MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Jorge Masvidal: Sean Strickland is a Hall of Famer and All-Time Great

    Jorge Masvidal: Sean Strickland is a Hall of Famer and All-Time Great

    Jorge Masvidal watched Sean Strickland pull off his second stunning middleweight title upset and came away with a verdict that goes beyond the result of one fight.

    Speaking with Full Send MMA after UFC 328, Masvidal placed Strickland among the all-time greats in the division and argued the case for his eventual Hall of Fame induction.

    “Sean Strickland has to go down as a Hall of Famer, and is an all-time great. Let’s take a little step back. Even before he got the belt, he’s had some amazing performances throughout his career. He fought at 170, he was cutting a little too much weight. He came up, he really started showing out, finishing guys, setting himself up for success. Separating himself from the pack by his fight style. He has a good finishing rate, and he’s beaten a lot of up-and-coming guys, he beat a lot of established guys, and he beat a lot of guys he probably should have never beat.”

    Strickland now holds wins over Khamzat Chimaev, Israel Adesanya, Nassourdine Imavov, Paulo Costa, Anthony Hernandez, and Brendan Allen across a middleweight career that has consistently delivered results most fans did not expect. His two title fight upsets over Adesanya and Chimaev stand among the most shocking in UFC history at any weight class.

  • Nate Diaz Calls Out Chimaev and Strickland for Fake Beef

    Nate Diaz watched the Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland rivalry play out for weeks, saw the post-fight hugs, and came away with one clear conclusion: he wants no part of that approach with Mike Perry.

    Speaking during a Face 2 Face sitdown with Perry ahead of their MVP MMA 1 matchup on Saturday, Diaz was direct about what bothered him when he caught the UFC 328 highlights.

    “They were faking the funk. And they were fing acting like crazy and talking all this sh*t to each other and then hugging and showing love the whole fight like some btches. Fake fing puppets. I’m f**ing cool off that sh*t.”

    He elaborated on what specifically felt like a betrayal once the post-fight goodwill emerged.

    “I saw highlights of them hugging and fing shaking hands right off the bat, and the whole time, it’s fing like you bullshtted me. I didn’t bullsht nobody. I keep it real all the way through. That’s what I got out of that fight. I didn’t watch it, but I saw the highlights and the feedback on it, and I saw the war that was f**ing bullshtted to us. I’m like, you don’t gotta bullsh*t me.”

    You can watch the original clip on X here.

    Diaz’s position is not that fighters should not show respect after competing. His objection is the gap between weeks of selling genuine hatred and the immediate goodwill that followed once the final bell sounded. He wants his build with Perry to reflect what the fight actually is rather than manufacturing a narrative around it.

    “I got a fight with this dude, he’s the most violent motherfer. He knocked out fing middleweight Luke Rockhold, and f**ing Jeremy Stephens, and beat a lot of good people, doing boss sh*t on the outside.”

    He was equally clear about the nature of his relationship with Perry going into the fight.

    “I was already OK with him. We’re not fing friends or anything like that, but I’m not gonna fing play around and make no fake, artificial beef with you. I think you’re great. I think what you’re doing is great. I think you’re violent as f**k, and mean and all that sh*t. I came here to fight, train hard, win and fk your sh*t up, just like I know you’re planning on f**jing my sht up, and I’m not gonna put no artificial beef out there.”

    Diaz and Perry meet on the MVP MMA 1 card on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Netflix. Diaz had a long-standing scheduling history with Chimaev as well, having been booked against him at UFC 279 before the card was reshuffled, with Diaz instead submitting Tony Ferguson in his final UFC appearance.

  • Nate Diaz Reveals Interest in Conor McGregor Trilogy Fight

    Nate Diaz Reveals Interest in Conor McGregor Trilogy Fight

    Nate Diaz has made it clear that his rivalry with Conor McGregor is unfinished business, and he has a very specific vision of how the third chapter should come together.

    Speaking with MMA Fighting ahead of his MVP MMA 1 fight with Mike Perry on Saturday, Diaz addressed the prospect of a McGregor trilogy fight directly and confirmed it remains very much on his radar, though he has no interest in being the opponent that serves as McGregor’s comeback vehicle.

    “F**k no I’m not done with Conor McGregor, that’s just waiting to happen. What I’m saying, I’m a real fighter. Conor McGregor, he’s fing still good, he’s still great. He’s f**king everything he says he is and what UFC says and all that. But I’m not going to let him fing test that out on me. I’m not trying to be part of this fing Conor McGregor comeback motherf*king story.”

    Diaz wants McGregor to prove himself again before they settle the trilogy, framing the dynamic in the language he is most comfortable with.

    “I don’t want to finish him off. Why don’t you come back and do your thing and when you’re doing your thing and I’m doing my thing then we’ll have our fing trilogy that you owe me from a long time ago anyway. I think about it like a fing bully. What are you going to do? Go fight the guy who got his leg broke off? Nah, let him make his comeback and do his thing and then go beat his ass.”

    Diaz and McGregor split their two-fight series one win apiece in 2016, with McGregor winning the rematch at UFC 202. A third fight has been discussed at various points over the following decade without ever materializing. McGregor is currently expected to return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas during International Fight Week, which would be his first competitive appearance since his leg fracture at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    Diaz returns to MMA competition on Saturday for the first time since 2022, facing Perry in the co-main event of MVP MMA 1 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Netflix.

