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Category: UFC

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

  • VIDEO: Azamat Bekoev Scores Second Octagon First-Round Finish In Second UFC Appearance

    VIDEO: Azamat Bekoev Scores Second Octagon First-Round Finish In Second UFC Appearance

    Make it two in a row and 10 total first-round finishes for Azamat Bekoev, who followed up his UFC debut with another strong performance in the Octagon.

    Bekoev made quick work of The Ultimate Fighter season 32 middleweight winner Ryan Loder during the preliminary card for UFC Des Moines.

    Loder looked to use his wrestling right away with a clinch and takedown attempt. But Bekoev quickly troubled him by reversing the position. The two quickly got into a striking exchange, where Bekoev rocked Loder. Bekoev then landed a strong knee before dropping Loder with a right hand, delivering some more ground-and-pound until the referee stopped the bout.

    Azamat Bekoev Quickly Puts Away TUF Winner Ryan Loder At UFC Des Moines

    Bekoev, the former LFA middleweight champion, has now won eight straight. He made his UFC debut at UFC 311, finishing Zach Reese in just three minutes.

    This was Loder’s first fight since defeating Robert Valentin in August to claim the TUF title.

  • ‘An Actual Savage’ – Fans React To Gillian Robertson Making Easy Work Of Retiring Marina Rodriguez

    ‘An Actual Savage’ – Fans React To Gillian Robertson Making Easy Work Of Retiring Marina Rodriguez

    A battle of top-15 strawweight contenders sees one fighter’s momentum continuing to roll upward, while another one lays down her gloves in the center of the Octagon.

    The rising Gillian Robertson continued her winning ways during the UFC Des Moines prelims, scoring a finish of Marina Rodriguez, who retired following the fight.

    The fight was a dominant one from start to finish for Robertson, who had control time on the ground in top position for approximately five-and-a-half of the bout’s approximate seven minutes. Pressure and elbows were the main method of attack for Robertson in the opening frame.

    Robertson quickly got the fight back to the ground early in the second round. There, she smoothly worked her way into mount, where she rained down ground-and-pound for the TKO.

    Gillian Robertson Wins Fourth Straight, Marina Rodriguez Retires At UFC Des Moines

    Robertson has now won four straight and six of her last seven, including a 5-1 record since returning to strawweight in 2023. Robertson scored wins over Polyana Viana, Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Luana Pinheiro during 2024. She will most likely have a top-10 ranking come Monday.

    The 38-year-old Rodriguez retires with losses in three straight and five of her last six. Her sole win in that span had come against Waterson-Gomez in September 2023, and she entered tonight’s bout off a controversial split decision loss to Iasmin Lucindo at UFC 307.

    Rodriguez was awarded a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018, where she defeated Maria de Oliveira Neta. Rodriguez’s UFC run ends with an Octagon record of 7-5-2, with wins over the likes of Yan Xiaonan, Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas, in addition two wins over Waterson-Gomez.

  • VIDEO: Quang Le Goes Ground-Game Heavy In Second-Round Submission at UFC Des Moines

    VIDEO: Quang Le Goes Ground-Game Heavy In Second-Round Submission at UFC Des Moines

    Some did not expect Quang Le to score a submission, let alone win this fight, but that’s exactly what happened in his win over Gaston Bolaños during the UFC Des Moines prelims.

    Bolaños tried to get to a strong start with a kick-heavy approach, but Le managed to get a hold of him to start showcase his grappling dominance in this one. Le continuously got Bolaños to the ground, multiple times gaining back control. Though Bolaños tried the same striking approach in the second round, Le fought back with his own combination and got the fight to the ground once more.

    This time, the fourth takedown of the fight, it would stay there, as Le would lock up a rear-naked choke and put Bolaños to sleep for the win.

    Quang Le Puts Gaston Bolaños To Sleep At UFC Des Moines

    This is Le’s first win in the Octagon, with the LFA veteran bouncing back from losses in his first two UFC appearances.

    Bolaños is now 2-2 in the UFC. The Bellator veteran came into this fight off a win over Courtavious Romious in November.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Cory Sandhagen TKO’s Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Cory Sandhagen TKO’s Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, bantamweights Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo clashed. While in the co-main event, Reinier de Ridder faced Bo Nickal in a middleweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Cory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO (knee injury): R2, 4.08 
    • Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal via TKO: R2, 1.53  
    • Daniel Rodriguez def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO: R3, 1.12
    • Montel Jackson def. Daniel Marcos via unanimous decision (30-27×3)   
    • Serhiy Sidey def. Cameron Smotherman via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2) 
    • Mason Jones def. Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision (30-27×3) 

    Preliminary Card

    • Yana Santos def. Miesha Tate via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 
    • Azamat Bekoev def. Ryan Loder via TKO: R1, 2.44
    • Gillian Robertson def. Marina Rodriguez via TKO: R2, 2.07  
    • Quang Le def. Gaston Bolanos via submission: R2, 1.54
    • Thomas Petersen def. Don’Tale Mayes via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26×2) 
    • Juliana Miller def. Ivana Petrovic via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Quang Le def. Gaston Bolanos

    In this bantamweight bout, Quang Le got the win with a rear-naked choke of Gaston Bolanos.

    Gillian Robertson def. Marina Rodriguez

    Gillian Robertson stopped Marina Rodriguez in round two of their strawweight clash.

    Azamat Bekoev def. Ryan Loder

    Azamat Bekoev got a first-round finish against Ryan Loder.

