MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Robert Whittaker Explains How Alex Pereira Can Beat Khamzat Chimaev

    Robert Whittaker Explains How Alex Pereira Can Beat Khamzat Chimaev

    Robert Whittaker has expressed interest in the potential matchup between UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev.

    Whittaker, who recently faced Chimaev at UFC 308 and suffered a quick submission loss that also resulted in displaced teeth, shared his thoughts on the hypothetical bout during a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast.

    Rumors of a possible Pereira-Chimaev fight emerged after “Poatan” hinted at an unexpected next opponent. For Whittaker, the prospect of Chimaev moving up to face the Brazilian is intriguing.

    “I saw a rumor that Chimaev might go up and fight Pereira,” Whittaker said. “Imagine that. Chimaev (will win). Not easily, Chimaev though. Unless the heavyweight strength changes the dynamic. Chimaev will get the takedown, and it’s just that he’s good at what he does; he plays into his strengths.”

    Despite leaning toward “Borz’s” grappling ability as the deciding factor, Whittaker acknowledged the light heavyweight champ’s striking prowess and conditioning as potential game-changers, particularly if Chimaev fails to maintain a relentless pace.

    “But let’s say hypothetically, Chimaev slows down, gasses a little bit, Pereira won’t,” Whittaker added. “He can strike asleep, dead tired—dude’s been doing it his whole life. He’ll kill Chimaev in a standup.

    “It won’t be like that (Kamaru) Usman-Chimaev fight, where Usman was kind of outboxing him a little bit at that period when Chimaev got tired. It will be a slaughter. But does it go that far?”

    As speculation builds around this potential matchup, Whittaker’s analysis highlights the contrasting styles of the two fighters: Chimaev’s elite grappling against Pereira’s striking mastery.

  • Jiří Procházka Shrugs Off Jamahal Hill’s Trash Talk Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘My Actions Will Talk’

    Jiří Procházka Shrugs Off Jamahal Hill’s Trash Talk Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘My Actions Will Talk’

    Jiří Procházka doesn’t appear to be in the mood to entertain Jamahal Hill’s attempts at getting under his skin ahead of their upcoming bout.

    Procházka is gearing up for a high-stakes showdown with Hill at UFC 311, scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    Both Procházka and Hill are coming off devastating knockout defeats at the hands of reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira in their last Octagon appearances. Since their bout was booked, “Sweet Dreams” has made some bold comments about the Czech fighter’s style. Hill went so far as to compare their losses to Pereira, claiming that while he was caught accidentally at UFC 300, Procházka was “done bad” at UFC 303.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, “Denisa” mentioned that he’s aware of Hill badmouthing him but has no intention of responding in kind to the American’s antics.

    “I don’t care what he’s saying because it’s not just primarily about me, it just shows what what is in his head,” Procházka said. “Man, I don’t care about what other people say about me because when you know how this works, how to work the mental of the human body, so how people can speak about others and why they speak about others, especially when he don’t know me personally. He knows just my fighting style and in that, he’s totally out with his commentary.”

    Procházka went on to explain why he chooses not to engage in trash talk, stressing that he’s more than willing to settle the score with Hill once the Octagon gates closes.

    “So that’s why I don’t care about these trash talks because. Do you know how the true confident man, a real man [looks] like? He don’t know. He don’t need to say some sh*t about others, to speak about his strong sides and about the weaknesses in his opponent because he’s self-confident too much to not do that… I’m going there, I will show my best, and I will show that to all the world that I’m the best, and that’s all. My actions will talk.”

    Prior to his latest defeat to Pereira in a short-notice title fight this past June, Procházka secured a second-round finish over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300.

    Meanwhile, Hill’s loss to “Poatan” marked his return to the Octagon after a memorable title win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. “Sweet Dreams” was forced to vacate his title in July 2023 due to an injury.

  • Joe Rogan Praises ‘Insane Tank Of A Human’ Daniel Cormier’s MMA Career: ‘He Was A Killer’

    Joe Rogan Praises ‘Insane Tank Of A Human’ Daniel Cormier’s MMA Career: ‘He Was A Killer’

    Joe Rogan has expressed high admiration for Daniel Cormier, applauding his remarkable achievements as an undersized heavyweight and a light heavyweight champion.

    During his illustrious MMA career, Cormier earned UFC titles in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, holding them simultaneously at one point. As his career concluded, he competed as a heavyweight, cementing his legacy in the division.

    Cormier’s résumé includes victories over elite fighters such as Stipe Miocic, Alexander Gustafsson, Anthony Johnson and Dan Henderson. After retiring, he transitioned to a new role, joining Joe Rogan and Jon Anik as a commentator for UFC pay-per-view broadcasts and other programs.

    “Daniel was a light heavyweight champion and heavyweight champion,” Rogan said on a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience. “He was a two-division world champion and was dominating in a weight class in Strikeforce that he didn’t even belong in – heavyweight. He’s like 5-(foot)-11 – he’s not a big guy.

    “He’s just such an insane tank of a human being. His wrestling was so insane and just his will was so insane. He dominated two different divisions. He was a killer. The nicest f*cking guy you’d ever meet in your life. If you were hanging around him, you would never believe that he could pick up anybody in the room and smash them on their head.”

    In 2022, Cormier’s storied career was honored with his induction into the Modern Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.

