UFC legend Amanda Nunes has made it crystal clear that she plans on taking back her belt from Kayla Harrison when they eventually square off.
Everyone knows that Amanda Nunes is one of the greatest female fighters of all time. Now, after a few years away from the cage, she’s set to return and challenge Kayla Harrison for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship. It’s a fight that everyone has been wanting to see for a long time, and as we look ahead to the immediate future, it’s probably one of the biggest fights that can be made in the UFC.
The two have been fairly respectful to one another but at the same time, Amanda Nunes has already said she wasn’t overly impressed by Harrison’s win over Julianna Pena – laying the groundwork for what looks set to be a really fun encounter.
In a recent interview, Amanda Nunes went into a bit more detail about what she wants to achieve with this next run.
Amanda Nunes wants the belt back
“The next thing is “and new”. I’m gonna hear it once again. Isn’t that crazy, if you guys think about that? Honest. I’m gonna get my belt back, and you’re gonna view me again, and I’m gonna tell you. Remember I told you, I’m getting my belt back. So, I’m gonna do that.”
“Hoping it’s this year for sure. I’m gonna talk to Dana to see, I’m ready to go. I’m healthy, I’m training. I’m ready to go.”
“Brazil, in my city, in Vegas, whatever. I want my belt back.”
MMA legend Mark Coleman has explained why his journey to sobriety has helped him so much in recent years.
As we know, Mark Coleman is a true fan favorite within the mixed martial arts community. He’s done some incredible things during his career and even after his retirement, Mark made headlines by saving his parents from a house fire. If that doesn’t show you what kind of guy we’re talking about, then nothing will.
Mark Coleman has also had his fair share of demons over the years and he’s never been someone who shied away from that fact. Instead, he’s steering into that, making it clear that he has learned from mistakes he’s made in the past, and that he’s ready to look ahead to the future.
“You got to get in there. You got to get help. And you got to do it now because tomorrow might not come.”
“Put the bottle down. Get up off the couch. Get some exercise in. But first, get sober.”
“I can do anything if I just stay sober.”
“I always wanted to be famous, not going to lie, but for all the wrong reasons. But now I appreciate the fame because it gives me a platform to help people get sober.”
Hopefully, we get the chance to see Coleman continue to have a real presence in the mixed martial arts community after everything he’s given to the sport.
Tatsuro Taira may be eyeing a title shot, but a UFC legend believes he still has a point to prove.
This past Saturday in the main event of UFC Vegas 108, Taira made a statement by submitting short-notice replacement Hyun Sung Park in the second round at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Both fighters started off cautiously, feeling each other out until “The Best” flipped the script with a pair of thudding right hands that dropped Park. From there, Taira dominated the remainder of the first round on the mat, relentlessly pressuring but unable to secure a finish.
That changed quickly in the second. Taira grounded Park within seconds and wasted no time capitalizing, forcing a tap via neck crank just 1:06 into the round.
Michael Bisping, who had already urged Tatsuro Taira during the interview to log one more win before entering title contention, later expanded on his stance and explained why he believes the rising flyweight isn’t quite ready yet.
He's wants his name thrown into the mix for a title shot 👀
Michael Bisping Believes Tatsuro Taira Should Face Brandon Moreno Before UFC Title Shot
Speaking during the UFC Vegas 108 broadcast (via MMA Junkie), Michael Bisping explained why he believes Tatsuro Taira still has more to prove before earning a title shot, suggesting that a win over a former flyweight champion like Brandon Moreno would solidify his place in the division’s elite.
“He calls for a title fight. I get that, but I was like, ‘You’ve got to have one more fight first,’” Bisping said. “I’m not the matchmaker. I don’t make those decisions, but that seems logical. It would seem he would have to have one more fight. Who should that fight be against?
“I’ve got a choice: It is the former champion Brandon Moreno. Tell me you don’t want to see that fight? That would show you the level of Tatsuro Taira and also allow Brandon Moreno to get back in the mix – not that he’s not in the mix, of course.”
With his dominant performance against Hyun Sung Park, “The Best” bounced back into the win column after tasting the first defeat of his professional career in a hard-fought split decision loss to former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC Vegas 98 in October 2024. Taira now holds a 7-1 record in the UFC, with five of those victories coming by way of finish.
Islam Makhachev has been expected to challenge for the welterweight championship since those rumors first surfaced early this year. And now, it appears Khabib Nurmagomedov may have dropped a hint of the timeframe.
During a recent sit-down (video courtesy of The Cornell Combat Sports Show), Nurmagomedov said that, as rumors have indicated, Makhachev will challenge reigning welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.
— The Cornell Combat Sports Show (@theMMMApodcast) August 3, 2025
Rumors are UFC 322 is being planned for November 15 at — per usual with the UFC’s pay-per-view schedule — New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena At UFC 322 Confirmed By Khabib Nurmagomedov?
Makhachev will be stepping up to welterweight for this bout, as planned when it was announced by UFC CEO and President Dana White that he would be vacating the UFC lightweight title.
