UFC 317 is almost here, and we here at MMANews are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, June 28. The pay-per-view main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/7PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 7PM ET/4PM PT (moved back from the original 6:30PM ET start time due to Ewert vs. McVey falling off).
The headline attraction for the event will feature the vacant UFC lightweight championship on the line, as Ilia Topuria faces Charles Oliveira.
In the co-main event, Alexandre Pantoja will defend the UFC flyweight championship against Kai Kara-France.
The pay-per-view card will also feature Brandon Royval facing Joshua Van, a lightweight contenders clash between Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano, and a bantamweight battle between Payton Talbott and Felipe Lima.
UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 317 as of June 28 (fight day) at 12pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Ilia Topuria (-425) vs. Charles Oliveira (+330)
Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja (-230) vs. Kai Kara-France (+190)
Flyweight: Brandon Royval (+110) vs. Joshua Van (-130)
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (-115) vs. Renato Moicano (-105)
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (+140) vs. Felipe Lima (-166)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson (+180) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (-218)
Featherweight: Hyder Amil (+120) vs. Jose Delgado (-142)
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo (+170) vs. Tracy Cortez (-205)
Lightweight: Terrance McKinney (-155) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (+130)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Niko Price (+1200) vs. Jacobe Smith (-2400)
Heavyweight: Jhonata Diniz (-485) vs. Alvin Hines (+370)
Ilia Topuria faced a brief moment of uncertainty ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
Topuria is set to headline UFC 317 this Saturday at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where he’ll square off against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound title in a high-stakes showdown during International Fight Week.
“El Matador” has exuded confidence leading up to UFC 317, not only in his conditioning but also in his belief that he’s on the brink of becoming a two-division UFC champion. That self-assurance was on full display during the official UFC 317 weigh-ins held Friday morning, where he was the first fighter to step on the scale.
However, when Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Jeff Mullen called out Topuria’s weight, he initially announced it as 155.5 pounds, half a pound over the championship limit for a lightweight title bout.
Initially, no one appeared to notice the discrepancy, and Topuria went ahead with posing for the cameras. Moments later, however, he was asked to remain on the scale. Mullen returned, adjusted it, and then corrected himself, announcing the official weight as 155 pounds.
Ilia Topuria had a minor scare after the commission read off the wrong weight during his weight-in ahead of #UFC317pic.twitter.com/JlKoolRtG9
Fans React To Ilia Topuria’s Weigh-In Confusion At UFC 317
Ilia Topuria’s brief weigh-in glitch during the UFC 317 proceedings sparked a wave of fan reactions online. While some called for the Nevada commission to retire the old-school mechanical scale in favor of digital equipment for more accurate readings, others used the moment as fuel for playful jabs and light-hearted trolling.
We have rockets flying into the moon but not a fucking precise weighing machine yet??? Dana was gonna give jon 20 million, just fucking buy a machine with that bro
“El Matador” captured the featherweight title with a stunning knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024, then cemented his dominance by finishing Max Holloway in emphatic fashion at UFC 308 that October. However, after establishing himself as the division’s top force, he chose to vacate the belt this past February to make a full-time move to lightweight.
Ilia Topuria enters UFC 317 with a flawless 8-0 record inside the Octagon and a perfect 16-0 mark overall. Of those victories, eight have come by knockout and six via submission.
The UFC returns to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday for its next pay-per-view event, serving as the marquee showcase capping off this year’s International Fight Week.
UFC 317 card features a high-stakes championship double-header, headlined by former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria taking on ex-lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound belt. In the co-main event, flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja makes his fourth title defense against Kai Kara-France.
Image: @ufc/X
Chris Ewert Released By Promotion Following Major Weight Miss At UFC 317
All but one fighter successfully made weight during the weigh-ins for UFC 317 on Friday. The lone exception was Chris Ewert, who missed the middleweight limit for his scheduled bout against Jackson McVey.
At the start of the official weigh-in show, UFC commentator Jon Anik announced that Ewert came in 10 pounds over the limit, leading to the immediate cancelation of his bout. In a surprising development, it was also revealed that the 31-year-old Chilean had been released from the promotion.
Jackson McVey vs. Chris Ewert is OFF per Jon Anik
Ewert was going to be several pounds overweight and has subsequently been cut from the UFC roster
Meanwhile, McVey still appeared at the official weigh-ins, hitting the 185-pound mark. The promotion is reportedly working to find a new opponent for “The Moose” in the near future.
“El Tanke” was originally scheduled to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series on August 2 against Yuri Panferov. However, he accepted a short-notice fight against McVey at UFC 317 after Sedriques Dumas withdrew earlier this week due to restrictions tied to a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor.
Ewert holds an undefeated professional record of 7-0, with five of those victories coming by knockout. He last competed at Fury FC 100 this past January, earning a dominant unanimous decision over Reese Watkins.
We’re about 24 hours away from UFC 317, and MMANews is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC 317 takes place on June 28 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The main event of the evening will feature Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira colliding for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. Topuria won the featherweight title from Alexander Volkanovski last year and retained against Max Holloway but vacated the strap to move up a weight class. Oliveira is a former champion who held the gold for a year, and he enters this fight off a win over Michael Chandler last November.
The co-main event, meanwhile, will see Alexandre Pantoja look to defend the UFC flyweight championship once again, as he takes on Kai Kara-France.
The rest of the main card will also see Brandon Royval face Joshua Van, Beneil Dariush square off with Renato Moicano, and Payton Talbott battle Felipe Lima.
Christopher Ewert vs. Jackson McVey, originally scheduled to open the early prelims, was scrapped after Ewert came in 10 pounds overweight and was cut from the UFC. All of the other fights, however, are still 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 317, and we’ve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMANews.
Per tradition during the UFC’s International Fight Week, a highly-anticipated pay-per-view event in Las Vegas will take center stage, and UFC 317 finds itself in that role here. The T-Mobile Arena will see a card filled with some noteworthy matchups, including two title fights to close out the show.
In the main event, a new UFC lightweight champion will be crowned from former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria jumps up in weight to face the challenge of former UFC lightweight king Charles Oliveira. Topuria comes into this bout off his 14-month run as featherweight champion, during which he won the belt by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and retained by knocking out Max Holloway. Oliveira won the lightweight title against Michael Chandler and retained against Dustin Poirier before losing the belt on the scales.
The co-main event will see Alexandre Pantoja defend the UFC flyweight championship against Kai Kara-France. Pantoja won the belt at International Fight Week just a couple of years ago, defeating Brandon Moreno. Since then, he’s retained the gold against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura. Kara-France earned the title shot with a knockout of Erceg last August.
The main card will also feature Royval taking on Joshua Van, Beneil Dariush facing off with Renato Moicano and Payton Talbott doing battle with Felipe Lima.
UFC 317 Weigh-In Video, Results
UFC 317 takes place Saturday, June 28 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.
See above to watch the UFC 317 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Ilia Topuria (155) vs. Charles Oliveira (154.5)
Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja (125) vs. Kai Kara-France (125)
Flyweight: Brandon Royval (125.5) vs. Joshua Van (125.5)
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (156) vs. Renato Moicano (156)
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (135.5) vs. Felipe Lima (136)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (186)
Featherweight: Hyder Amil (145.5) vs. Jose Miguel Delgado (145.5)
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo (125.5) vs. Tracy Cortez (126)
Lightweight: Terrance McKinney (155) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (156)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Niko Price (170.5) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5)
Heavyweight: Jhonata Diniz (257.5) vs. Alvin Hines (259.5)
Middleweight: Christopher Ewert vs. Jackson McVey — Canceled due to Ewert being 10 pounds overweight and getting cut from the promotion
It’s UFC International Fight Week, and we find ourselves just a couple of days away from this year’s card that coincides with the celebrations — UFC 317. And what better way to help hype things up further with a pre-fight press conference?
