MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • ‘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.

  • Santiago Ponzinibbio Names Ranked Opponent He’s Targeting For UFC 314 In Miami

    Santiago Ponzinibbio Names Ranked Opponent He’s Targeting For UFC 314 In Miami

    UFC welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio is looking to make a late-career surge up the ladder on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Ponzinibbio, who formerly had a number next to his name at 170 pounds, showed that he’s got plenty left in the tank at 38 years old in the co-main event of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night.

    The card, which marked the UFC’s first of 2025, included plenty of memorable fights and finishes. Not many scraps were more entertaining than the “Argentine Dagger’s” with Carlston Harris.

    The pair exchanged moments of success and knockdowns through the best part of 13 minutes before Ponzinibbio found the standing TKO finish with less than two minutes remaining in the third and final round.

    While the result marked the La Plata native’s first win since 2022 and snapped a two-fight losing skid, he’s still hoping for an opportunity to break back into the welterweight top 15 next time out.

    “There are so many good names,” Ponzinibbio said at the post-fight press conference after revealing his intent to fight at UFC 314 in Miami this coming April. “So many good guys come to mind (who) have a long time in the road like me. We can make a great fight. I need to think quickly.

    “Maybe Vicente Luque is a name that comes into my mind because the guy has so many years in the sport like me. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a gentleman. He’s coming off a really good victory,” Ponzinibbio continued. “We both have a lot of Latin people behind us and we can make a good fight. But there are so many good guys. We’ll see what the company says.”

    The UFC is expected to head back to Miami’s Kaseya Center for its April pay-per-view.

    A clash between Ponzinibbio and Vicente Luque could make sense, especially given that the latter’s teammate and friend Gilbert Burns is expected to battle Michael Morales at the event.

  • Former Champion Describes Featherweight As ‘Future Of The Division’ After UFC Vegas 101 Win

    Former Champion Describes Featherweight As ‘Future Of The Division’ After UFC Vegas 101 Win

    One of the biggest winners from this past weekend’s UFC Vegas 101 event is being tipped for greatness by a former champion.

    Among the top talking points to emerge from the UFC’s very first event of 2025 was the performance of featherweight Christian Rodriguez, who further enhanced his reputation as a prospect killer by defeating the previously undefeated Austin Bashi.

    The UFC Vegas 101 result means that all of Rodriguez’s last four wins saw him take an up-and-comer’s ‘O’, with Raul Rosas Jr., Cameron Saaiman, and Isaac Dulgarian also being ousted from the ranks of the unbeaten by “CeeRod.”

    With weight issues leading to the end of his bantamweight stint, Rodriguez looks to have found a home at 145 pounds. And a prominent teammate of his, for one, is predicting big things for the 27-year-old.

    “Another 0 collected. Christian Rodriguez is the future of the 145 division,” former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis wrote on X in reaction to Rodriguez’s UFC Vegas 101 triumph.

    Like Pettis, Rodriguez is part of the team over at Roufusport MMA Academy, where he trains under the guidance of Duke Roufus in Milwaukee.

    The renowned coach will be hoping to guide “CeeRod” to the success “Showtime” found on MMA’s biggest stage when he submitted Benson Henderson back at UFC 164 in 2013.

  • Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    UFC middleweight Chris Curtis could be committing to a major change following his latest setback.

    Curtis was among the fighters tasked with kicking things off for the mixed martial arts leader in 2025, as he got his campaign for the year underway Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas.

    After narrowly falling short in a main event rematch opposite Brendan Allen last April — and subsequently requiring a lengthy stint on the sidelines to heal from injuries — “Action Man” was looking to bounce back at the expense of Roman Kopylov.

    He was unable to do so, however, with the Russian emerging victorious from a highly entertaining affair. The end came by way of a perfectly timed head kick that saw Curtis stopped with just one second remaining on the clock.

    Though the American was furious with the stoppage and berated referee Mark Smith, the knockdown had no doubt sealed a certain decision victory for Kopylov had the scorecards been required.

    That was seemingly acknowledged by Curtis, who made no mention or complaint of the finish during his first post-fight statement on Instagram. The 37-year-old instead spoke on his own failure to have his hand raised, and he admitted the result may have signaled the end of his journey at 185 pounds.


    “Only job in the world where you can make 200k in a night and still be absolutely heartbroken and questioning where you go from here. No damage, I’m fine. Probably train tomorrow for my sanity but just frustrated and heartbroken. 8 months off. Hamstring tear, broken foot and then a calf tear. Trained through it all. Never lost sight of the goal. Just hurts to come up short. Thank you to everyone who reached out, have had a lot of love online and in person, it means the world to me. I guess I should take some comfort in fight of the night, but I only view tonight as a failure.

