“Ataman” stepped in on short notice to replace the injured Dan Hooker opposite Justin Gaethje, marking the second time that Fiziev has shared the cage with “The Highlight.”
Just like first time around in London, the Azerbaijani performed valiantly but was unable to do enough to secure victory on the scorecards. And a second defeat to Gaethje and third overall has left Fiziev assessing his future.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Fiziev suggested that a drop down to the featherweight division could mark his next step on MMA’s biggest stage.
“I’m (starting) to think right now about changing weight divisions because I cut weight very easy this time, and this was short notice,” Rafael Fiziev said. “All this week, my nutritionist, he tried to gain my weight because my weight go low so fast. Right now, I have to think about it.
“I’ve been thinking about it a long time. Like I say, I am not big in this division,” Fiziev continued. “These guys have trouble if I come there. They’ll be in trouble, man, everybody.”
Should Rafael Fiziev commit to that change, he’d depart the 155-pound weight class as its #11-ranked contender. Prior to running into Gaethje, “Ataman” had won six straight fights, including over Renato Moicano, King Green, and Rafael dos Anjos.
Former UFC champion BJ Penn has shared a troubling Instagram video in which he alleges that the government murdered his mother and replaced her with a lookalike impostor.
The 46-year-old former fighter, who previously held titles in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions, made the shocking claim while pointing at a woman he insists is not his real mother.
“This lady right here, look at her a** and legs,” Penn says in the video. “She is acting like my 79-year-old mother, but she is not my 79-year-old mother. She’s trying to steal everything and this is not my mother. And I’m putting this out because she’s saying she’s going to get an attorney and try to do something. She’s trying to throw me out and if I attack her, she’ll try to do something, TRO [temporary restraining order] or something else.”
Penn also took to social media with a post accusing a man named Paul Abiley—whom he also refers to as Carlos Riveira—of being involved in the alleged conspiracy with government help.
The former fighter’s claims have sparked concern among fans, many of whom have urged him to seek professional help.
Penn, who retired from MMA in 2019 following a seven-fight losing streak, has remained in the public eye for various controversies. In 2022, he ran for governor of Hawaii but failed to secure the Republican primary nomination.
Penn has not responded to the widespread concern regarding his latest statements.
Alex Pereira’s ascent to light heavyweight dominance — marked by five straight wins, four knockout title fights, and victories over former champions — had built an aura of invincibility.
At UFC 313, however, Magomed Ankalaev dismantled that perception, ending Pereira’s reign in a decisive five-round encounter.
While the fight remained competitive, Pereira appeared uncharacteristically passive, often yielding ground to Ankalaev’s relentless pressure and cage control.
UFC color commentator Michael Bisping discussed Pereira’s performance on the Believe You Me podcast, with fellow analyst Paul Felder voicing strong criticism. “The Irish Dragon” called out Pereira for what he perceived as a lack of urgency.
“He never really opened up,” Felder said of Alex Pereira. “I was getting — I don’t wanna say mad, I’m not his coach, I’m not a training partner — but as a fan of the guy and somebody that I like to see perform, I was p*ssed off, dude.
“I agree that it was a bit lazy and one-sided on his part for a guy that’s got dynamite and apparently rocks in those hands,” Felder continued. “He never let them go. That’s just lazy.”
When it comes to Justin Gaethje’s hopes to secure a third crack at the undisputed UFC lightweight title, Arman Tsarukyan has told him to hold his horses.
“The Highlight” ran it back with Rafael Fiziev at the pay-per-view after original opponent Dan Hooker withdrew due to a broken hand. And for the second time in under three years, the American exited the cage a decision winner over “Ataman.”
During a recent interview with The Schmo, however, Tsarukyan insisted that “The Highlight” must go through either him or former titleholder Charles Oliveira first.
“It’s Gaethje or Oliveira,” Arman Tsarukyan said of his next opponent. “Gaethje wants to fight for the title. It makes sense to fight with me, because nobody’s going to give him (the) title fight. It’s not going to be fair that he’s going to get (the) title fight. So he’s got to beat me or Oliveira to get a title fight. There is Ilia (Topuria) too. … I’m open to everybody from (the) top five.”
