But the Georgian won’t have long to celebrate the start of a fresh year before getting back to work inside the cage. He’s slated to co-headline the very first pay-per-view of 2025, defending his belt against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.
During a recent interview uploaded to the UFC Espanol YouTube channel, Dvalishvili outlined his target of four defenses this calendar year, including three in the first two quarters.
“I want to win this fight and I want to be busy in 2025,” Dvalishvili said. “I’m fighting early this year, Jan. 18, and I just want to be busy. I know (Sean) O’Malley wants to come back in April. I think Petr (Yan) will be ready in March. So maybe fight Petr in March, rematch (O’Malley) in April, and whoever will be the next contender (after that), I will take. I will clean the division again.”
O’Malley, meanwhile, headed for the operating room to repair a torn labrum in the aftermath of his decision loss to Dvalishvili a few months back. He’s made clear his plan to secure redemption against the Georgian upon his recovery.
Both former UFC light heavyweight champions are coming off crushing knockout losses to reigning divisional kingpin Alex Pereira in their most recent Octagon appearances. In fact, “Denisa” experienced his first UFC defeat at the hands of Pereira when they fought for the then-vacant 205-pound title at UFC 295 in November 2023.
Procházka’s unorthodox fighting style has made it difficult for his past opponents to decipher, but Luke Rockhold believes that this very uniqueness also exposes significant vulnerabilities — especially when facing someone like Hill.
During a recent appearance on the JAXXON PODCAST, Rockhold lambasted Procházka’s tactics in his rematch against “Poatan” this past June, asserting that the Czech fighter lacked any coherent strategy in the bout.
“I didn’t like the way that Jiří fought his last time out versus Pereira,” Rockhold said. “He just didn’t look like he would follow the game plan. Like, what were you doing? I don’t know. To think you could stand with him and play this karate style, Kung Fu game. You can’t fight like that, a guy that he’s so dangerous, you can’t fight with your hands down and you got to go for takedowns. You identified his weakness, but you didn’t even try to exploit it.”
The former UFC middleweight champion went on to assert that “Sweet Dreams” holds a distinct tactical advantage over Procházka and is more than capable of getting the job done at UFC 311.
“Jamahal Hill’s more dangerous. He’s got pop, he’s got power, he goes for the kill and Jamahal’s got funky — he’s weirdly athletic sometimes. He’s hard to take down. You’ve seen in the Glover [Teixeira] fight, he was able to get up and get his way and funks his way through a lot of things and he ends up finding his shot, the kill shot. But, like I said, this is a rebuilding process for both of them and you don’t know, but I don’t know. I might favor Jamahal in this one.”
At UFC 309 last month, it appeared that Damon Jackson’s MMA career had come to an end. The 36-year old was submitted by Jim Miller in the first round at Madison Square Garden and left his gloves inside the Octagon before making his exit.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, he announced that he has decided against retirement, stating that the entire situation was overwhelming which led to him making a rash decision in the moment.
“It was a very emotional night,” Jackson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’ve had a lot going on this past two or three years that I haven’t really shared with anyone. I kind of kept it to myself, and I’ve just had a lot going on. It was very frustrating to go out there and be on that stage and to go out there and lose that way, a way that I’ve prided myself in with my jiu-jitsu, with my wrestling.
“To go out there and take a loss like that, it was just really frustrating – so surprising and so shocking. I couldn’t even really comprehend the fact that I just lost.”
Jackson previously competed at featherweight where at one point, following a loss to Ilia Topuria, he was riding a four-fight win streak. His meeting with Miller saw him make the move up to lightweight where he was submitted for the second time in his career. He is currently focused on taking some time off to divert his attention elsewhere but in the mean time, he’s continuing to remain active in the gym.
“I’m not done, man – I’m really not,” Jackson said. “I’ve been in the gym doing two- and three-a-days just like normal. I’m still in it 100 percent, it’s just mentally I really checked out that night and it was an overload, really. But I’m not done. I just need to figure out the path to what I want to do next. But I’m not done fighting, for sure.”
Jackson also revealed that he has three fights left on his current UFC contract and that the matchmakers are behind his decision to continue. His return won’t be anytime soon following his recent exit from the anti-doping testing pool which requires a six-month testing period before he will be cleared to compete again.
“I’m not going to fight for anybody but the UFC,” Jackson said. “I’m not going to go test the contract. I don’t give a sh*t about anybody else’s contracts. I don’t care about anyone else. If I ever fight again, it’ll be with UFC. I told Sean, ‘Listen, I’m going to take some time off. I’m probably not even going to fight until this summer.’”
The last two years have produced a staggering amount of title changes in the UFC. Following the record-tying eleven times that we heard “And New” in 2023, 2024 saw seven fighters capture the gold.
Valentina Shevchenko, Raquel Pennington, Julianna Peña, Merab Dvalishvili, Ilia Topuria, Belal Muhammad and Dricus Du Plessis all got their hands on the most coveted prize in MMA but former champion Michael Bisping believes that 2025 will see less movement. In a recent episode of Fight Week on TNT Sports, Bisping (alongside co-hosts Adam Catterall & Nick Peet) gave his predictions for who will end 2025 as the champion of each division.