    Main Card Highlights

    Mason Jones def. Jeremy Stephens

    Mason Jones got it done on the scorecards against Jeremy Stephens.

    Serhiy Sidey def. Cameron Smotherman

    Serhiy Sidey earned a unanimous decision win over Cameron Smotherman.

    Montel Jackson def. Daniel Marcos

    Montel Jackson got it done on the scorecards against Daniel Marcos.

    Daniel Rodriguez def. Santiago Ponzinibbio

    Daniel Rodriguez stopped Santiago Ponzinibbio in the third round.

    Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal

    In this middleweight clash, Reinier de Ridder earned a TKO of Bo Nickal in round two.

    Cory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo

    In the main event, Cory Sandhagen earned a second-round TKO after Deiveson Figueiredo tapped out due to a knee injury.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Defeats Team Khabib Fighter, Eyes Islam Makhachev Next

    Arman Tsarukyan Defeats Team Khabib Fighter, Eyes Islam Makhachev Next

    Arman Tsarukyan recently returned to competition after a year-long absence—but not inside the UFC Octagon.

    On Friday night, Tsarukyan stepped into the grappling pit for a 175-pound showdown with Dagestani wrestler Makasharip Zaynukov at Karate Combat 54 in Dubai. “Ahalkalakets” opened aggressively with a single-leg attempt in the corner, but Zaynukov defended well.

    The rest of the bout featured limited grappling success from both fighters, with neither securing a clear takedown across two closely contested five-minute rounds. However, the UFC lightweight contender’s activity and control earned him a unanimous decision from all three judges, making a third round unnecessary.

    In his post-fight interview, Tsarukyan reflected on his performance and explained his motivation for entering the grappling match.

    “It feels great,” Arman Tsarukyan said. “I haven’t fought in one year, so that’s why I came and wrestled today. My opponent is a very tough guy. No one knows him a lot because he fights in Russia, but he’s from a very strong team. He didn’t want to wrestle too much. I like offense, and he was trying to escape from me for 10 minutes.”

    Tsarukyan’s last UFC appearance came at UFC 300 in April 2024, where he secured a hard-fought split decision victory over former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in a title eliminator. “Ahalkalakets” was then slated to challenge reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January, but was forced to withdraw just hours before weigh-ins due to health issues.

    The 28-year-old Armenian has expressed his desire to reschedule a rematch with Makhachev as his next fight.

    “Can’t wait for next one. I need one more guy from Khabib’s team [Makhachev]. Let’s do this again.”

    Tsarukyan first faced Makhachev at a UFC Fight Night event in April 2019, where he delivered a gritty performance in his Octagon debut. Despite his resilience, he was ultimately outclassed and lost to the Dagestani by unanimous decision.

    Currently riding a four-fight win streak, Tsarukyan holds a 9-2 record in the UFC, with four of those victories coming by knockout.

  • Former UFC Title Challenger Faces Six-Month Ban After Positive Drug Test

    Former UFC Title Challenger Faces Six-Month Ban After Positive Drug Test

    A former UFC women’s title challenger has seen her career continue on a downward trajectory.

    On Wednesday, USADA announced that PFL women’s flyweight Taila Santos has accepted a six-month suspension for violating the promotion’s Anti-Doping Policy. The drug-testing agency revealed that the 31-year-old Brazilian tested positive for banned substances, including oxandrolone and its metabolites, as well as clenbuterol, following an out-of-competition sample collected on March 21.

    The suspension is effective for six months, with Santos’ ineligibility retroactively beginning from the date her sample was collected. She will be eligible to return to competition on September 21.

    As a result of the failed drug test, Santos was removed from her scheduled fight against Juliana Velasquez at the April 12 PFL World Tournament event.

    Santos’ most recent appearance came at the 2024 PFL World Championship in November, where she was stopped in the second round by reigning flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva. The defeat marked her first loss in four PFL appearances.

    https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1862600002956071029

    Santos parted ways with the UFC in November 2023, leaving the promotion with a 4-3 record. Her exit followed back-to-back losses, including a narrow split decision defeat to Valentina Shevchenko in a UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship bout at UFC 275 in July 2022.

  • Ilia Topuria Confirms Bombshell Return Announcement For UFC 317

    Ilia Topuria Confirms Bombshell Return Announcement For UFC 317

    Ilia Topuria finally has a date circled on the calendar for his long-awaited return to the Octagon.

    Topuria has been itching to get back into action ever since voluntarily relinquishing the UFC Featherweight Championship in February, aiming to fast-track a showdown with reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev.

    But despite his ambitions, Makhachev’s camp has shown little to no interest in entertaining a title shot for the undefeated Spaniard—at least not in the immediate future.

    Last month, reports surfaced suggesting that “La Leyenda” could be in line for a lightweight title opportunity —either against Makhachev or for a vacant belt, with June as a potential target. The buzz intensified when Topuria took to social media, revealing that he had already kicked off training camp in preparation for the highly anticipated bout.

    On Friday, Topuria officially confirmed his next fight will take place at UFC 317 on June 28, as part of UFC International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada—though he left fans guessing by not yet revealing his opponent.

    The former UFC Featherweight Champion dropped the announcement through Spanish media shortly after receiving the prestigious Grand Cross of the Order of the Second of May from the Community of Madrid.

    “I would like to thank the Community of Madrid and its president for this recognition by the Grand Cross of the Order Dos de Mayo,” Ilia Topuria said. “I am very sorry for not being able to be there with you. But I’ve got training ahead of me, and I hope to make you all happy again on June 28.”