The lightweight title would end up going to Ilia Topuria, who bested Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 back in June. Topuria vacated his own featherweight title in the process, as he had planned since last year to challenge Makhachev. Plans changed, however, following Della Maddalena defeating Belal Muhammad for the 170-pound title at UFC 315 in May.
Makachev originally won the lightweight title in a bout against Oliveira at UFC 280. Makhachev defended the title successfully a record four consecutive times, defeating Alexander Volkanovski twice, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano.
Tatsuro Taira has made a statement that he feels ready for a UFC flyweight title shot after making fairly easy work of Hyun Sung Park in the main event of UFC Vegas 108.
Taira dropped Park early in the first round with a right hand, taking top position and controlling Park on the ground. Taira seemed to be one step ahead, countering every time Park countered and mat returning every time Park got to his feet. Taira even got to Park’s back at one point and locked in a body triangle.
Taira would get the fight back to the ground in the second and quickly found a face crank, scoring the submission.
Taira called for a title shot after the fight; however, commentary suggested he may need one fight following UFC CEO and President Dana White’s previous confirmation Joshua Van will be next to challenge Alexandre Pantoja.
Tatsuro Taira Submits Hyun Sung Park At UFC Vegas 108
Taira is a true-real threat at Flyweight to win a belt in the future ! #ufcvegas108
Tatsuro Taira is very talented and that loss against Royval has only helped him improve. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as UFC Flyweight Champion in 2026 #UFCVegas108
I follow Tatsuro Taira everywhere and I saw one video on youtube where he instantly went to a different boxing gym shortly after his loss to Royvall to work on that obvious weakness of his. It's paying off.
Although I'm impressed with Park taking this on short notice, let's face it – he had zero response to Taira elite grappling. #UFCVegas108pic.twitter.com/zubPtI2a27
Taira rebounds from his first professional loss, falling short in a decision against Brandon Royval last October. Taira was originally scheduled to face Amir Albazi in this outing until Albazi withdrew from the fight last week.
This marks Park’s first loss as a pro, coming into tonight with a 10-0 record. The Road to UFC season one flyweight winner was 3-0 in the Octagon before tonight.
Just when we thought Elvis Brener vs. Esteban Ribovics brought fire at UFC Vegas 108, one fight later and we got another war of attrition that saw Chris Duncan defeat Mateusz Rebecki in the evening’s co-main event.
Round one was a chaotic slugfest, with both men trading huge shots early. Rebecki dropped Duncan briefly and landed powerful hooks while eating brutal elbows, opening up cuts and swelling on Duncan’s face — though Duncan would cause a hematoma to appear on Rebecki’s.
Duncan targeted Rebecki’s body during the second round, while Rebecki kept swinging wildly in spite of a swollen eye and cuts.
The third saw things escalate in intensity, though Duncan seemed to get the edge with his combinations, as well as an anaconda choke attempt. Rebecki didn’t back down, however, throwing power shots until the final horn.
Chris Duncan Beats Mateusz Rebecki In Brawl Of A Co-Main Event At UFC Vegas 108
This is a fight where you leave something in there. Insane durability and heart from Rebecki and Duncan. Holy shit.
Sheesh that was a brawl, both guys are leaking and gassed, but put it all on the line. Awesome performance from Chris Duncan as the underdog. #UFCVegas108
Esteban Ribovics seems to have a thing for wild wars in the Octagon, as he delivered another at UFC Vegas 108, once again earning a decision win as he bested Elvis Brener.
Ribovics started strong in round one, stuffing takedowns and delivering heavy strikes. Ribovics was being aggressive with his combination, though Brener had his own bursts of offense, including a series of leg kicks.
Brener came alive in the second, landing clean head kicks and working his own combinations. His aggression helped to open a cut over one of Ribovics’ eyes and briefly stunned Ribovics with a body kick and flurry.
The two came out swinging in the third round, with Ribovics pushing the pace more thanks to brutal combinations and working the body. Brener never backed down, however, landing flashy strikes that included a spinning wheel kick.
Ribovics ended up attempting more than 300 significant strikes over the course of the three rounds, landing approximately 150 of them. He also defended all nine of Brener’s takedown attempts.
Esteban Ribovics Wins Slugest vs. Elvis Brener At UFC Vegas 108
Ribovics has now won four of five. This is his second straight victory that has come in slugfest fashion, having defeat Daniel Zellhuber at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 in a bout that earned Fight of the Year honors for 2024.
Rinya Nakamura did not need long to put away Nathan Fletcher, scoring a first-round TKO in the featured preliminary bout of UFC Vegas 108.
Nakamura connected with a body kick that caught Fletcher off balance almost right away. Nakamura looked to pressure, working combinations on the European prospect.
Nakamura connected on a kick that landed on Fletcher’s liver, causing a delayed reaction that brought Fletcher to the canvas. Nakamura would land a little ground-and-pound before the referee stopped the bout.
Rinya Nakamura Stops Nathan Fletcher With Liver Kick At UFC Vegas 108
Nakamura is now 4-1 in the Octagon since a pair of first-round knockouts on Road to the UFC.
