After about a decade in the Octagon, Lauren Murphy hangs up the gloves following her loss to Eduarda Moura during the UFC Nashville prelims.
“I’ve been in the UFC 10 years, [in MMA] for 15,” Murphy said. “I want to thank me for doing all this hard motherf****** work at 41 years old. I’m still in here f****** these girls up.”
Moura scored a couple of notable shots on Murphy early before a Murphy takedown — only for Moura to get up right away and score one of her own. Moura controlled the action from there and seemed to land speedier, more effective strikes the rest of the way.
Moura continued to get the better of Murphy in terms of striking in the second round. Murphy was able to land her own fair share as Moura slowed in the second half of the frame; however, Moura was still the quicker fighter with better striking.
Murphy pulled off a near-fairytale ending out of nowhere in the third round, locking up a guillotine choke that looked tight but failed to get the submission. The fight’s pace slowed from there, though Murphy landed the better strikes up until the final 30 seconds, when Moura started to get some of her gas tank and power back.
No judge gave Murphy a 10-8 for the near finish, however, as Moura took the cards with three 29-28s.
Lauren Murphy Retires Following Loss To Eduarda Moura
Moura is now 3-1 in the UFC since her first-round submission of Janaina Silva on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023.
Despite a string of losses early in her UFC tenure, Murphy found her groove in 2019 as a flyweight, ending her UFC tenure 6-3 since then. Murphy lost three of the last four fights in her UFC career, which began with an unsuccessful flyweight title challenge against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266.
Three fights into UFC Nashville’s preliminary card, and we have our third finish in a row — and it’s the third finish via heel hook in a row for Valter Walker.
Walker, the older brother of light heavyweight Johnny Walker, needed less than a minute to put away Kennedy Nzechukwu.
Walker brought pressure right away, quickly pressing Nzechukwu to the fence. Walker then scored a takedown and quickly was able to contort one of Nzechukwu’s legs, locking up another heel hook and scoring a submission in just 54 seconds.
Valter Walker Wins Third Straight Via Heel Hook At UFC Nashville
In addition to three straight wins, Walker has now won four of his last five. Walker’s three heel hook submission victories over these past 12 months have helped him rebound from dropping his UFC debut against Łukasz Brzeski.
Nzechukwu had come into this bout 2-0 since moving up to heavyweight, defeating Chris Barnett and Brzeski at UFC 308 and UFC 310, respectively.
Talk about quite the all-around performance, Mike Davis lived up to being one of the biggest favorites on the UFC Nashville card, pulling out a second-round finish of Mitch Ramirez during the preliminary card of UFC Nashville.
Davis took Ramirez down early in the first round, controlling the round from that second. Davis would make his way to Ramirez’s back, threatening multiple choke attempts, though running out of time before he could score the submission.
Davis’ pace appeared to slow early in the second round, as Ramirez landed a pair of shots that seemed to do damage. The fight became a striking battle from there, and Davis got back control as the action went on. Eventually, Davis landed a flying knee that rocked Ramirez, and follow-up shots got Ramirez to crumble to the mat, ending the fight.
UFC Nashville: Mike Davis Lands Flying Knee In Finishing Sequence On Mitch Ramirez
Mike Davis is not who he once was, but he still has insane fire power and athleticism. Just decided to tank damage, walk forward, & decked himpic.twitter.com/uRSvPG3mlP
— Liam Picks Fights (@LiamPicksFights) July 12, 2025
Talk about a heck of a way to celebrate turning 25 years old.
Fatima Kline has appeared to impress the masses in her third Octagon bout, quite literally kicking off the action at UFC Nashville with a bang in her finish of Melissa Martinez.
Kline used her pressure to control the fight from the get-go, using her reach to land jabs and kicks, focusing on body shots. Kline continued to push the pace, working over Martinez in the clinch with sharp strikes, while Martinez’s power increase only resulted in some strikes landing.
Fatima Kline Lands Head Kick To KO Melissa Martinez At UFC Nashville
Kline then ended things dramatically in the third with a head kick that dropped Martinez. Kline landed a couple of follow-up strikes before the referee stepped in and waved things off.
Kline has now won back-to-back fights, defeating Victoria Dudakova this past January. Kline made her UFC debut last year in a loss to Jasmine Jasudavicius.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Tallison Teixeira clashed. While in the co-main event, Stephen Thompson faced off with Gabriel Bonfim in a welterweight matchup.