    “La Leyenda” was last seen at UFC 308 in October, where he delivered a stunning knockout of Max Holloway in his first title defense. That dominant performance followed his breakout showing at UFC 298 in February 2024, where he dethroned Alexander Volkanovski to capture the UFC Featherweight title.

    Ilia Topuria remains unbeaten in the UFC, boasting a flawless 8-0 record, with six of those victories coming by way of finish.

  • UFC Champion Belal Muhammad Vows to Raise Palestinian Flag in Montreal: ‘Nothing Is Going to Stop Me’

    UFC Champion Belal Muhammad Vows to Raise Palestinian Flag in Montreal: ‘Nothing Is Going to Stop Me’

    The UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has confirmed he will carry the Palestinian flag during his walkout at UFC 315 in Montreal, despite a brief controversy over its removal from his UFC profile last month. In an exclusive interview with Damon Martin for MMA Fighting, Muhammad stated he has already cleared the plan with UFC officials.

    “Yeah, 100 percent. We’ve talked about it and they’ve accepted it — nothing is going to stop me from doing it,” the champion declared.

    The Chicago-born fighter, whose parents are Palestinian, explained that displaying the flag helps him remain connected to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza throughout his training camp.

    “It’s hard, especially right now… the people over there are in so much pain. The world’s just watching it,” Muhammad reflected.

    For Muhammad, the symbolism serves as powerful motivation:

    “It makes me go to the gym, run that extra mile, lift that extra weight, because I can’t lose… when they see me win that day, they’re going to see that flag get raised.”

    Beyond symbolic gestures, Muhammad has taken concrete action by organizing fundraisers and leveraging his social media platform to highlight critical shortages of medicine, fuel, and food in Gaza. He views his continued success in the Octagon as essential to amplifying his advocacy efforts.

    “The only way I can be their voice is by continuing to win,” Muhammad emphasized.

    UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad (c) will face Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC 315 on May 10, 2025, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

    Muhammad’s Title Reign

    The 36-year-old “Remember the Name” captured UFC gold in July 2024 by defeating Leon Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC 304 in Manchester, England. Since claiming the title, Muhammad has maintained an undefeated streak spanning 11 fights, with his last loss dating back to 2019. His technical striking and relentless pressure have made him one of the most dominant champions in the welterweight division’s recent history.

  • Paul Felder Urges Bo Nickal to ‘Let it Fly’ in Des Moines Showdown

    Paul Felder Urges Bo Nickal to ‘Let it Fly’ in Des Moines Showdown

    UFC commentator and former lightweight contender Paul Felder issued a direct warning to undefeated prospect Bo Nickal ahead of his crucial Saturday showdown with former ONE Championship double-champ Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines, urging the wrestling phenom to be more aggressive after his disappointing last outing.

    In an interview with ESPN, Felder called for Nickal to bounce back from his lackluster performance against Paul Craig at UFC 309. “Because in that Paul Craig fight, he went out there, there was a lot of eyeballs, a lot of hype on this kid, and he just never pulled the trigger”, Felder told ESPN, adding “you got to go out there, you got to be aggressive. I don’t care if it’s with the striking or the wrestling, but I think he’s really got to commit”.

    The criticism echoes comments Felder made during the “Believe You Me” podcast with Michael Bisping, where they discussed Nickal’s failure to utilize his wrestling against Craig. “This was an opportunity for you to be more aggressive and when it wasn’t working out on the feet, it was a huge opportunity to show him that wrestling, and he just never did that”, Felder stated, noting that “the crowd was booing like crazy” during Nickal’s cautious performance.

    The 5-0 Penn State wrestling legend faces his toughest test yet in de Ridder, who brings elite submission credentials that could force Nickal to either engage his vaunted wrestling or risk getting caught in the stand-up exchanges. “Time to get choked”, de Ridder confidently stated at media day, highlighting the high-stakes grappling matchup.

    Nickal, who “asked for this fight”, acknowledges the step up in competition and the need to silence critics after his hesitant showing against Craig. With an emphatic victory, the undefeated prospect could vault himself into middleweight rankings discussions and prove his fan-friendly evolution as a complete mixed martial artist rather than the tentative kickboxer he displayed last time out.

    Saturday’s co-main event at Wells Fargo Arena presents Nickal with an opportunity to showcase the dominant wrestling that made him college’s most decorated grappler – but only if he heeds Felder’s advice to let it fly.

  • Ian Garry Named Official Backup Fighter for UFC 315 Title Fight

    Ian Garry Named Official Backup Fighter for UFC 315 Title Fight

    Irish contender Ian Machado Garry has been confirmed as the official backup fighter for the UFC 315 welterweight championship bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena in Montreal on May 10.

    UFC CEO, Dana White, confirmed the Irishman is the official backup should anything go sideways at the last minute at UFC Kansas City’s post-fight press conference, coming just days after Garry’s decision victory over Carlos Prates.

    Despite having fought a full five rounds on Saturday in Kansas City, Garry immediately began preparing to serve as emergency replacement. Coach Diego Lima confirmed the undefeated Irish prospect is cutting weight on two weeks’ notice, positioning himself as “the perfect insurance policy” according to White.

    “I’m the official backup, and I’m next. Whoever wins that fight, if that fight goes ahead, that’s my next opponent,” Garry stated, making his intentions clear about securing a title shot regardless of whether he competes at UFC 315.

