MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • UFC Rankings Report: UFC 313 Winner Gets Late Addition To Division’s Top 15

    UFC Rankings Report: UFC 313 Winner Gets Late Addition To Division’s Top 15

    In the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.

    Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: Joshua Van has received a late reward for his victory at UFC 313 earlier this month. After defeating Rei Tsuruya to make it three wins on the bounce, the Burmese prospect has entered the flyweight UFC rankings at #15, replacing recent title challenger Kai Asakura on the list. The changes have seen Charles Johnson boosted by one spot to #14.

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: Roman Dolidze is this week’s biggest mover, having surged three positions up the 185-pound ladder to #9 courtesy of his victory over Marvin Vettori in Saturday’s main event. The defeated Italian, meanwhile, is down two spots to #10.

    The moves have benefitted Anthony Hernandez, who finds himself on the rise at #8, but not Brendan Allen (#11) and Paulo Costa (#12), both of whom have dropped a place.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: After knocking out Ryan Spann this past weekend, Waldo Cortes-Acosta has had a small boost up the heavyweight pecking order. He’s risen by one place to #11, surpassing Bahrain’s Shamil Gaziev (#12).

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Bryce Mitchell Blames Jean Silva For ‘Demonic Dreams’ Since UFC 314 Press Conference

    Bryce Mitchell Blames Jean Silva For ‘Demonic Dreams’ Since UFC 314 Press Conference

    Bryce Mitchell is convinced that he and Jean Silva have been under the influence of a supernatural curse ever since their first encounter.

    Mitchell is set to clash with Silva in a high-stakes featherweight showdown at UFC 314 on April 12, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The two fighters came face-to-face at the UFC 314 press conference earlier this month, where they exchanged fiery verbal jabs.

    Silva, in particular, seized every opportunity to mock “Thug Nasty” for his outspoken belief in conspiracy theories.

    Bryce Mitchell, infamous for his outlandish statements and far-fetched conspiracy theories, has once again sparked intrigue with his latest claims.

    On Monday, the 30-year-old Arkansas native took to Instagram, claiming that he has been struggling with sleepless nights as he battles what he believes to be a test of his character by the devil and his demons.

    With his showdown against “Lord” fast approaching, Mitchell made an appeal to fellow Christians, asking for their prayers and spiritual support.

    “Good morning, y’all. I need all my Christian warriors to pray for me that I will have peaceful sleep, Bryce Mitchell said. “Every single night since the day before the press conference, I’ve had demonic dreams. Legions of demons are attacking me every single time I sleep, and not one time have I seen any peaceful sleep since that day.

    “These demons surround me, and they try to fight me and provoke me to anger, and then the dream will switch, and they’ll send beautiful women, and they’re trying to get me to lust, to cheat on my wife. Satan’s using two of my weaknesses to try to expose the evil in my own heart, which is anger and lust. However, where I am weak, the Lord is strong.”

    “Thug Nasty” went on to assert that the very demons tormenting him have also possessed Silva, and he vowed to knock the evil out of his opponent when they clash on April 12.

    “I’m not just fighting a man on April 12. I’m fighting a man possessed by a legion of demons. When I simply said the name Jesus, he was provoked to maliciousness, and he started barking like a dog and chanting ‘F**k you, f**k you, f**k you.’ Remember guys, the days of fighting for myself are long gone.

    “I now fight for the name of the Lord and the devil, he ain’t gonna waste his time trying to plauge a loser. He knows that a victory for the Lord is at hand. I will win this fight in the name of Jesus Christ. The man’s demons will be casted out of my presence and he will fall before me just as Goliath fell before King David.”

    Many have called for Bryce Mitchell to be axed from the UFC roster in January after sparking outrage with antisemitic comments, where he shockingly referred to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler as a “good guy.”

  • UFC Fighter Who Overcame Addiction Speculates Cause Of Worrying BJ Penn Videos

    UFC Fighter Who Overcame Addiction Speculates Cause Of Worrying BJ Penn Videos

    A UFC lightweight fighter thinks he understands the cause of BJ Penn’s erratic social media videos.

    Penn has never shied away from sharing outlandish conspiracy theories, but his most recent claims has truly turned heads and sparked widespread concern.

    Last week, “The Prodigy” took to Instagram, posting a series of unsettling videos in which he shockingly claimed he no longer recognized his mother, Lorraine Shin. Penn went as far as to allege that she had been murdered and replaced by an imposter.

    In one of the videos, Penn unleashed a profanity-filled rant aimed at someone named Paul Abiley. The clip’s caption contained an explosive allegation, claiming that Abiley and Carlos Riveira had conspired with the government to murder his mother and brother.

    The footage then cut to BJ Penn’s mother casually cooking in a kitchen and walking a dog, as he continued elaborating on his shocking theory. Amid his ramblings, he also admitted to having thoughts of resorting to physical violence.

    During a recent interview with Home of Fight, Jared Gordon, who has overcome heroin addiction, weighed in on BJ Penn’s bizarre claims.

    ‘Flash’ asserted that he has insight into the former UFC two-division champion’s past struggles with methamphetamine use and suspects it may once again be fueling his behavior.