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Derrick Lewis def. Tallison Teixeira via TKO: R1, 0.35
Gabriel Bonfim def. Stephen Thompson via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Steve Garcia def. Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Morgan Charriere def. Nate Landwehr via TKO: R3, 0.27
Vitor Petrino def. Austen Lane via submission: R1, 4.16
Tuco Tokkos def. Junior Tafa via submission: R2, 4.25
Preliminary Card
Chris Curtis def. Max Griffin via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Jake Matthews def. Chidi Njokuani via submission: R1, 1.09
Eduarda Moura def. Lauren Murphy via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Valter Walker def. Kennedy Nzechukwu via submission: R1, 0.54
Mike Davis def. Mitch Ramirez via TKO: R2, 4.08
Fatima Kline def. Melissa Martinez via TKO: R3, 2.36
Many know of the lineal MMA heavyweight title path that extended from Randy Couture to Francis Ngannou today but ‘The Natural’ created a separate splintering of the UFC title’s lineage that lead to an unheralded unification bout years ago. Observing the more widely known lineal heavyweight title path, Couture cemented himself as the UFC heavyweight champion within his first four professional MMA bouts before departing the promotion as their reigning titleholder.
The decorated wrestler would then lose the lineal strap to Enson Inoue when Couture submitted via armbar in the first round of their Vale Tudo Japan bout in October 1998. Inoue would drop the unofficial crown to Mark Kerr in the opening round of the 2000 Pride Grand Prix with the lineal title being passed around throughout that tournament. When the dust settled on the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, Kerr dropped the lineal title to Kazuyuki Fujita who then promptly dropped it to Mark Coleman who won the stacked tournament in the end.
Couture again leaves as UFC champ and the lineage passes through Japan once more
The other break within the UFC title’s lineage was driven by Couture yet again and his reclaiming of that organization’s heavyweight crown took place at UFC 28 in November 2000. Randy Couture would not only return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship but again became the UFC heavyweight champion when he finished Kevin Randleman with strikes in the final minute of the third frame. Couture would again leave the promotion as their reigning heavyweight champion and after defeating Tsuyoshi Kosaka under the Rings Japan banner, he would lose this separate lineal distinction to Valentijn Overeem in February 2001.
Overeem would lose this quasi title to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira who also captured the Rings Japan 2001 tournament title in the process. Following his own lineal title defense at Pride 15 after submitting Gary Goodridge with a first round triangle choke, Pride FC would then book a clash between the 2000 Pride Grand Prix champion and the 2001 Rings Japan tournament champion.
Two wayward UFC Title lineages coming together in the Pride ring
The stage was set for these two splintered UFC title championship lineages to finally come together as one and it all transpired at at Pride 16 in September 2001. Coleman has also quasi defend his version of the lineal title when he halted Allan Goes with knees at the seventy nine second mark of their Pride 13 contest. This clash between Coleman and Nogueira was initially set to transpire at Pride 15 in July 2001 before a knee injury Mark Coleman sustained scrapped that planned prizefight.
When the two finally stepped into the ring a matter of weeks after the fact, it was Nogueira who would consolodate both lineages and fuse them into one. This moment of galvanizing the wayward title lineages came in the form of ‘Big Nog’ snatching a triangle armbar onto ‘The Hammer’ and illiciting a tap at the 6:10 mark of round one with ten minute opening rounds being commonplace under the Pride FC banner.
Conor McGregor came face to face with Mike Perry at a BKFC event yesterday as rumors continue to swirl regarding a possible future fight between the two men.
As we know, Conor McGregor plays a pretty big role in the operation over at BKFC – or, at least, that’s how it seems. He also isn’t a big fan of Mike Perry, to the point where he even seemed to ‘fire’ him once upon a time. Now, though, ‘Platinum’ is back in BKFC, and it would appear as if they’re teasing the idea of these rivals actually battling it out in the ring.
Conor McGregor hasn’t been in active competition since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier four years ago, and it’s not quite clear as to if he’ll ever compete again. If he does, though, this would seem to indicate that Mike Perry is definitely a potential foe for him.
Conor McGregor confronts Mike Perry at the BKFC presser 😭
"You're welcome back because I welcomed you back… You'll dance for me boy."
“You’re welcome back because I welcomed you back,” McGregor said, referencing when he claimed Perry was fired from BKFC after losing to Paul. “Oct. 11 is your date, and you’ll dance for me, boy. You’ll dance for the owner, and then we can talk.”
“Your date is Oct. 11, Michael Perry, the return of ‘Platinum’, and we’ve got [one] hell of an announcement for an opponent for you,” McGregor teased. “One of the baddest men to ever grace the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but when it comes to bare-knuckle, he’s going to throw down with you in front of me for my viewing pleasure, and then I’ll decide if you’re worthy.”
UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has revealed who hit him the hardest throughout the course of his mixed martial arts career.
It’s safe to say that Daniel Cormier is one of the greatest of all time. In addition to his wrestling credentials, he went on to become a two-weight world champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. There aren’t many fighters who can claim to have done that, and DC is within that group.
He’s also taken on some of the hardest hitters in the history of the game. From Anthony Johnson to Derrick Lewis and beyond, Daniel Cormier has never been afraid to take someone on. He’s never been a guy who shies away from a challenge, which is one of the reasons why he’s so highly thought of.
In a recent podcast, Daniel Cormier revealed who it was that actually hit him harder than anyone else when he was in the cage.