Tsarukyan has been left needing to record another victory over a top contender despite entering the year with a first title shot bagged.
A late pullout from January’s UFC 311 event saw him lose out on the opportunity, leaving the next step for Makhachev uncertain after he dispatched of late-notice replacement Renato Moicano in Los Angeles.
Alex Pereira’s light heavyweight journey, marked by five consecutive wins, four title fight knockouts, and victories over multiple former champions, had elevated him to another-level status. However, at UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev ended the Brazilian’s reign, outpointing him in a five-round main event.
Despite the competitive nature of the fight, Pereira appeared hesitant at times, spending much of the bout under Ankalaev’s pressure and control. The Dagestani strategically avoided takedowns while maintaining control, exposing vulnerabilities in “Poatan’s” previously impenetrable aura at 205 pounds.
While the loss is a setback, it doesn’t mean Alex Pereira has been fully figured out. Instead, Ankalaev’s calculated approach highlighted areas for the former champion to address, suggesting that his story is far from over.
“I don’t think exposed is the right word, but I think it humanized him,” UFC legend Matt Brown said of Alex Pereira on the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer. “Because he was living off all this hype. The UFC is masterful at hyping guys up. I think all of us — it’s hard for anybody, even astute followers of the game like me or you or fighters that understand all the intricacies — it’s hard for us to ignore the amount of hype people put into him. They do this all the time.
“They did it with Conor [McGregor], they did it with Ronda [Rousey], they do it with Alex. It’s a constant thing. Jon Jones is the only guy that’s kind of lived up to that, and I say kind of because he lost to [Dominick] Reyes. He had some close fights, but he’s kind of the only guy who really just lived up to that hype and not lost,” Brown continued. “(Alex Pereira’s) still a great fighter. He’s still everything we thought he was, but the UFC kind of overplayed their cards.”
Pereira’s rapid rise through the light heavyweight division has sometimes overshadowed the challenges he faced earlier in his UFC tenure.
While he has been dominant in his title fights at 205 pounds, his knockout loss to Israel Adesanya before moving up in weight serves as a reminder of his past struggles.
ESPN acknowledged a “technical issue” that affected PPV purchases and later offered a free event replay for ESPN+ subscribers. UFC CEO Dana White also addressed the situation, noting that there were “a lot of pissed-off people.”
Former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub weighed in on the controversy during the latest episode of The Schaub Show, suggesting that the disruption may have been intentional.
“Big Brown” pointed to ongoing negotiations between ESPN and the MMA leader over media rights as a possible motive, arguing that ESPN could use the issue as leverage in talks.
“The whole ESPN+ PPV not working — they’re in negotiations right now. If you think that wasn’t on purpose, you’re out of your mind,” Schaub said. “That is ESPN, who doesn’t give a flying f*ck about UFC really — they’re in turmoil. But if you don’t think that’s a flex by them — I’ve never had issues.
“All of a sudden, issues just pop up during negotiation rights? That is somebody going, ‘Oh really, you want to play hardball? This is what your numbers will look like without us.’ That’s what I think with a tinfoil hat on,” Schaub continued. “I’ve never had issues, and all of a sudden, half the f*cking world has issues? That’s weird.
Gaethje was originally scheduled to face Dan Hooker at UFC 313 on March 8 but the Kiwi fan favorite withdrew due to a hand injury. Rafael Fiziev stepped in for a rematch, and Gaethje went on to defeat him by unanimous decision, earning yet another Fight of the Night award.
Speaking on the Weighing In podcast, Thomson highlighted how Gaethje’s striking differs from traditional techniques, emphasizing that he does not conform to conventional boxing or kickboxing styles. He also critiqued Gaethje’s leg kicks, despite their well-documented effectiveness.
“Justin Gaethje is not a striker like any other striker we’ve seen,” Thomson said. “Not so much in terms of how he fights—it’s really about how he moves his body. He’s not a traditional boxer or kickboxer or any of those styles.
“Even his kicks — look how hard they are. Fighters have told everyone how hard he kicks, but his leg kicks look like trash,” Thomson continued. “You see him, and you’re like, it’s a weird kick. Like, it just looks weird, but everybody, everybody says they’re so painful.”