    “What I’ve heard in the past, from rumors and things that I have heard, he had methamphetamine abuse disorder,” Gordon said. “I’m sure he drinks and does other [things], smokes weed probably — he’s in Hawaii — but meth is huge out there, and the way he’s acting — the paranoia, the delusion — it just screams meth. So I had made a comment, ‘sounds like meth,’ and it got a lot of people’s attention.”

    Gordon also speculated that Penn’s condition might stem from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), attributing it to the extensive head trauma he endured throughout his fighting career.

    “As we’ve seen in the past with football players and wrestlers, it’s head trauma — ‘CTE’… So can I say it’s CTE? No. But do I think that his history of concussions and brain trauma are also contributing to this? Yes. But drug abuse also plays a major role in extreme paranoia, especially what he was displaying. It just showed that something is seriously off, and it’s probably drug abuse mixed with other mental or physical health issues.”

  • Charles Oliveira: Michael Chandler Must Finish Paddy Pimblett In First Two Rounds

    Charles Oliveira: Michael Chandler Must Finish Paddy Pimblett In First Two Rounds

    Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira believes Michael Chandler’s hopes of a bounce-back victory next month rely on finding a quick finish.

    After a second defeat to Oliveira last November left him 2-4 in the UFC, Chandler’s first outing of 2025 will be a crucial one.

    The former three-time Bellator champ is set to make the walk in the co-main event of UFC 314 in Miami on April 12, where the challenge of handing up-and-comer Paddy Pimblett his first loss in the Octagon will await.

    During a recent interview with Oddspedia, Charles Oliveira gave his take on the bout, assessing his ex-opponent’s chances against the polarizing Liverpudlian.

    “Michael Chandler is a very aggressive and explosive guy. I have nothing but respect for him, he has power in his hands,” Oliveira said. “On the other side, you have a younger guy that believes in himself, moves very well and has really good jiu-jitsu and also a good stand-up game. He moves well, but experience counts for a lot.

    “In the first two rounds, Chandler has a chance to knock him out because of how explosive he is,” Oliveira continued. “But if the fight goes into the third round, I believe it’s going to be hard for Chandler because Paddy is younger and he’s very talented.”

    Pimblett has gone to the scorecards twice in his UFC career thus far, securing a controversial decision over Jared Gordon and a more convincing one opposite Tony Ferguson.

    “The Baddy” is coming off an emphatic performance last time out opposite King Green, whom he rendered unconscious by way of triangle choke in one round at UFC 304 last July.

  • Ian Garry ‘Livid’ At UFC For Giving Jack Della Maddalena Next Title Shot Over Him

    Ian Garry ‘Livid’ At UFC For Giving Jack Della Maddalena Next Title Shot Over Him

    It’s safe to say that UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry isn’t pleased with the promotion’s choice of replacement for the injured Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    After an injury to champion Belal Muhammad stalled his plans to win gold late last year, Rakhmonov maintained his top contender status by getting the better of short-notice opponent Garry at UFC 310.

    But while “Nomad” was looking ahead to a rescheduled showdown with Muhammad, another injury — this time to the Kazakh star — has once again scuppered those plans.

    In Rakhmonov’s place at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 will be Jack Della Maddalena. The decision to pull the Australian from his original clash with Leon Edwards in London and grant him a title shot hasn’t sat well with one fellow contender.

    During a recent video uploaded to his Instagram account, Garry didn’t shy away from expressing his bemusement with the UFC’s call. The Irishman questioned why he wasn’t the promotion’s first thought, especially given his belief that Rakhmonov’s injury derived from damage sustained in their fight last December.

    “Why aren’t I fighting for the title? I had a chat with my agent. I rang him when he told me about this news and I was livid — still am to this day,” Ian Garry said. “I had a number one contender’s fight, where the guy (Rakhmonov) now has to get knee reconstruction and is out for a year.

    “I’m not fighting for a world title because I’m coming off a loss and they’re giving it to a guy who’s been injured for a year, and they think that’s more exciting. But they’re wrong,” Garry continued, taking credit for Rakhmonov’s injury. “The title fight was meant to be Shavkat Rakhmonov taking on Belal Muhammad, but Shavkat is out injured. I wonder how that happened? Now they’re pulling in a guy who hasn’t fought in a year…hasn’t been active. They’ve given it to Jack Della Maddalena. It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’ll get you all. You’re all mine.”

    Prior to losing his undefeated status at the hands of Rakhmonov, Ian Garry had risen the ranks with victories over Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Michael “Venom” Page.

  • Bo Nickal Gives Honest Review Of The Apex After UFC Mocked Criticism During Latest Fight Night

    Bo Nickal Gives Honest Review Of The Apex After UFC Mocked Criticism During Latest Fight Night

    The UFC attempted a victory lap of sorts after the latest event at the Apex delivered plenty of highlights, but it would seem the fighters themselves are still less than thrilled by the prospect of competing inside the low-capacity venue.

    The Apex in Las Vegas emerged as a savior during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the building designed as a temporary solution to combat travel restrictions. To the frustration of many fans and pundits, the venue is still being utilized for UFC Fight Nights four years on from the promotion’s return to arenas.