  • UFC Set to Host Events in Arizona as TKO Signs Three-Year Deal With State Alliance

    UFC Set to Host Events in Arizona as TKO Signs Three-Year Deal With State Alliance

    The UFC is heading to Arizona in a big way. TKO Group Holdings has announced a three-year agreement with the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance to bring seven live events to the state — with UFC among the marquee properties set to compete there.

    The deal covers multiple TKO-owned brands, including UFC, WWE, PBR, and Zuffa Boxing, and signals a long-term commitment to Arizona as a key market for live combat sports.

    UFC’s Role in the Partnership

    While TKO has not yet announced which specific UFC events will take place in Arizona, the scope of the deal — seven events over three years — suggests fight fans in the state can expect a regular presence from the promotion. Specific dates, venues, and ticket details are expected to be announced at a later date.

    Peter Dropick, TKO’s Executive Vice President of Event Development and Operations, made clear the company is invested in building something lasting in the region:

    “We’re excited to build this long-term partnership with the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance to bring some of our biggest events to the state.”

    Jay Parry, President & CEO of the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance, said the partnership reflects Arizona’s ability to host major sports and entertainment events at the highest level.

    Part of a Growing Live Event Strategy

    TKO described the Arizona partnership as part of a broader push to formalize relationships with government and private entities across the country, securing dedicated markets for its live events pipeline.

    It’s a strategy that makes sense given UFC’s growing live event footprint. The promotion has increasingly leaned into multi-event market agreements to ensure consistent programming for fans outside of Las Vegas.

    TKO Group Holdings owns the UFC, WWE, and PBR outright, and holds a stake in Zuffa Boxing. The company also operates IMG and On Location, its sports marketing and experiential hospitality arms.

    TKO’s Bigger Business Picture

    The Arizona deal comes as TKO continues to post strong financial numbers. The company reported Q1 2026 revenue of $1.597 billion — a 26% increase year-over-year — underscoring the demand for live combat sports content across all of its properties.

    Arizona UFC fans won’t have to wait long for more details. Event announcements are expected in the coming months.

  • Ronda Rousey Reveals Life-Changing Medical Diagnosis Before Gina Carano Fight

    Ronda Rousey Reveals Life-Changing Medical Diagnosis Before Gina Carano Fight

    Ronda Rousey has revealed a medical development ahead of her May 16 return against Gina Carano on Netflix, disclosing that Dana White arranged for her to visit the Cleveland Clinic after she pitched the fight, where doctors identified a condition that has been affecting her for years.

    Speaking with Complex News, Rousey explained that what she had been experiencing was not simply the result of concussions but a more specific condition linked to them.

    “Thanks to Dana, when I was talking about doing this fight, he sent me to the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Bernick thinks what I’m dealing with is not just concussions, but also migraines. The more concussions I get, the easier it is to set off these migraines. I get hit and I lose big chunks of my vision, like if someone took a picture of me. It’s called migraine aura when you lose these chunks of your vision, caused by cortical spreading depression. We were actually able to find a medication that helps me preventatively before sparring. It’s been absolutely life-changing.”

    Rousey also confirmed that the Carano fight marks the end of her competitive career, directly tied to commitments she has made to her husband and plans for her family.

    “It depends on how this fight goes. This fight could end up being some crazy trilogy. But I promised my husband that this is the last one and we want to have more kids. I can’t be taking any more detours at this point.”

    She also described Carano as the fight she has always wanted above any other.

    “Gina is my dream fight. She’s the only person I would come back to fight for and she’s the whole reason why I got into fighting in the first place.”

    Rousey holds a 12-2 MMA record and is returning for the first time since her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. The bout headlines the first live MMA event in Netflix history, co-promoted with Most Valuable Promotions on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

  • UFC Vegas 117 Preview: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa

    UFC Vegas 117 Preview: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa

    The UFC returns to the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 16 with a featherweight main event between Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa, running in direct counter-programming competition with MVP’s Rousey vs. Carano card on Netflix. The main card streams on Paramount+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with prelims from 5 p.m. ET.

    Allen, ranked seventh at featherweight, enters the main event in the most difficult position of his UFC career. The 31-year-old has lost three of his last four fights, his only win in that stretch coming against Giga Chikadze in 2024. An extended 2025 absence due to injury was followed by a unanimous decision loss to Jean Silva at UFC 324 in January. A loss on Saturday would push Allen toward the edge of contention.

    Costa presents the most dangerous possible version of that challenge. The Brazilian is ranked twelfth and riding a six-fight winning streak with four finishes, the most recent being a spinning back kick TKO of Dan Ige in February, the first time Ige had ever been finished inside the Octagon. 

    Dooho Choi returns in the co-main event against Daniel Santos in a featherweight matchup that has been rescheduled multiple times, having originally been booked for UFC Perth in September before Choi withdrew, then moved to UFC 328 before being pushed to this card. Malcolm Wellmaker, the standout bantamweight prospect from last year’s Contender Series, faces DWCS signee Juan Diaz in the main card’s most forward-looking fight.

    Main card on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa at featherweight over five rounds, Dooho Choi vs. Daniel Santos at featherweight, Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Juan Diaz at bantamweight, Modestas Bukauskas vs. Rodolfo Bellato at light heavyweight, and Timmy Cuamba vs. Bernardo Sopaj at bantamweight.

