MMA News

Category: UFC

Latest UFC news articles, interviews and more covering the world’s top Mixed Martial Arts promotion.

  • Leon Edwards Names Belal Muhammad The ‘Worst Fighter Of All Time’, Targets Rematch In ‘Normal Time’

    Leon Edwards Names Belal Muhammad The ‘Worst Fighter Of All Time’, Targets Rematch In ‘Normal Time’

    Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards’ disdain for Belal Muhammad hasn’t appeared to dissipate in the months on from their title showdown in Manchester.

    Edwards and Muhammad ran their rivalry back last July in England, sharing the Octagon again three years on from a UFC Fight Night headliner at the Apex that ended in a disappointing no contest.

    With animosity from that clash continuing to build, there was certainly no love lost between the pair when “Remember the Name” challenged for “Rocky’s” 170-pound gold at UFC 304 inside the Co-op Live.

    Courtesy of a dominant performance across five rounds, Muhammad ultimately had the last laugh — at least for now.

    The Jamaica-born Brit has repeatedly expressed his desire to exact revenge on Muhammad, and he expects to earn the chance to do so by defeating Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC Fight Night London main event next month.

    Despite how their second bout unfolded, Edwards still doesn’t have much respect for the champ’s skillset, believing he’ll make a quick return to the throne.

    During an appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Edwards was asked the old-age question of who he perceives to be the greatest fighter. This time, however, the topic also strayed to the worst, providing “Rocky” with the chance to take a jab at his arch-nemisis.

    “For me, I would say Jon Jones,” Edwards said when discussing the best fighter of all time. “My second best is Anderson Silva.

    “(Worst?) Belal… I’d love to run it back,” Edwards continued. “Normal time. I’d love to run it back again (in 2025).”

    Edwards has continued to put his decision loss in July 2024 down to the unusual fight timings, which saw him defending his title on home soil at gone 5 a.m. local time.

    “Rocky” will look to prove that as the key factor in last year’s result by working his way back to the top and levelling the score with Muhammad in their ongoing feud.

    For the time being, Edwards will need to have full focus on the dangerous Della Maddalena. Muhammad, meanwhile, is expected to figure in a rearranged showdown with Shavkat Rakhmonov for his delayed first title defense.

  • Dana White Explains Why The UFC Didn’t Fire Bryce Mitchell Over Pro-Hitler Comments

    Dana White Explains Why The UFC Didn’t Fire Bryce Mitchell Over Pro-Hitler Comments

    Dana White has reiterated his stance on free speech following Bryce Mitchell’s controversial podcast comments, in which the UFC featherweight praised Adolf Hitler and denied the Holocaust.

    While the UFC CEO strongly condemned Mitchell’s statements as “beyond disgusting,” he defended the fighter’s right to express them, sharing his belief in protecting free speech — even when he strongly disagrees with what Mitchell said.

    Speaking to Piers Morgan, White made it clear that while he finds Mitchell’s views abhorrent, he stands by the principle of free speech.

    “What I said was, what he said was disgusting,” White stated. “You have to be an absolute moron to think that Adolf Hitler was a good guy. You look at World War II and how many people were killed, how many civilians were killed because of Adolf Hitler. The fact that he tried to annihilate an entire group of people is disgusting for anybody to speak remotely good about Hitler. But I do believe in free speech, and even though I don’t like what he said, and even though what he said makes me sick, free speech is real. It lives and exists, and we have to protect free speech.”

    White emphasized that free speech is a core principle within the UFC, which manages a roster of hundreds of fighters. According to him, free speech cannot be applied selectively.

    “I think probably the most important free speech to protect is hate speech,” White said. “Because when a government or a certain person can come out and determine, ‘This is hate speech,’ it’s a very slippery slope, and it’s dangerous, in my opinion. Listen, I’m American. I was born and grew up in America. I believe in the American dream, I believe in free speech, I believe in all these things. You can’t just say it and not live it.”

    White’s stance on free speech has come under fire due to past instances of media members being denied credentials to cover events due to their coverage of the promotion.

    The UFC CEO made it clear that UFC fighters are not subject to termination, fines, or other forms of punishment based solely on their speech — no matter how offensive it may be.

    “You’ve got guys that pop up like Bryce Mitchell that say ignorant, stupid things, and I will exercise my right to free speech and say I don’t agree with what he said,” White said. “But he can say what he wants to say. We don’t have to agree with it or believe in what he says, but he has the right to say it. It’s the disgusting, despicable things like what he said that truly define what free speech is.”

  • UFC Vet Sends Israel Adesanya Advice After Latest Loss: ‘Got To Go Back To Getting Up At 5 AM On Your Silk Sheets’

    UFC Vet Sends Israel Adesanya Advice After Latest Loss: ‘Got To Go Back To Getting Up At 5 AM On Your Silk Sheets’

    Former fighter Matt Brown has weighed in on Israel Adesanya’s recent loss at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia.

    The defeat marked Adesanya’s third consecutive defeat and has sparked widespread speculation about his future. According to Brown, having lost four of his last five fights, Adesanya may need to reconsider his championship aspirations in the UFC.

    “He’s got to be thirsty again,” Brown explained on the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer. “He’s got to go back to getting up at 5 a.m. on your silk sheets and not going out on Saturday night. You’ve got to go back to those things you did as a youth.

    “That’s a hard thing to do. It’s not easy. He’s comfortable. He’s had an amazing career. That’s hard to forget all that and go back to training, going back to those day-one things. Should he retire? I think that’s the big question. That’s going to be up to himself, but I would have to agree that he’s probably not getting back to title fights any time soon. Probably never again.”

    Adesanya must make adjustments if he hopes to contend for a championship again. However, the middleweight division, unlike some others in the UFC, lacks an abundance of established stars.

    This raises questions about Adesanya’s long-term goals, as Brown suggests.

