Dana White recently shot down speculation about a potential schedule change for the landmark UFC White House event, confirming it is still set for June 14, 2026.
In collaboration with the U.S. government, the UFC has announced a historic, unprecedented event set for June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States and coincide with U.S. President Donald Trumpโs 80th birthday.
Dana White Fires Back At UFC White House Date Change Report
Controversy erupted after Puck News reported that the UFC had moved its planned June 14 White House event to June 26, a claim quickly echoed by several major MMA outlets and gaining traction online.
Within hours, Dana White responded on his Instagram Story, shutting down the speculation and confirming there had been no schedule change, with the event still targeted for Sunday, June 14.
In the same post, the UFC CEO blasted the reports, writing that the โmedia is so full of sh*t.โ
๐จ Dana White says the UFC White House event is still taking place on Sunday, June 14th
Heading into the matchup, a lingering narrative has followed Oliveira since his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in June 2025. UFC legend Frankie Edgar and other pundits have questioned whether the former lightweight champion still has the same hunger that once drove him to title glory.
In an interview with MMA Junkieโs Mike Bohn ahead of his UFC 326, โDo Bronxsโ reflected on his comeback submission win over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Rio last October.
Oliveira insisted the performance was meant to answer his critics, proving he is still at the top of his game and carries the same fire that fueled his earlier success.
“I sent a message to the division and to everyone: The lion is still hungry. That’s real. I’m ready for whatever comes. I’m ready. There are still a lot of things to happen. I’m still going to become champion again… Everything is 100%. I’m happy. I’m just living for the day.”
The 36-year-old Sao Paulo native heads into the fight with a 36โ11 record, holding the UFC records for most submission wins and post-fight bonuses. He has gone 3โ3 in his last six outings but believes his career momentum is still moving forward.
The BMF clash with Holloway is also a rematch. The two first met at UFC Saskatoon in August 2015, when โBlessedโ scored a TKO at 1:39 of the opening round after Oliveira was unable to continue following a collapse. Reports later suggested the issue was a torn esophagus.
Carlos Prates recently fired shots at Conor McGregor and warned that the former two-division champion would not want the potential fight.
Prates, the No. 5-ranked welterweight contender with a 6โ1 UFC record, stated that he’s open to facing โThe Notoriousโ after social media rumors claimed he had been offered the fight for the June 14 UFC White House card. However, he questioned the logic of the matchup given McGregorโs five-year absence from active competition.
Despite rumors, “The Nightmare” stated he has not received official communication from the UFC regarding a McGregor fight. He also mentioned former 170-pound champion Jack Della Maddalena as a potential opponent, as he prioritizes fighting for a title shot.
Carlos Prates Sends Chilling Warning To Conor McGregor
Carlos Prates recently took to Instagram to address the rumored fight with Conor McGregor, saying the matchup does not make sense right now but warning the Irishman of what would happen if the fight were ever booked.
โConor McGregor, to be honest, I think the fight is hard to make happen because Conor McGregor has been out for five years,” Prates said. “Heโs been retired from MMA, and after five years away, he would not beg to fight against the most entertaining welterweight in the world. Nothing against him, but everybody knows, and I know he knows, that I would hurt him bad. I would knock him out. So I donโt think itโs the right way to make a comeback for a huge superstar like him.โ
Carlos Prates addresses the rumors of a Conor McGregor fight:
โI didnโt get anything from the UFC yetโฆ to be honest I think that fight is hard to happen. I would hurt him bad. I would knock him out.
I donโt think itโs the right way to make a comeback of a huge superstar likeโฆ pic.twitter.com/mCgiqIadQD
“The Notorious” was scheduled to return at UFC 303 in 2024 against Michael Chandler, but withdrew after breaking his toe in training. McGregor recently posted on X that he’s willing to fight a โno-nameโ opponent for his highly anticipated potential return at UFC White House and asked the promotion to send him a contract.
Brandon Moreno made his position crystal clear Wednesday when asked whether he’d want to compete on the UFC’s upcoming White House fight card: he’s not interested. Not even a little.