    Preliminary card on Paramount+ at 5 p.m. ET: Jeremiah Wells vs. Nicolas Dalby at welterweight, Tuco Tokkos vs. Ivan Erslan at light heavyweight, Trey Ogden vs. Thomas Gantt at lightweight, Ketlen Vieira vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti at women’s bantamweight, Cody Brundage vs. Andre Petroski at middleweight, Alice Ardelean vs. Polyana Viana at women’s strawweight, Daniel Barez vs. Luis Gurule at flyweight, and Shauna Bannon vs. Nicolle Caliari at women’s strawweight.

  • Ronda Rousey Says UFC Killed Star Power for the Brand

    Ronda Rousey Says UFC Killed Star Power for the Brand

    Ronda Rousey has delivered one of her sharpest critiques of the UFC’s current direction, arguing that the promotion under TKO has made a strategic miscalculation by trying to make the brand the star rather than the fighters inside it.

    Speaking with Complex News ahead of her May 16 return on Netflix, Rousey laid out what she sees as the root cause of the UFC’s current position.

    “They don’t want that star power anymore. They want the brand to be the star. And that’s why they stopped naming the fight cards and started giving them numbers. That’s why they started putting everybody in a uniform and trying to stamp out their individuality. They want people to watch the brand. And that’s why when you have big stars like Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou knowing their worth and demanding more, they’re telling them to go kick rocks instead of paying them what they’re worth because they think they’re too big to fail.”

    She cited the most-watched combat sports event in history as the most compelling counter-argument to the UFC’s approach.

    “They don’t tune in to watch a belt. They don’t tune in to watch a brand. They tune in to watch two fighters. And that’s what Tyson versus Paul proved. This is the most viewed combat sports event of all time. 108 million live views. And it’s not for a belt. It’s not for two people at the very top of the sport. It’s for two characters that resonate with people. They want to see the conclusion of the story that they have been telling. That’s something that the UFC has lost sight of and something that I’m looking to bring back.”

    Rousey also drew a clear distinction between her loyalty to the people who built the UFC and the organization those people have since sold.

    “I absolutely love Dana and the Fertittas, but my loyalty is to them, not to the company that they sold, and also a company that I helped build. It’s outside of his control now and it’s outside of my control now. It’s not that company anymore, but I can affect the entire industry in this way.”

    She also argued that fighters now have more leverage than many realize at the end of their UFC contracts.

    “UFC puts people in very long contracts. They’ll put you in a set-and-fight contract that’s for seven years or something. Jon Jones is kind of trapped. A lot of people are trapped in that contract. But I think what we’ve done here is we’ve made people realize that there is another option and you can fight out your contract all the way to the end and actually have leverage to negotiate for more.”

  • Ronda Rousey Accuses Hunter Campbell of Sabotaging Gina Carano Fight

    Ronda Rousey Accuses Hunter Campbell of Sabotaging Gina Carano Fight

    Ronda Rousey has made serious accusations against UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, claiming he worked to undermine her return fight against Gina Carano from inside the company she helped build.

    Speaking with Complex News ahead of the May 16 Netflix event, Rousey described what she says was a deliberate effort by Campbell to derail the matchup.

    “They gave me a great deal for their last ever pay-per-view fight card, but it was them switching over to the streaming model and Hunter Campbell being the new leadership in the company. He actively tried to sabotage this fight. And tried to misrepresent Gina, saying that she wasn’t serious, that she wasn’t going to make the weight. He was trying to get me to fight other people. He was basically just shitting on us and the marketability of our fight.”

    She also described what she says was Campbell’s attitude toward the women’s featherweight division, framing his comments as the final confirmation that the UFC’s priorities had fundamentally changed.

    “The way that he spoke of the 145 pound division. Dana first pitched me to do this as the last title match for 145 division to retire it. And then Hunter was like, ‘Yeah, then we could finally get rid of that division.’ The disdain that he spoke of it. I’m like, f**k, you’re the promoter, okay? If it’s not doing well, it’s your fault. I just had two daughters. My husband’s 6’7″, okay? They’re not going to be 135 pounds. This is my daughter’s future, that division. He’s sh*t all over it.”

    Rousey said her mother, who works for an athletic commission, provided the most damning insight into Campbell’s attitude toward fighters.

    “My mom works for an athletic commission. I brought up to her, ‘Do you know this Hunter Campbell guy?’ And she’s like, ‘Yeah, he’s a f***ing shithead. He would sell tickets to Christians being fed to lions.’ She was talking to him about getting slap legalized in California and he was saying, ‘Oh, this is a big opportunity for these guys. Otherwise, they would just be doing meth in a trailer park.’ This is what this guy thinks of the fighters. And this is the new leadership in the company.”

    Rousey faces Carano on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Netflix in what she has described as her final MMA fight.

  • UFC Reveals Custom Fight Kits And Special White House-Themed Gear For UFC Freedom 250 Card

    UFC Reveals Custom Fight Kits And Special White House-Themed Gear For UFC Freedom 250 Card

    UFC Freedom 250 continues to lean heavily into its patriotic theme after the promotion officially unveiled the event’s custom fight kits ahead of the historic June 14 card in Washington, D.C.