    The UFC and its higher-ups took pride in frequently reminding fans that they were the first sporting organization to resume action after the virus’ outbreak, but they’ve been widely criticized for being the last to return to pre-lockdown conditions.

    And recent comments from UFC executives made it clear that the Apex is not going anywhere, with the promotion favoring the financial benefits that derive from avoiding a full calendar on the road.

    The debate surrounding the Apex recently reared its head again during the broadcast of UFC Vegas 104. After a card branded lackluster on paper delivered a high number of finishes, the UFC’s social media team took the opportunity to mock critics of the Apex.

    During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, however, middleweight prospect Bo Nickal backed up what many have been saying regarding the Apex experience.

    “I fought twice in the Apex and I would say that the virality of the moment is like a fraction of what it would be with the crowd,” Nickal said. “I think of some big fights in the Apex, Francis-Stipe, Poirier-Hooker…imagine those fights with the crowd.

    “It doesn’t even feel close to the real arena and a real crowd,” Nickal continued. “It feels like you’re just going out there to spar. I think that it affects the competition.”

    The UFC’s next Apex card takes place on April 5, when entertaining featherweights Josh Emmett and Lerone Murphy will do battle in a bout many wish was taking place in front of a full crowd.

    Before that, the promotion is scheduled for returns to England and Mexico. The UFC has visited just two new countries since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, staging cards in Saudi Arabia and France.

  • Leon Edwards Backs Jack Della Maddalena To Dethrone Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    Leon Edwards Backs Jack Della Maddalena To Dethrone Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards doesn’t expect the man who removed him from the division’s throne to occupy it for much longer.

    After losing his grip on the 170-pound title courtesy of Belal Muhammad last July, Edwards was expecting to return to action opposite Jack Della Maddalena in London this weekend.

    That changed last month, however, when the Australian contender was pulled from the UFC Fight Night main event to challenge Muhammad at UFC 315 on May 10 in Montreal. Edwards, meanwhile, will now battle Sean Brady on March 22.

    Ahead of his appearance at The O2, Edwards has been vocal in stating that a victory will earn him a quick shot at returning to the welterweight mountaintop.

    While he’d like nothing more than to exact revenge on Muhammad, he seemingly doesn’t foresee “Remember the Name” still being on the throne by the time he gets back to it.

    “If I had to put money on it, I’d probably favor JDM,” Leon Edwards said during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned. “I feel like JDM, his boxing is what will probably shut him (Muhammad) down. And he’s a good anti-grappler, JDM. It’s easy to take him down, but his scrambles on the floor are good. I feel like Belal won’t be enough to hold him down for that long. So maybe JDM, if I had to put money on it.”

    Muhammad’s first title defense was expected to come against Shavkat Rakhmonov. But after an injury to the champion scrapped that last December, the Kazakh contender is now the one ruled out.

    The Palestinian-American’s clash with Della Maddalena will mark one of two title bouts on the UFC 315 card, with Valentina Shevchenko also putting her flyweight title on the line opposite France’s Manon Fiorot.

  • Charles Oliveira Tells Fans To ‘Forget’ About Conor McGregor: ‘He Isn’t Going To Fight Again’

    Charles Oliveira Tells Fans To ‘Forget’ About Conor McGregor: ‘He Isn’t Going To Fight Again’

    According to former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, the fighting career of Conor McGregor is over.

    McGregor continues to fuel speculation about his return to combat sports, with rumors linking him to various potential matchups. Alongside talk of a boxing bout against Logan Paul, the Irishman has also been associated with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), where he became a part-owner last year and has attended multiple events.

    Oliveira recently shared his thoughts on McGregor’s potential return while speaking with Oddspedia. “Do Bronx” expressed serious doubts about McGregor stepping into the ring or Octagon again.

    “To be honest, I don’t know why people are still talking about Conor McGregor. He has done everything he wanted to do in the sport and now he chooses to live his life the way he is living,” Oliveira stated.

    “We were waiting for his return, and Michael Chandler was waiting for about two years, but he didn’t show up. I think the fans should forget about Conor McGregor coming back — he isn’t going to fight again.”

    McGregor has most recently been teasing an entry into politics.

    On Monday, the former UFC two-division champion made an appearance in the White House briefing room, where he was introduced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. He interacted with reporters prior to meeting Donald Trump, President of the United States, and other key administration officials as part of his St. Patrick’s Day visit to Washington.

    Conor McGregor has since been entangled in multiple legal battles since his last fight, with one of the most significant coming in November when a jury in the Dublin High Court found him liable for assaulting Nikita Hand, who had accused the former UFC lightweight champion of sexually assaulting her in December 2018.

  • Watch Conor McGregor Address Reporters At The White House Ahead Of Trump Meeting

    Watch Conor McGregor Address Reporters At The White House Ahead Of Trump Meeting

    Conor McGregor is set to visit the Oval Office today for a high-profile meeting with Donald Trump.

    On Monday, the former UFC two-division champion made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room, where he was introduced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who announced that he would be meeting with the President of the United States and other key administration officials as part of his St. Patrick’s Day visit to Washington, D.C.

    “The Notorious” also briefed reporters and stated that his visit to Washington is “to raise the issues the people of Ireland face.”