  • Alexander Volkanovski Names The One Trait He Would Take From Another Fighter

    Alexander Volkanovski Names The One Trait He Would Take From Another Fighter

    Throughout his long reign as the featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski proved himself to be one of the most well-rounded fighters that we have ever seen in the UFC. His striking has always been his strongest attribute, as seen in his three wins over a fellow all-time great in Max Holloway.

    His grappling has also been incredibly effective whether it was offensively against the likes of Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez or defensively like in his first meeting with Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. However, in a recent Q&A video on his YouTube channel, “The Great” was asked an interesting question.

    When debating what attribute he would take from another fighter to improve his own game, Volkanovski looked outside the box because he is already totally confident in his skills as a mixed martial artist and his athletic ability.

    “I was going to say just pick a young fighter and be 18 again.”

    Volkanovski ended up going with one key factor in combat sports that can’t be significantly improved no matter how much training you put in. In his fourth pro fight, the former champion suffered the first loss of his career as he was stopped by Corey Nelson back in 2013 at Australian FC 5.

    He would then go another 24 fights before he would be finished by another opponent. Now, with three knockout losses on his record, Volkanovski has been stopped in back-to-back fights following his defeats to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria.

    The 36-year old seemingly took this into consideration when giving his answer, under the belief that this additional attribute would make it so much harder to opponents to come out on top against him.

    “I mean who’s got, I mean Max had the chin and I still think like that would still be a crazy chin. But I’d say yeah, chin, cuz that’s how I’ve always looked at it. This is how it’s always been for me going through my career. You always know that someone can catch you, that’s just the game. I’ve always said it’s going to be hard for somebody to actually beat me. I mean Islam had that very close fight, that first one. So there’s only very, very few, if any, that can take me to a decision and beat me that way. Obviously you could say Islam did, it was a very close fight but I’ve always said that anyone can catch you, right… If you could sit there and have the chin where you take away that only opportunity for someone to beat ya, you’re going to be pretty hard to beat, that’s for sure.”

  • Paddy Pimblett Teases Huge Fight Announcement: ‘See You At The Top’

    Paddy Pimblett Teases Huge Fight Announcement: ‘See You At The Top’

    Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett is gearing up for a huge fight next time out after putting together six consecutive wins inside the Octagon. The 29-year old submitted King Green in his latest outing at UFC 304 in July to enter the lightweight rankings at the #13-spot.

    Many expect that “The Baddy” will be back in action when the UFC returns to home soil for the Brit with a Fight Night card set to take place at the O2 Arena in London on March 22. With some of the names around him already matched up, that creates some interesting discussion regarding who may be next for Pimblett.

    From the moment that he arrived in the UFC, the scouser has been one of the most talked about fighters in the promotion and that goes a long way when it comes to securing big fights. Pimblett isn’t ever going to be short on other contenders calling him out and that works to his advantage.

    One name that has already put himself in the mix is the #8-ranked Mateusz Gamrot who would be a solid step up for Pimblett given his stature in the division. However, in a recent YouTube video, he seemed to hint at an even bigger opportunity.

    Pimblett told fans via his channel that they can expect to see some news very soon with contracts hopefully being signed in the not too distant future. He ended the video with a phrase that has become specifically tied to one man.

    “I’m coming for that belt, so I’m looking for higher ranked fighters now,” Pimblett said. “I’m sure you will see a fight announcement soon enough. I’ve said yeah, the opponent said yeah, just need to get stuff signed. So, you know the score, everyone. Like, comment, subscribe, and I’ll see you at the top.”

    “See you at the top” has been a reoccurring saying of the former title challenger Michael Chandler during his time in the UFC. Chandler himself had mentioned Pimblett as a potential option following his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 and the #7-ranked contender would be a huge matchup for him. Given the magnitude of this fight, it’s hard to imagine it taking place in England, especially if Leon Edwards was correct when he said that he would be headlining the card.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Denied UFC PI Access Due To Umar Nurmagomedov’s Presence: ‘This Guy Will Get What’s Coming To Him!’

    Merab Dvalishvili Denied UFC PI Access Due To Umar Nurmagomedov’s Presence: ‘This Guy Will Get What’s Coming To Him!’

    It seems the UFC is taking the growing feud between upcoming opponents Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov very seriously.

    Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are set to collide at the first pay-per-view of the new year, with the pair marking one of two championship fights scheduled for UFC 311 on Jan. 18.

    Before Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan run it back for the lightweight gold in the main event, Inglewood’s Intuit Dome will play host to “The Machine’s” first defense of the bantamweight belt, which he captured at Sean O’Malley’s expense this past September.

    Much to his dismay, the Georgian is tasked with stalling the charge of the undefeated Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili has been vocal in dismissing the Dagestani’s title shot worthiness, and that topic has caused considerable animosity between the pair.

    And that looked likely to boil over both backstage and on stage at the UFC 311 press conference in Las Vegas earlier this month, after which the champ threatened to travel to Dagestan to slap Nurmagomedov for what he perceived as ‘disrespect’.

    But Dvalishvili evidently won’t need such travel to cross paths with his upcoming opponent, with the pair both currently training in “Sin City.”

    The UFC, however, is taking no chances.