Fletcher, an alumnus of season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter, defeated Zygimantas Ramaska in his UFC debut but has now lost two straight. He dropped a split decision to Caolán Loughran earlier this year.
Andrey Pulyaev now has his first win in the Octagon, needing to overcome early adversity before scoring a finish of Nick Klein during the preliminary card of UFC Vegas 108.
Klein dominated early with takedowns, ground control, and clinch pressure, keeping Pulyaev smothered. Very early on in the round, Klein landed some strong strikes from up top, which troubled Pulyaev, and nearly scoring a choke.
Round two changed the momentum, however, as Pulyaev was rejuvenated, while Klein appeared to gas out from his barrages in round one. Pulyaev landed a sharp head kick and clinch knees that turned the tide, opening up a cut above one of Klein’s eyes. Pulyaev then landed a strong body kick that took the wind out of Klein’s sails, following it up with a pair of punches and a low kick to score the TKO.
After dropping his UFC debut, Austin Bashi put on a dominant display in his second Octagon appearance, scoring a submission of John Yannis during the preliminary card of UFC Vegas 108.
Despite an early head kick from Yannis, Bashi hurt Yannis with a right hook. He’d then score a single-leg takedown and take Yannis’ back to control the action.
Bashi then secured a body triangle despite Yannis’ wall walking and escape efforts, eventually locking up a rear-naked choke for the submission.
Conor McGregor has lashed out at rising crime in Ireland, attributing it to individuals from a specific religious group.
McGregor has become increasingly vocal in Irish political discourse, taking aim at the current government with sharp criticism, especially over its immigration policies. He has even hinted at a possible run for the presidency, suggesting he’s eyeing influence far beyond the fight game.
The former two-division UFC champion’s political ambitions gained traction after he accused Irish authorities of using him as a “scapegoat” for the 2023 Dublin riots. “The Notorious” claimed the government deliberately shifted blame onto him to distract attention from knife attacks on Irish citizens allegedly committed by immigrants, which had sparked widespread anti-immigration protests across the country.
Conor McGregor Slams Muslim Immigrants Over Knife Crime In Ireland
Conor McGregor recently took to social media to unleash a fiery response following a disturbing broad daylight knife attack on an Irish police officer by an individual believed to be from the Muslim community, reportedly shouting a religious chant during the assault.
“The Notorious” claimed that the attacker was of Pakistani heritage and called for his immediate deportation, insisting that his citizenship be revoked without delay.
“If is the case, that it was a second generation migrant of full Pakistani heritage, Mother and father came to Ireland prior, had a child and raised him, now a 20/30 year old, in Dublin’s city centre (hesitant to believe this btw) if is the case, then. The stabber and his entire family MUST BE DEPORTED! To raise a person that grows to stab a member of our Gardai while on duty is grounds for immediate termination of citizenship and removal from country. This is how you put our citizens, and members of force, in the knowledge that you are truly with them, and that their safety and livelihood is absolutely paramount! Remove. Immediately!,” Conor McGregor wrote on X.
The UFC superstar once again accused the Irish government of putting native citizens at risk through reckless immigration policies. McGregor suggested that if brought to power, he would take decisive action where current leaders have failed.
“‘Allahu Akbar!’ McGregor added. “The knife wielding maniac shouted this! Watch your back out there people, always. Watch your back out there people, always. Abysmal! Terrifying! This is New Ireland. For now! They will never get away with this with me at the helm. Never in a million years! I will be all over them! Who do you think this government would rather deal with it as head of state during these times of ever frequent attacks on our citizens, or throughout these constant revelations of large scale government corruption… Or more so, who would they not rather deal with? Myself, Conor McGregor, or their hand picked Presidential candidates? There is your answer. Vote McGregor for REAL CHANGE.”
“The Notorious” has signaled strong intent to make his comeback at the rumored UFC spectacle planned for the White House lawn, currently targeted for July 2026. Adding fuel to the speculation, he revealed that he has officially re-entered the UFC’s drug testing pool.
Conor McGregor has remained sidelined since suffering a devastating leg break in his trilogy clash with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. His long-awaited return was set for UFC 303 in June 2024 against Michael Chandler, but a toe injury forced him to withdraw just weeks before the event.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, flyweights Tatsuro Taira and Hyun Sung Park clashed. While in the co-main event, Mateusz Rębecki faced off with Chris Duncan in a lightweight matchup.
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Tatsuro Taira def. Hyun Sung Park via submission: R2, 1.06
Chris Duncan def. Mateusz Rebecki via unanimous decision (29-28×2, 30-27)
Esteban Ribovics def. Elves Brener via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27×2)
Karol Rosa def. Nora Cornolle via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27×2)
Neil Magny def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via TKO: R2, 4.39
Kevin Vallejos def. Danny Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27×2)
Preliminary Card
Rinya Nakamura def. Nathan Fletcher via TKO: R1, 1.02
Rodolfo Vieira def. Tresean Gore via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27×2)
Andrey Pulyaev def. Nick Klein via TKO: R2, 1.31 29-28,
Austin Bashi def. John Yannis via submission: R1, 3.39
Piera Rodriguez def. Ketlen Souza via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Rafael Estevam def. Felipe Bunes via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Max Holloway has cast serious doubt on fighting again this year.
