MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • VIDEO: IShowSpeed Heads To City Kickboxing, Gets Battered By UFC’s Dan Hooker

    VIDEO: IShowSpeed Heads To City Kickboxing, Gets Battered By UFC’s Dan Hooker

    UFC fighters beating up streamers and social media stars is a trend that has continued to be a talking point throughout 2024. Whilst New Zealand’s Dan Hooker may be one of the kinder fighters to dish out one of these beatings, it can’t be forgotten that “The Hangman” is a trained killer that makes his living inside the Octagon.

    When looking at reoccurring viral patterns, streamer IShowSpeed tends to take things to new levels by taking what others do and elevating them to even more outrageous standards. This meant that during his recent trip to New Zealand, his “IRL stream” wouldn’t have been complete without a stop off at the home of some of the best mixed martial artists on the planet, Auckland’s City Kickboxing.

    A social media clip taken from his stream shows Speed boxing with the UFC lightweight contender who in a real contest, would have forced the referee to step in multiple times even if he was taking it easy.

    Unlike some of the other instances of this trend that seemingly generated more negativity than anything else, the reaction to this clip was slightly different. That’s partly down to Hooker clearly not being someone that is doing this to try and really hurt his opponent and because Speed, across multiple sports, has shown a lot of courage and natural athletic ability which often leaves people impressed rather than scratching their heads.

    Fans reacted via social media with many giving Speed some compliments even if he was totally outclassed as you would expect.

    “Speed doesn’t even look that bad for someone with zero training”

    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1860872577364926549

    “Let’s be honest Dan Hooker was taking it easy on him. But props to speed”

    https://twitter.com/sugacoatedwave/status/1860868616042029356

    “That kid has superior physical genetics and if he trained in anything for a year he would give these guys a run for their money.”

    The full stream can be found via Speed’s YouTube channel below:

  • Michael Chandler Compared With Tony Ferguson After Latest Loss: ‘Who’s He Going To Beat?’

    Michael Chandler Compared With Tony Ferguson After Latest Loss: ‘Who’s He Going To Beat?’

    Former MMA referee John McCarthy did not mince his words when analyzing UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler’s latest setback inside the Octagon.

    Chandler returned from a two-year layoff earlier this month, running it back with former champion Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of the UFC 309 pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden.

    After an unsuccessful wait to share the cage with Conor McGregor, “Iron” finally moved on and set his sights on redemption opposite “Do Bronx,” who previously knocked him out in 2021.

    But the former Bellator champion ultimately failed in that pursuit, suffering a lopsided unanimous decision defeat after five rounds of mostly dominance from Oliveira in New York City.

    With the result, Chandler has now lost two straight and four of his six UFC fights. And that’s left one prominent figure in the sport giving a grim outlook on the 38-year-old’s status on MMA’s biggest stage.

    During an episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside former UFC fighter Josh Thomson, McCarthy reflected on Chandler’s convincing defeat to Oliveira, which saw the Brazilian experience little adversity until a late surge from the American in round five.

    The former referee and Bellator commentator compared him with another veteran fighter in Tony Ferguson, who has lost eight straight since his last victory in 2019.

    “Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status. Just being honest,” McCarthy said. “Who’s he going to beat? He looked slow at times. You want to talk about looking slow, you cannot look slow in the lightweight division. You’re gonna die. And he got outwrestled by a jiu-jitsu guy.

    “Michael Chandler got crushed. I mean, just crushed,” McCarthy continued. “The two years (away) showed that not only did Michael Chandler not improve as a fighter, but he declined, and he watched his career start to expire. … I like Michael Chandler as a person, and I think he’s great for the sport…(but) he’s calling out Conor McGregor after losing again — what the hell?! You can’t do that!”

    Should Chandler get his wish in 2025, he may be departing the 155-pound division next time out.

    During his post-fight Octagon interview, “Iron” once again called out McGregor despite his past failure to secure the lucrative fight. Should that finally come to fruition in the new year, it stands to reason that it would take place at welterweight.

    Oliveira, meanwhile, has his eyes on regaining the ultimate prize. He’s widely expected to challenge the winner of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan’s championship rematch, which is reportedly in the works for UFC 311 in Los Angeles early next year.

  • Jamahal Hill Looks Forward To Jiří Procházka Clash: ‘It’s Been A Long Time Coming’

    Jamahal Hill Looks Forward To Jiří Procházka Clash: ‘It’s Been A Long Time Coming’

    A clash between two former UFC light heavyweight champions was recently announced during the post-fight show following the Fight Night event in Macau. After the fact that Jamahal Hill will be facing Jiří Procházka at UFC 311 was seemingly accidently said on the broadcast, it was later reported all over social media.

    With Magomed Ankalaev finally being in position to face Alex Pereira for the title, that leaves the #2 and #3-ranked contenders in the division free to settle a score that has existed for a long time. On January 18 in California, Hill and Procházka will finally put this chapter of their careers behind them.

    When Hill defeated Glover Teixeira to become champion, it was because Procházka had vacated the title due to a significant injury. With Hill defending his title against the returning champion set to be the next fight, the same pattern repeated itself with “Sweet Dreams” giving the title up which was then won by Alex Pereira at UFC 295 last November.