    “It’s all good – this guy will get what is coming to him on January 18th,” Dvalishvili wrote in the caption of a video on X, during which the Georgian explained how he’d been turned away from the UFC Performance Institute due to Nurmagomedov’s presence inside.

    Regardless, the champ won’t have too much longer to wait before having the chance to lay hands on the unbeaten Russian inside the cage.

    While Dvalishvili is unhappy with the choice of opponent, and his teammate Aljamain Sterling has made his thoughts on the short-notice booking known, “The Machine” is still confident of blemishing Nurmagomedov’s record and cementing his grip on the bantamweight gold.

  • Brandon Royval Calls For Venue Change After Crucial Manel Kape Fight Announced For UFC Apex

    Brandon Royval Calls For Venue Change After Crucial Manel Kape Fight Announced For UFC Apex

    UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval believes the magnitude of his next fight lends itself to a better environment than the Apex.

    2024 was a successful year for the #1-ranked Royval, who entered it off the back of a disappointing performance in his title challenge against Alexandre Pantoja last December.

    First, a short-notice opportunity to run it back with Brandon Moreno in Mexico arose, and “Raw Dawg” made the most of it by outpointing the former champion. And eight months later, Royval returned to a win streak by turning away the charge of Japan’s Tatsuro Taira.

    With that, the 32-year-old is firmly back within the championship conversation at 125 pounds. And to earn another chance at the gold, Royval must now get past Manel Kape.

    The pair were recently announced as the headliners for the March 1 UFC Fight Night at the Apex in Las Vegas. Like his win over Taira, the clash is currently slated to take place with a limited crowd at the low-capacity Apex facility in Las Vegas.

    But given the likely title stakes — not to mention both men’s ability to put on a show inside the Octagon — Royval thinks that should change…

    “Kape and I is a dope ass fight,” he wrote on X. “We should make this happen in front of an audience.”

    For “Starboy,” the bout offers the chance for him to secure a first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage. The former Rizin champ originally called his shot for a rematch versus Pantoja next year after a dominant victory over Bruno Silva in Tampa earlier this month.

    But after Dana White was quick to dismiss that as a possibility, Kape now has his next assignment in the calendar, as he looks to wrest Royval’s top contender status away in 2025 en route to the flyweight throne.

  • Jon Jones On His 5-Year Plan, Including Last UFC Fights: ‘Money Is A Motivator…’

    Jon Jones On His 5-Year Plan, Including Last UFC Fights: ‘Money Is A Motivator…’

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones acknowledges that his storied professional fighting career is nearing its twilight. With only a handful of fights left in him, the MMA star is focused on securing lucrative matchups to maximize his earnings during the remainder of his career.

    Jones is coming off an impressive TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Looking ahead, he has expressed a preference for a fight against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira over interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall. He views the potential matchup with Pereira as more financially rewarding.

    “Money is a motivator,” Jones shared on Alex Gonzalez’s YouTube channel. “I think most people lie if they said they weren’t motivated by money. But also, I’ve been doing the UFC work just out of love, too. I really love what I do. I really love making money. I really love writing my name down in the history books and being a guy who’ll be able to live forever through the UFC record books. That all means a lot.”

    Jones also recounted advice from UFC CEO Dana White that has shaped his approach to career and finances.

    “Dana told me a long time ago, ‘Jon, money will never be your issue because I never want you to worry about money. It will always come to you for the rest of your life.’ And it seems like the less I think about money, the more it comes to me. It just starts falling in my hands these days, and I’m grateful for it.”

    Looking to the future, Jones has mapped out his plans for the next decade. In the short term, he hopes to compete in at least one or two more fights over the next five years while pursuing other ambitions.

    “Within the next five years, I want to win one more fight, maybe even two, and try to make as much money as possible in the UFC,” Jones said. Beyond fighting, he has aspirations to transition into acting. “I’ve always wanted to be an actor. I think I do pretty good on camera, and I’ve done little commercials and things like that. Every time I’m on set, everybody’s like, ‘Bro, it’s hard to believe that you’re a fighter. You conduct yourself just like all of our professional actors.’”

    As he envisions his life a decade from now, Jones’s focus shifts to family.

    “10 years from now, I just want to be the best dad I can be,” he shared, emphasizing his desire to leave a lasting legacy both in and out of the Octagon.

  • ‘Jamahal Can’t Handle This’ – Fans React To Jiří Procházka’s Latest Unique Training Video Ahead of UFC 311 Return

    ‘Jamahal Can’t Handle This’ – Fans React To Jiří Procházka’s Latest Unique Training Video Ahead of UFC 311 Return

    Jiří Procházka is turning heads with his unique training methods ahead of his next fight.

    Scheduled to face another former light heavyweight champion in Jamahal Hill at UFC 311, Procházka is looking to work his way back toward the gold after an already storied career.

    The Czech star captured the title at UFC 275 with a victory over Glover Teixeira during a remarkable 12-fight winning streak. However, he later vacated the belt without making a defense due to an injury. And lost the chance to regain the belt opposite Alex Pereira last year UFC 295.

    Procházka bounced back with a TKO win over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300 this past April, only to lose again to Pereira via TKO at UFC 303 in a bid to reclaim the championship.

    Hill, Procházka’s upcoming opponent, is also coming off a KO loss to Pereira at UFC 300, where the light heavyweight title was at stake.

