Former UFC fighter Jon Jones has explained why he is actively considering a return to competitive mixed martial arts, just weeks after announcing his retirement.
Right now, Tom Aspinall is the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He has that title because Jon Jones, the former champion, opted not to fight him, and instead decided to quietly retire. However, after the announcement that the UFC will be putting on an event at the White House next year, ‘Bones’ seems to have changed his stance – to the point where he is now openly thinking about a return to the cage.
Whether or not that comes to fruition, of course, remains to be seen. Jon Jones is easily one of the greatest fighters we’ve ever seen in MMA but even with that being the case, it’ll probably take some convincing for the UFC to trust him again. After all, he seemed to string them along for quite some time, and it was never really clear why he didn’t want to take on Aspinall in the first place.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones discussed the possibility of coming back and made it crystal clear that it’s on the table.
Jon Jones explains potential comeback
“I was retired. I felt like I was at a place where I’d done it all in the MMA space, and felt like there weren’t too many more challenges for me. I just wanted to do something more than championships and money.”
“Donald Trump mentioned that he wanted to have a fight at the White House garden, and that seems like such a huge opportunity. I’m a very proud American, I have a lot of close friends who are in the military. This is my act of, I can’t call it service, but to be able to entertain the country and the world at this level at the White House, it just means the world to me. So, I’m back.”
Former boxing world champion Amir Khan has offered to train Paddy Pimblett ahead of a potential title fight against Ilia Topuria.
As we know, Paddy Pimblett is easily one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts today. Whether you love him or hate him, nobody can deny that he’s done an incredible job of promoting himself – and he’s also worked incredibly hard to get better in the cage.
After his recent win over Michael Chandler, Paddy Pimblett was considered to be a top contender at lightweight. Now, after his long-time rival Ilia Topuria won the belt, it seems as if the UFC is interested in pushing that as the next big title fight at 155 pounds. The two even shared the octagon together following Topuria’s triumph over Charles Oliveira.
In a recent interview courtesy of Genting live casinos, the aforementioned Amir Khan noted that he’d be willing to help Paddy Pimblett improve his boxing ahead of a possible striking battle with Topuria.
Amir Khan offers to train Paddy Pimblett
“100% I’d like to offer Paddy Pimblett some boxing advice. I live in Dubai. I know he comes to Dubai here and there, if he ever needs any advice on the boxing aside, definitely, we’ll do some pad work with him, help him out on that as well. Show him some stuff.
“I like doing stuff like that, it’s all about helping and being there, helping each other and that makes me happy, when I know that I’ve gone and helped someone, especially in a fighting sport, because they’ve got a life on the line.
“They’re putting their life on the line and if you are there to help them in such a big fight like that, yeah, it would make me happy. It makes me happy, and I’ll do that for free as well.”
Former boxer George Groves has given his thoughts on whether or not UFC boss Dana White would be good for the sport.
As we know, Dana White’s first love in combat sports was boxing. He attempted to break in many years ago but instead, opted to go down the path of mixed martial arts. Ever since then, he’s helped grow the Ultimate Fighting Championship to a point where they are now considered to be one of the biggest sporting organizations in the world – and financially, that certainly isn’t an exaggeration.
In addition to that, Dana White is still very interested in the idea of getting into the boxing market. He’s dipped his toe in before but now, it seems like he’s more serious than ever. During a recent Q&A event with Midnite, George Groves gave his thoughts on the UFC’s model and White as a whole.
George Groves’ view on Dana White
“I always look at boxing from the boxer’s point of view and not the fan’s point of view. To get the very best fights you have to build fighters properly to get them being at their very best.
“So all these ‘Records don’t matter, put them in early,’ you ruin fighters by putting them in early in too tougher tests or 50/50 fights. Someone’s going to suffer.
“The money that the UFC fighters are paid compared to boxers is incomparable – it’s peanuts. That’s why anyone that gets a big enough name in the UFC transitions over to boxing like Conor McGregor or what not.
“I wouldn’t say he is good for boxing, but that’s from a boxer’s point of view and not a fan’s point of view. But I don’t think he’ll be able to complete boxing, I don’t think anyone can.”
UFC star Max Holloway has given his thoughts on Paddy Pimblett‘s chances if he is able to land a UFC title shot against Ilia Topuria.
As we know, Paddy Pimblett is one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts today. While a lot of people have often doubted his ability, the Liverpudlian’s dominant win over Michael Chandler made everyone realize that he is, in fact, the real deal. Now, the only question is this: will he jump the line and be thrust into a blockbuster title shot against rival Ilia Topuria?
It’s certainly possible, and it’s definitely what Paddy Pimblett wants. He believes that he has the answers necessary to put an end to the rise of ‘El Matador’ and while some will disagree with that assessment, ‘The Baddy’ has shown remarkable improvements throughout the course of his UFC tenure thus far.
In a recent interview, Max Holloway was asked about Paddy Pimblett and how that fight could play out.
Max Holloway’s view on Paddy Pimblett
“It’s MMA. It’s mixed martial arts. Anybody can win,” Holloway said. “Everybody can say we saw Paddy get cracked. I saw myself get cracked a bunch of times and when Ilia hit me, we saw what we saw. At the end of the day, it’s mixed martial arts. I think Paddy and their team will prepare right for that fight. I think they’ll have a game plan and he’s no slouch.
“A lot of people thought Paddy was this guy who just talks and runs his mouth and then he got to prove himself against a guy like [Michael] Chandler. He’s not a wrestler but he out-wrestled the wrestler, which was pretty crazy to see.”
“He’s super good,” Holloway said about Pimblett. “This is mixed martial arts. It’s what’s going on that day and whoever can apply their game plan that they’ve been doing, you never know.”
UFC 318 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 Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, July 19. The pay-per-view main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/7PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 6PM ET/3PM PT
The headline attraction for the event will feature the final fight in the career of Dustin Poirier, as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF championship.
In the co-main event, former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa faces Roman Kopylov.
The pay-per-view card will also feature Kevin Holland facing Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige clashing with former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson meeting Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 318 as of July 18 at 8pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway (-142) vs. Dustin Poirier (+120)
Middleweight: Paulo Costa (+190) vs. Roman Kopylov (-230)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (-625) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (+455)
Featherweight: Dan Ige (-225) vs. Patricio Pitbull (+185)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (+455) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (-625)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (+124) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (-148)
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (+164) vs. Brendan Allen (-198)
Welterweight: Francisco Prado (-148) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (+124)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier (-550) vs. Robert Valentin (+410)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt (+470) vs. Islam Dulatov (-650)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (-355) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+280)
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (-245) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (+200)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (-550) vs. Jackson McVey (+410)
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice (-395) vs. Nicolle Caliari (+310)
The UFC may be without Sean Strickland for some time, depending on what the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) determines at an upcoming meeting.
The NSAC will be holding a meeting this coming Wednesday, July 23, and one of the topics for discussion will be an “extension of temporary suspension” for Strickland “for possible action.”
Sean Strickland is on the Nevada Athletic Commission's agenda for next week and it appears he's been suspended for that incident where he rushed in the cage at that Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas.