    The welterweight division has been notably volatile, with original title challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov forced to withdraw due to injury, opening the door for Della Maddalena’s opportunity. Garry’s willingness to remain fight-ready despite just competing demonstrates his commitment to championship aspirations.

    A UFC Welterweight Championship bout between current champion Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena is expected to headline this event, marking the UFC’s return to Montreal after a nearly decade-long absence since UFC 186 in 2015.

    The 26-year-old Garry (15-0) has been vocal about deserving the title shot after competing twice on short notice in recent months, solidifying his position as the division’s emergency option while maintaining his perfect professional record.

    ‘Send Fighting Nerds 2-3 Years Dagestan’ – Fans React As Ian Garry Hands Carlos Prates His First UFC Defeat In Kansas City

  • UFC Veteran Claims Colby Covington ‘Fumbled’ Main Event Opportunity

    UFC Veteran Claims Colby Covington ‘Fumbled’ Main Event Opportunity

    A UFC veteran claims Colby Covington passed on a clear opportunity to fight him.

    Covington was last seen in action at UFC Tampa in December, where he suffered a lopsided third-round TKO loss via doctor’s stoppage at the hands of Joaquin Buckley. The setback added to his recent struggles, as “Chaos” has now lost four of his last six fights since 2019.

    Since then, the former interim UFC welterweight champion appears to have shifted his focus toward his live streaming venture on KICK and has shown minimal intent to resume his fighting career anytime soon.

    However, according to Michael Chiesa, Covington had a clear chance to face him following their stint as rival assistant coaches on Season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). The prospect of a showdown between the two began to gain traction, especially after head coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen publicly backed the matchup once filming wrapped.

    In a video posted to his YouTube channel this March, Covington dismissed the idea of facing “Maverick” and bluntly stated he had no interest in fighting someone who isn’t ranked in the top 15.

    During a recent interview with MMA on SiriusXM, Chiesa revealed that while filming TUF, Covington had personally agreed to fight him next—but later backed out.

    The 37-year-old Colorado native didn’t hold back, criticizing Covington for his lack of commitment to the sport. Chiesa went on to assert that Covington’s focus on fighting only top-tier opponents will ultimately lead to his downfall.

    “At the end of the day, I think that he screwed up a really good opportunity,” Chiesa said. “I’m hearing the stories of how he handles his fighting career at this point in time. He has said it himself, streamers make more money than fighters. I think he’s aspiring to be a streamer more than he is a fighter. I know that he doesn’t train the way he used to because I’m talking to people that train at MMA Masters, and it’s like you want to fight for the title, you only want to fight ranked guys. Buddy, if you’re training the way that I’m hearing you’re training, it’s only going to get worse. So why didn’t you take the opportunity to fight me, in a main event, against a guy who worst-case scenario is just going to snatch your neck and choke you? Now Colby just fumbled a situation where he’s probably going to have to fight a Michael Morales, he’s going to have to fight a guy that’s going to do what Joaquin Buckley did to him. So to me, he fumbled a great opportunity for us to do a fight for The Ultimate Fighter, for these fighters.”

    “Maverick” last competed at UFC 310 in December, where he secured a dominant third-round submission victory over Max Griffin, extending his winning streak to two. Chiesa is set to face Court McGee at UFC Atlanta on June 14, with the showdown scheduled to take place at State Farm Arena in Georgia.

  • UFC Des Moines Card Finalized for Saturday’s ESPN Event

    UFC Des Moines Card Finalized for Saturday’s ESPN Event

    The UFC’s return to Iowa after 25 years is set with the complete fight card now official for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

    Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo will face Cory Sandhagen in a five-round bantamweight fight, headlining the ESPN-televised event marking the UFC’s first appearance in Des Moines and first Iowa visit since UFC 26 in 2000.

    Former ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder and undefeated wrestling phenom Bo Nickal clash in a crucial middleweight co-main event, while welterweight veterans Santiago Ponzinibbio and Daniel Rodriguez throw down in another featured bout.

    ESPN2/ESPN+ Prelims at 7 p.m. ET | ESPN2/ESPN+ Main Card at 10 p.m. ET, with the event serving as the kickoff to a packed May schedule that culminates with UFC 315 in Montreal.

    Due to injury with both athletes, the light heavyweight bout between Junior Tafa and Tuco Tokkos will be rescheduled to a later date, UFC officials announced Tuesday.

    UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo Official Card

    Here’s the complete fight lineup for UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo Official Card (UFC Des Moines, UFC on ESPN 67):

    Main Card (ESPN2/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)

    • Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – Bantamweight Main Event (5 rounds)
    • Reinier de Ridder vs. Bo Nickal – Middleweight Co-Main Event
    • Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Daniel Rodriguez – Welterweight
    • Montel Jackson vs. Daniel Marcos – Bantamweight
    • Cameron Smotherman vs. Serhiy Sidey – Bantamweight
    • Jeremy Stephens vs. Mason Jones – Lightweight

    Prelims (ESPN2/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

    • Yana Santos vs. Miesha Tate – Women’s Bantamweight
    • Ryan Loder vs. Azamat Bekoev – Middleweight
    • Marina Rodriguez vs. Gillian Robertson – Women’s Strawweight
    • Gaston Bolanos vs. Quang Le – Bantamweight
    • Thomas Petersen vs. Don’Tale Mayes – Heavyweight
    • Juliana Miller vs. Ivana Petrovic – Women’s Flyweight
  • Dustin Poirier Reveals Two Suggestions UFC Turned Down For Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier Reveals Two Suggestions UFC Turned Down For Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight is locked in versus Max Holloway at UFC 318, but “Blessed” evidently wasn’t among the first two names pitched by the former interim lightweight champion.

