuiteneant governor of your state, governor of the state to want it and if there’s someone who doesn’t want it, it’s probably not going to happen. So in Greg Sirb, you had someone who did not want bare knuckle and in Ed Kunkle you had someone who did and Ed Kunkle has been great.”

    BKFC Philly’s massive entrance into the market in 2025

    Further delving into the historical significance of the massive BKFC Philly effort in January, Wheelock continued, “I was happy we were able to reward that state and that athletic commission with 17,800 paying customers on the Pennsylvania debut for bare knuckle back in January in Philadelphia. As you said yeah, it was the largest combat sports crowd [in Philadelphia] since Jersey Joe Walcott-Rocky Marciano, 1951… Which is unbelievable to me. Bigger than the UFCs that have been there, bigger than the Joe Frazier fights, but we did.”

    “It was legitimate, there was not papering of that house, there weren’t comped tickets… So many celebrities, so many important people in state government, so many people who needed that access to be right in the front row. It was a really incredible night. We’ve had some pretty special, amazing nights in BKFC. But right now through I believe 126 shows, that for me is number one.”

  • PFL Africa 1 Fighter on “Surreal” Dana White Meeting, Excitement “to See Francis Ngannou”

    PFL Africa 1 Fighter on “Surreal” Dana White Meeting, Excitement “to See Francis Ngannou”

    Dana White and Francis Ngannou have an infamous public rivalry with one another but there are people in the combat sports world who seem to manage to be on good terms with both. Appearing on MMA Canada, Karim Henniene will now take on Asiashu Tshitamba at PFL Africa 1 on July 19th. At the time of the recording, Antero dos Santos was the initial opponent for Henniene before dos Santos withdrew.

    Combing back through some of his earlier outings on the Canadian mixed martial arts scene, it was referenced when Henniene got a photo op with Dana White in Toronto. This meeting took place at Unified MMA 55 which went down amid the UFC 297 fight week that transpired in the same Ontario city. When discussing the win inside of Rebel that night and the meeting with the UFC figurehead, Henniene said,

    “Yeah, I got to be honest, that was surreal. Like I don’t know. I’ve watched all the interview(s) of Dana. I’m watching the UFC since Royce Gracie and yeah, he was just there. I saw him and I was just, ‘hey, Dana, I fought tonight.’ He told me ‘did you won?’ I was like ‘of course’ and he was like ‘come over here’ and then we talked. He was like ‘oh, how old are you? What’s your record?’ Like we had a little chat. It was nice and afterward we got a picture and that was all. But yeah, that was really a great experience to fight in front of the UFC.”

    PFL Africa’s magnitude in the eyes of Karim Henniene

    ‘The Kryptonian’ is fairly well travelled over the big Canadian regional circuits despite his relatively brief career at 4-0 in professional mixed martial arts. Henniene has cut his teeth for Unified MMA (as mentioned) which many see as the biggest MMA show in Canada today, Samourai MMA which has a strong presence in Quebec, and his first two pro fights being with BTC Fight Promotions who have been stalwarts in a sometimes tragically underserved Ontario market.

    While he mentioned it was great to fight in front of the UFC figurehead in Toronto, that same feeling seems to be there heading into this Smart Cage foray that will see him fight in front of the PFL Africa chairman Francis Ngannou. When addressing his excitement being part of this inaugural foray into Africa for the PFL, Henniene stated,

    “Yeah, for sure. I’m excited to see Francis Ngannou here, courtside or ringside we call it. But yeah, it’s a pleasure to fight in front of Francis Ngannou and the PFL team.”

    For his finals parting thoughts in the interview, Henniene quipped,

    “I’m ahead to make history. I’ll be the first Algerian-Canadian to win the belt in PFL Africa. So yeah, keep up with my journey and I’ll do the work just for my fans.”

    PFL Africa 1 is headlined by Johnny Eblen who will defend his middleweight strap against Costello Van Steenis on Saturday.

  • Rafael Fiziev Sparring Partner: “I Don’t Think Anyone Can Surprise Me With Any Striking”

    Rafael Fiziev Sparring Partner: “I Don’t Think Anyone Can Surprise Me With Any Striking”

    Rafael Fiziev was able to return to the win column after a three fight losing skid and a sparring partner of the talented lightweight has offered some thoughts on Fiziev’s return to form at UFC Baku. Appearing on MMA Canada, Karim Henniene will make his first foray into the smart cage as the company goes to Africa for the first time with PFL Africa 1 on July 19th.

    Henniene is a well travelled fighter across several of Canada’s big regional circuits and the 4-0 pro MMA fighter is also well travelled in terms of gyms he has hone his skills within. Some of these gyms include Kill Cliff FC and Bangtao Muay Thai with Henniene working with Fiziev in the latter space.

    When getting into some aspects of the training dynamics with the super exciting 155 pound UFC fighter and the key victory Fiziev secured in the octagon on June 21st, Henniene said,

    “Yeah, exactly. I was in Thailand. I trained at Bangtao. I got some good rounds with Rafael Fiziev, one of the best strikers in the world. So at this point, I don’t think anyone can surprise me with any striking… I know exactly he was going to win and like now that I’ve sparred him, I know exactly what kind of combination he’s going to throw and how he throw it.”

    “Yeah that was really fun to see and beautiful technique and everything. How he goes to the body and to the head. Yeah, distance control when he had to close the distance. He don’t go only to the head. He goes body, body, head, distance, he get back in. Body, body, head. Like yeah, that was beautiful to see, definitely.”

    Rafael Fiziev and the story of his UFC Baku journey

    Rafael Fiziev found himself in a tough career spot as the partisan pugilist headed into the cage for his fight in Azerbaijan. ‘Ataman’ entered the cage at UFC Baku on the heels of three setbacks with a pair of losses to former interim UFC lightweight champion and former BMF champion Justin Gaethje bookending an injury-based loss to Mateusz Gamrot. Fiziev had his back against the wall and faced a stiff test in front of him in the form of a game combatant in Ignacio Bahamondes.

    When all was said and done with their UFC Baku co-main event clash, it was Fiziev would emerge victorious over Bahamondes by way of a unanimous decision. Fiziev is now the number eleven ranked lightweight competititor in the UFC’s rankings hierarchy, as of this writing.

  • “I’m Back In The Pool” – Conor McGregor Confirms Intentions To Return, Compete On UFC White House Card

    “I’m Back In The Pool” – Conor McGregor Confirms Intentions To Return, Compete On UFC White House Card

    Don’t try to outshine Conor McGregor — whether you believe him or not.

    Just as news drops of Jon Jones explaining his plans to unretire and confirming his intentions to compete at the UFC’s White House card next year, McGregor makes his own claim of the same nature.

    Talking to The Schmo, McGregor confirmed his intentions to return for the major UFC card in July 2026.