A temporary suspension for Strickland has been confirmed, meaning that Strickland is unable to compete in the UFC until a full punishment is determined and served.
Sean Strickland Temporarily Suspended For Tuff-N-Uff Incident, NSAC To Hold Hearing Wednesday
The suspension stems from an incident at a Tuff-N-Uff event last month that Strickland was present at. Strickland, along with fellow UFC fighter Chris Curtis, were in the corner of Miles Hunsinger, who was submitted by Luis Hernandez.
Following Hernandez’s win, Hernandez made taunts in the direction of Strickland Curtis, who stormed the cage for a confrontation. Strickland threw punches toward Hernandez, including one that appeared to land, before security intervened.
Diego Sanchez now finds himself caught up in a serious legal mess.
According to KRQE News, Sanchez was arrested in Albuquerque on Thursday after allegedly firing a gun from a moving vehicle as it drove past the scene of a highway crash in New Mexico.
Police intercepted the Jeep Gladiator shortly after the incident and confirmed that the former UFC lightweight title challenger was riding in the passenger seat. While he was taken into custody, the driver was not charged.
Although Sanchez initially denied firing the weapon, he did tell officers there was a gun in the backseat on the driver’s side. However, when police searched the vehicle, they found three rounds near the passenger seat and a black handgun stuffed into the back pocket of the driver’s seat.
The driver, who said he was simply giving the MMA veteran a ride home, told police that Sanchez fired the gun out of the window from the passenger seat and noted that the 43-year-old Albuquerque native began laughing during the incident.
Diego Sanchez is now facing two criminal charges: a fourth-degree felony for allegedly shooting at or from a motor vehicle without causing bodily harm, and a misdemeanor count for the negligent discharge of a deadly weapon.
Image courtesy: MMA Fighting
When Did Diego Sanchez Last Fight In The UFC?
Diego Sanchez secured his UFC contract in April 2005 by stopping Kenny Florian via TKO to become the inaugural middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 1. “Nightmare” quickly earned a reputation as one of the promotion’s most relentless fighters. His impressive run eventually led to his first UFC title shot against then-lightweight champion B.J. Penn at UFC 107 in December 2009, where he suffered a TKO loss.
After an up-and-down run across multiple weight classes, Sanchez made his final Octagon appearance at UFC 253 in September 2020, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Jake Matthews.
“Nightmare’s” last outing in combat sports came nearly three years later at BKFC: Knuckle Mania 3 in April 2023, where he suffered a loss to veteran boxer and future bare-knuckle champion Austin Trout.
We’re about 24 hours away from UFC 318, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC 318 takes place on July 19 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The main event of the evening will feature Dustin Poirier, who makes the Octagon walk for the final time, challenge familiar foe Max Holloway to a trilogy bout with the BMF title on the line. Poirier is 2-0 against Holloway, having bested him at both UFC 143 and UFC 236. Poirier enters this fight off a loss in a lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway won the BMF title from Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 but was knocked out by Ilia Topuria in a featherweight title clash at UFC 308.
The co-main event will see former middleweight title challenge Paulo Costa look to get back on winning ways against Roman Kopylov.
The rest of the main card sees Kevin Holland face Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige take on Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson square off with Daniel Zellhuber.
All fighters for the card made weight. All the fights are on!
The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!
We are just one day away from UFC 318, and we’ve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMA News.
UFC 318 takes place from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. And in the main event, the UFC’s BMF title will be up for grabs again as New Orleans’ favorite MMA son takes his final walk to the Octagon — against another beloved MMA legend.
In the main event, BMF champion Max Holloway will place the title on the line as he faces Dustin Poirier in a trilogy bout. Poirier has won both fights in the set thus far, submitting Holloway at UFC 143 in Holloway’s UFC debut and scoring a decision over “Blessed” at UFC 236 to capture the interim lightweight title. Both men come into this bout off unsuccessful title challenges, with Poirier losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 and Holloway losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will see former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa back in action, as he takes on Roman Kopylov. Costa has lost four of his last five — after starting his MMA career undefeated — losing to former champions Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland last year. Kopylov has won six of his last seven, including a finish of Chris Curtis in January.
The main card will also feature Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318 Weigh-In Video, Results
UFC 318 takes place Saturday, July 19 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above to watch the UFC 318 Weigh-In Show (beginning at 9:45 a.m. ET), and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway (155) vs. Dustin Poirier (156)*
Middleweight: Paulo Costa (185) vs. Roman Kopylov (185)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (170) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (170)
Featherweight: Dan Ige (145) vs. Patricio Pitbull (145)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (155) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (156)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (135) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135)
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (186) vs. Brendan Allen (185)
Welterweight: Francisco Prado (170) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (169)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier (185) vs. Robert Valentin (186)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt (171) vs. Islam Dulatov (171)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (205) vs. Marcin Prachnio (205)
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (252) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (242)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (186) vs. Jackson McVey (185)
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice (125) vs. Nicolle Caliari (126)
*Holloway and Poirier are allowed to weigh in at 156 due to the BMF not being a “true division”, as compared to division-specific titles
Dustin Poirier will hope for his final UFC fight to be one that’s memorable — and he’ll get that with UFC 318, as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF title in a trilogy bout that headlines the evening.
The moments won’t stop there for the Louisiana native, however.
On Wednesday, July 16, Poirier announced that legendary rapper Lil’ Wayne, who is also from Louisiana, will be accompanying him for his final walk-out.
“[Lil’] Wayne is walking me out, 100 percent,” Poirier said.
Lil’ Wayne To Lead Dustin Poirier To The Cage For Retirement Fight At UFC 318
This will be the third and final encounter between Poirier and Holloway, with “The Diamond” up 2-0. Poirier first met Holloway at UFC 143 — when a 4-0 and 20-year-old Holloway was making his UFC debut. Poirier submitted “Blessed” in the first round. Poirier and Holloway then faced off at UFC 236, with Poirier taking a decision over the then-featherweight champion to become interim UFC lightweight champion.
Poirier enters this fight off a loss to Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title fight that headlined UFC 302.
Holloway was finished for the first time since the original loss to Poirier — and knocked out for the first time in his career — when he faced Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title at UFC 308.
Holloway has been BMF champion since UFC 300, where he knocked out Justin Gaethje in highlight fashion. Gaethje had been champion since UFC 291, where he knocked out Poirier for the belt.
We’re in the middle of UFC 318 fight week, and we find ourselves just a couple of days away from Dustin Poirier making his final walk to the Octagon. Time to add to the build, and get some more hype around this card, with a good ol’ fashion question-and-answer session.
The seventh UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, July 19. UFC 318 will be headlined by a BMF title fight between defending champion Max Holloway and Poirier.
The co-main event will be a middleweight matchup that sees former title challenger Paulo Costa taking on up-and-comer Roman Kopylov.
The main card will also feature a welterweight matchup between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, the second UFC appearance of former Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion Patricio Pitbull (as he takes on Dan Ige), and Michael Johnson meeting Daniel Zellhuber in a lightweight matchup.
