MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Tom Aspinall Reveals His UFC Return Has Been Pushed Back

    Tom Aspinall Reveals His UFC Return Has Been Pushed Back

    Tom Aspinall is picking Ciryl Gane to beat Alex Pereira on points at UFC Freedom 250, predicting that Pereira will struggle against a big, mobile heavyweight who moves well.

    Aspinall has already been told he will fight the winner of Pereira vs. Gane. He broke down the matchup for the first time on Fight Your Corner, expressing doubt about how Pereira’s game will translate to the heavyweight division.

    “Alex Pereira is very good when he fights light heavyweights or middleweights who don’t move a lot. Ciryl Gane is a massive heavyweight who moves a lot. Moves really well. So, stylistically, I think it’s a good matchup for Gane. That being said, Gane doesn’t like leg kicks. He doesn’t fare well against leg kicks. He’s a good kicker, but if someone kicks him, his leg kick defense isn’t great. I struggle to pick a winner at this stage to be honest. I would say Gane by points. I think he’s just going to move too much for him and beat him on points.”

    Aspinall also revealed that his own return has been pushed back after a recent scan of the eye injuries he sustained in his first undisputed title defense showed he needs more time.

    “I’ve just had my recent scan. I thought it was going to get cleared actually to spar and fight straight away but they actually said they’ve given me another couple of months so I’m just waiting.”

    Pereira faces Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on June 14 at the White House. A win would make him the first fighter in UFC history to claim a version of the title in three separate weight classes.

  • Marvin Vettori Pulls Out Of UFC Baku Fight

    Marvin Vettori Pulls Out Of UFC Baku Fight

    Marvin Vettori has pulled out of his fight against Ismail Naurdiev at UFC Baku on June 27 after suffering a broken rib in training.

    Vettori revealed the injury on his Instagram Stories, explaining the timeline and what comes next.

    “Unfortunately, I am here to tell you that a few days ago I got hurt on my rib. I did an MRI and it came back today showing that the rib is broken. So I won’t be fighting on June 27. I was really looking forward to this fight. I moved from Florida to California for this camp. I wanted to get back to my roots, train with Beneil Dariush. I was feeling good. Sometimes sh*t happens and you can’t do nothing about it. Now I’m just gonna focus on my recovery. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long. Four to six weeks I am good to train again. For everybody that supported me, I am thankful for that. I promise you that I will be back.”

    Vettori has gone 2-5 in his last seven fights since challenging Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 263 in 2021. He is winless since beating Roman Dolidze in London three years ago.

    UFC Baku takes place June 27 at the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan. The event is headlined by Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres.

  • Conor McGregor’s First Statement On UFC 329 Return Sets Very High Bar For What Fans Should Expect

    Conor McGregor’s First Statement On UFC 329 Return Sets Very High Bar For What Fans Should Expect

    Conor McGregor says he is better than ever ahead of his UFC 329 return against Max Holloway and is relishing the chance to showcase his skills on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    McGregor broke his silence on Instagram following Dana White’s announcement of the fight, his first competitive appearance since suffering a broken leg at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    “Thank you for all the love, support, and encouragement over the last few days, people. I am feeling very energized entering intense training camp because of it. I am very grateful for the team I have around me. My coaches and training partners, we are all fully tuned in for the challenge at hand and it is a glorious time in our gym. I am better than ever, and I relish the opportunity to once again show my mastery in martial arts to the world.”

    McGregor defeated Holloway in their first meeting nearly 13 years ago at UFC Fight Night 26. Holloway enters the rematch coming off a lopsided decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 327 in March.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Had A Blunt Response To Khamzat Chimaev Weight Cut Narrative

    Dricus Du Plessis Had A Blunt Response To Khamzat Chimaev Weight Cut Narrative

    Dricus Du Plessis dismissed the suggestion that Khamzat Chimaev’s weight cut played a significant role in his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, calling it a rookie-level cut that does not justify being used as an excuse.

    Chimaev’s teammate Arman Tsarukyan revealed after the fight that Chimaev had to cut 12 to 13 pounds in the final 24 hours before weigh-ins, with some attributing his early slowdown to the drastic cut. Du Plessis, who lost his middleweight title to Chimaev before Chimaev dropped it to Strickland, had no sympathy speaking on Fight Forecast.

    “I think this whole weight cut excuse is ridiculous. I mean, they said he cut 12 pounds in the 24 hours. Those are rookie numbers. 12 pounds in 24 hours, that’s not that bad. What matters is that last 24 hours and 12 pounds is not that much. I definitely done more than that. Sometimes I’ve had bad weight cuts, too. Everybody that cuts weight has had that experience where the next day you feel, ‘Ugh,’ and you have a bad cut. One kilogram can make the world of difference in a weight cut. I just think using a weight cut as an excuse when it comes to the fight, even if you did have a bad weight cut, it’s fine.”

