MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Robert Whittaker Leaves Door Open To CKB Return After Training With Israel Adesanya: ‘Maybe We Can Work Something Out…’

    Robert Whittaker Leaves Door Open To CKB Return After Training With Israel Adesanya: ‘Maybe We Can Work Something Out…’

    It seems that former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker’s visit to City Kickboxing might not have been a one-off.

    Fans witnessed a good sight this week when Israel Adesanya took to Instagram to reveal he’d been training with Whittaker at the Nigerian-New Zealander’s gym in Auckland.

    The pair haven’t always seen eye to eye and were regarded as rivals owing to their two showdowns inside the Octagon, both of which were won by “The Last Stylebender.”

    But with the possibility of a trilogy appearing slim following recent results, the pair have put any and all animosity behind them and linked up within the walls of New Zealand’s renowned gym.

    And the catalyst for that was evidently Whittaker, who explained to The New Zealand Herald the decision to expand his training horizons in the new year in order to evolve as a fighter.

    “We came to the conclusion we needed more bodies, we wanted to experience new training styles, and we started looking at our options,” Whittaker said. “We were looking all over the world; definitely, there’s training out there in the States…but (like) a flash of lightning, (I thought), ‘CKB’s just across the lake – it’s practically home – why don’t we contact them, head over, meet the boys, see if it works, then maybe we can work something out and try form a good relationship.’

    “There is no way I thought we’d be here breaking bread, you know? But here we are, the world’s a funny place,” Whittaker remarked about training with Adesanya. “I’m happy for it because, just being open to ideas, to broadening horizons, I’ve met some new boys, I’m getting some new work out of it, and it just keeps things fun; keeps things interesting.”

    Work with an elite name like Whittaker could come in handy for Adesanya, who is just weeks out from his first assignment of 2025.

    After bringing his year-long break from the sport to an end with an unsuccessful title challenge against Dricus Du Plessis last August, “The Last Stylebender” will return to non-title and non-PPV competition when he headlines UFC Saudi Arabia against Nassourdine Imavov on February 1.

    “The Reaper,” meanwhile, is without a date for his next outing in the calendar. He most recently fell to a brutal first-round submission at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev three months ago.

  • UFC 311: Aljamain Sterling Promises Merab Dvalishvili Will ‘Shut A Lot Of People Up’ vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

    UFC 311: Aljamain Sterling Promises Merab Dvalishvili Will ‘Shut A Lot Of People Up’ vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

    Umar Nurmagomedov is set to challenge UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles.

    As the highly anticipated fight approaches, former champion Aljamain Sterling, a teammate of the current titleholder’s, has added his perspective and sparked debate among fight fans.

    In a recent UFC 311 breakdown video shared on his YouTube channel, Sterling offered his analysis, questioning whether Nurmagomedov has truly proven himself at the elite level.

    Sterling believes that Dvalishvili’s performance in this fight will solidify his status as the best the division has to offer.

    “I think if we can keep the fight where we want it, Merab is gonna shut a lot of people up and prove a lot of people right that he is who he says he is,” Sterling remarked. “No disrespect to Umar by any means. For me, it just comes down to one guy who has done the work and another being propped up by the accolades of what his relative has done.

    “I understand he’s trying to carve out his own name in history, but facts are still facts. The jury’s still out on Umar. We don’t really know if he’s really that guy just yet.”

    Sterling’s comments carry weight, with the former champ having been a part of Dvalishvili’s camp and preparation.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Plans To Give Headlining Teammate Islam Makhachev ‘Good Energy’ With ‘Perfect’ UFC 311 Win

    Umar Nurmagomedov Plans To Give Headlining Teammate Islam Makhachev ‘Good Energy’ With ‘Perfect’ UFC 311 Win

    UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov is well aware of the pressure on him to set the stage for Islam Makhachev this weekend.

    Nurmagomedov is days out from his first title challenge on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, as the undefeated Dagestani battles for Merab Dvalishvili’s 135-pound gold in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 311 pay-per-view.

    Should the 29-year-old have his hand raised, celebrations for his crowning won’t last long within the team.

    Attention inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome will have to immediately turn to another assignment for one of their men, with Makhachev set to defend his lightweight throne opposite Arman Tsarukyan in the main event.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Nurmagomedov acknowledged the need to perform well with his teammate watching on backstage ahead of his own walk to the Octagon.

    “It’s going to be a hard night for our team,” Nurmagomedov said. “Two fights for the title very close together. It’s going to be nervous. Islam is going to be nervous watching my fight, but I will fight perfect. I will try to not even miss one punch, to give him good energy.

    “It’s always (harder watching them fight),” Nurmagomedov said. “When you’re fighting, you can control everything. And when someone else is fighting – your brother, your close friends – you can just give him advice. Fighting (yourself is) easy, more easy. Any fighter will tell you.”

    Fight week hasn’t exactly started smoothly for Nurmagomedov’s team after their coach, the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, was shown being kicked off a flight to Los Angeles in a video that went viral this past weekend.

    While that remains a hot topic, they’ll look to forget those issues and focus on the task at hand on Jan. 18, when the team will hope to double its amount of UFC gold rather than leave Inglewood with none altogether.