    Created in partnership with Venum, the specially designed uniforms feature a bold red, white, and blue color palette inspired by the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration. The kits also prominently include White House-inspired branding and commemorative USA 250 patches, further tying the event to the unprecedented setting on the South Lawn.

    According to promotional details released alongside the reveal, the gear was designed to reflect what the UFC described as “the American fighting spirit” while commemorating one of the most unique events in combat sports history.

    UFC Freedom 250 Fight Kits Feature Special White House Branding

    Unlike standard UFC apparel, the Freedom 250 kits include exclusive details created specifically for the event, including collaboration branding involving the White House, Fanatics, and America250.

    The custom uniforms are expected to be worn throughout fight week festivities and during the event itself, which will take place at a temporary outdoor arena being built on White House grounds.

    Fans will also be able to purchase the limited-edition kits online through UFC Store, Venum, and Fanatics, while additional merchandise locations will reportedly be available throughout Washington during fight week festivities.

    The UFC has also already revealed a special one-off championship belt for the card featuring heavy American flag themes and patriotic detailing designed specifically for the White House event.

    The UFC Freedom 250 event itself is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the year.

    In the main event, Ilia Topuria is scheduled to defend his lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje. Meanwhile, Alex Pereira will move up to heavyweight to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship in the co-main event.

  • Dana White Explains How Conor McGregor Will Be Compensated Under UFC’s New Paramount Deal

    Dana White Explains How Conor McGregor Will Be Compensated Under UFC’s New Paramount Deal

    Dana White has addressed one of the more interesting financial questions surrounding Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return, explaining that the UFC has developed a formula to compensate big-name fighters who previously earned pay-per-view points under the old model.

    The UFC launched its new $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount in January 2026, effectively eliminating the traditional pay-per-view purchase requirement for numbered events. Those cards are now included with a Paramount+ subscription, fundamentally changing how fighters who previously earned a percentage of pay-per-view revenue are compensated. McGregor, who was among the sport’s biggest pay-per-view draws, stood to be among the most affected.

    Speaking at UFC 328’s post-fight press conference in Newark, White confirmed a new compensation structure is in place and that McGregor’s earnings under the new system reflect his historical drawing power.

    “There’s a formula to it. McGregor’s going to do just fine. It’s based on if you take the average of his pay-per-view buys, and what they do, there’s an equation for that that you can — we’ve done it with a lot more guys than just McGregor.”

    McGregor last competed at UFC 264 in July 2021, when he suffered a gruesome leg fracture in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier. In the five years since, his only scheduled fight was a bout against Michael Chandler planned for June 2024, which collapsed when McGregor withdrew with a broken toe just weeks before fight night.

    White reiterated his confidence that McGregor will return in 2026, though he confirmed no official deal has been signed at this stage. McGregor’s rumored return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas remains the most discussed option for his comeback.

  • Joe Rogan Suggests Khamzat Chimaev May Have Been Preparing for Weight Change Before UFC 328

    Joe Rogan Suggests Khamzat Chimaev May Have Been Preparing for Weight Change Before UFC 328

    The cageside commentary team at UFC 328 was already raising questions about Khamzat Chimaev’s weight cut during the post-fight broadcast, with Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier suggesting that an aborted plan to move to light heavyweight may have significantly complicated his preparation for the Strickland title defense.

    Chimaev appeared visibly uncomfortable at Friday’s official weigh-ins before coming in at the 185-pound limit, and his conditioning deteriorated after a dominant opening round against Strickland, as he largely abandoned his wrestling and struggled to maintain the same intensity across five rounds. Rogan connected those dots during the broadcast.

    “The fact that he did try to bulk up plus thinking that he was going to fight Jiri Prochazka for 205. Good question, because it could have been a factor.”

    Cormier questioned whether the middleweight division is even the right home for Chimaev going forward.

    “Does Khamzat want to fight at 185? They said he already has his eyes on 205. I don’t know.”

    The theory carries weight given Chimaev’s history with weight management. He infamously missed the 170-pound limit by 7.5 pounds ahead of UFC 279 in September 2022, an incident that forced a reshuffling of the entire card. In this instance, the suggestion is that Chimaev had been building his frame in anticipation of competing at 205 pounds, possibly for a fight with Prochazka, before the Strickland title defense was booked and he was required to shed significant mass in a compressed timeframe.

    You can see the post-fight reaction on X here.

    Dana White confirmed at the post-fight press conference that Chimaev approached him to say he wants to move to light heavyweight. Chimaev posted on X, with “see you soon again” and then “let me know when you are ready,” suggesting a rematch at middleweight has not been fully ruled out.

  • GSP’s Former Coach Offers to Fix Khamzat Chimaev’s Conditioning: ‘I Promise You This Will Never Happen Again’

    GSP’s Former Coach Offers to Fix Khamzat Chimaev’s Conditioning: ‘I Promise You This Will Never Happen Again’

    Firas Zahabi watched Khamzat Chimaev lose the UFC middleweight title at UFC 328 and immediately went public with an offer to help, delivering a direct plea on his YouTube channel for Chimaev to bring his career to Tristar Gym in Montreal.

    Zahabi, who guided Georges St-Pierre through the peak of one of the greatest careers in MMA history, was direct about what he believes he can offer.