    Since then, “Poatan” has finished both men in consecutive fights meaning that a long-awaited match-up between them makes total sense for the division right now. With the news coming out sooner that expected, Hill did not confirm in his recent interview with Inside Fighting that this would be his next fight though he has teased it multiple times.

    “Yeah we should, there’s gonna be an announcement soon. It’s gonna be announced soon, it’s a good one, it’s a good one.”

    When Hill was asked whether he could provide any hints as to which fight it might be, he said that this contest is long overdue which essentially gives the game away without saying the name of his next opponent.

    “It’s been a long time, it’s been a long time coming.”

    Hill was then asked whether the fight he’s signed for is the one that all the fans expect it to be and though the former champion didn’t want to sign off on this, he made it pretty clear that it’s a big, highly anticipated bout.

    “I don’t know which fight y’all think it’s going to be but I know y’all won’t be disappointed by it.”

  • Carlos Ulberg Targets Former Title Challenger After UFC Macau Win

    Carlos Ulberg Targets Former Title Challenger After UFC Macau Win

    Following his latest triumph, UFC light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg is looking to take the next step toward the title.

    Ulberg kept his ball rolling in the 205-pound division at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, China, where he got the better of a former title challenger and longtime top-10 contender in Volkan Oezdemir.

    The City Kickboxing standout put in the kind of polished and technical display that he’s become synonymous with since falling on the wrong side of a wild brawl with Kennedy Nzechukwu back in 2021.

    That marked Ulberg’s last loss, with the New Zealander winning all seven of his fights since. And having likely strengthened his position close to title contention with his performance at the Galaxy Arena, “Black Jag” has a plan to earn a first shot.

    “Obviously Khalil had that opportunity last time, so I think for the next step, my next step would be up against a guy like Khalil Rountree,” Ulberg told the UFC’s Maddyn Johnstone-Thomas.

    Rountree had a surprise opportunity to achieve champ status last month in Salt Lake City, where he challenged Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 307.

    “The War Horse” put in a valiant effort opposite the former middleweight and reigning light heavyweight kingpin, winning the first two rounds before falling victim to a comeback and the famed power shots of “Poatan” in the fourth stanza.

    Having gotten past the #8-ranked Oezdemir, Ulberg wants a crack at the #6 man in the division next year as he looks to become the latest title challenger to emerge from Auckland’s City Kickboxing camp.

  • Mikey Musumeci Considers MMA Transition Following Exclusive UFC Deal

    Mikey Musumeci Considers MMA Transition Following Exclusive UFC Deal

    Mikey Musumeci is charting a course toward an MMA career, but not before conquering the grappling world under the UFC’s spotlight.

    The former ONE flyweight grappling champion signed an exclusive deal with the UFC earlier this month, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for both him and the promotion.

    Musumeci is tasked with making his promotional debut against Felipe Machado on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 9.

    As a highly accomplished grappler, “Darth Rigatoni” has long been thrilled by the idea of blending disciplines in MMA. Now, with his association with the UFC, that ambition seems well within his grasp.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Musumeci shared his enthusiasm about joining the UFC, highlighting how it will allow him to refine the nuances of MMA under the guidance of the sport’s top professionals. He also affirmed that a transition to MMA is inevitable in his future.

    “I have the desire to maybe do MMA again in the future,” Musumeci said. “I’m young, my body is very young. I’ve never taken steroids, so my body is like 20, 21, actually. I can have many more years of competition still. Being in the UFC now, I’ll have the opportunity to train with a lot more people that I wouldn’t in the past, and learn from them on the feet, takedowns, wrestling. The first thing I loved in life was MMA. If I can have the opportunity to fight MMA in the UFC, that’s going to be a dream, too.”

    The 28-year-old New Jersey native is undeniably hyped about what lies ahead in his career, but he made it clear that his journey into MMA will only come after he’s contributed to elevating jiu-jitsu within the UFC and inspiring the next generation of fighters.

    “I want to do MMA, but the gift God has given me was jiu-jitsu, so I have to grow our sport first. I can’t leave our sport before helping it grow to a place where other people, other kids can have an organization to compete at in the future.”

    Musumeci made his mark under the ONE Championship umbrella, where he began competing in October 2022 and maintained an impressive 7-0 undefeated streak. “Darth Rigatoni” was slated to defend his flyweight title against IBJJF world champion Carlos Oliveira on short notice in the co-main event of ONE 168 this past September.

    Unfortunately, Musumeci was unable to make the 135-pound weight limit and failed a hydration test at the last minute, which resulted in him being stripped of his title.

    Adding to the setback, he was hospitalized with pneumomediastinum, forcing him to withdraw from the fight entirely. Not long after these challenges, Musumeci severed ties with the promotion.

  • Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

    Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

    Petr Yan may have swept the scorecards at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, but his victory over Deiveson Figueiredo wasn’t without some adversity.

    Yan — a former undisputed and interim bantamweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage — continued his winning form this year at Saturday’s event inside the Galaxy Arena, where he made it two victories from two outings in 2024.

    The Russian headlined proceedings opposite ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo, whom he comfortably outpointed across five rounds of memorable action. The lopsided scorecards, however, don’t completely tell the full story.