He believes that four belts will be held by different competitors in 12-months time. At women’s strawweight, Bisping predicted that Tatiana Suarez will finally realize her true potential by becoming the new champion whether or not she defeats Weili Zhang in the co-main event of UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia this February.
“I’ve got to go with Tatiana Suarez – I did say that this time last year. Of course, she’s fighting Zhang Weili, so we’ll see how that plays out. I just think the wrestling that Tatiana Suarez has is going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of people. This time next year, one way or another, she’ll be the champ.”
Bisping also believes that the women’s bantamweight division will have a new face in the form of Kayla Harrison. The former PFL star has made a huge impact since arriving in the UFC, producing back-to-back wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira to put her in title contention.
“The women’s bantamweight champion, there’s only going to be one name in discussion: Kayla Harrison. No offense to Julianna Peña, I think she’s great for the sport, she’s a fun person. She’s fun to sit and watch fights with because she talks a lot of s-h-i-t the whole time. She’s great, but Kayla Harrison, I believe, will be too big, too strong, too good at judo, too mentally strong, too fit. She’ll drag her down, she’ll get the submission, and she’ll also get the belt.”
The middleweight title is also set to be on the line at UFC 312 on February 8 but “The Count” does not see either man in that matchup ending the year on top. He believes that Khamzat Chimaev will become the champion by the end of the year, regardless of who he has to face to finally get his hands on the belt.
“It’s interesting because I’m looking at the rankings here. I never thought we’d see a year where Robert Whittaker wasn’t in the conversation. It just shows the sport is such a cruel mistress. Obviously, Khamzat Chimaev squeezed his teeth out last time, and yeah, I’m gonna have to say Khazmzat. Dricus (Du Plessis) is a tremendous champion. I think him and Sean (Strickland) will have another close fight, but I think regardless, when Khamzat gets his chance, he’ll be victorious. I mean, what he did to Robert Whittaker – I’ll never underestimate that man ever again.”
“If there is an interim champion, it will be Tom Aspinall. However, I don’t think there will be one. I believe that the reason Tom isn’t fighting at London is because Jon Jones–Tom Aspinall will go down. The biggest heavyweight fight the sport has ever seen. Maybe the biggest fight period that this sport has ever seen. Jon Jones, Tom Aspinall, and when the dust settles, ‘Tommy Aspinall, Aspinall, Tommy Aspinall! Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na!’”
Azamat Murzakanov will be spending the first few months of 2025 on the side lines after it was announced on Monday that he has been serving a six-month suspension. The UFC’s anti-doping partner, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) stated that the undefeated light heavyweight had tested positive for LGD-4033.
CSAD also revealed that they believe the result from the out-of-competition test that was taken on October 8 was due to a “purported dietary supplement” which Murzakanov had submitted to them. They found traces of LGD-4033 in the supplement but the #12-ranked contender at 205-pounds was still suspended because, as CSAD states, the supplement was not “third-party tested and certified”.
He will be eligible to return to the Octagon on May 1 due to his suspension time rising from 90 to 180 days due this being his second violation. Murzakanov was previously suspended by USADA for two years ahead of his UFC debut back in 2017.
After winning the BRAVE CF openweight tournament in 2019, he was given the opportunity to compete on the 2021 series of Dana White’s Contender Series where he earned his contract. Since then, he has produced four consecutive wins and three finishes to find himself ranked in the top 15 at light heavyweight, beating the likes of Alonzo Menifield, Dustin Jacoby and Devin Clark.
He was expected to face the #8-ranked Nikita Krylov at UFC 309 last month in New York until he withdrew from the fight with the reason now being revealed.
The odds are in for the UFC’s champions in 2025, and the betting line for one particular division has caused a stir…
As always, titles are expected to change hands on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in the new year. DraftKings has the middleweight class as one in which a new kingpin could be crowned.
As it stands, he’d have to unseat Dricus Du Plessis to do so. The South African will enter the year with the crown after a 2024 in which he took it from Sean Strickland and defended it against Israel Adesanya.
The odds have “Stillknocks” as the second favorite to finish 2025 as champ at +120, being pipped to the post by “Borz’s” -200 line.
That, in addition to the figures beside names like Caio Borralho, Sean Strickland, Nassourdine Imavov and Adesanya, have split opinion in the MMA community online.
The first chance to dent Du Plessis’ chances of another Christmas as king has fallen to Strickland, who is set to face the South African in a rematch next February. The pair will headline UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia 13 months on from their close five-round contest in Canada.
Before the matchup came to fruition a year on from its initial cancellation, Jones came under heavy flak for facing a veteran returning from a near four-year layoff over his division’s interim champ, Tom Aspinall.
But the Rochester native didn’t budge in his dismissal of the Brit and ultimately had his hand raised as many had predicted, landing a thunderous spinning back kick to the body to stop Miocic at UFC 309.
And while listing his 2024 triumphs in a recent X post, Jones included his victory over “the greatest heavyweight in UFC history,” alongside actions like voting in a presidential election for the first time and traveling the world to spread his MMA knowledge.