    “I’m begging you, somebody get this out there. Khamzat, come train with me. Come to Montreal, come train with me. I promise you, if you come train with me, you’re not going to fade. I promise you. Come and train with me. Bring Arman Tsarukyan. Khamzat Chimaev, Arman Tsarukyan, come train with me. Come see how we prepare to make sure that your fitness level will be better than ever, your striking will be sweeter than ever, and your footwork will be sweeter than ever. I promise you. If Khamzat Chimaev, you come and train with me, this will never happen to you again.”

    He also extended the invitation to include the possibility of working alongside St-Pierre himself.

    “I really hope he gets this message. Please come train with me and Georges St-Pierre, and we will make sure that we do our absolute best to get your hand raised, no matter what the cost, what the energy expenditure, how many hours we have to do, we will focus on you getting your hand raised. So, if Khamzat Chimaev is listening, or anybody who knows him, get this message to him. Please let him know he’s more than welcome, and I would love to have him as soon as possible training at my facility.”

    Chimaev’s conditioning appeared to deteriorate significantly after a dominant opening round against Strickland, with widespread speculation that a demanding weight cut from a heavier frame contributed to his struggles in the championship rounds. Dana White confirmed Chimaev approached him after the fight to say he wants to move to light heavyweight. Chimaev has since posted messages on social media suggesting a Strickland rematch remains on his mind.

  • Josh Hokit Gets Into Confrontation With Paulo Costa at UFC 328

    Josh Hokit Gets Into Confrontation With Paulo Costa at UFC 328

    Josh Hokit has added another altercation to what is becoming a notable collection, getting into a confrontation with Paulo Costa in the crowd at UFC 328 on Saturday night, just one day after being ejected from the UFC White House press conference following his standoff with Ilia Topuria.

    The exchange between Hokit and Costa began when the two started trading words in the crowd before security stepped in to separate them. As officers pulled Costa away, Hokit gave him the middle finger and kept shouting across the divide.

    “There’s only one fing bad guy. Get the fout of here!”

    Costa kept his composure as security maintained the separation while Hokit continued jawing at him from the other side of the crowd.

    You can see the incident on X here.

    The confrontation came 24 hours after Hokit was escorted out of the UFC Freedom 250 press conference in Newark after getting into a back-and-forth with Topuria that ended with the lightweight champion throwing an object at him. Hokit had also targeted Alex Pereira with insults during that same event before turning his attention to Topuria.

    Hokit faces Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House South Lawn in Washington D.C., a matchup reportedly put together at the personal request of Donald Trump and Joe Rogan following his performance against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327.

  • Paddy Pimblett Refuses Future New Jersey Fights Because of One Reason

    Paddy Pimblett Refuses Future New Jersey Fights Because of One Reason

    Paddy Pimblett watched UFC 328 from home and came away with one firm conclusion about where he will not be competing: New Jersey.

    Pimblett noticed during the Jim Miller and Jared Gordon bout that UFC 328 was being contested under older MMA rules, specifically the New Jersey State Athletic Commission’s regulations, which ban 12-6 elbows and consider a fighter grounded with just one hand on the canvas.

    His reaction was immediate.

    “Has he just said, ‘Old rules in play?’ No 12-6 elbows? Wow! That’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t fight there. And if you put your finger on the mat, you basically can’t kick them.”

    Pimblett has been one of the more vocal advocates for the 12-6 elbow since it became legal under the updated unified rules in November 2024, incorporating the strike into his game. The New Jersey commission’s refusal to adopt the new ruleset has been a point of contention among fighters and analysts for some time.

    Pimblett has not competed since his unanimous decision loss to Justin Gaethje in the interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324 in January. He is expected to return at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas during International Fight Week, where a fight against Benoit Saint-Denis is reportedly signed, though nothing has been officially confirmed.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Disputes Controversial Split Decision at UFC 328

    Arman Tsarukyan Disputes Controversial Split Decision at UFC 328

    Arman Tsarukyan was in Khamzat Chimaev’s corner at UFC 328 and he is standing firmly by his teammate after Saturday’s split decision loss to Sean Strickland, posting a message on Instagram that appeared to question the judging.

    “We fought our hearts out tonight and everyone watching knows what really happened. Head up Champ. You will get your belt back soon.”

    Tsarukyan did not reference the scorecards directly, but the implication was clear. Two judges scored the fight 48-47 for Strickland, awarding him rounds two, three, and five, while the third judge had it 48-47 for Chimaev, giving him rounds one, four, and five. The split nature of the decision and the closeness of each round left room for legitimate disagreement about the outcome.

    Tsarukyan worked closely with Chimaev during his training camp for the title defense, making his emotional investment in the result understandable. Chimaev’s performance raised questions about the toll of his weight cut, with reports suggesting he had been bulking up in anticipation of a potential light heavyweight move before being called to defend the middleweight title against Strickland.

    Dana White confirmed after the fight that Chimaev approached him to say he wants to move to 205 pounds, though Chimaev has since posted cryptic messages on social media hinting at a Strickland rematch.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Has Hilarious Reaction to Sean Strickland’s Upset Win Over Khamzat Chimaev At UFC 328

    Dricus Du Plessis Has Hilarious Reaction to Sean Strickland’s Upset Win Over Khamzat Chimaev At UFC 328

    Dricus du Plessis may have been one of the happiest people in the building after Sean Strickland shocked the MMA world by defeating Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 328 main event.