    “He’ll have to decide for himself if he wants to retire because he’s held the title for so long. It’s like, do you want to keep fighting middle-of-the-road fights or whatever?” Brown said. “I was trying to think of some fun fights that would just be fun for him. Nothing really came up in my head. I’m sure there are always options out there that would be fun. The other option, if the UFC would let him do it — I know we would all love to see him in some influencer boxing stuff. I’d love to see him fight Jake Paul or something.

    “But what’s he going to do in the UFC? What are you going to do? How excited are you going to get to just fight [random] guys? If you’re not working towards a goal, working towards the title, you’re just putting yourself at risk all the time. Now if he needs the money, that’s a different thing. I’m hoping he doesn’t.”

    As Adesanya approaches his 36th birthday, he may need to reinvent his fighting style. Brown points out that Adesanya’s current approach relies heavily on quick reactions, precise striking, and impeccable timing — attributes that will naturally decline with age.

  • Chael Sonnen Thinks Khamzat Chimaev Is Backup Fighter For UFC 312 Headliner

    Chael Sonnen Thinks Khamzat Chimaev Is Backup Fighter For UFC 312 Headliner

    Chael Sonnen believes that Khamzat Chimaev will serve as the backup fighter for the UFC 312 main event on Saturday night, where Dricus Du Plessis is set to defend his middleweight title against Sean Strickland.

    Sonnen’s reasoning stems from the UFC 311 event, which lost its main event at the last minute. Given that UFC 312 only features one middleweight bout, the former title contender suspects the promotion wouldn’t risk another title fight cancellation.

    “I think Chimaev’s the backup fighter,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “I don’t believe that Chimaev is just the No. 1 contender. I don’t believe that the proximity of this fight is something that you would not book Chimaev, who allegedly has Western travel issues.”

    Chimaev, who recently secured citizenship in the United Arab Emirates, is coming off a dominant first-round submission victory over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 last October. This further solidifies Sonnen’s belief that Chimaev will be involved in some capacity at UFC 312.

    “I don’t think you would do that without bringing him. I’m confident that Chimaev will be there, I’m confident he will be in attendance, so why, if you’re flying him out, would you not put him on the scale the day before? I’m asking. I don’t know that answer.”

  • Sean Strickland: Dricus Du Plessis ‘Took The Coward’s Way Out’ By Submitting Israel Adesanya

    Sean Strickland: Dricus Du Plessis ‘Took The Coward’s Way Out’ By Submitting Israel Adesanya

    Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland evidently wasn’t too impressed by how rival Dricus Du Plessis had his hand raised at the expense of Israel Adesanya last year.

    Strickland and Du Plessis are renewing hostilities this week in Sydney, Australia, where they’ll run it back 13 months on from the South African’s title-winning victory over “Tarzan” in Canada.

    Since then, Du Plessis has successfully defended the gold on one occasion, submitting Adesanya with a face crank in round four of the UFC 305 main event in Perth last August. Strickland, meanwhile, earned his shot at redemption with a five-round performance against Paulo Costa that was widely branded lackluster.

    With that in mind, “Stillknocks” has been touting his evolution as a fighter across the past 12 months, claiming to have grown more as an athlete than Strickland since they last collided.

    During a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, the polaziring American responded to those remarks. Suffice to say, he does not agree…

    “I don’t know about that,” Strickland said. “Dude, you fought Izzy, and Izzy was beating you in striking. I dog walked Izzy. Don’t get too excited, Izzy. I mean that in a striking sense. Maybe you (Du Plessis) might wrestle a little bit more.

    “It was good dude…he took the guy down again. He took the coward’s way out, real bad,” Strickland continued. “He’s supposed to be a strong South African, but wants to wrestle him. Real bad, dude. At the end of the day, he fought well, but you’re gonna let the Chinaman beat you in striking, which we all remember. … I don’t like to wrestle. I’m a grown ass man. I do the right things. I stand and strike.”

    Those comments are not surprising given the lead-up to Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view, which has seen the challenger lay down a striking-only challenge to Du Plessis.

    Given how quick the South African was to shut that down, Strickland’s takedown defense could be tested come fight night at Qudos Bank Arena.

  • UFC ‘Trying To Send A Message’ By Releasing Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Suggests Former Title Challenger

    UFC ‘Trying To Send A Message’ By Releasing Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Suggests Former Title Challenger

    One ranked UFC contender thinks they know the reasoning behind the decision to cut heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik from his contract.

    Rozenstruik arrived in Saudi Arabia last week off the back of consecutive victories inside the Octagon and with an opportunity to climb into title contention with a victory over a top five contender in Sergei Pavlovich.

    Instead, “Bigi Boy” exited the anb Arena with a loss added to his record and his UFC tenure over.

    After a decision defeat in a lackluster three-round contest with the Russian former interim title challenger, Rozenstruik was quickly released by the UFC. That decision came shortly after Dana White had described the fight as “horrible” during his post-fight press conference.

    While the Surinamese heavyweight has long faced criticism for a safe and gun-shy style, the decision to cut him still turned plenty of surprised heads in the community.

    Recent lightweight title challenger Renato Moicano appeared on X to give his two cents, suggesting that the promotion may be using Rozenstruik as an opportunity to send a message to the entire heavyweight roster.

    “That’s crazy they cut Jairzinho! 2 losses on the last 5 fights! I think UFC is trying to send a message to heavyweights!”

    That would no doubt be music to the ears of interim champ Tom Aspinall, who bemoaned the current state of heavyweight fights in a social media post this past weekend.

    He’ll look to bring his usual entertaining style back to the cage in 2025, be it in a long-awaited unification showdown with Jon Jones or a title defense against a top contender.

  • UFC Legend Weighs In On Israel Adesanya’s Future After Third Straight Loss

    UFC Legend Weighs In On Israel Adesanya’s Future After Third Straight Loss

    Israel Adesanya isn’t finished with his UFC career just yet — at least, that’s the belief of a UFC Hall of Famer.