Dillon Danis alleges that Logan Paul is actively preventing him from signing with the UFC, saying the influencer-turned-wrestler has been working behind the scenes to blackball him from major opportunities. In a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Danis claimed that Paul has used his connections to keep him out of both the UFC and WWE.
“He won’t let me go to WWE events. WWE wanted to do stuff with me, and then he’s like, ‘No, don’t let him in.’ He hates me so much that he’s trying to get me out of everything,” Danis said. “He’s in the background of the UFC, I’m pretty sure he’s the one talking to them, saying not to sign me.”
Danis believes Paul’s influence is tied to his lucrative partnership with Prime Hydration, which has become a major UFC sponsor.
“Prime is a big say. If you sign that kid, I’m pulling Prime,” he speculated.
The bad blood between Danis and Paul escalated during their 2023 boxing match, which led to Paul suing Danis for defamation. The fallout from the fight sent Danis into a personal tailspin.
“I had a lot of demons, and I still do,” he admitted. “I got really bad after that fight—really bad. Just let myself down.”
Danis, who says he’s been sober for nearly eight months, is now attempting to rebuild his fighting career. He is set to face KSI in a boxing match on March 29, followed by a planned MMA bout against Tony Ferguson later this year.
Israel Adesanya shared his live reaction to Magomed Ankalaev’s decision victory over Alex Pereira this past weekend at UFC 313, expressing surprise at the judges’ scorecards and questioning the fight’s outcome.
“I had Alex winning… but I have to watch it again and score the fight properly,” Adesanya said during his YouTube reaction video. Like many fans, he appeared puzzled by the 49-46 score in favor of Ankalaev, especially given Pereira’s striking success.
Adesanya acknowledged Ankalaev’s clinch work but wasn’t convinced it was enough to secure the win. “He dropped him, yeah… but the holding? He didn’t really do much with the holding.” Pereira’s aggressive striking seemed to impress Adesanya more, but he admitted the fight was competitive.
Despite the controversial outcome, Adesanya believes a rematch is likely.
“I think he’ll get a rematch… spin the block, we out.”
Given Pereira’s standing in the division and UFC’s history of booking rematches for close fights, Adesanya’s prediction holds weight.
In classic “Stylebender” fashion, Adesanya ended with a reflective take on the unpredictability of MMA:
“What a stupid game we play—I f***ing love it.”
With the controversy surrounding this fight, the debate will rage on, and all eyes will be on whether Pereira gets another shot at Ankalaev.
Adesanya’s most recent fight was against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250 on February 1, 2025, at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which ended in a second-round knockout loss for the Stylebender. This marked Adesanya’s third consecutive loss, putting him at 1-4 in his past five bouts.
It would seem that Jalin Turner’s time competing in mixed martial arts came to an end at UFC 313.
Turner returned to action for the first time since a crushing loss to Renato Moicano at UFC 300 last April. On the main card of Saturday’s pay-per-view event, “The Tarantula” was tasked with defending his ranking opposite the up-and-coming Ignacio Bahamondes.
As it turns out, Turner entered the cage inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena following months of contemplation regarding his future. And a first-round submission loss to “La Jaula” proved to be the final straw for the 29-year-old.
He removed his gloves inside the Octagon and informed press cageside that he was retiring.
Speaking to Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter backstage at T-Mobile Arena, Jalin Turner expanded on what has led to his likely decision to hang up the gloves for good.
“It’s hard, man. Fighting’s hard, and I’ve been doing it for 12 years. You either gotta be all in or not. And even being in there now, I wasn’t fully all in as I thought I would be. And the decision to stay or not was honestly based off this fight for me,” Jalin Turner said. “I felt like I’d get the nod, get the win. I watched him. He’s an up and coming prospect. He deserved the opportunity. And I felt like I would’ve got my hand raised and I didn’t. I know it’s emotional right now, but I’ve been thinking about this for the last 11 months, if I’m gonna keep fighting or not. I was bad on signing the fight contract because I didn’t know if I was gonna retire or not. I didn’t know, how much longer I wanted to keep doing this.