    After his third failed bid at achieving undisputed kingpin status on MMA’s biggest stage last year, Poirier decided against hanging up the gloves just yet. Instead, he’ll enter the cage for one final farewell.

    That’ll come in competition for Holloway’s symbolic BMF title in the main event at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center on July 19. But though a trilogy with the Hawaiian will mark his career’s conclusion, it turns out Poirier initially had other potential matchups in mind.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, “The Diamond” revealed that he enquired to UFC higher-ups about another trilogy — a score-settler with Justin Gaethje — and the chance to welcome Ilia Topuria back to 155 pounds.

    “I was asking for Gaethje,” Dustin Poirier said. “I was asking Hunter (Campbell) and the UFC for Gaethje, because we’re 1-1 and I want to close out that trilogy. For some reason they really wanted this fight, so I said, ‘OK, that’s cool because I respect the guy for my last fight.’ I don’t know what their thought process was for putting this together with me and Max, but I have a lot of respect for him, so it makes a lot of sense for me. I said legends only. Definitely fits that.

    “Not once (did they offer Topuria),” Poirier continued. “When he said he was going to 155, I messaged Hunter and the UFC and I said, ‘Hey, what’s up? Let me know what’s going on with this guy now that he’s at ’55.’ But they never entertained it. They told me it’s not happening and they wanted Max.”

  • Anthony Smith Explains Angry Gesture At Fan After Dominant Loss In UFC Kansas City Retirement Fight

    Anthony Smith Explains Angry Gesture At Fan After Dominant Loss In UFC Kansas City Retirement Fight

    UFC light heavyweight veteran Anthony Smith has revealed the actions that resulted in him flipping off a fan moments after a crushing loss in his retirement fight.

    Smith made the walk to the Octagon for the final time at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Kansas City. While “Lionheart” had no doubt hoped to exit the sport on a high, Zhang Mingyang provided a hurdle too tall in that regard.

    The Chinese standout maintained his 100 percent first-round finishing rate with a dominant performance in Missouri. But his emphatic display and the conclusion of Smith’s career weren’t the only talking points.

    In the immediate aftermath of the TKO stoppage, a bloodied Smith could be seen angrily gesturing toward a fan in the crowd. During the UFC Kansas City Post Show, the 36-year-old explained what got him so riled up.

    “There was a guy in a Nebraska shirt and he was like booing me and flipping me off and kind of talking trash before the fight,” Anthony Smith said. “But I was really focused on what I had to do. Then after the fight, his friend is cheering and he’s still flipping me off and saying some pretty disrespectful things.

    “I was so mad. He was wearing a Nebraska shirt! We’re supposed to be family here. It’s not a very big community of people here,” Smith continued. “Mingyang is like, ‘Don’t do this brother, you’ve got to quit that.’ Listen, I was emotional. The fight didn’t go the way I wanted it to go. That is what it is. That’s just part of the game. … If you’re sitting in the crowd, you’re definitely not doing what I’m doing, especially wearing a Nebraska shirt. You can’t talk trash wearing a Nebraska shirt! Like, come on now!”

  • Carlos Prates Breaks Silence On First UFC Loss To Ian Garry in Kansas City

    Carlos Prates Breaks Silence On First UFC Loss To Ian Garry in Kansas City

    Carlos Prates is promising to bounce back stronger after tasting defeat for the first time in the UFC.

    Prates collided with Ian Garry in the UFC Kansas City headliner this past Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Missouri. Over five rounds, the Brazilian was largely on the back foot, as Garry’s exceptional footwork and high-volume striking kept him guessing and a step behind.

    “The Nightmare” had difficulty establishing his game plan throughout the fight, as he repeatedly faced takedown attempts from the Irishman. It wasn’t until the final round that Prates seemed to find a burst of energy, landing some powerful shots, including a vicious ground and pound.

    However, his late push wasn’t enough to turn the tide, as Prates couldn’t sway the judges, who scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, awarding “The Future” the unanimous decision victory.

    Gutted by the defeat, Prates turned to Instagram Stories to concisely share his disappointment about not being able to finish the fight the way he had envisioned.

    “Unfortunately I couldn’t end the fight and that wasn’t enough. Sorry family, I’ll come back stronger!,” Carlos Prates wrote.

    With his defeat at UFC Kansas City, “The Nightmare” saw his impressive four-fight win streak inside the Octagon come to a halt. Prates’ professional record now stands at 21-7, with 16 of those victories coming by knockout.

    Meanwhile, Garry has rebounded from the first loss of his professional career, which came at the hands of Shavkat Rakhmonov in a title eliminator at UFC 310 this past December. “The Future” has since improved his record to 16-1, including seven knockout wins.

  • ‘Send Fighting Nerds 2-3 Years Dagestan’ – Fans React As Ian Garry Hands Carlos Prates His First UFC Defeat In Kansas City

    ‘Send Fighting Nerds 2-3 Years Dagestan’ – Fans React As Ian Garry Hands Carlos Prates His First UFC Defeat In Kansas City

    After suffering his first career defeat in a short-notice outing, Ian Machado Garry, in another fairly short-planned fight, scored a unanimous decision win over Carlos Prates, potentially rebounding as he seeks a title opportunity.