    “Deus Da Guerra” certainly had his fair share of success, even threatening a late comeback when he knocked “No Mercy” down in round four.

    During his post-fight press conference in Macau, Yan spoke about that moment while reflecting on his latest UFC triumph, admitting that the blow briefly left him “lost” in the cage.

    “I’m very glad that I won. Figueiredo is a really tough opponent, and he showed that he’s championship caliber,” Yan said. “When he landed this knockdown with his punch, I thought, ‘It’s not New Year’s yet but the fireworks have already started.’ Maybe I got lost for a little second.

    “But I recovered pretty fast and knew what was going on. This is a tough sport, anything can happen, so you have to be ready,” Yan continued. “You can’t relax at any second, everybody can surprise you even in the last second of a fight.”

    Fortunately for Yan — who has yet to be finished in his professional career — he was able to recover from the scare and finish strong en route to a convincing decision win. And with that, the former champ has likely maintained his #3 spot on the bantamweight ladder and reinserted himself into the title picture.

    While many have pointed to Umar Nurmagomedov as the deserving first in line to challenge newly crowned king Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian was quick to accept Yan’s post-fight callout in Macau and even pitched a date for their rematch in 2025.

  • Jon Jones ‘In Negotiations’ With UFC Over Return: ‘I Will Be Competing In 2025’

    Jon Jones ‘In Negotiations’ With UFC Over Return: ‘I Will Be Competing In 2025’

    It would seem that fans haven’t seen the last of the man widely considered the greatest of all time inside the Octagon, judging by UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ latest remarks.

    Jones returned to action earlier this month 20 months on from becoming a two-division kingpin. After quickly getting the better of Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut last year, “Bones” added a successful defense to his reign by sending Stipe Miocic into retirement.

    The pair headlined the promotion’s annual November visit to Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the champ closed the show with a brutal spinning back kick to the body in round three.

    Much of the lead-up surrounded Jones’ continued avoidance of his interim counterpart, Tom Aspinall. In addition to teasing a possible retirement, the Rochester native pointed to Alex Pereira as the one opponent he’d remain active for in 2025.

    Dana White, however, has been vocal in dismissing a clash between “Bones” and “Poatan.” Despite that, it appears negotiations have begun regarding another outing for the former multi-time light heavyweight king.

    During a recent interview with The Schmo, Jones provided an update on his status post-UFC 309, revealing that talks are underway with the promotion.

    “So right now, the UFC and I, we’re in negotiations, we’re in talks to see what happens next,” Jones said. “I’m back in the gym. I’m training. I feel really great. The team’s support, they’re right behind me, and we’ll just be ready for whatever opportunity comes out way.

    “There is (a figure in mind), but I’m not going to discuss that publicly,” Jones continued. “I will be competing in 2025, more than likely.”

    While Jones has stayed steadfast in rejecting the possibility of unifying the heavyweight titles versus Aspinall next, that would appear to still be the most desired matchup among the MMA masses for the 37-year-old.

    Whether or not the UFC can do what is needed to convince Jones, who has previously sat on the sidelines while criticizing the promotion’s failure to meet his financial demands, remains to be seen.

    In the meantime, fans can likely expect Jones to continue his habit of embracing the ‘ducking’ allegations on social media.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Fights Added To Los Angeles-Held UFC 311

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.

    With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    Between Monday, November 18, and Sunday, November 24, a number of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

    Plenty of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted. For those, see below:

  • Islam Makhachev On Jury Finding Conor McGregor Liable For Assault After Rape Allegation: ‘Many More Facts To Come Out’

    Islam Makhachev On Jury Finding Conor McGregor Liable For Assault After Rape Allegation: ‘Many More Facts To Come Out’

    One UFC fighter who has no love lost for Conor McGregor has let his voice be known after the result of the Irishman’s recent civil trial in Ireland.

    UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev took to social media after McGregor was found liable for assault of a woman that took place in late 2018. Makhachev praised the court case’s ruling against the Dubliner and claimed there is more about the former two-division UFC titleholder that has yet to come out.

    “It was a matter of time till this filthy b****** be exposed,” Makhachev posted on X. “Alcoholic, drug junkie and rapist. Many more facts to come out, trust me!”

    Islam Makhachev Praises ‘Exposure’ Of Conor McGregor After Jury Rules Against Him In Sexual Assault Case

    A jury at Dublin’s High Court ruled that McGregor must pay €248,000 ($257,000) to Nikita Hand, who accused McGregor of sexually assaulting her in a hotel room.

    According to Hand, the Irishman raped her in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018, following the two meeting at a Christmas party. McGregor is alleged to have restrained Hand on a bed and bruised her.

    The UFC fighter and his team have vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that McGregor and Hand’s interactions were completely consensual and that Hand is trying to exploit the situation for profit.

    Makhachev is the protégé of Khabib Nurmagomedov, the retired undefeated former UFC lightweight champion and longtime rival of McGregor’s. “The Eagle” and “The Notorious” are famous for a highly intense rivalry that led up to their infamous bout at UFC 229 — and, more infamously, the bout’s aftermath.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Reacts To Former Opponent Petr Yan’s Win & Callout At UFC Macau

    Merab Dvalishvili Reacts To Former Opponent Petr Yan’s Win & Callout At UFC Macau

    Petr Yan made a statement at UFC Macau, defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event before calling for a rematch with current UFC Bantamweight hampion Merab Dvalishvili.