    “They’re testing me. I’m in the pool,” McGregor told The Schmo. “That’s what pools are for — jumping in and out. But I’m back in the pool. So get ready and stay ready, because damage will be done.”

    Conor McGregor Confirms Desire To Be On UFC Card At The White House

    Following an announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump, UFC officials, including UFC CEO and President Dana White have confirmed plans for a UFC card on the White House grounds during the U.S. Semiquincentennial next July 4.

    McGregor has been out of action since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. Plans were in motion for McGregor to return following his stint as a coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, taking on rival coach Michael Chandler. After a drawn-out negotiation, however, McGregor vs. Chandler was scheduled for UFC 303 — only to be canceled a few weeks before the event.

    While a toe injury is the given reason for the fight falling through, some reports have claimed contract issues between McGregor and the promotion. McGregor has two fights remaining on his current deal and wants to fight the contract out; meanwhile, the UFC wants to lock McGregor up under another contract.

    McGregor has been focused on his role as a part-owner of the BKFC, recently promoting its upcoming $25 million tournament and new signings, as well as getting into a confrontation with Mike Perry.

    BKFC President David Feldman, during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, says McGregor told him of his intentions to fight on the White House card and then have one last fight with the UFC after. He teased that after completing his UFC contract, McGregor might potentially fight in BKFC.

    “He’s got two fights left on his contract,” Feldman said. “He told me in person. He whispered in my ear. He said, ‘I’m in the testing pool.’ He said, ‘I’m getting ready to make my comeback. I’m going to fight on that big card, and then I’m going to have another fight, and then we can talk.”

    McGregor, who is running for the Irish presidency, is also currently dealing with drama outside of the cage, following a leak of nude pictures by rapper Azealia Banks, as well as being spotted with a woman on a beach that isn’t his fiancée, Dee Devlin.

  • Jon Jones Explains Decision To Unretire: “To Be Able To Entertain The Country, And The World…At The White House…”

    Jon Jones Explains Decision To Unretire: “To Be Able To Entertain The Country, And The World…At The White House…”

    The saga of Jon Jones’ retirement and unretirement decision has been one that stretched back to when it was debated if he’d retire after facing Stipe Miocic — and it’s ongoing in the wake of his decision to unretire just two weeks after doing so and giving up the UFC heavyweight championship.

    And now, Jones has publicly given an explanation for his decision to both retire and unretire quickly.

    Jones was present at ESPN’s ESPY Awards show on July 16 and appeared on the red carpet. It was at the event’s Red Carpet show where Jones gave an interview, allowing him to give insight on his decision.

    Ultimately, Jones says it boils down to feeling like he had accomplished everything in the sport — until U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a UFC card at the White House next year as part of the U.S. Semiquincentennial.

    “I felt like I was at a place where I’ve done it all in the MMA space and felt like there wasn’t too many more challenges for me,” Jones told ESPN. “I just wanted to do something more than championships and money — and Donald Trump mentioned that he wanted to have a fight at the White House Garden, and that just seems like such a huge opportunity.”

    Jon Jones Confirms His Intention To Compete On UFC White House Card

    Following Trump’s announcement of a UFC White House card, UFC officials would confirm the plan was being explored. In the days since, UFC CEO and President Dana White has confirmed such plans are in motion. White has promised to bring the “baddest” and most anticipated UFC pay-per-view card ever next July 4.

    While logistics for the event still have to be worked out, White has mentioned that he sees a long-overdue fight between Jones and Aspinall as a “dream main event” for the card.

    Conor McGregor has also thrown his name in the hat for the White House UFC event, and White has stated he would get both a Jones fight and McGregor fight on this kind of card.

    “I’m a very proud American,” Jones said. “I have a lot of close friends that are in the military, and this is my act of — I can’t call it service — but just 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 I’m back.”

    Jones became UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 285 by defeating Ciryl Gane for the then-vacant title, and he retained the championship against Miocic at UFC 309. Jones and Miocic were scheduled to face off originally at UFC 295 before Jones suffered a torn pec. Instead, Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title at that event — and then retained the interim gold against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

    Negotiations between Jones and Aspinall had been ongoing and seemed to be near completion until Jones’ retirement announcement. Aspinall was then named the new UFC heavyweight champion at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference last month.

    Of course, Jones is also dealing with recent legal troubles stemming from a February car accident.

  • Randy Couture Back Home, Recovering After Hospitalization Following Car Crash

    MMA legend Randy Couture is back at home after spending time over the last week hospitalized following a car crash at a pro racetrack.

    Per TMZ Sports, Couture was released from a burn center he was at and is now home recovering from injuries he suffered during practice runs at a racetrack in Kansas City. MMAFighting’s Damon Martin added that Couture is now undergoing outpatient treatments.

    Couture suffered first and second-degree burns in the accident, as well as broken ribs and smoke inhalation.

    Randy Couture Released From Burn Center, Still Recovering From Racetrack Injuries

    Couture, an avid motorcyclist, was set to compete with the National Hot Rod Association, originally scheduled to make his debut later this year. Couture reportedly went through licensing in order to compete in the NHRA’s new Pro Mod program.

    It is still unclear what caused the accident. The vehicle Couture was in was totaled in the accident.

    Couture, a former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, owns the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas — home to various professional fighters — and is a color commentator for PFL.

  • UFC 321 Reportedly Targeting High-Stakes Heavyweight Clash For Oct. 25

    UFC 321 Reportedly Targeting High-Stakes Heavyweight Clash For Oct. 25

    The UFC 321 lineup could include a marquee heavyweight showdown that’s currently in the works.

    The premier MMA promotion is slated to return to Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on October 25 for UFC 321, marking its 11th pay-per-view event of the year.

    The event will mark the UFC’s 22nd overall trip to Abu Dhabi and its second visit in 2025, following an upcoming Fight Night card on July 26, headlined by former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder.

    Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida In Works For UFC 321

    According to a recent report by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, heavyweight contenders Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida have verbally agreed to square off at UFC 321 in a matchup that could have major implications for the title picture.

    Both Volkov and Almeida had set their sights on a title shot against newly crowned undisputed champion Tom Aspinall following Jon Jones’ official retirement last month. However, the two are now expected to battle each other for a prime spot in the heavyweight pecking order

    Volkov’s four-fight winning streak, which included stoppage victories over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alexandr Romanov, and Tai Tuivasa, along with a lopsided decision victory against Sergei Pavlovich, came to an end at UFC 310 this past December when he dropped a highly debated split decision to former interim champion Ciryl Gane. “Drago” currently holds a 12-5 record inside the UFC, with seven of those victories coming by way of stoppage.

    Meanwhile, Almeida last competed at UFC 311 this past January, where he secured a first-round knockout win over Serghei Spivac. “Malhadinho” previously built a decent six-fight winning streak in the Octagon, which was snapped by a TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in March 2024. He now holds a UFC record of 8-1, with seven of those victories earned via finish.