“Now my kids are getting older. I don’t want to keep taking damage,” Turner continued. “Training camps are hard. Life is really taking a toll. It’s been taking a toll the last 11 months, so I just need to step away for a little bit. I mean, maybe forever. At this point, the competition just gets better. I’m just getting older. So yeah, I’m gonna just sit down and think about it. You know? But I think that’s it. … Doubts come, there’s always gonna be things that deter you. … I was in love with it. I love the sport. I love competing, and the fire is just not there.”
An emotional Jalin Turner discusses his decision to retire from the sport following his loss at UFC 313 pic.twitter.com/mOyx4aJiZ1
Should Jalin Turner commit to retirement, his career will conclude after a 7-6 run in the UFC, during which he defeated the likes of Brad Riddell and King Green.
A unanimous decision verdict saw the title change hands after a reign that spanned three successful defenses for Pereira. The Brazilian is now looking ahead to the adjustments he’ll need to make for a likely rematch this year.
Magomed Ankalaev, meanwhile, continues to celebrate his championship triumph, which came at the second time of trying just over two years on from a draw with Jan Blachowicz.
The new kingpin was most recently seen returning to his homeland. A video posted by Ushatayka showed Ankalaev with the light heavyweight gold in tow as he landed back in Dagestan, where he was greeted by a hero’s welcome from the masses.
🇷🇺 Magomed Ankalaev received a hero’s welcome upon returning to Dagestan after winning the UFC lightheavyweight title 🏆
“Poatan” came out strong, battering his opponent with his signature calf kicks. However, as the fight progressed into the middle rounds, his momentum began to wane. While he couldn’t mount much offense, he showcased impressive takedown defense.
In the final round, Pereira regained his momentum and pushed the pace, but it wasn’t enough to sway the judges, who awarded Ankalaev a unanimous decision victory.
In the buildup to UFC 313, Alex Pereira faced heavy skepticism from UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, who joined some others in doubting his commitment to preparation. “DC” pointed to Pereira’s leisure trips and laid-back social media presence as signs that he wasn’t fully focused on his title defense.
He appeared uncharacteristically off, and former two-division champion Henry Cejudo believes he knows exactly what may have caused it.
During a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound Podcast, Cejudo shared his thoughts on the Pereira vs. Ankalaev showdown. He suggested that “Poatan’s” extravagant way of living, among other factors, may have finally caught up with him.
“I think Alex Pereira’s lifestyle is finally kind of catching up to him, it’s finally catching up to him,” Cejudo said. “The travel, the ‘chama’, the lot of the skits and a lot of stuff that he’s actually doing, it’s really not doing him any service. His body looked a little different, dude. He looked a little pudgier, he looked a little thicker in the face going in, but then we have to credit Magomed Ankalaev.”
Alex Pereira enjoyed a stellar run in 2024, successfully defending his UFC light heavyweight title three times — all by knockout.
The former champion had previously suffered a setback against Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 in April 2023 but rebounded in dominant fashion, moving up a division and racking up an impressive five-fight winning streak.
Alongside Mauricio Ruffy’s spinning wheel kick knockout and Justin Gaethje’s latest brutal war inside the Octagon, rising lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes notched the biggest win of his career to date.
The Chilean made the most of his first opportunity at cracking the rankings, locking in a shock triangle choke submission to force longtime veteran Jalin Turner to tap out in the very first round.
“Nacho can be a huge star,” Anik wrote on X a couple of days on from UFC 313. “Big personality. Fluent in two languages. One of the best strikers in the UFC. Will also choke you the f*ck out. Latin America couldn’t have a better ambassador in the UFC. Just hope he can keep making 156 (155) lbs!”
Bahamondes has missed weight once in the UFC and twice overall in professional MMA. He came in three quarters of a pound overweight for his clash with John Makdessi back in 2021.
After staging its latest numbered event close to its home base at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena this past weekend, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will soon head back to Miami.
And for its usually annual April PPV inside the Kaseya Center, a stacked lineup is set to unfold, topped by a featherweight championship clash between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.
To the surprise of many, that contest will close out the preliminary card on April 12, with the light heavyweight bout between Nikita Krylov and Dominick Reyes getting the nod to feature on the five-fight main card instead.
The Dagestani stepped into the fight with a calculated game plan, but despite his high-level wrestling credentials, he failed to take Pereira down. Instead, he maintained steady aggression and strategically timed his strikes, ultimately convincing the judges to rule in his favor.