Reflecting on the year
•Performed for the President: Had the honor of showcasing my skills in front of our country’s leader. •First-Time Voter: Took part in democracy and voted for the first time ever—a major personal milestone. •Global Traveler & Educator: Traveled to…
In a subsequent post, Jones revealed his plans to decide on some New Year’s resolutions ahead of 2025, a year in which he intends to produce a similar list of achievements.
It feels amazing to look back at the last year and make a list of achievements like that. I’m sure if I spent more time on it, I’d realize just how many things I left out. Now, I’m excited to start writing down some New Year’s resolutions and even more excited to see the list of…
“It feels amazing to look back at the last year and make a list of achievements like that. I’m sure if I spent more time on it, I’d realize just how many things I left out. Now, I’m excited to start writing down some New Year’s resolutions and even more excited to see the list of things I accomplish after 2025.”
Should something UFC-related appear in Jones’ post 12 months down the line, it would seemingly come via a long-awaited unification fight with Aspinall.
While “Bones” has continued to favor other assignments such as Alex Pereira for the new year, UFC CEO Dana White has been clear in stating that any return for Jones would come in the form of a clash with the British interim titleholder.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson remains one of the most iconic fighters in MMA history, known for his tenacity, charisma, and unforgettable performances in promotions like PRIDE FC, UFC and Bellator.
During his illustrious career, Jackson achieved notable accolades, including winning the PRIDE middleweight championship and the UFC light heavyweight title.
“Rampage” rose to stardom in Japan during his tenure with PRIDE, captivating fans with his dynamic fighting style and larger-than-life personality. After leaving the UFC in 2015 with a decision victory over Fábio Maldonado, he transitioned full-time to Bellator.
His career concluded on a difficult note, going 1-3 in his last four bouts, with his final fight being a TKO loss to Fedor Emelianenko in 2019.
Recently, Jackson reflected on his career during the JAXXON Podcast, offering candid insights into the mistakes he made along the way.
“(Bryan) Battle, don’t get complacent with the scales. Always push yourself harder even if you outgrow your teammates and coaches — don’t feel bad. I’m going to tell you something, with your personality and your skills, you can be a big star in the UFC, and there’s not that many stars. It could be your time soon, right? So make sure you train really hard; I’m talking about taking it super serious.
“I don’t care if your friends tell you, ‘Oh, you think you’re this.’ F* that. You’ve got to be selfish for a little while because Father Time is undefeated, and it’s going to be a short window. I’m telling you, keep honing in on your skills. Don’t get complacent, because that happens to the best of us. It happened to me. I was like, ‘My s*** don’t stink,’ and I stopped training as hard. I did. I was a big star, and I stopped training as hard like, ‘F*** it.’ Bro, you could be a big star.”
Jackson’s reflections highlight the importance of consistent dedication and self-discipline in a fighter’s career, offering valuable lessons for the next generation of MMA athletes.
Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall recently shared his predictions for who will be holding UFC titles across all men’s weight classes by the end of 2025.
Given the depth of talent in the promotion’s divisions, his projections during a recent interview with TNT Sports provide interesting insights into how a UFC champ assesses the title picture in other divisions.
Flyweight: “I mean, I would have chosen Muhammad Mokaev, but he’s gone. So, [Alexandre] Pantoja, I would say – Pantoja will still be there this time next year.”
Bantamweight: “I mean it’d be between Merab [Dvalishvili] and Umar [Nurmagomedov] next year. That’s an interesting fight, but I would back Merab.”
Featherweight: “I’ll say Lerone Murphy will be getting up there by this time next year, but I don’t think he’ll have won a title just yet – I think that’s probably the year after. I think Ilia Topuria will still be champion by this time next year. Easily.”
Lightweight: “Islam [Makhachev] is going to be champion, again, by this time next year.”
Welterweight: “I think Belal [Muhammad] is massively underrated, and I think that he’s still going to be the champion next year.”
Middleweight: “Right, I’ve picked against Dricus [du Plessis] so many times, and I’m not going to do it again. But I think to say that Khamzat Chimaev is not going to be a champion by this time next year is just silly – so I’m going to say Khamzat.”
Light Heavyweight: “I think Alex Pereira – ah, I don’t know. He’s got a tough fight with Magomed Ankalaev. I think that’s a really tough fight, so I don’t know with that one. I’m going to sit on the fence; it’s going to be one of them two: either Ankalaev or Pereira.”
Heavyweight: “Ah, come on, come on. This time next year – as Ricky Gervais said [in The Office], I could be sitting in this hot seat yet – so I’m going to say me by this time next year, definitely.”
👑Tom Aspinall predicts every UFC Champion in 2025:
Flyweight: Alexandre Pantoja Bantamweight: Merab Dvalishvili Featherweight: Ilia Topuria Lightweight: Islam Makhachev Welterweight: Belal Muhammad Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev Light Heavyweight: Ankalaev / Pereira… pic.twitter.com/6K44LHjc8Z
Aspinall remains optimistic about securing a bout with current heavyweight champion Jon Jones in 2025. Jones has also expressed interest in a potential light heavyweight showdown with Alex Pereira instead.