    “Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling, Conor McGregor said. “So it’s important for Ireland to be a peaceful, prosperous country for 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, [to] come back to their home. So we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue, and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro. The United States should look after its little bro. And that’s how we feel.”

    McGregor and Trump share a strong mutual admiration, a connection underscored when the 47th U.S. president personally invited the UFC superstar to his inauguration ceremony in January after being re-elected this past November. 

    Last week, during a bilateral meeting with Ireland’s Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, Trump praised Conor McGregor, admiring his tattoos, fighting style, and larger-than-life presence. He attributed the 36-year-old Irishman’s success to the toughness of the Irish people.

    “The Notorious” hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since suffering a brutal leg fracture during his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2023. He was set to make his long-awaited return at UFC 303 last June in a welterweight bout against Michael Chandler, but the showdown was scrapped just weeks before fight night after McGregor was forced to withdraw due to a toe injury.

    Conor McGregor has since been entangled in multiple legal battles, with one of the most significant coming in November when a jury in the Dublin High Court found him liable for assaulting Nikita Hand, who had accused the former UFC lightweight champion of sexually assaulting her in December 2018.

    McGregor is also embroiled in another civil lawsuit, with an anonymous woman accusing him of sexual assault during the Heat vs. Celtics NBA Finals game in June 2023.

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Branded A ‘Little B*tch’ For Controversial Corner Tactics

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Branded A ‘Little B*tch’ For Controversial Corner Tactics

    Matt Serra has a deep-rooted connection with Merab Dvalishvili, having trained him upon his arrival in the United States, even before Dvalishvili was fluent in English. This bond ensures Serra’s unwavering support, especially when Dvalishvili faces conflict with opponents or their coaching staff.

    This loyalty was particularly evident after an incident involving Sean O’Malley and his head coach, Tim Welch. Prior to Dvalishvili’s UFC 306 championship victory, a heated exchange occurred between him and the opposition duo, stemming from Welch’s controversial tactics during a previous title fight with Aljamain Sterling.

    While cornering O’Malley, the trainer had attempted to disrupt Sterling by shouting instructions at him.  

    Although “Funk Master” dismissed any impact from Welch’s actions, the coach repeated his disruptive behavior during Sean O’Malley’s fight against Dvalishvili, prompting a warning from the referee.

    This situation deeply resonated with Serra, who, with his extensive experience as both a fighter and a coach, strongly disapproved of Welch’s approach.

    “I’m not a fan of that guy (Welch) because when they were fighting, he does some dirty f*cking, c*nty sh*t,” Serra said during the Overdogs podcast. “He’s the guy (shouting from the corner), ‘Aljo, you’ve got to go, you’ve got (to go)!’

    “It might not be against the rules, but you’re being a little b*tch right now. I’m just letting you know. I’m not going to go, ‘Sean O’Malley, you’ve got to (go)!’“

    Serra’s disapproval extended beyond the personal conflict. He strongly condemned Welch’s use of his cornerman position to shout instructions at opponents. Serra believes this tactic inappropriately inserts coaches into the fight. It’s a practice he considers unacceptable.

  • Cain Velasquez Recalls Preparation That Went Into Beating Brock Lesnar

    Cain Velasquez Recalls Preparation That Went Into Beating Brock Lesnar

    Cain Velasquez’s victory over Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 on October 23, 2010, remains a landmark moment in MMA history.

    In that bout, Velasquez showcased his superior striking and wrestling prowess, relentlessly dominating the professional wrestling star and securing a first-round TKO. 

    This decisive win exposed Lesnar’s vulnerability against elite strikers who possess strong takedown defense. While appearing on Beyond The Belt, the former UFC fighter discussed the fight.

    “I probably weighed in at, like, 240-something going in,” Cain Velasquez said. “My strong suits with him, I was very good at getting off on the bottom. We did this in college wrestling a lot. I was just very good at getting up from the bottom, so I knew if I were to get stuck there, then it could be a long night for me, but we worked on that over and over again with DC. We had another national champion heavyweight wrestler come in.

    “We started in the worst positions, whatever (coach) Bob (Cook) said, in the middle of sparring, I had to lay down on my back with 16-ounce gloves and had DC lay on top of me and that’s where we started from multiple times a round,” Velasquez continued. “So I was very good at getting up from the bottom, especially for that camp, and I knew I just had to keep it on the feet with strikes. Just the pressure of everything, but it didn’t matter for me. My mentality was I didn’t care if I lost or won, I’m just going to give you what I have. That’s it. That’s all I could do.”

    Nearly a decade later, the two crossed paths again, this time in the world of pro wrestling.

    In 2019, Velasquez made his WWE debut, confronting Lesnar on SmackDown’s FOX premiere after “The Beast Incranate’s” quick victory over Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship. 

    Their WWE encounter at Crown Jewel 2019 was much different than their UFC fight. Lesnar was booked to decisively defeat Velasquez in approximately two minutes via kimura submission. Velasquez’s WWE tenure ended the following year.

  • Paddy Pimblett: Arman Tsarukyan ‘Deserves’ Lightweight Title Shot Over Ilia Topuria

    Paddy Pimblett: Arman Tsarukyan ‘Deserves’ Lightweight Title Shot Over Ilia Topuria

    UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett doesn’t like the idea of Ilia Topuria being granted an immediate title shot at 155 pounds.