Last month, Holloway delivered a vintage performance, going to war with familiar foe Dustin Poirier in a thrilling five-round main event at UFC 318. Both men scored knockdowns, but it was “Blessed” who surged ahead with relentless pace and tactical control to outclass Poirier down the stretch.
Although the former UFC featherweight champion was briefly rocked in the second round, he stayed composed and ultimately derailed “The Diamond’s” farewell plans by preventing the trilogy sweep and securing a unanimous decision victory to successfully defend his BMF title.
KEEPING HIS BELT 💪@BlessedMMA earns the UD victory tonight in enemy territory!
Following the victory, Max Holloway wasted no time in calling for a rematch with newly minted lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, banking on their shared history to leapfrog contenders like Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje in the title race.
However, it appears “Blessed” could be shelved for the foreseeable future.
Image: @ufc/Instagram
Max Holloway Says Lingering Hand Injury May Keep Him Out Until 2026
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Max Holloway reflected on his UFC 318 clash with Dustin Poirier and revealed he sustained an injury to his right hand during the bout. The reigning BMF champion admitted the recovery process could take longer than expected, all but ruling out a return to the Octagon in 2025.
“My right hand still hurts,” Holloway said. “If you have hopes of me fighting before the end of the year, probably not gonna happen. I’m seeing a specialist some time this week and I already met with my doctor and now I’ve got to meet a specialist but things are not looking up for me fighting one more time this year. What’s next, I couldn’t tell you, this stupid injury has pushed things back.”
After suffering the first knockout loss of his career to then-featherweight champion Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in October 2024, Holloway has bounced back and solidified his place as a legitimate contender at lightweight by building on his earlier knockout win over Justin Gaethje with a dominant performance against Poirier.
‘El Matador’ etched his name in the history books at UFC 317, scoring a sensational first-round finish against Charles Oliveira to claim the lightweight world title, officially becoming a two-division champion.
Thus far, Topuria has not yet booked his first official defense of the 155-pound crown, but there’s really only one challenger that makes sense — Arman Tsarukyan.
9-2 under the UFC banner and sitting on a four-fight win streak, Tsarukyan has more than earned his spot as the division’s top-ranked contender. But despite his No. 1 ranking, Topuria has been nothing but dismissive of a potential clash between the two. That has prompted some to label Topuria a coward, but according to Chael Sonnen, it’s nothing more than a clever bit of gamesmanship from the 155-pound king.
“Ilia is playing you; he’s going to fight Tsarukyan next,” Sonnen said on his Youtube channel. “Do we need more detail, or can we call it here?
“Ilia said, ‘I have no interest in fighting Tsarukyan.’ Now, the reason that it’s peculiar to me is because fellow 155-pounders are upset, but they’re not saying they want to fight him—they’re just calling him a coward. This fight is done just so you understand. But guys do have a recipe. They’re creatures of habit.”
Sonnen recalls Anderson Silva using the same tactic as Ilia Topuria
Sonnen likened the situation to his iconic feud with Anderson Silva, recalling when ‘The Spider’ would regularly disregard him as the next man up as a way to build hype for their inevitable clash.
“When I was having issues with Anderson Silva, it would keep me up at night,” Sonnen said. “Anderson was famous, successful, rich, and he didn’t need anybody. I needed him to choose me. I worked hard to get him to choose me. Anderson’s move was to deny the fight as the first step in accepting the fight every single time. He would let the press conference happen, say nothing, and then after the number one contender’s match, he’d deny the fight.
“Let the media run with that. He could get about two weeks of build-up from just denying the fight. Then Anderson would accept the fight, let excitement die down, and then report that he was injured so the fight was off without confirming or denying.
“Ilia does the same thing. He has his own way to build fights. He’s a very big star.”
UFCVegas 108 is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, August 2. The main card portion of the event will start at 9PM ET/6PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 6PM ET/3PM PT.
The headline attraction for the event will feature Tatsuro Taira taking on Hyun Sung Park in flyweight action.
In the co-main event, Mateusz Rebecki will face Chris Duncan.
The main card will also feature Elvis Brener vs. Esteban Ribovics, Karol Rosa vs. Nora Cornelle, Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and Danny Silva vs. Kevin Vallejos.