The seventh UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, June 28. UFC 317 will be headlined by former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria stepping up in weight to face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira with the vacant 155-pound title on the line.
The co-main event will also see gold on the line, as Alexandre Pantoja looks to defend his UFC flyweight championship for a fourth time, as he goes toe-to-toe with Kai Kara-France.
Watch The UFC 317 Pre-Fight Press Conference
The main card will also see a flyweight contenders’ battle between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van, more lightweight action from Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano, and a bantamweight scrap between Payton Talbott and Felipe Lima.
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.
The 2025 edition of International Fight Week is here, and that means UFC 317 is upon us. 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, June 28. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6:30pm ET.
The main event will see a new UFC lightweight champion be crowned, as former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria steps up in weight to take on former lightweight king Charles Oliveira. Topuria won the featherweight title at UFC 298 last year with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski and defended it at UFC 308 by becoming the first man in years to finish Max Holloway. Oliveira, who comes into this bout off a win over Michael Chandler at UFC 309, defeated Chandler to become champion in another vacant title fight at UFC 262. He then defended it against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 before losing the belt on the scales prior to UFC 274.
The co-main event, meanwhile, will see the flyweight title at stake as Alexandre Pantoja defends against Kai Kara-France. Since winning the title from Brandon Moreno at UFC 290, Pantoja has defended the belt against Brandon Royval (UFC 296), Steve Erceg (UFC 301) and Kai Asakura (UFC 310). Asakura, meanwhile, comes into this bout off a knockout of Erceg at UFC 305.
The main card will also see Royval in action against short-notice replacement Joshua Van (who just fought at UFC 316), Beneil Dariush take on Renato Moicano and Payton Talbott facing Felipe Lima.
UFC 317: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 317 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 six cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (17-10) Thomas Albano (16-11)
Ryan Jarrell (15-12)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 317!
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
Images: UFC
Pranav Pandey: It’s hard to make a confident pick here, given how little we’ve seen from either fighter at the highest level. Talbott tasted his first professional loss in his last outing against Raoni Barcelos, and I expect him to come in sharper, having learned from that experience. That said, one glaring hole in his game stood out: his takedown defense, which could be a real liability in this matchup.
On the other hand, Lima looks like the real deal. “Jungle Boy” hasn’t lost in nearly a decade and brings a well-rounded, composed skill set to the table. He’s dangerous in all areas, but particularly effective on the mat. That’s where I see him having the clearest path to victory. If he can get Talbott to the ground, I believe he can control the pace and potentially dominate from top position. (Prediction: Lima)
Thomas Albano: Felipe Lima has caught some attention of late with his pair of victories in the Octagon thus far. And it’s enough of an impression that the UFC wanted to book him against Payton Talbott in a battle of young rising prospects. Talbott was shocked by Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311, and he needs this win to keep the momentum that he’s had going. The problem is Lima, a former Oktagon MMA champion, hasn’t lost since dropping his professional MMA debut.
Talbott has the height and reach advantage in this one, but if Lima can get on the inside and push the pace, how will he respond? He struggled against Barcelos, and Lima has shown he can adapt to either a high-paced brawl or a calculated, cerebral attack. My feeling is the more Lima finds holes in Talbott’s game and the more he scores takedowns, the better he’ll nullify Talbott’s offense and work his way toward a decision win. (Prediction: Lima)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tough one to call for me. Felipe Lima is definitely more technically sound and has impressed me more thus far in his UFC run. Lima’s wins over Naimov and Johns were enough to lead me to believe he could fight for a title down the road. Obviously the UFC sees Star potential in Talbot, but this is a really tough matchup for him. I think Talbot learned some valuable lessons in his recent loss to Raoni Barcelos, but I’m not sure he has evolved enough to get past Lima. Give me Felipe Lima to use his footwork and striking en route to a UD win. (Prediction: Lima)
Consensus: 3-0 Lima
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Both Dariush and Moicano are seasoned veterans who bring grit and experience into the cage. Moicano was gaining serious momentum before stepping in on short notice against Islam Makhachev. But prior to that, he had put together some impressive wins, and his dismantling of Benoît Saint Denis was a statement-making performance that showed just how dangerous he can be when he’s dialed in.
As for Dariush, I still rate him as a high-level lightweight. His eight-fight win streak wasn’t a fluke. But ever since it came crashing down in 2023 with back-to-back knockout losses, he hasn’t returned to action. That layoff, in my opinion, could be a real factor. The question is whether he can match the rhythm and urgency Moicano brings with his recent activity. I’m leaning toward Moicano here, but it won’t be easy. He’ll have to dig deep and weather some tough moments, because Dariush isn’t the type to go quietly. (Prediction: Moicano)
Thomas Albano: Two 36-year-old lightweight contenders. Two men who are looking to get back into the win column. Two men who were supposed to face off at UFC 311. And only one of them can come out on top and potentially rise up the ranks toward a crack at the gold.
Renato Moicano may have lost his last fight, but that was a title shot against Islam Makhachev that came on one day’s notice after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew. It was this fight that caused the cancelation of Dariush vs. Moicano the first time around. It may have been a one-sided loss, but that decision and hearty performance proved something fans of “Money” Moicano already knew – the man is game.
Dariush has been a lightweight contender for some time now, but he’s hit a couple of really rough patches of late. Dariush hasn’t fought since 2023, a year that saw an eight-fight win streak of his get snapped at the hands of Charles Oliveira, followed by a knockout loss against Tsarukyan. While these aren’t bad losses per say against the kind of competition he’s facing, a third straight loss is going to seriously hurt his contender status. And given the age of these two men, time is running out.
Unfortunately for Dariush, that might be his reality. Moicano having all of this momentum, combined with him being the better all-around product, leads me to give the nod his way. (Prediction: Moicano)
Ryan Jarrell: This should be a very fun fight and one the hard core fans are really looking forward to. I have become a huge fan of Moicano over his last few fights, and he is always money on the microphone. Dariush hasn’t fought since his ugly performance against Arman Tsarukyan in late 2023. I wonder if the time off and his age will play a factor in this fight against a much more active fighter in Renato. I think skill for skill these two are pretty even, but I do expect Moicano to land more significant strikes and be the aggressor throughout the fight and win it on points. (Prediction: Moicano)
Consensus: 3-0 Moicano
Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: There’s something really intriguing about this matchup. First off, credit to Joshua Van for stepping up on short notice. That alone speaks volumes about his mentality. “The Fearless” is riding a wave of momentum right now, and while he’s still young, he’s already proven that he belongs among the division’s elite.
That said, Brandon Royval is no stranger to high-pressure situations. He’s been in deep waters with the best of the best and knows exactly how to navigate chaos. With his experience and ability to thrive in scrambles, I think “Raw Dawg” will be sharp enough not to leave any openings. If he stays composed and sticks to his rhythm, I see him getting the job done. (Prediction: Royval)
Thomas Albano: This is probably the fight I am seriously looking forward to on this card outside of the title fights. It’s also the one I’m having the most difficulty in picking, and apparently, I’m not alone given that these two men have near-even odds as of this point.