    Topuria has set his sights on achieving two-division glory after choosing to vacate the featherweight gold this year following just one defense. “El Matador” went 2-0 in 2024, dethroning Alexander Volkanovski before becoming the first to knock out Max Holloway.

    Due to an apparent struggle to make the 145-pound weight limit, the Spaniard will move forward as a permanent figure in the lightweight division. And given his success below, Topuria has seemingly been expecting a showdown with Islam Makhachev straight away.

    During a recent interview with Jon Anik for ESPN MMA, Paddy Pimblett rejected that as a logical next fight for the champion. “The Baddy,” who has long had a rivalry with Topuria, insisted that current top contender Arman Tsarukyan is far more deserving of the opportunity.

    “I felt a bit bad for him (Tsarukyan) when Dana said, ‘No, he’s not next. He’s going to have to go back to the drawing board.’ I was like, wow, shots fired,” Pimblett said. “I think personally, Arman still deserves the next title shot. Islam’s already beat Charles (Oliveira), beat (Dustin) Poirier.

    “I think the only person right for him to fight is Arman,” Pimblett continued. “Arman deserves that title shot more than ‘Hand Sanitizer Boy’ (Topuria) does.”

    Tsarukyan entered the year with a title shot in the bank, but a last-second withdrawal from UFC 311 left the promotion bumping him down the pecking order.

    While the Russian-Armenian looks ahead to his chance to restore top contender status, Paddy Pimblett will soon have the chance to climb the ranks opposite former title challenger Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in Miami next month.

  • Robert Whittaker Responds To Roman Dolidze’s UFC Vegas 104 Callout

    Robert Whittaker Responds To Roman Dolidze’s UFC Vegas 104 Callout

    UFC middleweight contender Roman Dolidze outlined two desired options for his next fight, but it would it seem that he’s already down to one.

    Dolidze continued his charge up the 185-pound ladder in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex, where he exacted his revenge on Marvin Vettori by way of a comfortable unanimous decision.

    Since defeats to the Italian in 2023 and Jack Hermansson last February left him on a losing skid, the Georgian has won three on the bounce. And with that, Dolidze believes he’s earned a shot at one of the division’s top names.

    “The Caucasian” pointed to former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker as two “realistic” but high-ranked opponents for his next assignment. But during the latest episode of his MMArcade Podcast, the latter was quick to decline.

    “I’m trying to fight a top five guy, dude. Join the queue,” Robert Whittaker said.

    Like many fans and pundits, “The Reaper” also didn’t appear too enthralled by Saturday’s main event in his division at the Apex — perhaps compounding his lack of interest in a showdown with Dolidze.

    “I watched a round and a half and was like, ‘Dude, I have nothing to gain from this,’ and I went back to Monster Hunter Wilds,” Whittaker said. “Bro, it was just like the exact same as their first fight. They’re still at the same pub. They’re just like, ‘Ah, it’s you,’ and then they just started punching on again. It’s the exact same thing. I reckon they should run it back to break the trilogy, to get some proper closure on whatever reason they’re having a brawl.”

    Whittaker last competed in October 2024, suffering a crushing submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev that left him requiring dental surgery.

    The Australian had previously defeated Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov to push closer to a rematch with Dricus Du Plessis. He’s now welcomed a possible showdown with the champion’s most recent challenger, Sean Strickland, for this summer.

    Dolidze, meanwhile, will be eagerly awaiting an answer from Adesanya.

  • Muhammad Mokaev Sees Only One Threat To Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC Reign

    Muhammad Mokaev Sees Only One Threat To Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC Reign

    Aside from himself, former UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev has one name in mind when it comes to fighters capable of dethroning Alexandre Pantoja.

    Pantoja has kept a firm grip on the gold since capturing it from Brandon Moreno in a brutal five-round battle during International Fight Week back in July 2023.

    “The Cannibal” has since successfully defended the belt on three occasions, pushing past the challenges of Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg by way of the scorecards and most recently submitting newcomer Kai Asakura at UFC 310 last December.

    With the undefeated Mokaev ousted from the UFC owing to apparent issues away from the cage, many have questioned if anyone on the current UFC flyweight roster has what it takes to beat Pantoja.

    According to Mokaev, the answer is no. But away from the division’s current crop of contenders and prospects, “The Punisher” does see a threat…

    “Right now I see only Kyoji Horiguchi making a problem for Pantoja,” Mokaev wrote on X. “The rest he will beat 2-3 times and more.”

    In another post, Mokaev did admit that Kai Kara-France has a “chance,” but noted that the Kiwi standout already fell short against the champ during a season of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2016.

    Kara-France is expected to challenge “The Cannibal” at UFC 316 in Newark this coming June.

    Kyoji Horiguchi, meanwhile, hasn’t competed in the UFC in close to a decade. He’s since achieved two-division championship glory under the Rizin banner, as well as collecting Bellator’s bantamweight title.

    The Japanese veteran most recently defended his Rizin flyweight belt against Nkazimulo Zulu last December, prior to which he opened the door to a possible UFC return and clash with Pantoja, his American Top Team stablemate.