    Strickland reclaimed the middleweight title with a grueling split-decision victory over Chimaev on Saturday night in Newark, handing “Borz” the first loss of his professional career and ending his title reign after just one defense.

    Watching cageside was Du Plessis, who suddenly finds himself right back in the middle of the championship picture thanks to the result.

    The South African previously defeated Strickland twice during his own title reign, first capturing the belt against him at UFC 297 before successfully defending it in their rematch at UFC 312.

    However, Du Plessis later lost the title to Chimaev after being controlled for long stretches in their clash at UFC 319 last year.

    Following UFC 328, “Stillknocks” made it clear he wasn’t surprised by how the fight unfolded.

    Dricus du Plessis Believes Sean Strickland Broke Khamzat Chimaev’s Pace At UFC 328

    “The fight went exactly the way I thought it would,” Du Plessis said in a backstage UFC interview. “Great, great fight by Strickland. Like I said, it’s so hard to keep that man on the ground.”

    Du Plessis explained that Strickland’s ability to repeatedly work his way back to his feet eventually drained Chimaev’s gas tank and shifted the momentum of the fight.

    “He is incredibly tough to hold down,” Du Plessis said. “He made Khamzat tired and that’s exactly what happened.”

    The former champion also reiterated his belief that once the fight stayed standing for extended periods, Strickland held the advantage.

    “And like I said, in the stand-up, [Khamzat] just won’t be able to hang with him,” Du Plessis added. “So congratulations.”

    Du Plessis then jokingly closed his reaction with a line that immediately caught fans’ attention online.

    “I guess this makes me world champion again.”

    Videos circulating on social media also showed Du Plessis celebrating Strickland’s victory cageside, smiling and applauding after the judges announced the decision.

    Although the UFC has not confirmed what comes next at middleweight, Strickland’s win potentially places Du Plessis in a strong position for a trilogy fight, given his two previous victories over the newly crowned champion.

  • WATCH: UFC Star Paddy Pimblett Leaves British TikToker Gassed And Throwing Up After Sparring

    WATCH: UFC Star Paddy Pimblett Leaves British TikToker Gassed And Throwing Up After Sparring

    Paddy Pimblett recently gave a popular TikTok creator a harsh lesson inside the gym during a friendly sparring session.

    British influencer Dean Alex, who built a following online through bizarre fan-requested challenges and his viral catchphrase “do you not know who I am, kid?”, recently teamed up with Pimblett for a sparring session at Next Generation MMA in Liverpool.

    The collaboration came together after one of Alex’s followers challenged him to fight the UFC star.

    At the start of the session, Pimblett appeared to take it easy on the influencer. The former interim UFC lightweight title challenger was noticeably holding back early on and even allowed Alex to land a few shots during the exchange.

    During the spar, Pimblett eventually connected with a spinning elbow before following up with several additional strikes that visibly overwhelmed the TikToker.

    Moments later, Alex was seen running off the mat before eventually throwing up from exhaustion and the punishment he absorbed.

    The 31-year-old Liverpool native last competed at UFC 324 in January, where he challenged Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. Pimblett ultimately dropped a unanimous decision, bringing his UFC record to 7-1.

    Before the setback against Gaethje, “The Baddy” had built serious momentum in the lightweight division with victories over names such as Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler, and King Green.

    Pimblett is now scheduled to return at UFC 329 on July 11 during International Fight Week, where he’ll face Benoit Saint Denis at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

  • Sean Strickland Won UFC Middleweight Title While Injured

    Sean Strickland Won UFC Middleweight Title While Injured

    Sean Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 328 while dealing with a separated shoulder he sustained just four days before the fight, an injury he revealed in characteristically dramatic fashion at the post-fight press conference in Newark.

    Strickland, who is famously committed to sparring regardless of the timing, was working at Plinio Cruz’s gym in New Jersey on the Tuesday before the Saturday fight when things went wrong during a session with former PFL middleweight champion Johnny Eblen.

    “Funny story. So Tuesday I’m sparring Johnny, that motherfucker, the PFL champ. I’m at Plinio Cruz’s gym and he fing shoots on me. I hit this brick a** wall and I separated my shoulder. So I had a grade one AC joint separation on Tuesday and I remember laying in bed on Tuesday night. I’m sure there’s a video of me somewhere slamming my shoulder — get some better pads! I was laying there and I couldn’t lay on my right.”

    Despite the injury, Strickland competed and won a split decision over Khamzat Chimaev to become a two-time middleweight champion. During the fight itself, Chimaev added to his injury total when a strike broke Strickland’s nose during one of their exchanges.

  • Dana White Calls Internet ‘F***ing Stupid’ Over Khamzat Chimaev Weigh-In Controversy

    Dana White Calls Internet ‘F***ing Stupid’ Over Khamzat Chimaev Weigh-In Controversy

    Dana White has pushed back firmly against theories that Khamzat Chimaev did not legitimately make the 185-pound middleweight limit for UFC 328, while Sean Strickland is equally firm in the opposite direction.

    The controversy arose after a video of Chimaev’s weigh-in showed the needle on the manual scale still moving as it was read at exactly 185 pounds, prompting speculation online that he had not fully made weight. Strickland added fuel to the fire during the ceremonial weigh-ins when he flatly accused Chimaev of cheating the scale.