    Yan won a five-round decision, sweeping the scorecards against the ex-UFC flyweight champion. He then mentioned wanting a rematch with Dvalishvili and an opportunity to regain the bantamweight gold during his post-fight interview.

    “Before my fight, Merab [said] Deiveson Figueiredo [was the] No. 1 contender who deserved title fight,” Yan said. “Merab, what do you say now when I beat [the] No. 1 contender in my division? I want to do [a] rematch with Merab. Let’s get it.”

    Dvalishvili heard Yan’s callout and responded on social media, starting with praise of the UFC Macau main event and the Russian’s performance before expressing interest in the pair facing off at UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8.

    Merab Dvalishvili Open To Rematch With Petr Yan, Perhaps As Soon As UFC 313

    Dvalishvili and Yan met in the main event of UFC Las Vegas in March 2023, with the Georgian standout taking a five-round unanimous decision.

    That fight marked Yan’s third straight loss and fourth defeat in five fights, stemming back to him controversially dropping the bantamweight championship via disqualification to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.

    “No Mercy” has since won a pair of fights in 2024, defeating Song Yadong at UFC 299 before his win over Figueiredo in Macau. Yan put on a striking clinic against “Deus Da Guerra,” and he even showed control on the ground the majority of the time he grappled with Figueiredo on the mat.

    Dvalishvili, following the win over Yan, went on to defeat Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 before scoring a decision over Sean O’Malley to capture the bantamweight championship at UFC 306 (Noche UFC).

  • Jiří Procházka Announces Return vs. Jamahal Hill At UFC 311 On Jan. 18

    Jiří Procházka Announces Return vs. Jamahal Hill At UFC 311 On Jan. 18

    After both unsuccessfully attempted to regain the gold they never lost in the Octagon earlier this year, two former UFC light heavyweight champions will do battle at the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2025.

    Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill are set to do battle at UFC 311, which takes place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA.

    Procházka confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Nov. 23.

    Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill To Take Place At UFC 311

    This will be both men’s first fight since unsuccessful challenges of current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira.

    The Czech star originally won the championship with a submission of Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 in June 2022. Before the end of the year, however, he vacated the belt after suffering a shoulder injury without ever making a title defense.

    Hill would then go on to claim the title with his own victory over Teixeira at UFC 283 the following January. Hill, however, also surrendered the gold after zero title defenses due to his own injury.

    Pereira then went on to defeat Procházka at UFC 295 for the vacant championship and later defend the title against Hill at UFC 300. That same night this past April, Procházka finished Aleksandar Rakić.

    Pereira and Procházka rematched on short notice at UFC 303, with Pereira scoring an early second-round KO.

    UFC 311 is yet to have a confirmed main event, but the rematch between lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev and top contender Arman Tsarukyan is expected to headline.

  • ‘Give Him The O’Malley Rematch’ – Fans React To Petr Yan’s Vintage Striking Performance To Beat Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC Macau

    ‘Give Him The O’Malley Rematch’ – Fans React To Petr Yan’s Vintage Striking Performance To Beat Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC Macau

    Petr Yan made a statement that he wants the UFC bantamweight championship back, making his case with a dominant decision win over Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Macau.

    Figueiredo appeared to be on path to a strong start when he scored a takedown in the fight’s opening minute. Yan, however, survived his opponent’s thoughts of a potential early submission to control the action on the ground and get into top position. The Russian then returned the fight to the feet and outstruck the former flyweight champion from there.

    “Deus Da Guerra” managed to land some very strong shots in the second round, but Yan continued to keep busy with effective activity as the two had a close, competitive striking clinic in that five-minute span. “No Mercy,” however, took complete control of the fight in the third round, seemingly landing at will with brutal strikes and even dropping Figueiredo at one point.

    Yan continued to land at will and pressure, doing damage, but Figueiredo brought a scare when he appeared to damage Yan with a body shot in the closing seconds of the round. The Brazilian tried to pursue the ex-bantamweight kingpin and go after a late finish that he needed, but the time in the round expired.

    Petr Yan Dominantes Deiveson Figueiredo In Striking Battle That Topped UFC Macau

    Yan has now won back-to-back fights, having previously defeated Song Yadong at UFC 299 earlier this year. Prior to 2024, the Russian had been on a three-fight losing skid that began with him losing a rematch against Aljamain Sterling. The run also included a controversial decision loss against Sean O’Malley and a lopsided defeat to current bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili.

    Meanwhile, Saturday marked Figueiredo’s first loss since moving up to bantamweight. He had been 3-0 at 135 pounds after losing the UFC flyweight title for the second time. Figueiredo defeated Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon “Chito” Vera prior to the Macau event.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    After a pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden — and before focus turns to the UFC’s final numbered event of the year in Las Vegas — the MMA leader was on the road to stage a card in Macau for the first time in a decade.

    Headlining at the Galaxy Arena were two former champions in ex-bantamweight kingpin Yan and a two-time occupier of the flyweight throne in Figueiredo. With both men coming off wins over top-10 opposition, a shot at Merab Dvalishvili’s 135-pound gold was discussed as being in store for Saturday’s victor.