    Once revered as one of the most dominant UFC middleweight champions, “The Last Stylebender” now finds himself in a turbulent chapter of his career, enduring one of the roughest stretches of his professional run with three consecutive setbacks.

    Most recently, Adesanya fell victim to a second-round knockout at the hands of rising contender Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia, which took place last Saturday at the anb Arena in Riyadh.

    Several fans and analysts are now speculating that the 35-year-old Nigerian-born Kiwi has surpassed his peak and should consider hanging up the gloves. However, former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier isn’t ready to write him off just yet, believing Adesanya still has more fights left in him.

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, “DC” offered a candid assessment of Adesanya’s future in the Octagon while breaking down the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner.

    “I believe that Adesanya is done fighting for titles, but what I do not believe is that Adesanya is done as a fighter,” Cormier said. “What I saw in round one was enough for me to believe that he could still compete. What I do believe, though, is that Israel Adesanya has earned the right to fight lesser competition right now but also less rounds.”

    Cormier went on to emphasize that “The Last Stylebender” remains one of the UFC’s top draws, possessing the skills to mount a comeback. He believes Adesanya should be given more chances to compete in three-round matchups.

    “He could fight on co-main events and would still add value to a pay-per-view. It doesn’t always have to be in those five-round main events. But when you saw what he did last weekend, Saudi Arabia, sold out, big gate, now you know why Adesanya is still being put in those positions. But in that first round I saw enough to say he can still compete. He looked fast, he looked sharp, but it’s not the speed that’s gone from Adesanya. It’s the ability to see things coming, that quickness, the vision, and when you get hit as you get older, you go down.”

    Adesanya has competed in 12 title fights, securing an 8-4 record across his total of 18 UFC appearances. “The Last Stylebender” first relinquished his middleweight title to Alex Pereira at UFC 281, only to reclaim it in a dramatic rematch at UFC 287. However, his reign was short-lived, as he lost the belt once more to Sean Strickland at UFC 293.

  • Michael Bisping Advises Michael Page To Stay At Middleweight After UFC Saudi Arabia Win

    Michael Bisping Advises Michael Page To Stay At Middleweight After UFC Saudi Arabia Win

    Following Michael Page’s victory over Shara Magomedov at UFC Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, Michael Bisping has suggested that Page might be better suited for the middleweight division.

    Despite the Brit’s stated intention to return to welterweight, Bisping believes the 185-pound weight class offers more favorable matchups for “MVP.”

    The former UFC middleweight champion shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel, highlighting the abundance of wrestlers in the welterweight division as a potential challenge for Page.

    “Of course, you’ve got Belal Muhammad, you’ve got Shavkat Rakhmonov that you’d think would definitely wrestle ‘MVP’ if he was to fight him. There’s Kamaru Usman and many, many others.”

    Bisping also analyzed Page’s performance against Magomedov, acknowledging his dominance in the fight.

    “I’ve got a lot of respect for (Magomedov), but I’ve got to call it like I see it. ‘MVP’ was by far the better man tonight,” Bisping said. “He was the better striker, he was in control, he was dominant, and he was owning the octagon. More importantly, he was frustrating Shara ‘Bullet.’ Shara is a really good striker. He’s very aggressive, and he’s got really fast kicks, but he’s kind of conventional.

    “That is why ‘MVP’ probably called him out because he’s seen that style a thousand times. ‘MVP,’ with the traditional sport karate background, with the hands low, with the precision striking, with the one-shot kind of power — ‘MVP’ has seen that style many, many times. But Shara ‘Bullet’ hasn’t seen that style. And not many people who have that style can deliver it and execute it with the precision that Michael ‘Venom’ Page can.”

    Page has primarily competed at welterweight throughout his career. While his overall record is impressive, his record at 170 pounds in the UFC stands at 1-1.

    He secured a decision victory over Kevin Holland on debut at UFC 299 but later lost to Ian Garry by decision at UFC 303.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Breaks Down Drastic 45-Pound Weight Cut Ahead Of Sean Strickland Rematch

    Dricus Du Plessis Breaks Down Drastic 45-Pound Weight Cut Ahead Of Sean Strickland Rematch

    Dricus Du Plessis has revealed that he walks around 230 lbs when not in training camp, which is shocking, considering that he fights in the UFC middleweight division that has an upper limit of 185 lbs.

    It is normal for combat sports athletes to experiment a little and choose a weight division in which they feel agile, durable, and powerful. You might not notice it as a fan, but weight cutting, over the years, has become a very complex and integral part of the sport.

    From Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov to Yoel Romero and Deiveson Figueiredo, some of the biggest names out there have faced significant weight-cut complications throughout their career. Most of the times, fights are canceled due to weight misses and fines are imposed on the fighter who weighs in over the limit.

    The South African understands the importance of weight cutting well and has a proper team to help him fight in middleweight without health and fitness-related worries. In a recent interview with Mark Bouris ahead of UFC 312 in Australia, “Stillknocks” revealed his walk-in weight:

    “Around 102 -105 kgs. That’s me, like, I would say three weeks after a fight, four weeks after a fight. Then you’re training, eating whatever you didn’t eat in the last 12 weeks. You’re eating whatever you want, drinking a lot of beer and enjoying life a little for that period because you have to do that. You have to unwind and also, I love this sport more than anything. So, you also have that break.”

    Since Du Plessis fights at 185lbs (approximately 83.9 kg), he cuts 15 to 20 kgs in the fight camp to make it to the weigh-in. However, it is important to note that fighters get a couple of days to rehydrate before the actual fight which is why they look different on fight day compared to weigh-in day.

    Du Plessis also recalled the days when he used to compete at 170lbs:

    “When I was 25 , 26 you know my body just became heavier and bigger, so to make that weight, my body fat was like 3%. and I made the weight, but every shot I would take feels like somebody’s hitting me with a baseball bat and that’s It. I said no I’m not doing this anymore because I’m going to lose unnecessary fights and it took the joy out of sport because my diet had to, I had one week off in terms of just diet and then I’d start dieting for the next fight because I would go up from 77 getting in the cage at around 92. A week later, I’m a 100 kilos again so then the whole process start all over and that’s not healthy.”