    Du Plessis delivered a broader message about accountability in the sport.

    “It’s happened to all of us, but you don’t go out and say, ‘Oh, I lost the fight because of that.’ No. If you want to change weight divisions, change weight divisions. But blaming a bad weight cut is like saying, ‘I lost the fight because I wasn’t fit.’ It’s on you. Be more disciplined. Be more disciplined and the weight cut would be easier. When you get to octagon, there is no excuse. Be a man and take your loss like a man. Don’t make any excuses. There are no excuses.”

    Chimaev initially told Dana White he wanted to move to light heavyweight after the loss, but later reversed course and expressed a desire to rematch Strickland.

  • Ilia Topuria And Ryan Garcia Engage In Explosive War Of Words After Bold Boxing Callout

    Ilia Topuria and Ryan Garcia recently traded a series of heated messages after the reigning UFC lightweight champion floated the idea of stepping into the boxing ring in the future.

    Topuria, who is preparing to defend his title against Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event on June 14, made it clear he believes he could compete at a high level in boxing right away.

    “I’d be very comfortable,” Topuria said in an interview when asked about facing Garcia. “I think I would break him before it gets to the judges’ decision.”

    That confidence quickly drew a sharp response from Garcia.

    “You are a damn good striker for MMA that’s it,” Garcia fired back on social media. “You wouldn’t be sipping on tea after our fight you would be eating through a straw after our fight. Stay in your lane. I’ll gladly stay in mine.”

    “El Matador” didn’t hold back in his reply.

    “You built your name on hype,” he wrote. “I built mine by putting legends to sleep. I would give you a boxing lesson. We are not on the same level. Bring the guy that you fight in September. I would beat both of you in the same ring.”

    Garcia doubled down, dismissing the undefeated Spaniard’s chances in a pure boxing setting.

    “I built my name sleeping guys that are way better boxers then you will ever be,” Garcia responded. “You’ve seen many MMA fighters try and you’ll just be another UFC hype job cashing out by getting knocked out by a boxer.”

    The exchange escalated further when Topuria referenced a controversial chapter in “KingRy’s” career.

    “The biggest win of your career came with steroids,” Topuria wrote. “So that’s where your confidence comes from? Interesting.”

  • Scott Coker Plans New MMA League To Challenge UFC In 2027

    Scott Coker is returning to the promoter’s chair with a new global MMA league, and he has $60 million in financing lined up to take on the UFC and the PFL. The veteran promoter plans to launch the still unnamed venture globally in early 2027.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, funding is led by investment firm Creator Sports Capital, with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners. The investor group also includes trading card company Upper Deck, D.C. United owner and Oaktree Capital co-founder Steve Kaplan, Visional founder and New York Yankees limited partner Swimmy Minami, skateboarding icon Tony Hawk, and former Fortress Investment Group vice-chairman Dean Dakolias. The founders say the backers include several people with ownership stakes in NFL and NBA franchises.

    Coker will serve as co-founder and CEO. Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners, who was an advisor and investor in Coker’s Strikeforce, takes the co-founder and board chairman roles. The advisory group features former TelevisaUnivision CEO and ex-Viacom CFO Wade Davis, former Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko, and Kevin Kay, the former president of Paramount Network, CMT, Spike TV and TV Land.

    The pitch leans on a gap the founders see in the sport. MMA has grown into a market worth more than $20 billion with over 625 million fans worldwide, yet the founders argue that professional fighters across more than 40 countries still lack a clear path to elite competition. The new league says it wants to place athletes at the center of the sport, a positioning that sets it against the UFC, where Dana White has handed off fighter contract negotiations to other TKO Group executives.

    From Strikeforce To A New Challenger

    Coker founded Strikeforce, which grew into a genuine UFC rival before it was sold to the UFC in 2011. He took over Bellator MMA in 2014 and ran it for close to a decade, but did not move with the brand when the PFL acquired Bellator in late 2023. Bellator now operates as part of the PFL’s restructured tournament system.

    The founders pointed to Coker’s history of finding and developing fighters such as Daniel Cormier, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano during the Strikeforce era.

    “I always knew I wanted to come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully curated team. That time is now,” Coker said. “There is an incredible demand for a fresh, new global brand in MMA. This new league is about returning to what matters: the integrity of competition, respect for the athletes and sharing their remarkable journeys with the world.”

    Benjamin Grubbs, co-founder and co-managing partner of Creator Sports Capital, framed the bet on Coker directly. “Scott Coker is one of the few operators in combat sports who has built winning franchises at a global scale, and he has done it by putting athletes first,” Grubbs said.