Recently, a sharp-eyed MMA fan on X compiled snippets from the UFC’s Instagram, showcasing every champion having their belt wrapped around their waist after the first three pay-per-views of the year. To many fans’ surprise, Magomed Ankalaev topped the list with a staggering 26.8 million views.
Trailing behind him was reigning lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, who racked up 19.1 million views, followed by bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili with 17 million. Middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis secured 11.8 million, while strawweight queen Zhang Weili rounded out the list with 4.3 million views.
At the time of writing, the video capturing Ankalaev’s crowning moment has amassed over 46.2 million views and garnered an impressive 1.4 million likes.
Ankalaev previously vied for the 205-pound title at UFC 282 in December 2022, facing Jan Błachowicz. After an intense back-and-forth battle, the contest ended in a draw.
With his win at UFC 313, the 32-year-old Russian extended his unbeaten streak to 14 fights. Remarkably, the only blemish on his professional record dates back to March 2018, when he fell to Paul Craig via submission in the final seconds of their bout.
Justin Gaethje couldn’t have done much more to impress at UFC 313 — though Kamaru Usman does have one thing in mind.
Gaethje recorded a crucial victory in the co-main event of this past weekend’s pay-per-view in Las Vegas, which came 11 months on from his devastating knockout loss at the hands of Max Holloway.
To keep his name in the championship conversation and avoid a first losing skid since 2018, “The Highlight” was tasked with once again getting the better of Rafael Fiziev, who stepped in on short notice to replace the injured Dan Hooker.
The fan-favorite brawler was relatively reserved on the microphone during his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, much to the frustration of his longtime teammate.
“You gotta sell yourself sometimes,” Usman said of Justin Gaethje on his Pound 4 Pound podcast. “This is where you do it because as much of a performer you are in there, you gotta give them something to look forward to. … This is WWE, and ‘The Rock’ and these guys do so well.
“Justin, you gotta do a little better job of that,” he continued. “But he’s just so damn honest, which is why I love that frickin’ dude.”
Gaethje and Usman have both trained under the tutelage of renowned coach Trevor Wittman for years.
Within the last year, Pereira dominated the UFC light heavyweight division, defending his title three times — all via knockouts. His résumé boasts finishes over former champions like Israel Adesanya, Jan Błachowicz, and Jiří Procházka (twice), to name a few.
Ahead of the opening bell, Alex Pereira received some notable recognition, joining a prestigious group that includes only Conor McGregor and Jon Jones.
The legendary voice of the Octagon, Bruce Buffer, acknowledged Pereira’s status by introducing him as “The One, The Only” — a distinguished title reserved for the sport’s most iconic figures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ-w2cB2Zbw
Buffer first bestowed this accolade upon “The Notorious” when he made his much-anticipated return to the Octagon at UFC 246 in January 2020 against Donald Cerrone. McGregor delivered a knockout victory in just 40 seconds.
At UFC 285 in March 2023, Buffer honored “Bones” with the same iconic introduction as he made his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane. Jones secured a first-round submission victory to claim the title.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir won’t be making his return to mixed martial arts competition anytime soon.
Mir was among the veteran names to sign with the newly created Global Fight League ahead of its inaugural draft this past January. The 45-year-old was ultimately picked alongside Andrei Arlovski for Team Los Angeles.
But those plans will be put on hold after Mir revealed in a post on Instagram that he “underwent an emergency spinal fusion and laminectomy of (his) entire thoracic spine.”
“I wanted to take a moment to update you on my health and share a bit about my recent journey,” Frank Mir wrote. “As many of you know, I’ve been dedicated to martial arts since I was just four years old. My love for hard training has driven me to push my limits as a professional athlete. However, this passion comes with its challenges.
“Recently, I faced a significant hurdle: I underwent an emergency spinal fusion and laminectomy of my entire thoracic spine. Although it was a tough decision, I’m happy to report that the surgery was a complete success!
“Now, I’m diving into rehabilitation and focusing on my recovery. This is just another challenge that I intend to overcome, and I’m committed to coming back stronger, both mentally and physically, than ever.