  • Alex Pereira Accused Of Cheating At UFC 313 By Magomed Ankalaev’s Coach

    Alex Pereira Accused Of Cheating At UFC 313 By Magomed Ankalaev’s Coach

    Over a week on from Magomed Ankalaev’s victory over Alex Pereira, the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion’s coach has leveled an allegation against his man’s foe.

    Ankalaev got the better of Pereira in the main event of UFC 313 on March 8, ending the Brazilian’s reign on the 205-pound throne in the process.

    While “Poatan” had successfully pushed through three challenges, he fell at the hurdle that had long been tipped to be his tallest in the division given Ankalaev’s well-rounded arsenal and wrestling prowess.

    In the end, the Dagestani was actually unable to drag Pereira to the mat, with the kickboxing specialist showing a staunch takedown defense inside T-Mobile Arena.

    During a recent interview with Ushatayka, however, coach Sukhrab Magomedov suggested that the now-former light heavyweight kingpin’s ability to withstand Ankalaev’s grappling was not down to increasing skill, but a forbidden “substance.”

    “To be honest, the plan from the beginning was to engage in wrestling; get close, in the clinch, wear him down,” Magomedov said. “But, when Magomed pushed him to the fence near our corner, it seemed to me that Pereira had some kind of substance on him. If my experience isn’t wrong, that’s what I’d say was the case.

    “The sweat didn’t flow off his body, it gelled up. That’s what it looks like on his body, too. Magomed said afterward that he smelled like he had some ointment on and was sticky,” Magomed continued. “Let’s not forget that Glover Teixeira is a veteran of the game and knows all the tricks.”

    Alex Pereira and his coaching team are yet to responded to the accusation.

    Should the pair’s expected rematch be cemented into the calendar for later this year, the topic of ‘greasing’ will likely rear its head again closer to the occasion.

  • Prominent MMA Coach Reached Major Milestone With UFC Vegas 104 Victory

    Prominent MMA Coach Reached Major Milestone With UFC Vegas 104 Victory

    This weekend’s UFC Vegas 104 event represented a big moment for Sayif Saud and his Fortis MMA team.

    The preliminary portion of Saturday’s card at the Apex included an under-the-radar storyline, as Saud shot for his 100th victory as a coach since opening the Fortis MMA team back in 2017.

    Tasked with bringing that result home was strawweight fighter Sam Hughes, who shared the Octagon with Stephanie Luciano.

    After a closely contested three rounds, Hughes fell on the right side of a split decision, sparking celebrations in the Fortis MMA corner.

    The milestone didn’t come without an element of controversy, however.

    Many questioned the decision, believing Luciano did enough to deserve the nod from the judges at UFC Vegas 104. On MMA Decisions, just three out of nine media members scored the fight in favor of Hughes. The fan scorecards, meanwhile, saw less than 30 percent backing “Sampage.”

    Interestingly, Saud recently pondered retiring from coaching while looking ahead to his goal of achieving 100 UFC wins early in 2025.

    “I always said that 100 UFC wins and I was going to be done,” Saud told MMA Junkie in December. “One hundred UFC wins, win a title – I would like to win a title back and get it one more time for (Moreno) – but 100 wins and this will be 20 years. Next year will be 20 years. 2005 is when I started. I moved to Albuquerque in 2006, then came to Dallas in 2009, and now in 2025, it will be 20 years in MMA. And it’s been great, man. It’s been an incredible run, but it’s definitely coming towards the end.

    “I look forward to being home and kind of spending time with my kids. I don’t really realize how nice it is to be home and just be around my family, be around my kids and be around them and see them and hug them and kiss them. Just be around them more as they’re getting older. I’m getting into a different period in my life. I’m 44 and getting to the next generation of guys, we’re going to hopefully put that 100 up on the board.”

    In addition to the recently victorious Hughes, Fortis MMA also houses the likes of former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, Geoff Neal, Macy Chiasson, and Ryan Spann, among others.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: New Fights For Bo Nickal, Molly McCann, And More

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming fight cards.

    With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    Between Monday, March 10, and Sunday, March 16, a small number of fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources.

    For those matchups, check out the list below:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted:

  • Marvin Vettori: Trilogy With Roman Dolidze ‘Has To Happen’ After UFC Vegas 104

    Marvin Vettori: Trilogy With Roman Dolidze ‘Has To Happen’ After UFC Vegas 104

    UFC middleweight contender Marvin Vettori sees only one option following Saturday’s UFC Vegas 104 result.

    Vettori’s plan to ascend back into the championship conversation at 185 pounds took a hit this weekend at the Apex, where he suffered a third loss in the space of four fights.

    In his first outing since a setback against Jared Cannonier in June 2023, “The Italian Dream” ran it back with the man he last defeated, Roman Dolidze.

    Vettori was unable to repeat his feat from London two years ago, instead falling on the wrong side of a decision in their five-round rematch.

    Like their first contest, Saturday’s main event wasn’t among the most enthralling and entertaining of the year to date. With that in mind, it would seem that not many are pandering to see the 1-1 feud get settled in a trilogy.

    The Italian former title challenger, however, sees it as essential.

    “I guess we’ll need a trilogy,” Marvin Vettori wrote on X. “The most nonsense trilogy, I agree with you bastards lol. But at this point it has to happen.”