    Details Still To Come

    The full leadership team is expected to be named in the coming weeks. The league’s name, format, participating regions and event schedule have not been announced.

    A 2027 debut would drop Coker’s promotion into a market led by TKO Group’s UFC, run by Dana White, with the PFL operating as the clear number two.

  • UFC Legend Khabib Nurmagomedov Rubbishes Dana White’s Claim About His MMA Retirement – ‘Piece Of Garbage’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov has pushed back strongly against past comments made by Dana White regarding the reasons behind his retirement from mixed martial arts.

    “The Eagle” walked away from the sport in October 2020, immediately after submitting Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. That victory not only marked his third successful title defense but also sealed a flawless professional record of 29-0, making him one of the few fighters to retire undefeated at the highest level.

    The former UFC lightweight champion’s decision at the time was deeply personal. Following the passing of his father and longtime coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov earlier that year, he revealed that he had promised his mother he would not continue fighting without him.

    However, during an interview on the Prince St. Pizza YouTube channel last year, White suggested that financial success may have also influenced the decision, claiming the Dagestani star earned substantial money during appearances across Muslim-majority countries after his win over Conor McGregor.

    Those remarks did not sit well with Nurmagomedov.

    “These are the kinds of headlines I sometimes read online. Of course, I’m not someone who likes to comment on every piece of garbage on the internet, but when Dana says things like this, it spreads everywhere,” he wrote on social media.

    “I’ll say this: I swear by Allah, this is an absolute lie. Nobody ever gave me those millions, and what they’re writing, that I left the sport because I made a lot of money, is also not true. The whole world knows the real truth.

    “I’ve already spoken about this more than once, and there’s no need to repeat it.”

  • Carlos Prates Says Something Happened In His UFC Meeting After Perth That Makes Him Very Confident About What’s Next

    Carlos Prates Says Something Happened In His UFC Meeting After Perth That Makes Him Very Confident About What’s Next

    Carlos Prates says he has spoken with the UFC after his knockout of Jack Della Maddalena and believes he will be the next welterweight title challenger, regardless of whether Islam Makhachev or Ian Machado Garry holds the belt.

    Speaking to Yahoo Sports, Prates was direct about what he expects to happen next.

    “I think Ian’s gonna fight Makhachev, and I’m going to fight the winner. I talked with them, with the UFC after my fight. Of course, we talked some things I cannot say, but I really think I will be the next. It doesn’t matter who gets the win between Islam and Ian Garry, I will be the next.”

    Prates has gone seven wins, seven stoppages, and seven Performance of the Night bonuses in eight UFC appearances. His third-round knockout of Della Maddalena at UFC Perth earlier this month was his third consecutive finish and made a title shot impossible to ignore.

    A Makhachev vs. Garry fight has been rumored but not officially announced, with the August numbered event reported as a possible target. That timeline could leave Prates waiting close to a year before fighting for the belt — a long layoff for a fighter who has competed eight times in two and a half years. He said the wait would not hurt him.

    “It’s good for me. Get my injuries better, train a little bit more, improve, grow up as a fighter. If it’s long to fight for the belt, I will be more well-prepared.”

    On the question of Ilia Topuria potentially jumping to welterweight to fight Makhachev, Prates said he does not see it happening and has a long-term plan if Topuria does want the fight.

    “No. I think he’s going to still fight at 155. I’m thinking about to get the belt and then asking Topuria if he wants to come to 170. Let’s do this. Let’s dance!”

  • Georges St-Pierre Reveals What Conor McGregor Must Do In Training Camp To Prepare For Max Holloway

    Georges St-Pierre says it would “break his heart” to see Conor McGregor return at UFC 329 and not be the fighter he once was, while stressing the importance of McGregor putting himself in uncomfortable situations during training camp.

    McGregor faces Max Holloway on July 11 in Las Vegas after more than five years away from MMA. St-Pierre, who ended his own four-year layoff to submit Michael Bisping for the middleweight title in 2017, told MMA Junkie what he believes is essential for a successful return.

    “You need to make sure when you prepare yourself that you recreate that environment and that level of discomfort that you will face. If you stay in your comfort zone during your training camp, it’s not good. You need to make sure you bring guys that make you uncomfortable. I’m not only talking about skills and sparring. Sometimes it’s good to bring guys that you’ve never trained with, and you have the butterflies, and you don’t know how they move. ‘They’re dirty, and they’re going to try to hurt me.’ It’s important.”

    St-Pierre said he was not surprised McGregor chose a fight of this difficulty for his comeback.

    “He comes back for big things, and he doesn’t come back for small things. It’s appropriate. Of course, if I was in Conor’s camp I would say, ‘Strap in because it’s a hell of a fight.’ But he can do it. It’s going to be interesting.”