During UFC Fight Night media day in Mexico City ahead of his Saturday, February 28 main event bout against Lone’er Kavanagh at Arena CDMX, the two-time flyweight champion was approached by a reporter about the highly anticipated UFC event slated for June 14 at the White House South Lawn.
Special Event? For Who?
The exchange was terse and pointed:
Reporter: “Are you interested in fighting at the White House event?”
Moreno: “Brother, I want you to tell me โ why would I want to fight there?”
Reporter: “It’s very special.”
Moreno: “For who? For you?”
Reporter: “For the company.”
Moreno: “No. I’m not interested. Thank you.”
Brandon Moreno shut down a reporter who asked about the UFC White House event ๐
โI want you to tell me why I would want to fight there? For what? No. Iโm not interested.โ pic.twitter.com/jYTVAxAhOT
Moreno, a Tijuana native and one of Mexico’s most celebrated UFC stars, currently ranked No. 6 in the flyweight division, did not elaborate further on his reasoning, nor did he need to. The comments come amid a wider wave of professional athletes publicly pushing back against the Trump administration’s policies, particularly ICE immigration enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security.
Athlete Pushback in Broader Sports World
Moreno’s comments arrive in a week marked by notable instances of athletes distancing themselves from Trump administration events. The gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team declined an invitation to attend Tuesday’s State of the Union address, citing scheduling and previously committed academic and professional obligations following the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Team USA women’s captain Hilary Knight went further, publicly describing the White House invitation as a “distasteful joke.”
By contrast, the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team โ which also won gold, defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime โ visited the White House earlier that day before attending the State of the Union, where the team received a bipartisan standing ovation. Trump announced during the speech that goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Five members of the men’s team did not attend.
Moreno’s Fight This Weekend
Moreno (23-9-2) headlines UFC Fight Night: Mexico City on Saturday, February 28, against short-notice replacement Lone’er Kavanagh (ranked No. 15 at flyweight), who stepped in after original opponent Asu Almabayev withdrew due to injury.
Moreno enters the bout looking to rebound from a TKO loss to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323 in December 2025 โ the first stoppage defeat of his career.
Charles Oliveira holds more post-fight bonuses than any fighter in UFC history โ and the promotion just doubled them. His reaction was as relaxed as you’d expect from a man who has made a career of letting his performances do the talking.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn ahead of his BMF title fight against Max Holloway at UFC 326, “Do Bronxs” was asked how he feels about the MMA promotion’s new bonus structure, which raised performance bonuses from $50,000 to $100,000 and added a $25,000 incentive for finishes.
“I’m happy โ but I don’t think about the bonus. The bonus looks for me, I don’t look for the bonus. The bonus is chasing me.”
Charles Oliveira’s Record Speaks For Itself
Charles Oliveira’s bonus total is the product of a career defined by spectacular finishes. The 36-year-old Brazilian also holds the UFC record for most submission victories (17) and has consistently delivered the kind of performances that earn Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night recognition.
The former UFC lightweight champion owns the promotionโs all-time record for post-fight bonuses with 21, earning more than $1 million in extra payouts, including 14 Performance of the Night, four Fight of the Night, and three Submission of the Night honors.
UFC 326 on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be Oliveiraโs first fight under the revamped bonus system, a format that could reward his action-heavy style more than ever before.
Oliveira last competed at UFC Rio in October, securing a commanding second-round submission victory over Mateusz Gamrot. He now owns a 36-11 professional record, highlighted by 22 submission wins and 10 knockouts.
“Do Bronxs” faces BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the UFC 326 main event. The upcoming event is also being simulcast on CBS in prime time. A win would make Oliveira the fourth fighter ever to hold the BMF title.
๐งจ No te puedes perder uno de los mejores eventos del aรฑo #UFC326 ๐
TKO released its full year and fourth quarter 2025 earnings today, revealing the full scope of how the sports entertainment conglomerate performed across its properties.