    Image: @volkov_alex/@malhadinho_ufc/Instagram

  • 40-year-old Cris Cyborg reveals potential MMA retirement timeline

    Mixed martial arts legend Cris Cyborg has opened up on her plans to retire from the sport after an incredible career.

    While she may be 40 years of age, Cris Cyborg is still more than capable of going out there and putting on a show. She’s been doing it for a long time now across multiple sports, but after all of that success, it appears as if she’s finally starting to see the end of the road.

    Cris Cyborg has won belts in a plethora of major organizations including the UFC, and when the dust settles, she’ll almost certainly go down in history as one of the greatest female fighters of all time.

    In a recent interview, Cris Cyborg spoke candidly about her plans to retire from mixed martial arts, seemingly after two more fights.

    Cris Cyborg lays out MMA retirement plans

    “The reality is this decision has literally been (there) longer,” Cyborg said in an interview with James Lynch. “When I signed this current contract, we had already made the plan to finish the contract and retire, because we started the legacy tour when I fought against Larissa Pacheco. So I have two fights left, and I’m ready for the next chapter. Some fighters will never know when to end. I just turned 40 years old, I feel great, but we have to know when it’s time to stop.”

    “I like to do step by step,” Cyborg said. “My next fight, I believe, is going to be Sara Collins. She’s undefeated, she beat Leah McCourt, she’s No. 1 in Australia, she fought girls at the top at 145 pounds. I believe she’s going to be next, and I like to think about the next one.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

  • Kayla Harrison is praised by teammate Dakota Ditcheva after UFC 316 title triumph

    Kayla Harrison is praised by teammate Dakota Ditcheva after UFC 316 title triumph

    PFL star Dakota Ditcheva has praised teammate Kayla Harrison for both her work ethic and the way in which she was able to defeat Julianna Pena to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight championship.

    Kayla Harrison is one of the greatest female fighters of all time and that much goes without saying. In addition to her remarkable Olympic success, she’s also had a phenomenal career in mixed martial arts – and some would argue she’s still got a lot left in the tank.

    As she prepares to battle Amanda Nunes in a superfight at some point in the future, Kayla Harrison has been receiving a great deal of praise from the MMA community for what she’s accomplished over the years. That includes Dakota Ditcheva, one of PFL’s biggest stars, who had the following to say about her teammate recently.

    Dakota Ditcheva praises Kayla Harrison’s success

    “Yeah, it’s crazy. I’ve actually got goosebumps when you think about it,” Ditcheva told MMA Fighting. “Like her journey through MMA, or just through martial arts sport has been crazy.

    “After she won out there was loads of things online, I was just reading it all because, for me, a journey like that — Olympic gold medalist, comes to PFL, cleans everyone out there. Goes to UFC, cleans everyone out there. Within two or three fights, she’s got the UFC belt. That journey that she’s been on is absolutely crazy.”

    “The weight cuts, the dedication she’s got to training, when she’s saying in these interviews, she’s not missed a day running or biking, that girl is in the gym every morning, every afternoon, and between them sessions, she’s walking, she’s running,” Ditcheva explained. “She’s the hardest worker in that gym.

    “So to have someone like that around us and set such an example like that for us girls in the gym is like second to none. That’s why we’re the best, best gym in the world because we’ve got examples like that around us. How can we not be inspired and want to keep working hard when we see people like Kayla Harrison doing that?”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Dustin Poirier’s retirement: Brendan Allen looks back at how hard The Diamond hits

    Dustin Poirier’s retirement: Brendan Allen looks back at how hard The Diamond hits

    UFC middleweight Brendan Allen has spoken about how hard he was hit by Dustin Poirier once upon a time when they trained together.

    On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will officially retire from professional mixed martial arts. He’ll do so after taking part in a trilogy fight against Max Holloway, with the two competing for the BMF title in the main event of UFC 318. Regardless of whether he wins or loses, it’s safe to say that ‘The Diamond’ will receive an incredible ovation from his home state of Louisiana.

    In a recent inteview Brendan Allen, who will also compete on the UFC 318 card, opened up on his experience of training with Dustin Poirier many years ago.

    Brendan Allen on Dustin Poirier’s power

    “I was sparring, trying to watch them spar because they were having a hell of a sparring session. Then it was live gos starting from guard against the wall and man they said go and he hit me so hard. It was like a live drill but you start in guard and he hit me so hard. I’m like f*ck man, I’m just a kid. We ain’t little no more. That sh*t ain’t going to happen again.”

    “You learn real quick,” Allen said. “That was my whole upbringing at the beginning, just trying with guys that are 25, 26, 27 [years old] and I’m 14, 15, 16 years old. It’s way different than nowadays, I can tell you that. It’s way different.”

    “At the end of the day, everything aside, I’m super happy for him and his family,” Allen said. “He’s earned every single thing he has right now. So many fighters would kill to have that and he’s done it. No matter what happens, the man has made a great life for himself by punching people in the face. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway 3: Chael Sonnen issues warning to retiring hero

    Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway 3: Chael Sonnen issues warning to retiring hero

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen believes Dustin Poirier may have made a mistake that could cost him in his trilogy fight against Max Holloway.

    As we know, Dustin Poirier is set to compete in his retirement fight this weekend in the main event of UFC 318. He will battle Max Holloway for the BMF title, but more importantly, he’ll be fighting professionally for the final time. These two warriors have fought on two previous occasions and in both instances, it was ‘The Diamond’ who was able to come away with the victory.

    Of course, Dustin Poirier has never been one to hold back when giving his opinion on something, and he’s also a pretty honest guy when analyzing how a fight has gone. After their second fight a few years back, Poirier opened up on how you need to be able to disrupt Holloway, who he considers to be a rhythm fighter, so that he can’t go through the gears and build from one move to the next move.

    Sonnen believes that Dustin Poirier’s words are something that Max Holloway can subsequently use to his advantage.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Dustin Poirier’s comments

    “I watched Max Holloway build his way back into this fight, I knew Dustin Poirier was a different fighter because he fought him back when things started to go south. There were times earlier in his career, with ‘The Korean Zombie‘, where it kind of snowballed on Dustin and he was never able to get back to it.”

    Quotes via Bloody Elbow

  • Dricus du Plessis appears to be in great shape ahead of UFC 319

    Dricus du Plessis appears to be in great shape ahead of UFC 319

    UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis appears to be fantastic shape as we get closer and closer to next month’s UFC 319 event.

    In just a matter of weeks, Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319. The two have been going back and forth at one another for quite some time now, and ‘Borz’ has been eagerly awaiting his moment to finally try and claim the gold.

    Despite that, Dricus du Plessis doesn’t seem particularly bothered about the scale of the task that sits in front of him. Given that he’s already beaten the likes of Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, both via finish, that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.