    Holloway has competed eight times since McGregor last fought, all in main events or title fights.

  • Eddie Alvarez Says Everything Tells Him Conor McGregor Can’t Beat Max Holloway — Except One Thing

    Eddie Alvarez says everything he believes about ring rust tells him Conor McGregor has no business beating Max Holloway at UFC 329, but left the door open based on one quality McGregor possesses that most fighters do not.

    Alvarez spoke to MMA Junkie ahead of the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where McGregor returns from a five-year absence. Alvarez compared stepping away from MMA to dropping out of a movie role mid-production.

    “I don’t like people taking off this sport. I think it’s dangerous when you put this sport down. It’s not something you can put down and pick up. It’s too dangerous, and when you’re fighting, I often compare it to someone who is getting ready for a movie role. You have to become the character. And once you’re in character then you go put on a good performance. But it takes a while to become that ruthless dog that you need to be in order to go in there and fight viciously the way we do. And you can’t just put it down and pick it up whenever you want. It takes a while to get into it.”

    Alvarez framed the inactivity gap as the central concern heading into the fight.

    “That comeback needs to be built in with a large amount of training, warm-up fights and things like that in order to build into a massive fight, especially coming back with a guy like Max Holloway. Max has been active. Max is younger. Max has been a lot more active and in the game and didn’t put the game down. You’re going against a guy that has been well fed, and he put the game down. He said, ‘I don’t want to do it right now anymore,’ and now he’s coming back. There’s a lot of guessing about Conor and the Conor we’re going to get to see. We’ll see.”

    Alvarez lost to McGregor by second-round TKO at UFC 205 in November 2016, the last meaningful win of McGregor’s MMA career and the fight that made him a two-division champion. Despite his concerns about the layoff, Alvarez said McGregor has one intangible that could change the equation entirely.

    “Conor has an obsessiveness about him that he can make up for years of not training in a short period of time that other guys don’t have. If anybody is able to come do this, it’ll be him. But it definitely to me would be one of the best comeback stories we’ve ever seen in the sport.”

    Holloway has competed eight times since McGregor last fought, all in main events or title fights.

  • Brendan Allen Shares Opinion On Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate That Makes A Lot Of Sense

    Brendan Allen Shares Opinion On Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate That Makes A Lot Of Sense

    Brendan Allen says the UFC middleweight division is in an uncertain position following Sean Strickland’s upset title win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, with the rematch vs. contender question still unresolved.

    Allen, who trained alongside Chimaev during part of his camp, believes Chimaev deserves a rematch but acknowledged Nassourdine Imavov has also earned his shot. Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio ahead of his own fight against Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 278 on June 6, Allen laid out how he sees it.

    “I think we’re in a crazy position and everyone’s just waiting for the bosses to say what avenue they’re going to go. I’m kind of caught. I think Khamzat deserves a rematch. It was a super close fight based on statistics. I had him winning, but I could also be biased. It was obviously still a close fight because it was a split decision. I would say he should get a rematch, but I also think Nassourdine has earned No. 1 contender. It’s a super tough spot. If it was me, and it’s way above my pay grade, but I think you give Khamzat the rematch, depending on timeline. I think Khamzat is already ready. It’s just up to Sean at this point. Then you make Nassourdine me vs. if I win.”

    Allen made clear that none of it matters unless he handles his own business first.

    “I think I can get him out of there. He’s a good fighter. He’s a young, talented guy and I’ve just got to go in there and do what I need to do and get him out of there. He’s getting a crack at the top five. He’s not even in the top 15, and he’s getting a crack at the top five. That’s super motivating. I never personally had that, but I know it’s got to be super motivating. So I know he’s coming to kill. I’m ready for that. I think I’m the best in the world and I need to go prove it.”

  • Alex Pereira Has Very Simple Response To People Questioning Three-Division Title Pursuit

    Alex Pereira Has Very Simple Response To People Questioning Three-Division Title Pursuit

    Alex Pereira says he has felt no physical drop-off since moving up to heavyweight and is not concerned with whether a win over Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 would be considered a true three-division championship.

    Pereira faces Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on June 14 at the White House. A win would make him the first fighter in UFC history to claim a version of the title in three separate weight classes, having previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight titles.

    Speaking to MMA Junkie through an interpreter, Pereira said the move up has gone smoothly.

    “In terms of going for heavyweight, it’s nice because no restrictions. I’ve been eating clean and eating good. It’s been fun. In terms of performance, I feel the exact same. Obviously it’s not possible to bulk up to a much higher weight class, bigger, and not lose maybe a little bit of speed. We’ll see in the fight. But I feel the exact same. I just added, but didn’t lose anything.”

    On the debate over whether an interim title counts toward the historic achievement, Pereira was dismissive.