UFC’s 2025 Numbers
UFC revenue grew 7%, or $96 million, year-over-year. The increase was led by a $62.9 million jump in partnerships and marketing revenue to $314.3 million for the year, driven by new sponsors and fee increases on existing deals. Media rights revenue grew $28.3 million to $907.7 million, reflecting contractual escalations on the promotion’s existing broadcast agreements.
Live events and hospitality added another $12.5 million, reaching $232.9 million โ a sign that UFC’s global touring schedule continues to command strong gate and site fee revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA grew 6% to $851.0 million, with an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 57% โ one of the highest of any major sports property in the world. UFC has long been the margin leader within TKO, and that remained true in 2025 even as WWE closed the gap significantly.
WWE Overtook UFC for the First Time
The headline from today’s report: WWE outpaced UFC in both revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2025. WWE generated $1.709 billion in revenue โ $207 million more than UFC โ and posted $896.5 million in Adjusted EBITDA, clearing UFC by roughly $45 million.
The reversal is largely attributable to WWE’s new media rights deals with Netflix (Monday Night Raw) and ESPN, which drove a $135 million increase in WWE’s media rights revenue in 2025. UFC’s media rights agreements, while extremely lucrative, didn’t see the same step-change in the same period.
UFC still holds the superior margin profile at 57% versus WWE’s 52%, but the absolute dollar gap has closed dramatically from where it stood when TKO was first formed.
Zuffa Boxing Launches as New Growth Driver
TKO’s new boxing venture, Zuffa Boxing, officially launched in January 2026 and is already being positioned as a meaningful long-term growth engine for the company. President and COO Mark Shapiro noted the launch “sets the table for even further long term value creation” as TKO diversifies its combat sports portfolio beyond MMA.
Boxing management and promotional fees are currently captured in TKO’s “Corporate and Other” segment, which saw revenue grow 17% to $199.1 million in 2025. That figure is expected to rise considerably as Zuffa Boxing matures and begins hosting major events.
TKO’s Full Picture and 2026 Guidance
On a consolidated basis, TKO generated $4.735 billion in revenue and $1.585 billion in Adjusted EBITDA in 2025 โ a 47% EBITDA increase year-over-year. Free cash flow hit $1.159 billion. The company returned more than $1.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends during the year.
For 2026, TKO is guiding to $5.675โ$5.775 billion in revenue and $2.240โ$2.290 billion in Adjusted EBITDA โ roughly 20% top-line growth. The company also announced plans to launch up to $1 billion in new share repurchases beginning in March.
CEO Ariel Emanuel cited long-term media rights agreements and operational strength as the foundation for TKO’s outlook. UFC remains one of the most profitable sports properties on the planet โ but in 2025, it was WWE that grabbed the financial spotlight within the TKO portfolio.
According to MMA reporter Marcel Dorff, Montenegro has withdrawn from her scheduled women’s flyweight prelim bout against Ernesta Kareckaite for undisclosed reasons. Tarin, an undefeated 21-year-old Mexican prospect, has answered the call as her replacement.
Tarin Brings 7-0 Record and Major Hype to UFC Debut
Nicknamed “Kill Bill,” Tarin has compiled a perfect 7-0 professional record with finishes in six of seven bouts โ four by knockout and two by submission. The lone decision came against Andrea Garcia in 2024.
The Mexico City native won the Budo Sento Championship women’s bantamweight title with a fourth-round TKO of Luisa Cifuentes and also competed on Combate Global, where she stopped Kaytlin Neil โ a veteran of Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter. Three of her first four professional bouts ended in the opening round.
Due to the short-notice nature of the booking, the bout will be contested at a catchweight of 130 pounds rather than the standard 125-pound flyweight limit.
Kareckaite Returns From 13-Month Layoff
Kareckaite, a Lithuanian fighter who earned her UFC contract by beating Carli Judice via split decision on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, holds a 1-1 record in the Octagon. She dropped a unanimous decision to Dione Barbosa at UFC 301 before bouncing back with a split decision win over Nicolle Caliari in January 2025.
“Heavy-Handed” returns from more than a year away from competition when she welcomes Tarin to the UFC this weekend.