    That turned out to be Yan, with “No Mercy” putting in a vintage striking performance to sweep the scorecards.

    Elsewhere on the UFC Fight Night lineup, Yan Xiaonan emerged victorious from her first outing since falling short of the title against Zhang Weili earlier this year, Carlos Ulberg got the better of fellow hard-hitting light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir, and the Road to UFC finals delivered some memorable moments on the prelims.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Main Event: Petr Yan def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
    • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Yan Xiaonan def. Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Welterweight: Muslim Salikhov def. Song Kenan via KO (spinning wheel kick): R1, 3:49
    • Women’s Flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes def. Wang Cong via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 3:49
    • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang def. Ozzy Diaz via TKO (elbow & punches): R1, 2:25

    Preliminary Card:

    • Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: SuYoung You def. Jieleyisi Baergeng via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Road to UFC Flyweight Final: DongHun Choi def. Kiru Singh Sahota via KO (punch): R1, 2:36
    • Road to UFC Women’s Strawweight Final: Ming Shi def. Xiaocan Feng via KO (head kick): R3, 0:46
    • Flyweight: Carlos Hernandez def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh def. Jose Ochoa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Bantamweight: Long Xiao def. Quang Le via KO (punches): R3, 1:28
    • Lightweight: Nikolas Motta def. Hayisaer Maheshate via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Nikolas Motta Def. Hayisaer Maheshate

    Long Xiao Def. Quang Le

    Lone’er Kavanagh Def. Jose Ochoa

    Carlos Hernandez Def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel

    Ming Shi Def. Xiaocan Feng

    DongHun Choi Def. Kiru Singh Sahota

    Zhang Mingyang Def. Ozzy Diaz

    Carlos Ulberg Def. Volkan Oezdemir

    Gabriella Fernandes Def. Wang Cong

    https://twitter.com/oliveirafan999/status/1860298121135423761

    Muslim Salikhov Def. Song Kenan

    Yan Xiaonan Def. Tabatha Ricci

    Petr Yan Def. Deiveson Figueiredo

    https://twitter.com/FIGHTZSS/status/1860325240682815892
  • ‘Can We Just get Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan 2?’ – Fans React As Xiaonan Dominates Tabatha Ricci In UFC Macau Co-Headliner

    ‘Can We Just get Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan 2?’ – Fans React As Xiaonan Dominates Tabatha Ricci In UFC Macau Co-Headliner

    Competing in China for the first time in six years, Yan Xiaonan made the most of the experience by putting on one of her best performances in the Octagon, defeating Tabatha Ricci in the UFC Macau co-main event.

    Xiaonan was fully on the attack in the opening round, having complete control as Ricci continuously bit down on her strikes. The Brazilian seemed to find a range by the end of the first round and took it into the second, even getting a hold of her Chinese opponent’s back at one point. But that moment only came after Xiaonan managed to wobble her.

    Ricci continued to stay on the outside in that second frame, as Xiaonan appeared to overwhelm her with the speed and crispness of her strikes. “Fury” did not deter from this strategy and went on to sweep the judges’ scorecards before calling out Zhang Weili for a strawweight title rematch.

    Yan Xiaonan Cruises To Easy Decision Win Over Tabatha Ricci At UFC Macau

    https://twitter.com/5Noxa/status/1860314605349744779

    Xiaonan now returns to the win column in her first fight since unsuccessfully challenging Zhang for the UFC women’s strawweight title at UFC 300 earlier this year. She has won three of her last four.

    Meanwhile, after a four-fight win streak between late 2021 and early 2023, Ricci is 2-2 across the four fights she’s had in the last year.

  • VIDEO: 40-Year-Old Muslim Salikhov Sleeps Song Kenan With Spinning Wheel Kick At UFC Macau

    VIDEO: 40-Year-Old Muslim Salikhov Sleeps Song Kenan With Spinning Wheel Kick At UFC Macau

    If you thought UFC Macau was filled with highlights heading into the final three bouts of the card, Muslim Salikhov then went and took things to another level thanks to his first-round finish of Song Kenan.

    Salikhov delivered a brutal spinning wheel kick that landed flush on the home favorite, dropping him for the knockout win. The 40-year-old Russian made history inside the Galaxy Arena by becoming the first UFC fighter with two finishes via spinning wheel kick.

    Salikhov, a former Wushu world champion, has now won back-to-back bouts and eight of his last 11, continuing to impress despite being 40.

    Song, meanwhile, has now lost four of his last six.

  • ‘Hype Train Was Fun While It Lasted’ – Fans React As Gabriella Fernandes Club & Subs ‘The Joker’ In Major UFC Macau Upset

    ‘Hype Train Was Fun While It Lasted’ – Fans React As Gabriella Fernandes Club & Subs ‘The Joker’ In Major UFC Macau Upset

    A fight that appeared to be a showcase for Wang Cong ended up being such for Gabriella Fernandes, as the Brazilian finished “The Joker” in a huge upset at UFC Macau.

    Cong looked sharp in the first round, landing strikes with crisp power while also stuffing a pair of takedown attempts from Fernandes. But the underdog brought her momentum to a quick halt in the middle of the second round.