“Thank you all for your support during this time. Your encouragement means the world to me, and I can’t wait to share my progress with you.
“It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”
Mir, who boasts a 19-13 record in pro MMA, last competed under the Bellator banner in 2019. He outpointed fellow vet Roy Nelson to record his first victory in five fights and four years.
It remains to be seen when the 45-year-old, who beat the likes of Brock Lesnar, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Tim Sylvia, and Mirko Cro Cop during his prime in the sport, will return to the cage.
This idea is part of Patel’s broader agenda, which includes aligning the bureau with the Trump administration’s priorities and enhancing the physical fitness of FBI personnel.
In addition to the MMA training regimen, Patel is reportedly focused on removing agents who do not align with the administration’s goals. The focus on physical fitness, particularly through MMA, is seen as a way to ensure agents are prepared for the physical demands of their roles.
Jody Weis, a former FBI special agent in charge and former superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, has publicly backed the idea. He believes it would be a beneficial addition to agent training.
Patel was in attendance at UFC 313 on Saturday, where he spoke with UFC CEO Dana White about a possible collaboration. White later addressed the conversation, indicating that Patel is serious about the initiative.
“Well, after he (Patel) said that, my phone blew up,” Dana White said. “You know, everybody wants to be the trainers to the FBI now. … But he’s dead serious about that. I talked to him about it tonight. Yeah, he’s dead serious. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how that starts to come together.”
The fight remained tightly contested from start to finish. “Poatan” set the tone with a sharp opening round, but Ankalaev responded in the second, finding his rhythm and rocking Pereira with a thunderous left hand — arguably the biggest moment of the fight.
Despite his reputation as the superior wrestler, the Dagestani struggled to secure a takedown, failing on all his attempts. However, he compensated by relentlessly pressing forward, dictating the tempo, and trapping Pereira against the cage for extended stretches in the later stages of the fight.
Two judges scored the bout 48-47, while the third had it 49-46, all siding with Ankalaev. However, with several rounds feeling razor-close in real-time, many in the MMA community argued that while the newly crowned champ’s approach proved successful against Pereira, it often results in uneventful fights that lack excitement.
At the UFC 313 post-fight press conference, the newly minted UFC 205-pound champion addressed criticism of his fighting style, expressing confusion over why many label it as boring.
“I don’t understand why people think that my fights are boring,” Magomed Ankalaev said. “Everybody thought that Alex Pereira, coming into this fight, was the most exciting striker in the division, and then you saw the way he fought against me. It seems as though when people come out and fight against me, they all become boring. You saw what he did, so it’s not just dependent on me — it also depends on the dance partner, on the opponent that I’m fighting.”
With his victory over Alex Pereira, Magomed Ankalaev extended his unbeaten streak to 14 fights — the third-longest active run in the UFC. Along the way, he has claimed wins over top contenders like Aleksandar Rakić, Thiago Santos, and Anthony Smith.
While the aftermath of the March 8 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the light heavyweight title picture to the featherweight championship conversation.
At UFC 314, set for the Kaseya Center on April 12, former champion Alexander will open his account for the new year. Following Ilia Topuria’s decision to vacate the 145-pound gold and move up to lightweight, the Australian will battle the surging Diego Lopes for the belt.
Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as former three-time Bellator kingpin Michael Chandler looks to defend his spot in the pecking order at 155 pounds and reignite his title ambitions. To do so, the American must become the first to beat Paddy Pimblett inside the UFC Octagon.
Silva, Prates, Reyes Set The Stage For High-Profile Headliners At UFC 314
Before Volkanovski, Lopes, Chandler, and Pimblett make the walk, a number of notable names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major UFC 314 card.
Prior to that, another Fighting Nerds product will make the walk in Carlos Prates. He, too, will have the chance to climb a divisional ladder, as he shares the cage with longtime welterweight contender Geoff Neal.
And opening the UFC 314 main card will be former two-time light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes. Having returned to winning ways with consecutive triumphs, “The Devastator” will look to edge closer to the top five at the expense of Nikita Krylov.
Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over MMA legend Patrício Pitbull, who is slated to top the prelims in his debut fight versus ex-interim UFC featherweight champ Yair Rodríguez.