What we saw at UFC 316 earlier this month is exactly what makes Van so entertaining; he pushes the pace, is aggressive with his striking, and he’s not afraid to get in a brawl. And Bruno Silva was a battered victim of that in route to a third-round TKO, marking Van’s fourth straight win and 12th win in his last 13 fights. Royval has earned a following for a similar fight style, though he’s been a lot more strategic in his most recent outings against the likes of Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira.
This is a no-risk matchup for Van; he’s already coming off one strong performance, and anything that comes out of this fight should just be a bonus. That said, even if this becomes a memorable slugfest, the all-around abilities of Royval and his experience should give him the edge here. (Prediction: Royval)
Ryan Jarrell: Josh Van has looked incredibly impressive as of late and definitely has the skills to be a top contender for years to come. But this seems like a bad idea to step up on very short notice against a legit top 5 fighter in the division, especially after just competing against Bruno Silva a couple of short weeks ago. I understand that if a great opportunity presents itself a lot of fighter’s want to jump all over it and hopefully capitalize. But Brandon Royval is a dangerous puzzle that you need a full camp to prepare for and I don’t see Van having much for him in this contest. Give me Royval to make a statement in this fight and put a halt to Van’s winning streak. (Prediction: Royval)
Consensus: 3-0 Royval
UFC Flyweight Title: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Kai Kara-France is a legitimate threat in the flyweight division. His striking is sharp, explosive, and he’s proven time and again why he belongs among the elite. I’ll admit I picked against him in his last outing, and he made me eat my words with that knockout over Steve Erceg. But as impressive as “Don’t Blink” can be, I truly believe that everything he does well, the champ Alexandre Pantoja can do better.
“The Cannibal” seems to level up with every title defense. Whether he’s trading bombs on the feet or dragging the fight into deep grappling waters, Pantoja thrives in chaos. He can absorb pressure and return fire with even more intensity. Stylistically, this feels like a tough puzzle that Kara-France just isn’t equipped to solve. I think Pantoja overwhelms him and runs right through. (Prediction: Pantoja)
Thomas Albano: I’m going to get tomatoes thrown at me for what I’m about to say, but I hope I am heard out. I completely buy Kai Kara-France as a legitimate contender in the flyweight division and challenger for the flyweight title. When it comes to being a champion, however, I just don’t see it compared to some of the other names at 125.
I love KKF’s strike-heavy fighting style, but I don’t know how it helps him against Alexandre Pantoja, who, in my opinion, continues to get better and evolve even as the defending champion of his division. KKF has struggled against the top names of this division, and keep in mind, Erceg received the title shot and fought KKF last year even when he was, and still is, toward the bottom portion of the top 10.
Pantoja has been an absolute dog. Bring the fight to the ground? He’ll go toe-for-toe with you there. Keep the fight standing? He’ll show you power and accuracy. Pantoja is a very underrated champion, who should be considered one of the best champs that the UFC has, in a division filled with solid talent that includes KKF, Erceg, Brandon Royval, and Brandon Moreno. And I see the Pantoja train continuing to roll on. (Prediction: Pantoja)
Ryan Jarrell: The flyweight Champion seems to look better and better every time he climbs into the octagon. Pantoja is on a seven fight win streak and is cementing himself as an all time great at 125 pounds. I must admit I was surprised to see Kara France put out Steve Erceg the way that he did. Kai definitely is very savvy and skilled on the feet, but even if he gets the champ in any trouble, the diversity of Pantoja’s game will be enough to win any scrambles and dictate where this fight takes place. Give me the champ to win this one rather handily and retain his title for the 4th time in a row. (Prediction: Pantoja)
Consensus: 3-0 Pantoja
UFC Lightweight Title: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Now this is a fight that has me counting down the days. We’ve got two certified finishers stepping into the Octagon, and I’d be shocked if this one even sniffs the judges’ scorecards. Topuria made a daring move by jumping up to lightweight. Some might even call it audacious, especially considering his more compact build compared to the division’s powerhouses. Still, I see him as someone who can rise to the occasion. “El Matador” possesses some of the cleanest and most precise boxing in the UFC today. He doesn’t just throw punches. He detonates them. His power is fight-ending, plain and simple. And while his wrestling hasn’t been tested much inside the Octagon, the glimpses we’ve seen suggest he’s more than capable if the fight hits the mat.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Standing across from him is Oliveira, a savage finisher with a résumé full of elite-level fighters. While it’s no secret that “Do Bronx” owns arguably the most lethal submission game in UFC history, his striking is criminally underrated. He carries real knockout power in his hands and his body kicks slam into the midsection like sledgehammers that adds up quickly. That said, if Topuria can control the range, stay disciplined, and avoid getting tangled in Oliveira’s chaos, I can absolutely see him finding an opening and putting the Brazilian away inside three rounds. (Prediction: Topuria)
Thomas Albano: Yes, it’s not Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev. Yes, it’s disappointing. But Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira is still a matchup worth drooling over – and it’s going to become reality in just a couple of nights’ time.
I’m still not a fan of Topuria moving up in weight so quickly. Yes, he beat two of the featherweight GOATs last year. But this was something out of the Conor McGregor playbook; there was still a division full of solid contenders that includes Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev. That said, I understand the appeal of this matchup for sure, and Topuria is a legitimate threat to become a world champion in a second weight class.
I know it sounds cliché, but this really sounds like the typical striker vs. grappler battle. We know how deep a threat Oliveira is in the ground game. That said, Topuria will look to keep distance and bring the power he’s brought in the lead up to becoming a world champion the first time around. And I think he has more to afford with being in Oliveira’s world on the ground than Oliveira has on the feet against Topuria and his striking. Maybe with others’ striking, but not with Topuria’s.
History will be made one way or another at the end of International Fight Week. I think it’ll be Topuria who is the one to do it. (Prediction: Topuria)
Ryan Jarrell: There is something special going on with the former featherweight champ. The parallels between Ilia and Conor at this stage of their careers are too similar to ignore. Topuria’s striking is a beautiful thing to watch and he always seems to dictate where the fight takes place. It would be a beautiful story to see Charles recapture the title again, but MMA is a brutal sport where the young typically eat the old. I believe Topuria puts on an impressive performance and beats the former champ via TKO at some point in round 2 or 3. (Prediction: Topuria)
Consensus: 3-0 Topuria
That’ll do it for our UFC 317 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 317 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France
Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues
Featherweight: Hyder Amil vs. Jose Miguel Delgado
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez
Lightweight: Terrance McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
UFC star Ilia Topuria has revealed how much his weight cut to featherweight was impacting him as he prepares to make the move up to 155 pounds.
On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria will make his way up to the lightweight division in an attempt to become a two-weight world champion. He’ll square off with Charles Oliveira, a man who has already held that title before. While ‘El Matador’ is considered by many to be the favorite, you just never know what you’re going to get when ‘Do Bronx’ is involved.
While Ilia Topuria is clearly chasing greatness, many noted that it was a pretty big ask for him to get down to 145 pounds. He’s spoken about his struggles with it already in the past and in a recent interview, he went into even more detail.
Ilia Topuria discusses his weight cut concerns
“I took that decision because it was very hard for me to keep cutting the weight. My health was in danger, to be honest. I was putting my health at risk every weight cut. I had to cut a lot of weight. So, I took that decision with my family, and I decided to move up to the next weight class, where I have the full confidence that I will become a world champion also.”
The idea of Topuria being even stronger and even more dangerous at lightweight is pretty terrifying, but it also opens up the door for so many fascinating possibilities. Buckle up, fight fans, because this is going to be fun to watch.
UFC star Ilia Topuria has issued a fresh warning to Charles Oliveira if his foe decides to walk forward against him at UFC 317.