UFC Mexico City Card Reshaped by Late Changes
The Tarin-Kareckaite replacement is the second significant shake-up to hit the UFC Mexico City card this fight week. Brandon Moreno is also facing a replacement opponent in the main event after original foe Asu Almabayev withdrew due to a hand injury, with Lone’er Kavanagh stepping in.
Tarin’s debut carries extra narrative weight โ she was originally booked for a DWCS appearance in 2025 before pulling out, with Montenegro filling her slot. Now the roles have reversed, and the undefeated prospect gets an even bigger stage for her promotional introduction on home soil. She is one of six DWCS Season 9 contract winners making their UFC debuts on the card this Saturday.
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Kavanagh takes place at Arena CDMX on Saturday, February 28, streaming live on Paramount+ in the United States.
Six fighters who earned contracts on Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9 will make their UFC debuts this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night: Mexico City (February 28, 8 PM ET, Paramount+).
UFC Fight Night: Mexico City Debuts
The debuting fighters span three weight classes. Each of these competitors get a “second chance to make a first impression” and look to capitalize on their momentum. Making their first Octagon appearances are:
Flyweights
Imanol Rodriguez (Main card, fightingย Kevin Borjas): Rodriguez is an undefeated 6-0 Mexican prospect who competed onย The Ultimate Fighterย Season 33 and then earned his UFC contract with a first-round TKO on DWCS Season 9. All six of his professional wins have come by stoppage, including five knockouts.
Regina Tarin (Prelims, fighting Ernesta Kareckaite, replaces Sofia Montenegro): The Undefeated Mexican fighter makes her UFC debut against Ernesta Kareckaite. Tarin steps in on late notice, replacing Sofia Montenegro, but the young prospect has shown she is ready to meet the moment.
Featherweight
Javier Reyes (Prelims, fighting Douglas Silva de Andrade: The 17-4 veteran from Mexico earned his contract with a first-round TKO on DWCS Season 9, finishing Justice Torres with knees and punches. The experienced Reyes will be the most seasoned debutant on the card record-wise.
Middleweights
Ryan Gandra (Prelims, fighting Jose Daniel Medina): The 30-year-old Brazilian (8-1) secured his contract with a first-round TKO on DWCS Season 9 and rides a seven-fight winning streak into his debut, boasting a 75% finishing rate. He enters as a heavy favorite at -625.
Damian Pinas (Prelims, fightingย Wes Schultz): In a unique DWCS-vs-DWCS matchup, 23-year-old Surinamese prospect Pinas (8-1) โ who earned his contract with a first-round TKO on DWCS โ faces fellow debutant Schultz.
Wes Schultz: (Prelims, fighting Damian Pinas): The American (8-2) earned his UFC contract on DWCS Season 9 with a rare Suloev stretch submission finish over Mario Mingaj, showcasing creative grappling that impressed Dana White. He and Pinas are the only two fighters on the card where both men are making their UFC debut simultaneously.
UFC Fight Night: Mexico City airs Saturday, February 28 at 8 PM ET on Paramount+. Join us here at MMA News for our complete coverage and results.
Sean O’Malley has become one of the UFC’s most popular fighters, and his unconventional approach to keeping his ears looking good is a prime example of why he’s gained such a following.
O’Malley recently invited streamer N3on to his gym for a training session. As they were getting lunch together, N3on asked O’Malley how he was able to avoid getting cauliflower ear after a lengthy career that includes 16 UFC fights. The former Bantamweight joked that he avoids wrestling entirely in his fights.
โDo I look like I know how to wrestle? You get that from wrestling. I donโt wrestle. Not me. I never wrestled a day in my life.โ
When an opponent gets on top of him, instead of fighting back, he just absorbs the damage until the end of the round.
“I lay there and get beat up until the end of the round. You donโt watch my fights?โ
Sean O’Malley has faced several elite grapplers throughout his UFC career, most notably in back-to-back fights with Merab Dvalishvili that spanned a combined eight rounds. O’Malley dropped both bouts โ a unanimous decision loss at UFC 306 in September 2024 when Dvalishvili stripped him of the bantamweight title, and a third-round submission defeat in the rematch at UFC 316 in June 2025.