    “If it’s lineal, if it’s interim — for me, it doesn’t matter. Obviously I’ve heard people talking about that, that it’s not the lineal belt and this and that. What is the point of me trying to defend myself? I just want to keep fighting and making my money and let people talk, and whatever they decide for me is good.”

  • Dustin Poirier Has Very Specific Game Plan For How Justin Gaethje Can Upset Ilia Topuria

    Dustin Poirier says Justin Gaethje’s best chance against Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 is to force chaos rather than trying to match the champion’s technical precision.

    Gaethje holds the interim UFC Lightweight Championship and faces Topuria in a unification bout on June 14 at the White House. Poirier, who has fought both men, told UFC on Paramount+ that the stylistic matchup favors Topuria if the fight stays clean.

    “It’s not that I’m rooting against him or anything, I just think it’s a tough stylistic matchup for him. If he’s loose with the big punches he throws, Ilia is so tight, combinations are short and clean. Gaethje just has to clean it up a little bit and like I said in the past, Gaethje has said this leading up to fights, ‘I have to be perfect.’ This fight he has to be perfect because Topuria is so dangerous.”

    Poirier identified Gaethje’s leg kicks as a key weapon but warned they need to be set up properly.

    “He tore my legs up. He tore Chandler’s. He’s done it to a lot of people. Everything he throws is 100 percent. He can knock him out if he can get Ilia to brawl. But he has to set up those leg kicks. He can’t throw them dry, like empty leg kicks like that. He has to throw punches and finish combinations with leg kicks. Ilia’s too sharp to just throw single legs. He’s going to get counterpunched.”

    Poirier concluded that Gaethje needs disorder to land his shot.

    “There’s not enough time technically for him to sharpen up and outbox, outpoint Ilia on the feet. He needs it to be chaos, he needs it to be a brawl, and he needs to land that shot. I don’t know if he wins, but that’s his best chance.”

  • Jorge Masvidal Did Not Hold Back When Asked About Conor McGregor’s Chances At UFC 329

    Jorge Masvidal says Max Holloway will “smoke Conor McGregor like a brisket” when the two meet at UFC 329 on July 11, pointing to the contrasting lifestyles of the two fighters as the deciding factor.

    McGregor returns from a five-year layoff at UFC 329 in Las Vegas during International Fight Week. Masvidal, speaking alongside Dustin Poirier on the Deep Waters podcast, was not interested in giving McGregor any chance.

    “I think Max smokes him like a brisket.”

    Masvidal elaborated on why he believes McGregor’s time away from discipline will cost him.

    “I think Conor lives a certain lifestyle we’ve all seen. You can kind of tell it’s not for show, and it’s really his lifestyle. Max lives a completely different lifestyle. I’ve never seen Max at the club drunk. You never see him in the headlines for anything bad. That guy lives a different life where he is in the gym, family, gym family. I think that’s gonna pay the biggest dividends. You can be away from the sport for five years and come back like nothing happened if you live that life.”

    McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in July 2021, suffering a broken leg in the first round against Poirier. Holloway is coming off a stretch in which he became a multiple-time featherweight champion and recently moved up to lightweight.

  • Daniel Cormier Has A Take On The Ronda Rousey Win That Hunter Campbell Is Going To Love

    Daniel Cormier says Ronda Rousey’s 17-second submission of Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1 actually vindicated UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, who had been publicly criticized for blocking the fight from happening in the UFC.

    Cormier addressed the result on his YouTube channel, pushing back on the narrative that Campbell made the wrong call.

    “If I’m Hunter Campbell, who has been getting beat up in the media because he didn’t want to make this fight, I don’t know that last night did anything to say that he made the wrong decision because of the way that it ended, and that’s just me being 1,000 percent truthful. Had you had a great fight, maybe people may have questioned Hunter’s decision. But again, Hunter has made good decisions time and time again, and I believe that last night showed that he made another one by not paying a boat load of money to make that event.”

    Rousey had publicly blamed Campbell for preventing the fight from taking place in the UFC, claiming Dana White was interested in making it happen. The fight ultimately landed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions on Netflix, where Rousey submitted Carano at 17 seconds of the first round.

  • Dana White Has A New Problem With UFC Freedom 250 That Nobody Saw Coming

    Dana White Has A New Problem With UFC Freedom 250 That Nobody Saw Coming

    Dana White says an unexpected bug problem at the White House could create real issues for fighters competing at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, and he is already working on solutions.

    White visited the White House recently when President Trump invited him to dinner at the newly opened Rose Garden, and the gnat situation he encountered immediately triggered concern about the outdoor event.

    Speaking to Boardroom, White described what he saw.