    “Maybe 170 is the way to go from here. Rest this weekend and I guess we have a talk with the team and management about what comes next. It thanks again to @mickmaynard2 for the opportunity to do what I love. I’m not sure who or where I would be without this. Thank you to the @ufcpi , you guys put me back together 3 times this year. It was an incredibly hard road back, but @gav_pratt and @heatherlinden and their teams really went above and beyond for me, and I will never not be grateful for that. For now, thankfully, we are uninjured and healthy. We work on figuring out what comes next.”

    The fact he took home an additional $50,000 for earning Fight of the Night honors was evidently of little consolation for Curtis, who now has just one win across his last five fights.

    Curtis began his UFC career with a 3-0 run that included memorable knockouts of Phil Hawes and Allen.

    Having subsequently failed to achieve similar consistency after breaking into the rankings, “Action Man” could return to the welterweight division, where he previously held a number of regional titles and fought at under the PFL banner.

  • Mackenzie Dern In No Rush For Title Fight After UFC Vegas 101 Win: ‘I Want To Be A Dominant Champion’

    Mackenzie Dern secured an impressive victory at UFC Vegas 101 on Saturday night, submitting Amanda Ribas in the third round of the main event.

    The win improved Dern’s UFC record to 11-5 and marked a strong step forward in her career resurgence. Despite her momentum, though, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist emphasized that she isn’t rushing toward a title shot.

    Instead, the strawweight contender is focused on continued growth to ensure long-term success when she eventually claims the belt.

    “I think I’m very hard on myself,” Dern told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “I’m always trying to get better. Even when I have a great performance, I think I did so many things wrong. I think it’s a lot of play messing in your head, so it can take your journey and maybe make it a little longer. But I think in the end, it really helps you evolve to be the best fighter possible if you can really look back and have constructive criticism on yourself.

    “My idea isn’t to go fight for the belt and then lose it fast. My idea is to get the belt, and I want to be a dominant champion. I’m not in a rush to get there. I want to have good fights and I want to make a statement.”

    UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili is scheduled to defend her title against Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312 in February. Dern, meanwhile, continues to rebuild her path to contention after rebounding from back-to-back losses to Jessica Andrade and Amanda Lemos.

    Before her latest win, Dern earned a decision victory over Loopy Godinez in August, showcasing her improved all-around game.

    With her focus on gradual improvement, Dern remains determined to evolve into a fighter capable of not just winning the title, but holding it for an extended reign.

  • VIDEO: Khabib Nurmagomedov Gets Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311

    VIDEO: Khabib Nurmagomedov Gets Kicked Off Flight Ahead Of UFC 311

    After being removed from a flight, Khabib Nurmagomedov will need to find alternative transportation to Los Angeles ahead of UFC 311.

    At the event, he is set to corner both lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and bantamweight challenger Umar Nurmagomedov in the title fights scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18.

    The incident reportedly occurred during a flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Khabib was asked to leave the plane following an argument with a flight attendant regarding his seating in an emergency exit row.

    Passengers seated in these rows are required to understand and comply with crew commands and may be asked to assist in operating the emergency door if necessary. According to reports, Khabib initially did not understand the flight attendant’s instructions, which prompted her to request that he either switch seats or get off the plane. 

    In a video of the incident, the flight attendant explained the situation.

    “Okay, so what we’re gonna do is either have you switch your seat, because my flight attendants are not allowing you to sit in the exit row, or you’re gonna have to get off this plane.”

    Khabib responded by questioning the decision.

    “When I was in check-in, they asked me, ‘Do I know English?’ And I say yes. Then why you guys do this?”

    The flight attendant replied by repeating the options.

    “I understand that, but it’s also off of their judgment. I’m not going to do this back and forth. I’ll go call a supervisor. You can either take a different seat or we can go ahead and escort you off the plane.”

    Khabib’s current travel status is unclear.

  • ‘Masterclass In Jiu-Jitsu’ – Fans React As Mackenzie Dern Avenges Amanda Ribas Loss With Classic Armbar At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Masterclass In Jiu-Jitsu’ – Fans React As Mackenzie Dern Avenges Amanda Ribas Loss With Classic Armbar At UFC Vegas 101

    Back in October 2019, Mackenzie Dern was matched up with Amanda Ribas for her third UFC fight. After a 7-0 start in MMA, the decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner was handed her first taste of defeat at Ribas’ hands, dropping a decision in Tampa.

    Just over five years later, she can now say that she avenged that loss after submitting Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas 101.