    Along with the weight cut, Du Plessis highlighted why proper rehydration is a big deal for fighters who’re expected to take a lot of damage in every outing:

    “We need to get punched in the face, you need to be able to perform for the timing, it’s I mean you have to be able to perform at the highest level on earth, you know cardio wise, muscle endurance all of that I mean whole body is consist of water so if your brain, I mean the shots you take so you have to all that in consideration when you’re cutting this weight and do it in such a manner where it doesn’t negatively affect your fights.”

    Based on the numbers stated above, it is safe to say that Du Plessis is a huge middleweight like Alex Pereira, who currently holds light heavyweight gold in the UFC.

    After taking on a couple more contenders at middleweight like Khamzat Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov, the middleweight kingpin can definitely consider moving up a weight class as his physique is suited to compete in two weight divisions.

  • Darren Till Defends Israel Adesanya Amid UFC Losing Skid: ‘He Should Be Worshipped!’

    Darren Till Defends Israel Adesanya Amid UFC Losing Skid: ‘He Should Be Worshipped!’

    Darren Till has come to Israel Adesanya’s defense following the former two-time champ’s latest loss.

    The defeat in the main event of UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia marked Adesanya’s third consecutive setback and has led to some criticism from corners of the fanbase. Having lost four of his last five fights, Adesanya faces increased scrutiny. Till, who also endured a losing streak before exiting the UFC, has dismissed any negative talk about “The Last Stylebender” as unwarranted.

    In a passionate social media post, Till responded to claims that Adesanya’s supposed “downfall” should be analyzed, expressing frustration with his lack of appreciation for Adesanya’s accomplishments.

    “I have just read a comment on an MMA page saying the downfall of Israel Adesanya needs to be studied!!!!!!!!! Can everyone on here who is not an absolute moron understand that statement!!!!!! I am trying so hard to understand it but can’t… I’m so confused… What downfall????”

    Till acknowledged that his career didn’t meet expectations but strongly disagreed with applying the same narrative to Adesanya.

    “I’ve seen people comment about downfalls, studies, etc.… all that sh*t like ‘the downfall of Darren Till needs to be studied.’ I get that. I should have excelled more in the UFC than I did, but some certain factors didn’t let me… But now, I swear I cannot even fathom that I have just seen a comment saying Israel Adesanya’s downfall needs to be studied. Me and Izzy aren’t friends, I wouldn’t even say I’m his biggest fan outside of the octagon, but that’s got f*ck all to do with what that man has achieved in this sport. He was a f*cking wrecking machine at middleweight. No one could beat him. At one stage, he looked unbeatable in his title reign. He made Paulo Costa look like a baby—who, by the way, had a war with Yoel Romero. He absolutely bodied Robert Whittaker. IZZY was an absolute wrecking machine in his day. He is without a doubt one of the middleweight GOATs, and it’s not even up for debate. In fact, he could lose his next five fights, and it wouldn’t change a f*cking thing about his GOAT status.”

    Till also criticized modern MMA fans, arguing that they let personal biases affect their opinions of fighters.

    “But these MMA fans today are so f*cking dumb. IQ of about 10. I just look and think, oh my f*cking god. Hope is lost. A man like IZZY should be worshipped among MMA fans and the UFC. He’s literally one of the all-time greats. You don’t have to like him. No one gives a f*ck, in fact. But we pay to watch fighting, and if it’s fighting we are talking about—MMA as per se—Izzy was one of the best.”

    Till also pointed to Colby Covington as another example of a fighter whose skills are often overlooked due to his polarizing personality.

    “Problems nowadays are all these dumb c*nts on here let their emotions take over the facts. So if someone doesn’t like a fighter’s personality, they say they’re sh*t. Prime example: Colby Covington. You all hate him, so you all say he’s sh*t. He’s this, he’s that. Colby Covington is a top-tier f*cking division wrestler. The motherfcker runs up mountains. He lives and breathes the sport. He’s an absolute savage. Cardio for days like I’ve never seen. But because he acts like a complete fool, everyone likes to say he’s sh*t, acting on their own personal emotions towards him. Use are all f*cking dumb. Dumb as fck. Over and out!”

    As for Adesanya, he has remained quiet about his fighting future following the loss.

  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik Released By UFC Following Gun-Shy Performance In Saudi Arabia

    Jairzinho Rozenstruik Released By UFC Following Gun-Shy Performance In Saudi Arabia

    Heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik’s display in the Middle East this past weekend was enough to signal the end of his UFC journey.

    Rozenstruik featured on the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, sharing the Octagon with a fellow power-puncher in Sergei Pavlovich. While that left many predicting a knockout one way or the other, fans inside Riyadh’s anb Arena instead witnessed three rounds of lackluster action.

    The Russian ultimately had his hand raised after getting the nod on all three scorecards, but neither man has been exempt from criticism in the aftermath.

    For “Bigi Boy,” the bout marked his latest gun-shy performance. The Surinamese behemoth has produced plenty of highlights inside the Octagon, knocking out the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Alistair Overeem, and Chris Daukaus. But he’s also frequently been criticized for a perceived safe approach in other outings.

    And the UFC evidently shares the frustration of the fanbase.

    Just days on from the Feb. 1 event in Saudi Arabia, Rozenstruik has been released from his contract. After the @UFCRosterWatch account on X first flagged his removal from the roster, MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin confirmed the release.

    Rozenstruik departs having gone 9-6 under the UFC banner. The 36-year-old featured in six main events and collected three Performance of the Night bonuses.