Daniel Cormier talks about hardest hitter he’s faced
“I think you and I could agree with one though, one guy that hit harder than just about everyone. Dan Henderson. Dan Henderson never got to hit me. He never really got to hit me outside of him being on his back and hitting me or in the clinch hitting me a couple of times. I could not believe how much impact he was making from such a short distance. I was like, ‘What is this dude made out of?’”
Former UFC fighter Jon Jones continues to tease the idea of a comeback, just a few weeks after announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts.
One thing we’ve come to learn is that you should expect the unexpected with Jon Jones. He likes to keep the mixed martial arts world on its toes, and he doesn’t really care how he does it. For the longest time he was stringing Tom Aspinall along, not fighting him for the undisputed championship. Then, he retired, and it’s safe to say that a lot of people weren’t happy about that decision.
For Jon Jones, trolling fans and critics alike is just what he does. He flip flops between one thought process and the other, and after it was announced that the UFC plans on taking an event to the White House, things have only ramped up even further.
In a recent series of tweets, Jon Jones made it pretty clear that this is a venture he’s interested in pursuing – and you’d have to imagine he’ll be coming back to fight Tom Aspinall.
Donald made his announcement on the morning of the Fourth of July, I called the UFC headquarters that very same afternoon. I’ll just leave it at that. America! Now that tickles my pickle. https://t.co/wDydycPNic
It would be, for me it’s about the opportunity to represent America at the White House. I don’t care who I fight that night. I found my reason why, that’s what I needed, something that was more than money https://t.co/jdVDVyYakw
“Donald made his announcement on the morning of the Fourth of July, I called the UFC headquarters that very same afternoon. I’ll just leave it at that. America! Now that tickles my pickle.”
“It would be, for me it’s about the opportunity to represent America at the White House. I don’t care who I fight that night. I found my reason why, that’s what I needed, something that was more than money.”
“Who knows what the future holds, but the moment I heard Donald Trump‘s announcement, I started training again.”
UFC flyweight contender Joshua Van has said that his knockout loss to Charles Johnson last year was one of the best things that could’ve happened to him.
As we know, 23-year-old Joshua Van is the number one contender for the UFC flyweight championship. He looks set to challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the belt in a fight that pits the old guard against the new, with many wondering whether or not Van has what it takes to become one of the youngest UFC champions of all time.
However, while he may be on a great five-fight win streak, Joshua Van has two losses to his name – both by finish. In the latest of those two defeats, he was knocked out by Charles Johnson last year in what was fairly surprising for those who always knew his full potential.
In a recent interview, Joshua Van spoke candidly about how losing in such a way actually helped him grow.
Joshua Van reveals impact of defeat
“It was just the faith thing. The loss was the greatest thing that ever happened to me, because if not, I would have been out of the world—get a big head and things like that. I got humble real quick. Now, I never want to go back to that type of moment. So, I’m just staying in my lane, doing what coach is telling me to do, so that none of that type of thing will ever happen to me again.”
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has spoken candidly about the concussion he suffered in his short notice rematch against Islam Makhachev.
As we know, Alexander Volkanovski is one of the most beloved fighters in recent memory. He made history as featherweight champion during his first run and now, he has the belt back once again. With that being said, prior to his triumph over Diego Lopes, he suffered nasty knockout losses at the hands of Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria.
While some may think that the Topuria defeat was worse, Alexander Volkanovski himself has revealed that he got a pretty bad concussion off the back of losing the rematch to Makhachev.
Alexander Volkanovski reveals Islam Makhachev concussion
“I had a decent concussion from Islam,” Volkanovski said on Demetrious Johnson’s MightyCast. “I feel like I had more of a concussion from the Islam one. Even though I was knocked out longer with Ilia, I had a lot more of the symptoms with the Islam one. … So I didn’t have head contact [training afterward], but then when you’re easing into it, now you’re easing into it, making sure you’re not getting hit. Trying to put yourself in safer positions and you even start camp wrong. I should have had the break.”
“I can accept the situation and I’ll tell myself to make it work even though it’s probably not going to,” Volkanovski said. “I’m telling you, I went in there [ahead of the Makhachev rematch] going I’m going to be more dangerous now because I’m at 11 days. I literally told myself that. … I’m literally like, ‘This is the most dangerous you’ve seen me.’ I’m not beating him by decision, I have to go, I’m going to have to be more aggressive, I’m going to take more risks, and I literally believed it.”
The February car accident that saw Jon Jones hit with charges on the same day he announced his MMA retirement has now had added charges for Jones onto it.
Per MMA Fighting, the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion is now another case from the incident, filed on June 30. This criminal complaint has a duplicate charge of leaving the scene of an accident; however, it also now adds a charge for “Use of Telephone to Terrify, Intimidate, Threaten, Harass, Annoy or Offend.”