Paddy Pimblett is aiming for a summer return to the UFC, expressing his willingness to face several high-profile opponents. The #6 ranked lightweight is eager to get back in action following his loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. Pimblett also voiced his frustration with Benoit Saint Denis moving ahead of him in the rankings.
Pimblett (9-1 in the UFC) lost to Justin Gaethje by unanimous decision at UFC 324 for the interim lightweight title. He is targeting a summer return to the Octagon and mentions Benoit Saint Denis, the loser of Max Holloway-Charles Oliveira, and Arman Tsarukyan as potential opponents.
Pimblett’s Opponent Wishlist
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Paddy Pimblett addressed his next steps.
“To be honest, I’ll be honest with you all, it pissed me off that Saint Denis has moved above me for beating that bum Dan Hooker,” Pimblett said.
Pimblett continued,
“I’ll fight anyone. I just know whatever name gets sent to me on a contract, I sign it and I fight them. But Saint Denis sounds like a good fight to me. Europe’s two best lightweights going at it against each other. Or, I won’t get the winner, but the loser of Max [Holloway]-Charles [Oliveira]. F*ck, I’ll fight Arman if you’s want me to. I don’t give a f*ck. I’ll fight anyone.”
Pimblett added that he has no injuries and plans to return sooner than expected, targeting summer.
Michael “Venom” Page isn’t holding back. Speaking on The Boys in the Back podcast on Tuesday, the British welterweight contender delivered a pointed critique of the UFC’s fighter pay structure.
With Zuffa Boxing, Dana White’s boxing venture under the TKO umbrella, reportedly handing Conor Benn a staggering $15 million for a single fight, Page and fellow UFC fighters are left wondering when some of that sun win will shine on the fighters who helped build the Zuffa empire.
The $15M Elephant in the Room
The Benn deal ignited immediate backlash within UFC circles. Longtime boxing journalist Dan Rafael reported that the British welterweight signed a one-fight contract with Zuffa Boxing worth $15 million โ a number that would be exceptional even for established UFC stars, let alone a boxer whom Page himself described bluntly:
“I love Conor Benn, but he’s nowhere near the best in his field.”
Zuffa Boxing is a joint venture between UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings and the Saudi Arabia-based company Sela, with Dana White serving as its lead promoter.
Former UFC champion Sean O’Malley echoed Page’s disbelief yesterday, publicly stunned that a fighter he barely recognized could command that kind of money from an organization that regularly pays its own world champions a fraction of that figure.
โEddie Hearn, who lost Benn from Matchroom Boxing, summed up the broader sentiment: “They’re sick as a dog. There’s no loyalty.”
Page on the UFC’s Paramount “Bonus Bump”
Dana White had promised fighters would see the financial benefit in the Paramount+ era. What they got: post-fight bonuses were doubled from $50,000 to $100,000, with an additional $25,000 “finish bonus” introduced for fighters who secure a KO or submission but aren’t selected for Performance or Fight of the Night honors.
Page was not impressed. On the podcast, he made clear the bump doesn’t match the scale of what the company is now pulling in:
“This is why I wasn’t initially excited about it, because for me, it doesn’t do enough compared to the amount of money they’ve just brought in for themselves. To see how highly [Dana White] values people away from the sport that built his reputation, it’s just upsetting, to be fair. It’s disappointing more than anything. That’s all I’ll say on that.”
The math is hard to argue with. A $7.7 billion deal generates over $1.1 billion per year for TKO. Doubling a $50K bonus to $100K, handed out to only a handful of fighters per event, represents a rounding error in that context.
“Champions Shouldn’t Be Broke”
Page went further, tying the Benn conversation to a long-running grievance in the sport: elite fighters reaching the pinnacle of MMA and still struggling financially.
“I hate hearing stories of fighters getting to what is the pinnacle of our careers in terms of the UFC and still being broke. That just shouldn’t exist.”