  • Colby Covington Reiterates Ongoing UFC Ambitions, Plans To Do The ‘Unthinkable’

    Colby Covington Reiterates Ongoing UFC Ambitions, Plans To Do The ‘Unthinkable’

    Colby Covington remains confident that he will turn things around in his career with ambitions to become the UFC welterweight champion. The former interim champion has fought for the title on three occasions in the past, coming up short twice against Kamaru Usman and once against Leon Edwards.

    At 36-years old, he’s currently coming off of back-to-back defeats for the first time in his pro career after having his return in Tampa against Joaquin Buckley stopped via a doctor stoppage due to a cut above his eye. Covington has heavily protested the loss ever since by stating that it was the doctor who beat him on December 14 rather than his opponent.

    “Chaos” has not been deterred after falling to the #9-position in the welterweight rankings as he spoke about on a recent live stream on his Twitch channel. Covington is seemingly up against it for multiple reasons, one being his age and another being his lack of a win over a current top 15 contender.

    However, one thing that he believes is on his side is how he matches up with the current champion at 170-pounds. Covington said that he thinks he could beat Belal Muhammad due to the clash of styles and given his track record for selling fights and making a lot of noise, it may not take him too long to get to that position if he’s able to turn his fortunes around.

    “We’re going to do the unthinkable. We’re going to shock the world. DC (Cormier) was a champion at 41. I’m only 36 years young. No reason I can’t be champion.

    “Belal Muhammad, ‘Remember the Racist,’ I can easily beat him. He’s a good matchup. He’s not going to take me down. He’s not going to outwrestle me. F*ck that. I will smack that dude silly. I know no one knows who he is, but they’re going to know when he’s on my highlight reel after I’m done with him.”

  • ‘Easily Some Of The Best’ – Fans React As Makhachev & Dvalishvili Get First Custom Shorts Of 2025 For UFC 311

    ‘Easily Some Of The Best’ – Fans React As Makhachev & Dvalishvili Get First Custom Shorts Of 2025 For UFC 311

    The first UFC PPV card of the year is just days away with UFC 311 taking place on Saturday January 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. With two title fights set to top the card, the promotion is continuing the tradition which began last year of giving select fighters the opportunity to design custom shorts.

    We’ve seen some instantly iconic designs in the past with the likes of Ilia Topuria, Max Holloway and Alex Pereira coming to mind for having shorts that have helped to define their personalities and cultures. Both of the champions who are set to defend their titles this weekend have received their own unique pair of personal fight gear as lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili pay tribute to their backgrounds.

    Both men have fought in title fights since the promotion started doing this highly-celebrated trend but neither have had the opportunity to get their own designs as of yet. For Makhachev, his shorts predominantly feature the steep terrain of Dagestan and the Caucasus Mountains with a geometric design. The other main feature appears to be a traditional sword or dagger strapped to his side that is carried by people from this region.

    Georgian MMA reporter Giorgi Kokiashvili helped to break down on social media how Dvalishvili’s shorts pay homage to his home country where he has been received as a hero since winning the 135-pound title in September.

    Fans reacted to the two new additions to the custom shorts wardrobe on social media.

    “Lowkey heat”

    “Alright, the mountain shorts are nice.”

    “These are solid. But I feel like years of boring ass kits have us excited for anything different.”

    “Easily some of the best custom shorts”

    “Merab got them lifeguard shorts”

  • UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan ‘Just Going To Think About Money’, Not Legacy After Title Win

    UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan ‘Just Going To Think About Money’, Not Legacy After Title Win

    UFC lightweight title challenger Arman Tsarukyan knows what he wants, and it’s not the kind of accolades many others are chasing.

    Tsarukyan is days out from his first title challenge on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. The Armenian is set to run it back with current champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 311 this weekend.

    While he fell short against the Dagestani in his debut back in 2019, Tsarukyan is confident of avenging that defeat and securing his place atop the lightweight mountain on Jan. 18.

    And when he does so, there will seemingly be a sizable focus shift for “Akhalkalakets.”

    During a recent interview with Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman on their Pound 4 Pound podcast, Tsarukyan outlined his intention to pursue nothing but “money fights” once he becomes champ, dismissing any notion of chasing two-division glory or a record-breaking run of title defenses.

    “After this fight, when I’m champion, I’m just gonna think about money, not about being two-time champion or (defending the title) 10 times. I’m just gonna think about money fights,” Tsarukyan said. “I’m not thinking what happens after this fight, I’m just (thinking) after this fight. Maybe my father says, ‘You know what, you’re done with this sport. You won the title, come and work, make money with me.’ So, you never know.”

    Before looking to bring that to fruition, though, Tsarukyan must first unseat Makhachev.

    In contrast to the challenger’s plans, Makhachev has been chasing greatness with his run as titleholder. Following successful retentions against Alexander Volkanovski (twice) and Dustin Poirier, a victory this Saturday at the Intuit Dome would see the Dagestani surpass BJ Penn and Khabib Nurmagomedov for lightweight title fight wins and conseuctive defenses.

  • ‘Tired’ Khabib Nurmagomedov Hopes He Can Retire From Coaching Soon Ahead Of UFC 311 Assignments

    ‘Tired’ Khabib Nurmagomedov Hopes He Can Retire From Coaching Soon Ahead Of UFC 311 Assignments

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov returned to cornering fighters last year following a brief break, but it seems he’s already wanting to give up coaching in its entirety.

    Khabib is set for a busy week in Los Angeles, where two of his team’s most prominent fighters will take up headline spots for the UFC 311 pay-per-view on Jan. 18.