Jones is facing accusations of leaving the scene of a car accident that took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on February 21. A woman in the vehicle who was seen “exhibiting signs of significant intoxication and lacking clothing from the waist down” claimed Jones was the driver of the vehicle she was in; however, he had “subsequently fled the scene on foot.”
When a police aide communicated on the telephone with Jones — using the woman’s phone after she called him — Jones notably “appeared to be heavily intoxicated and made statements implying his capacity to employ lethal force through third parties.”
After backup was requested, Officer Andrew Romero spoke with Jones, noting that similar “allusions to violence” were made when trying to communicate with Jones, with Jones reportedly evading questions trying to confirm his identity. Jones later told police that the person on the other end of the call he received had “immediately opened the conversation with unprofessional language,” making Jones question the legitimacy of the person’s status as a police offer.
Jon Jones Facing Another Criminal Complaint Stemming From February Car Accident
MMA Fighting notes that Jones’ call records were subpoenaed by police, who found that Jones called the woman involved in the accident 13 times between 2:17 a.m. and 11:34 a.m. the next morning. Police also noted a gap in Jones’ location from 11:51 p.m. to 2:11 a.m., when the accident took place.
Jones’ attorney, Christopher Dodd, released a statement to Uncrowned on June 23, claiming that “In the thousands of cases I have handled in my career, I have never seen a case as strange and unwarranted as this one.”
“Jon was not driving that night; he wasn’t in the car,” the statement read. “It appears that an intoxicated woman used a false allegation against Jon to avoid being arrested for DWI, and the police fell for it.
“It is truly unbelievable that the police would waste this amount of resources on such a case. The only thing I can think of is that the police were targeting Jon for improper purposes. We will get to the bottom of it and make sure that this baseless case is dismissed.”
When the idea of a UFC event at the White House was first announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, and later confirmed by UFC officials to media, fighters scrambled to get their name into the hat of potentially competing at such an event.
One of those fighters was Jon Jones, who two weeks earlier had just announced his retirement from the sport of MMA, relinquishing the UFC heavyweight title in the process. This brought about an unclimactic ending to the long standoff of negotiations between he and then-interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who was promoted to undisputed champion immediately as Jones’ retirement was announced by UFC CEO and President Dana White.
Now, during his recent appearance on the Full Send Podcast, White confirmed that despite the retirement announcement, Jones is already back.
“He jumped back in the pool,” White confirmed.
Dana White Says Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall Would Be ‘Dream’ White House Main Event, Suggests Jones And Conor McGregor Could Both Fight On Card
Jones vs. Aspinall is one of the fresher matchups available for heavyweight — a UFC division most fans and pundits have widely agreed is one of the weakest, if not the weakest, in the promotion. And while Aspinall vs. Gane is also a fresh matchup, most of the other ranked contenders Aspinall has taken out in the first round in previous outings.
It seems White agrees that Jones vs. Aspinall is still a possibility — even going as far as to say he could see it being a main event for the White House event.
“My dream main event right now [for the White House card], would be Aspinall vs. Jones,” White said.
UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Texieira takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.
Held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, this the seventh time in UFC history that the Octagon will touch down in Nashville. It most recently hosted a Fight Night card two years ago that saw Cory Sandhagen defeat Rob Font in the main event.
This time around, however, UFC Nashville will be topped by a heavyweight collision featuring former heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis and rising up-and-comer Tallison Teixeira.
The 40-year-old Lewis has won two of his last three fights and is looking to extend his record for the most knockout wins in UFC history. Teixeira, meanwhile, hopes to continue his climb up a weakened heavyweight scene with the biggest name he’s faced thus far.
Elsewhere, the likes of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Calvin Kattar, Chris Curtis, and Lauren Murphy will all be in action.
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira takes place on Saturday, July 12, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The main card begins at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
One half of the main event is weighed in!💪 @TheBeast_UFC hits the scale at 261lbs
UFC officials have previously told reporters of the seriousness of plans to hold a card at the White House — first teased last week by United States President Donald Trump — during the Semiquincentennial celebrations for the U.S. next year.
Now, the UFC boss is doubling down on those plans.
UFC CEO and President Dana White confirmed in a recent appearance on the Full Send Podcast that he and his team have already begun to look at the logistics on how they can make such a card work and make it one of the biggest the UFC has ever produced.
“We’re still a year away, so the whole UFC landscape will change over the next year,” White said. But, we will absolutely, positively put on the baddest card of all time. This is going to be an exceptional pay-per-view card.”
Dana White Promises Major Pay-Per-View Card For White House Event In July 2026
Trump’s announcement brought about several fighters publicly stating their desires to compete on such a card, including Conor McGregor and Jon Jones — with Jones even unretiring in his very next social media post.
This has brought about questions amongst fans and pundits alike about the aspects for a UFC at the White House. These have included what would be an appropriate main event (and would it be worth sacrificing gate opposed to placing that fight elsewhere), what potential fighters (American or otherwise) could be on the card, if the card would be a pay-per-view or on free TV (or Netflix), how 2026 International Fight Week plans would be affected, and how 25,000 people can fit on the White House grounds.