On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira will battle it out over the UFC lightweight championship. The expectation from many fans and pundits is that Ilia will become a two-weight world champion, but as we’ve come to learn, you simply cannot count Charles Oliveira out at the elite level.
As we look ahead to fight night, there are so many different ways this one can go. Oliveira has already said that he plans on walking forward, just like he always does. In a recent interview, however, Ilia Topuria warned ‘Do Bronx’ that he may be making a mistake.
Ilia Topuria is ready for Charles Oliveira
“You can never count him out because he’s a dangerous guy. He has the most finishes in UFC history. But I don’t know. I have faced those kind of situations many times before, with Volkanovski, with Max Holloway. They were like, ‘No one could beat them, no one could knock them out.’ But they never faced me. They never faced someone that skillful like me. This is what’s going to happen with Charles.
“He thinks that he has some opportunities, but the reality is that he has not. The only thing he has to do is show up, and I’m going to do the rest. I’m going to finish him in the first round. I say that to you like I say I’m going to get a coffee. He walks forward, this is all I need.
“The time that takes me to knock out my opponents is the time that takes me to close the distance. With Charles, I’m not going to need to close the distance because he walks forward, and this is all I need to take his lights out.”
Former UFC fighter Jon Jones appears to have responded to his most recent legal concerns on social media.
As we know, Jon Jones has decided to walk away from mixed martial arts and retire from the sport. Alongside that, he’s also been dealing with fresh legal problems in the midst of allegations that he fled the scene of an accident. As you can imagine, his attorney has dismissed this, but a lot of fans aren’t quite as convinced.
Jon Jones has always been pretty active on social media and we can’t really picture a world in which that changes. He likes to wind up the fans, and he also likes to voice his opinions. That’s just part of who he is, and we wouldn’t even be shocked to see him tease a return to the UFC at some point in the near future.
In the following tweets, however, Jon Jones seemed to make it clear that he isn’t happy with “lies” that he believes are being told right now.
One thing we all know about snakes, you let them hang around long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. It’s good to be real with the people that’s known you for a long time, but sometimes it’s OK to outgrow people. These are reasons why
Thank you, so far it’s going really amazing. Outside of the silly lies and distractions. Just became owner of another company. I would say first year in retirements going pretty good. Two new businesses in the books. https://t.co/iZBIigCZd1
“One thing we all know about snakes, you let them hang around long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. It’s good to be real with the people that’s known you for a long time, but sometimes it’s OK to outgrow people. These are reasons why.”
“Thank you, so far it’s going really amazing. Outside of the silly lies and distractions. Just became owner of another company. I would say first year in retirements going pretty good. Two new businesses in the books.”
Welcome, everyone, to the fifth 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 second welterweight matchup of the season, as Team Cormier’s Jeff Creighton defeated Team Sonnen’s Andreaas Binder, even after a weight disadvantage with Andreaas significantly missing weight.
Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 5
Tonight’s matchup at flyweight will see Team Cormier’s Alibi Idiris will take on Team Sonnen’s Furkatbek Yokubov.
Let’s get into episode five of The Ultimate Fighter!
TUF House
Yokubov explains how his Islamnic faith ensures that he remains humble and stays driven, as well as the five times he and other Muslim combatants pray. He adds that while he dislikes having to fight someone he respect like Idiris, things change once the cage door closes.
Team Cormier Training Session – Brandon Moreno Joins
Brandon Moreno, an alumnus of season 24 of TUF, joins Team Cormier for their training. Moreno was the 16th ranked fighter of the season — featuring a collection of regional flyweight champions — losing to Alexandre Pantoja. Of course, Moreno would go past his projections and ended up becoming UFC flyweight champion on two occasions.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) June 25, 2025
Moreno tells the team that it doesn’t matter if they don’t come out on top in the end — it’s all about what they do in training in and after the competition.
“If you lose, don’t stop working hard,” Moreno tells them. “It’s going to build you as a person and as a human being.”
Focus every single day 🧠
Wise words from former TUF contestant Brandon Moreno!
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) June 25, 2025
Moreno goes into the secrets of his boxing and footwork, as well as how he uses it to set up his wrestling.
Alibi Idiris Backstory
Idiris shows Danill a photo of his brother and his children. Idiris explains how hard it is to be away from them as he competes on the show, and how they’ve changed his life.
Idiris grew up in Kazakhstan, in a small town called Aktobe. He lives with his parents, wife, and children. Idiris says when things get tough in camp or cutting weight, his children give him the motivation to keep going. Idiris explains he is a family-first individual and that they serve as his motivation.
Alibi's whole family 🥹
TUF contestants are here for more than just themselves!
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) June 25, 2025
When not in training, Idiris likes to ride horses.
Idiris explains that he joined an MMA gym one day and now has been fighting professionally for five years. We see footage of him training at Erkin Kush. Idiris hopes to show that even those who come from a small footage have the opportunities and abilities to do big things.
Furkatbek Yokubov Fight Prep
Uzbekistan’s Yokubov is a 15-4 fighter, who fights out of Dubai, who has good power and likes to use it to finish fights.
We see footage of his quick fight from LFA 196, where he calls himself a high-level striker.
Sonnen says this fight is interesting because the two have worked out before. Yokubov told him that while Idiris is the better grappler, he is the better striker. Yokubov adds that he’s watched Idiris fight before and knows the mistake he makes in the fight.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) June 25, 2025
Furkatbek Yokubov Backstory
We see a photo of Yokubov’s father and daughter. He mentions how hard it is to be without methods to contact them and his wife.
Yokubov was a kickboxing champion in 2013 before turning to MMA in 2016. Training out of TKMMA Fit, Yokubov says he is on a mission to become TUF champion, and then UFC champion.
We see photos of his late mother, and Yokubov becomes emotional discussing her and her telling him on her deathbed to continue on and become a champion. Yokubov says he is going to win this fight for his family.
Alibi Idiris Fight Prep
Idiris gives a gift of a robe to Cormier, looking to represent himself and his country. Idiris calls him a “Kazakh gangster.” Cormier praises his personality and humility.
Idiris is a striker who says he “loves knockouts” and is a former Naiza FC champion.
Cormier tells Idiris that he has great cardio and will be his best weapon in this fight. Cormier calls him “the hardest working fighter” he’s ever coached in his two seasons of TUF.
“You get a guy like that, with that effort, you’re drawn to him,” Cormier said.
DC has been a TUF coach twice and has NEVER seen someone work as hard as Alibi 🤯
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) June 25, 2025
“When you’re standing across from somebody whose goals directly impact yours, you got to make sure you say, ‘Only one of us can live this dream,’” Clark said.
Alibi Idiris vs. Furkatbek Yokubov
Round 1
Low kick from Idiris to start. Idiris working short kicks early. Yokubov flashes a right. Low kick from Idiris. Combination from Yokubov. Idiris tries to come forward. Spinning kick misses by Idiris. Left hand from Yokubov. Idiris comes forward, urged by Cormier to bring pressure. Body kick by Idiris. Yokubov lands the right hand. Idiris comes forward, but Yokubov grabs a hold of him. He nearly gets Idiris to the fence before Idiris gets away. Left hook from Yokubov. A right hand gets Idiris to stumble back.
Another body lock battle for control. A left hand sends Idiris down briefly. Right hand from Yokubov. Low kick from Yokubov. Right hand from Yokubov. Right hand from Idiris, but Yokubov lands a knee. Idiris encourages more pressure. Another body lock. Knee from Yokubov lands low. Brief break in the action before time resumes. Idiris scores a takedown. Yokubov quickly gets to his feet, but he’s still pinned against the fence. Knee to the body by Idiris, followed by a trip. Yokubov is harshly warned for grabbing the fence.