    Fernandes rocked her Chinese opponent with a head kick before landing a hook that dropped her again. She subsequently sunk in a rear-naked choke that left “The Joker” unconscious.

    According to the ESPN broadcast, a Fernandes win via submission at UFC Macau had +3000 odds.

    Gabriella Fernandes Pulls Off Major Submission Upset Of Wang Cong At UFC Macau

    https://twitter.com/acdmma_/status/1860298607200477427

    After defeating Paula Luna earlier this year on Road to UFC, Cong — who holds a kickboxing victory over Valentina Shevchenko — made her Octagon debut at UFC Vegas 96 in August, knocking out Victoria Leonardo in just 62 seconds.

    Former LFA interim flyweight champion Fernandes, meanwhile, lost to Jasmine Jasudavicius and Tereza Bledá before a split decision win over Carli Judice earlier this year.

  • ‘Ulberg Starches Hill’ – Fans React As Carlos Ulberg Extends Streak With Win Over Volkan Oezdemir At UFC Macau

    ‘Ulberg Starches Hill’ – Fans React As Carlos Ulberg Extends Streak With Win Over Volkan Oezdemir At UFC Macau

    Carlos Ulberg’s climb up the UFC light heavyweight rankings continues on following possibly the biggest win of his career thus far at UFC Macau, where he took a decision over former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir.

    Though neither man was able to get the knockout blow, both threw with pressure and power over the course of 15 minutes. Plenty of punching from the pair in the first round saw Oezdemir try to bring the pressure, but “Black Jag” landed the stronger strikes and a number of counter-shots on his Swiss opponent.

    Oezdemir looked to continue his pace heading into the second round, attempting to take solid control of the fight. Ulberg had other plans, however, and paced himself while methodically piecing “No Time” up.

    Ulberg ultimately took all three judges’ scorecards with two 30-27s and one 29-28.

    Carlos Ulberg Gets Decision Over Volkan Oezdemir In Top-10 Light Heavyweight Battle At UFC Macau

    After dropping his UFC debut against Kennedy Nzechukwu, Ulberg has now won seven straight to climb the ladder at 205 pounds.

    Oezdemir, meanwhile, has now lost two of his last four and four of his last seven.

  • VIDEO: Zhang Mingyang Sends Home Crowd Wild With Career’s 18th First-Round Finish At UFC Macau

    VIDEO: Zhang Mingyang Sends Home Crowd Wild With Career’s 18th First-Round Finish At UFC Macau

    Zhang Mingyang’s incredible run in MMA continued as he racked up yet another first-round knockout, defeating Ozzy Diaz to start off the UFC Macau main card.

    Just over two minutes into the fight, Mingyang landed a step-in elbow from distance that dropped Diaz. He then finished the fight with a series of ground-and-pound strikes.

    According to the UFC on social media, this was the first time in UFC light heavyweight history — and the 10th time in UFC history altogether — that a fight was finished due to this elbow strike.

    Zhang Mingyang Continues Long Streak Of First-Round KOs At UFC Macau

    After coming into the UFC off a win over Tuco Tokkos in 2022, Mingyang is now 2-0 in the Octagon after finishing Brendson Ribeiro earlier this year at UFC 298. The Chinese standout has incredibly won all 18 of his career wins by way of first-round finishes.

    Meanwhile, this fight marked the UFC debut for Diaz, who is a former LFA middleweight champion.

  • VIDEO: Chinese Doctor Who Hid MMA Career From Parents Wins Road To UFC With Violent Head-Kick KO

    VIDEO: Chinese Doctor Who Hid MMA Career From Parents Wins Road To UFC With Violent Head-Kick KO

    Perhaps the most notable thing about Shi Ming entering her fight at UFC Macau today was the fact that, despite working as a doctor and being a TikTok sensation, her parents and colleagues had no idea of her MMA activity.

    That may not be for much longer after she landed a jaw-dropping, brutal knockout of Feng Xiaocan to win the strawweight bracket of the Road to UFC tournament.

    Early in the third round, Ming made her impact by landing a head kick that came suddenly, dropping Xiaocan in dramatic fashion to earn the knockout victory.

    Shi Ming Wins Road To UFC Tournament With Violent Head Kick KO

    Xiaocan was unresponsive for some time, with a stretcher and neck brace required as she exited the Octagon. Xiaocan, according to the commentary team, was being transported to the hospital in the aftermath of the fight.

    Ming has now won five straight fights and 11 of her last 12. Meanwhile, this was Xiaocan’s first loss since dropping her third and fourth professional bouts, winning eight consecutive outings prior to tonight.

    The UFC Fight Night at Macau’s Galaxy Arena is set to be headlined by a crucial bantamweight bout between former champion Petr Yan and ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

  • Conor McGregor Reacts To Jury’s Verdict In Sexual Assault Case: ‘I Will Be Appealing’

    Conor McGregor Reacts To Jury’s Verdict In Sexual Assault Case: ‘I Will Be Appealing’

    Conor McGregor plans to challenge the ruling of a civil lawsuit in Ireland, where he was held liable for sexual assault.