    Ahead of the bout, Dricus du Plessis has shown off his physique – and part of his training – giving us a glimpse into his regime.

    Dricus du Plessis looks to be in great shape

    As you can see, the man known as DDP appears to be in the shape of his life as we sit just weeks away from UFC 319. There’s a lot on the line for the South African champion and although he’s had a lot of fun trolling Khamzat Chimaev, he knows the stakes involved here.

    If he loses, he’ll have to scratch and claw (probably) in order to earn another shot at the title. If he wins, though, he’ll start being talked about as one of the greatest middleweight champions of all time. Either way, you just know that he’s going to bring everything he’s got to the cage.

  • ‘This Is Fun To Him, This Is Life To You’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 8 Recap

    ‘This Is Fun To Him, This Is Life To You’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 8 Recap

    Welcome, everyone, to the eighth edition of The TUF Stuff!

    Each week, I’ll be guiding you through a recap of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode — from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.

    This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it’s all said and done.

    Last week saw the final flyweight matchup of the season, with Team Cormier’s frustrations continuing and Team Sonnen seeming to have turned the tide with Roybert Echeverria defeating Tumelo Manyamala.

    Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 8

    The first round concludes with the last welterweight semifinal spot on the line tonight in a grudge match! Two men who haven’t gotten along well during their time in the TUF House — Team Cormier’s Rodrigo Sezinando and Team Sonnen’s Diego Bianchini — will finally throw down!

    Let’s get into episode eight of The Ultimate Fighter!

    Team Cormier Training Session — Yair Rodriguez Joins

    Michael Chiesa is back. Daniel Cormier is absent from the session, and Chiesa introduces former UFC interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, A previous TUF: Latin America winner, to join for the team’s training session.

    Rodriguez tells the cast to remember to enjoy the moment — and that while TUF is a competition, it’s also a brotherhood. He then leads the team through some clinch techniques.

    Jeff Creighton said Rodriguez has “layers to his game” and Rodriguez gave a “masterclass elbows seminar” in the sport.

    Diego Bianchini Backstory

    Bianchini grew up, and still lives, in Sao Paulo, Brazil and currently lives with his parents. He describes himself as spoiled to have his family and pets, as well as living in a quiet environment.

    Bianchini says growing up in Brazil, you either play soccer or fight, and he knew that he was always going to be in the UFC.

    Bianchini, who is 9-1, trains at the Fighting Nerds alongside Caio Borralho and Jean Silva. Borralho describes Bianchini as a good guy to train with and praises his talent, claiming “The Brazilian Bad Boy” (Bianchini’s self-proclaimed alter-ego) will be in the TUF Finale.

    Rodrigo Sezinando Backstory

    We see some of Sezinando’s homesickness on display, looking at a photo of his mom and feeling awful for not being able to afford to see her. Sezinando went as far as to say his mom “doesn’t know if he’s alive or not” but promises to make her proud of him.

    Sezinando was born in Rio De Janeiro, raised by his mom. His mom talks on camera, saying how he fights for her. She says, “His battle is ours, too. I love my son very much and that’s how it is.”

    Sezinando says he grew up in a simple life in a place that isn’t the safest — and so he joined a gym for self-defense.

    Sezinando is in Vancouver now after competing for Battlefield Fight League. He moved to Canada with just $200 to his name, and he hopes to use his family’s support to fuel his dream.

    Diego Bianchini Fight Prep

    Bianchini gives Sonnen praise for his guidance. Bianchini says he recognizes Sezinando’s jiu-jitsu but promises to dominate him in the cage. He then works with Sonnen on takedown techniques and with other coaches on striking.

    Bianchini wants to strike without taking damage. “Nobody can read me,” he says.

    Sonnen feels Sezinando can’t keep up with Bainchini, who he says will weaponize pace. Sonnen feels Sezinando might come out with fury and will be dangerous in the first but won’t win a second or third round.

    Bianchini says Sezinando has been talking crap and promises to show what “The Brazilian Bad Boy” can do.

    Rodrigo Sezinando Fight Prep

    Sezinando says he is going to use his striking to tire Bianchini out. Sezinando wants to knock Bianchini out given their history.

    “My ego has to stay outside,” he says, promising if jiu-jitsu opens up, that’s what he’ll do to get the win.

    Cormier says he isn’t sure how Bianchini will be able to take Sezinando down. Cormier says Bianchini is sloppy with takedowns; however, he’s fearful that Sezinando will go wild and sloppy when he spots openings. Cormier, however, tells the camera that he thinks Sezinando can put Bianchini away with his striking.

    Sezinando says his heart and his fight IQ are his biggest positives as a fighter.

    Cormier adds to the fire by saying to think about his motivations – “This is fun to him, this is life to you.”

    TUF House

    Tumelo Manyamala says this is a fight everyone in the house has wanted to happened.

    Bianchini claims Sezinando knows he loves him, seemingly trying to get under Sezinando’s skin. Sezinando says “Don’t worry. I will take care of you.”

    Bianchini says Sezinando is a farce of an individual. Sezinando says Bianchini doesn’t understand how hard it is to move away from his family and sacrifice everything.

    Bianchini says Sezinando doesn’t like successful people, but he himself “doesn’t like haters.”

    The Fight: Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini

    —–IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.———

    Both men weigh in at 170.5. The fight is on! And, of course, we get an intense staredown!

    Roybert Echeverria says this will be the fight of the season. Jeff Creighton says he told Sezinando to control his emotions to be the better fighter and winner.

    Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini

    Round 1

    Bianchini comes right out the gate with a round kick. Another spinning kick but it misses! Low kicks from both men. Round kick by Bianchini. He misses another spin kick, and Sezinando takes him down! Cormier telling Sezinando to flatten him. Bianchini tries for a leg lock, but Sezinando gets the fight back to the feet. Sezinando misses a spin kick now! Flying knee from Bianchini! Low kick from Bianchini. It’s a leg kick battle here. Another one from Bianchini. Sezinando stops the takedown attempt and adds a low kick. Round kick from Bianchini lands. Sezinando goes for a clinch, but Bianchini tries to control it until a quick separation. Kick lands low and we get a timeout.

    Fight resumes, and Bianchini doesn’t get all of a spin kick. Sezinando goes big on his strikes and gets clinched to the wall briefly. Bianchini can’t get a takedown, and Sezinando tosses him down, adding a couple of strikes for good measures before he lets Bianchini up. Low kick from Sezinando. One-two from Bianchini. Sezinando lands a combination that HURTS Bianchini! Bianchini is able to get Sezinando to the fence. Bianchini continues to hold. The ref calls for activity with about 85 seconds left in the round, and Sezinando is able to reverse the position. Sezinando lands a knee. He adds a left hand on the separation.