    While Vettori returns to the drawing board and looks to bounce back next time out, Dolidze can expect to return to the middleweight top 10 come Tuesday’s rankings update.

  • Fighters React As Roman Dolidze Avenges Marvin Vettori Loss In UFC Vegas 104 Rematch

    Fighters React As Roman Dolidze Avenges Marvin Vettori Loss In UFC Vegas 104 Rematch

    After falling short in their original encounter at UFC 286, Roman Dolidze exacted revenge when he and Marvin Vettori were placed into a five-round rematch, scoring a unanimous decision win in the UFC Vegas 104 main event.

    Both men put their striking on display in the opening frame. While Vettori landed more in terms of quantity, it seemed Dolidze was landing the powerful, more effective strikes. The Georgian managed to pull away in activity with a clear second round, though he appeared to get lucky when a pair of fouls did not result in a point deduction from referee Herb Dean.

    The two were even in terms of strikes in round three, but the Italian former title challenger had the better activity around this time. Dolidze, however, seemed to turn things up in the main event/championship rounds. “The Caucasian” established control with his strikes and was the one bringing the pressure in the fight’s final 10 minutes.

    This led to the judges giving Dolidze the nod 49-46 across the board.

    Roman Dolidze Gets Revenge On Marvin Vettori With Clear Five-Round Decision Victory

    https://twitter.com/BorrachinhaMMA/status/1901082659432133116

    Dolidze has now won three straight and may be in position for a potential top-five opponent in his next outing.

    Vettori, meanwhile, has now lost three of his last four and is 2-3 since falling short in a middleweight title shot against Israel Adesanya in 2021.

  • Fans React As Chidi Njokuani Crushes Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos ‘Out Of Nowhere’ At UFC Vegas 104

    Fans React As Chidi Njokuani Crushes Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos ‘Out Of Nowhere’ At UFC Vegas 104

    Despite missing weight, Chidi Njokuani may be in for a big fight at welterweight next after his victory over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 104.

    With both men being kicking specialists, the fight started at range, with both men landing low kicks. Njokuani piled on the strikes, but a short right hook from dos Santos to the temple stumbled “Chidi Bang Bang” for a bit. The Brazilian pressured and got Njokuani to the fence, but Njokuani was able to shake him off. Dos Santos got control again when he caught a kick from Njokuani and pressed him back into the fence.

    Njokuani got back on the front foot during the second round, where he landed a sudden knee that rocked dos Santos. The Bellator veteran then jumped on and finished the fight with ground-and-pound.

    Chidi Njokuani Wins Third Straight, Finishes Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos At UFC Vegas 104

    After three straight losses between 2022 and 2023, Njokuani has battled back to score his third straight victory, scoring wins over Rhys McKee and Jared Gooden last year.

    Dos Santos, meanwhile, is now 4-3-1 stretching back to 2020.

  • VIDEO: Debutant Who Missed Weight By Almost 5 Pounds Gets Kimura’d At UFC Vegas 104

    VIDEO: Debutant Who Missed Weight By Almost 5 Pounds Gets Kimura’d At UFC Vegas 104

    UFC Vegas 104 was certainly a debut to forget for Diyar Nurgozhay.

    After coming in to the fight missing weight by 4.5 pounds, Nurgozhay ended up being submitted by Brendson Ribeiro during the event’s main card.

    Ribiero started strong, attacking with leg kicks and crisp punching, scoring a knockdown of Nurgozhay during the first round. The Brazilian looked to keep control during the second round with added pressure, but the Kazakh newcomer managed to find his way to Ribiero’s back.

    Brendson Ribiero Submits Diyar Nurgozhay At UFC Vegas 104

    Ribiero, however, managed to reverse the position on the ground and lock up a rare kimura, scoring a tapout.

    “The Gorilla” is now 2-2 in the Octagon after dropping his first two UFC fights after an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series.

    Nurgozhay, meanwhile, suffered his first pro defeat in this fight, having come into the bout 10-0 off a finish of Bartosz Szewczyk on DWCS.

  • Watch Waldo Cortes-Acosta Put Ryan Spann Out Cold With Brutal Ground & Pound At UFC Vegas 104

    Watch Waldo Cortes-Acosta Put Ryan Spann Out Cold With Brutal Ground & Pound At UFC Vegas 104

    A night featuring some brutal-looking finishes at UFC Vegas 104 continued with an additional just before the main card thanks to Waldo Cortes-Acosta.

    The rising heavyweight contender managed to secure a late second-round finish of Ryan Spann in the featured preliminary bout of the evening.

    Cortes-Acosta controlled the fight with relentless striking, overwhelming the formerly ranked light heavyweight with combinations. The Dominican scored a takedown in the first round and dominated from there.

    Waldo Cortes-Acosta Uses Boxing To Overwhelm, Finish Ryan Spann

    Spann tried to take back control in the second, but Cortes-Acosta’s boxing proved to be too much. A jab and cross ultimately wobbled “Superman,” and on the ground, “Salsa Boy” laid in vicious ground-and-pound with seconds remaining in the second frame to finish the fight.

    Cortes-Acosta has won six of seven fights he’s had with the UFC since joining after an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series.