    Before 155-pound kingpin Islam Makhachev defends his crown in the main event, “The Eagle’s” cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, will challenge for Merab Dvalishvili’s bantamweight throne in the co-headliner.

    The retired legend will be cageside calling the shots for both — a position he took up following his retirement from active competition in 2020. But it doesn’t seem like he plans on staying there longer than necessary.

    During a recent interview uploaded to ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Khabib discussed how long he plans to be in the coaching game for, revealing that he doesn’t intend on occupying the role beyond the careers of his current crop of fighters.

    “When the guys finish, I’m going to finish,” Khabib said. “I hope it’s going to be very fast, I’m tired of all this. We’ve been on top of this game for like, seven, eight years, since I became a champion. All these guys were with me, they were with my father when I was starting.

    “There are still six, eight (fighters competing) at a very high level. When they finish, I will finish too,” Khabib added.

    The immediate lead-up to UFC 311 didn’t get off to the smoothest of starts for Khabib, who was the subject of a viral video that showed him being removed from a plane ahead of a flight from Los Vegas to California this past weekend.

    While “The Eagle” eventually boarded a different flight and made his way to the state, the fallout from the incident has continued this week, with Frontier Airlines most recently releasing a statement in defense of the flight attendant who had the exchange with the former UFC fighter.

  • Former UFC Champion Holly Holm Enters Free Agency, Open To MMA Or Boxing

    Former UFC Champion Holly Holm Enters Free Agency, Open To MMA Or Boxing

    Holly Holm is on the lookout for her next career move in combat sports.

    2024 marked Holm’s 10th year competing in the UFC, where she made a splash early on by defeating the previously unstoppable Ronda Rousey to capture the women’s bantamweight crown.

    Change is coming for “The Preacher’s Daughter” in 2025, though.

    Uncrowned’s Ariel Helwani revealed this week that Holm and the MMA leader have mutually agreed to part ways, with the promotion allowing the ex-champ to pursue other opportunities with two fights remaining on her contract.

    It’s unclear what lies ahead for the 43-year-old, who is part of the Boxing International Hall of Fame, but Helwani did note that she’s open to options in both the cage and ring.

    After her shock upset of Rousey in 2015, Holm struggled to find consistency inside the Octagon, going 5-7-1 across her subsequent 13 bouts.

    The veteran’s most recent win came over Yana Santos in 2023, the same year in which she had a submission loss to Mayra Bueno Silva overturned to a no contest owing to a failed drug test from the Brazilian.

    Holm’s final outing came last April at UFC 300, where she was asked with welcoming two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison to the promotion. “The Preacher’s Daughter” was comfortably beaten, submitting to a rear-naked choke in round two.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Addresses Injury Concerns Ahead UFC 311: ‘I Don’t Want To Panic People…’

    Merab Dvalishvili Addresses Injury Concerns Ahead UFC 311: ‘I Don’t Want To Panic People…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili is set to defend his title for the first time against undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 this Saturday night.

    Heading into the highly anticipated co-main event, Dvalishvili has revealed that he dealt with significant injury issues during his training camp but assured fans that he is now fully prepared for the fight.

    In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, as part of his role as a Stake ambassador, Dvalishvili spoke candidly about the challenges he faced.

    “I’m good now, I will post the injury or whatever after the fight, but before, I don’t want to show and panic people,” Dvalishvili said. “You know, the injury was serious, like, not a joke. Because I took the fight on six weeks’ notice, I was training hard, and I got a lot of pain, banged up, and I was dealing with some other injuries too. But thank God now I’m OK and ready to go.”

    Despite the setbacks, “The Machine” remains confident in his ability to perform on fight night. He emphasized that he was prepared to take more time to recover but stepped up when the UFC asked him to fight in January to accommodate Nurmagomedov’s schedule.

    “I was ready to fight and come back after five or six months, like every champion does,” Dvalishvili continued. “They even take more time. But when I said I was going to fight February or March, Umar started complaining and blaming me and disrespecting me.”

    The Georgian champ explained that his initial timeline was misunderstood by Nurmagomedov.

    “When I said fight February or March, he said February’s fight was in Australia and March was Ramadan. I had no idea because last year, Ramadan was in May. It’s not my problem also – I’m a champion. So Umar wanted to fight January, and UFC asked me. Then I went to UFC and I said, OK, I will step up. I love UFC, so no problem.”

    The bout between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov represents a clash of styles, with Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and wrestling prowess facing the calculated and undefeated Nurmagomedov.

    The champion is determined to prove his resilience and solidify his position as the division’s best.

  • Jan Blachowicz: ‘I Won Against Alex Pereira…I Deserve This Rematch’

    Jan Blachowicz: ‘I Won Against Alex Pereira…I Deserve This Rematch’

    Jan Blachowicz is eager to return to the title picture and reclaim his status as a UFC champion.

    The former UFC light heavyweight titleholder has faced some of the division’s toughest opponents and now aims to remind fans of his legacy.

    Błachowicz captured the vacant title at UFC 253 with a dominant TKO win over Dominick Reyes, a display that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. He successfully defended his belt against then-middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 259 before losing the title to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267.

    Later, at UFC 282, he fought Magomed Ankalaev for the vacant title, ending in a draw. And he most recently came up short against current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira before “Poatan” became the champion at UFC 291. The contest ended in a narrow split decision loss for the Polish veteran.