    Knee from Bianchini. Overhand right catches Sezinando now! Sezinando pressures and throws a high kick! Spin kick lands to the back of the head of Sezinando. Strong left hand from Sezinando. Sezinando clinches Bianchini against the fence for the last 10 seconds.

    Round 2

    Bianchini with a front kick and a right hand. Low kick from Bianchini, followed by a blocked high kick. Sezinando responds with kicks of his own. Bianchini lands a jab but his high kick is blocked. Bianchini goes for a takedown, but Sezinando stuffs it and gets him down! A couple of elbows from Sezinando. And another. Bianchini tries to get his legs up, but Sezinando works around them, staying on top of Bianchini. Sezinando covering Bianchini’s mouth. Activity slows. Sonnen trying to get Bianchini to work. Cormier telling Sezinando to stay on him.

    Sezinando with more punches. Bianchini tries for another leg lock, but Sezinando gets away from it. He returns to the ground, working in Bianchini’s guard. Sezinando lands another couple of shots. Sonnen questions if Bianchini really wants the win, urging him to get up. Sezinando lands a couple of elbows, with his coaches urging to continue to beat him up. Another elbow from Sezinando. And another. This is a complete smothering as compared to the first round. Left hand lands. Another couple of elbows. More ground-and-pound from Sezinando.

    No third round needed! Sezinando wins the rivalry!

    Winner: Sezinando via unanimous decision after two rounds

    Conclusion

    Cormier says Bianchini came out crazy, but Sezinando mostly “stayed true to who he was.” Sonnen says he felt bad for Bianchini because he had pressure in being “the baddest dude” — as did Sezinando. Dana White says when a fight hype like this happens, the fight usually doesn’t live up to the hype.

    Cormier says Sezinando fought a “beautiful” first round and then in the second, got a takedown and “beat the crap out of” Bianchini. White says Sezinando didn’t want to take a risk and dominated — alas, not a fun way to close out the quarterfinals.

    Sezinando expresses excitement for the win, but the two hugged it out in the cage, seemingly putting the bad blood behind them. Bianchini says Sezinando earned his respect and that he was the better fighter tonight. “It is what it is,” Sezinando says. “The Brazilian Bad Boy” will be back.”

    Semi-Finals Decisions

    White will not join Cormier and Sonnen this season. The two coaches will hear from the fighters and they alone will make this season’s TUF semis.

    Here were the fighters’ remarks:

    • Joseph Morales of Team Sonnen says he wants to fight Imanol Rodriguez.
    • Imanol Rodriguez of Team Cormier wants Roybert Echerverria.
    • Echerverria of Team Sonnen wants Alibi Idiris.
    • Idiris of Team Cormier says he also wants Echerverria.
    • Creighton of Team Cormier says if put in the position where he’d have to fight a teammate, he’d want to fight Sezinando.
    • Morales adds in the idea of him fighting Sezinando as well.
    • Sezinando says he’s interested in facing Matt Dixon.
    • Daniil Donchenko of Team Cormier says he puts his trust in the coaches.

    Ultimately, the following semi-finals are announced:

    Flyweight: Alibi Idiris (Team Cormier) vs. Roybert Echerverria (Team Sonnen)

    Flyweight: Imanol Rodriguez (Team Cormier) vs. Joseph Morales (Team Sonnen)

    Welterweight: Matt Dixon (Team Sonnen) vs. Daniil Donchenko (Team Cormier)

    Welterweight: Jeff Creighton (Team Cormier) vs. Rodrigo Sezinando (Team Cormier)

    Cormier says he feels Idiris is ready for the UFC right now, and Echerverria is better than what he showed in the quarterfinals.

    Sonnen feels Morales, based on his previous UFC experience, is the best fighter in the competition. Morales and Rodriguez share some intense words.

    Sonnen says Dixon could knock everyone out in the competition, but the fight with Donchenko will be “brutal.”

    Cormier feels Sezinando was the best fighter entering the competition; however, Creighton has showed the biggest improvements of anyone. The two fighters face off, with Sezinando affirming Creighton’s claim “You knew this would happen.” Sezinando says the two can share food after the fight.

    Cormier and Sonnen play pickleball for this season’s Coaches’ Challenge next week!

    Idiris vs. Echerverria is the first semi to go down!

    What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!

    Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!

  • Why Was This Former UFC Champion Stunned by Ilia Topuria’s Knockout Against Charles Oliveira? “I Was Shocked!”

    Why Was This Former UFC Champion Stunned by Ilia Topuria’s Knockout Against Charles Oliveira? “I Was Shocked!”

    Ilia Topuria was already soaring in popularity and becoming one of the best fighters in the world — and that was solidified after UFC 317, if it wasn’t already.

    Just a couple of weeks ago at this year’s International Fight Week card, Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in the main event to become UFC lightweight champion. This made Topuria the 10th UFC fighter to win championships in more than one weight class, and earned Topuria the top men’s pound-for-pound ranking in the UFC.

    Though Topuria had plenty of supporters in the lead into the fight, Topuria still shocked plenty with the manner in which he dropped Oliveira out cold during the match. Oliveira had not been finished since losing to Paul Felder at UFC 218 — and hadn’t been straight KO’d since losing to Cub Swanson at UFC 152.

    Eddie Alvarez, another former UFC lightweight champion, is one of those who picked Topuria to win but was still shocked in the manner that he did it.

    “Everybody knew Ilia was going to put Charles down,” Alvarez told Helen Yee. “I didn’t know he was going to put him out like that. So yeah, I was shocked.”

    Eddie Alvarez Praises Ilia Topuria’s Knockouts Of Several Big Names In UFC

    Topuria’s victory over Oliveira moved him to 17-0, including a 9-0 record in the Octagon. It was just last year when Topuria won the UFC featherweight championship by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in violent fashion as well.

    Topuria would retain the championship once before moving up to lightweight, knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308. It was just the first time Holloway had been knocked out in his professional career. Holloway also had not been finished since getting submitted by Dustin Poirier in their first fight at UFC 143.

    Alvarez says that Topuria’s talent is already displayed in the Octagon performances and his wins and record. The manner in which he’s beaten the names he has, however, brings Topuria to another level of fighter.

    “When you look at the last three guys…Volkanovski, Charles, Max Holloway — these are legends back to back that he’s knocking out,” Alvarez said. “The guy’s special, man. He’s special.”

    Many have clamored for a superfight between Topuria and Islam Makhachev, who vacated the lightweight title to move up to welterweight. A Topuria vs. Makhachev fight could have happened had Belal Muhammad defeated Jack Della Maddalena; however, it remains to be seen if such a fight could still be made if Makhachev beats JDM for the 170-pound gold.

  • PFL’s Timur Khizriev Ambushed, Shot In Russia

    PFL’s Timur Khizriev Ambushed, Shot In Russia

    UPDATE: Timur Khizriev’s management team tells Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie that the fighter’s “life is not in danger” but is currently hospitalized.