    Recently, “BJP” shared a training video on X showcasing his unconventional approach: walking on a treadmill while shadowboxing and practicing various striking techniques.

    The video quickly sparked fan reactions, with many chiming in to share their thoughts on his distinctive preparation.

    UFC 311 will take place on Jan. 18, 2025, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. A lightweight championship bout between current kingpin Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan is scheduled to headline the event.

  • Ian Garry Responds To Kamaru Usman Sharing Old DMs: ‘I Had A Lot Of Respect For Him’

    Ian Garry Responds To Kamaru Usman Sharing Old DMs: ‘I Had A Lot Of Respect For Him’

    In the lead up to his scheduled fight with Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa, Ian Machado Garry was very vocal about some of the other top contenders in the welterweight division. The #7-ranked competitor specifically called out the likes of Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman for turning down fights with him which led him to accepting a fight against someone ranked lower than him.

    This didn’t end up playing out as Garry instead received the call to step into the co-main event of UFC 310 to face Shavkat Rakhmonov in a title eliminator. When Covington took his place to take on Buckley in the final UFC event of 2024, this only provided the Irishman with even more fuel.

    Following his comments, Usman responded during an episode of his Pound 4 Pound Podcast alongside Henry Cejudo. The former welterweight champion shared DMs that Garry had sent him during his title reign to show respect and admiration to “The Nigerian Nightmare”.

    Garry gave his thoughts on Usman revealing these messages during a recent interview with Spaceport Sweden. He says that at the time, he did go out of his way to praise the best welterweight in the world. However, his opinion of Usman has since changed now that he has become a competitor of his at 170-pounds.

    The 27-year old doesn’t take back what he once said but did state that he no longer has that same level of respect for Usman.

    ”I had a lot of respect for him, until he turned me down. That’s a fact. He turned the fight with me down and that’s it. I had a lot of respect for him.  I had a lot of respect for him and his career and everything that he did as the champion. And when I was a young kid watching the sport and I was an amateur and I’m watching him fight Gilbert Burns for the world title during COVID and I’m like ‘f**k, this guy’s one of the best we’ve seen’. That was the opinion the world had of him at that point. When that same guy turns down a fight against you, it changes the way you think about him. So I had respect for Kamaru, might be still a little bit, but not much after you turned me down, not much. And I don’t care what his excuses are. I don’t care what his excuses are. You put, you turn down the fight. In my mind, you’re a b***h.” 

  • Former Bellator Prospect With 9-1 Record Asks Dana White For UFC Shot In 2025: ‘I’m Unstoppable!’

    Former Bellator Prospect With 9-1 Record Asks Dana White For UFC Shot In 2025: ‘I’m Unstoppable!’

    The UFC is set to return to Seattle, Washington in the new year with a Fight Night event hosted at the Climate Pledge Arena in February 22. With multiple big fights already announced for the promotion’s first trip back to Seattle for the first time since 2013, there is one fighter who isn’t currently signed to the UFC who is attempting to call his shot.

    Lance Gibson Jr. is a 9-1 lightweight who was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. The 29-year old fought six times in Bellator and after departing the promotion last year, he has produced back-to-back first-round finishes on Muckleshoot Fight Night in 2024.

    As he goes on to mention in a social media video, Gibson is the son of a former UFC fighter and Canadian MMA pioneer. Lance Gibson Sr. competed twice inside the Octagon at UFC 24 and UFC 29 in 2000. “Fearless” now believes that this is his time to join the UFC roster and with the Octagon finally making its return to his local arena, the stars have fallen into place.

    Gibson Jr. posted the following caption alongside an Instagram video where he made the case for why he deserves to be signed to the UFC so that he can make his debut on this card.

    “What better time than now? Let’s make this happen together. Like, Share, and Comment tagging @ufc @danawhite @seanshelby and let them know who you want to see on UFC Fight Night Seattle Feb 22nd, 2025. Tag #FearlessForUFC Thank you all for your love and support I couldn’t do it without you.”

    The video itself sees Gibson Jr. stood outside the venue where he delivers this message alongside clips from his and his father’s highlight reels.

    “Dana, Sean, I’ve been on your radar for a while now. You’ve seen what my dad did 25 years ago at UFC 24, March 10th, year 2000. I was born 10 minutes from this arena and I was raised on the mats in Seattle, Washington. This city knows my name. I fought for the pacific northwest my entire career. Fight after fight, I’ve shown I’m fearless. I’m ferocious. I’m unstoppable but most importantly, I’m one of a kind. I’ve dreamt my entire life of being able to fight in the UFC Octagon. What better time than now.”

  • Former UFC Fighter Vows To Never Train Without A Cup Again After ‘Fracturing Penis’

    Former UFC Fighter Vows To Never Train Without A Cup Again After ‘Fracturing Penis’

    2024 has been a year that Mateus Mendonça will be glad to see the back off as we head into 2025. The Brazilian featherweight kicked off his year with a split decision loss to Jesus Aguilar in Mexico City that brought his current run in the UFC to an end.

    The 25-year old was cut from the promotion after suffering three consecutive losses off the back of earning his spot on the roster via the 2022 season of the Contender Series. However, he has already returned to the win column by producing a kneebar submission in just 20 seconds at CFC 23 in Rio de Janeiro this past October.