Yokubov gets up but is warned again for grabbing the fence. Idiris trying for a takedown. Idiris gets to the back and starts to land ground-and-pound! Idiris looks for a choke before resuming his punches. Idiris continues to punch and look for a finish. Despite his chase, he doesn’t get the finish.
Round 2
Each man lands a job. Yokubov with a one-two. Left hand from Yokubov. Low kick from Yokubov. Idiris with a co,bination. Uppercut from Idiris. Idiris misses a spinning backfist. Right hand from Yokubov. One-two from Idiris. Left hand from Idiris. Knee to the body by Idiris. Right hand from Idiris. Elbow by Idiris. The referee calls a timeout for an eye poke.
Cormier tells Idiris that Yokubov is breaking. The referee deducts one point for the eye poke.
Front kick from Idiris. Combination from Yokubov. Knee from Idiris. Cormier yells at Idiris to focus on just winning the round. Yokubov warned for grabbing the cage. Idiris takes Yokubov down anyway and looks for a choke. He searches for an arm-triangle choke. Idiris looks like he’s squeezing. Yokubov says he’s okay. Idiris lets go of the choke and gets into mount again. Punches from Idiris, and the ref warns for back of the head punches. Cormier yells for a choke. Yokubov gets back to his feet but is returned to the mat by Idiris.
A couple of shots from Idiris before Yokubov gets back to the feet. Idiris misses a high kick. Idiris misses a spinning attack. Combinations from Yokubov. Another body lock, and another takedown scored for Idiris. Idiris hunts for the choke again. Idiris is told by Cormier to go back to top control, and he does so, landing punches in bunches until the horn.
Dominant performance from Idiris, who tells Dana White “Remember my name!” (Belal Muhammad might want to take action for gimmick infringement).
Winner: Alibi Idiris via unanimous decision after two rounds
Conclusion
Cormier notes that Idiris started with struggling taking Yokubov down, which gave Yokubov confidence. White knew Idiris was hurt at one point and Idiris knew he had to get the fight to the ground.
That’s when Idiris looks to dominate on the ground, and he does, with Sonnen noting something in the ground exchanges drained Yokubov.
Cormier feels Idiris will be a tough competitor to beat in the competition. Team Cormier, meanwhile, appears to be unbeatable ever since dropping the first fight of the season.
UFC star Ilia Topuria has once again reiterated his desire to square off with rival Paddy Pimblett at some point in the future.
On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria will battle Charles Oliveira for the right to become UFC lightweight champion. While there’s a good chance that Oliveira can surprise many and win the gold, a lot of fans and pundits believe that ‘El Matador’ will get the job done. The man himself is so confident, in fact, that he’s already starting to plan for the future.
One man who we know he doesn’t particularly like is Paddy Pimblett. The two have gone back and forth at one another for years now and if the stars align, Ilia Topuria vs ‘The Baddy’ could quickly become one of the biggest fights in UFC history – and no, that’s not an exaggeration.
In a recent interview, Ilia Topuria doubled down on wanting to battle Pimblett, suggesting that he needs to face Justin Gaethje next.
Ilia Topuria wants Paddy Pimblett fight
”He’s one fight away from a title shot. He needs actually that fight because it’s going to be even better for our fight if he gets one more win. Then we’re going to have, I think, the biggest fight in the UFC right now at the moment.
”Yeah, him versus Justin Gaethje. I think he’s going to beat him easily. Because of the style, it’s not like I don’t like Justin, I’m actually a huge fan of all of his fights. I enjoy a lot watching him fight. He’s those guys that takes a lot of punches and throws a lot of punches, I love to watch him fight, but I think that Paddy could get that win easily because of the style.”
UFC star Michael Chandler believes that former rival Paddy Pimblett has the potential to become a UFC world champion one day.
As we know, back at UFC 314, Paddy Pimblett was able to dominate and finish Michael Chandler in their lightweight encounter. While Chandler has had some great moments inside the cage since joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship, this certainly wasn’t one of them.
Paddy Pimblett announced to the world that he had arrived and he did so in style. There are still many doubters out there who want to try and put him down, but ‘The Baddy’ refuses to go quietly into the night.
In a recent interview, Michael Chandler gave his thoughts on Paddy Pimblett’s abilities and his future.
Michael Chandler backs Paddy Pimblett for big things
”Definitely, possibly. I mean, I think he’s better than a lot of us gave him credit for, you know, being in there with him. I wouldn’t say that he’s got this crazy amount of skills or this crazy amount of power. He’s crazy good in any direction, but he’s not excellent anywhere, but he’s good pretty much everywhere.
“He’s got a long body, he uses that range, he uses his kicks really well. You know, whether it was me having a bad night or him having a great night, or that is just who he is, it was tough to kind of get the distance, and by the time I got the distance, took the knee, and then that’s fighting for you. You know, we go out there, we lay it on the line, and sometimes bad things happen.”
UFC 317 co-main event star Kai Kara-France appears to be ready for war as he prepares to lock horns with Alexandre Pantoja this weekend.
On Saturday night, Kai Kara-France will challenge for the undisputed UFC flyweight championship. He will attempt to prove that he’s the very best at 125 pounds, and while many are picking against him, being the underdog has never been a problem for KKF. He’s ready and willing to showcase himself for the world to see in what promises to be an electric title fight.
As we know, Kai Kara-France is part of the City Kickboxing team. He’ll hope that he can join the ranks of Israel Adesanya by earning gold under their umbrella, but it certainly won’t be easy. In a recent interview, he spoke candidly about how he’s feeling heading into fight night.
Kai Kara-France is ready for UFC 317
“Landing down, two to ten toes down in Las Vegas—fought here many times before, so it’s a place of business for me. I don’t come here to holiday; I come here to win and to win belts. It’s been a great camp. I feel like I’m coming into my career best, 32 years young, just ready for this—ready to represent my people, my culture, being from Auckland, New Zealand, and being of Māori heritage. I’m expecting a firefight, a dogfight, and yeah, I can’t wait to do what I do best.”
Buckle up everyone – because this has the potential to be an incredibly fun showdown.
Ilia Topuria has said that he doesn’t believe Islam Makhachev is ducking him by moving up to the welterweight division.
This weekend, Ilia Topuria will attempt to become a two-weight world champion when he takes on Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight championship. Islam Makhachev, meanwhile, will try and do the same thing later this year when challenging Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight strap.
The hope from many was that Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev would be a fight that happens for the UFC lightweight championship. Unfortunately, for now, that hasn’t quite come to fruition.
In a recent interview, Ilia Topuria responded honestly when discussing whether or not he thinks Islam ducked him.
Ilia Topuria doesn’t think Islam Makhachev is ducking him
“I don’t think he’s ducking me, to be honest. I would be lying to you if I told you that he’s ducking me. I think he’s tired of the weight cut. He wants a new challenge. He moved to the welterweight division, failed, and thinks that he has a chance to become a double champion. I think this is all he’s trying to do.
”I think that not a lot of people understand how hard the weight cut is. When you get tired of the weight cut, there’s no name in the world that motivates you to fight. There’s no money in the world—you just want to take care of your health. This is the reason why I switched weight classes, and I think he’s doing the same thing.”
Former UFC star Jon Jones is embroiled in yet another controversy – and now, body cam footage has been released in the wake of a recent criminal summons.