    On Friday, a jury ruled in favor of Nikita Hand, who accused former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting her in December 2018. The Dublin high court found McGregor culpable for the offense and ordered him to pay €248,000 (roughly $257,000) in damages to the complainant.

    While “The Notorious” chose to remain silent as he left the court after the verdict, he later took to X to announce his intention to contest the ruling. He claimed that the jury had been denied crucial evidence that had been previously reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    “I will be appealing today’s decision,” McGregor wrote in a now-deleted tweet. “The judge’s instruction and the modest award given was for assault, not for aggravated or exemplary damages. I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you for all my support worldwide.”

    Last week, McGregor vehemently denied the allegations against him in his testimony at the high court, where he was accused of sexually assaulting Hand in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin, on December 9, 2018.

    Hand sought compensation across multiple categories, including general, special, aggravated, and punitive damages, citing both the incident itself and her inability to work due to the mental health toll it took.

    She claimed that McGregor held her down on a bed, leaving her unable to defend herself. Meanwhile, the Irishman’s defense team steadfastly argued throughout the trial that Hand was attempting to manipulate the situation, benefiting from a skewed and false portrayal of what had transpired.

  • Bisping Compares Jon Jones Dismissing Tom Aspinall To Jake Paul’s Boxing Approach

    Bisping Compares Jon Jones Dismissing Tom Aspinall To Jake Paul’s Boxing Approach

    After his latest victory, UFC heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones has once again been dismissing a clash with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, instead targeting a showdown with reigning light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.

    However, UFC CEO Dana White isn’t sold on that matchup, believing Jones has a clear advantage over Pereira. On the other hand, “Bones” has stated that a fight against Aspinall would require a significant financial incentive to entice him.

    Former UFC fighter and analyst Michael Bisping weighed in on the situation during his Believe You Me podcast, voicing concern over Jones potentially bypassing tougher challenges like Aspinall in favor of perceived easier fights.

    “My only issue is, as a man and as a fighter, him saying he doesn’t have this obligation to fight these young, up-and-coming, hungry, dangerous guys that have an ability to beat him,” Bisping said. “I don’t get that. That’s what my problem is with Jake Paul.”

    Bisping elaborated on why a Jones vs. Pereira fight might not excite fans the same way a heavyweight clash with Aspinall would.

    “Fighting guys that [Jones] knows he can beat – Alex Pereira, he has a very blatantly obvious path to victory. He just took down Stipe. He took down Ciryl Gane. He will take down Alex Pereira. Would he be able to take down Tom? That’s the question. That’s the fight. That’s what we want to see.”

    With both potential matchups offering unique narratives, the decision now lies in the hands of Jones, the UFC, and the negotiating table.

  • Conor McGregor Found Liable For Assault By Jury In Sexual Assault Civil Court Case

    Conor McGregor Found Liable For Assault By Jury In Sexual Assault Civil Court Case

    A woman who accused Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting her in 2018 has won her civil case against the UFC fighter in court.

    “The Notorious” has been at the center of a serious sexual assault case in recent weeks, with accusations from Dublin-based hairdresser Nikita Hand, who also implicated a person named James Lawrence in the ordeal.

    A jury at Dublin’s High Court found that McGregor had assaulted Hand on Friday. The Irishman made no comment as he quickly exited the court following the verdict.

    https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1860008568835236006

    Hand, meanwhile, did address the media in the aftermath, describing her ordeal in the years leading up to the court win this week.

    “I would like to start off by saying I’m overwhelmed and touched by the support I have received from everybody,” she said. “I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be: Speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice.”

    McGregor testified at the High Court in Dublin last Wednesday, addressing a civil lawsuit in which he was accused by Hand of raping her in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018.

    For the first time during the trial, the former two-division UFC champion took the stand and testified that his encounter with Hand was entirely consensual, following prior online conversations, and firmly denied ever coercing anyone into an act against their will.

    “Your client is full of lies,” McGregor said to Hand’s lawyer. “Everything is a lie.”

    McGregor also categorically rejected any claims of inflicting bruising on Hand. The UFC icon was accused of restraining her on the bed, with the alleged victim unable to fight back. However, the Irishman’s defense team consistently argued that the accuser was attempting to exploit the situation and profit from a distorted version of events.

    Hand claimed that on the evening in dispute, she was with McGregor and that his behavior grew progressively aggressive after they went to the hotel room following a Christmas party. She stated that she and a woman named Danielle had consumed drugs and alcohol offered by the UFC fighter.

    The allegations in question first emerged in December 2018, but no charges were brought against McGregor until January 2021, following a two-year investigation by Irish authorities. Despite the lengthy probe, McGregor was not prosecuted.

    A personal injury lawsuit was filed in the same month, and in October 2023, a civil trial date was set, with Hand seeking and now being awarded damages amounting to €248,603 (£206,000).

  • Henry Cejudo Ranks The Standout Brazilian Stars From The Fighting Nerds

    Henry Cejudo Ranks The Standout Brazilian Stars From The Fighting Nerds

    The Fighting Nerds team out of Brazil has been one of the most exciting stables of fighters to really announce their arrival in 2024. With one fighter signing to the UFC several years ago and proving himself to be a top contender in his division, three other stand outs have made huge impacts inside the Octagon after featuring on last year’s season of the Contender Series.