Watch The UFC 318: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 3 Pre-Fight Press Conference
As per tradition, the UFC pay-per-view main card participants will be featured in a press conference during fight week. This is the opportunity for fighters to answer questions from media and fans, as well as potentially lay in some smack talk on their opponents.
UFC star Conor McGregor has reiterated that he is interested in the idea of returning to mixed martial arts for next year’s UFC White House card.
One thing we all know to be true is that Conor McGregor is a pretty controversial figure. Every week there seems to be a new claim about something that he’s done or something he’s said, and the Irishman just seems to roll with the punches. Alas, if he keeps going down this road, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to end particularly well for him.
One thing we haven’t seen is Conor McGregor actually competing in the cage. It’s been four years since he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier and while he’s been close to a comeback since then, it’s never quite come to fruition. At this point, it’s hard to imagine it happening, especially given the kind of lifestyle that he leads.
Alas, in a short interview recently with The Schmo, Conor McGregor made it known that he wants to fight on the UFC White House card that was announced by Donald Trump and later confirmed by Dana White.
Conor McGregor looks ahead to UFC White House
Q: “The White House. Dana White said, ‘You and Jon Jones, that’s the real deal.’
A: “I’m going home. I’m going to get the head down. I’m going to rest. They’re testing me. I’m in the pool. I says, ‘Go tell him, man. I thought that’s what the pools are for — jumping in and out of.’ But I’m back in the pool. So, get ready and stay ready, ’cause damage will be done.”
UFC legend Dustin Poirier has spoken about how he’s been preparing for the last fight of his mixed martial arts career this weekend at UFC 318.
On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will make the walk to the octagon for one last time. He will do so against Max Holloway, with ‘The Diamond’ hoping to go out by capturing the BMF championship. He currently holds a 2-0 record over Holloway in his career but as we know, ‘Blessed’ has gotten a lot better since the last time they fought – even if some people don’t want to believe that.
Dustin Poirier is a fan favorite and that much is an understatement. He has done some wonderful things for the sport of mixed martial arts and although he never claimed an undisputed title, that really doesn’t matter when you consider the body of work he produced.
He’s a legend of the game and you won’t find too many people who would disagree with that. In a recent interview, Dustin Poirier spoke openly about what he’s been doing in order to get ready for this final test.
Dustin Poirier reveals his current carnivore diet
“I’m ninety-something days completely sober – no alcohol, no marijuana. And for the last four, five months, I’ve kind of done the carnivore thing: meat and berries, little vegetables. Dude, I’m in the best shape ever. This is the lightest I’ve ever shown up to fight week.”
One thing we know for sure is this: DP is going to bring the best version of himself to the cage on Saturday in New Orleans.
UFC legend Jon Jones has claimed that he’d be interested in ending his mixed martial arts retirement in order to compete on the recently announced UFC White House card.
As we know, Jon Jones is a pretty controversial figure in this sport – and that’s us putting it lightly. He has had a series of personal and professional setbacks throughout the course of his career, many of which have harmed the public’s opinion of him. The most recent was him seemingly ducking a fight with Tom Aspinall, who is now the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
However, after the White House card was announced, things seemed to change for Jon Jones. He appeared to like the idea of being part of such an iconic event, and made it clear that he would be willing to come back.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones doubled down on that, suggesting that he’ll be coming after the UFC heavyweight championship once again.
Jon Jones is down to fight Tom Aspinall at the UFC White House event if he’s still the champion next year 👀🔥
“I have a very strong feeling I’ll be on that card.”
Jon Jones considers Tom Aspinall fight at White House
“I can’t promise anyone anything, but I have a very strong feeling that I’ll be on that card. It’s gonna be historic.”
“I would wanna take one whoever’s holding the belt at the end of the year.
“Well you know, as of right now, the champion is Tom Aspinall. But we’ll see who’s the champion at the end of the year. It’d be only fitting to have an American guy fight for the championship that night. I’d be willing to put it all on the line one more time.”
UFC 318 fight week is here, which means we are now days away from the final Octagon walk for a UFC legend in his hometown. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.
The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, July 19. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will see a highly-anticipated trilogy bout between two beloved fighters, as BMF champion Max Holloway defends the title against Dustin Poirier, who will be retiring following the fight.
Poirier comes into this fight 2-0 against “Blessed.” “The Diamond” faced Holloway at featherweight at UFC 143, which marked the UFC debut for then-20-year-old Holloway. Poirier submitted Holloway in the first round. The two then met in the main event of UFC 236, which marked Holloway’s first lightweight bout in the UFC. Poirier defeated the then-featherweight champion by decision, claiming the interim lightweight title.
Both men enter this fight off losses. Poirier was unsuccessful in challenging then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway, meanwhile, was knocked out for the first time in his career against then-featherweight champion (and now new lightweight king) Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will feature Paulo Costa taking on Roman Kopylov in middleweight action. This fight was scheduled to take place at UFC 317 last month before being moved to this card. Costa fought twice in 2024, losing to former middleweight champs Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland, making it four losses in Costa’s last five fights. It was Costa’s first time fighting more than once in a year since 2017. Kopylov, meanwhile, has won six of his last seven, most recently scoring a third-round TKO of Chris Curtis in January.
The rest of the UFC 318 main card will see a welterweight bout between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, Patricio Pitbull facing Dan Ige in the former Bellator champ’s second UFC appearance, and Michael Johnson facing Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 318 just a couple of short days away, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through seven cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (20-12) Thomas Albano (19-13)
Ryan Jarrell (18-14)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 318!
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This is one of those classic crossroads matchups where two generations collide. Zellhuber is on the rise, and even his razor-thin split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics did more to raise his stock than to diminish it. He’s scrappy when the pace picks up, and he also possesses a finishing instinct that can swing a fight in his favor.
On the other side, Johnson is the ultimate spoiler. He’s derailed the momentum of elite names in the past and has quietly looked sharper in his recent outings. Give him even a small opening, and he’ll use his experience to take control of a fight. However, I’m not convinced he can match fire with fire against a younger, faster “Golden Boy.” For me, this feels like a straightforward pick. I’m backing Zellhuber to outpace Johnson and make a statement against a seasoned veteran. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Thomas Albano: Michael Johnson is always a pleasure to see fight. Though he never reached the pinnacle in his career, he’s usually in competitive outings even today and is always a tough test for an up-and-comer. So, this is going to be a good test for Daniel Zellhuber in the wake of his loss to Esteban Ribovics in the 2024 Fight of the Year. Johnson might be able to take a punch and fire one back, presenting a strong back-and-forth battle, but Zellhuber is younger, quicker, and has the advantages in reach and height. Johnson may have power, but he’ll need a chin, an aggressive pace, and then some to match the volume and speed of Zellhuber. I don’t think “The Menace” does that. Give me Zellhuber – either via a finish in the second half of the fight or a strong decision win. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Ryan Jarrell: If this fight was happening circa 2015 I would have a very different take. But we are midway through 2025 now, and Michael Johnson is almost 40 years old. “The Menace” is not nearly as menacing as he once was, and Zellhuber has all the tools to show out in this fight. The “Golden Boy” is younger, taller, longer and probably coming into this fight with a chip on his shoulder after losing a razor close split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics last September. I just don’t see any where Johnson can beat Zellhuber in this fight. I expect Daniel to use his range and frustrate Johnson until he makes a mistake and leaves an opening for the “Golden Boy” to close the show. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Consensus: 3-0 Zellhuber
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Images: UFC.com & Bellator YouTube
Pranav Pandey: Dan Ige is easily one of the most resilient fighters in the featherweight division. Time and again, he’s shown the ability to weather adversity and remain composed under pressure. Despite facing some of the division’s toughest names, no one has been able to finish him, which speaks volumes about his durability. Still, inconsistency continues to be his biggest hurdle, preventing him from truly breaking through.