    Spann, who was making his heavyweight debut, has lost four of his last five fights.

  • Fighter Nicknamed ‘KO Wizard’ Submitted In UFC Vegas 104 Debut By Card’s Biggest Underdog

    Fighter Nicknamed ‘KO Wizard’ Submitted In UFC Vegas 104 Debut By Card’s Biggest Underdog

    After UFC Vegas 104 already experienced a pair of upsets during the preliminary card, one more was added courtesy of the biggest underdog listed on the card, Carlos Vera.

    Vera scored a first-round submission win over “KO Wizard” Josias Musasa. A win via submission for Vera came out to odds of +1200, according to the UFC broadcast team following the victory.

    The Ecuadorian targeted Musasa’s body with several kicks during the fight, doing notable damage and taking control early on the fight favorite. Vera landed a head kick that rocked Musasa, and the fight went to the ground, where the underdog was able to lock up a choke and score the submission.

    Carlos Vera Scores Major Upset With +1200 Submission At UFC Vegas 104

    Vera, an alumnus of season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, scores his first victory in the Octagon after losing to Rinya Nakamura at UFC 298 last year.

    Musasa, who was making his UFC debut here after defeating Otari Tanzilovi on Dana White’s Contender Series in September, suffers his first pro loss.

  • UFC Vegas 104 Opens With Consecutive First-Round Knockouts In Women’s Fights

    UFC Vegas 104 Opens With Consecutive First-Round Knockouts In Women’s Fights

    Though there were plenty of bad feelings heading into UFC Vegas 104 from fans and pundits after the aftermath of UFC 313, the results of the first two fights may have taken things up a notch pretty quickly.

    The opening two bouts of the card were women’s fights that both ended in first-round knockouts from Carli Judice and Priscila Cachoeira.

    Judice opened the event up with a battle against Yuneisy Duben, who made her official Octagon debut after a stunning knockout performance on Dana White’s Contender Series last September.

    A head kick dropped Duben for the shocking victory in only about 100 seconds.

    Back-To-Back Quick KOs Open UFC Vegas 104

    Cachoeira then followed that up with her own jaw-smashing performance, landing an uppercut that knocked out Josiane Nunes in under three minutes.

    Judice entered her fight tonight just 3-2, having most recently dropped back-to-back split decisions against Ernesta Kareckaite and Gabriella Fernandes. This marks the first loss of Duben’s professional career.

    Cachoeira, meanwhile, had lost her last two fights, and this win marked her first fight since being submitted by Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC 297 last year. Nunes has now lost three straight after starting her professional MMA career 10-1.

  • Report: UFC ‘Almost Definitely’ Heading To Netflix After End Of ESPN Deal

    Report: UFC ‘Almost Definitely’ Heading To Netflix After End Of ESPN Deal

    One week after a UFC 313 broadcast that left plenty of complaints and rants against ESPN and their ESPN+ platform, it appears the UFC’s relationship with the American broadcast sports network will be coming to an end.

    According to a recent report from the New York Post, officials at TKO, created by the parent company of the UFC, Endeavor, are furious with the difficulties for UFC 313. They included everything from being unable to purchase the pay-per-view, to customers being double charged for the event, to streaming quality of the card.

    Now, in a new video from the news publication, Jake Aryeh and Erich Richter on Against the Cage noted that while the UFC is still in the middle of an exclusive negotiating window with ESPN, the MMA promotion may be looking to get a deal with Netflix as soon as possible to ensure it begins following the expiration of the deal with ESPN at the end of the year.

    The exclusive negotiating window ends on April 15, according to the Post.

    Richter, in fact, says that he has heard from a “well-connected” source that Netflix will “definitely” be the new home for the UFC.

    UFC Doing ‘Everything In Their Power’ For Netflix Deal After ESPN Exclusive Negotiating Window Expires

    During the 40-minute video, Aryeh and Richter break down multiple issues between the UFC and ESPN. The UFC, who a week later is still very upset by the UFC 313 issues, has an issue with the quality of the technology used by ESPN for broadcasts. ESPN, meanwhile, is reportedly upset with the number of pay-per-view buys for what they pay to broadcast UFC.

    The Post video added that PPV numbers are “way down” to the point where fighters are upset because PPV points in fighters’ contracts mean virtually nothing. The low number of buys can be attributed to various potential reasons from quality of cards to easier methods of pirating in the modern, digital age.

    Aryeh and Richter also note a lack of recent cards that are not behind the ESPN+ subscription paywall, though that could be due to current other commitments of ESPN the last several months that included college football and basketball programming.

    A deal with Netflix may be the easiest and most logical fit given the streaming platform’s recent attempts to get into live sports programming. The UFC’s partners in TKO, the WWE, have found quite the success with their deals with Netflix, which started at the beginning of this year. In fact, the Post notes that the UFC will do “everything in their power” to get a deal with Netflix.

    The Post notes that one roadblock in a deal with Netflix is that Netflix is opposed to the pay-per-view model, which the UFC were able to retain in their deal with ESPN. Customers currently have to pay for an ESPN+ subscription before being able to purchase a UFC pay-per-view. Netflix, however, is reportedly flexible in this regard.