    “Another problem that I always think about, especially on the East coast: bugs. So President Trump just opened The Rose Garden two nights ago. He invited me to dinner there. The amount of gnats that are flying around, I’m like, ‘Holy sh*t.’ As soon as I got on the plane, I got on the phone with my head of production and said, ‘Yeah, let me tell you about the gnat situation tonight.’ When you’re a fighter, think about that lighting grid and the claw we’re going to have and the amount of power in the lights. Moths, gnats, and God knows what else, fighters trying to deal with that.”

    White reached out to UFC executive producer Craig Borsari immediately and has already begun brainstorming possible fixes.

    “In your mouth, in your nose while you’re trying to fight. I was telling Craig, my head of production, I’m like, ‘Maybe we put fans in, because gnats have a bad time in the wind.’ I don’t know. These are all the little details we have to think about. That’s why I don’t like fighting outside ever.”

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place on the South Lawn of the White House with approximately 4,000 attendees expected. The card is headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout.

  • Jon Jones And Rampage Jackson Appear To Squash Beef In Hilarious Backstage Reunion At MVP MMA 1

    Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson appeared to squash their long-running beef backstage at Saturday’s MVP MMA 1 event, sharing a lighthearted reunion that was captured on video.

    The two former rivals headlined UFC 135 in 2011, with Jones submitting Jackson in the fourth round. The buildup was contentious, with Jackson accusing Jones of planting a spy in his training camp, and the bad blood lingered after the fight when Jackson repeatedly accused Jones of being a lifelong cheater.

    Despite that history, the two ran into each other backstage at the Rousey vs. Carano card at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and the interaction was notably warm. Jones posted a video on Instagram described as him “apologizing” to Jackson in a humorous exchange.

    Jones remains at odds with the UFC following a contract dispute that prevented a fight with Tom Aspinall from happening. He has been publicly critical of UFC CEO Dana White’s decision to exclude him from the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House on June 14.

    Jackson retired from MMA in 2019 following a loss to Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237 and has since built a career as host of the JAXXON Podcast.

  • Dustin Poirier Raises Serious Question About Max Holloway Before Conor McGregor Fight

    Dustin Poirier says Conor McGregor will have a puncher’s chance against Max Holloway at UFC 329 and warned that Holloway’s chin may finally be showing signs of wear.

    Poirier, who has fought both men three times each, going 2-1 in both trilogies, spoke about the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on his Deep Waters podcast.

    “Conor has the power. No matter the injury that’s going to be there still, the timing — other things matter. But the power is going to be here. This is going to be a firefight. Oliveira was able to smother Holloway, which I was surprised by, because Max is hard to hold down. Conor is going to kickbox with him for 25 minutes. He has a puncher’s chance. Max for sure is a volume puncher, but at 155 when I fought him last, he has power behind his shots, and I’ve got to think at 170 he’s got to have even more power, because Max can punch now. He’s not just a volume puncher. He can finish fights.”

    While favoring Holloway overall, Poirier raised a concern about the Hawaiian’s durability heading into the fight.

    “The thing that I keep thinking about is in Max’s last three fights, he’s touched the canvas more times than he’s touched his whole career. Gaethje and Topuria dropped him, I dropped him. That’s his last few fights. If Max’s chin is finally catching up to the style of fighting he does, Conor could put him down.”

    McGregor, who turns 38 three days after UFC 329, last competed at UFC 264 in July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in the first round of his trilogy fight with Poirier.

  • Colby Covington Officially Listed As Retired By UFC

    Colby Covington Officially Listed As Retired By UFC

    Colby Covington has retired from UFC competition, with the promotion quietly changing his status from “active” to “retired” on its official website Monday. The update was first flagged by the algorithm-based X account UFC Roster Tracker.

    Covington, 38, went 12-5 across 17 UFC fights and held the interim welterweight championship, but never captured the undisputed title. He went 0-3 in championship bouts, falling to Kamaru Usman twice and Leon Edwards once. Notable wins during his career included victories over Rafael dos Anjos, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, and Jorge Masvidal.

    Covington had been largely inactive in recent years, competing just once since December 2023. He has since transitioned to professional wrestling for RAF and is currently scheduled to face Chris Weidman on May 30 at RAF 9 in Arlington, Texas.

    A polarizing figure known for his outspoken political alignment with President Donald Trump, Covington had voiced frustration with fight offers in recent months and publicly expressed disappointment at being left off the UFC Freedom 250 card on June 14 at the White House.

    Covington has not commented publicly on his retirement.

  • McGregor UFC 329 Odds Show Wild Public-Sharp Money Split

    Conor McGregor is back, and the early betting market on his return is telling two very different stories.

    UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Saturday night that Conor McGregor will rematch Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The five-round welterweight fight headlines International Fight Week and streams on Paramount+. It is McGregor’s first scheduled bout since he suffered a broken leg in his trilogy loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    Within hours of the announcement, the early lines were posted. The split between public action and real money is staggering.