    Note: This is a developing breaking news story that will be updated as more information comes out.

    Timur Khizriev, the featherweight champion of the 2024 PFL season, has been reportedly shot during an ambush attack in his native Russia.

    Russian MMA media outlet Вестник ММА (Vestnik MMA) took to social media to post video of the incident.

    Khizriev is still alive and is in surgery as of press time.

    2024 PFL Featherweight Champion Timur Khizriev In Surgery After Being Shot Five Times

    According to the report, Khizriev was ambushed in the courtyard of a residential building located on Daniyalov Street, located in Chunya Village in Dagestan.

    Khizriev was getting out of a vehicle when the two attackers approached and open fire. He was hit and wounded by five bullets, which were fired by a traumatic pistol.

    Khizriev is currently 18-0 in his professional MMA career. After a three-fight stint with Bellator, Khizriev joined the PFL for its 2024 season after it purchased Bellator in late 2023.

    Khizriev went on to defeat Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola, Gabriel Braga, and Brendan Loughnane en route to capturing the 2024 PFL featherweight title.

  • Mike Perry Gets Brutally Honest and Mad About Influencer Fighters ‘Make any video you want on the internet’

    Mike Perry Gets Brutally Honest and Mad About Influencer Fighters ‘Make any video you want on the internet’

    BKFC sensation Mike Perry has given his thoughts on influencer fighters as he continues to serve as the face of bare-knuckle boxing.

    As we know, Mike Perry is a pretty unique character within the realm of combat sports. That was certainly true during his time in mixed martial arts, but since heading over to BKFC, he’s taken his game to a whole new level. His star power has gone through the roof and when you look at all the fighters who have departed the UFC in recent years, there aren’t many who can say they’ve been as successful as ‘Platinum’.

    Right now, Mike Perry is preparing to make his return to BKFC with all eyes on him to see what kind of path he’ll carve out for himself in the months ahead. In a recent interview, though, he took the time to focus on a topic that frustrates him: influencer fighters.

    Mike Perry lashes out at influencer fighters

    “You got 5,000 followers, bro. Can’t [expletive] call me out, bro. Make any video you want on the internet, say what you want, but if I—I hate that it gets me mad at all ever, because I’m in a different [expletive] stratosphere.”

    Perry was worked unbelievably hard to get to this point in his career and hopefully, we exclusively see him take part in high profile bouts from now on – or, at the very least, see him get the kind of paydays that he deserves.

    In short, give him fun fights please, BKFC.

  • Paulo Costa Is Expecting a Quick Finish at UFC 318 – Ready for Dangerous Southpaw War

    UFC middleweight Paulo Costa is expecting a quick finish as he prepares to battle Roman Kopylov at UFC 318 this weekend.

    On Saturday night, Paulo Costa will attempt to get his mixed martial arts career back on track. Following a string of losses, many have been left to wonder what kind of future he has in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He’ll attempt to answer that question when he stands across from Roman Kopylov – a man who is bound to give him a tough fight.

    We’ve seen the best and worst of Paulo Costa throughout the course of his UFC run and on more than one occasion, he was tipped to be the next big thing, either at 185 pounds or light heavyweight. Either way, though, things haven’t quite panned out as he would’ve hoped, and this could be his last real opportunity to showcase himself for the world to see.

    In a recent interview, Paulo Costa opened up on what he plans to do at UFC 318.

    Paulo Costa aims for quick finish at UFC 318

    “I know how to fight against southpaw. He’s dangerous … but I’m very prepared for that and I’m excited. This fight going to be short—not so long. I think two rounds, maybe even the first round.”

    Costa is an unpredictable guy both in and outside of the cage, and while that can be good in some instances, he needs to find a game plan and stick to it here if he’s serious about becoming a contender.

  • Is Conor McGregor’s Family in Denial or Just Coping? The Questions No One’s Daring to Ask After “Meatgate” – MMA Analyst Breaks It Down

    Is Conor McGregor’s Family in Denial or Just Coping? The Questions No One’s Daring to Ask After “Meatgate” – MMA Analyst Breaks It Down

    An MMA analyst on YouTube has given their thoughts on the recent ‘meatgate’ saga surrounding former UFC star Conor McGregor.

    As we know, Conor McGregor tends to be a pretty controversial figure within the world of mixed martial arts. He says and does things that are a bit out of the ordinary – and that’s us putting it lightly. He has been involved in numerous scandals and at this point, his reputation is pretty much in tatters.

    As it turns out, there was still a new low for him to drop to after Conor McGregor was accused of sending unsolicited pictures to Azealia Banks. In the following video, ITP MMA Live has provided a breakdown of how this whole thing has played out up to this point.

    MMA analyst questions Conor McGregor

    “Bro, you have a family and you’re out here sending pictures of your Conor Jr. to other celebrities… Like, a big part of me wants to sympathize with [his fiancée], but at the same time, I can’t help but think she has to know by now that Conor gets up to this stuff on a pretty regular basis and she just accepts it.”

    “I feel like this was the trail of bad decisions made that led Conor to doing this. As we know, on Thursday, Conor did that BKFC press conference where he was very clearly geeked out… He keeps the party going throughout the weekend… then just sent off this picture without thinking much about it. I am 1,000% sure that this photo was brought to us in part by Coke.”

    “Could she seriously just be in this much denial? Or does she just put up with all of this to maintain her current lifestyle? I want to believe it’s the latter, but I find it a bit depressing that I don’t feel confident one way or the other.”

  • Dana White teases big new UFC TV rights deal

    Dana White teases big new UFC TV rights deal

    UFC boss Dana White has spoken about the promotion’s potential new TV rights deal as we get closer and closer to finding out who they’ll sign with.

    For the longest time now, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has been on the rise. While it sometimes may not feel that way when it comes to the actual product, their finances suggest that they’re doing incredibly well – which is something that Dana White likes to remind us about on a regular basis.

    Dana White is the face of the UFC in more ways than one and he’ll likely be having a big role in negotiations for the next TV rights deal. Their current partnership is with ESPN, and while staying with them is certainly on the table, there are rumors flying around about several other potential homes for the UFC – including Netflix.

    Dana White discusses TV rights deal

    “The world’s going to change a lot in the next year with our rights deals,” White told the Full Send podcast. “Depending on where we end up, but more than likely, we’re going to end up with a platform that is way more global than we are now.”

    “There’s nothing. I don’t have anything right now,” White said about the new broadcast rights deal. “We’re in the middle of talks. We’ll see how it plays out. Literally have zero info on that right now.”