    It remains to be seen what will come next for “Bigi Boy,” but fans are already speculating about a potential move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in the coming weeks and months.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Explains Why Alex Pereira Is ‘The Most Achieved Combat Sports Athlete The World’s Ever Seen’

    Dricus Du Plessis Explains Why Alex Pereira Is ‘The Most Achieved Combat Sports Athlete The World’s Ever Seen’

    The reigning UFC middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, has been following Alex Pereira’s career closely for years and thinks he is easily one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes in the world. 

    The South African is set to defend his title for the second time at UFC 312 against a familiar opponent he faced last year, Sean Strickland. The bad blood between the two fighters is yet to be settled, and they’re promising another back-and-forth war to fans worldwide.  

    At UFC 297, “Stillknocks” had clinched the UFC middleweight title via a split decision. However, his first title defense against two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was definitely more promising as he became the first athelete to submit “The Last Stylebender”.

    On the other hand, Strickland is coming off a much less exciting but dominant win over Paulo Costa. 

    Interestingly, in the first fight, the American had Pereira in his corner and the UFC light heavyweight champion will be in his corner at UFC 312 as well. Du Plessis considers the Brazilian a potential opponent and in a recent interview with Mark Bouris, he sent a chilling message to “Poatan”.

    “How’s it going to feel to be in Sean Strickland’s corner losing again…One day when we fight, he’ll be zero and 2.”

    Despite the cold trash talk, Du Plessis also praised his fellow UFC champ by saying: 

    “I think he is one of the greatest combat athletes to ever live. He is a phenomenal athlete. to go in a short period of time from a different sport and not just a different sport, kickboxing, which is not a great base for MMA. It helps, but if that’s the only thing you know, not a great base if you want to go up against these wrestling guys. He came in and just went through everyone after being one of the greatest K1 kickboxers to ever live. I mean in multiple titles at the highest level comes in a short period of time and just becomes a two, like middle weight champion, goes to light heavyweight, becomes champion and being one of the biggest names, always, like always ready to fight.”

    After acknolweding Pereira’s impressive and quick rise in MMA after a massively successful kickboxing career, he explained why the UFC light heavyweight kingpin is a special combat sports athelete:

     “I have the world’s respect for him as a fighter, I think and you know, as a person even I think. We are rivals, but, you know, I have the utmost respect for what he’s achieved in the sport and he’s truly one of the goats to ever. Not [just] MMA or in the UFC , in combat sports. I think, probably, the most acheived combat sports athlete the world’s ever seen.”

    As of now, Du Plessis is locked in for what could be another slugfest with Strickland on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Although the middlweight division is stacked with contenders like Khamzat Chimaev, Nassourdine Imavov, and Caio Borralho, the champion might show interest in moving up for a superfight against Pereira.

  • VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Fails To Replicate Alex Pereira’s Iconic UFC 300 Feat

    VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Fails To Replicate Alex Pereira’s Iconic UFC 300 Feat

    After being one of the most dominant UFC champions ever, Israel Adesanya has now lost four of his last five fights in the promotion. While the losses to Alex Pereira, Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland came in title fights, Nassourdine Imavov became the first fighter to beat “The Last Stylebender” in a non-title fight.

    Unsurprisingly, Adesanya dominated the first round with a tactical approach. Using his reach advantage and feints, the former UFC middleweight champion landed a few heavy kicks on the body and limbs, keeping his opponent unsettled.

    Izzy, who usually starts slow and relies on counter-striking, could be seen putting the pressure on Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia. “The Sniper” only landed a solid uppercut in the first round and failed to secure any takedowns.

    Things took a sudden turn in the second round, though. Adesanya started with a high pace yet again but suffered an eye poke 20 seconds into the round. Marc Goddard stepped in to check if the former champ wanted time to recover but was asked to let the fight continue.

    To everyone’s surprise, Imavov knocked down Adesanya in the very next exchange after the eye poke and got the TKO win. After the fight, fans could not help but draw parallels to Pereira’s UFC 300 main event against Jamahal Hill. The challenger hit “Poatan” in the groin which led to Herb Dean stepping in like Marc Goddard to check on the affected fighter.

    Just like Izzy, Pereira shrugged away the referee and in the very next exchange, knocked out Hill with a left hook to defend his UFC light heavyweight championship. Considering “Poatan” and “The Last Stylebender” are long-time rivals, it was interesting for many fans how both of them stopped the referee from intervening but got completely opposite results right away.

    The tweets embedded below show just two of the many fans who believe that Izzy failed to recreate Pereira’s iconic UFC 300 KO win:

    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1886048511734780333

    As usual, Adesanya has no excuses for his KO loss to Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia. And of course, he wasn’t trying to copy his former rival by not allowing Goddard to stop the action during his fight. However, considering his long history with Pereira, it’s nonetheless amusing how their stories were intertwined yet again.

  • 11-Fight UFC Veteran Gets Honest While Announcing His Release: ‘I Don’t Deserve To Be There’

    The always entertaining Matthew Semelsberger will no longer be plying his trade under the UFC banner.

    Semelsberger debuted for the mixed martial arts leader in 2020 after a knockout under the Art of War Cage Fighting banner moved him to 6-2 as a professional.

    “Semi the Jedi” went on to compete 11 times inside the Octagon, going 5-6. The 32-year-old delivered plenty of highlights, including thunderous knockouts of Jason Witt and Martin Sano Jr. that both came in under 20 seconds.

    He’s struggled in recent years, though, having not had his hand raised since 2022. And four defeats on the bounce was all she wrote for Semelsberger’s time in the UFC, as he revealed in an Instagram post on Sunday.

    Giving an honest assessment of his most recent years in the Octagon, “Semi the Jedi” admitted that he no longer deserves a place on the UFC roster.

    “Officially released from the UFC. Par for the course, I don’t deserve to be there with the best of the best and ive shown that these last few fights in particular,” Semelsberger wrote. “Everyone hits plateaus & filters in life and in their careers. It’s happened many times in my life and I’ve tasted the pain of both discipline and regret in succeeding or failing to climb levels. The whole you either die a hero or live to become the enemy rings true to me because life is a serious of metaphorical deaths and rebirths.