    Holloway A Heavy Favorite, Sharps All Over Him

    According to a BetMGM data card released Sunday, Holloway opened at -345 and has already been steamed to -550. McGregor opened at +250 and has drifted out to +350, by far the longest underdog price of his UFC career.

    The kicker is the split. BetMGM reports 95% of total bets are riding with McGregor, but only 1% of the handle (the total dollars wagered) is on him. Holloway sits at 5% of tickets and 99% of the money. That is the textbook profile of a public-versus-sharp split. Small bettors are stacking single-digit tickets on the Notorious one for the storyline, while professional money is hammering Holloway in size.

    Other books are even more aggressive. BetOnline opened Holloway at -450 and McGregor at +350. DraftKings opened the Hawaiian as a -500 favorite, with some offshore markets briefly touching -700 before settling.

    What’s Driving The Number

    McGregor (22-6) has not won a UFC fight since his 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone in January 2020. He is 37, has not competed in nearly five years, and will be making just his fourth start at welterweight, where he is 2-1 (wins over Cerrone and Nate Diaz, plus the loss in Diaz 1).

    Holloway (27-9) is no longer the featherweight champion who put together a 13-fight winning streak after the first McGregor fight, but he has stayed active. He is coming off a wide decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March, and the 34-year-old former BMF titleholder will be making his welterweight debut, a 15-pound jump from lightweight. He still owns the UFC’s all-time records for significant strikes landed and total strikes landed.

    The pair first met on August 17, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston, when a 25-year-old McGregor took a unanimous decision over a 21-year-old Holloway despite tearing his ACL during the fight. Holloway responded with a career-defining 13-fight unbeaten run. McGregor became the promotion’s biggest-ever star.

    Thirteen years later, the rematch is finally booked. The oddsmakers, and the bettors moving the largest tickets, are not betting on a sequel that mirrors the first.

  • Alex Pereira Says Ilia Topuria ‘Stepped Up As A Brother’ When Josh Hokit Targeted Him At UFC Press Conference

    Alex Pereira Says Ilia Topuria ‘Stepped Up As A Brother’ When Josh Hokit Targeted Him At UFC Press Conference

    Alex Pereira says he had no idea what Josh Hokit was saying when the rising heavyweight took aim at him during the UFC Freedom 250 pre-fight press conference, and credited Ilia Topuria for stepping in on his behalf.

    Hokit directed trash talk at Pereira, who does not speak English, prompting Topuria to throw an object at Hokit. The incident ended the press conference early and resulted in Hokit being escorted out.

    Speaking to MMA Junkie through an interpreter, Pereira explained what he witnessed.

    “You guys saw it there. I don’t understand English, and I think Topuria felt that he saw that, and he stepped up as a brother. Threw the bottle or whatever the case was on Hokit’s face. You saw that he was going too far. To Hokit, how am I going to even talk about that guy? Maybe he’s one of those that doesn’t even get along with his family. You see how that guy has attitude. Maybe he doesn’t get along with his brother, stuff like that.”

    Pereira said he expects tighter security when the two cross paths during fight week and plans to stay composed.

    “Fight week, after this, we’re probably going to have a lot of people around not letting anything happen. Just going to stay cool and composed like I always am. If on fight week this guy is able to get to me to try and do anything, it’s just messed up by the organization. I’m going to stay the same.”

    Pereira and Topuria traveled together on a private plane to visit the White House ahead of their respective UFC Freedom 250 bouts. Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event on June 14, while Topuria headlines against interim champion Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout. Hokit meets former title challenger Derrick Lewis on the same card.

  • UFC 329: Full Fight Card, Date, Time And Everything To Know About Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2

    UFC 329 is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the year, headlined by a long-awaited rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.

    More than a decade after their first meeting, the two former champions will collide again, this time in a welterweight main event during International Fight Week.

    UFC 329: Date, Venue, And Start Time In The U.S.

    UFC 329 takes place on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The event will be broadcast on Paramount+, with the early prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the prelims at 7 p.m. ET. The main card is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.

    McGregor vs. Holloway 2 Headlines a Stacked Card

    The UFC 329 main event sees Conor McGregor return after a long layoff to face Max Holloway. Their first meeting took place on August 17, 2013, when “The Notorious” secured a unanimous decision win early in his UFC run.

    The co-main event features Paddy Pimblett taking on Benoit Saint Denis in a crucial lightweight clash. Elsewhere on the card, Robert Whittaker makes his light heavyweight debut against Nikita Krylov. The event also features the highly anticipated UFC debut of Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, who faces Elisha Ellison in a heavyweight bout.