    Whilst Mendonça is clearly a very talented grappler, he has been forced to make some serious adjustments to the way he trains on the mats. In a recent interview with AgFight, he revealed how a grappling session without any protection led to an injury that is eye-watering through reading about it alone.

    The 14-fight pro revealed how an unintentional knee led to him fracturing his penis as if he didn’t already have enough on his plate this year.

    “I went to train jiu-jitsu at my teacher’s gym the day before I returned to Sao Paulo,” Mendonça told AgFight. “During the second roll, [my partner] hit my private parts with his knee when I was trying to pass the guard. I felt an incredible amount of pain and ran to the bathroom. It started to burn. But then the pain went away and I kept going.

    “A month later, training normally without pain, I started to notice some problems. I started to move and there was a lump. So I went to the hospital. When I got there, the doctor did an exam and immediately transferred me to another hospital for surgery.”

    For every setback both in life and in combat sports, there is always a valuable lesson to be learned. For Mendonça, he has come away from this experience with one clear message that he is using to warn others. If you don’t want this to happen to you, the solution is simple.

    “It’s a good idea to warn everyone. All the guys who train jiu-jitsu, grappling, MMA, anything that involves contact: wear a cup to avoid accidents. This had never happened to me. It was the first time and look what happened. I had to have surgery. I had to be out of action for two months.”

  • Ian Garry Believes He’s Winning The Fans Back Over: ‘Seeing The True Me’

    Ian Garry Believes He’s Winning The Fans Back Over: ‘Seeing The True Me’

    Ian Machado Garry has been a somewhat divisive character since he first arrived in the UFC in 2021. The Irishman has always been an incredibly self-confident fighter who believes that he is destined to be at the top.

    His ascent up the welterweight ladder rubbed some fans up the wrong way though, particularly in his fights with Geoff Neal and Neil Magny. Criticism from other fighters added to the aura surrounding Garry being one of a fighter with something to prove amidst a lot of doubts and negativity.

    It certainly seems like the #7-ranked welterweight has started to change his public perception following his performance at UFC 310. For a start, Garry put his money where his mouth is by stepping in to face Shavkat Rakhmonov on short notice in the co-main event.

    He went on to produce an impressive performance and proved to be Rakhmonov’s toughest test to date when many expected the undefeated “Nomad” to maintain his 100% finishing rate. There is also the fact that Garry’s relationship with the fans certainly hasn’t been hurt by his allegiance and friendship with one of the most beloved fighters in the sport, Charles Oliveira.

    In a recent interview with Spaceport Sweden, the 27-year old spoke about his changing perception and the reaction he got after he showered “Do Bronx” with praise in both English and Portuguese. He believes that though he’s always going to try and entertain, he wants people to be invested in his journey and story.

    ”I feel like the fans are just seeing the true me. We’ve started making this vlog on YouTube, which is doing really well. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out. It’s just showing me and my personality more and the fans are seeing it and understanding it. That’s always what I’ve wanted from my Instagram and we’re in a world where social media matters. I’m in the entertainment business, right? I’m a fighter. I’m a competitor. But I’m in the entertainment business. We want people to tune in. We want people to watch. We want people to see and connect. When I think about my Instagram and what I’m doing, I want people to understand and connect to me as a human, as a fighter, as a father, as a husband, whatever it is. It’s why my family matters to me so much. I want people to see that I love my wife. I love my kids. I love my team. I love the way we travel and I want people to see that be inspired by it.”

  • Robert Whittaker ‘Playing With The Idea’ Of Light Heavyweight Switch: ‘I’m A Big Dude…’

    Robert Whittaker ‘Playing With The Idea’ Of Light Heavyweight Switch: ‘I’m A Big Dude…’

    Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has firmly shut the door on the possibility of returning to welterweight, but he has left another door ajar…

    Whittaker will enter the new year off the back of a crushing defeat, having been submitted in the opening round by a brutal face crank at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi this past October.

    While wins earlier in the year over Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov had the Australian approaching a chance to regain the 185-pound crown, “The Reaper” is now out of the championship conversation for the time being.

    And when he returns in 2025, it seems Whittaker is pondering the prospect of inserting himself into a different one.

    During a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker noted that a return to welterweight — the division he went 3-2 in under the UFC banner before switching to middleweight — is not on the cards. A move up, however, could be.

    “Me, I wouldn’t go down. I can’t go down,” Whittaker said. “I’m still playing with the idea of going up to light heavy, dude. I’m a big dude, much bigger than people think I am. I don’t know.”

    Should Whittaker follow through on that, he’d be chasing a man he was previously in pursuit of at 185 pounds.

    After a brief stint on the middleweight throne, Alex Pereira secured two-division glory in just his second fight at light heavyweight. He’s since defended the gold on three occasions in 2024, establishing himself as one of the promotion’s leading stars.

  • Israel Adesanya On PPV Streak Ending In UFC Return: ‘It’s Not Like In The F*cking Apex’

    Israel Adesanya On PPV Streak Ending In UFC Return: ‘It’s Not Like In The F*cking Apex’

    Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya isn’t fazed about competing at a more low-key event to kick off his 2025 campaign.

    Having risen to prominence on MMA’s biggest stage in quick time, “The Last Stylebender” competed on pay-per-view lineups 14 times in a row between his knockout win over Derek Brunson at UFC 230 in 2018 and submission loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 in Australia this past August.