    On March 22 this year, Blachowicz will face Carlos Ulberg at UFC London, determined to reassert himself in the division. Speaking with MMA Fighting, the former champ expressed his desire to make a statement.

    “I want to remind people how tough I am,” Blachowicz said. “Because I think people forget that I won against Alex Pereira. He just won because the referee helped him, in my opinion. I have a draw with (Magomed) Ankalaev — those are the most dangerous fighters in our division right now. I think people just forgot about me.”

    Blachowicz attributed some of the lack of recognition to his inactivity.

    “I’m not surprised because I stopped. One and a half years, I’m not fighting so this is where I will remind them about the legendary Polish power to the people in the whole world.”

    Despite his respect for Ulberg, Blachowicz is already setting his sights on a rematch with Pereira.

    “Of course, I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done but this doesn’t change anything,” Błachowicz explained. “I want a rematch against him and after this fight — I’m focused on this fight right now — but if I win and I believe I’m going to win the fight, the next one will be against him. I deserve this rematch, like nobody else in this division.”

  • Umar Nurmagomedov: Sean O’Malley Hopes Merab Dvalishvili Wins At UFC 311 For ‘Easier’ Fight

    Umar Nurmagomedov: Sean O’Malley Hopes Merab Dvalishvili Wins At UFC 311 For ‘Easier’ Fight

    Umar Nurmagomedov is preparing to challenge UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles. If Nurmagomedov wins the title, he expects Sean O’Malley to be next in line for a shot at the 135-pound gold.

    Dvalishvili claimed the championship by defeating O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas last September. O’Malley later disclosed that he fought that bout with a torn labrum, which he said hindered his performance.

    With that in mind, this weekend’s challenger anticipates that O’Malley will get his wish for an immediate shot at reclaiming the belt after UFC 311. And in his mind, it’s clear why “Suga” would rather a second dance with “The Machine.”

    “I think they’re going to do this match, and who will win this fight, I think O’Malley is next,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “I think like that. He wants Merab to win, not because he wants a rematch. He thinks Merab is going to be more easy than me. With Merab, he has some chance. With me, he knows.”

    As the UFC bantamweight division heats up, Nurmagomedov’s analysis adds intrigue to his potential championship reign and the implications for O’Malley’s comeback.

  • Justin Gaethje Confirms Opponent He’s Preparing To Face In First Fight Since UFC 300 Knockout

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje expects to be back in action before quarter one of 2025 comes to a close.

    Gaethje, who currently occupies the #3 ranking at 155 pounds, hasn’t competed since his BMF title defense at UFC 300 last April. “The Highlight” was on the receiving end of the year’s consensus best knockout — a buzzer-beating finish for Max Holloway.

    The result stalled plans for another championship opportunity for the Arizona native. And given the severity of the KO, Gaethje was sent to the sidelines for a period of rest and recovery.

    Now cleared to return, Gaethje is looking ahead to his first assignment of the new year. And while discussing that during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the 36-year-old confirmed reports of a showdown with Dan Hooker.

    Talk of that matchup first arose last month via journalist Alex Behunin, who described it as being in the works for UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8.

    While it remains unofficial, Gaethje revealed that he is indeed preparing for that exact task.

    “So there’s no official fight signed, but I told the UFC maybe two, three months ago that March was, you know, the date I was looking for,” Gaethje said. “I know there’s a fight March 8th in Las Vegas, so that’s the one I told them I wanted to be on. I think they’re figuring out fights right now, but I’m certainly mentally preparing, physically preparing to fight on that date.

    “When you take a loss like that and you’re as competitive as we are, then it lights a fire under your ass,” Gaethje continued. “So we’re back to it, back to, you know, back in the swing of things and back getting ready for a specific day, a specific opponent. I think it’s going to be Dan Hooker. But you know, with the UFC, things can always change.”

    Prior to his setback against “Blessed,” Gaethje was coming off consecutive wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier in 2023.

    While he’ll be looking to bounce back in 2025, Hooker will hope to continue his momentum from a massive result Down Under last August. At UFC 305 in Perth, he made it three wins in a row by outpointing Mateusz Gamrot to upset the odds and return to title contention.

  • Frontier Airlines Releases Statement Defending Flight Attendant Who Kicked Khabib Nurmagomedov Off Plane

    Frontier Airlines Releases Statement Defending Flight Attendant Who Kicked Khabib Nurmagomedov Off Plane

    Frontier Airlines is standing by its flight attendant who removed Khabib Nurmagomedov from a plane.

    On Sunday, a now-viral clip captured “The Eagle” in a tense exchange with a flight attendant aboard a Las Vegas to San Francisco flight. The footage showed Nurmagomedov being asked to switch seats, allegedly due to concerns about his ability to communicate in English during a potential emergency.

    Despite the request, he resolutely refused to comply, prompting the flight attendant to suggest that a supervisor could intervene and have him escorted off the plane. Ultimately, the UFC Hall of Famer chose to deboard the aircraft voluntarily.

    Initially, reports suggested the flight was with Alaska Airlines, but Nurmagomedov took to social media to clarify that it was operated by Frontier Airlines. The undefeated Dagestani expressed that, while he believed he handled the conversation with respect, the flight attendant was “very rude.”

    He also raised concerns about whether the incident was influenced by “racial” prejudice.