    “You can’t stay the same, you gotta grow and let go of your old self to evolve a stronger heart and spirit. Letting go has been difficult for me the last few years but ya know I’ve found that eventually, often late, God gets the truth through to me and I respond accordingly. Everything that’s happening is setting me up for greatness, I got faith on that. It is up to me to answer the call to adventure though. So I’ll BRB, gonna go die and be reborn from the ashes right quick.. Really think you’ll like the new guy 😉”

    It remains to be seen what will come next in MMA for Semelsberger, whose last outing saw him knocked out by Charles Radtke at UFC Vegas 100.

    But at the age of just 32, it would stand to reason that the Maryland native still has plenty of entertainment to give fans inside the cage.

  • Israel Adesanya’s Coach Breaks Down KO Loss To Nassourdine Imavov

    Israel Adesanya’s Coach Breaks Down KO Loss To Nassourdine Imavov

    Israel Adesanya’s striking coach has pinpointed the crucial mistake that cost him his fight against Nassourdine Imavov.

    “The Last Stylebender” found himself overwhelmed by Imavov’s relentless assault, ultimately succumbing to a knockout loss in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia last Saturday at anb Arena in Riyadh.

    The momentum shifted early in the second round when Adesanya protested an eye poke but chose not to take a timeout. Before he could properly reset, Imavov capitalized, landing a devastating right hand. Seconds later, a barrage of ground-and-pound forced the referee to step in and stop the fight.

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Adesanya’s striking coach, Mike Angove, praised Imavov for executing a thoughtful game plan and capitalizing on the moment to claim the victory.

    He also highlighted that the former UFC middleweight champion’s decision to forgo the timeout after the eye poke prevented him from resetting, which eventually led to the knockout.

    “The name of the game, particularly in small gloves: You can’t make mistakes,” Angove said. “We made a mistake. Nassourdine, I would say, with his team, recognized when we made that mistake and they jumped on it – which means they have to have planned. So you’ve got to congratulate them for that. Izzy got poked in the eye. There was a break. Izzy didn’t want to take the break – was just keen on getting on with it. But in doing that, he didn’t reset as you normally would and create some space.

    “That means you’re still in the firing zone, and then you want him to keep the pressure on. It’s just one of those things. It just happens. He felt he was doing well in the fight and wanted to keep that pressure on, and Nassourdine caught him switching – beautiful right hand that resonated around the stadium and he couldn’t recover from that. It was right on the button, and then he followed up with a left hook against the cage and the referee came and stopped it.”

    Adesanya’s reign as the 185-pound champion came to an end when he lost to Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in September 2023. He then suffered another setback in his attempt to regain the title, falling short against the reigning champion, Dricus Du Plessis, at UFC 305 this past August

  • VIDEO: UFC’s Conor McGregor Spits In Face Of Fan Who Remarked ‘Let’s Go Khabib’

    VIDEO: UFC’s Conor McGregor Spits In Face Of Fan Who Remarked ‘Let’s Go Khabib’

    It seems that not a day goes past without a new controversy surrounding former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor.

    Following years of questionable antics and run-ins with the law, the Irishman was back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons last year after he was found liable for assault in a civil court case stemming from a rape accusation.

    More recently, McGregor’s latest tirade against longtime rival and ex-opponent Khabib Nurmagomedov drew backlash due to his use of racial slurs. The social media post marked one of many verbal attacks on the Dagestani, who submitted him to retain the lightweight title at UFC 229 in 2018.

    While it’s long been clear that McGregor isn’t over his feud with Khabib and his team, if anyone doubted that, footage showing what happens at the mere mention of “The Eagle’s” name in his presence should prove as much.

    A video emerged this week showing an individual shouting, “Let’s go Khabib,” at McGregor, who was attending some sort of function. The Dubliner can be seen turning around and approaching the man, before shockingly spitting in his face.

    “I spit in your face, what’d you do? Nothing,” the UFC star says to the individual in the clip, which was originally posted to TikTok by @jgomez9.

    Neither McGregor nor his representatives have commented on the footage as of writing.

  • UFC 312 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2, Zhang vs. Suarez, & More

    UFC 312 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2, Zhang vs. Suarez, & More

    UFC 312 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming pay-per-view takes place Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis, who is tasked with getting the better of a familiar foe in Sean Strickland if he’s to record a second successful title defense.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see another champ in action as Zhang Weili returns to defend her strawweight gold for the third time since reclaiming the belt in 2022. To ensure her reign continues, “Magnum” must stall the title ambitions of undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez.

    Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of heavyweight Justin Tafa, featherweight Jack Jenkins, and bantamweight Aleksandre Topuria, brother of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria.

    UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 312 (as of 2/3), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Dricus Du Plessis (-198) vs. Sean Strickland (+164)
    • Zhang Weili (+102) vs. Tatiana Suarez (-122)
    • Justin Tafa (+120) vs. Tallison Teixeira (-142)
    • Jimmy Crute (+136) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (-162)
    • Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado

    Preliminary Card:

    • Jack Jenkins (+185) vs. Gabriel Santos (-225)
    • Tom Nolan (+120) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (-142)
    • Wang Cong (-485) vs. Bruna Brasil (+370)
    • Colby Thicknesse (+330) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (-425)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Rongzhu (+200) vs. Kody Steele (-245)
    • Kevin Jousset (-245) vs. Jonathan Micallef (+200)
    • Quillan Salkilld (-550) vs. Anshul Jubli (+410)
    • HyunSung Park (-218) vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (+180)
  • UFC Middleweight Shuts Down Future Bout With Shara Magomedov After MVP Loss: ‘Don’t Want To Fight A Bad Fighter!’

    UFC Middleweight Shuts Down Future Bout With Shara Magomedov After MVP Loss: ‘Don’t Want To Fight A Bad Fighter!’