    The Brazilian ranked strawweight and flyweight was able to land some sharp elbows early. But Dern, the grappling specialist, was able to get Ribas on the ground for over half of the first round. During that time, she brought down some effective ground-and-pound.

    Ribas worked her way back to the feet late in the first and then had more activity in a quiet second round. Dern, however, brought the action back to the ground in the third frame and locked up a classic, late armbar to score the submission.

    In doing so, the elite BJJ artist became the first to ever submit Ribas inside the cage.

    Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas In Rematch Over Five Years In The Making

    Dern, who looks to crack back into the top five of the women’s strawweight rankings, has now won two straight and three of her last five bouts.

    Ribas, meanwhile, has now lost three of her last five fights.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Mackenzie Dern Submits Amanda Ribas

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, top-ten strawweights (#6) Mackenzie Dern and (#8) Amanda Ribas clashed. While in the co-main event, Santiago Ponzinibbio faced Carlston Harris in a welterweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Ribas via submission: R3, 4.56 
    • Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Carlston Harris via TKO: R3, 3.13
    • Middleweight: César Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan via KO: R1, 4.16  
    • Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. Chris Curtis via TKO: R3. 4.59
    • Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 
    • Welterweight: Punahele Soriano def. Uroš Medić via KO: R1, 0.31  

    Preliminary Card

    • Flyweight: Felipe Bunes def. Jose Johnson via submission: R1, 2.04
    • Middleweight: Marco Tulio def. Ihor Potieria via TKO: R1, 3.04
    • Lightweight: Thiago Moisés def. Trey Ogden via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Welterweight: Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons via KO: R1, 1.13
    • Women’s Flyweight: Ernesta Kareckaite def. Nicolle Caliari via split decision: (29-28×2, 28-29)  
    • Light Heavyweight: Bruno Lopes def. Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (29-28×3)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Fatima Kline def. Victoria Dudakova via TKO: R2, 4.27

    Lightweight: Nurullo Aliev def. Joe Solecki via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Fatima Kline def. Victoria Dudakova

    In this strawweight matchup, Fatima Kline stopped Victoria Dudakova late in the second round.

    Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons

    Jacobe Smith earned a first-round KO of Preston Parsons in their welterweight fight.

    Marco Tulio def. Ihor Potieria

    Marco Tulio got it done in the first round with a TKO of Ihor Potieria.

    Felipe Bunes def. Jose Johnson

    In this flyweight bout, Felipe Bunes earned a first-round armbar submission of Jose Johnson.

    Main Card Highlights

    Punahele Soriano def. Uroš Medić

    Punahele Soriano took just 31 seconds to KO Uroš Medić in their welterweight bout.

    Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi

    In this featherweight matchup, Christian Rodriguez earned a decision against Austin Bashi.

    Roman Kopylov def. Chris Curtis

    In this middleweight bout, Roman Kopylov TKO’d Chris Curtis with a head kick in the final second of round three.

    César Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan

    César Almeida knocked Abdul Razak Alhassan out cold in the first round of their middleweight matchup.

    Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Carlston Harris

    Santiago Ponzinibbio got it done with a TKO of Carlston Harris in round three.

    Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Ribas

    In the main event, Mackenzie Dern submitted Amanda Ribas with an armbar at the end of round three.

  • ‘Closest We’ve Had To Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry’ – Fans React As Cesar Almeida Overcomes Knockdown To Land One-Punch KO At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Closest We’ve Had To Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry’ – Fans React As Cesar Almeida Overcomes Knockdown To Land One-Punch KO At UFC Vegas 101

    The hits kept on coming at UFC Vegas 101, as the promotion’s first card of the year picked up in intensity on the main card real quick.

    Not long after Roman Kopylov scored a controversial, last-second finish of Chris Curtis, Cesar Almeida pulled off an unbelievable performance of his own, coming back from nearly being knocked out to emphatically finish Abdul Razak Alhassan.

    Alhassan was dominating Almeida throughout the first round. The Brazilian was dropped, and when he got up, the Ghanaian powerhouse landed rapid-fire shots, troubling Almeida and nearly putting him away.

    But while Alhassan was landing a barrage of shots with the two fighters near the fence, Almeida cracked him on the button, dropping Alhassan out cold in the final minute of the opening round to seal off a memorable comeback victory.

    Almeida Provides Early KO Of The Year Nominee With One-Shot Finish Of Alhassan At UFC Vegas 101

    With the win, the Brazilian rises to 7-1 and improves to 3-1 in the UFC since his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. His sole loss thus far came against Kopylov.

    Alhassan, meanwhile, is without a victory in his last three fights and has just one triumph across his last five.

  • ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    The first major fight controversy of 2025 has taken place at UFC Vegas 101 — the promotion’s first card of the year. And, of course, it had to involve Chris Curtis.

    In a jaw-dropping finish, “Action Man” was stopped by Roman Kopylov with just one second remaining in the contest.

    Both athletes brought fire in their striking during the first round. The Russian seemed to have the upper hand, but Curtis appeared to be gaining momentum as time went on.

    That stretched into the second, as the American continued his production, having landed over 100 significant strikes on his foe within the fight’s first 10 minutes.

    Kopylov was not deterred and had his own surge of momentum in the third round. But just as everything seemed to be wrapped up with the judges to present the scores, the Russian landed a head kick that badly rocked Curtis.

    Referee Marc Smith, with just one second remaining in the bout, stepped in and waved off the fight, giving Kopylov a victory via finish.

    Roman Kopylov Controversially Finishes Chris Curtis With One Second Left At UFC Vegas 101

    https://twitter.com/LhileDhonkheh/status/1878252122229055698
    https://twitter.com/JakeGerberMMA/status/1878253637182296280
    https://twitter.com/HomelanderMMA/status/1878251020167319719
    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1878253587874320637

    Kopylov has now won back-to-back fights and six of his last seven.

    Curtis, meanwhile, has won just one of his last five fights.

  • VIDEO: Punahele Soriano Stops Uroš Medić In 31 Seconds To Open UFC Vegas 101 Main Card

    VIDEO: Punahele Soriano Stops Uroš Medić In 31 Seconds To Open UFC Vegas 101 Main Card

    Welterweight Punahale Soriano got the first main card win of 2025, doing so in practically no time at all Saturday at UFC Vegas 101.

    Soriano needed just 31 seconds to score a quick finish of Uroš Medić at the promotion’s first event of the new year inside Las Vegas’ Apex on Jan. 11.

    The Hawaiian nailed his Serbian opponentwith a one-two that dropped him. Soriano followed this with some quick but vicious ground-and-pound to put the finishing touches on this win.

    Punahele Soriano Puts Away Uroš Medić In Quick Fashion At UFC Vegas 101

    https://twitter.com/TakeruCigarra/status/1878234400984314122?t=5AuyFKFGfAvCZk02gXmkfQ&s=19

    Soriano has now won back-to-back fights and three of his last five, improving to 5-4 in the UFC. It also marks his first knockout win since defeating Dalcha Lungiambula in 2022.

    After arriving to the UFC 6-0, meanwhile, Medić now falls to 10-3, having been finished in each of his losses.

  • VIDEO: Victoria Dudakova Slaps Coach After Falling To The First Finish Of 2025 At UFC Vegas 101

    VIDEO: Victoria Dudakova Slaps Coach After Falling To The First Finish Of 2025 At UFC Vegas 101

    The first finish of the UFC’s 2025 calendar has been delivered, and it came in some brutal fashion, as Fatima Kline scored a win over Victoria Dudakova during the UFC Vegas 101 prelims.

    And it’s safe to say that the Russian didn’t take the result well…

    Both women delivered powerful shots during the opening frame, but Kline appeared to gain control as time went on.

    Then, with Dudakova grounded late in the second, Kline landed some hard ground-and-pound to force the referee to step in and wave off the contest.

    Kline Scores First Octagon Win With Ground & Pound At UFC Vegas 101, Dudakova Slaps Cornerman

    What else is noteworthy occurred in the losing corner following the fight. It appeared that Dudakova slapped one of her cornermen after he attempted to console her.

    This marks the first UFC win for “The Archangel” after dropping her debut last year to Jasmine Jasudavicius.

    Dudakova, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back outings after starting her UFC run 2-0 in 2023.

  • ‘Is He Ever NOT Acting Like A Psycho?’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Makes ‘Disgusting’ Tackles In Soccer Appearance

    ‘Is He Ever NOT Acting Like A Psycho?’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Makes ‘Disgusting’ Tackles In Soccer Appearance

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is infamously known for his rise to stardom in the Octagon, as well as his antics and controversies inside and out of the cage. But for one day, the Irishman took his talents from the cage to the pitch.

    McGregor laced up his cleats earlier today and joined Black Forge FC, taking on Harding FC in a Premier Division matchup for the United Churches Football League (UCFL), an amateur soccer league in Dublin.

    While the game ended in a 1-1 draw, it took notoriety for not only the fighter’s appearance, but the hard-nosed intensity and aggression that he brought to the field.