    With an overall record of 11-0 with nine finishes in the UFC this year, Henry Cejudo recently ranked the four Fighting Nerds competitors that have put their team on the map. Unsurprisingly, he gave top billing to the squad’s unofficial team captain, Caio Borralho.

    Borralho has won seven fights in a row at middleweight to earn himself the #6-ranking with wins over the likes of Jared Cannonier, Paul Craig and Abus Magomedov setting him up for a huge match-up next time out. Cejudo has been particularly impressed with his wrestling and consistency.

    “I got to go with Borralho. His takedown entries are no joke. I wasn’t too sure if he was going to get tired but man, he’s special so I think he’s the first one to lead. Other than him being the first one to lead, I’m going to have to go with Jean Silva.”

    Since producing an upset on Contender Series, Silva has won three fights in a row this year at both featherweight and lightweight. His latest win over Drew Dober earned him a performance of the night bonus and though Cejudo wants to see him, and the following names, get tested against a high-level wrestler, he’s very impressed with what he has seen thus far.

    A fighter that will certainly be in the conversation for breakthrough fighter of the year is Carlos Prates who has finished all four of his opponents this year. A first round knockout against Neil Magny in his first main event at the start of this month saw him enter the welterweight rankings at #13.

    “He’s one that I really want to know how good he really is and I do want to see him get tested in that wrestling department. Does Carlos Prates have that threshold of having somebody like a Shavkat or somebody that’s going to wrestle, a Kamaru Usman, someone that’s going to bring that heavy wrestling feel. How is it that he can handle all of that?”

    Last but not least is the member of the four who fought the most recently, Mauricio Ruffy. A spectacular debut against Jamie Mullarkey opened his UFC account in style but his performance at UFC 309 where he faced James Llontop wasn’t as impressive after he secured a decision win as a massive favorite coming in.

    “He just fought this weekend. Very creative, very dangerous on what he does and I do feel like he is special.”    

  • Billy Quarantillo Says Former Opponent Will Corner Him For Cub Swanson Fight In Tampa

    Billy Quarantillo Says Former Opponent Will Corner Him For Cub Swanson Fight In Tampa

    At the UFC’s upcoming return to Tampa on December 14, Billy Quarantillo is looking to get back in the win column when he takes on a veteran of the featherweight division. In what will be the 25th fight of his UFC tenure, “Killer” Cub Swanson will also look to bounce back.

    In a recent interview with James Lynch for Fight Bananas, Quarantillo provided an interesting key point about his preparations for his next fight that in turn, will bring a significant change to his corner for this particular contest. The 35-year old has spent a large amount of 2024 training alongside PFL and ex-UFC fighter, Shane Burgos.

    The two men faced off inside the Octagon three years ago at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden where they put on one of the best fights of the year. Unfortunately, they had the tough task of following the undisputed fight of the year between Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler which opened the main card.

    During Burgos’ time in the UFC, he fought and defeated Swanson via split decision in May of 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Quarantillo said that the time that he has spent training with Burgos and the fact that he has experience sharing the cage with Swanson made him the right man to have in his corner for this fight.

    “We’re locked in. We got Shane Burgos, my old nemesis, he’s actually going to be in my corner which is pretty cool. He has a win over Cub Swanson and he moved down here to Tampa about six months ago and we just hit it off right away. He’s been at my gym pretty much every week helping me out with different aspects of my game, he obviously knows Cub’s game really well and he has some things that he knows will work well on him so I invited him out to my corner.”   

  • Israel Adesanya Reflects On Settling The Feud With Dricus Du Plessis

    Israel Adesanya Reflects On Settling The Feud With Dricus Du Plessis

    We’ve seen it happen time and time again where the tension that exists pre-fight between two competitors is put to bed once they meet inside the Octagon. This was certainly the case in the main event of UFC 305 in August where Israel Adesanya returned to challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title.

    The feud dated back over a year and reached boiling point following Du Plessis’ win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 where in his post-fight interview, he was joined in the cage by Adesanya for a heated exchange. Unfortunately, “Stillknocks” wasn’t able to make the quick turn around to fight the champion at UFC 293 but with Adesanya losing the title only for Du Plessis to win it from Sean Strickland at UFC 297, the match-up came back around.

    After Du Plessis submitted “The Last Stylebender” in the fourth round to defend the title in Perth, they shared a brief but respectful exchange in the immediate aftermath. Footage later came out on social media of one final meeting between them backstage where they pleasantly parted ways.

    In a recent appearance on Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant podcast, Adesanya spoke about putting the rivalry with Du Plessis to bed.

    “Yeah we’re cool. After the fight, we had a nice discussion, yeah it was cool. Just like a moment and then at the end he said, ‘If you’re ever in South Africa, you know, tap in’ and I was like ‘yeah sure’ and I said when I see you again, I’ll try and kill you and he goes ‘I’ll try and kill you too’ and we just hugged.”

    He said that despite the animosity that previously existed between them, it’s normal for fighters to shake hands and put the past behind them after competing against one another.

    “That’s how most fighters are, there’s only some who take it to that place and then like keep it like that after the fight but nah, we’re all on the same journey and again, he’s achieved his dream now.”