As for Patricio Pitbull, his UFC debut was a rough one. He was soundly beaten by Yair Rodriguez, and it’s fair to say he hasn’t quite looked like the dominant force we saw during his Bellator reign. His recent performances haven’t helped that perception either. Still, this fight feels like a closely contested battle. If Pitbull can control the pace with takedowns and avoid the heavy hands of “50K”, he has a clear route to victory. But pulling it off will be anything but easy. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Thomas Albano: Patricio Pitbull did not look great in his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez outstruck him, outpaced him, and even did better on the ground against him. Pitbull even had questionable Fight IQ in the bout. Now it’s one thing to lose a competitive fight against a former interim UFC champ like Rodriguez; it’s another to lose in the fashion that he did, getting swept on the scorecards. Pitbull, however, has a strong opportunity in front of him in someone like Dan Ige. Ige is tough in his own right and has quite the chin and heart to be called a UFC fighter, even if he’s lower ranked in the contender standings and has lost three of his last five. Ige did get a strong rebound win by finishing Sean Woodson last time out.
Pitbull’s ground expertise will be matched up against someone with a collegiate wrestling background. Pitbull’s chin will be tested by Ige’s strikes, and vice versa. This is going to be an ultimate test, and there are plenty of people who doubt Pitbull based on how he looked against Rodriguez. I’m going to say Pitbull just cracked under the first-time pressure lights and will rebound against Ige.
That said, if Pitbull loses this fight, or he has another bad performance win or lose, then we have to question not only if he made the UFC jump too late, but also if he’s even competitive with the 145ers the UFC has. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tough one to pick confidently as both guys are very well rounded and seem to have a somewhat even skillset, or so it seems. Pitbull got off to a slow start in his UFC debut against Yair and it makes me wonder if that was the octagon jitters that a lot of fighters have when making their UFC debut, or if he may be starting his run in the big show just a touch too late in his career. Having said that, I expect to see a much more desperate Pitbull who will start strong and put the pressure on Ige from the opening bell. Patricio Pitbull has a ton of pride and he will find a way to will himself to his first victory as a UFC fighter. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Consensus: 3-0 Pitbull
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Truth be told, Kevin Holland has been showing real improvement after hitting a rough patch. Let’s not forget, most of his losses came against elite competition who exposed gaps in his overall game. But with “Trailblazer,” unpredictability is always part of the package. You never really know what you’re going to get, except that it’ll be entertaining.
On the other side, Rodriguez is a tough, durable opponent who’s managed to bounce back with two straight wins after dropping three in a row. He’s got heavy hands and a gritty style, but one thing that stands out is his tendency to slow down in the later rounds. Against someone like Holland, who thrives when the pace picks up, that could be a real problem.
I see this fight leaning in Holland’s favor, especially if he stays aggressive and maintains his rhythm. If he keeps the pressure on, I believe he gets it done. (Prediction: Holland)
Thomas Albano: Kevin Holland has come into question in the past over how serious he takes his fights; however, he’s really looked like he’s living up to potential in his last couple of outings. Since dropping back to welterweight earlier this year, Holland has racked up back-to-back performance bonuses in wins over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque – the latter coming just last month at UFC 316. D-Rod has recently claimed wins over Alex Morono and Santiago Ponzinibbio, but it doesn’t scream ready for a guy like Holland – especially since he was on a three-fight skid before those two wins.
Holland’s got the height and reach advantages, and he’s actually the younger fighter with MORE fight experience despite arriving to the UFC a couple of years before Rodriguez. I’m staying hopeful that Holland is finding a true place for himself at 170 and scores a statement win here. (Prediction: Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Kevin Holland is coming off two consecutive impressive wins over Gunner Nelson and Vicente Luque. ‘Big Mouth’ is way more dangerous at welterweight than when he fights the naturally thicker competition at Middleweight. Additionally, Holland has a seven inch reach advantage and is six years younger than Rodriguez. Look for Kevin to make it three wins in a row at 170 and start to make some real noise in the division he should have been in all along. (Prediction: Holland)
Consensus: 3-0 Holland
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This might just be one of the most exciting fights on the entire card, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. Kopylov has quietly put together an impressive run, and while that submission loss to Anthony Hernandez stands out on paper, it doesn’t tell the full story of how skilled he really is. His striking is razor-sharp, he carries serious knockout power, and stylistically, he’s a nightmare if you give him space to operate. The big question now is whether he can handle someone like Paulo Costa.
Now, let’s be honest. Costa hasn’t looked like the wrecking ball he once was. A string of losses, inactivity, and some questionable performances have taken the shine off his name. But still, when he’s locked in, “Borrachinha” is an absolute menace. I don’t think Kopylov will be rushing in blindly, because once Costa starts moving forward with intent, he’s like a pressure-cooker with fists.
To me, this feels like a make-or-break fight for Costa. I believe he knows the stakes and will come into this one with a renewed sense of urgency. That said, he’ll need to be cautious, because Kopylov’s well-rounded skill set can pose real problems if Costa lets his foot off the gas. (Prediction: Costa)
Thomas Albano: There is zero chance I ride with Costa in this fight. I was barely on his hype train when he made his way up, and he lost all credibility with me as a legitimate contender when he had the performance that he had against Israel Adesanya. That said, I’ll give him this – he actually fought more than once in a year last year and he looked great when facing Sean Strickland his last time out. At least three of Costa’s losses are not bad in terms of opponent (and the thing with the Marvin Vettori fight is that it was out of the division technically), but it’s hard when you’re a fighter on that kind of skid, and you’re taking on someone who’s on the rise such as Kopylov.
Kopylov has power in his strikes that can match Costa’s. He’s also got good footwork and a developing wrestling game on top of that. Costa needs the win here; however, Kopylov will make a strong statement by coming out on top with a strong performance. Given Kopylov’s rise and slowly developing all-roundness, I’m going to pick him via decision. (Prediction: Kopylov)
Ryan Jarrell: I am trying not to overthink this one, because when I do I find all these reasons why Kopylov wins. But my initial instinct was to lean Costa because of his boxing and power. Roman is definitely a wild card and has the tools to beat almost anyone at middleweight on any given night. But Paulo has fought the tougher competition and his only losses are to the absolute best in the division. I believe Costa will dictate where this fight takes place and his power will lead to him to a decision victory. (Prediction: Costa)
Consensus: 2-1 Costa
Lightweight: BMF Title: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Images: UFC.com & UFC YouTube
Pranav Pandey: These two warriors know each other like the back of their bruised hands. Both men have shown time and again that they can crank up the violence on command, and while we’ve seen nearly everything from these all-action veterans, there’s still something magnetic about watching them collide. Their last meeting was a fan-favorite classic filled with nonstop action.