    “I break jaws with my shoulder, and noses,” McGregor posted to social media. “I get the ball any pitch, anywhere. Moses”

    Conor McGregor Joins Up With Black Forge FC In Amateur Soccer Appearance

    McGregor has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons over the last couple of months. He was recently made by an Irish jury to pay over $250,000 to a woman, Nikita Hand, who was civilly suing the polarizing fighter. Hand accused McGregor of a December 2018 sexual assault.

    The Dublin native’s controversies resulted in another soccer team, Drogheda United, distancing themselves from the UFC star in a statement after the former two-division champ posted a photo of himself holding the team’s recently won FAI Cup.

    Despite rumors the past two years of a fight with Michael Chandler, “The Notorious” has not been seen in the UFC since his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

  • Report: UFC Seeking $1 Billion Yearly In New TV Deal, 5 Interested Broadcasters Revealed

    Whoever is interested in obtaining the US television rights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be paying more than a pretty penny.

    Per a new report from Bloomberg, the UFC is looking to obtain a TV rights deal in the United States that will give them more than $1 billion per year.

    The UFC’s current deal with ESPN expires at the end of the year. The two parties originally agreed to a five-year deal worth approximately $1 billion total back in 2018 before a contract extension that made the deal worth about $450 million a year.

    According to reports, ESPN is interested in re-upping its rights with the leading MMA promotion in the world but will face stiff competition from Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as YouTube and the Netflix and Amazon Prime streaming services. ESPN and TKO, the UFC’s parent company, are currently in the midst of an exclusive negotiating period that lasts until mid-April.

    “We started on ESPN seven years ago and had a rocky relationship in the beginning,” UFC CEO Dana White told Bloomberg TV in November. “But now I couldn’t be happier at ESPN, it’s a great relationship and I wouldn’t mind staying with them.”

    UFC Seeks More Than $1 Billion In New TV Rights

    What makes the UFC’s broadcasting services in the country so valuable is that the UFC is the only major sports broadcasting rights that are available for the foreseeable future. The NBA locked up new television contracts last year, while leagues like the NFL and MLB are already early into new broadcasting contracts.

    The UFC’s partner in TKO, the WWE, just started its new broadcasting rights, with its Monday Night Raw program having its Netflix premiere just this past Monday. The partnership, as well as Netflix’s previous ventures into live programming last year with NFL games and the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, giving speculation that the UFC could be interested in partnering with Netflix.

    Amazon Prime has recently been the broadcasting home to ONE Championship Fight Night cards in the U.S.

    There is also the chance that the UFC may split its broadcasting rights like the other U.S. major sports leagues do. This could see, for example, UFC pay-per-views heading to one platform, while UFC Fight Night cards and other programs such as Dana White’s Contender Series and The Ultimate Fighter, heading elsewhere.

  • Diego Lopes vs. Yair Rodríguez Among The Options For UFC Mexico Main Event In March

    Diego Lopes vs. Yair Rodríguez Among The Options For UFC Mexico Main Event In March

    Diego Lopes could be finally getting his chance to headline a UFC event for the first time.

    The surging UFC featherweight sensation enjoyed a stellar run last year, racking up three consecutive victories inside the Octagon. His most recent outing was at UFC 306 in September, where he claimed a commanding unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Brian Ortega.

    After that victory, Lopes set his sights on high-profile matchups that could bring him one step closer to his first title shot. Among those he targeted was former kingpin Alexander Volkanovski for a potential title eliminator. However, “The Great” swiftly dismissed the challenge, revealing that he was instead focused on a rematch with the reigning champion, Ilia Topuria.

    It seems the 30-year-old Brazilian is already forging ahead with his journey, as he revealed in a social media post on Wednesday that he has officially begun training for his first fight of 2025. From the looks of it, he’s landed the big-name opponent he’s been aiming for.

    According to a recent report from Home of Fight’s Jake Noecker, Lopes is in line to face off against former interim 145-pound champion Yair Rodríguez in the headlining bout at UFC Mexico City. The upcoming Fight Night event is slated for March 29 at the Arena CDMX in Mexico.

    Canadian reported Ariel Helwani later clarified the extent to which the bout is a done deal, noting that it’s one of the options for the main event in Mexico but is “far from set.”

    Rodriguez has been on the sidelines since his third-round submission loss to Ortega in February 2024. He’s now on a two-fight skid, with his slide beginning after a knockout defeat to Volkanovski in their title unification bout at UFC 290 in July 2023.

    “El Pantera” secured the interim title at UFC 284 in February 2023, delivering a dominant third-round submission victory over Josh Emmett.