UFC Vegas 108: Tatsuro Taira vs. Hyun Sung Park Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 108 as of August 1 at 8pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Flyweight: Tatsuro Taira (-360) vs. Hyun Sung Park (+285)
Lightweight: Mateusz Rębecki (-225) vs. Chris Duncan (+185)
Lightweight: Elvis Brener (+225) vs. Esteban Ribovics (-278)
Women’s Bantamweight: Karol Rosa (-192) vs. Nora Cornolle (+160)
Welterweight: Neil Magny (+154) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (-185)
Featherweight: Danny Silva (+330) vs. Kevin Vallejos (-425)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura (-425) vs. Nathan Fletcher (+330)
Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira (-198) vs. Tresean Gore (+164)
Middleweight: Nick Klein (+130) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (-155)
Featherweight: Austin Bashi (-750) vs. John Yannis (+525)
Flyweight: Rafael Estevam (-625) vs. Felipe Bunes (+455)
Women’s Strawweight: Piera Rodriguez (-225) vs. Ketlen Souza (+185)
Michael Bisping wants to see McGregor vs. Diaz 3 go down at The White House.
Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intent to hold a UFC event on the lawn at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, pundits have been busy fantasy booking the history-making fight card, with everything from Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall to a rematch between bitter rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal being at the top of their lists.
But one fighter ‘The Count’ would love to see make his triumphant return in the nation’s capital next year is non other than the ‘Stockton Samurai’ himself, Nate Diaz.
“Diaz is a bit of a badass,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “The way that he carries himself, the way that he keeps it real.”
Diaz ended his 15-year run in the UFC in 2022 following a submission victory over Tony Ferguson. Since then, he’s competed in boxing bouts against Jake Paul and the aforementioned Jorge Masvidal, but Diaz has always insisted his return to the Octagon was just a matter of time.
“Nate Diaz wants to come back,” Bisping continued. “First of all, he’s got to sign with the UFC.”
Bisping wants McGregor vs. Diaz 3 at The White House
As for who Diaz could potentially face in a potential return, Bisping thinks a fight with former featherweight champ and reigning BMF titleholder Max Holloway would be a hell of a matchup.
“If I’m Max Holloway, why not? 100%,” Bispsing said. “That would be a great fight for Max Holloway. The version of Max Holloway at 155 pounds, I think he would have a field day with Nate Diaz.”
However, the former middleweight champ thinks there is an even bigger fight for Diaz — one that could turn the proposed White House card from a cheap gimmick into must-see TV.
“Wouldn’t you rather see Nate Diaz versus Conor McGregor at the White House? That’s the fight that I’d rather see if I’m honest,” Bisping added.
McGregor and Diaz have met twice before, competing in back-to-back bouts under the UFC banner in 2016. Diaz stepped in on short notice to fight the former two-division titleholder at UFC 196, and handed McGregor his first-ever defeat inside the Octagon.
Five month later, McGregor scored some redemption, besting Diaz via majority decision at UFC 202. Three months after that, McGregor would go on to KO Eddie Alvarez and claim the lightweight world title, becoming the promotion’s first-ever simultaneous two-division champion.
In November, the Irish megastar was ordered to pay $285,000 in damages plus legal fees totaling $1.5 million to Nikita Hand, the woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her at a Dublin hotel in 2018. Shorty after, McGregor filed an appeal on the grounds that his lawyers believed his answers to police during interviews should not have been presented to the jury. McGregor’s barrister also argued that a question on the “issue paper” given to the jury to help them decide their verdict was improperly worded.
Three senior judges at the Court of Appeal in Dublin dismissed the appeal on all grounds, noting that McGregor’s lawyers had not proved there was “a real risk of unfair trial.”
At the beginning of the process, Ireland’s Court of Appeal was told that McGregor had withdrawn an application to have new evidence entered at the appeal. According to a report from the BBC, McGregor intended to call Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, former neighbors of Hand, to give evidence at his appeal before withdrawing the application.
The senior judges said it was “somewhat mysterious” that what they described as an “important and contentious” part of the appeal had been “cast aside.”
McGregor initially claimed that fresh evidence provided by O’Reilly and Cummins bolstered his insistence that he was not responsible for bruising on Hand’s body following the alleged assault.
Hand is Seeking Damages Against Conor McGregor and Her Former Neighbors
While McGregor was not in court on Thursday, Hand was present and expressed her gratitude for the courts decision to dismiss the appeal. It was also revealed that Hand’s legal team have began proceedings to seek damages from McGregor, O’Reilly, and Cummins.
“This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again, being forced to relive it, what happened has had a huge impact on me,” Hand said in a statement
She added, “To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is, but please, don’t be silenced. You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice. Today, I can finally move on and try to heal.”
In particular, McGregor finds it hard to believe how he can be found civilly liable for the sexual assault when he was cleared in a criminal investigation.
“I was on the stand in a world of fog being accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and that I was actually cleared of criminally, and exonerated by every witness present, as well as believed twice over by the public prosecutor, but still up on a stand civilly, in absolute shock,” McGregor said. “Some say the case never went criminal because there was ‘lack of evidence’ that is not the case. It is the opposite! There was so much evidence!