“New Mansa” unleashed brutal combinations that left Covington struggling to keep up. A vicious uppercut in the first round opened a deep gash above the former UFC interim welterweight champion’s eye, causing a torrent of blood that worsened with every subsequent strike.
By the third round, referee Dan Miragliotta was compelled to halt the action, calling the Octagon-side doctor to assess the gruesome gash above Covington’s eye. After a brief evaluation, the doctor advised Miragliotta to stop the fight, deeming the injury too severe to continue.
After the fight, Sonnen, who served as Covington’s cornerman, shared on his YouTube channel that, in light of the injury’s nature, he was prepared to throw in the towel himself — if the doctor or referee didn’t take action first.
During a recent Twitch stream, “Chaos” reflected on Sonnen’s decision and expressed that he harbors no ill will toward his mentor. The 36-year-old Californian admitted that, while the moment was tough to swallow, he recognizes it as a well-judged call given the circumstances, no matter how challenging it may have been.
“Chael cares about me. He’s a real one,” Covington said. “If he was throwing it in, it’s because he knows that I couldn’t see. He knows that where the cut was at, it was bleeding into my right eye and I couldn’t see. I was seeing three of four different people.
“He knew that I couldn’t see. So if he’s going to do it, it’s because he cares about me and he knows that I couldn’t see and that was going to be tough to overcome. I thought I was coming on stronger, and I feel like they were going to have to throw in the towel for Buckley by the end of round five. So it sucks, it’s unfortunate.”
👀👏Colby Covington shares how he felt when Chael Sonnen threw in the towel during Joaquin Buckley’s fight:
“My opinion is that Chael cares about me. Chael is the real one. If he throws the towel he knows I can’t see.”
Covington is currently navigating the most difficult stretch of his career, having posted a 2-4 record in his last six UFC bouts, which includes three defeats in high-stakes title fights.
Islam Makhachev continues to solidify his legacy as one of MMA’s most dominant forces. The UFC lightweight champion has showcased his skills against elite competition, establishing himself as a formidable presence in the sport.
Makhachev claimed the vacant lightweight title with a submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He successfully defended it with a decision win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 and followed it up with a knockout win in their rematch at UFC 294.
Most recently, at UFC 302, Makhachev submitted Dustin Poirier, further cementing his reign. His next title defense is set for Jan. 18, 2025, at UFC 311, where he will face Arman Tsarukyan in a highly anticipated rematch.
In a recent interview with Yukah MMA (h/t Bloody Elbow), Makhachev addressed questions about his career longevity and whether he has a specific retirement age in mind.
“I wouldn’t say it’s that bad; if I feel like I have stopped [developing], then that’s it — I have to quit. No, [there is no age in mind], I don’t associate anything with age… [Artur] Beterbiev is 39 years old, and he’s the best boxer in the world. Years are not the limit. I don’t have any [title] numbers at all [in mind].”
When asked how he would recognize when it’s time to step away from the sport, Makhachev explained that he’ll rely on comparisons with his training partners.
“I train with a lot of young guys in the gym. If I see that I can’t keep up, that they are catching up with me, overtaking me, then why should I torture myself? I’ll stop [then].”
For Makhachev, the focus remains on continuous improvement and maintaining dominance, with no immediate plans to slow down.
Jiří Procházka is aware of the mistakes he made during a brief stint as UFC light heavyweight champion in 2022.
Procházka enjoyed a quick ascent to top spot on MMA’s biggest stage, capturing UFC gold in just his third fight in the promotion. After knockouts of Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes, he submitted Glover Teixeira to avoid certain defeat on the scorecards in Singapore.
But the era of “BJP” was a short one, not reaching his planned first defense against Teixeira after a shoulder injury forced the Czech star to vacate the belt.
The 32-year-old has since failed in two bids to regain champ status against Alex Pereira, with two knockout losses to “Poatan” sandwiching a memorable bounce-back performance against Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300 this past April.
Like that result accomplished, Procházka will be looking to put in a display worthy of another crack at recapturing the title when he meets a fellow ex-champion in Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 on Jan. 11.
During an interview with MMA Fighting‘s Mike Heck, Procházka looked ahead to what a victory over “Sweet Dreams” would bring, reiterating his desire for a third shot at blemishing Pereira’s perfect light heavyweight record.
And were he to succeed in that ambition, “BJP” is confident he knows how to better approach a second reign.
“Maybe first time, when I won, I didn’t really realize that it was a big, a big thing in my life, and I was not so — like I say — grateful for that,” Procházka said. “I took that like, automatically, I will be the champion. OK, I’m the champion, and that’s all, yeah. I [didn’t have] these feelings to be humble, grateful in that.
“So I said to myself, ‘I want to go this way one more time,’ not just one more time, but I want to go there, take this belt, take that position of the best man in the light heavyweight [division], and one more time, but grateful. Be humble. And really appreciate that moment. Really appreciate the life that gave you this chance to fight for that again. And right now, I’m in this process. This is what I feel right now.”