He pointed directly to the widely discussed case of Francis Ngannou, who was UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World while reportedly borrowing money from former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman just to get by.
“This is something people have complained about. Francis Ngannou being the heavyweight champion of the world and broke, borrowing money from a friend of his, [Kamaru] Usman. Why was he even in that situation is the question for me.”
How the Sam Patterson Fight at UFC London Came Together
On a lighter note, Page also addressed how his upcoming bout against Sam Patterson at UFC Fight Night: Evloev vs. Murphy on March 21 at The O2 Arena in London came to be booked โ and it wasn’t exactly the matchup he had in mind.
“I’ve been asking for a lot of different fighters and not really getting responses, and I wasn’t panicking, but I definitely felt more urgency when I was speaking to the UFC. I was like, ‘What’s going on? Who am I going to be fighting?
We had a few back-and-forths and ended up pushing a ton of names over that we hadn’t really considered before because they weren’t the high-level names. It’s an unusual one, but either way, I’m excited to be back in the cage. I’m glad I didn’t miss the opportunity to fight back in the UK.”
Page had previously told media that the booking “feels like I upset somebody” at the UFC, given that [despite an impressive four-fight first-round stoppage streak] Patterson is not the high-profile welterweight opponent Page was pursuing after back-to-back middleweight wins over Shara Magomedov and Jared Cannonier.
Patterson enters the fight at 6’4″ with serious knockout and submission power, and he has previously cited Page as an inspiration.sports.yahoo+1
The event streams live on Paramount+ on March 21, headlined by the featherweight title eliminator between Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy.
UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili is set to step onto a different kind of mat this spring, signing with Real American Freestyle (RAF Wrestling) and confirming his debut for RAF08 on April 18. The event is scheduled for the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will stream on FOX Nation as the upstart freestyle league continues to feature high-profile names from the MMA world.
One of MMAโs most dominant champions is coming to wrestlingโs new main stage.
Merab Dvalishvili headlines RAF08 in Philadelphia. Opponent dropping soon.
Dvalishvili, long regarded as one of the UFCโs most relentless grapplers, will compete under freestyle wrestling rules as part of RAFโs push to showcase elite combat sports athletes in a professional, unscripted format built around real wrestling.
Promotion officials have yet to announce an opponent for โThe Machine,โ but RAF executives have framed his signing as a major statement of intent as the company builds its 2026 schedule around crossover stars from wrestling and MMA.
About Real American Freestyle
RAF, founded in 2025 and headquartered in Florida, has quickly carved out a niche by bringing current and former amateur standouts, Olympians, and MMA fighters into a paid freestyle league, with recent and upcoming events featuring names such as Colby Covington, Luke Rockhold, Henry Cejudo, and Urijah Faber.
Dvalishviliโs April appearance at RAF08 will mark his first competitive outing outside the UFC in several years and adds further crossover intrigue for fans tracking his next move in the octagon.
Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hokit will collide in a heavyweight bout at UFC 327 on April 11, 2026, live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The matchup pits a seasoned veteran against one of the division’s most exciting undefeated prospects.
Blaydes (19-5-0, 1 NC) enters the fight looking to re-establish himself in the heavyweight title picture. The 33-year-old Chicago native is a former top-five contender with 13 TKO victories on his record and most recently earned a split-decision win over Rizvan Kuniev at a UFC Fight Night event in June 2025.
Back-to-back losses to elite competition in recent years have made a convincing performance here essential if “Razor” wants to work his way back into championship contention.
Hokit Brings a Perfect Record Into the Biggest Fight of His Career
Hokit (8-0-0) is as clean as they come on paper โ eight fights, eight finishes, zero decisions. “The Incredible Hok” has five knockouts and three submissions to his name and is coming off a first-round TKO of Denzel Freeman at UFC 324 in January 2026. Now 2-0 inside the Octagon, Hokit is ready to take the significant step up in competition that a fight with Blaydes represents.
A win over Blaydes would immediately vault Hokit into the top-15 heavyweight rankings and signal to the division that a new contender has arrived.