    Shara Magomedov’s stock has seemingly taken a considerable hit courtesy of his first professional defeat in mixed martial arts this past weekend.

    After a perfect 4-0 start to life on MMA’s biggest stage and a spinning backfist knockout last October that was among the best finishes of 2024, Magomedov hoped to continue that momentum into his first assignment of 2025.

    “Bullet” co-headlined this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia against welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page. The Dagestani was unable to find success on the feet against the unique game of “MVP,” ultimately falling to a convincing decision defeat.

    In the aftermath, Magomedov put the result down to a “nightmarish health condition” that he claimed put the bout at risk during the lead-up to the event in Riyadh on Feb. 1. But that hasn’t prevented a sizable hit to his reputation. And that includes among fellow fighters.

    After the Full Violence account on Instagram pitched Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira as a potential next fight for “Bullet,” the Brazilian quickly appeared in the comments to shut that down.

    Michel Pereira

    “(thumbs down) I don’t want to fight a bad fighter!”

    Pereira himself is also booked for his first outing of the new year. Following a crushing defeat to Anthony Hernandez last October, “Demolidor” is set to return against Abus Magomedov at the UFC Fight Night in Kansas City on April 26.

  • Dricus Du Plessis On Why He’s UFC Champion: I Am ‘Willing To Kill A Man In Front Of His Family’

    Dricus Du Plessis On Why He’s UFC Champion: I Am ‘Willing To Kill A Man In Front Of His Family’

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis recently shared a brutally intense perspective on fighting, taking the idea of giving it all for victory to another level.

    In an interview with Mark Bouris, Du Plessis revealed his ruthless in-cage mentality:

    “When I go in there, if the ref doesn’t stop it, I’m not stopping. I can be sitting on you for 10 minutes bashing your face, and if the ref doesn’t say stop, I’m not stopping.”

    He then posed a chilling question.

    “Am I still willing to die? Absolutely. That’s easy. It is, are you willing to kill a man in front of his family? Yes, I am, and that’s why I’m the world champion, because I say yes to that question every single time.”

    Despite his stark words, the South African emphasized the distinction between his fighting persona, Dricus “Stillknocks” Du Plessis, and his everyday self.

    Up next, the champ faces Sean Strickland in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 312 on February 8. Their previous bout at UFC 297 ended in a razor-thin split decision victory for Du Plessis, leaving both fighters eager to settle the score.

    With both competitors vocal about their intentions, this showdown promises to be a must-watch for MMA fans.

  • Colby Covington Joins Chael Sonnen’s Coaching Team For TUF Series vs. Daniel Cormier

    Colby Covington Joins Chael Sonnen’s Coaching Team For TUF Series vs. Daniel Cormier

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington will be returning the favor after having Chael Sonnen in his corner late last year in Tampa.

    During the UFC 311 pay-per-view broadcast last month, the promotion announced the coaching lineup for its upcoming 33rd edition of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

    While the show traditionally pitches active fighters against each other as they coach teams before doing battle themselves inside the cage, this year will see two former competitors and current podcast co-hosts lead the rosters.

    Ex-title challenger Sonnen and former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier will take a break from discussing the world of MMA on ESPN’s Good Guy/Bad Guy show to go head-to-head as TUF coaches.

    And in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Sonnen became the first to divulge which prominent names he’s adding to his coaching team for the season, including Covington.

    “The head coach will be Clayton Hires,” Sonnen said. “Clayton Hires is my coach, he’s my mentor. He is not my assistant ever. He will be the boss. I will have on the jersey: ‘Clayton’s Team.’ It will consist of me, it will consist of ‘Cowboy’ Steve. He’s going to do what generally Mike Dolce would do in terms of helping these guys with their weight, their nutrition, their strength and conditioning.

    “I would never do an Ultimate Fighter (series) without bringing the greatest grappler, Vinny Magalhaes. The last man to beat Gordon Ryan I might add, and he beat Gordon easily. That’s just the truth,” Sonnen continued. “And Colby Covington. Colby is going to to come in.”

    Sonnen was notably in Covington’s corner for his unsuccessful UFC Fight Night main event opposite Joaquin Buckley last December. “Chaos” lost by way of doctor’s stoppage after sustaining damage that “The Bad Guy” admitted left him pondering throwing in the towel.

    Season 33 of TUF is set to air every Tuesday on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ from May 27, 2025.

  • Tatiana Suarez Says Title Fight Against Zhang Weili Is The ‘Real’ UFC 312 Main Event

    Tatiana Suarez is set to challenge Zhang Weili for the UFC women’s strawweight championship on February 8 at UFC 312. A middleweight title rematch between Dricus du Plessis and former champ Sean Strickland will headline the event.

    For Suarez, however, her fight feels like the true main event of the night. She believes the matchup will deliver non-stop action, making it one of the most exciting bouts on the card.

    “I think it’s going to be fireworks. I think we’re both go-getters. She doesn’t stand around. I don’t stand around. So it doesn’t make for a boring fight, I don’t think at all,” Suarez said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “I think we’re both going after it. We both want to win. We both work really, really hard. I think it makes for a good co-main event. I think it’s the real main event, but we’re not big dudes, so we didn’t get the main event slot.”

    Despite not being in the headlining position, Suarez remains focused on the task at hand.

    “I don’t care. We could be the first fight,” she continued. “Obviously, that would never happen because we’re a title fight, but you know what I mean. I think this makes for a great fight. It’s going to be amazing. I’m going to go out there and win the world title in a dominant fashion.”

  • VIDEO: UFC 312 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 & Zhang vs. Suarez

    VIDEO: UFC 312 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 & Zhang vs. Suarez

    Fight week for the UFC 312 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.

    Under the spotlight in this edition is the headline rematch between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland and the co-main event between Zhang Weili and Tatiana Suarez.

    Saturday’s UFC 312 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with middleweight kingpin Du Plessis (22-2) looking to add a second successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a narrow victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January 2024.