As we know, Jon Jones has opted to retire from mixed martial arts. This means that Tom Aspinall is now the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, which is a move that many had seen coming for quite some time. Jon never seemed particularly interested in squaring off with the Englishman and now, instead of doing so, he’s decided to ride off into the sunset.
Well, sunset may be a stretch. It was soon revealed hours later that Jon Jones has been caught up with the law once again, this time accused of fleeing the scene of an accident. He is scheduled for a bond arraignment on July 24.
Now, there has been body cam footage released, in which a man that sounds like Jon Jones can be heard talking with an officer.
Jon Jones’ latest issues
The individual on the other end can be heard threatening the officer, without ever refusing to confirm whether or not it’s actually Jon Jones on the line. The man himself released a cryptic statement shortly after the story broke, but aside from that, we haven’t heard a whole lot from him.
We all know that ‘Bones’ has been involved in multiple incidents over the years and if this is the way that he’s going to depart mixed martial arts, it certainly isn’t all that surprising given what we know about his past.
Ilia Topuria is not opposed to the idea of someday pursuing championship glory in a third weight division. This was expressed by the former featherweight champion during a recent interview with MMA Junkie as Topuria heads in to a vacant lightweight championship bout this weekend. The Georgian-Spanish mixed martial artist will look to enter the rarefied air of two-division champions in UFC history when he aims to take out former 155-pound kingpin Charles Oliveiria in the headliner of UFC 317 on June 28th.
A fight that many thought would happen for Topuria though, is seemingly off the table with former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev vacating his 155 pound strap to pursue a welterweight title fight against sitting champion Jack Della Maddalena. The unbeaten pro MMA fighter does not think the Islam Makhachev fight has totally faded into the ether, though, as Ilia Topuria said,
“We’ll see how he does in the welterweight division. If he wins the title and I win the title in the lightweight division, maybe I move up or he comes down and we have the fight that everyone wants to see.”
Ilia Topuria and the history of fighters pursuing three division title accolades in MMA
If he gets his desired outcome in the coming days, Ilia Topuria would be in a great position to go on and become a titleholder across three weight categories following a Charles Oliveira victory, and there are some notable examples in mixed martial arts history of fighters who have pursued just that.
Martin Nguyen tried to do just this under the ONE Championship banner after previously holding titles at lightweight and featherweight. After contending for the lineal ONE bantamweight belt as well as the interim bantamweight strap, Nguyen would fall short of his lofty goal against Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon, respectively.
The fighter who many see as the Bellator MMA GOAT, Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire also endeavored to become a three-division titleholder after multiple reigns with that promotion’s featherweight belt and a prior stint as the BMMA lightweight champion. Alas, the Brazilian standout would fall short to Sergio Pettis on points in his bid for Pettis’ bantamweight belt at Bellator 297.
Anatoly Malykhin stands out as a three-division champion having held titles under the ONE Championship banner from middleweight up to heavyweight, while Juan Archuleta can claim to be a four-division champion while plying his trade with King of the Cage.
Tom Aspinall will have a growing line of contenders awaiting a chance to challenge him in his first undisputed title defense.
The top tier of the UFC heavyweight division had been stuck in limbo for the past two years, with the promotion holding out hope for a long-awaited title unification clash between reigning champion Jon Jones and interim titleholder Aspinall. On paper, it had all the makings of a historic showdown. But the bout never came to fruition, as “Bones” repeatedly dismissed the matchup, arguing that a win over Aspinall wouldn’t meaningfully elevate his already legendary résumé.
However, this past Saturday, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that Jones has officially opted to retire from active competition. Consequently, Aspinall has now taken over as the undisputed heavyweight king. White added that the promotion will begin working with the Brit next week to book his first title defense.
🚨 BREAKING: @DanaWhite announces that Jon Jones has officially retired.
Tom Aspinall will soon look to defend his undisputed title, but identifying the most deserving challenger in the division’s chaotic landscape won’t be easy.
Image: @UFCEurope/X
Jailton Almeida Puts His Name In The Hat To Face Tom Aspinall Next
In his post, “Malhadinho” pitched himself as the most deserving contender and dismissed Ciryl Gane as unworthy of a title shot against Aspinall. He pointed out that the Frenchman had already fallen short in two previous championship bouts and argued that his recent win over Alexander Volkov was far from convincing.
“Congrats champ. You deserve that.Now, let’s make the only fight that makes sense — Aspinall vs. Almeida for the undisputed heavyweight title of the world. Gane ducked you and me before, already fought for the belt and lost twice, and his last win was a robbery,” Jailton Almeida wrote on X.
Congrats champ. You deserve that Now, lets make the only fight who make sense! Aspinall vs Almeida for undisputed HW title of the world Gane ducks you and me before, already fought for the belt and lost 2-times, and his last win was a robbery@AspinallMMA@danawhite@Mickmaynard2pic.twitter.com/RiTrNu4CCj
— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) June 21, 2025
The 33-year-old Brazilian went a step further, listing fellow top contenders like Sergei Pavlovich, Curtis Blaydes, and Volkov while pointing out that nearly all of them have already faced Tom Aspinall and failed to get the job done.
— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) June 22, 2025
Almeida is riding the momentum of a two-fight win streak, with his most recent outing being a first-round knockout of Serghei Spivac at UFC 311 this past January. Before that, “Malhadinho” had compiled an impressive six-fight run in the Octagon, which was snapped by a TKO loss to Blaydes at UFC 299 in March 2024.
UFC legend Daniel Cormier has given his updated thoughts on Jon Jones following the latter’s retirement from mixed martial arts.
If there’s anyone in the MMA sphere that knows Jon Jones, it’s Daniel Cormier. He fought him on two separate occasions, and the pair had an incredible rivalry that lasted for years. Now, both men have officially hung up their gloves, with Jones following on from DC who made the decision many years ago now.
Between Jones retiring without fighting Tom Aspinall and his latest legal trouble, there are far more questions than answers right now. In a recent video, Daniel Cormier didn’t hold back when providing his perspective on the matter.
Daniel Cormier’s latest view on Jon Jones
“I said ‘If Jon Jones does not fight Tom Aspinall, he quit,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “… He quit. He did not want to fight Tom Aspinall. It’s so surprising. Is he scared? No. But by not fighting Aspinall, he opens the conversation. He lets you – every one of you – question why he doesn’t fight him.
“… To walk away right now opens the door for people to have the conversation about, ‘Does this affect the legacy?’”
“I honestly feel like if Tom loses, (Jones) would come back – and that’s crazy to me, because that’s only going to make it worse,” Cormier said.
Cormier went on to address Jon’s recent legal issues.
“The saddest thing about this to me is that it’s not surprising,” Cormier said. “I’ve seen him do things over the course of his career that have been very dangerous, and it’s just not smart. I hope that as he goes into the next phase of his career, if it’s over forever, that he fills the void with something positive.”
“I will go to my grave believing he quit instead of fighting (Aspinall),” Cormier said. “… Jon Jones has got to get this sh*t together, man. … They gave him the money. They agreed to everything. And he still just would not do it.”
UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Jon Jones changed his mind about fighting Tom Aspinall as fans come to terms with his retirement.
As we know, Jon Jones has decided to retire from mixed martial arts. While he’s had an incredible career, his heavyweight run certainly left a lot to be desired. The majority of fight fans are of the belief that he should’ve squared off with Aspinall, especially given that the Englishman is the interim champion in the division.
Either way, though, it doesn’t seem as if we’re going to see Jon Jones in action anytime soon, especially now that Aspinall has been promoted to undisputed champion status. There were plenty of rumors going around regarding how this came about and in a recent interview, Dana White opted to shed a bit of light on the subject.