Procházka features in one of the most prominent and crucial undercard bouts at UFC 311, a pay-per-view that will be headlined by highly anticipated title defenses for lightweight champ Islam Makhachev and bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili.
“Big” John McCarthy didn’t just help write the Unified Rules of MMA, he knows them like the back of his hand. The veteran referee turned commentator has been using his expertise when it comes to the rules of the sport to assist on the PFL’s broadcasts since the promotion acquired Bellator last year.
McCarthy is often utilized as a rules analyst who will chime in on the broadcast to explain what is happening in certain scenarios which is no different to what happens in other sports. His current contract with the PFL has recently expired and though he does not intend on going back to the days where he would be constantly flying from A to B, he does think that the MMA leader could benefit from his services.
“Big” John spoke in a recent interview with MMA Junkie about how the UFC would benefit from having a rules analyst for their broadcasts even if it’s not necessarily him in that role. He explained why this would be beneficial as an added layer of detail which the commentators aren’t currently providing.
“Oh, absolutely,” McCarthy said. “I don’t know if the UFC would want me, but yeah, I could do it with the UFC. And I’m being honest, I think it’s something the UFC needs. They have too many times that their commentators are unsure about what is going on or what should be done, and that’s not their fault. Their commentators are there to explain the ins and outs of fighting to the fans. To sit there and expect them to know all the rules and what the mechanics of the referee is and what they need – they can’t do that.
“So, they have Din Thomas kind of off to the side as the coach. I do think they need, and I’m not saying it’s me, but they need somebody there to absolutely clear things up for the fans when they are in a situation when the time has been stopped, a foul has occurred, or something like that, and gives the correct information about what’s occuring and where they can go with what has happened.”
Following his win over Jared Cannonier in August, Caio Borralho has been waiting on a huge fight for his next outing. The #6-ranked middleweight has won seven fights in a row since debuting in the Octagon in April of 2022.
It appeared for a brief moment that the Brazilian might be being lined-up for arguably the biggest fight in the division outside of fighting for the title. He had expressed interest in facing former champion Israel Adesanya following his loss at UFC 305 and it seemed like this option was being presented to “The Last Stylebender”.
Several months later it was announced that Adesanya will be headlining the UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia on February 1 but it will be against the contender that is one spot higher than Borralho in the rankings, France’s Nassourdine Imavov. During a recent appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, the Fighting Nerds stand out spoke about this fight and gave his thoughts on how it all played out.
“I think the UFC offered Izzy two fights: me or Imavov,” Borralho said on the Overdogs Podcast. “And then, he suddenly posted a clip studying Imavov’s tape, and I was like, ‘Come on, bro.’ I sent a message to Izzy, and was like, ‘Bro, why you choosing that?’
“He was like, ‘Bro, we’re going to fight next year. We’re going to dance next year for the belt.’ It’s OK, I respect you if you choose that. I think he chose right. I think Imavov is a better fight for him, and I think Izzy is the favorite in this fight.”
Adesanya said a similar thing during a recent YouTube video where he said that though Imavov was the only name that he was offered, Borralho was a name on his radar that he would have accepted if this fight was presented instead. “The Last Stylebender” referenced the message that he sent him, saying that he respects Borralho for wanting to test himself.
Borralho also weighed in with his thoughts on the fight that has been booked for February 1, giving the former champion an advantage when it comes to the five-round duration.
“Imavov, I think he’s good and all that, but I don’t think he has the cardio for five rounds,” Borralho said. “I don’t think he has the best mentality for five rounds. He gets frustrated a lot into the fight, and he fought a three-round fight with Brendan Allen in Paris and it was like a boring fight.
“They were tired since the first round, and I think if he does the same thing with Izzy, Izzy is going to pick him apart. I think he’s good at fighting guys that are shorter than him. I don’t think he’s good when he’s fighting guys who are taller than him.”
Fortis MMA’s Sayif Saud is recognized as one of the top coaches in mixed martial arts today. With the help of the rest of the coaching staff, this team has gone on to have a lot of success with Saud receiving justified praise but all of that hard work is catching up with him.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Saud spoke about how his days as a coach might be coming to an end. The Dallas-based mastermind has been cornering UFC fighters for over ten years at this stage and during that timeframe, he has racked up 97 UFC wins under his belt.
The Fortis MMA boss captain has created some great memories alongside fighters like Geoff Neal, Macy Chiasson, Ryan Spann and of course, the man that brought Saud his first UFC title win, Brandon Moreno. With the big 100 being just around the corner, Saud believes that leaving the sport after putting in twenty years makes a lot of sense to him right now.
“I always said that 100 UFC wins and I was going to be done,” Saud told MMA Junkie. “One hundred UFC wins, win a title – I would like to win a title back and get it one more time for (Moreno) – but 100 wins and this will be 20 years. Next year will be 20 years. 2005 is when I started. I moved to Albuquerque in 2006, then came to Dallas in 2009, and now in 2025, it will be 20 years in MMA. And it’s been great, man. It’s been an incredible run, but it’s definitely coming towards the end.