  • Dan Hooker On UFC Resurgence: ‘I Asked Myself Where I Wanted To Be In My Career…’

    Dan Hooker On UFC Resurgence: ‘I Asked Myself Where I Wanted To Be In My Career…’

    Dan Hooker has learned valuable lessons from his past mistakes in his fighting career and has worked to capitalize on them in recent years.

    After enduring a tough stretch, losing four out of five fights between June 2020 and March 2022, Hooker has since turned things around. He’s now on a three-fight winning streak, highlighted by a thrilling Fight of the Night victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 last August.

    “Who knew actually training for UFC fights is a great idea? These are things you learn,” Hooker joked during an interview on Israel Adesanya’s YouTube channel.

    Reflecting on his mindset during his rough patch in 2020, Hooker admitted that his focus was on the wrong goal.

    “At that stage in my career, I just wanted money, and [UFC] capitalized on that, and I sold my title shot. At the end of the day, that’s what it came down to. I just wanted money, then I got money, and I was like, ‘That’s not cool! I want a world title,’ and you can’t trade money for a world title.”

    Hooker revealed that a shift in mentality was key to his resurgence. He began focusing on his long-term goals rather than financial gain.

    “I asked myself where I wanted to be in my career and admitted that where I had been wasn’t where I wanted to be.”

    He later elaborated on the evolution of his ambitions.

    “You want to be a ranked UFC fighter, but then you want more. Then you want to be a main event fighter. Then you win a main event, and you’re like, ‘This is shit as well, I want something else.’ At the end of the day, chasing the goal is the extra fun part. It’s not sitting back and holding on to that goal. Once you do that, you’re trading order.”

  • Islam Makhachev Outlines His Mistakes In Dustin Poirier Win: ‘When I Watch The Highlights…’

    Islam Makhachev Outlines His Mistakes In Dustin Poirier Win: ‘When I Watch The Highlights…’

    UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has built a reputation as a dominant force in the Octagon, but he remains introspective about his performances.

    Reflecting on his third title defense at UFC 302, where he submitted Dustin Poirier, Makhachev acknowledged the challenges “The Diamond” presented and admitted to making mistakes during the bout.

    Speaking with Demetrious Johnson on his YouTube channel, Makhachev praised Poirier’s preparation and competitiveness, noting that Poirier even managed to win two rounds on one judge’s scorecard.

    “Last time I fought Poirier, he prepared for this fight very well,” Makhachev said. “He did good homework, and he defended my wrestling. I did like, a lot of mistakes. I also had the kimura, and when I closed, I thought it was finished.

    “I did mistakes a couple of times, you know, and he gave me a (gash). But when I watch the highlights, I like this fight. If you ask me which fight I want to watch again, I’m going to say with Poirier because I watched this fight many times, and I was enjoying it. I know what I did wrong, what I did right, what I have to change.”

    Makhachev’s focus now shifts to UFC 311, where he will face Arman Tsarukyan in a highly anticipated rematch. The bout will take place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

  • Dominick Cruz Confirms Status Of Potential Retirement Post-UFC Seattle Return

    Dominick Cruz Confirms Status Of Potential Retirement Post-UFC Seattle Return

    Dominick Cruz is set to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon next month at a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle, where he will face Rob Font. This marks Cruz’s first fight in two years, sparking speculation among fans that this might be his retirement bout.

    The bantamweight legend, while speaking with ESPN, admitted this could very well be the case.

    “For me, it is,” Cruz said. “(It’s) not because of my mentality, not because of my skillset. Yeah, I lost my last fight, but I was in that fight every minute of the fight. When I got finished, I was going for the kill, which got me hurt. It wasn’t one of those situations where I was bowing out of the fight. It was that I was in the fight trying to kill the guy, and I hurt myself, and that led to the finish eventually.

    “I looked at that fight. I go, ‘OK, don’t be too harsh on yourself. This is part of the game. You get hit. You get caught. These things happen.’”

    Reflecting on his 2022 knockout loss to Marlon Vera, Cruz maintained confidence in his abilities.

    “I wasn’t slower. I wasn’t looking behind a step. I wasn’t not choosing the good techniques. Those are all things I add to my mindset before moving into this last nine months as well. The skills are still there. It’s just a matter of all the injuries and stuff. Can I keep them together to get through the camp? The camp is the hard part. We all know that. It’s not really the fight.”

    The Seattle event will also feature a high-profile bantamweight clash between former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo and rising contender Song Yadong, which is scheduled to headline at the Climate Pledge Arena.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Comments On Ex-Teammate Aiding Umar Nurmagomedov Ahead Of UFC 311

    Merab Dvalishvili Comments On Ex-Teammate Aiding Umar Nurmagomedov Ahead Of UFC 311

    Merab Dvalishvili harbors no ill will toward his former training partner, even though he has joined forces with his rival.