    UFC 329 Main Card

    • Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway (Welterweight)
    • Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis (Lightweight)
    • Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista (Bantamweight)
    • Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanaugh (Flyweight)
    • Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison (Heavyweight)

    UFC 329 Preliminary Card

    • Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov (Light Heavyweight)
    • Luke Riley vs. Kai Kamaka III (Featherweight)
    • Damian Pinas vs. Cesar Almeida (Middleweight)
    • Cody Garbrandt vs. Adrian Yanez (Bantamweight)

    UFC 329 Early Prelims

    • Tracy Cortez vs. Wang Cong (Women’s Flyweight)
    • Ode Osbourne vs. Cody Durden (Flyweight)
    • Ryan Gandra vs. Zach Reese (Middleweight)

  • UFC 329 Announcement Triggers Instant Beef Between Conor McGregor And Max Holloway

    Conor McGregor is officially back, and he is wasting no time reigniting old rivalries.

    The former two-division champion is set to face Max Holloway in a long-awaited rematch at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas. The bout, which will take place at welterweight, marks McGregor’s first appearance since 2021, when he suffered a devastating leg injury against Dustin Poirier.

    Shortly after the fight was announced, “The Notorious” jumped straight into promotion mode with a familiar dose of trash talk.

    “I’m going to son you, child. Again,” McGregor wrote on social media. “You’re going to put respect on my motherf*cking name.”

    The two first met back in 2013, when McGregor was just beginning his UFC journey. Despite suffering a torn ACL during the fight, the Irishman secured a unanimous decision victory over Holloway, who was also dealing with a significant ankle injury at the time.

    While the Irishman went on to become the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion, Holloway carved out his own legacy with a dominant run at featherweight, including a lengthy winning streak and multiple title defenses.

    Now, more than a decade later, “Blessed” is confident the outcome will be different.

    “Nah, big dog, you gonna put some respect on my name,” Holloway fired back. “We’re gonna find out Saturday night.”

  • UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Set For July 25 At Etihad Arena

    The UFC will return to Abu Dhabi on Saturday, July 25, for its annual mid-summer Fight Night card at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

    The promotion confirmed the date and venue Monday in a joint announcement with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), with tickets set to go on sale soon through VisitAbuDhabi.ae.

    UFC says the full lineup will be revealed in the weeks ahead, though several bouts have already trickled out through reporting in recent days.

    UFC Abu Dhabi Main Event

    Top-15 heavyweight Valter Walker is expected to headline the main card opposite Thomas Petersen, per Yahoo Sports. Walker enters on a four-fight UFC win streak, all by first-round heel hook, the longest such run in promotional history. The Brazilian last competed at UFC 321 in October, finishing Louie Sutherland in Abu Dhabi before withdrawing from a March booking with Marcin Tybura due to a leg injury sustained in that same Sutherland fight.

    Petersen, a former LFA heavyweight champion, rebounded from a knockout loss to Vitor Petrino with a majority decision win over Guilherme Pat in his most recent appearance. The same report has Ismael Bonfim drawing Axel Sola in a lightweight bout, with additional heavyweight and light heavyweight matchups listed on Tapology that have not yet been officially announced.

    Continuing An Abu Dhabi Run

    The July date extends a partnership between the UFC and DCT Abu Dhabi that dates back to 2010 and was cemented during the Fight Island era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The emirate has hosted more than 20 UFC events since the relationship began, with two more on the books inside the last calendar year alone.

    Last July’s Fight Night at the same venue saw Reinier de Ridder hand Robert Whittaker a split-decision loss in a middleweight headliner. In October, Etihad Arena hosted UFC 321, which ended in a no-contest after a double eye poke left Tom Aspinall requiring surgery on both eyes. Mackenzie Dern claimed the vacant women’s strawweight title in the co-main event of that same card.

    The July 25 card is expected to broadcast in the United States on Paramount+, per Tapology’s event listing. Full ticket and travel package details will be posted to VisitAbuDhabi.ae when sales open.

  • Nate Diaz Had Surprising Reaction To Conor McGregor’s UFC Return Announcement

    Nate Diaz reacted calmly to the news of Conor McGregor’s return, saying the rematch with Max Holloway should have happened a long time ago.

    Diaz spoke to the media after MVP MMA 1 on Saturday night, where he lost to Mike Perry. He was asked about Dana White’s announcement of McGregor vs. Holloway 2 at UFC 329, made during the Netflix event.

    “That’s going to be a good fight, it’s about time. It’s a rematch, right? Because Conor was taking him down the last time, so that’s going to be a good fight.”

    Diaz then asked the media what they thought, before adding his own take.

    “It should have happened a long time ago, right?”

    McGregor and Holloway first fought at UFC 194 in December 2015, with Holloway winning by unanimous decision. McGregor has not competed since July 2021.