“I look forward to being home and kind of spending time with my kids. I don’t really realize how nice it is to be home and just be around my family, be around my kids and be around them and see them and hug them and kiss them. Just be around them more as they’re getting older. I’m getting into a different period in my life. I’m 44 and getting to the next generation of guys, we’re going to hopefully put that 100 up on the board.”
Saud hopes that in his absence, the outstanding team will continue to push on without him to keep building the momentum they have accumulated in recent years in particular.
As for when he might wrap things up, the team currently has three big fights on the calendar that are all set to take place before the end of March. Should Diego Ferreira, Chiasson and Spann all get their hands raised in their upcoming outings, Saud could be calling it a year within the first quarter of 2025.
UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry believes his performance in defeat against Shavkat Rakhmonov cemented him as second in the chasing pack.
Garry had a late-notice opportunity to secure his first title shot on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage earlier this month at UFC 310. He stepped in for the injured Belal Muhammad to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, a fellow undefeated up-and-comer at 170 pounds.
While “Nomad’s” championship opportunity had turned into a defense of his top contender status, the Kazakh star emerged with his date opposite champ Muhammad still intact after narrowly outpointing Garry.
“The Future” didn’t lose stock, however, given the competitive nature of his display. But that doesn’t mean he was rewarded with a strong push up the welterweight ladder, on which he remains a few positions off the top five at #7.
During a recent interview with MMA Knockout, Garry was firm in rejecting that placement, insisting that the way he challenged the highly regarded Rakhmonov leaves him as the division’s clear number two contender.
“The way I look at this is that the fight against Shavkat was to be the number one contender in the world and go out and fight for the belt next,” Garry said. “If I’m not the number one contender, of which Shavkat got his hand raised and has now cemented himself, I’m definitely number f**king two.
“That’s the way I look at it. Because there’s no way after that performance, you can’t sit there and say that I’m (not) one of the best in the division,” he continued. “So whatever the rankings want to officially say, it’s okay.”
It remains to be seen what lies in Garry’s future next year. While he was briefly linked toward the headline spot opposite Leon Edwards at UFC London in March, “The Future” has dismissed talk of an outing in Europe if it isn’t in his home country of Ireland.
2024 saw some spectacular knockouts inside the UFC Octagon.
With the calendar year at its conclusion, recent weeks and days have seen fans and pundits reflecting on what the past 12 months brought us in mixed martial arts.
Nothing beats a violent striking stoppage, and 2024 wasn’t short on some special ones. From Max Holloway’s buzzer-beating finish of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 to “Doctor” Ming Shi’s head kick to sleep Xiaocan Feng at UFC Macau, the year had plenty of KOs worthy of getting fans up from there seats.
And the UFC recently uploaded a compilation of 2024’s best on YouTube for fans’ viewing entertainment before the new year arrives.
2025 will no doubt see plenty more memorable finishes added to the UFC’s highlight packages, with the first opportunity for additions coming on Jan. 11 at the Apex in Las Vegas.
The opening event of the new year sees strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas run it back in the main event, with the likes of Chris Curtis, Abdul Razak Alhassan, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Uroš Medić making up the key undercard contests.
Deiveson Figueiredo wouldn’t be surprised to see Merab Dvalishvili emerge victorious in his first title defense as the bantamweight champion.
Dvalishvili is set to face Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event of UFC 311, a pay-per-view event scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Despite riding an impressive 12-fight winning streak, the Georgian enters the fight as the betting underdog against Nurmagomedov. For Figueiredo, the style of the champion is the key to his success.
“I tend more for Merab,” Figueiredo told MMA Junkie. “The reason I do this is his striking is not refined, but he manages to tire people and confuse them so he can take them down. On the other hand, Umar is a guy who knows how to submit from the bottom, so there’s that risk for Merab. But after five rounds, I see Merab’s hand being raised.”
Figueiredo, a former flyweight champion, plans to closely follow UFC 311. The Brazilian expressed his desire to remain at bantamweight and potentially add another divisional title to his résumé.
Michael Johnson knows firsthand the challenge of stepping into the Octagon with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The two faced off in November 2016 at UFC 205, where Khabib submitted Johnson in the third round of their lightweight bout.
“The Menace” had taken the fight on just two weeks’ notice, a fact that added to the difficulty of facing the undefeated Dagestani fighter. Fans may remember the intense moment during the fight when Khabib was heard telling Johnson to give up, claiming he needed a title fight.
“I was like, ‘F*ck you!’” Johnson recalled during an appearance on Mike Perry’s Overdogs Podcast. “I hit him with a backhand like, ‘I’m still in it. I can’t move, but I’m in it.’ I wasn’t going to f*cking give up. He’s good.”
Reflecting on the fight, Johnson admitted that focusing solely on Nurmagomedov’s wrestling was a mistake:
“I went into that fight, his wrestling is all I thought about. His wrestling, his wrestling, his wrestling. So, I wasn’t thinking about myself, and that was the mistake. I just went in there kind of waiting for him to shoot, trying to find my motions. I was kind of crouched down, and I couldn’t really move around.”