Dana White confirms Jon Jones changed his mind about Tom Aspinall fight
“I saw (Jones’ legal news Sunday). When I saw it today, I thought, ‘Every one is going to think that’s why he retired,’” White told the Mac Life and other reporters Sunday at the Canelo vs. Crawford news conference in New York. “Maybe that is why he retired. Who the hell knows, man. I don’t know. These are all questions you have to ask him. We had the fight done. You saw me talking about it very confidently, that this fight was going to happen, and then he changed his mind.”
“No, (he’s not ducking Tom Aspinall),” White said. “Jon Jones, I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again: He’s never ducked anybody other than that one goofy time with the Chael Sonnen thing (at UFC 151). He’s never ducked anybody and I think the reality of it is, whatever changed his mind with this fight, you’d have to ask him that. He’s 38 years old, and I don’t know.”
UFC lightweight star Rafael Fiziev has called for a collision with fellow contender Dan Hooker following his win at UFC Baku.
After a three-fight losing streak, Rafael Fiziev was in need of a big win at UFC Baku – and he got it. He was able to defeat Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event of the evening and in doing so, the 32-year-old proved that he’s still got a lot left in the tank at 155 pounds. He may not be a top title prospect right now but if he can pick up a couple more big wins, then who knows what could be possible.
Someone who is also hoping to make a charge for the title is none other than Dan Hooker. The veteran has been out of action for quite some time due to injury, and yet despite that, Rafael Fiziev is still pretty interested in meeting him in the middle of the Octagon.
Rafael Fiziev shows interest in Dan Hooker fight
“In my mind, first one after this tall guy is Dan Hooker,” Fiziev said at the UFC on ABC 8 post-fight press conference. “He’s another tall guy, and I like fighting against tall guys.”
“He’s a man. He’s a man. How many crazy fights does he have in there?” Fiziev said. “He deserves one more crazy fight. He has a place now (in the rankings). I don’t believe this place. When I lost to (Mateusz) Gamrot, I didn’t lose that place, really. It was an injury. So this place he now holds, I want to take it back if that’s OK.”
Islam Makhachev‘s coach Javier Mendez does not believe that he was ever in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s shadow, despite what some may say.
As we know, Islam Makhachev has carved out a pretty remarkable run for himself as UFC lightweight champion. Now, however, he’s going in pursuit of a second world title, which would truly cement him as one of the all-time greats. For the longest time, he’s been compared to his close friend and training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is a legend in his own right.
Of course, the two are very different in the way they approach the sport of mixed martial arts, but it’s certainly an interesting debate to have. In a recent interview with Genting Casino – who offer the best Live Casinos, the aforementioned Javier Mendez gave his thoughts on the idea that Islam was ever in Khabib’s shadow.
Javier Mendez discusses Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov
“I think he’s already done that [stepped out of Khabib’s shadow] but I had never looked at him as in Khabib’s shadows. I just looked at him as the next great one under his father’s tutelage.
“I never looked at him [as a protege] following Khabib. He’s just following his father’s game plan of what he wanted from these boys. His father stated on many occasions he wanted Islam to be champion after Khabib was retired.”
You may or may not be a fan of Islam Makhachev, but one thing is for sure – he’ll go down as one of the greatest lightweights to ever do it when it’s all said and done.
UFC star Khalil Rountree Jr is eager to break the record for most knockdowns in the history of the light heavyweight division after tying the current record of fourteen.
In the main event of UFC Baku, Khalil Rountree Jr was able to defeat Jamahal Hill – and for long stretches of the contest, he was actually looking pretty dominant. In the process of picking up the win, he managed to tie the record for most knockdowns in light heavyweight history. That total stands at 14, and he is tied with the greats Shogun Rua and Chuck Liddell, both of whom are former champions.
As you can probably imagine, Khalil Rountree Jr has big plans for his future after such a triumphant victory. After the fight, he made it crystal clear that he’s looking to make even more history by breaking the record and standing at the top of the mountain on his own.
For the first time in the promotion’s history, the UFC headed to Azerbaijan for a Fight Night event, with their June 21 card taking place at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, the country’s capital city.
In addition to fighters connected with Azerbaijan throughout the card, the main event featured a former UFC light heavyweight champion trying to get back to winning ways against a top-10 contender, as Jamahal Hill took on Khalil Rountree Jr.
Hill had previously won the light heavyweight title but vacated due to injury. He entered tonight on a pair of losses since then, getting knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in an attempt to try and win back the gold and getting stopped by Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311. Rountree, meanwhile, had won five straight before it was snapped at UFC 307 — his most recent fight prior to this card — when he challenged Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight title.
The co-main event of the evening saw Rafael Fiziev look to snap a three-fight losing skid, as he took on Ignacio Bahamondes, who entered with three straight wins and victories in six of his last seven.
The main card also featured the return of former interim title challenger Curtis Blaydes, as he took on the UFC debutant Rizvan Kuniev. It also saw a catchweight bout between Tofiq Musayev and Myktybek Orolbai, a lightweight clash featuring Nazim Sadykov and Nikolas Motta and a featherweight battle between Muhammad Naimov and Bogdan Grad.
Who delivered? Who dropped the ball? Let’s find out with the hits and misses of UFC Baku!
Miss: Many Decisions, Just Two Post-Fight Bonuses
I don’t want to sound like one of these people where it’s a big finish or bust. There can be just as great fights that are expert grapple battles as fights that are slugfests. There are fights that can go the distance that are still great fights — sometimes, even better fights than the ones that have a big, quick highlight finish.
But the problem is, we didn’t get much of that at UFC Baku.
Only two fights on the whole card ended in decision. The main card, which aired on ABC in America, even started in the middle of the final prelim because of the pacing and the fact no prelim fights had finishes.
Most of the prelim fights, additionally, didn’t bring the excitement we’ve seen with prelims from other cards. One of the jokes around MMA X/Twitter of the event’s fallout is comparing UFC Baku to an Apex with people in the audience seen leaving the card early.
I’ll be more blunt and say I think this card was worse than some of the ones we’ve seen in the Apex.
Even Dana White seemed to agree, awarding all of the bonus money only to Nadim Sadykhov and Nikloas Motta for their exciting clash — and it’s deserved.
The UFC’s first-ever event in Baku might be an accomplishment; however, the card itself was a major disappointment.
Miss: Questionable Judging
And speaking of fights that ended in decision, how is it 2025 and we’re still having talks about judges and atrocious decisions?
Unfortunately, it seems Baku was hit with a couple of decisions from supposed MMA officials that left MMA fans scratching their heads in confusion, disbelief, and perplexity.
Azat Maksum put on a heart-filled showing against Tagir Ulanbekov, the 12th-ranked flyweight in the UFC. His reward? Winning only one round on all judge’s card across all three scorecards. A portion of the crowd booed the cards, and even UFC commentary called out the judges for their questionable scoring.
That was a SCRAP 💥@Ulanbekov_Tagir wins by UD & is now on a 4 fight winning streak!
Then came the main card bout between Curtis Blaydes and Rizvan Kuniev. Blaydes definitely won the first round with his wrestling ability, but Kuniev did some damage over the course of the next two rounds — and some might feel it was more than what Blaydes delivered and should have been given the nod.
It was a close fight for sure, so feel how you feel. But if we’re going by how many in the online MMA community feel, this was just another blow to their intelligence.
Unfortunately, I know the answer to this is never, but I’ll keep yelling it: When are we going to start holding MMA officials (referees, judges, etc.) accountable for how they perform in fights, too?