    Garry started things off with plenty of low kicks, working his range well. While Prates got in a bit of leg kicking late in the round, he slipped in the closing seconds. Garry landed some hard ground-and-pound, though Prates seemed to take it well. Garry and Prates had several exchanges during the second round, but Garry seemed to get the better of Prates again — courtesy of more distance management and combinations, including one involving a kick that caught Prates’s attention.

    Prates seemed to lack urgency, which continued into the third round. Garry landed a combination ending with an uppercut that backed Prates up. Garry would score a takedown not long after, becoming the first fighter to earn one against the Brazilian.

    Garry continued to work his game — at one point having landed more than Prates had thrown in terms of strikes — but Prates began to push things by the end of the fourth. This continued into the fifth, with Prates landing a number of combinations and being the fighter coming forward. Garry tried to tie things up, mixing in striking all the while, but Prates ended up landing on top in a takedown attempt.

    There, Prates landed serious ground-and-pound that did damage. Prates continued to land powerful shots, but not at a pace that it was enough to finish the fight. Garry survived the round and earned a decision.

    Ian Garry Outworks Carlos Prates For Decision Win In UFC Kansas City Headliner

    Garry came into this bout off of his first professional loss at UFC 310, taking a short-notice bout and losing to Shavkat Rakhmonov. Prior to this, the former Cage Warriors welterweight champion had scored victories over the likes of Michael “Venom” Page, Geoff Neal, Neil Magny and Daniel Rodriguez.

    Prates’s previous four UFC fights have all been Performance of the Night bonus earning, scoring knockouts against Magny, Li Jingliang, Charles Radtke and Trevin Giles.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Ian Garry Decisions Carlos Prates

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Ian Garry Decisions Carlos Prates

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, welterweights Ian Garry and Carlos Prates clashed. While in the co-main event, Anthony Smith and Zhang Mingyang faced off in a light heavyweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Ian Garry def. Carlos Prates via unanimous decision (48-47×2, 49-46)
    • Zhang Mingyang def. Anthony Smith via TKO: R1, 4.03
    • David Onama def. Giga Chikadze via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Abus Magomedov def. Michel Pereira via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Randy Brown def. Nicolas Dalby via KO: R2, 1.39
    • Ikram Aliskerov def. Andre Muniz via TKO: R1, 4.54  

    Preliminary Card

    • Matt Schnell def. Jimmy Flick via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Evan Elder def. Gauge Young via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Chris Gutierrez def. John Castaneda via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
    • Da’Mon Blackshear def. Alatengheili via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
    • Malcolm Wellmaker def. Cameron Saaiman via KO: R1, 1.59
    • Jacqueline Amorim def. Polyana Viana via submission: R2, 1.49
    • Timothy Cuamba def. Roberto Romero via TKO: R2, 3.55
    • Joselyne Edwards def. Chelsea Chandler via TKO: R1, 2.31

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Joselyne Edwards def. Chelsea Chandler

    Joselyne Edwards earned a first-round TKO of Chelsea Chandler.

    Timothy Cuamba def. Roberto Romero

    Timothy Cuamba got it done with a TKO in the second round.

    Jacqueline Amorim def. Polyana Viana

    Jacqueline Amorim locked in a rear-naked choke to submit Polyana Viana in the second round.

    Malcolm Wellmaker def. Cameron Saaiman

    Malcolm Wellmaker earned a first-round KO of Cameron Saaiman.

    Main Card Highlights

    Ikram Aliskerov def. Andre Muniz

    In this middleweight bout, Ikram Aliskerov stopped Andre Muniz in the first round.

    Randy Brown def. Nicolas Dalby

    In this welterweight bout, Randy Brown stopped Nicolas Dalby in the second round.

    Abus Magomedov def. Michel Pereira

    Abus Magomedov got it done on the scorecards against Michel Pereira.

    David Onama def. Giga Chikadze

    In this featherweight bout, David Onama earned a unanimous decision against Giga Chikadze.

    Zhang Mingyang def. Anthony Smith

    In the co-main event, Zhang Mingyang stopped Anthony Smith in their light heavyweight bout.

    Ian Garry def. Carlos Prates

    In the main event, Ian Garry survived a late onslaught from Carlos Prates to earn a unanimous decision win.

  • ‘Not How You Wanna Go Out’ – Fans React As Zhang Mingyang Retires Anthony Smith With Brutal Beating At UFC Kansas City

    ‘Not How You Wanna Go Out’ – Fans React As Zhang Mingyang Retires Anthony Smith With Brutal Beating At UFC Kansas City

    After a lengthy career in Mixed Martial Arts, “Lionheart” tells the sport thank you and goodbye.

    Anthony Smith retired from active MMA competition following his loss against Zhang Mingyang in the co-main event of UFC Kansas City. Mingyang’s streak of consecutive first-round finishes remains as a result.

    “Every single one of you made an impact on my life,” Smith said. “When I started this game, I was homeless. I had nothing going for me. And now this platform has allowed me to raise my family, my four beautiful daughters, and give them a life that I’ve never been able to have. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.”

    Zhang started things off with leg kicks before catching Smith trying to come in. Though Smith tried to pressure, Zhang was ready with his striking, mixing together punches and low kicks. Zhang soon changed things up to nasty elbows, cutting Smith open on his head. Smith was a bloody mess not long after and shot for a takedown to try and change things.

    It was unsuccessful, however, and a battered Smith continued to take a beating with elbows and ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in.