White’s conversation has brought about some answers. Firstly, as noted, White suggested the card would be a pay-per-view — though as of July 10, it’s still unclear who the UFC’s U.S. broadcaster, or broadcasters, will be for 2026 and beyond.
White added that all tickets for the White House card would be compensatory — none for the public.
“First of all, I don’t know how many people will get in, not to mention that the Secret Service won’t let many people attend. Everyone will need background checks,” White said. “Whoever gets to be there live will have a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. While we’re filming, one side of the backdrop will be the White House and the other will be the Washington Monument.
“I don’t think we’re going to sell tickets; it will all be comp tickets.”
White added that even though the plans for such a noteworthy, unique event are in motion, he wasn’t aware Trump was going to announce anything when he did. He even added Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, has been placed in charge of collaborating with White and the UFC production team for the event.
“That day, we probably texted four or five times that day, and he never told me he was going to announce it. My team already went and walked the White House, we did all the logistics, and we’re putting together the layout for it right now, and will probably pitch it to him in a week or two.”
The UFC has just dealt with one champion retiring when Jon Jones seemed to hang up the gloves a few weeks ago (only to seemingly unretire in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump teasing a UFC card at the White House). But could the UFC lose a second champion to retirement during the summer?
If Caio Borralho is to be believed, that might come to fruition at UFC 319 if Khamzat Chimaev defeats Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight championship.
During a “Nerd Talk” segment in a recent upload to MMA Today, Borralho is in the middle of a discussion about Chimaev’s fight with DDP and how a potential fight between he and Chimaev would go down.
“I heard somewhere some people saying that if he wins the belt, he’s going to retire,” Borralho said. “I believe it.”
Caio Borralho Feels He Can Beat Khamzat Chimaev — As Long As Chimaev Doesn’t Retire
Borralho did not precisely name who he heard the rumor from or where it originated; only that he’s heard “little talks” and “whispers.”
Borralho then followed up by saying he wasn’t sure if he believed it would happen, but he hopes that Chimaev doesn’t and he ends up facing the Emirati fighter one day — potentially for the belt.
“I think we can do a phenomenal fight,” Borralho said. “I know that I have the tools and the way to beat him. Fighting is nowadays not about being brutal only. I win all my fights with my brain, with tactics, with strategy and all that. That’s why it’s so hard to fight me because I can adapt so easy in the fight, you know?
“And I think everybody knows that. That’s why everybody was ducking me.”
This would not be the first time Chimaev announces retirement from the Octagon. After his impressive series of bouts in 2020 — the year of his UFC debut — against John Phillips, Rhys McKee, and Gerald Meerschaert, and his quick rise up the ranks, Chimaev appeared to announce retirement in March 2021 after complications in recovery from COVID-19.
Chimaev would end up returning to the cage at UFC 267 that October, submitting Li Jingliang.
In about a month’s time, the UFC will arrive in Chicago with a middleweight championship main event for UFC 319 that features Dricus Du Plessis defending the title against Khamzat Chimaev.
Both men in their own right have been seemingly unbeatable, as both men will enter unbeaten in their UFC tenures — and just two losses (both Du Plessis’) in the 39 fights combined between their two professional MMA careers.
Chimaev being so dominant in most of his performances, combined with the hype around him and his fighting style, have led plenty to feel he will leave Chicago with the belt strapped around his waist. Others, however, feel Du Plessis’ own, more awkward fighting style will land him yet another surprise victory in the cage.
When breaking down a comparison between the two’s fighting styles, another unbeaten UFC fighter, Mansur Abdul-Malik, feels Chimaev’s will get the better of DDP.
“Khamzat comes in that first round guns blazing,” Abdul-Malik told James Lynch recently. “He does a similar thing every single fight, but that thing has not failed. So, you really can’t bet against that.”
Mansur Abdul-Malik Predicts Khamzat Chimaev Will Defeat Dricus Du Plessis For UFC Middleweight Title At UFC 319
If there are two things Chimaev is known for in the Octagon, it is his dominant, freestyle-based wrestling and is “smashing” ground-and-pound that he’ll use on his opponents to try and finish the fight after securing the takedown. Sometimes those takedowns will also be set up through the usage of his boxing.
That fight style has led Chimaev not only to an undefeated UFC tenure, but also an unbeaten record in the sport, and some feel Du Plessis may struggle with that kind of pressure.
Abdul-Malik added that he feels Chimaev also is strong in terms of the mental aspects of the game, noting a specific example with his decision win in a highly entertaining bout with former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.
“[Chimaev is] tough in his own right,” Abdul-Malik said. “Look at the Gilbert Burns example. Look at his mentality. Look at the way he competes. Look at the fire that he comes with. That’s not someone that’s going to give up.”