    That setback this year marked Adesanya’s second straight, coming 11 months on from his shock removal from the throne at the hands of Sean Strickland. The Nigerian-New Zealander now finds him out of the championship conversation for the first time in years.

    And with that will come a return to UFC Fight Night action for the first time since his headliner with Brad Tavares in 2018, as he does battle with the surging Nassourdine Imavov at the event in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1.

    Given that card’s location and the habit since 2020 for many events to take place within the crowdless surroundings of the Apex, Adesanya isn’t expecting the magnitude of his next fight to feel as different as some have predicted.

    “I still get paid. There’s still a referee, it’s two of us in there, there’s a crowd. It’s not like in the f*cking Apex or something, so it doesn’t feel any different,” Adesanya said during an interview uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel. “I think people are making it out to be something how they would react to it, but they’re not in my shoes. They’re not in my shorts.

    “It’s a Saudi Arabia Fight Night, first of all. I still get paid. It still feels like you’re fighting Israel Adesanya. This is the biggest fight of his (Imavov’s) life. I have to be the one to halt that,” Adesanya continued. “It still feels the same. It doesn’t feel any different.”

    While he expects to feel the same making the walk, Adesanya will hope to get a different result than in his two previous outings.

    Having admitted that he’s toward the end of his career as an active fighter, “The Last Stylebender” will look to ensure that his stint in the UFC doesn’t conclude on a losing skid by defeating Imavov for his first win since a memorable knockout of Alex Pereira in April 2023.

  • Jim Miller Reveals Issue He Continues To Battle Despite 45-Fight UFC Career: ‘I Still Have Difficulty…’

    Jim Miller Reveals Issue He Continues To Battle Despite 45-Fight UFC Career: ‘I Still Have Difficulty…’

    UFC lightweight Jim Miller may have enjoyed a record-breaking career in mixed martial arts, but he still says he suffers from “imposter syndrome” at times.

    The 41-year-old New Jersey native is still going strong inside the Octagon, most recently submitting Damon Jackson in under three minutes at November’s UFC 309 pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden.

    That outing extended Miller’s lead in a number of UFC records, including most wins (27), most fights (45), and most first-round finishes.

    But despite a storied tenure in the sport and on its biggest stage, “A-10” doesn’t always feel as though he belongs.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Miller was candid about that issue. While his status would no doubt lend itself to the freedom to do so, the fan favorite admitted he often struggles when it comes to making requests such as arena appearances instead of Apex fights.

    “I still feel like I deal with a little bit of imposter syndrome,” Miller said. “It’s hard for me to even say that stuff. My job is to fight, and that’s what I do. I’m not a matchmaker. I’m not any of that stuff. I’m a fighter, so that’s what I focus my time on.

    “I know that I am well-respected and I appreciate the hell out of that, and some of the conversations that I have with guys like Sean Shelby or (Joe) Rogan, I do feel that I’ve earned their respect,” Miller continued. “I still have difficulty making those callouts, like saying, ‘Hey, no more Apex cards for me. Jim always wants the big cards – only numbered events at this point.’ That’s a tough one for me.”

    Miller did, however, go out of his way to make a rare callout for his next fight.

    The veteran is eyeing up a legend vs. legend clash with the recently victorious Cub Swanson, who brutally knocked out Billy Quarantillo in Tampa earlier this month.

  • Dan Hooker Doubts Ilia Topuria’s Lightweight Claims: ‘He’s Just Working Off McGregor’s Playbook’

    Dan Hooker Doubts Ilia Topuria’s Lightweight Claims: ‘He’s Just Working Off McGregor’s Playbook’

    While Ilia Topuria and his team have teased a move up to lightweight, it appears not everyone believes that the UFC featherweight champion will make such a jump.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Topuria’s coach, Jorge Climent, teased that Topuria is looking at a move up to lightweight, even if it means leaving the UFC flyweight title he won just 10 months ago behind.

    The expectation had been that Topuria would have a rematch with the man he took the belt from, Alexander Volkanovski, at some point in 2025. But “El Matador” caused a stir during a radio appearance in Spain when he suggested he’s competed at 145 pounds for the last time.

    One key lightweight contender, Dan Hooker, thinks that talk from Topuria and his camp is just that — talk.

    Dan Hooker Doesn’t Believe Ilia Topuria Will Make Jump To Lightweight

    During his own recent interview with Submission Radio, Hooker described Topuria’s remarks as “classic s***” that stems from McGregor’s own playbook from 2015-16.

    “It’s pretty evident that he’s just working off the line one from McGregor’s playbook, which is keeping your name in the headlines,” Hooker said. “So, all I kind of see from it is that Ilia Topuria is keeping his name in the headlines — like the guy doesn’t fight that often. I think he just fights Volk next year.”

    Topuria won the featherweight title by knocking out Volkanovski at UFC 298. He then successfully retained the title at UFC 308, becoming the first man to knock out former champion Max Holloway.

    It should be noted the featherweight division is not cleaned out, with Diego Lopes and Movsar Evolev each making their claims of late for a potential title shot down the line.

    Hooker, meanwhile, won his third straight fight at UFC 305 in August, defeating Mateusz Gamrot in an entertaining upset.