Poirier is stepping into the Octagon one last time against the very man he’s already beaten twice. But don’t let that 2-0 record fool you; this is no victory lap. “The Diamond” is throwing himself into the fire once again, fully aware of how dangerous “Blessed” can be. Yes, Holloway is coming off a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, but let’s not kid ourselves. This is a different opponent, a different stage, and a different Max.
Like Poirier, Holloway doesn’t know how to take a backward step. He’s made a career out of throwing volume like a man possessed. And while I fully expect another chaotic war, I have a strong feeling it won’t go the distance. I think Holloway has absorbed more cumulative damage over the years, and that wear and tear might finally catch up to him. If Poirier stays disciplined and avoids diving into those adrenaline-fueled guillotines, I believe “The Diamond” gets the finish and the storybook ending he’s been chasing. (Prediction: Poirier)
Thomas Albano: Throughout my journey from teenhood to adulthood, I’ve watched the rises of Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, and I’ve watched their first two encounters in the Octagon. Now, I get to witness their third. These two have become my favorite fighters today, and in the words of Tim McGraw, I love it, I hate it, I want some more of it. I loved the battles between these two that have already happened. I love that Poirier gets to end his career in this kind of fight. But it stinks that one of these two is going to have to lose this matchup. I just hope it doesn’t end in a way where we’re going to talk about someone’s stock (namely Holloway since he’s still going to be fighting after this) dropping.
Now for the fight itself, this is the hardest pick of the night. Something might seem in the air that makes it feel like the third time is going to be the charm for Holloway. I don’t doubt that and wouldn’t put it past Holloway to win this; however, I have my concerns. Dana White had some skepticism about Holloway in terms of his size when first trying out lightweight – back when he and Poirier fought for the second time. Holloway looked more even in terms of size when he fought Gaethje, but will Poirier still look like the bigger fighter when they match up again? My thoughts say yes – even with Holloway as the slightly taller fighter.
The concern for Holloway is if he’ll be able to work around Poirier’s reach. The concern for Poirier is if his chin can handle the boxing of Holloway. I could say Poirier has the edge if this one goes to the ground, but who am I kidding? This is NOT going to the ground unless someone gets a knockdown. This one’s tough, and I wouldn’t bet on this unless it’s a go the distance prop, but I’ll take Poirier to ride into the sunset with a win – either by a narrow unanimous decision (48-47s on all three cards?) or a controversial split decision. (Prediction: Poirier)
Ryan Jarrell: These are two of my all time favorite fighters so I’d love to say this fight ends in a draw so neither man takes a loss on their record. But that’s not going to happen. The last time these two fought was back in 2019 when Dustin won a unanimous decision over 5 exciting action packed rounds. It is safe to say that both men have evolved tremendously since that contest, so we may be in for absolute treat as fans for this hugely anticipated main event scrap. I belief this will be a very even matchup on the feet and I do expect it to stay on the feet for the majority of the fight. Ultimately, I think ‘The Diamond’ will have the more meaningful moments and land more significant strikes en route to a decision victory and sail off into retirement on a high note. (Prediction: Poirier)
Consensus: 3-0 Poirier
That’ll do it for our UFC 318 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, you can check out the full UFC 318 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
Welterweight: Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Robert Valentin
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Łukasz Brzeski
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari
Rafael Fiziev was able to return to the win column after a three fight losing skid and a sparring partner of the talented lightweight has offered some thoughts on Fiziev’s return to form at UFC Baku. Appearing on MMA Canada, Karim Henniene will make his first foray into the smart cage as the company goes to Africa for the first time with PFL Africa 1 on July 19th.
Henniene is a well travelled fighter across several of Canada’s big regional circuits and the 4-0 pro MMA fighter is also well travelled in terms of gyms he has hone his skills within. Some of these gyms include Kill Cliff FC and Bangtao Muay Thai with Henniene working with Fiziev in the latter space.
When getting into some aspects of the training dynamics with the super exciting 155 pound UFC fighter and the key victory Fiziev secured in the octagon on June 21st, Henniene said,
“Yeah, exactly. I was in Thailand. I trained at Bangtao. I got some good rounds with Rafael Fiziev, one of the best strikers in the world. So at this point, I don’t think anyone can surprise me with any striking… I know exactly he was going to win and like now that I’ve sparred him, I know exactly what kind of combination he’s going to throw and how he throw it.”
“Yeah that was really fun to see and beautiful technique and everything. How he goes to the body and to the head. Yeah, distance control when he had to close the distance. He don’t go only to the head. He goes body, body, head, distance, he get back in. Body, body, head. Like yeah, that was beautiful to see, definitely.”
Rafael Fiziev and the story of his UFC Baku journey
Rafael Fiziev found himself in a tough career spot as the partisan pugilist headed into the cage for his fight in Azerbaijan. ‘Ataman’ entered the cage at UFC Baku on the heels of three setbacks with a pair of losses to former interim UFC lightweight champion and former BMF champion Justin Gaethje bookending an injury-based loss to Mateusz Gamrot. Fiziev had his back against the wall and faced a stiff test in front of him in the form of a game combatant in Ignacio Bahamondes.
When all was said and done with their UFC Baku co-main event clash, it was Fiziev would emerge victorious over Bahamondes by way of a unanimous decision. Fiziev is now the number eleven ranked lightweight competititor in the UFC’s rankings hierarchy, as of this writing.
Don’t try to outshine Conor McGregor — whether you believe him or not.
Just as news drops of Jon Jones explaining his plans to unretire and confirming his intentions to compete at the UFC’s White House card next year, McGregor makes his own claim of the same nature.
Talking to The Schmo, McGregor confirmed his intentions to return for the major UFC card in July 2026.
🚨”I’m Back in The Pool. So get ready and stay ready. Damage will be Done.” @TheNotoriousMMA
“They’re testing me. I’m in the pool,” McGregor told The Schmo. “That’s what pools are for — jumping in and out. But I’m back in the pool. So get ready and stay ready, because damage will be done.”
Conor McGregor Confirms Desire To Be On UFC Card At The White House
Following an announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump, UFC officials, including UFC CEO and President Dana White have confirmed plans for a UFC card on the White House grounds during the U.S. Semiquincentennial next July 4.
McGregor has been out of action since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. Plans were in motion for McGregor to return following his stint as a coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, taking on rival coach Michael Chandler. After a drawn-out negotiation, however, McGregor vs. Chandler was scheduled for UFC 303 — only to be canceled a few weeks before the event.
While a toe injury is the given reason for the fight falling through, some reports have claimed contract issues between McGregor and the promotion. McGregor has two fights remaining on his current deal and wants to fight the contract out; meanwhile, the UFC wants to lock McGregor up under another contract.