Despite repeated one-year layoffs the last couple of years, and time off to deal with illnesses during his Octagon tenure, Chimaev has had plenty of hype around him, with early expectations of him becoming a UFC champion — something that could become a reality in about a month at UFC 319.
Chimaev earned his title shot off a dominant performance against former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. It should be noted that Whittaker’s only other losses at 185 in the Octagon — Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis — have each tasted middleweight gold.
Du Plessis won the middleweight title by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 and retained the gold against Adesanya at UFC 305 and Strickland at UFC 312.
UFC veteran Max Holloway has explained why he was so happy to see that Ilia Topuria opted to make the move up to the lightweight division.
As we know, Max Holloway is one of the most exciting featherweight fighters of all time. However, in his last fight in the weight class, he was knocked out by Ilia Topuria – who proceeded to announce that he was moving up to lightweight to try and claim a second belt. He achieved that goal, whereas ‘Blessed’ will be returning to the cage later this month to face Dustin Poirier in the latter’s retirement bout.
Max Holloway is a warrior and we all know that to be true, and in a recent interview, he made it known once again that he wants to meet ‘El Matador’ again.
Max Holloway reveals his happiness at Ilia Topuria’s lightweight move
“(How a fight would go between us at 155lbs?) we’ll just have to find out, right?” Holloway told MMA Junkie.
“A 155lb fight? We’re just gonna have to find out. First things first, I was over the moon, a lot of people thought I’d be like ‘Oh my god, what the hell, why is he coming to 155lbs?’ I was over the moon when he announced he’s coming to 155lbs.
“And then when I found out he got the title shot, I was like ‘Oh my gosh’. Even the title shot with both of them, when they announced Oliveira and Topuria for the title shot, I think I was the happiest man alive because I have history with two guys.
“I know (Ilia) likes walking around with a BMF title but if he wants an authentic one he knows where to find me,” Holloway continued.
UFC legend Stephen Thompson has given his thoughts on Islam Makhachev‘s impending move from the lightweight division to welterweight.
As we know, Islam Makhachev is no longer the UFC lightweight champion. He gave up that belt in order to pursue a second world title up at 170 pounds. It’s an achievement that only a handful of fighters have to their name, and Islam wants to join that incredibly exclusive group.
We all know that Islam Makhachev is one of the most exciting fighters in the sport today, and he’s also one of the pound-for-pound best. Alas, adding 15 pounds is certainly going to change the conversation, especially when going up against a guy as formidable as Jack Della Maddalena.
In a recent interview, welterweight Stephen Thompson gave his thoughts on Islam Makhachev’s decision to make the switch.
Stephen Thompson’s view on Islam Makhachev’s welterweight switch
“Well, number one, if I was in the top-five, I would be very upset that this guy who just got the title is already looking at somebody from a different division,” Thompson told MMA Fighting. “If it was me who, if I’m in the top-five, more deserving than this guy coming up, like I’ve been waiting here.
“Now, I think it’s a good fight,” Thompson explained. “I think it’s a very tough fight for Islam Makhachev coming up. [Della Maddalena’s] a bigger guy, a guy with great takedown defense, and a guy who just won the title from somebody very similar to himself in Belal Muhammad. Cardio for days, strong grappling background.
“I do believe that Islam has a better striking than than Belal does, so I think that would be interesting, but I think it’s a very tough fight for Islam, for sure.”
UFC heavyweight Alexander Volkov has spoken about his recent experience as a coach in Power Slap as he prepares to make his return to the cage.
As we know, Alexander Volkov is one of the top contenders in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He has achieved some incredible things in the sport of mixed martial arts but up to this point, he hasn’t been able to get over the finish line when it comes to winning a world title. Following his controversial split decision loss to Ciryl Gane in his last outing, he opted to take some time off and reflect on what he needs to do in order to break through that glass ceiling.
For Alexander Volkov, it seems as if that included going on some side quests. He even popped up as a coach during a Power Slap event which, as we know, ties in very well with the UFC due to the influence of Dana White.
In a recent interview, Alexander Volkov spoke candidly about the experience and how much fun he had.
Alexander Volkov reveals slap fighting side quest
“I don’t know, it’s just myself—my style of life. I usually do a lot of funny things with my friends everywhere. When I came to the US, I had more time to make videos, create content. I just do it for fun, with no purpose or hype.”
“One day I was cornering a fighter from Russia in Power Slap. I trained with him for a week, and he won the fight with just one slap, knocked the guy out. After his fight, I put in my bio: I’m a Power Slap coach now. It was fun.”
UFC star Derrick Lewis has opened up on his current diet as he prepares to return to the cage on Saturday night to battle Tallison Teixeira.
In the main event of UFC Nashville this weekend, Derrick Lewis will once again take on a rising contender in the heavyweight division. The 40-year-old will be throwing down with Tallison Teixeira, who is currently undefeated in his mixed martial arts career. While we all know just how dangerous Teixeira can be, he’d be foolish to overlook the incredible power of ‘The Black Beast’.