    “The Machine” is poised to put his bantamweight title on the line for the first time against Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event at UFC 311, taking place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    The buildup to this fight has been brimming with palpable tension, as Nurmagomedov has been vocal in his pursuit of a title shot for some time. While Dvalishvili initially seemed hesitant to accept the challenge, the matchup was ultimately confirmed.

    Interestingly, a recent social media post from Georgian journalist Giorgi Kokiashvili has injected even more drama into the upcoming matchup. Kokiashvili revealed that Magdi Amachov, the former teammate of the reigning 135-pound champion, is now lending his support to “The Young Eagle” in preparation for UFC 311.

    This comes after Dvalishvili had previously helped Amachov settle in the United States, even offering him accommodation.

    During a recent interview with The Schmo, Dvalishvili weighed in on the ongoing situation with Amachov, emphasizing that he holds no animosity towards his former training partner.

    “The Machine” explained that Amachov’s decision to join Nurmagomedov’s fight camp was motivated by a desire to support his Dagestani compatriot, rather than any personal conflict.

    “I love him and I did help him but I didn’t do it because I own him you know? He’s a big man and he can do whatever he wants,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s from Dagestan, and I know he loves Islam Makhachev, I know he loves Khabib Nurmagomedov, of course Umar Nurmagomedov. They call each other Muslim brothers, and I’m not surprised, of course. That’s his country, that’s his friends. I mean, I will not do that, but I will also not judge him. I love him, and I understand this, and I’m not mad at him. That’s OK.”

    Dvalishvili captured the bantamweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 in September 2024. He is riding high on an 11-fight unbeaten streak.

    Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi in August 2024, extending his undefeated streak to six straight wins inside the Octagon.

  • UFC Insider: LA Wildfires Create Concern Over UFC 311 Venue, Vegas In Play

    UFC Insider: LA Wildfires Create Concern Over UFC 311 Venue, Vegas In Play

    With UFC 311 just a week away, uncertainty looms over the events venue as reports suggest the ongoing crisis in Los Angeles has thrown the event’s location into uncertainty.

    The UFC is set to open its 2025 pay-per-view slate with an action-packed fight lineup. Scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the card is topped by two high-profile title clashes.

    In the main event, UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev will defend his belt against Arman Tsarukyan, while the co-main event features Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili defending his title against Umar Nurmagomedov.

    However, one pressing challenge facing Dana White and Co. is the raging wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, which have sparked uncertainty within the MMA community about whether UFC 311 will proceed as planned at the Intuit Dome. The natural calamity has already claimed over 10,000 homes and taken at least 11 lives. The once-thriving Pacific Palisades area has been almost completely destroyed, and the fires have now spread to the iconic Hollywood Hills, just a mere 20 miles from the UFC 311 venue.

    According to veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, the UFC has been assessing the situation regarding UFC 311 next Saturday. As of now, the highly anticipated event is set to proceed at the Intuit Dome. However, the promotion is keeping a vigilant eye on the unfolding crisis and stands prepared to relocate the event if necessary.

    Helwani revealed that talks about postponing the card have not taken place. If a venue change is required, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is reportedly the leading contingency option, though the UFC has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

    Numerous public events across Los Angeles County have already been called off for the weekend, as local resources are overwhelmed in an effort to control the growing damage. An official statement from the Intuit Dome confirmed that the two events slated for the arena have either been canceled or rescheduled.

  • UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results: Two Miss Weight

    UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results: Two Miss Weight

    UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading to Los Angeles to stage its first pay-per-view of 2025 next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to at the Apex to kick off the new year.

    The main event presents an opportunity for strawweight Mackenzie Dern to avenge the first loss of her professional career from back in 2019. She’s set to open her year against a former opponent and fellow top 10 contender in Amanda Ribas.

    Before that, the likes of welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, ranked middleweight Chris Curtis, and knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas takes place on Saturday, January 11, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

    See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the full results below!