    Anthony Smith Falls To Zhang Mingyang In Retirement Fight At UFC Kansas City

    Smith began his professional MMA venture in 2008, going to compete for numerous promotions, including Strikeforce, Bellator, and Cage Fury FC before arriving to the UFC in 2016. After a 4-2 run at middleweight in the Octagon, Smith moved up to light heavyweight and made a name for himself with sub-90-second finishes of both Rashad Evans and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in 2018.

    Smith would follow that up with a submission of Volkan Oezdemir to earn a shot at Jon Jones and the light heavyweight championship at UFC 235. Jones was in control for most of the fight, but the moment of the fight came when Smith was hit with an illegal knee in the fourth round. Rather than take the disqualification loss and title like Aljamain Sterling would do three years later against Petr Yan, Smith elected to continue the fight. Though Jones was deducted two points for the foul, he still won a unanimous decision.

    Smith would go on to be a streaky fighter following the fight, ending his career 6-8 (7-7 with win) since the loss to Jones.

    Mingyang, meanwhile, entered tonight’s bout 2-0 in the UFC after a first-round knockout on Road to UFC in 2022. In 2024, Mingyang scored first-round finishes of Brendson Ribiero and Ozzy Diaz.

  • Watch Ikram Aliskerov Crush Andre Muniz With Left Hook In First-Round Finish At UFC Kansas City

    Watch Ikram Aliskerov Crush Andre Muniz With Left Hook In First-Round Finish At UFC Kansas City

    Ikram Aliskerov has gotten back in the win column in a notable way, putting out Andre Muniz with a strong finish to open the main card of UFC Kansas City.

    After some leg kick trading, Aliskerov took control with pressure, landing several left hands on Muniz. Muniz looked for a takedown but got stuffed, with Aliskerov continuing to have the upper hand with striking. Entering the final minute, Aliskerov had gotten the better of Muniz with leg kicks and the left hand.

    And that left hand helped nab him the win. A left hook wobbled Muniz and backed him into the cage, falling to the mat. Aliskerov jumped on him and ground-and-pounded away until the referee stepped in with just seconds to go in the round.

    Ikram Aliskerov Scores Finish With Seconds To Go In Round One At UFC Kansas City

    This marked Aliskerov’s first fight since his short-notice fight and loss to former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in Saudi Arabia last June.

    Muniz, who entered this fight off a split decision over Park Jun-yong in December 2023, has now lost three of his last four.

  • ‘Just Gaethje’d Him’ – Fans React To Randy Brown Flooring Nicolas Dalby In UFC Kansas City Slugfest

    ‘Just Gaethje’d Him’ – Fans React To Randy Brown Flooring Nicolas Dalby In UFC Kansas City Slugfest

    A fight with great intensity ended appropriately — with one of the most vicious knockouts we have seen in 2025 thus far.

    That KO came courtesy of Randy Brown, who became the first man to put away Nicolas Dalby as they threw down at UFC Kansas City.

    Brown looked to get the fight off at a fast pace, and it was a pace that stuck for most of the fight. As Brown looked to get the upper hand in striking, Dalby sought to return pressure. Brown notable shattered Dalby’s nose with a nasty combination during the first round. But just before the end of the round, Dalby shook things up and stole momentum by dropping Brown with a monster hook.

    Dalby looked to take the fight to Brown at the start of round two, but Brown was prepared with his striking, which kept Dalby at bay. Brown continued to lay shots in on Dalby until he landed a massive overhand right that floored Dalby. It was a walk-off knockout that could very well earn Knockout of the Year honors.

    Randy Brown Lays Out Nicolas Dalby With Potential KO Of The Year At UFC Kansas City

    https://twitter.com/thefightbubble/status/1916309936574701946

    Brown has now four of his last five and rebounds from a split decision loss he suffered against Bryan Battle at UFC 310.

    After a four-fight win streak, Dalby has now dropped two straight. He entered tonight off his own split decision defeat, falling to Rinat Fakhretdinov at UFC Saudi Arabia last June.

  • VIDEO: Charles Oliveira To Be Honored With 2025 Forrest Griffin Community Award

    The UFC has named Charles Oliveira as this year’s recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award, as announced during the UFC Kansas City main card.

    Oliveira is being honored for the work he has done with East LA Jiu-Jitsu, a non-profit jiu-jitsu school set up for kids to build character, confidence and resilience. The school, founded by Ron Mukai, is open to all children, regardless of their ability to pay.

    Oliveira said what motivates him to help teach the kids his own past experience with the discipline and coming from a high-risk environment, and being able to show kids they can accomplish anything they set out to.

    Charles Oliveira To Receive Forrest Griffin Community Award At 2025 UFC Hall Of Fame Ceremony

    The Forrest Griffin Community Award is annually handed out to fighters who make impacts and special contributions to their communities. Past winners have included Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Giga Chikadze, the Nogueira Brothers and Beneil Dariush.

    Oliveira will receive the award at this year’s UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony on June 26. This year’s UFC Hall of Fame class will also include Amanda Nunes, Robbie Lawler, Craig Piligian and the UFC 236 clash between Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya.

  • VIDEO: Dricus Du Plessis’ Teammate Brutally KO’d In Third Straight Loss At UFC Kansas City

    VIDEO: Dricus Du Plessis’ Teammate Brutally KO’d In Third Straight Loss At UFC Kansas City

    Coming in to his UFC debut off his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Malcolm Wellmaker rose to the occasion at UFC Kansas City, while Cameron Saaiman’s losing skid has only worsened.