  • Arman Tsarukyan On UFC 311 Opponent Islam Makhachev: ‘Not As Good As People Think’

    Arman Tsarukyan On UFC 311 Opponent Islam Makhachev: ‘Not As Good As People Think’

    Islam Makhachev, widely regarded as the number one pound-for-pound fighter, is set to defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 in Los Angeles next month.

    This highly anticipated rematch revisits their first encounter from April 2019, a Fight of the Night classic that showcased both fighters’ skill and tenacity.

    Tsarukyan, the title challenger, believes that Makhachev’s reputation as an unstoppable force is overstated. In a recent interview with ESPN, the Russian-Armenian expressed his confidence in dethroning the champion:

    “He’s not as good as people think,” Tsarukyan said. “People think he’s unbeatable, like crazy wrestling, but I took him down when I was 22 years old.”

    The challenger attributes his confidence to two key factors: wrestling expertise and his relentless drive to achieve championship glory.

    “First of all, I know how to wrestle very well,” Tsarukyan explained. “Second, I’m young and hungry. I’ve never had the belt, so it drives me. I have a lot of energy for training, and I believe I’m the guy who’s going to beat him. But the most important thing is that I’m very hungry. I want that belt so much. It’s a dream. When I got into the UFC, I was thinking about that. I’ve been thinking about it for five years.”

    With both fighters determined to leave their mark, UFC 311 promises to deliver another unforgettable showdown in the lightweight division.

  • Sean O’Malley Reveals Plan To Aid Chances Of Becoming UFC Champ Again: ‘I Just Need A Detox…’

    Sean O’Malley Reveals Plan To Aid Chances Of Becoming UFC Champ Again: ‘I Just Need A Detox…’

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has been known for a strong media presence, but it appears that he is planning to take a step back from such.

    After losing the 135-pound gold earlier this year, O’Malley has announced on his Instagram that he is planning to take a social media “detox” in the new year, hoping that this will help him focus on building a path toward earning back the gold.

    Sean O’Malley To Put Social Media Posting On Hold In 2025

    “2025, I am deleting all my social medias off my phone until my next fight,” O’Malley posted. “My team will be running my socials. We will still make content but I just need a detox from my phone. Going to focus on reaching my full potential as an athlete and a father.”

    The ever-popular UFC fighter finally won the bantamweight championship at UFC 292 last year with a knockout of Aljamain Sterling. He successfully defended the title against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 this past March before dropping it to Merab Dvalishvili at the Noche UFC event inside the Sphere.

    The loss was just the second in O’Malley’s career, following his 2020 defeat to Vera. In the aftermath, “Suga” went under the knife to repair a torn labrum. He’s looking to return in the first or second quarter of the new year, with a rematch opposite Dvalishvili in his sights.

    “The Machine,” meanwhile, is scheduled to defend the title against Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event of UFC 311 next month.

  • Ilia Topuria’s 5-1 Brother Booked For Long-Awaited UFC Debut In 2025

    Ilia Topuria’s 5-1 Brother Booked For Long-Awaited UFC Debut In 2025

    A prominent name on the European regional MMA scene will now be making his UFC debut — and that means one UFC titleholder won’t be the only one in his family in the Octagon.

    Aleksandre Topuria, the brother of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, will be making his UFC debut at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 in Australia. He will be taking on Cody Haddon in a bantamweight clash Down Under.

    The news was first revealed by Spanish reporter Álvaro Colmenero on X.

    Ilia Topuria’s Brother To Make UFC Debut At UFC 312

    The younger Topuria brother is 5-1. He made his professional MMA debut in 2015 but took a layoff of over six years from the sport following a loss to Ivo Ivanov at the end of that year.

    “El Cazador” has won three straight, all by way of first-round finishes, to earn his path on to the sport’s biggest stage.

    Haddon, meanwhile, submitted Billy Brand earlier this year on Dana White’s Contender Series before making his UFC debut in October, taking a decision over Dan Argueta.

    Aleksandre’s brother, Ilia Topuria, has taken up plenty of the MMA headlines of late. He’s notably teased a move up to lightweight and squashed a rumored bout between him and Conor McGregor.

  • Manel Kape Misses Out On Title Shot, Faces Top Contender In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Manel Kape Misses Out On Title Shot, Faces Top Contender In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Manel Kape’s recent performance will not earn him a UFC flyweight title shot — at least not yet. He may, however, be one fight away from getting such.

    Per Ag. Fight, Kape’s next fight has already been booked, as he will take on former title challenger Brandon Royval in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card at the APEX on March 1, 2025.

    Kape competed on last week’s UFC Tampa card, taking out Bruno Silva in a highlight TKO. The result marked “Starboy’s” fifth win in his last six fights and helped him bounce back from a loss in his dlackluster outing with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 earlier this year.

    Manel Kape vs. Brandon Royval Targeted For March 1 UFC Fight Night

    Royval is on a similar path, having defeated former champion Brandon Moreno and the highly touted Tatsuro Taira in his two 2024 fights. His sole loss in recent times was an unsuccessful challenge of current flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296. “Raw Dawg” also lost to Pantoja in their initial 2021 meeting.

    Pantoja, meanwhile , successfully defended the title against former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura in the Japanese star’s UFC debut earlier this month at UFC 310.

  • Gilbert Burns Targets Colby Covington For UFC Event In Miami: ‘I Know You Not Showing Up!’

    Gilbert Burns Targets Colby Covington For UFC Event In Miami: ‘I Know You Not Showing Up!’

    Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington have yet to share the Octagon, but their paths may soon cross following a week of online exchanges fueled by a prank.

    The drama began when Burns publicly tweeted UFC Tampa cornerman Chael Sonnen’s phone number. The move was a response to the UFC legend spreading a rumor that the Brazilian had retired from MMA. While “Durinho” and Sonnen appear to have resolved their differences, the stunt didn’t sit well with Covington.

    In defense of the former fighter, Covington issued a challenge to Burns, proposing a fight in his honor. The one-time title challenger quickly accepted the idea and suggested Miami as the venue, expressing interest in an April showdown.

    “Just [sign] the contract,” Burns wrote. “I know you not showing up.”

    Both fighters are looking to bounce back in their careers.

    Burns is on a three-fight losing streak, while Covington has dropped his last two bouts. Interestingly, both athletes’ most recent victories came against Jorge Masvidal — in March 2022 for “Chaos” and April 2023 for “Durinho.”

  • VIDEO: Robelis Despaigne Records Fastest KO In Karate Combat History In First Fight Since UFC Release

    VIDEO: Robelis Despaigne Records Fastest KO In Karate Combat History In First Fight Since UFC Release

    Robelis Despaigne made his Karate Combat debut last night and instantly broke records by producing the fastest knockout in the history of the promotion. The towering Cuban took just four seconds to secure his first win by dropping Dominik Jędrzejczyk with a huge overhand right.

    Karate Combat 51 in Miami was Despaigne’s combat sports return following his UFC departure earlier this year. The devastating striker arrived in the Octagon with an MMA record of 4-0 with previous knockout wins in both four and three seconds.

    His career in the UFC was off to a flying start at UFC 299, which also took place in Miami, as he finished Josh Parisian in 18 seconds to earn a performance of the night bonus. Following that, he lost back-to-back fights to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane in outings that exposed some of the limits in his overall skillset for MMA.

    After being cut from the roster, it seemed obvious that Karate Combat would be the perfect home for the 36-year old who was always going to struggle in UFC bouts that featured a lot of grappling. The 6’7” heavyweight is once again off to an electric start in his new home following his show-stealing finish over Jędrzejczyk.

    Watch the knockout via Karate Combat on X with the promotion making the video their pinned post.

    https://twitter.com/KarateCombat/status/1869920466967703844

  • Tyron Woodley Claims He’s Getting ‘Boxing Money In MMA’ With New Global Fight League

    Tyron Woodley has become one of the earliest fighters to sign with the Global Fighting League (GFL), a new mixed martial arts promotion set to launch next year. Since his UFC release in 2021, Woodley had transitioned to boxing but has now been drawn back to MMA by the enticing opportunities offered by GFL.

    The former UFC welterweight champion recently expressed his eagerness to return to the sport, citing the league’s lucrative contract as a significant motivator.

    Woodley left the UFC on a four-fight losing streak, but his signing signals a fresh start. He joins a roster that includes notable names such as Benson Henderson, Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum, and Alexander Gustafsson — just a few of the high-profile veterans who have signed with GFL.

    “I’ve been wanting to get back into MMA. I really just kind of put it on pause — I kind of ghosted it for a minute — but it never really ghosted me when I needed it,” Woodley said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “This was a good opportunity. It had some Ric Flair drip with the payout, and it made sense for me.”

    Woodley emphasized his commitment to the organization, which he claimed is paying him “boxing money in MMA.”

    “I’m fully in with the GFL. So many people called me and asked if I was really signed because they know I wouldn’t step up to something that’s bullsh*t. I’m not going to be part of anything that doesn’t pay me super handsomely or offer a platform that helps build my brand. Everyone that’s signed — probably 90 percent — called me to make sure I was in.

    “The OGs get paid, man. Getting boxing money in MMA is a whole flex, and I’m just excited to be a part of the new wave. I’ve been wanting to get back in MMA.”

  • Aljamain Sterling: It Wasn’t Right For UFC To Book Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov On Short Notice

    Aljamain Sterling: It Wasn’t Right For UFC To Book Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov On Short Notice

    Aljamain Sterling believes UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili is being rushed into defending his title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    Dvalishvili claimed the bantamweight belt in September at UFC 306 and had hoped to take some time off before his next fight. However, the UFC decided to book this title bout on short notice, sparking criticism from the Georgian’s friend and teammate Sterling, who feels the timeline is unfair.

    “This fight is being made on six weeks’ notice? Maybe six-and-a-half,” Sterling said during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. “For a title fight? I understand having to do that if you’re a challenger, but as a champion, you shouldn’t be relegated to those types of stipulations. It’s just not right.”

    Sterling elaborated on the frustration of being in such a position.

    “It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, as in, ‘Why did I work so hard to get to this position, to call the shots — or some of the shots — and you’re not even getting a fair shake in it?’ Hopefully, we go out there — knock on wood — Merab does his thing, he takes [Nurmagomedov’s] 0, puts on a great performance, and we can move on from this to the next.”

    Sterling is no stranger to this situation.

    After defeating Henry Cejudo to retain the bantamweight title at UFC 288, he was forced to defend it just three months later against Sean O’Malley at UFC 292. “Funk Master” lost the fight via knockout, a result that still looms large in his mind as he defends Dvalishvili’s predicament.