Johnson also spoke about Khabib’s strength and dominance:
“Bro, he’s good, strong. He felt like a middleweight, and that’s a problem. I couldn’t move, but he helped me get better. I went back to the gym and started working on that. Without that fight, I wouldn’t be here.”
Nurmagomedov went on to capture the UFC lightweight title and successfully defend it three times before retiring undefeated.
As for Johnson, he recently delivered a standout performance, earning Performance of the Night honors for his knockout of Ottman Azaitar earlier this month at UFC Tampa.
Ilia Topuria didn’t have the most positive experience meeting Conor McGregor, largely due to the energy and body language he perceived during their interaction. Topuria shared his thoughts during a resurfaced clip from The Wild Project podcast, where he reflected on the time they both fought at UFC 264.
At the event, McGregor headlined the card against Dustin Poirier but suffered a gruesome leg break in the first round. Meanwhile, Topuria delivered an impressive first-round KO victory over Ryan Hall. Despite their contrasting outcomes, Topuria recalled an unsettling vibe from McGregor.
“Super bad vibes,” Topuria described (H/T to MMA Mania). “Look, analyzing people as human beings, let’s look at Conor. A guy, his wife, his children, his family. I can’t give an opinion. I don’t know how these people are. He might be an excellent person, and I perceived his energy in a different way from what it is. He simply came to work, put on a show.
“But the feeling I had when he was around was, ‘Keep him away!’ Keep him away. Because you can be Conor McGregor and act however you want, but no one is above me, only God, you know what I’m saying? Congratulations on your career, I respect it. But don’t tell me a thing because I’ll take your head off.”
Topuria went on to describe McGregor’s aura as something he had never encountered before:
“Just a terrible energy. I swear it felt like his aura came from hell. I wanted to be away from this dude, he had a black energy I have never felt before. Agustin, my trainer, he’s a very spiritual guy. He’s very careful with the energies. He said, ‘This dude is gonna lose badly and split.’ He broke his leg that night. He brought an energy of hell, you know what I’m saying?”
Since that fateful night at UFC 264, McGregor has yet to return to competition, now over three and a half years later. In contrast, Topuria has continued to rise in the UFC, recently defending his Featherweight Championship against former champion Max Holloway.
Ilia Topuria says that Conor McGregor has “terrible energy” and “his aura comes straight from HELL”
“I want to be away from this dude, he has a black energy, I never felt that before”https://t.co/DOfoQbXF1d
Israel Adesanya is gearing up for his next challenge as he faces Nassourdine Imavov in the headliner of the second UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. The fight is set to take place on February 1, 2025, at The Venue in Riyadh. Despite focusing on the bout ahead, Adesanya hasn’t forgotten the obstacles he’s encountered on his path to greatness.
Once undefeated with a 20-0 record and a dominant reign as middleweight champion, Adesanya’s journey has been marked by highs and lows in recent years. His first professional defeat came against Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259 in an attempt to claim the light heavyweight title. Following this setback, he successfully defended his middleweight belt against Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier.
Adesanya’s reign faltered at UFC 281 when Alex Pereira dethroned him, but he reclaimed the title in emphatic fashion with a stunning KO of Pereira at UFC 287. However, his momentum took another hit when Sean Strickland defeated him by decision at UFC 293. Adesanya then fell short again this past August, losing to Dricus Du Plessis by submission in a bid to regain the title.
Now, Adesanya views his upcoming fight against Imavov as a pivotal step toward title contention. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Adesanya reflected on his skills and resilience:
“Because I can – and I’m really, really, really good at it. I almost forgot how great I was, but then recently I just realized like, ‘Fck, I’m good at this sht.’ I forget because – reasons, but yeah, it’s good to remind yourself. I keep saying, ‘Ya’ll must have forgot.’ F*ck, I almost forgot.”
Adesanya emphasized his commitment to improvement and showcasing his full range of skills in mixed martial arts:
“I love the way things are playing out. It’s about me and just improving and really showing what I can really do in the full range of mixed martial arts. You’ve got a motherf*cker swinging at you, trying to take your head off – you better be up.”
Reflecting on his career, Adesanya said:
“I’ve achieved my dreams in this game. I still have some more dreams to achieve, but the main ones I have (achieved). (I want to) just enjoy this sht. I’m going to definitely get a submission (before I retire). That’s definitely a big one. I don’t even care about the belt. I want to get someone’s fcking ankle or neck.”
Adesanya’s fight against Imavov could reignite his path to reclaiming UFC gold, as he continues to push the boundaries of his career and legacy.
“Cowboy” confirmed the update during his recent appearance on The Pacman Jones Show, revealing that once he’s cleared by the testing agency, he plans to pursue his goal of fighting just two more times — likely in the middleweight division.
“I just re-entered the testing pool so I have to be six months clean,” Cerrone said. “Probably June or July we’ll make the comeback. I’m coming back for two more. Just two more. I want 50 fights [under the] UFC. I promised the wife no matter what happens, no matter the outcomes – two more and that’s it… I think it’ll be [at middleweight] is what I’m coming back at. We’ll see my weight as I start to pick up my training.”
https://youtu.be/8R0RG5e7JQA?si=YRlodqjOt8a5v3iP
Cerrone retired from active competition after a challenging run of six consecutive losses in the Octagon, with the ultimate setback being a second-round submission defeat to fellow veteran Jim Miller at UFC 276 in July 2022.