    Frontier Airlines has now issued a statement to MMA Fighting, addressing the incident involving Nurmagomedov and the exit row situation.

    The airline categorically rejected claims that the former UFC lightweight champion was targeted because of his ethnicity. Instead, they cited concerns over his alleged English proficiency, which aligns with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations requiring passengers in exit rows to be fluent in English on U.S. departures.

    Below is the full statement:

    “On Jan. 11, 2025, as flight 4401 from Las Vegas to San Francisco was preparing for departure, a flight attendant initiated the customary briefing for exit row passengers. Customer Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was seated in an exit row, was asked multiple times if he was willing and able to assist in the event of an emergency. According to the flight attendant, Mr. Nurmagomedov did not respond, despite repeated attempts, which placed him in non-compliance with FAA requirements. The flight attendant informed Mr. Nurmagomedov that he could be moved to a different upgraded seat or exit the plane.

    “Videos circulating on social media platforms do not capture this interaction, and instead show a subsequent interaction after a gate agent entered the plane and reiterated the option to be reseated. As a result of the customer’s initial unresponsiveness and repeated declinations of a seat change, he was asked to deplane per airline and FAA policy. The decision to deplane the customer was in no way related to his ethnicity and we have refunded him and his traveling companions for their flights.”

    “The Eagle” will corner his teammates, Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, in their respective title bouts at UFC 311 this weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

    Makhachev will defend his Lightweight crown against Arman Tsarukyan in the main event, while Umar will challenge Merab Dvalishvili for the Bantamweight championship in the co-main event.

  • UFC 311 Lineup Takes Another Hit At The Start Of Fight Week

    UFC 311 Lineup Takes Another Hit At The Start Of Fight Week

    The upcoming UFC 311 pay-per-view event has lost another fight days on from Johnny Walker’s forced withdrawal.

    Walker was scheduled to figure in the featured preliminary bout of Saturday’s card opposite Bogdan Guskov in a clash of ranked light heavyweights. But with the Brazilian ruled out, the Hungarian will now face UFC newcomer Billy Elekana.

    And that’s not the only replacement the promotion will need to secure on late notice.

    The @octagonupdate account on X reported Monday that Sedriques Dumas has also pulled out from a UFC 311 prelim. “The Reaper,” who most recently outpointed Denis Tiuliulin last August in Abu Dhabi, was slated to face Zachary Reese inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    It remains to be seen whether or not a new opponent will be found for Reese, a 30-year-old middleweight prospect who has gone 2-1 since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023.

  • Tom Aspinall Says He’s ‘Back Training For Biggest Fight In MMA’

    Tom Aspinall Says He’s ‘Back Training For Biggest Fight In MMA’

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall has returned to training, potentially preparing for a highly anticipated unification bout against Jon Jones.

    Although the exact date of the long-awaited fight remains uncertain, Aspinall remains optimistic about it taking place sometime in 2025.

    In a new video posted on his YouTube channel, the Brit confirmed his focus is back on preparation.

    “Got to get back to reality now and get back training for the biggest fight in MMA at the moment,” he stated.

    Aspinall earned the interim heavyweight belt after a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023. He then defended hthe gold with another knockout win, this time against a familiar foe in Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July.

    When asked for updates on the fight with Jones, Aspinall admitted there wasn’t much progress to share.

    “I don’t have any latest on the Jones fight, unfortunately,” he explained. “Just waiting at the moment. I’ve said yes to the fight. I’ve agreed to it, obviously, and that’s it. I’m just waiting for his side now and [for] the UFC to sort it out.”

    In the meantime, Aspinall remains committed to staying in peak condition.

    “Yeah, I’m just training and getting everything focused to be as fit and ready as I possibly can because, who knows, they might spring the date on me quick,” he said. “Or they might say the date is in six months, I don’t know. But that’s always kind of what happens between fights anyway — you never really know when your next one is.”

  • Merab Dvalishvili Won’t Repeat Control-Heavy Sean O’Malley Strategy At UFC 311: ‘I’m Going To Punch His Face’

    Merab Dvalishvili Won’t Repeat Control-Heavy Sean O’Malley Strategy At UFC 311: ‘I’m Going To Punch His Face’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has provided insight into the approach he plans to take when sharing the cage with Umar Nurmagomedov this weekend.

    Dvalishvili is days out from his first title defense at UFC 311, which comes four months on from his capturing of the crown at the expense of Sean O’Malley last September.

    On that occasion, the Georgian utilized his smothering grappling game to get the better of “Suga” across five rounds. But with his undefeated Dagestani opponent boasting a renowned wrestling ability, the champ may not be able to repeat the feat come fight night this Saturday.

    That much was acknowledged by Dvalishvili during a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, as he outlined plans to defeat Nurmagomedov via the striking realm inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    “I’m ready for striking. I’m not looking to take him down, control him, and lay on top like (Sean) O’Malley,” Dvalishvili said. “I’m going to punch his face, kick his legs, keep (the fight) on the feet, and I’m going to show a good fight. It’s going to be a great fight. A lot of scrapping, a lot of exchanges. I believe it’s going to be Fight of the Night or something.”

    Dvalishvili initially pushed back on Nurmagomedov’s top contender status, instead pitching a number of other matchups for his first defense in the weeks and months after his title win inside the Sphere.