For the longest time, Derrick Lewis has been known as one of the funniest fighters in the UFC – and, in fact, the entire sport. He says and does things that constantly get fans cracking up, but on the flip side of that, he’s also an unbelievably talented fighter who is able to knock out the very best heavyweights on the planet.
In a recent interview, Derrick Lewis opened up on his current weight ‘cut’ as we get closer and closer to fight night.
Derrick Lewis discusses fight week meals
“I’m on weight right now. So, I’m happy. I’ve been eating shrimp and grits. I’ve been eating whatever I want this whole week. So, it’s like—it’s crazy. I’ve never been able to do that before.”
Lewis knows that all he needs is one shot to shut his opponent’s lights off, no matter how good we all believe Teixeira to be. In the heavyweight division, you can’t afford to blink, so we’d advise you don’t when watching this one unfold on Saturday.
UFC legend Stephen Thompson has explained why he believes Dricus du Plessis has a great chance of defeating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, despite many believing he can’t get the job done.
For the longest time now, fight fans have been doubting Dricus du Plessis – and every single time, at least since he arrived in the UFC, they’ve been made to pay for it. He is one of the most unconventional fighters out there but he’s also turning into one of the most exciting champions on the roster, especially after successfully defending his belt twice.
Now, though, Dricus du Plessis faces an entirely new kind of challenge in the form of Khamzat Chimaev. This was always going to be a tough test for him no matter how you try and spin it, and while we know what the South African is capable of, we also know that Chimaev has the ability to finish anyone in the blink of an eye.
In a recent interview, the aforementioned Stephen Thompson gave an interesting analysis of the upcoming Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev showdown.
Stephen Thompson backs Dricus du Plessis to defeat Khamzat Chimaev
“Oh man, I think it’s a tough one for Khamzat. Du Plessis, his awkwardness makes him very difficult to deal with. He’s got great grappling. He’s a very strong opponent. If he can weather the storm in a five-round fight, I’m leaning towards Du Plessis.”
Get ready, fight fans, because this one has the potential to be truly chaotic.
The biggest talking point in the MMA world at the moment is not one that involves a particular fighter, but one that involves the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and the potential of something historic that 30 years ago would have been a crazy pipedream.
The U.S.’ Fourth of July celebrations this year marked the beginning of a year-long celebratory series of events that will lead to the country’s Semiquincentennial — the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaring its independence from Great Britain.
During one of this year’s U.S. Independence Day events, Trump hyped up a vision of what he sees for next year’s grand celebration on July 4, 2026 (a Saturday). And Trump mentioned a UFC “fight” occuring on the lawn of the White House.
Turns out, this isn’t just hearsay, as the UFC would confirm to reporters that while nothing is set in stone, plans are indeed in motion for a July 4, 2026 card to be held in the nation’s capital.
Hours later, the likes of Conor McGregor and Jon Jones each posted to social media about interest in fighting on the card. This comes when McGregor hasn’t fought in the Octagon since 2021 and Jones announced a comeback after retiring and relinquishing the UFC heavyweight championship just two weeks earlier.
With MMA insider and personality Ariel Helwani and his crew — Petersy Carroll, Conner Burks, and Eric Jackman — back in the studio earlier this week, the group discussed what such an event could mean, if such an event is possible, and why fighters are scrambling to be a part of the card.
Is A UFC Card At The White House A Realistic Possibility? Who Would Be Part Of It?
Helwani and the others weren’t in complete agreement on if the card actually happens; however, they were in agreement about the significance of such a card — and perhaps why fighters want in on this. A UFC event on White House grounds would mark one of, if not the, most visible and mainstream moments for the sport of MMA in its history.
“It’d be the biggest spot MMA has ever been in, wouldn’t it?” said Petesy Carroll. “Could you imagine what that would look like in terms of a spectacle? Like we talked about the spectacle of the Sphere and stuff. Like, could you imagine that? The White House in the background with the Octagon.”
In fact, as Helwani mentions, MMA was targeted by American politicians and banned in most states 30 years ago. An event in the capital of the United States, on one of the country’s most prominent landmarks, underscores just how far the UFC has come.
“Ten years ago, it was still banned in New York,” Helwani said. “And to think that 10 years later — actually, the symbolism of [Trump] being elected the same week as the first show at MSG, 10 years later, an actual event at the White House — is pretty insane.”
That said, question arose as to the logistics of putting on such a card. President Trump said he sees 25,000+ people on the White House grounds, with Helwani and company being very skeptical of such a sight with proper maximum security measures put in place.
Scheduling also came into question, as while July 4, 2026, is a Saturday, it would put the event one week after the recent running dates of the UFC’s International Fight Week event (the last weekend of June). While some proposed the idea of moving International Fight Week to DC (which would be a whole other headache in itself) or re-scheduling International Fight Week, Helwani feels it’s doable to keep the week where it is and make what he would consider the most anticipated two-week period for the UFC.