Hit: Ko Seok-hyun Scores Major Upset In UFC Debut
Oban Elliott has had quite a bit of attention on him as a rising up-and-comer out of Europe. “The Welsh Gangster” entered UFC Baku 3-0 in the Octagon since his 2023 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. And up against Ko Seok-hyun, who was making his UFC debut, most felt this was going to be another strong performance from Elliott.
Seok-hyun had other plans, however.
A +370 underdog as of about 12 hours prior to the start of his fight, Seok-hyun landed a hard left hand and then let his judo abilities take over. Seok-hyun took Elliott to the ground and landed with power at will, even opening a cut on Elliott at one point, as he dominated his way into a decision victory.
That's how you make a debut! 💪
Seokhyeon Ko wins the UD to earn his first victory! 👏
Elliott will probably rebound from this, but the focus here should be on a great UFC debut for the man who is dubbed “The Korean Tyson.” It will be fun to see what happens next for him in the Octagon.
Hit: Nazim Sadykhov And Nikolas Motta Deliver Fight Of The Year Candidate
As stated earlier, even Dana White agrees, there was one solo major highlight from the UFC Baku card: Nazim Sadykhov and Nikolas Motta beating each other to a bloody pulp until one dropped.
It was a slugfest that most agreed was one of the most exciting fights in MMA this year, let alone in just the UFC.
Motta appeared to have Sadykhov hurt in the first, and he landed a barrage of shots that seemed like would put him away for a quick ending to this fight. But Sadykhov held his own and then took advantage of a fatigued Motta, landing a barrage on him.
$100,000 between these two men is more than well deserved. I hope at the end of the year, we can look back on this fight, even if it doesn’t win Fight of the Year honors, and remember how these two gentlemen — in the midst of a card filled with so much bad — brought us eight or so minutes of exciting, wild battle.
Miss: So Much For Curtis Blaydes Being A Top Heavyweight Contender (And The Concerning State Of UFC’s Heavyweights)
As I stated earlier, Curtis Blaydes ended up getting a split decision victory after edging out Rizvan Kuniev, a former Eagle FC heavyweight champion who was making his Octagon debut on this card.
Blaydes had his fair share of shots in addition to controlling the action with his grappling and wrestling abilities, but Kiziev busted up one of his eyes and landed a stunning knee and late flurry in the third — which led plenty to believe Blaydes didn’t deserve the nod.
BY SPLIT DECISION ✂️@RazorBlaydes265 earns the win to keep his top 5 ranking! 👏
You obviously expect a ranked heavyweight contender, in his first fight since falling short in an interim title bout, to beat someone making their Octagon debut. But this was not in the way that’s going to earn Blaydes popularity points with the fans or Dana White.
Blaydes claimed he suffered an injury early on in the fight — but more than his own performance, it speaks to the state of the heavyweight division (especially in the wake of the breaking news of Jon Jones’ retirement).
Obviously the UFC’s rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt, but to say that was a performance from a top-five ranked contender is sad. And right now, there’s nothing that screams awesomeness and star power right now at heavyweight outside of new undisputed champion Tom Aspinall. Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane is the best matchup we’ve got at that weight class right now.
Blaydes’ performance is a reminder that the UFC needs to find an entertaining and talented name for the heavyweight scene outside of Aspinall – STAT.
Hit: Rafael Fiziev Gets Much Needed Win In Front Of Home Crowd
Considering his talent, it might be a surprise that Rafael Fiziev hadn’t gotten a win in three years. But the Azerbaijan native, competing in his home country, got a needed showcase with a win over Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event.
After targeting the body in a slow opening round, Fiziev countered Bahamondes’ attempts to get inside, and then, to everyone’s surprise, used takedowns of his own to help with controlling the action. He added in a knockdown of Bahamondes before the end of the round. Fiziev then got the better of the exchanges in an action-filled third round, earning a clean-sweep decision.
ON THEIR FEET AFTER THAT 👏@RafaelFiziev ends the fight on top in the co-main event!
After the pair of losses to Justin Gaethje, sandwiched between with an injury he suffered against Mateusz Gamrot, Fiziev is ready to take part in another lightweight contenders’ battle. Depending how future fights play out, perhaps someone in the lower part of the top-10 could be a next opponent – names that include Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano, as well as a possible rematch with Gamrot.
Miss: A Lackluster Main Event, The Downfall Of Jamahal Hill
The UFC Baku main event between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr wasn’t just boring, it wasn’t even competitive. Rountree used his leg-kick-based offense and his distance work to completely take out Hill, putting on a one-sided beating in a clear decision victory.
The fault here shouldn’t lie on Rountree. As he stated after the fight, he was fighting his fight and clearly did more damage to the former champ. This was a solid victory for Rountree — and as others have mentioned, a fight between him and Jiri Prochazka sounds so appetizing with their styles.
Calm, cool & collected ✔️@KhalilRountree is now tied for 3rd in all time light heavyweight wins since 2016 with 10! 👊
Firstly, what is his corner doing lying to him and saying the fight is close? By the time round three ended, it was clear Rountree was up three rounds and Hill needed a finish. He could’ve fought differently had it not been for his corner telling him to fight for a decision win — a major blunder by championship-level cornermen. It’s such a blunder, in fact, I have to question their competence — which I shouldn’t be doing for the cornermen of a fighter who was just the welterweight champion a year ago.
And then for Hill to put on the showing he did and then try to talk trash after the fight about how boring it was? Let me remind him that it takes two to tango. Rountree fought a fight that got his butt whooped, and Hill did nothing about it.
I understand Hill is pretty much embracing the heel role with his trash talk and confidence-based predictions about his fights. It’s one thing to do this when you’re winning. It’s another thing to do this when you have gotten whooped three straight times and are on a three-fight losing skid.
This needs to be a wake-up call for Hill. Another loss and we can say he is on a downfall — if you don’t want to say he’s reached his peak and is on the fall already.
Jon Jones may now be retired from active MMA competition, but the former two-division UFC champion’s legal issues have not stopped it seems.
According to court records, charges were filed against Jones on June 17 for leaving the scene of an accident that took place back on February 24. MMA Fighting obtained the official court record.
Per the Albuquerque Journal, a police officer investigating a traffic crash found a woman in the front passenger seat “exhibiting signs of significant intoxication and lacking clothing from the waist down.”
The woman claimed Jones was the driver of the vehicle but fled the scene on foot. She then reportedly called Jones, and when a police aide spoke to the man on the phone believed to be him, he “appeared to be heavily intoxicated and made statements implying his capacity to employ lethal force through third parties.”
When a police officer received similar threatening statements from Jones, backup was requested. The man never confirmed if he was Jones when directly asked by officers.
Jon Jones Charged After Leaving Scene Of February Car Accident
The woman later told police that she drank and consumed mushrooms at Jones’ residence before needing to change her clothes. Then, “her next recollection was being at the scene of a traffic accident.” The woman claimed Jones was the last person she remembered driving the vehicle.
A few days after the incident, Jones was interviewed by police and claimed that the intoxicated woman had left his house earlier in the day and called him after getting into the accident. Jones claimed the person the woman handed the phone to “immediately opened the conversations with unprofessional language, which led him to doubt the legitimacy of the individual’s claim.”
There is no word on why the official charge came four months after the incident.
Jones is scheduled to appear in court on July 24 for a bond arraignment.
Of course, this is far from Jones’ first run-in with the law. Jones has faced multiple DWI charges throughout his career, as well as abuse charges. There is also the infamous 2015 hit-and-run Jones had that resulted in him being stripped of the UFC light heavyweight championship.