    Nevertheless, the unbeaten Russian will be the first test to his reign, and “The Machine” has vowed to make a statement with his performance in Los Angeles.

  • Mark Smith Bashed by Fighter For Last-Second Chris Curtis Stoppage At UFC Vegas 101: ‘Got To Be The Lowest Graded Ref’

    Mark Smith Bashed by Fighter For Last-Second Chris Curtis Stoppage At UFC Vegas 101: ‘Got To Be The Lowest Graded Ref’

    UFC Vegas 101 brought fight fans the first UFC card of 2025 and with that came the first set of highlight reel finishes, entertaining contests and yes, controversial refereeing decisions. The middleweight clash between Roman Kopylov and Chris Curtis earned the first fight of the night bonus of the year following their back-and-forth encounter on the main card.

    What the fight will likely be remembered for however is the call that Mark Smith made to wave the fight off with just one second left on the clock. Kopylov landed a head kick that knocked Curtis off balance but with the clock running down and his opponent on the floor, the Russian decided to back away rather than chasing his opponent to the ground to land more strikes.

    Despite the fact that Curtis wasn’t in danger of taking any more damage, Smith stepped in and the stoppage was heavily disputed by “The Action Man” in the immediate aftermath. It’s also of note that the fight was tied at 19-19 across all three scorecards heading into the third round which would have been won by Kopylov if the fight had continued for one more second.

    Curtis has since posted a statement on social media where he seemed less frustrated at the ending of the fight though he was still disappointed to have not secured the victory. Kopylov, on the other hand, believes that the official made the right decision, stating in his post-fight press conference that he chose not to follow-up with any more strikes because it wasn’t neccesary and that he’s open to the idea of a rematch if that’s what people want.

    In a post on social media, UFC flyweight Charles Johnson criticized Smith by questioning the consistency of his decision making.

    “Mark smith has got to be the lowest graded ref on roster. Constantly interjects himself and only thing consistent with calls is his inconsistency”

    Some of the replies underneath Johnson’s post made reference to one of his previous fights which was refereed by Smith. In his fight with Sumudaerji last October, he believed that the fight should have been stopped but Smith didn’t step in and it ended up going the distance.

  • UFC 311 Headliner Islam Makhachev Reveals Longtime Khabib Rival As His Dream Fight

    UFC 311 Headliner Islam Makhachev Reveals Longtime Khabib Rival As His Dream Fight

    Islam Makhachev is set to defend his lightweight title at UFC 311 in a fight that fans have wanted to see for a long time. Considering their first encounter back in 2019, many have believed for a while now that a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan will be the toughest test for the pound-for-pound number one.

    Beating Tsarukyan will see Makhachev break the record for consecutive lightweight title defenses at four, passing the streak of his training partner and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov. A win for the defending champion on Saturday night in Los Angeles also means that as of right now, there isn’t a clear next step for him.

    Makhachev recently spent some time with streamer Adin Ross where he was asked if there is a dream fight that is out there for him. Whilst there isn’t anything that comes to mind right now, the 155-pound titleholder did look back on a contest that he wanted to pursue several years ago.

    At 29-0, Nurmagomedov was totally dominant but if there’s one opponent that got away, it is Tony Ferguson. The matchup might be the best example of the fight that the fans wanted the most that never happened despite the fact that it was booked multiple times.

    Makhachev said that at the time when his close friend was at the top of the lightweight division, he also wanted to face off with “El Cucuy” in order to bring that win back for his team.

    “Not like many years ago but my brother, Khabib, was supposed to fight with Tony Ferguson like five times, they both have injuries or fight is cancelled five times and my dream to fight this guy in that moment because I always with Khabib. When Khabib have injury, I ask my manager, I say ‘Hey, can I step in to fight with Tony,’ and you know, Tony in that moment is like very good athlete, very good fighter. He have like almost more than 10-fight win streak in the UFC and this is one of the fights which I want like 3-4 years ago but not right now because he has 8-fight lose streak. I wish him the best but couple years ago, he’s one of the high-level fighters from our division.”

  • Michael Chandler Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov After Viral Plane Removal: ‘If You’re Going To Kick Our GOAT Off…’

    Michael Chandler Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov After Viral Plane Removal: ‘If You’re Going To Kick Our GOAT Off…’

    UFC 311 is set to be a huge week for Khabib Nurmagomedov but before he corners back-to-back title fights on Saturday night, he has had some complications to get through on his way to Los Angeles. A video on social media showed “The Eagle” being asked to either move seats or leave the plane following a conversation with a flight atendant.

    This altercation stemmed from the fact that the former UFC lightweight champion was seating on the emergency exit row which requires the passengers to listen, understand and potentially participate in the safety procedures regarding the emergency door. Nurmagomedov did not see what the issue was but there seemed to be some caution regarding his understanding of English.

    Nurmagomedov can even be heard saying in the video that he was asked ahead of time whether he knows English and he does so it wouldn’t be an issue. A fellow mixed martial artist has stuck up for the fighter turned coach on social media by outlining where some airlines may have double standards.

    Michael Chandler made the argument that if there is an issue about Khabib sitting in the emergency row due to his English, why is that not the same for people who may not be physically or mentally dependable in that same situation. “Iron” Mike even referred to the retired athlete as the greatest of all time in his statement on the matter.