McGregor has been focused on his role as a part-owner of the BKFC, recently promoting its upcoming $25 million tournament and new signings, as well as getting into a confrontation with Mike Perry.
BKFC President David Feldman, during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, says McGregor told him of his intentions to fight on the White House card and then have one last fight with the UFC after. He teased that after completing his UFC contract, McGregor might potentially fight in BKFC.
“He’s got two fights left on his contract,” Feldman said. “He told me in person. He whispered in my ear. He said, ‘I’m in the testing pool.’ He said, ‘I’m getting ready to make my comeback. I’m going to fight on that big card, and then I’m going to have another fight, and then we can talk.”
The saga of Jon Jones’ retirement and unretirement decision has been one that stretched back to when it was debated if he’d retire after facing Stipe Miocic — and it’s ongoing in the wake of his decision to unretire just two weeks after doing so and giving up the UFC heavyweight championship.
And now, Jones has publicly given an explanation for his decision to both retire and unretire quickly.
Jones was present at ESPN’s ESPY Awards show on July 16 and appeared on the red carpet. It was at the event’s Red Carpet show where Jones gave an interview, allowing him to give insight on his decision.
“I felt like I was at a place where I’ve done it all in the MMA space and felt like there wasn’t too many more challenges for me,” Jones told ESPN. “I just wanted to do something more than championships and money — and Donald Trump mentioned that he wanted to have a fight at the White House Garden, and that just seems like such a huge opportunity.”
Jon Jones Confirms His Intention To Compete On UFC White House Card
Following Trump’s announcement of a UFC White House card, UFC officials would confirm the plan was being explored. In the days since, UFC CEO and President Dana White has confirmed such plans are in motion. White has promised to bring the “baddest” and most anticipated UFC pay-per-view card ever next July 4.
While logistics for the event still have to be worked out, White has mentioned that he sees a long-overdue fight between Jones and Aspinall as a “dream main event” for the card.
Conor McGregor has also thrown his name in the hat for the White House UFC event, and White has stated he would get both a Jones fight and McGregor fight on this kind of card.
“I’m a very proud American,” Jones said. “I have a lot of close friends that are in the military, and this is my act of — I can’t call it service — but just to be able to entertain the country and the world at this level at the White House. It just means the world to me. So I’m back.”
Jones became UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 285 by defeating Ciryl Gane for the then-vacant title, and he retained the championship against Miocic at UFC 309. Jones and Miocic were scheduled to face off originally at UFC 295 before Jones suffered a torn pec. Instead, Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title at that event — and then retained the interim gold against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Negotiations between Jones and Aspinall had been ongoing and seemed to be near completion until Jones’ retirement announcement. Aspinall was then named the new UFC heavyweight champion at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference last month.
The event will mark the UFC’s 22nd overall trip to Abu Dhabi and its second visit in 2025, following an upcoming Fight Night card on July 26, headlined by former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder.
Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida In Works For UFC 321
According to a recent report by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, heavyweight contenders Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida have verbally agreed to square off at UFC 321 in a matchup that could have major implications for the title picture.
(1/2) Big HEAVYWEIGHT matchup between Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida is targeted for #UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Who ya' got?
Both Volkov and Almeida had set their sights on a title shot against newly crowned undisputed champion Tom Aspinall following Jon Jones’ official retirement last month. However, the two are now expected to battle each other for a prime spot in the heavyweight pecking order
Volkov’s four-fight winning streak, which included stoppage victories over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alexandr Romanov, and Tai Tuivasa, along with a lopsided decision victory against Sergei Pavlovich, came to an end at UFC 310 this past December when he dropped a highly debated split decision to former interim champion Ciryl Gane. “Drago” currently holds a 12-5 record inside the UFC, with seven of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
Meanwhile, Almeida last competed at UFC 311 this past January, where he secured a first-round knockout win over Serghei Spivac. “Malhadinho” previously built a decent six-fight winning streak in the Octagon, which was snapped by a TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in March 2024. He now holds a UFC record of 8-1, with seven of those victories earned via finish.
PFL star Dakota Ditcheva has praised teammate Kayla Harrison for both her work ethic and the way in which she was able to defeat Julianna Pena to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight championship.
Kayla Harrison is one of the greatest female fighters of all time and that much goes without saying. In addition to her remarkable Olympic success, she’s also had a phenomenal career in mixed martial arts – and some would argue she’s still got a lot left in the tank.
As she prepares to battle Amanda Nunes in a superfight at some point in the future, Kayla Harrison has been receiving a great deal of praise from the MMA community for what she’s accomplished over the years. That includes Dakota Ditcheva, one of PFL’s biggest stars, who had the following to say about her teammate recently.
Dakota Ditcheva praises Kayla Harrison’s success
“Yeah, it’s crazy. I’ve actually got goosebumps when you think about it,” Ditcheva told MMA Fighting. “Like her journey through MMA, or just through martial arts sport has been crazy.
“After she won out there was loads of things online, I was just reading it all because, for me, a journey like that — Olympic gold medalist, comes to PFL, cleans everyone out there. Goes to UFC, cleans everyone out there. Within two or three fights, she’s got the UFC belt. That journey that she’s been on is absolutely crazy.”
“The weight cuts, the dedication she’s got to training, when she’s saying in these interviews, she’s not missed a day running or biking, that girl is in the gym every morning, every afternoon, and between them sessions, she’s walking, she’s running,” Ditcheva explained. “She’s the hardest worker in that gym.
“So to have someone like that around us and set such an example like that for us girls in the gym is like second to none. That’s why we’re the best, best gym in the world because we’ve got examples like that around us. How can we not be inspired and want to keep working hard when we see people like Kayla Harrison doing that?”
UFC middleweight Brendan Allen has spoken about how hard he was hit by Dustin Poirier once upon a time when they trained together.
On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will officially retire from professional mixed martial arts. He’ll do so after taking part in a trilogy fight against Max Holloway, with the two competing for the BMF title in the main event of UFC 318. Regardless of whether he wins or loses, it’s safe to say that ‘The Diamond’ will receive an incredible ovation from his home state of Louisiana.
In a recent inteview Brendan Allen, who will also compete on the UFC 318 card, opened up on his experience of training with Dustin Poirier many years ago.
Brendan Allen on Dustin Poirier’s power
“I was sparring, trying to watch them spar because they were having a hell of a sparring session. Then it was live gos starting from guard against the wall and man they said go and he hit me so hard. It was like a live drill but you start in guard and he hit me so hard. I’m like f*ck man, I’m just a kid. We ain’t little no more. That sh*t ain’t going to happen again.”
“You learn real quick,” Allen said. “That was my whole upbringing at the beginning, just trying with guys that are 25, 26, 27 [years old] and I’m 14, 15, 16 years old. It’s way different than nowadays, I can tell you that. It’s way different.”
“At the end of the day, everything aside, I’m super happy for him and his family,” Allen said. “He’s earned every single thing he has right now. So many fighters would kill to have that and he’s done it. No matter what happens, the man has made a great life for himself by punching people in the face. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen believes Dustin Poirier may have made a mistake that could cost him in his trilogy fight against Max Holloway.