    Main Card:

    • Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (116lbs) vs. Amanda Ribas (116lbs)
    • Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio (171lbs) vs. Carlston Harris (170lbs)
    • Middleweight: César Almeida (185.5lbs) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (185.5lbs)
    • Middleweight: Chris Curtis (185.5lbs) vs. Roman Kopylov (185.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez (145lbs) vs. Austin Bashi (145.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Punahele Soriano (171lbs) vs. Uroš Medić (171lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Flyweight: Jose Johnson (128.5lbs)* vs. Felipe Bunes
    • Middleweight: Marco Tulio (185.5lbs) vs. Ihor Potieria (188lbs)**
    • Lightweight: Thiago Moisés (155.5lbs) vs. Trey Ogden (155.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Preston Parsons (171lbs) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Ernesta Kareckaite (126lbs) vs. Nicolle Caliari (125.5lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205lbs) vs. Bruno Lopes (205.5lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Fatima Kline (116lbs) vs. Victoria Dudakova (116lbs)
    • Lightweight: Nurullo Aliev (155.5lbs) vs. Joe Solecki (155lbs)

    *Jose Johnson missed the flyweight limit by 2.5 pounds, fight status TBC

    **Ihor Potieria missed the middleweight limit by 2 pounds, fight status TBC

  • Gamebred Fighter On Jorge Masvidal’s Approach To Promotion: He’s Like ‘I’m Not UFC, Where We’re Going To Cut You’

    Gamebred Fighter On Jorge Masvidal’s Approach To Promotion: He’s Like ‘I’m Not UFC, Where We’re Going To Cut You’

    Jorge Masvidal may be seemingly on the cusp of a UFC return but he is one of the fighters who has dipped his toes into several other pursuits away from being an athlete towards the end of his career. One of the most obvious ventures for a veteran of the fight game is to start putting on your own shows and “Gamebred” has certainly got the experience, knowledge and credibility to have success in this field.

    The 52-fight veteran has attempted to carve out a niche for himself in combat sports via his Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion which first launched in 2021. They hosted two events in 2024 with the most recent one taking place on November 15 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

    Former UFC fighter Jesse Ronson, who competed six times inside the Octagon, fought on that card where he earned his second consecutive first-round submission win in the promotion. In a recent interview on Bare Knuckle Bowker, Ronson told Dylan Bowker about what it is like to fight for Masvidal.

    The Canadian spoke about how “Gamebred” is looking for entertaining fights and if you can deliver on that, than you’re in his good books and it’s that simple.

    “He [Masvidal] just flat out says it straight up. He’s like I just want fireworks guys. I’ll pay you, I’ll do whatever, just give me good fights. He’s like I don’t care how old you are, if you lose, or whatever it is. He’s like I’m not UFC where we’re going to cut you after two fights or three fights. If you’re making people scream and getting views.”

    Ronson continued, adding that Masvidal’s first-hand experience is what separates him from the other promoters. He made it clear that he wasn’t trying to discredit others as much as he was praising the former BMF title challenger.

    “You are always welcome back and he’s like I’ll take care of you. He’s like I’ll try to meet everything you need. He’s a great promoter and you’re right because he’s fought he understands what it’s like… Again I’m not gonna sh*t on Dana White or Scott Coker or whoever runs the PFL, because if they fought and they went through it they would know what it’s like.”

  • UFC Middleweight Doesn’t Give Dricus Du Plessis A Chance Against Alex Pereira: ‘He Can Beat DDP Easily’

    UFC Middleweight Doesn’t Give Dricus Du Plessis A Chance Against Alex Pereira: ‘He Can Beat DDP Easily’

    UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is set to return at UFC 312 next month where he will put the title on the line for a second time. “Stillknocks” certainly isn’t short on contenders at 185-pounds even when looking past his next challenge, a rematch with Sean Strickland in Sydney, Australia.

    However, there is always going to be talk and debate around champions moving up or down a weight class to face another titleholder in the promotion and this is something that has interested Du Plessis in the past. It also just so happens that the current champion in the division above him is the former middleweight king also.

    Many fans expect to see Alex Pereira defend the light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in his next outing inside the Octagon. The only exception might be that because “Poatan” has become such a star for the promotion, they could look to capitalize on putting together a super fight for the Brazilian.

    Middleweight contender Caio Borralho recently trained alongside Pereira and used that experience to weigh-in on how a potential matchup between him and Du Plessis would play out if they end up meeting at some stage. He told Submission Radio that whilst the debate would change if you factor Khamzat Chimaev into the conversation, he believes that Pereira would be a tough style clash for “DDP”.

    “I think he can beat DDP easily,” Borralho told Submission Radio. “I think very easily he can beat DDP. I think Khamzat (Chimaev) is a different story because of the grappling, but ‘Poatan’ is definitely getting better at defending takedowns. He’s a big guy, very big guy. It would be hard for Khamzat to keep him down.

    “He made a good choice moving up to the light heavyweight division. … I think he can knock DDP out really easily because DDP commits a lot of mistakes in his fights and a lot of openings,” Borralho said. “If you leave even a small opening with a guy like Alex, you’re going to get knocked out.”