See below for the full UFC 314 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes
Lightweight: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva
Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
Light Heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Yair Rodríguez vs. Patrício Pitbull
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
Women’s Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba
Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
Early Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
Middleweight: Sedriques Dumas vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
Flyweight: Sumudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
Featherweight: Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero
Middleweight: Tresean Gore vs. Marco Tulio
Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle vs. Hailey Cowan
Israel Adesanya, a close observer of UFC 313 due to his storied rivalry-turned-friendship with Alex Pereira, strongly contested the judges’ scoring in “Poatan’s” defeat to Magomed Ankalaev.
Pereira’s unanimous decision loss to Ankalaev prompted Adesanya to share his reaction on his YouTube channel. His main point of contention was the 49-46 scorecard, which he dismissed as “stupid,” while also expressing his continued passion for the sport.
Adesanya’s scoring differed significantly from the official verdict by the judges. He believed the fight was tied 1-1 after the first two rounds, then awarded rounds three and five to Pereira, giving him a 3-2 edge overall. This discrepancy underscored his disagreement with the judges’ decision.
“I had Alex winning, but I’m not sure,” Adesanya said of the Brazilian’s defeat to Magomed Ankalaev. “I’d have to watch it again and score the fight properly. Round two might have played a factor just because he dropped him, but then holding against the fence — I don’t really remember him getting any takedowns.
“It was a competitive fight, back-and-forth,” Adesanya added. “They’re both going to level up, and I’m sure he’s going to get a rematch. Spin the block.”
With 40 professional bouts under his belt, Poirier has hinted at a set date and an “incredible” location for his farewell appearance, likely being in his home state of Louisiana.
However, he has remained secretive about his opponent, revealing only that it will be a “legends only” matchup.
And the bout Dariush suggested is in the works during a recent appearance on Submission Radio would certainly fit that billing.
“Right now, my understanding is Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway are going to fight,” Dariush said. “I don’t know if it’s 100 percent sealed and done, but that’s what I am hearing.”
Holloway, who last fought in October, is looking to rebound from his first career knockout loss against Ilia Topuria. Despite that setback, he remains the reigning BMF champion, a symbolic title he claimed with a stunning knockout victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April 2024.
In their initial encounter at UFC 143 in January 2012, a young Holloway, making his UFC debut at just 20 years old, faced a tough introduction to the octagon. His more experienced opponent, holding an 11-1 record, quickly secured a submission victory, highlighting the significant experience gap between the two fighters.
Alex Pereira has hinted at his plans for the future following a disappointing result at UFC 313 this weekend.
Pereira, a former middleweight titleholder, saw his championship reign and undefeated run at 205 pounds come to a halt at Saturday’s pay-per-view event inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
Following a 2024 in which he defeated Jamahal Hill, Jiří Procházka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. to record three successful defenses, “Poatan” was next handed the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev.
Though fans aren’t exactly clamoring to see the matchup again giving how it played out at UFC 313, Pereira suggested during a video uploaded to his social media accounts that a rematch is likely next.
“Gonna make some adjustments for the rematch, and I’ll be back much better, you can count on it,” Alex Pereira said. “Never give up on your dreams. Chama.”
— Alex "Poatan" Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) March 9, 2025
That sentiment appears to also be shared by the higher-ups, with UFC CEO Dana White confirming during his post-fight press conference that a second dance between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira is “probably” next.
UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad was an animated figure in the corner of Ignacio Bahamondes this weekend.
Bahamondes was among those tasked with setting the stage for Saturday’s championship headliner at UFC 313, and the highly touted lightweight prospect emerged as one of the event’s top performers.
Talking the Chilean 27-year-old through the action cageside was a notable teammate of his in Belal Muhammad. And the UFC posted footage of the champ’s ecstatic reaction as his man forced a tap from “The Tarantula.”
“Let’s go! Best in the world, I told you guys,” Muhammad said to the camera. “He can strike and he can grapple, he does it all!”
Turned revealed his intentions to retire in the aftermath of Saturday’s bout, admitting he’d been pondering the decision since his setback to Renato Moicano at UFC 300 last April.
Bahamondes will likely inherit his #13 position in the lightweight rankings, having moved to a three-fight winning streak with his triumph at UFC 313.