As we know, Dustin Poirier is set to compete in his retirement fight this weekend in the main event of UFC 318. He will battle Max Holloway for the BMF title, but more importantly, he’ll be fighting professionally for the final time. These two warriors have fought on two previous occasions and in both instances, it was ‘The Diamond’ who was able to come away with the victory.
Of course, Dustin Poirier has never been one to hold back when giving his opinion on something, and he’s also a pretty honest guy when analyzing how a fight has gone. After their second fight a few years back, Poirier opened up on how you need to be able to disrupt Holloway, who he considers to be a rhythm fighter, so that he can’t go through the gears and build from one move to the next move.
Sonnen believes that Dustin Poirier’s words are something that Max Holloway can subsequently use to his advantage.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Dustin Poirier’s comments
“I watched Max Holloway build his way back into this fight, I knew Dustin Poirier was a different fighter because he fought him back when things started to go south. There were times earlier in his career, with ‘The Korean Zombie‘, where it kind of snowballed on Dustin and he was never able to get back to it.”
UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis appears to be fantastic shape as we get closer and closer to next month’s UFC 319 event.
In just a matter of weeks, Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319. The two have been going back and forth at one another for quite some time now, and ‘Borz’ has been eagerly awaiting his moment to finally try and claim the gold.
Despite that, Dricus du Plessis doesn’t seem particularly bothered about the scale of the task that sits in front of him. Given that he’s already beaten the likes of Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, both via finish, that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Ahead of the bout, Dricus du Plessis has shown off his physique – and part of his training – giving us a glimpse into his regime.
As you can see, the man known as DDP appears to be in the shape of his life as we sit just weeks away from UFC 319. There’s a lot on the line for the South African champion and although he’s had a lot of fun trolling Khamzat Chimaev, he knows the stakes involved here.
If he loses, he’ll have to scratch and claw (probably) in order to earn another shot at the title. If he wins, though, he’ll start being talked about as one of the greatest middleweight champions of all time. Either way, you just know that he’s going to bring everything he’s got to the cage.
Welcome, everyone, to the eighth edition of The TUF Stuff!
Each week, I’ll be guiding you through a recap of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode — from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.
This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it’s all said and done.
Last week saw the final flyweight matchup of the season, with Team Cormier’s frustrations continuing and Team Sonnen seeming to have turned the tide with Roybert Echeverria defeating Tumelo Manyamala.
Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 8
The first round concludes with the last welterweight semifinal spot on the line tonight in a grudge match! Two men who haven’t gotten along well during their time in the TUF House — Team Cormier’s Rodrigo Sezinando and Team Sonnen’s Diego Bianchini — will finally throw down!
Let’s get into episode eight of The Ultimate Fighter!
Team Cormier Training Session — Yair Rodriguez Joins
Michael Chiesa is back. Daniel Cormier is absent from the session, and Chiesa introduces former UFC interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, A previous TUF: Latin America winner, to join for the team’s training session.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Rodriguez tells the cast to remember to enjoy the moment — and that while TUF is a competition, it’s also a brotherhood. He then leads the team through some clinch techniques.
Jeff Creighton said Rodriguez has “layers to his game” and Rodriguez gave a “masterclass elbows seminar” in the sport.
Diego Bianchini Backstory
Bianchini grew up, and still lives, in Sao Paulo, Brazil and currently lives with his parents. He describes himself as spoiled to have his family and pets, as well as living in a quiet environment.
Bianchini says growing up in Brazil, you either play soccer or fight, and he knew that he was always going to be in the UFC.
Bianchini, who is 9-1, trains at the Fighting Nerds alongside Caio Borralho and Jean Silva. Borralho describes Bianchini as a good guy to train with and praises his talent, claiming “The Brazilian Bad Boy” (Bianchini’s self-proclaimed alter-ego) will be in the TUF Finale.
Rodrigo Sezinando Backstory
We see some of Sezinando’s homesickness on display, looking at a photo of his mom and feeling awful for not being able to afford to see her. Sezinando went as far as to say his mom “doesn’t know if he’s alive or not” but promises to make her proud of him.
Sezinando was born in Rio De Janeiro, raised by his mom. His mom talks on camera, saying how he fights for her. She says, “His battle is ours, too. I love my son very much and that’s how it is.”
Sezinando says he grew up in a simple life in a place that isn’t the safest — and so he joined a gym for self-defense.
Sezinando is in Vancouver now after competing for Battlefield Fight League. He moved to Canada with just $200 to his name, and he hopes to use his family’s support to fuel his dream.
Diego Bianchini Fight Prep
Bianchini gives Sonnen praise for his guidance. Bianchini says he recognizes Sezinando’s jiu-jitsu but promises to dominate him in the cage. He then works with Sonnen on takedown techniques and with other coaches on striking.
Bianchini wants to strike without taking damage. “Nobody can read me,” he says.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Sonnen feels Sezinando can’t keep up with Bainchini, who he says will weaponize pace. Sonnen feels Sezinando might come out with fury and will be dangerous in the first but won’t win a second or third round.
Bianchini says Sezinando has been talking crap and promises to show what “The Brazilian Bad Boy” can do.
Rodrigo Sezinando Fight Prep
Sezinando says he is going to use his striking to tire Bianchini out. Sezinando wants to knock Bianchini out given their history.
“My ego has to stay outside,” he says, promising if jiu-jitsu opens up, that’s what he’ll do to get the win.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Cormier says he isn’t sure how Bianchini will be able to take Sezinando down. Cormier says Bianchini is sloppy with takedowns; however, he’s fearful that Sezinando will go wild and sloppy when he spots openings. Cormier, however, tells the camera that he thinks Sezinando can put Bianchini away with his striking.
Sezinando says his heart and his fight IQ are his biggest positives as a fighter.
Cormier adds to the fire by saying to think about his motivations – “This is fun to him, this is life to you.”
TUF House
Tumelo Manyamala says this is a fight everyone in the house has wanted to happened.
Bianchini claims Sezinando knows he loves him, seemingly trying to get under Sezinando’s skin. Sezinando says “Don’t worry. I will take care of you.”
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Bianchini says Sezinando is a farce of an individual. Sezinando says Bianchini doesn’t understand how hard it is to move away from his family and sacrifice everything.
Bianchini says Sezinando doesn’t like successful people, but he himself “doesn’t like haters.”
The Fight: Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini
—–IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.———
Both men weigh in at 170.5. The fight is on! And, of course, we get an intense staredown!
Roybert Echeverria says this will be the fight of the season. Jeff Creighton says he told Sezinando to control his emotions to be the better fighter and winner.
Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini
Round 1
Bianchini comes right out the gate with a round kick. Another spinning kick but it misses! Low kicks from both men. Round kick by Bianchini. He misses another spin kick, and Sezinando takes him down! Cormier telling Sezinando to flatten him. Bianchini tries for a leg lock, but Sezinando gets the fight back to the feet. Sezinando misses a spin kick now! Flying knee from Bianchini! Low kick from Bianchini. It’s a leg kick battle here. Another one from Bianchini. Sezinando stops the takedown attempt and adds a low kick. Round kick from Bianchini lands. Sezinando goes for a clinch, but Bianchini tries to control it until a quick separation. Kick lands low and we get a timeout.