“They had hours of footage of the ‘victim’ after the supposed attempted murder and rape of her. Partying away, messaging away. Leaving the hotel / coming back etc. up and down, in the lobby of the hotel, absolutely everywhere and back. And twice. Not a f****** bother. Smiling, laughing, dancing, kissing, biting, play fighting. It’s some watch…”
Conor McGregor Speaks Out After Appeals In Sexual Assault Case Rejected
McGregor alleges that Hand’s actions he claims happened post incident have been verified by multiple witnesses and CCTV footage. However, McGregor adds, he and his team were not permitted to submit “crucial” evidence from the criminal investigation.
“It’s been some eye opener this entire process, I tell you that good folks,” McGregor posted. “What has taken place here throughout these twice thrown in the bin criminal accusations is an absolute travesty! How people sleep at night is beyond me. I’m sure they don’t. Not soundly anyway, no way. Impossible.
“To falsely accuse someone of rape and lose, then attempt to ignore that fact/brush it under the rug is truly heinous on another level!”
McGregor, who has been making a bid to become President of Ireland in the upcoming election, says he will continue to maintain innocence in spite of the court’s actions.
“I am happy this is still ongoing,” he said. “Hopefully we hear from all. I fight on with the truth and will continue to defend myself. Ireland, amidst this shake down don’t let it distract you. You can see what I am up against here and we knew this would always be the case. We fight on!”
McGregor is also facing another sexual assault allegation, stemming from an incident at the Kaseya Center in Miami during the 2023 NBA Finals.
McGregor, who has not been seen in the Octagon since UFC 264, recently submitted a sample to the UFC testing pool. Over the last month, McGregor has been teasing a return to fighting at the UFC White House card in July 2026.
In the midst of the news that he has lost his sexual assault court appeal, Conor McGregor is actually back in the UFC’s testing pool.
One day after McGregor posted a photo of what appeared to be him giving a urine sample, the UFC Anti-Doping website now shows McGregor having submitted one test for 2025.
This represents the first step in a possible return to the Octagon for McGregor, which he has been teasing over the last month since U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a fight card at the White House on July 4, 2026.
Though limits are more unclear since the UFC’s separation from USADA, the long-time rules had been that an athlete must be in the testing pool for six months before being considered “unretired” and allowed to fight again.
UFC Anti-Doping Website Officially Lists First 2025 Test Session For Conor McGregor
McGregor has been one of the many names who are looking for the chance to compete on the potentially historic card.
In November 2024, a jury in the Dublin High Court found McGregor guilty of sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a hotel room in December 2018. McGregor was ordered by the jury to pay Hand €248,000 (approximately $257,000).
The former two-division UFC champion vehemently maintains his innocence.
McGregor is also being sued by a woman on allegations that he sexually assaulted her during an NBA Finals game at the Kaseya Center, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat. The suit accuses McGregor of battery and sexual assault and alleges arena staff were negligent in allowing an intoxicated McGregor to remain in the arena.
McGregor has not been seen in the Octagon since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. He and Michael Chandler coached season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023; however, their scheduled UFC 303 bout the next year was scrapped less than a month out.
Khamzat Chimaev walking into UFC 319 as the betting favorite against champion Dricus Du Plessis is about as rare as finding someone who thinks Jake Paul deserves a title shot. Champions are supposed to be favorites. That’s literally the point of being champion. But sometimes, the betting world sees things differently.
You remember Jon Jones destroying Shogun Rua at UFC 128? Jones was the challenger but entered as the favorite at around -210. It was one of those moments where everyone collectively decided the old king was done and the new prince was ready to claim his throne. They were right.
But Jones isn’t alone in this exclusive club of challengers who convinced Vegas they were better than the person wearing the belt. Let’s dive into these rare occasions when the betting world basically said “yeah, the champion is nice and all, but have you seen this other guy?”
5 Times Vegas Backed the Challenger Over the UFC Champion
1. Jon Jones vs Shogun Rua (UFC 128)
Odds: Jones -210, Shogun +165
This was peak “passing of the torch” territory. Shogun was coming off a long layoff after knee surgery, while Jones was this freakish athletic specimen destroying everyone in his path. The oddsmakers weren’t being disrespectful – they were being realistic. Jones didn’t just win; he absolutely dominated, making Shogun look like he belonged in a retirement home rather than a cage.
2. Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo (UFC 194)
Odds: McGregor -140, Aldo +120
Here’s where it gets interesting. Aldo hadn’t lost in a decade, but McGregor’s star power and his interim title win over Chad Mendes had everyone believing the hype train was unstoppable. The betting public bought into McGregor’s mental warfare completely. And then he knocked out Aldo in 13 seconds, making everyone who bet on him feel like geniuses.
3. Valentina Shevchenko vs Nicco Montano (UFC 228)
Odds: Shevchenko -675, Montano +450
Here’s the thing – Shevchenko was the challenger but the massive favorite. Montano was the champion but opened as one of the biggest underdog champions in UFC history. The fight got canceled due to Montano’s weight cut issues, but the odds told the story of how little faith anyone had in the inaugural flyweight champion.
4. Georges St-Pierre vs Matt Serra (UFC 83 Rematch)
Odds: GSP -500, Serra +430
This is the rematch where GSP was the challenger trying to win back his belt. GSP was the massive favorite despite being the challenger because everyone knew Serra’s first win was a fluke. The betting world basically said “yeah, the real champion is getting his belt back now.” They were right.
5. Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor (UFC 205)
Odds: McGregor -150, Alvarez +140
Alvarez was the lightweight champion but an underdog to challenger McGregor. McGregor’s star power and skills had everyone believing he’d become the first simultaneous two-division champion. He knocked out Alvarez in the second round.
Champions become underdogs for several reasons. Sometimes they’re coming off injuries or long layoffs. Sometimes the challenger is just that good. Sometimes the champion is aging and everyone can see the writing on the wall. And sometimes, the betting public gets caught up in hype and momentum.
The fact that you can count these cases on your fingers shows just how rare it is. Champions are champions for a reason, and the betting world usually respects that. When they don’t, it’s because something significant is happening that makes everyone believe we’re about to witness history.
The truth is, these cases are incredibly rare. ESPN found that since 2005, incumbent champions were favored in 85% of their title defenses The beauty of MMA is that anything can happen. Champions can lose on any given night, regardless of what the odds say. But when the betting world actively favors the challenger, it usually means something significant is happening in that division.
Khamzat Chimaev being favored over Dricus Du Plessis is about the collective belief that we might be witnessing another changing of the guard. Chimaev’s undefeated record and dominant performances have the betting world convinced he’s the real champion already. Du Plessis wearing the belt is apparently just a formality that needs correcting. The oddsmakers are basically saying “we’ve seen enough.”
UFC Fight Night: Tatsuro Taira vs. Hyun Sung Park takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.
For the first time in about two months, the UFC is back at its home base, the UFC APEX, to open its August schedule.
Headlining this card will be a short-notice bout, as Tatsuro Taira takes on Hyun Sung Park. Taira was originally booked to face Amir Albazi; however, Albazi was forced to withdraw from the event about a week ago due to injury.
This will be Taira’s first fight since losing his undefeated professional MMA record against Brandon Royval in their UFC Vegas 98 main event in October. Park, who won the Road to UFC season one flyweight tournament, is currently 2-0 in the Octagon. Park finished Shannon Ross in December 2023 and submitted Carlos Hernandez earlier this year at UFC Vegas 106.
The rest of the card will also feature the likes of Mateusz Rębecki, Elvis Brener, Karol Rosa, Neil Magny, and Danny Silva.
UFC Fight Night: Taira vs. Park Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Taira vs. Park takes place on Saturday, August 2, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
Watch the official weigh-ins above via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.
Main Card:
Flyweight: Tatsuro Taira (126) vs. Hyun Sung Park (126)
Lightweight: Mateusz Rębecki (155.5) vs. Chris Duncan (156)
Lightweight: Elvis Brener (155.5) vs. Esteban Ribovics (155.5)
Women’s Bantamweight: Karol Rosa (136) vs. Nora Cornolle (136)
Welterweight: Neil Magny (170.5) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (171)
Featherweight: Danny Silva (144.5) vs. Kevin Vallejos (146)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura (136) vs. Nathan Fletcher (135.5)
Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira (185) vs. Tresean Gore (189.5)*
Middleweight: Nick Klein (186) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185.5)
Featherweight: Austin Bashi (145.5) vs. John Yannis (145.5)
Flyweight: Rafael Estevam (130)** vs. Felipe Bunes (125)
Women’s Strawweight: Piera Rodriguez (116) vs. Ketlen Souza (116)
*Gore missed weight by 3.5 pounds, will be fined 25 percent of purse
**Estevam missed weight by 4 pounds, will be fined 25 percent of purse
Having already bested Holloway twice in their previous meetings, “The Diamond” concluded his UFC journey with a spirited unanimous decision loss in a back-and-forth clash for the symbolic BMF title, capping off a storied career with a performance that resonated deeply with fans and marked a fitting farewell.
Although Dustin Poirier fell short in three attempts to capture the undisputed lightweight title, he walks away from the sport as one of the most revered and accomplished fighters of his generation. Now, less than two weeks removed from his retirement bout, “The Diamond” appears to have set his sights on the next chapter of his journey.
Image: @ufc/Instagram
Dustin Poirier Embraces Post Fight Career With ESPN Broadcasting Role
On Thursday, Dustin Poirier took to social media to share that he’s gearing up to follow in the footsteps of fellow former UFC champions like Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier as he sets his sights on joining ESPN’s broadcasting team.
“Looking forward to getting back on the ESPN desk going to start focusing on that now,” Poirier wrote on X.
Looking forward to getting back on the ESPN desk going to start focusing on that now.
“The Diamond” first stepped into the analyst role at UFC 287 in April 2023, joining Din Thomas and ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. He later returned to the desk at UFC 303 in June 2024, where he was joined by Teddy Atlas, Chael Sonnen, and Brendan Fitzgerald. Most recently, Poirier continued to showcase his analytical chops during the UFC 314 broadcast in April.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page prepares to keep carving out a path at 185 pounds by facing a former UFC middleweight title challenger in the coming weeks and a former welterweight adversary of MVP’s has weighed in on that bout. Logan Storley is preparing to face Thad Jean for the welterweight tournament title in the PFL Smart Cage on August 1st and appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to cover several subjects ahead of this high stakes fight.