Over the course of his storied career, “Cowboy” racked up an extraordinary 18 post-fight bonuses, ranking second in UFC history only behind Charles Oliveira. Moreover, he shares the spot for the second-most wins in UFC history with 23, tied with Andrei Arlovski, and holds the second-highest number of finishes, with 16.
Alex Pereira continues to build an extraordinary legacy in MMA, earning praise from fans and fighters alike. Currently the UFC light heavyweight champion, Pereira previously held the middleweight title before moving up in weight.
Pereira’s meteoric rise began with an impressive 6-1 record that earned him a title shot at 185 pounds. And at UFC 281, he defeated Israel Adesanya via TKO to claim the belt. However, he lost the title back to Adesanya via KO at UFC 287.
Transitioning to light heavyweight, Pereira captured the division’s crown at UFC 295, defeating Jiří Procházka via TKO. He has since defended the title against the Czech star in a rematch, as well as against Khalil Rountree and Jamahal Hill, securing all victories with decisive finishes.
UFC analyst and former fighter Alan Jouban believes Pereira’s accomplishments warrant a place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
“If he retires tomorrow, nobody in the history of the UFC has done what he has done in such a short amount of time,” Jouban said on SiriusXM’s MMA Today. “Look at what he has done. It’s unprecedented, so I would say yes.”
Alex Pereira was the story in 2024 for the UFC. 👊
With all that he accomplished this year, is he already a UFC Hall of Famer?
Jouban elaborated on what sets Pereira apart from other champions.
“Not only is he a guy that has this mystique, that has this following of kids and people of all ages, and has carried the UFC on his back, but the one thing that he does better than anybody else in the UFC is that he puts a bow on it and he finishes fights.”
He further praised Pereira’s ability to deliver thrilling performances.
“You put Alex Pereira in the main event slot on any card, any time of the year, people are going to leave there with a smile on their face because they got to see a knockout. They got to see a devastating knockout early. You don’t have that trust in a lot of other fighters. But you know with Alex Pereira in there, somebody’s going to get knocked out, and it’s all that we’re going to be talking about the next day.”
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Khabib Nurmagomedov has transitioned into coaching in MMA since retiring from active competition. However, the former champion has admitted that the new role isn’t exactly his favorite.
Nurmagomedov holds a legendary record in MMA, having been the longest-reigning UFC lightweight champion, a title he held from April 2018 to March 2021.
With an impeccable career record of 29 wins and zero losses, Khabib is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. His achievements were further solidified with his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame in June 2022. His final fight at UFC 254 in October 2020 ended with a submission victory over Justin Gaethje.
Despite stepping away from active competition, Khabib continues to guide his teammates to success. However, when it was announced that Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov would compete back-to-back at UFC 311, “The Eagle” expressed mixed feelings about his coaching responsibilities.
“I don’t like [coaching], but I have to be here,” Khabib said in video uploaded by Demetrious Johnson. “It’s gonna be a very big night for us at UFC 311, with Tagir [Ulanbekov], Umar for the title, and Islam defending his belt. I cannot be home; I have to be here, but I don’t like this.”
Conor McGregor’s much-anticipated return to combat sports has been a topic of speculation, particularly since his last UFC bout in 2021 ended with a severe leg injury in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier.
Initially slated to face Michael Chandler in July, the matchup fell through due to a broken toe. Despite this, UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly stated that the Irishman will eventually return to the Octagon.
However, McGregor himself has hinted that his comeback might take a different route. The former two-division UFC champion recently claimed that discussions are underway for a potential boxing match against social media star and occasional boxer Logan Paul. If this materializes, it would mark a shift away from McGregor’s UFC roots.
Former UFC fighter Matt Brown shared his perspective during a recent episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer, expressing doubts about McGregor’s return to the UFC.
“Does he fight Logan Paul? That’s a good question. I don’t know. I’m going to say I don’t know,” Brown remarked. “Does he fight in the UFC? I think that’s a clear no. Does he fight outside the UFC? I think it’s always possible for him to fight outside the UFC, if the UFC allows it. I don’t know if the UFC is going to get behind it. I just don’t know how those deals are going to play out. But does he fight in the UFC? No, and I’m going to leave it at that. He won’t be in the UFC. I don’t think he’ll fight in the UFC ever again.”
Brown believes the financial incentive to fight Logan Paul far outweighs the challenges of facing elite UFC opponents.
“There’s so much money to be made doing a Logan Paul fight. Of course, he would do that. He doesn’t have to come back and fight a f*cking Islam [Makhachev] or something or Dustin Poirier or [Nate] Diaz or anything. He just [has to] go and box a guy who is not a pro boxer.”
As the combat sports world awaits McGregor’s next move, the possibility of a lucrative boxing spectacle with Logan Paul adds another layer of intrigue to his storied career.