Fight resumes, and Bianchini doesn’t get all of a spin kick. Sezinando goes big on his strikes and gets clinched to the wall briefly. Bianchini can’t get a takedown, and Sezinando tosses him down, adding a couple of strikes for good measures before he lets Bianchini up. Low kick from Sezinando. One-two from Bianchini. Sezinando lands a combination that HURTS Bianchini! Bianchini is able to get Sezinando to the fence. Bianchini continues to hold. The ref calls for activity with about 85 seconds left in the round, and Sezinando is able to reverse the position. Sezinando lands a knee. He adds a left hand on the separation.
Knee from Bianchini. Overhand right catches Sezinando now! Sezinando pressures and throws a high kick! Spin kick lands to the back of the head of Sezinando. Strong left hand from Sezinando. Sezinando clinches Bianchini against the fence for the last 10 seconds.
Round 2
Bianchini with a front kick and a right hand. Low kick from Bianchini, followed by a blocked high kick. Sezinando responds with kicks of his own. Bianchini lands a jab but his high kick is blocked. Bianchini goes for a takedown, but Sezinando stuffs it and gets him down! A couple of elbows from Sezinando. And another. Bianchini tries to get his legs up, but Sezinando works around them, staying on top of Bianchini. Sezinando covering Bianchini’s mouth. Activity slows. Sonnen trying to get Bianchini to work. Cormier telling Sezinando to stay on him.
Sezinando with more punches. Bianchini tries for another leg lock, but Sezinando gets away from it. He returns to the ground, working in Bianchini’s guard. Sezinando lands another couple of shots. Sonnen questions if Bianchini really wants the win, urging him to get up. Sezinando lands a couple of elbows, with his coaches urging to continue to beat him up. Another elbow from Sezinando. And another. This is a complete smothering as compared to the first round. Left hand lands. Another couple of elbows. More ground-and-pound from Sezinando.
No third round needed! Sezinando wins the rivalry!
Winner: Sezinando via unanimous decision after two rounds
Conclusion
Cormier says Bianchini came out crazy, but Sezinando mostly “stayed true to who he was.” Sonnen says he felt bad for Bianchini because he had pressure in being “the baddest dude” — as did Sezinando. Dana White says when a fight hype like this happens, the fight usually doesn’t live up to the hype.
Cormier says Sezinando fought a “beautiful” first round and then in the second, got a takedown and “beat the crap out of” Bianchini. White says Sezinando didn’t want to take a risk and dominated — alas, not a fun way to close out the quarterfinals.
Sezinando expresses excitement for the win, but the two hugged it out in the cage, seemingly putting the bad blood behind them. Bianchini says Sezinando earned his respect and that he was the better fighter tonight. “It is what it is,” Sezinando says. “The Brazilian Bad Boy” will be back.”
Semi-Finals Decisions
White will not join Cormier and Sonnen this season. The two coaches will hear from the fighters and they alone will make this season’s TUF semis.
Here were the fighters’ remarks:
Joseph Morales of Team Sonnen says he wants to fight Imanol Rodriguez.
Imanol Rodriguez of Team Cormier wants Roybert Echerverria.
Echerverria of Team Sonnen wants Alibi Idiris.
Idiris of Team Cormier says he also wants Echerverria.
Creighton of Team Cormier says if put in the position where he’d have to fight a teammate, he’d want to fight Sezinando.
Morales adds in the idea of him fighting Sezinando as well.
Sezinando says he’s interested in facing Matt Dixon.
Daniil Donchenko of Team Cormier says he puts his trust in the coaches.
Ultimately, the following semi-finals are announced:
Flyweight: Alibi Idiris (Team Cormier) vs. Roybert Echerverria (Team Sonnen)
Flyweight: Imanol Rodriguez (Team Cormier) vs. Joseph Morales (Team Sonnen)
Welterweight: Matt Dixon (Team Sonnen) vs. Daniil Donchenko (Team Cormier)
Welterweight: Jeff Creighton (Team Cormier) vs. Rodrigo Sezinando (Team Cormier)
Cormier says he feels Idiris is ready for the UFC right now, and Echerverria is better than what he showed in the quarterfinals.
Sonnen feels Morales, based on his previous UFC experience, is the best fighter in the competition. Morales and Rodriguez share some intense words.
Sonnen says Dixon could knock everyone out in the competition, but the fight with Donchenko will be “brutal.”
Cormier feels Sezinando was the best fighter entering the competition; however, Creighton has showed the biggest improvements of anyone. The two fighters face off, with Sezinando affirming Creighton’s claim “You knew this would happen.” Sezinando says the two can share food after the fight.
Cormier and Sonnen play pickleball for this season’s Coaches’ Challenge next week!
Idiris vs. Echerverria is the first semi to go down!
What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!
Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!
Ilia Topuria was already soaring in popularity and becoming one of the best fighters in the world — and that was solidified after UFC 317, if it wasn’t already.
Just a couple of weeks ago at this year’s International Fight Week card, Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in the main event to become UFC lightweight champion. This made Topuria the 10th UFC fighter to win championships in more than one weight class, and earned Topuria the top men’s pound-for-pound ranking in the UFC.
Though Topuria had plenty of supporters in the lead into the fight, Topuria still shocked plenty with the manner in which he dropped Oliveira out cold during the match. Oliveira had not been finished since losing to Paul Felder at UFC 218 — and hadn’t been straight KO’d since losing to Cub Swanson at UFC 152.
Eddie Alvarez, another former UFC lightweight champion, is one of those who picked Topuria to win but was still shocked in the manner that he did it.
“Everybody knew Ilia was going to put Charles down,” Alvarez told Helen Yee. “I didn’t know he was going to put him out like that. So yeah, I was shocked.”
Eddie Alvarez Praises Ilia Topuria’s Knockouts Of Several Big Names In UFC
Topuria’s victory over Oliveira moved him to 17-0, including a 9-0 record in the Octagon. It was just last year when Topuria won the UFC featherweight championship by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in violent fashion as well.
Topuria would retain the championship once before moving up to lightweight, knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308. It was just the first time Holloway had been knocked out in his professional career. Holloway also had not been finished since getting submitted by Dustin Poirier in their first fight at UFC 143.
Alvarez says that Topuria’s talent is already displayed in the Octagon performances and his wins and record. The manner in which he’s beaten the names he has, however, brings Topuria to another level of fighter.
“When you look at the last three guys…Volkanovski, Charles, Max Holloway — these are legends back to back that he’s knocking out,” Alvarez said. “The guy’s special, man. He’s special.”
Many have clamored for a superfight between Topuria and Islam Makhachev, who vacated the lightweight title to move up to welterweight. A Topuria vs. Makhachev fight could have happened had Belal Muhammad defeated Jack Della Maddalena; however, it remains to be seen if such a fight could still be made if Makhachev beats JDM for the 170-pound gold.