While the credentialed amateur wrestler has a chance to add a PFL title distinction to his resume, Storley is no stranger to MMA gold and that came at the expense of Page. Storley would defeat MVP by split decision at Bellator 281 in May 2022 to capture the promotion’s interim welterweight strap. When touching upon his personal history with Page and also offering up his thoughts on MVP’s looming bout with Jared Cannonier at UFC 319 on August 16th, Storley said,
“Yeah, obviously a big fight in the UK there when I fought him for the belt. I went out there and did something that no one has ever been able to do to him is take him down really and control him, especially for five rounds. We’ve seen him since he got into the UFC is how hard he is to navigate on the feet. No one’s really stayed on the feet with him. So Cannonier is big, but Cannonier is nowhere near as fast as MVP. So it’ll be really interesting, I guess, how it all plays out. But MVP’s speed and distance control, it’s a different level.”
Michael ‘Venom’ Page stills sees unfinished business at welterweight
Michael ‘Venom’ Page is getting in some middleweight matchups as of late but he is not totally turning his back on 170 pounds as of yet. This was expressed by Page ahead of his fight earlier this year that saw him jump up to middleweight and hand surging prospect Shara Magomedov his first ever pro mixed martial arts defeat.
Leading into that February clash with Shara ‘Bullet’, MVP got across this point during an interview with MMA Junkie when Michael ‘Venom’ Page quipped [via Newsweek],
“If there is another opportunity at middleweight that looks good, looks juicy, looks tasty, 100 percent I’ll be there to do it again. For me, timing-wise, going to middleweight, knowing I had to go through Christmas and everything, it helped. It helped a lot. It meant I could enjoy my Christmas a lot more.”
“I’ve still got a lot of business that I want to handle at welterweight. So for me, this is a one-off, exciting fight at that weight. Maybe in the future you see me there but for now, I still find it comfortable to get to welterweight, and I’ve still got people I’d love to fight.”
UFC star Reinier de Ridder doesn’t seem too concerned by the possibility of facing Paulo Costa at some point in the future.
As we know, Reinier de Ridder is coming off the back of a huge win in which he narrowly defeated Robert Whittaker. Paulo Costa, meanwhile, just saw off the challenge of Roman Kopylov, getting himself back into the win column in the process. Costa has made it known that he’s interested in fighting RDR, but of course, the Brazilian is a bit further down the pecking order right now.
Reinier de Ridder could easily be in line for the next title shot against the winner of Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev. While there’s no guarantee it that, it certainly feels like a distinct possibility.
When asked about Paulo Costa in a recent interview, Reinier de Ridder had the following to say.
Reinier de Ridder dismisses Paulo Costa
“He’s a funny dude. It would lead to a nice press conference and a nice build-up, but I don’t give a f*ck what he says,” De Ridder said. “You can call me whatever you want to call me. Call me gay every day of the week. I don’t mind. Maybe one day (we’ll fight). But at the moment, I don’t think he’s there. I don’t think he’s at my level – though he did do very well in his last fight.
“He does pretty well against southpaws with the body kick and the straight right hand. So, he’s alright, but I think he has some work to do first.”
UFC lightweight star Arman Tsarukyan has called for a blockbuster UFC lightweight title eliminator with Justin Gaethje.
For the longest time now, Arman Tsarukyan has been calling for a UFC lightweight championship opportunity – and the same is true for Justin Gaethje. Arman came close, only for an injury to rule him out of fighting Islam Makhachev at the last minute. Now, though, it’s not quite clear what direction the UFC will go in.
Both men are qualified enough to receive a shot at the gold, but for Arman Tsarukyan, it certainly doesn’t seem as if current champion Ilia Topuria is interested. In fact, it seems like the opposite.
In a recent interview, Arman Tsarukyan made it known that he doesn’t want to wait for the opportunity to fight for the belt at this point.
Arman Tsarukyan calls for collision with Justin Gaethje
“Of course I want Islam [Makhachev], but right now, it makes sense to fight with Gaethje, because he just beat the No. 11 or so [Rafael] Fiziev,” Tsarukyan told Chuck Liddell on his Out Cold show. “He doesn’t deserve title fight. That’s 100 percent, because he just lost [to Max] Holloway. Beat, on short notice, Fiziev. Fiziev knew about the fight five days, and he won, barely, a decision. Now he’s talking about title fight. It’s not fair. I think he’s got to beat me to deserve to fight for the title.”
“They offered me a fight. I said no because I want to fight ranked fighter from top 5,” Tsarukyan said. “I’m in the position, I’m not fighting for the money right now. I just want to be a champion. Now my goal is to be a champion, that’s why I’m not taking a fight I will just beat [someone]. I know I can beat everybody. Right now, I want to pick a good fight for me and get back to the title fight.”