On that note, it brings up the question of what kind of an event a UFC White House card would be — a traditional pay-per-view, a prominent Fight Night card (on either Netflix or ABC, depending on if Netflix and/or ESPN get the UFC’s US TV rights for 2026 and beyond), or a small but meaningful card similar to what the UFC had went it first joined up with FOX in 2011.
What Fighters Would Be Involved On A UFC White House Card?
As mentioned, McGregor and Jones are the two most prominent names who volunteered for a card. And Carroll mentioned that despite circumstances and controversies surrounding both men, it’s not surprising that both have raised their hand — and that the two would be in consideration for such a unique event.
“It doesn’t surprise me that likes Jones and Connor are suddenly interested in in being there,” Carroll said. “I mean, Connor had a massive PR pop when he arrived in the White House on St. Patrick’s Day — and [that] kind of became the catalyst for this political career he’s embarking on. So, I mean it would be a huge, huge deal.”
While Carroll is more than skeptical of the idea, the Boys in the Back (Burks and Jackman) add that McGregor would bring a fitting boost to such a unique event, and that it would be a “perfect” time for him to fight Chandler — a fight that has been anticipated since 2023 before ultimately getting canceled in 2024.
As far as Jones goes if there is one fight to make, Carroll feels there’s “one f****** fight to make” despite the Jones-Aspinall negotiations falling through officially with Jones’ brief retirement stint, which promoted Aspinall to undisputed champion.
Debates went through the group, however, about if one of them should headline given their baggage, as well as McGregor not being an American (though Chandler is). It also sparks debate about what fighters (with Bo Nickal and Sean Strickland’s names thrown out there) could be on the card — and if the fighter selections would be based on name value, lack of controversy, etc. This also comes at a time where Kayla Harrison is the sole American champion in the UFC.
A question was brought up additionally about if the UFC would be willing to sacrifice a high-revenue making fight like a Jones vs. Aspinall or McGregor vs. Chandler for the sake of the press they’d get for such a unique, historical, and political event.
Former UFC fighter Tim Kennedy, often regarded as one of the most decorated fighters with military experience, has admitted that he never actually received a Bronze Star with Valor.
“I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake,” Kennedy posted to social media. “Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. That is not true, and there is no excuse for it. I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise.”
I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake. Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the…
Tim Kennedy Releases Apology After Admitting To Never Receiving Bronze Medal With Valor
A Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroic efforts in a combat zone. A Bronze Star with Valor, with a “V” device for distinction, is awarded for specifically “participation in acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy,” according to the U.S. Army.
Accusations against Kennedy’s accomplishments began about seven months ago, when the Antihero Podcast produced an episode claiming that Kennedy’s memoir, Scars and Stripes, was “a book of lies.” They would produce a part two episode about a month later.
In response, Kennedy made a since-deleted social media post (part of which can be found on MMA Mania) in January where he claimed others mis-listed his credentials, and that he never claimed that he received a Bronze Star with Valor.
However, on June 27, a YouTube channel called Valhalla VFT, hosted by retired Green Beret Nathan Cornacchia, uploaded a video that includes a snippet from a 2017 interview Kennedy did where he claimed to have received such a distinction.
“I was young when I stepped into the public eye, and while I wasn’t prepared for the scrutiny or pressure that came with it, that doesn’t absolve me,” Kennedy said in his apology statement. “I should have known better. Integrity is not situational, and I failed to uphold the standards I claimed to represent. To the military and veteran community, especially those who’ve served in combat or lost people they love. I am deeply sorry. I know I’ve let many of you down. You had every right to expect more from me, and I didn’t live up to that.”
Kennedy promised that his apology would just be the beginning in terms of how he makes amends.
“I am committed to rebuilding trust through honest reflection, visible accountability, and ongoing service to the community I misrepresented myself to,” he said. “I will no longer speak about my service in a way that elevates me beyond what I actually did. From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect. I understand that words alone don’t heal disappointment or restore trust. Only time and action will.
“Thank you to those who have held me accountable. I will do my best to honor that accountability from this point forward.”
UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture was airlifted to a burn center on Tuesday, July 9, after getting injured in a single-car accident while at a professional stock car racetrack.
According to initial reports from TMZ, Couture was making practice runs at a Kansas City racetrack when he was involved in an accident. Couture reportedly suffered first- and second-degree burns, as well as trauma injuries and smoke inhalation.
It is unclear what caused the accident. The racecar that the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion was in was totaled in the wreckage.
Randy Couture Suffers Burns In Racetrack Auto Accident
Couture remains hospitalized, but the 62-year-old is expected to recover.
Couture, who ESPN notes has been an avid motorcyclist, was slated to make his racing debut later this year for the National Hot Rod Association. Couture reportedly went through licensing in order to compete in the NHRA’s new Pro Mod program.
Couture is currently a color commentator for the PFL and owns a professional gym, Xtreme Couture, in Las Vegas.