    Speaking after UFC 328, White had little patience for the narrative.

    “You know the New Jersey State Athletic Commission oversees the weigh-ins, right? Jeremy Stephens missed weight by four pounds and they had to cut a deal. But for Khamzat they’re just going to let him not make weight? Jersey and New York are two of the toughest commissions in the country. The internet is f***ing stupid, I don’t know what to tell you other than that. Listen, Monday morning at 9.02 call the New Jersey Athletic Commission and ask them about that. I have nothing to do with any of that stuff.”

    Strickland was not moved by his boss’s defense of the official result when White’s comments were relayed to him.

    “Show of hands, who thinks he missed weight? His scale was going ‘ding ding ding ding ding’. He 1,000 per cent missed weight.”

    The controversy does not affect the result of the fight itself. Strickland won a split decision to claim the middleweight title for the second time and is now preparing for the first defense of his new reign.

  • Sean Strickland Admits His Feud With Khamzat Chimaev May Have Been Manufactured

    Sean Strickland Admits His Feud With Khamzat Chimaev May Have Been Manufactured

    Sean Strickland has offered a remarkably candid post-fight assessment of the feud that consumed the sport’s attention for weeks, admitting that much of the hatred he felt toward Khamzat Chimaev may have originated entirely within his own mind.

    Speaking to the media after reclaiming the UFC middleweight title at UFC 328, Strickland reflected on the origins of a rivalry that included gun threats, a kicked faceoff, and the heaviest security operation in recent UFC history, only to dissolve into mutual respect within minutes of the final bell.

    “Maybe it’s just who he is as a person but when he was in the gym he was really threatening. He just had that threatening demeanour. And maybe that’s like the little man inside me but when he’s threatening me I’m like ‘I want to f***ing murder you, I want to kill you.’ Maybe he didn’t take it that way, maybe it’s his Chechen sense of humor. But in the gym he was always trying to, like, punk me. I was like ‘let’s go spar’ and we would never go spar.”

    He then went further, acknowledging that the entire intensity of his feelings toward Chimaev may have been a product of his mental state rather than anything Chimaev actually did.

    “So I could have manufactured the whole situation in my head to be honest. There’s times when you’re mentally not well you’ll have interactions with people and sometimes your brain thinks something else happened. You have to sit back and be like ‘wait wait wait’. That’s why I like training and train so much, there’ll be times where I have an interaction with somebody and my brain hallucinates the entire interaction. So there’s a chance that I just hallucinated that entire interaction with Chimaev.”

    Strickland also revealed he competed through a significant shoulder injury sustained during fight week, adding another layer to a victory that already stands as one of the more unlikely in recent middleweight history. His win makes him a two-time UFC middleweight champion, joining Israel Adesanya as the only fighters to accomplish that feat at 185 pounds.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Posts Cryptic ‘See You Again Soon’ Message After UFC 328 Loss

    Khamzat Chimaev Posts Cryptic ‘See You Again Soon’ Message After UFC 328 Loss

    Khamzat Chimaev has sent a cryptic message to Sean Strickland on X following his split decision defeat at UFC 328, complicating the narrative around his reported move to light heavyweight.

    “See you again soon.”

    The post came after what appeared to be a surprisingly cordial conclusion to one of the most heated feuds in recent UFC history. Following weeks of threats, insults, and a kick during the press conference faceoff, Chimaev and Strickland were respectful after the final bell, with Chimaev placing the belt around Strickland’s waist in a gesture that surprised many observers.

    The tweet’s meaning is unclear given the context. Dana White revealed at the post-fight press conference that Chimaev approached him after the fight and stated he wants to move to light heavyweight and does not want to fight at middleweight any longer. Chimaev had already teased the move publicly before the title fight and appeared to struggle significantly at the weigh-ins, with Strickland publicly accusing him of nearly missing weight.

    An immediate rematch is technically possible if Chimaev changes course, though Strickland enters his second reign with a healthy queue of contenders including rematches with Nassourdine Imavov and Brendan Allen, as well as fresh matchups against Caio Borralho and Joe Pyfer. Given Chimaev has fought only once per year since 2023, a definitive answer on his next move may take some time to emerge.

    Strickland’s split decision victory was scored 48-47 on two judges’ cards, making him a two-time middleweight champion and matching Israel Adesanya as the only fighters to accomplish that feat at 185 pounds.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Is Changing Weight Classes After UFC 328 Loss

    Khamzat Chimaev Is Changing Weight Classes After UFC 328 Loss

    Khamzat Chimaev wasted no time making his intentions known after suffering the first loss of his professional career at UFC 328, walking straight up to Dana White after the split decision defeat to Sean Strickland and delivering a clear message about his future.

    White revealed the conversation at the UFC 328 post-fight press conference.

    “He literally walked up to me after the fight and said ‘I want to move up. I don’t want to fight in this weight class anymore.’”

    Chimaev had openly discussed moving to light heavyweight on multiple occasions before the title fight, and a difficult weight cut appeared to be a genuine factor in his performance. After a dominant opening round, his conditioning visibly faded as the fight progressed. He largely abandoned his wrestling for extended stretches and appeared to rely on his striking despite the weight cut appearing to have taken a toll.

    White acknowledged the cut’s likely impact while praising Chimaev’s toughness for continuing to compete at a high level despite the circumstances.