    “If you’re going to kick our GOAT off the plane for a little accent, please start making passengers do a physical and mental fitness aptitude test before you let them sit in the exit row after uttering a one word, one syllable, ‘yes.’ Because I’ve seen some slugs in the exit row on flights. @TeamKhabib“

  • Amanda Ribas Gives Short & Sweet Reaction To Mackenzie Dern Loss At UFC Vegas 101

    Amanda Ribas Gives Short & Sweet Reaction To Mackenzie Dern Loss At UFC Vegas 101

    Amanda Ribas suffered a loss in the first UFC main event of the year this past Saturday night at the Apex in Las Vegas. The 31-year old was looking to return to strawweight with a big win against an opponent that she has got the better of once before.

    Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be as the #8-ranked contender was beaten by the #6-ranked Mackenzie Dern. Having handed Dern the first loss of her MMA career back in 2019, the jiu-jitsu specialist evened the score by becoming the first person to submit Ribas in her 19-fight pro career.

    There were some competitive grappling exchanges between the two women but ultimately, it was the submission skills of Dern that made the difference as she produced a beautiful armbar to earn a quick tap in the third round.

    Ribas has got some big wins under her belt with victories over the likes of Dern, Virna Jandiroba, Viviane Araujo and Luana Pinheiro but she has struggled to beat the top contenders. After fighting three times in 2023 where she picked up wins on either side of a loss to Maycee Barber, she only fought once last year in a five-round defeat to Rose Namajunas at 125-pounds.

    Despite this latest setback, the Brazilian appears to be in good spirits following her first outing of the new year. She posted a simple message on Instagram to stay connected to her fans and supporters even though she didn’t get her hand raised at UFC Vegas 101.

    “Off to the next one! Thanks to all the support, messages and barbecues that you’ve done”

  • Merab Dvalishvili ‘Grateful’ Dana White Defended Him Over UFC 310 Fan Incident

    Merab Dvalishvili ‘Grateful’ Dana White Defended Him Over UFC 310 Fan Incident

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili found himself in the middle of an altercation with a fan shortly after cornering Aljamain Sterling for his bout against Movsar Evloev at UFC 310 last month.

    Security intervened to separate Dvalishvili from the individual. However, tensions flared further when the fan began exchanging punches with Dennis Buzukja, a UFC featherweight and another member of Sterling’s team.

    UFC CEO Dana White addressed the incident during the post-fight press conference with a mix of frustration and understanding.

    “He’s my mini-Strickland — without the mouth,” White said of Dvalishvili. “What do you do? Let him buy the pay-per-view, I guess. You can’t keep fighting with f*cking fans. You can do it, but it’s going to cost you a lot of money. I say it all the time: we’re in the f*cking fight business. This happens. We’ve got to deal with it.”

    Dvalishvili shared his perspective in an interview with MMA Fighting, expressing gratitude for White’s support and addressing the situation in detail.

    “He defended me,” Dvalishvili said. “Before, the media would always ask him weird questions about me, like, ‘What about Merab doing this?’ They do that to get a bad answer from him. But this time, he defended me. The media again says, ‘Merab is scared of Umar.’ Bro, Dana knows I’m not scared. Every time they mention his name, I say yes, and Dana knows that’s true.”

    Describing the incident with the fan, Dvalishvili explained his side of the story.

    “Yeah, so Umar’s friend tried to provoke me and make me look bad. I’m a professional fighter. I love people. Usually, when I walk through the crowd, I show everyone love and support. But this guy was recording me [on his phone]. I thought he was being friendly, so I went closer. I was smiling, but then he started speaking Russian, using bad words. I know those words. He provoked me, and I wanted to fight the guy, but security jumped in.”

    He also reflected on the negative energy surrounding some fans and media members.

    “Thank you to Dana for defending me. I love the UFC; I’m grateful for this company. But there are so many haters and so many people — also in the media — who aren’t professional. Drama sells more, and that’s why they ask crazy questions. But I have a good relationship with the UFC, and we have no problems.”

    Dvalishvili will now shift his focus to defending his title for the first time against undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 this Saturday night.

  • VIDEO: UFC 311 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 & Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

    VIDEO: UFC 311 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 & Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

    Fight week for the UFC 311 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 Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan and the co-main event between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Saturday’s UFC 311 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with lightweight kingpin Makhachev (26-1) looking to add a fourth successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a memorable victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022.

    If the Dagestani is to continue his rule atop the 155-pound mountain, he must stall the title ambitions of a familiar foe in Tsarukyan (22-3). The Armenian fell to Makhachev by way of a narrow decision in his UFC debut almost six years ago. Having risen the ranks and most recently gotten the better of Oliveira himself, “Akhalkalakets” has the chance for redemption opposite the champ.

    Before those two run it back in the main event at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, another UFC title will be at stake.

    The bantamweight gold will be contested by current champ Dvalishvili (18-4) and undefeated contender Nurmagomedov (18-0), as they settle a rivalry that has only intensified in recent months. While “The Machine” will return four months on from his capturing of the strap at the expense of Sean O’Malley, the “Young Eagle” is set to make the walk for the first time since a statement-making victory over Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi last August.

    Ahead of those two contests in LA, fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 311 Countdown on the promotion’s official YouTube channel.