    If the South African is to continue his rule atop the 185-pound mountain, he must stall the title ambitions of a familiar foe in Strickland (29-6). Since having his championship reign quickly ended by “Stillknocks,” the polarizing American has recorded a sole win over Paulo Costa to earn a shot at redemption.

    Before those two run it back in the main event at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, another UFC title will be at stake.

    The strawweight gold will be contested by current champ Zhang (25-3) and undefeated contender Suarez (10-0). While “Magnum” will return 10 months on from the second defense of her sophomore title reign opposite Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300, the Californian challenger is set to make the walk for the first time since a statement-making victory over ex-champ Jéssica Andrade in August 2023.

    Ahead of those two contests in Australia, fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 312 Countdown on the promotion’s official YouTube channel.

    UFC 312 Countdown: Full Episode

  • Nassourdine Imavov Clear On What Awaits Him After ‘Cleaning Out’ UFC Middleweight Division: ‘Next Is The Belt’

    Nassourdine Imavov Clear On What Awaits Him After ‘Cleaning Out’ UFC Middleweight Division: ‘Next Is The Belt’

    UFC middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov has no doubt that a first championship opportunity should be in his immediate future following Saturday’s result.

    Imavov emerged as the biggest winner from the MMA leader’s second visit to Saudi Arabia. The Frenchman headlined the UFC Fight Night card opposite his most prominent opponent to date, former two-time champion Israel Adesanya.

    While “The Last Stylebender” started well in his pursuit of a first win since 2023 and a rebound result after consecutive losses, Imavov turned the tables with one clean right hand seconds into round two. The shot, which badly wobbled Adesanya, ultimately set up the TKO finish.

    With the win, “The Sniper” has now won four straight since a no contest against Chris Curtis. He still has five names inside the middleweight top 10 to add to his record’s win column, but the Frenchman believes he’s now ‘cleaned out’ the weight class.

    Imavov shared that claim during his post-fight press conference in Riyadh, during which he also made it clear what he’s expecting to come as a result of Saturday’s main event knockout.

    “I cleaned (out) the weight class in one year,” Imavov said. “Four fights, two wins against top-10 competition, two (finishes) against top-five competition. Next is the belt.”

    In addition to Adesanya, Imavov has defeated Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze in recent times.

    He’ll now pay close attention to next weekend’s UFC 312 headliner between middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. While he intends to face the winner, “The Sniper” could have stiff competition for the next shot given the way Khamzat Chimaev dispatched Robert Whittaker last October.

  • Tom Aspinall Reacts To Lackluster Pavlovich vs. Rozenstruik: ‘These Heavyweight Fights Absolutely Stink!’

    Tom Aspinall Reacts To Lackluster Pavlovich vs. Rozenstruik: ‘These Heavyweight Fights Absolutely Stink!’

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall was among those unimpressed by Sergei Pavlovich’s decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik this past Saturday.

    Two of the division’s biggest power punchers collided on the main card of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, which marked the mixed martial arts leader’s second visit to Saudi Arabia.

    While the crowd inside the anb Arena anticipated a knockout, they were instead treated to three rounds of lackluster action between the Russian and Surinamese behemoths, with the former emerging victorious on the scorecards.

    Many fans were quick to express their discontent with the two fighters, and they weren’t the only ones bemused by how the bout unfolded.

    Aspinall took to his Instagram Stories to slam his former opponent and “Bigi Boy,” before calling for his return in order to bring “excitement” back to the weight class.

    Tom Aspinall

    “These heavyweight fights lately absolutely stink,” Aspinall wrote. “Let’s get some excitement back and stop holding it up.”

    Aspinall has held the interim belt since a first-round knockout triumph over Pavlovich in November 2023. He’s since defended it in a rematch with Curtis Blaydes, which he also won by way of stoppage in the opening frame.

    All the while, Jon Jones has sat on the heavyweight throne and repeatedly dismissed a unification showdown, instead choosing to face Stipe Miocic last November in New York City.

    Dana White has insisted that he intends on booking Jones vs. Aspinall in 2025, but it remains to be seen whether or not that will come to fruition. In his most recent remarks, the UFC CEO admitted the promotion could “move on” from the matchup.

  • Michael Bisping Says ‘Israel Adesanya’s Time At The Top Is Done’ After UFC Saudi Arabia Defeat

    Michael Bisping Says ‘Israel Adesanya’s Time At The Top Is Done’ After UFC Saudi Arabia Defeat

    Israel Adesanya aimed to get his career back on track in his latest fight but suffered his third consecutive loss after a brutal knockout at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov in the UFC Saudi Arabia main event.

    The former two-time UFC middleweight champion fell to the rising French contender following previous losses to reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis and ex-titleholder Sean Strickland.

    Another former middleweight champ in Michael Bisping acknowledged Adesanya’s achievements in the aftermath but expressed doubts about his ability to reclaim the title.

    “The biggest takeaway is that it’s over,” Bisping said on the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight show (h/t MMA Fighting). “Israel Adesanya’s reign as champion, I don’t think will come again. I say that with the greatest of respect, and I truly mean that. An original. An incredible fighter. A legend of the sport. A future Hall of Famer. But his time at the top is done.”

    Bisping pointed to the cumulative toll of years of fighting and training as a major factor in his decline. 

    “A long career at the highest level brings a lot of wear and tear, not just from fights but from training camps,” Bisping explained. “The training camps are worse than the fights. A fight might last a few rounds, and we’ve seen Adesanya dominate opponents with leg kicks and precise striking. But that’s not how training works. You don’t improve unless you’re pushed — getting taken down, wrestling, dealing with ground and pound, getting choked out.

    “You tweak ankles, take punches, and endure constant physical strain. When you train at the highest level, it takes its toll. Yes, he’s absorbed some tough shots in the octagon, including tonight, but it’s the years of preparation leading up to this that become the real challenge.”

    Adesanya outlined his intention to take some time away from the sport before deciding his next step.