    “What was interesting was the first two times I saw him fight on Fight Island, he used to talk about his standup and his team all the time. I was saying we haven’t seen him stand up and really go toe-to-toe with somebody in a while. But I think he had a rough weight cut. He’s a tough guy. He’s a f***ing savage. I would expect him not to roll over and quit.”

    White agreed with the scorecards that gave Strickland the victory, noting he had it tied going into the championship round.

    “I had it two to two going into the last round. I thought Strickland won the last round.”

    White expressed genuine excitement about the prospect of Chimaev moving up in weight, though he declined to name potential opponents.

    “I’m not even thinking about who he’ll fight next. But him moving up is exciting.”

  • UFC 328 Bonuses: Van vs. Taira Earns Fight of the Night

    UFC 328 Bonuses: Van vs. Taira Earns Fight of the Night

    UFC 328 delivered a record-setting night in Newark on Saturday, with Sean Strickland reclaiming the UFC middleweight championship via split decision over Khamzat Chimaev in the main event before a crowd of 17,783 at Prudential Center.

    The event set a new venue gate record of $7.5 million for the Prudential Center, surpassing all previous events held at the arena. The 13-bout card featured two world title fights and seven finishes across the evening.

    The flyweight championship co-main event between Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira earned Fight of the Night honors, with both fighters receiving $100,000 bonuses for their performance.

    Jim Miller earned a Performance of the Night bonus worth $100,000 for his first-round submission victory over Jared Gordon. In a significant development alongside the bonus, Miller also signed a new five-fight contract with the UFC following the win, extending one of the longest tenures in the promotion’s history.

    Yaroslav Amosov claimed the second Performance of the Night bonus, also worth $100,000, for his second-round arm-triangle choke submission over Joel Alvarez in a dominant grappling showcase.

  • ‘Does It Again’ – Strickland Bests Chimaev For Middleweight Title

    ‘Does It Again’ – Strickland Bests Chimaev For Middleweight Title

    The undefeated record and middleweight title reign of Khamzat Chimaev ends in his first title defense. Sean Strickland has pulled off another major upset for the middleweight championship, defeating Chimaev in the UFC 328 main event.

    In a case of deja vu, Chimaev got a takedown in the opening minute and didn’t let up the entire first round. Chimaev dominated with positioning, gaining mount and back mount, threatening a choke at the end of the fight’s first five minutes.

    Strickland looked to pressure with strikes to start the second round. Then, both times that Chimaev went for takedowns in the round, Strickland stuffed them. This time, it was Strickland who dominated with positioning, mixing in some strikes.

    Chimaev did not do any takedown attempts in round three, electing to stand and trade with Strickland. Strickland landed plenty of combinations early, but Chimaev landed arguably the most effective punch, tripping up Strickland on a late jab.

    This continued into the fourth round, but Chimaev started to pick things up, working with his right hand, while Strickland appeared to tire a little. Chimaev then started to look for a takedown at the end of round four and going into round five. Strickland attempted to defend and landed jabs, but Chimaev was on the front foot for the majority of the last round, and he landed a pair of takedowns.

    Sean Strickland Recaptures UFC Middleweight Title, Hands Khamzat Chimaev First Loss At UFC 328

    Strickland earned this title shot off a finish of Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February. Strickland’s first title defense began at UFC 293, when he upset Israel Adesanya. Strickland, however, dropped the title to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 and lost their UFC 312 rematch.

    Chimaev was 15-0 entering this fight. He had claimed the middleweight title with a win over Du Plessis at UFC 319 last August.

  • ‘Take A Bow’ – Joshua Van Retains In War With Tatsuro Taira

    ‘Take A Bow’ – Joshua Van Retains In War With Tatsuro Taira

    Joshua Van put on another strong performance in the Octagon to mark his first title defense, defeating Tatsuro Taira to retain the UFC flyweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 328.

    Taira pressured and scored a takedown on Van in the first minute of the fight, controlling Van for the first half of round one until an unsuccessful guillotine attempt. Van was able to avoid Taira’s grappling to start the second round, and he used slick handwork to land several shots upstairs on his challenger.

    Taira, however, scored another takedown halfway through the second round — though Van landed several shots from the bottom. Van turned things up again in the closing seconds of round two, landing a straight right that nearly put Taira out.

    Van avoided Taira’s takedown efforts and continued to work his striking in the third, touching Taira up and busting him open. Van grounded Taira again, landing ground-and-pound and attempting multiple submissions. Taira did manage to score a takedown at the end of round three.

    After a little trading to start round four, Taira scored another takedown on Van, controlling most of the frame on the ground before the last portion featured trading from both men. Taira also looked for a submission in this round, threatening a triangle armbar.

    The fight would not see the final horn, however. Van landed a couple of combinations, wobbling and dropping Taira in the fifth round, and the referee — despite a brief protest from Taira — waved off the action.

    Joshua Van Stops Tatsuro Taira To Retain Flyweight Title At UFC 328

    Van has lost just twice, with one of those fights coming in the UFC, bringing him to a 17-2 record. This was the first title defense for Van, who has now won seven straight, after claiming the belt from Alexandre Pantoja via injury TKO at UFC 323.

    That marked just the second loss of Taira’s MMA career. Taira earned this title shot off a finish of former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323.