    “Every year that we’ve done a deal — if you think about it, Spike TV we started,” White said. “From there, we went to Fox. From there, we went to ESPN. We’ve leveled up every single time and it made the sport bigger and bigger and bigger.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Dustin Poirier’s retirement: UFC veteran explains the brilliance of The Diamond

    Dustin Poirier’s retirement: UFC veteran explains the brilliance of The Diamond

    UFC veteran Matt Brown has explained what made Dustin Poirier so special ahead of The Diamond’s retirement fight at UFC 318.

    On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will make the walk to the octagon for the final time. He is set to retire from mixed martial arts following his main event bout against Max Holloway, which will also see the BMF title being put on the line.

    One thing we know to be true about Dustin Poirier is that he’s an absolute warrior. While he may never have held the undisputed UFC title, he went in there and put on a show against just about everyone he faced. That, in itself, is a testament to who he is as a fighter.

    In a recent podcast, Matt Brown gave his thoughts on what made Dustin Poirier special.

    Matt Brown analyzes Dustin Poirier

    “I think Dustin really maximized everything he has, that he was born with,” Brown said. “I think he did a great job. When he came into the UFC, I remember after Conor [McGregor] beat him, I don’t think anybody thought Dustin Poirier was going to be s***. At that point, I remember interviews asking me what do you think about Conor McGregor? He really hasn’t fought anybody. We didn’t know what Dustin Poirier would be at that time, but I don’t think anybody looked at him like ‘wow this is the next big guy.’

    “He didn’t come in with insane gifts or anything. I love and respect that so much. I hope he has an amazing life after. I hope that his life treats him well. Maybe he gets some books, speaking tours, makes a lot of money and lives a great life, and I think he’s earned every f*cking minute of it.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Pay-Per-View Might Be Over for the UFC Dana White Hints “Pay television is dying” Teases Major Streaming Shift

    Pay-Per-View Might Be Over for the UFC Dana White Hints “Pay television is dying” Teases Major Streaming Shift

    The UFC is entering a critical period with its broadcasting rights, as widespread speculation continues about the organization’s next major distribution partner. UFC’s current contract with ESPN, which began in 2019, is approaching its conclusion, prompting industry watchers to analyze possible shifts – including a significant move to a streaming-first platform like Netflix.

    Dana White on the UFC Broadcast Future

    UFC President Dana White has acknowledged the rapidly changing media landscape and signaled that a major shift could be on the horizon. “The world’s going to change a lot in the next year with our rights deals. Depending on where we end up, I mean, but more than likely we’re going to end up with a platform that is way more global than we are now,” White said in a recent media appearance.

    The UFC’s television journey has historically followed industry trends: beginning on Spike TV, then moving to Fox, and most recently signing with ESPN. In White’s words, “Every year that we’ve done a deal, if you think about Spike TV, we started, from there, we went to Fox, from there we went to ESPN, it’s just we’ve leveled up every single time and made the sport bigger and bigger and bigger.”

    Netflix

    Rumors about Netflix emerging as a leading candidate for the UFC’s broadcast rights have gained traction, driven by the streaming giant’s expansion into live sports. Netflix’s increasing investment in live events, including recent deals with other sports leagues, has led analysts to believe that UFC could be a valuable addition to its content lineup. For UFC, a deal with Netflix would present opportunities to tap into the platform’s extensive global reach, which aligns with White’s vision for the organization’s continued international growth.

    Photo by Tim Wheaton

    Addressing the shift from traditional pay television, White commented, “Pay television is dying quickly. Satellite’s dying quickly. These streaming services … Netflix, their stock is higher than it’s ever been. They’re killing it.” He also stressed the scale of change ahead: “The world’s going to change a lot when we do our next rights deal. While we’re in this deal, the world will completely change by the time we come out the other side of that deal.”

    If a deal is struck with a major streaming service like Netflix, the impact would not be limited to distribution alone. The pay-per-view model, long a central revenue stream for the UFC, could be fundamentally altered. Negotiations, according to insiders, also include scenarios in which UFC content could appear on multiple platforms, not exclusively Netflix.

    UFC
    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 14: during the Power Slap event at UFC Apex on December 14, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Sciaffo LLC)

    The next broadcast partner is expected to play a substantial role in the UFC’s global audience growth. “There’s obviously certain platforms that could really even just grow the UFC even more, right? Which would be insane… reach more people,” White noted.

    Dana White
    Image: WikiMedia Commons
  • Is The BMF Title A Joke Or Legitimate? UFC Analyst Asks The Hard Questions About UFC 318

    Is The BMF Title A Joke Or Legitimate? UFC Analyst Asks The Hard Questions About UFC 318

    When the BMF title was first created by the UFC in 2019, there were various split opinions about the championship. Some called it genius, some called it a gimmick. But it seemed that such a belt was a one-and-done matter.

    But since then, there have been two other BMF title fights in the UFC and two more BMF champions — all within the last two years. And the title will be on the line again come this Saturday at UFC 318, when Dustin Poirier challenges BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the retirement fight for “The Diamond.”

    This has led to a lot of speculation and debate about the legitimacy of such a title (from the perspective of it being a sanctioned championship) — and if it’s worth the time and money of both the UFC and its fans.

    MMA analyst and personality Luke Thomas sat down with Submission Radio recently and shared his thoughts about the belt. In spite of some feeling that the BMF title would be retired alongside Poirier should he win, Thomas suggests that this won’t be the last we see of such a strap.

    In fact, Thomas goes as far as to say with the UFC’s event schedule, they need such a thing.

    “No, they need it. UFC needs it,” Thomas said. “They need another belt in rotation just to put at the top of this of these pay-per-views. They can’t maintain, again, I’m gonna say it again, they can’t maintain their pay-per-view schedule.

    Luke Thomas: UFC Event Schedule, Dependency On Title Fights For PPVs Is At Fault For Continued Use Of BMF Title

    The BMF title was first created for the UFC 244 clash between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal won the championship with a third-round doctor’s stoppage TKO, giving him the belt, which was strapped around him by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

    In July 2023, to the surprise of plenty, the BMF belt was brought back in a fight involving Poirier, as he and Justin Gaethje fought for the title in the main event of UFC 291. Gaethje won the bout with a devastating head-kick knockout.

    Gaethje would then face Holloway with the title on the line at UFC 300, with Holloway winning the fight with his legendary last-second knockout of Gaethje.

    The BMF title, however, was not on the line when Holloway fought and lost to Ilia Topuria in UFC 308’s featherweight title main event.

    While Thomas admitted to Submission Radio that such a situation is “wishy-washy,” it’s not going to take away from the UFC’s decision to continue to use the championship. He cited the UFC’s need in this modern era for a championship to be on the line in the main event of almost every UFC pay-per-view — compared to when the UFC could promote a pay-per-view with a non-title main event (and one not featuring Conor McGregor for that matter) in previous years.

    “You might say, ‘Hey, I don’t need a belt on the top of every card.’ But the UFC doesn’t believe that,” Thomas said. “They believe that they have to have one. They don’t have enough of them in rotation at any given time to be able to just like, ‘Oh, we don’t need the BMF belt.’