    UFC 311 Countdown: Full Episode

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxY2zoeT2UI
  • ‘Hell Yeah, We Got Goku & Vegeta’ – Fans React As Israel Adesanya Teams Up With Two-Time Rival Ahead Of UFC Return

    ‘Hell Yeah, We Got Goku & Vegeta’ – Fans React As Israel Adesanya Teams Up With Two-Time Rival Ahead Of UFC Return

    Israel Adesanya is pulling out all the stops for his next fight, even if it means joining forces with a former rival to sharpen his skills.

    Adesanya finds himself navigating the toughest stretch of his career to date, with just one win in his last four Octagon appearances.

    Currently on a two-fight losing streak, he first suffered a unanimous decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, a fight where he also relinquished his middleweight crown. The downward trajectory continued at UFC 305 last August, where reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis handed him a submission defeat, deepening the slump for the once-dominant fighter.

    “The Last Stylebender” is now gearing up to headline UFC Saudi Arabia, where he will face Nassourdine Imavov on Feb. 1 at the anb Arena in Riyadh. This highly anticipated showdown marks a notable change for the ex-champ, as it will be his first non-pay-per-view bout since July 2018.

    With the fight just under a month away, Adesanya’s preparations are in full swing. In a surprising turn, he has brought in his former two-time adversary, Robert Whittaker, to assist with his training.

    The 35-year-old Nigerian-born Kiwi recently shared several photos and videos from his sparring sessions with “The Reaper” on social media.

    “‘New year, new friends,” Adesanya wrote on X.

    MMA fans responded to Adesanya’s sparring session with Whittaker, with many humorously celebrating the unexpected collaboration between the two fighters.

    https://twitter.com/909424310r/status/1878585928362742265
    https://twitter.com/L01771/status/1878594624559976691
    https://twitter.com/eldenlordv/status/1878589751055532161
    https://twitter.com/yodalorian9/status/1878596301052645437

    Adesanya and Whittaker first squared off at UFC 243 in October 2019, where “The Last Stylebender” clinched a stunning second-round knockout to seize the undisputed middleweight title.

    Meanwhile, their second encounter took place at UFC 271 in February 2022, where the matchup was far more competitive. Despite Whittaker’s resilience, though, Adesanya ultimately gritted through the challenge and earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory to retain his championship.

  • Abdul Razak Alhassan Addresses Scary Knockout At UFC Vegas 101: ‘I Got Greedy…’

    Abdul Razak Alhassan Addresses Scary Knockout At UFC Vegas 101: ‘I Got Greedy…’

    Abdul Razak Alhassan has made his first public remarks following a brutal defeat at this past weekend’s UFC Vegas 101 event.

    The promotion’s first card of 2025 wasn’t short on memorable moments and brutal finishes. Unfortunately for Alhassan, he was on the wrong end of arguably the top one.

    In his main card clash with César Almeida, the Ghanaian powerhouse got off to a strong start, dropping his Brazilian counterpart. But he got slightly too wild chasing the finish.

    After backing Almeida up against the fence, Alhassan was struck with a vicious counterpunch that rendered him unconscious.

    The resulting scene saw the 39-year-old Accra native on wobbly legs after coming to. Thankfully, he appears to have avoided any immediate health issues at UFC Vegas 101 and took to his Instagram Stories to address his supporters.

    “I’m sorry fans,” Alhassan said. “I got greedy and I got caught. No excuses. I’m sorry to my fans, my true fans. I got greedy and went for it and got caught. There’s nothing I can do but cry myself to sleep.”

    Alhassan is now without a win in his last three, having fallen to a submission at the hands of Joe Pyfer in 2023 and had the disappointment of a no contest after striking Cody Brundage to the back of the head last July.

    Almeida, meanwhile, has won two on the bounce since suffering the first loss of his professional career against Roman Kopylov in June 2024.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Issues Statement After Being Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘Did My Best To Stay Calm…’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Issues Statement After Being Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘Did My Best To Stay Calm…’

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has spoken publicly after footage of his removal from a flight before takeoff went viral this weekend.

    Khabib will be in Los Angeles next week as two of his team’s star fighters compete with gold on the line at the UFC 311 pay-per-view. Inside the Intuit Dome, Islam Makhachev will headline in defense of his lightweight crown, while Umar Nurmagomedov will first challenge for the bantamweight gold.

    But while attention will soon be on their showdowns with Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili, respectively, the biggest talking point a day out from UFC 311 fight week has surrounded their coach.

    A video emerged on Sunday showing Khabib being removed from a plane due to fly from Las Vegas to LA. Audio from the incident appeared to reveal a dispute with a flight attendant over the Dagestani’s seat on the emergency exit row.

    After the video went viral and drew out plenty of reactions from the MMA community online, Khabib took to Instagram to give his side of the story and clarify which airline he was attempting to fly with.

    “First of all, I need to clarify that it was @flyfrontier not AlaskaAir. Lady who comes to me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, even though I speak very decent English and can understand everything and agreed to assist, she still insists on removing me from my seat. What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I’m not sure.

    “But after 2 minutes of conversation, she called security and I was deplaned from this aircraft, after 1,5 hour I boarded another airline one and left to my destination. I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you can see on the video. But those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients.”

    It remains to be seen what will come of the incident, which has spread across the Internet and resulted in some of the former UFC champion’s fans calling for a boycott of the airline in question.

    “The Eagle” himself, meanwhile, will no doubt be looking to keep his focus on the task at hand next week, as he gears up for two crucial contests for his team at the UFC 311 PPV on Jan. 18.