    Wellmaker scored a finish of Saaiman in under two minutes during the preliminary card for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event..

    At just under the two-minute mark of the first round, Wellmaker landed a solid counter right that dropped the South African fighter. The referee immediately stepped in to stop the match.

    Malcolm Wellmaker Drops Cameron Saaiman Out Cold In UFC Debut At UFC Kansas City

    https://twitter.com/HaduuckenIII/status/1916269342330585301

    Wellmaker now moves to 9-0 in his young career. He scored a first-round knockout of Adam Bramhald to earn his UFC contract.

    Saaiman, a teammate of UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and himself also a DWCS alum, has now lost three straight after starting his own career 9-0. In addition to this loss, he has also been defeated by Christian Rodriguez and Payton Talbott.

  • Kamaru Usman To Headline UFC Atlanta On June 14 Against Surging Contender

    Kamaru Usman To Headline UFC Atlanta On June 14 Against Surging Contender

    Kamaru Usman is finally set to make his long-anticipated return to the UFC.

    On Friday, the MMA promotion announced that Usman will headline UFC Atlanta against emerging contender Joaquin Buckley in a crucial welterweight showdown. The upcoming Fight Night event is poised to take place on June 14 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Usman will be making his comeback to active competition after nearly a two-year hiatus. The former welterweight champion was last seen in action at UFC 294 in October 2024, where he suffered a majority decision loss in a short-notice middleweight clash against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev.

    “The Nigerian Nightmare” is currently enduring the most challenging stretch of his UFC career, having suffered three consecutive losses. The tough run began when he lost his long-held 170-pound title at UFC 278 in August 2022, falling to a dramatic last-round knockout from Leon Edwards.

    Usman’s bid to reclaim the title in a trilogy bout against “Rocky” at UFC 286 in March 2023 also ended in disappointment with a decision loss.

    Meanwhile, Buckley’s long-desired wish to face Usman is finally coming true. He has relentlessly called out “The Nigerian Nightmare” ever since stopping (doctor’s stoppage) multi-time title challenger Colby Covington at UFC Tampa in December.

    “New Mansa” has been unstoppable since making his return to welterweight in May 2023, currently riding a six-fight win streak. This impressive run includes dominant victories over seasoned veterans such as Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, and Alex Morono.

    Here’s what the UFC Atlanta lineup looks like with the addition of Usman vs. Buckley:

    • Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman: welterweight
    • Miranda Maverick vs. Rose Namajunas: women’s flyweight
    • Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy: light heavyweight
    • Tereza Bleda vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth:women’s flyweight
    • Andre Petroski vs. Edmen Shahbazyan: middleweight
    • Cody Durden vs. Jose Ochoa: flyweight
    • Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Cody Brundage: middleweight
  • Dustin Poirier Set To Challenge For A Title In His Retirement Fight At UFC 318

    Dustin Poirier Set To Challenge For A Title In His Retirement Fight At UFC 318

    UFC legend Dustin Poirier has his final fight in the calendar — and it comes against a familiar adversary.

    Poirier will be making his farewell as an active mixed martial artist in 2025. He committed to one more walk to the Octagon soon after his latest failed shot at the undisputed lightweight title last June in Newark, where he was submitted in round five of the UFC 302 main event by Islam Makhachev.

    “The Diamond” outlined that he was targeting fellow “legends” of the sport for a showdown close to home in New Orleans this summer when discussing his search for an opponent.

    And when it comes to that description, the promotion certainly obliged.

    The UFC officially announced this week that Poirier will run it back with Max Holloway in competition for the symbolic BMF title at UFC 318 in New Orleans on July 19.

    While Poirier is coming off a submission defeat to the lightweight kingpin last time out, Holloway fell short opposite Ilia Topuria, the now-former featherweight titleholder. “Blessed” was knocked out for the first time in his career by “El Matador” in Abu Dhabi last October.

    The Hawaiian will now return to lightweight to defend the BMF belt for the first time since capturing it from Justin Gaethje, who earned the symbolic strap with a KO of Poirier in 2023.

    Holloway is currently 0-2 against “The Diamond,” having been submitted by the Louisianan in 2012 before being outpointed in their 2019 rematch for the interim UFC lightweight title.

  • Mateusz Gamrot Booked For Shock UFC Fight Against Unranked Prospect

    Mateusz Gamrot Booked For Shock UFC Fight Against Unranked Prospect

    Top 10 UFC lightweight contender Mateusz Gamrot has been handed a surprise assignment.

    Gamrot (24-3, 1 NC) is yet to compete in 2025, having most recently had his push up the 155-pound ladder stalled by Dan Hooker at UFC 305 in Australia last August.

    That result relegated the Polish standout to #7 in the rankings, and that’s a spot he’ll need to defend opposite a rising prospect currently outside the top 15 next time out.

    The UFC announced this week that Gamrot will do battle at UFC Vegas 107 inside the Apex on May 31 with Ľudovít Klein (23-4-1).

    For many, the Slovakian 30-year-old is overdue a shot at breaking into the rankings. “Mr. Highlight” has amassed an unbeaten run spanning seven fights, most recently outpointing Roosevelt Roberts to cap off a 3-0 year in 2024.

    Prior to a narrow split decision setback to Hooker, meanwhile, Gamrot had defeated Jalin Turner, Rafael Fiziev, and Rafael dos Anjos consecutively.

    The fight against Klein has come as a surprise to many fans, especially after “Gamer” previously campaigned for clashes with the likes of Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan in the past few months.