    “Like, it was once a joke and now they’re like, ‘You know what? We could actually kind of use this thing.’ It’s not the first time that it’s been featured in a headlining bout on a UFC pay-per-view. Like, they need it.”

    UFC 318 takes place this Saturday, July 19, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the third meeting between Holloway and Poirier, with Poirier winning both of the previous outings.

  • BKFC Chief Reveals Fighters Hesitant to Fight Yoel Romero: ‘A Couple Guys Already Turned It Down’

    BKFC Chief Reveals Fighters Hesitant to Fight Yoel Romero: ‘A Couple Guys Already Turned It Down’

    Apparently nobody wants a piece of Yoel Romero.

    After establishing himself as one of MMA’s premier knockout kings, ‘Soldier of God’ is ready to kickstart a new chapter in his combat sports career, signing with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

    BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor announced Romero’s signing, along with three other ex-UFC stars, including Thiago Santos, Aspen Ladd, and Derek Brunson, during a Champions Summit press event in Hollywood, Florida.

    It was an exciting bit of news from the BKFC, though it sounds like the promotion will have its work cut out for it in regards to finding an opponent for the former UFC and Bellator title challenger.

    “We have a couple of guys who already turned it down, and then we just had one guy that said he would take it,” BKFC founder Dave Feldman told MMA Junkie. “We don’t know if that fight is going to happen, but I’m very excited about it – especially because he’s going to make his debut Sept. 12 here at the Hard Rock. So in Miami, where he’s from.

    “And to see Yoel Romero with the gloves off, I mean, that’s a dangerous thing.”

    Yoel Romero Ready to Add Bare-Knuckle Boxing to His Resume

    Feldman didn’t divulge any other details regarding the who, but we now know that Romero will toe the line for the very first time in September, assuming everything goes according to plan.

    Romero is 16-7 in his mixed martial arts career with 13 of his wins coming by way of KO/TKO. Following a seven-year run in the UFC, the Cuban bruiser put his skills to work under the Bellator banner, earning wins over Alex Polizzi, Melvin Manhoef, and Thiago Santos. Since then, the ‘Soldier of God’ has competed twice for Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship, landing highlight-reel knockouts against Duane Crespo and Ras Hylton.

    His BKFC debut will be Romero’s first foray into the world of bare-knuckle boxing.

  • Former Opponent Breaks Down What a Dustin Poirier Onslaught Feels Like Trading in the Pocket

    Former Opponent Breaks Down What a Dustin Poirier Onslaught Feels Like Trading in the Pocket

    Dustin Poirier will make his final walk to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 318, in his hometown of New Orleans, challenging an old rival in Max Holloway for the BMF title in the main event.

    This will be the third time Poirier and Holloway will meet in the Octagon, with Poirier having won both of the previous encounters.

    Poirier’s impending retirement has brought about a reflection on his legendary career in the sport and other classic fights and rivalries that Poirier has been a part of. In addition to multiple fights with Holloway in the UFC, Poirier has also been involved in rivalries with the likes of Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Eddie Alvarez.

    When asked by The Schmo about what keys will lead Poirier to a third victory over Holloway — based on his own experiences in the cage with “The Diamond” — Alvarez says it’s Poirier mixing up flurries with technical striking.

    “Honestly, What Dustin’s great at is putting on sprints,” Alvarez said. “Dustin is calculated. He doesn’t get hit with big shots too, too, too often. And he’s really good at putting on sprints where he’ll pick his shots and he’ll do a 15-second sprint where it’s just a barrage, barrage, barrage.”

    Eddie Alvarez Has High Hopes, Some Concerns As Former Foe Dustin Poirier Prepares For Retirement Fight At UFC 318

    Alvarez and Poirier first did battle at UFC 211, with that fight ending in a no contest due to Alvarez landing illegal knees on a downed Poirier. Poirier would win fights with Anthony Pettis and Gaethje before the two met in a rematch that main evented UFC Calgary in July 2018, with Poirier scoring a second-round TKO.

    Poirier submitted Holloway in February 2012, Holloway’s UFC debut, before defeating him at UFC 236 for the interim UFC lightweight championship.

    When giving a prediction for the fight, Alvarez said he expects another amazing fight between the pair, though admits he has some concerns about Poirier.

    “It’s really hard to lose to someone three times in a row. Max is a champion in his own right,” Alvarez said. “I just want to see a good fight. Both times they fought, they were great fights.

    “Personally, I don’t like when a guy says ‘I’m done. I’m retiring’ and then he goes and proceeds to fight. I don’t like that. I’ve never seen it actually go well for someone — where they say they’re going to retire, they go out there and put on a performance of a lifetime, and then they go and walk off into the sunset. Rarely do you see that.”

    Poirier enters this fight off a loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in a lightweight title clash. Holloway, meanwhile, enters this fight off an unsuccessful challenge of then-featherweight champ Ilia Topuria at UFC 308. Holloway became BMF champion by koncking out Gaethje at UFC 300.

  • Marvin Vettori Doesn’t Like Brendan Allen and Explains Precisely Why: “His Face”

    Marvin Vettori doesn’t like Brendan Allen.

    Last year, a run-in at a casino in Florida resulted in a full-fledge brawl between Vettori and Allen. Now, the two middleweight contenders will square off this Saturday night when the Ultimate Fighting Championship heads to New Orleans for a loaded UFC 318 card inside the Smoothie King Center.

    In the time since their viral encounter, Vettori has had plenty of negative things to say about Allen, but his hatred for the American boils down to Vettori simply not liking the cut of Allen’s jib.

    “It’s a long story. But I’m gonna tell you this, just by the look of his face, I don’t like him,” Vettori told TMZ Sports. “Doesn’t take much. F—k man, this guy, he’s just unlikable. But I mean there is reason but I don’t want to say it here… The way he carries himself, he’s just a whiny little guy.”

    Marvin Vettori Promises a Big Finish in ‘The Big Easy’

    With that said, ‘The Italian Dream’ is determined to deliver a highlight-reel finish in NOLA and climb his way back into the win column for the first time since 2023.

    “It’s not gonna go the distance, I’m just gonna tell you that,” he added. “I’m gonna go all out, it’s gonna be like now or never, it’s gonna be kill or die… I’m looking to run through him, completely f—ing dismantle this guy.”

    Vettori goes into the bout riding back-to-back losses, coming up short against Jared Cannonier and Roman Dolidze. Similarly, Allen has also lost his last in his two outings, falling to Nassourdine Imavov and Anthony Hernandez.

    With Vettori and Allen holding things down as the 10th and 11th-ranked fighters in the division, respectively, a win is unlikely to gain either one much momentum at middleweight. However, it will give the winner and opportunity to once again fight their way up the rankings rather than simply trying to maintain their position.