UFC 327 Card So Far
UFC 327 takes place April 11, 2026, from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
UFC Flyweight Championship: Joshua Van (c) vs. Tatsuro Taira
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Jiri Prochazka (c) vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs. Hokit
Middleweight: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa
Welterweight: Kyle Daukaus vs. Vicente Luque
Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker
Women’s Strawweight: Tatiana Suarez vs. Loopy Godinez
Robert Whittaker is moving to the light heavyweight division, targeting a June debut after consecutive losses to Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 308, October 2024) and Reinier de Ridder (UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder, July 26, 2025).
The former UFC middleweight champion (26-9) confirmed the move this week, citing concerns about the impact of weight cutting on his performance.
In an interview with Submission Radio, Robert Whittaker explained his decision-making process and his timeline for the move to light heavyweight.
“I had a really good rest after last fight. I took some breaks. I worked on some other things, and it’s given me a moment to really just settle in and work out what I want to do moving forward,” Whittaker told Submission Radio. “I’m locking in now. I’m locking in for June. I want to get in there. I want to fight again. I want to fight in June at 205 most likely.”
Whittaker believes the weight cut to middleweight affects his camp performance and efficiency in the octagon. He has been considering the move for some time and trained at a heavier weight during his layoff. Whittaker is now targeting a June fight at 205 pounds, with UFC White House emerging as the likely event for his light heavyweight debut.
Whittaker’s Weight Cut Concerns
While speaking on a separate podcast appearance in late 2025, Whittaker said he was ‘90% there’ on making the move to light heavyweight, noting that the weight cut to 185 pounds was affecting his camp performance and output โ not that he could no longer make the weight.
Now fully committed to the switch, Whittaker plans to use the next few months transitioning to to 205 pounds without adding excessive muscle mass, hoping to preserve his speed and movement at the higher weight class.
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Kavanagh is a 13-fight card from Arena CDMX built around Brandon Morenoโs highโstakes homecoming main event against short-notice spoiler Loneโer Kavanagh.
Event overview & how to watch
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Venue: Arena CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico
Start times: Prelims 5 p.m. ET, Main card 8 p.m. ET
Streaming: Entire event live on Paramount+ in the U.S. (regional broadcasters vary internationally).
Main event spotlight: Moreno vs. Kavanagh
Brandon Moreno returns to Mexico City as the former twoโtime UFC flyweight champion and one of the promotionโs most accomplished Mexican stars, now looking to steady the ship after recent setbacks. He was originally slated to face surging contender Asu Almabayev, but a hand injury forced Almabayev out, opening the door for Englandโs Loneโer Kavanagh to step in on roughly two weeksโ notice.
Moreno brings a wealth of bigโfight experience, a deep gas tank and a well-rounded game built on volume boxing, scrambling and opportunistic submissions. Kavanagh, 26, is an aggressive striker with real pop, a 9โ1 record and four knockouts, who earned his way in via Dana Whiteโs Contender Series and now finds himself in a massive rankings jump against the divisionโs No. 6.
Between Morenoโs pressure and Kavanaghโs willingness to trade, this shapes up as a fast-paced, crowdโpleasing fight where the former champ must stay disciplined defensively against a hungry underdog swinging free with nothing to lose.
Main event at a glance
Fighter
Brandon Moreno
Loneโer Kavanagh
Record
23โ9โ2
9โ1
Status
Former 2โtime UFC flyweight champ
Rising prospect, shortโnotice replacement
Ranking
No. 6 flyweight โ
No. 15 flyweight
Recent result
Loss vs. Tatsuro Taira
KO loss vs. Charles Johnson
Style snapshot
Highโvolume boxing, creative grappling
Power striking, aggressive pace
Full card: UFC Mexico City
Exact bout order can shift during fight week, but the event is scheduled for 13 fights across seven weight classes.
Main card โ 8 p.m. ET, Paramount+
Brandon Moreno vs. Loneโer Kavanagh โ flyweight main event (5 rounds)
Marlon โChitoโ Vera vs. David Martinez โ bantamweight coโmain eventโ
Daniel Zellhuber vs. Bobby Green โ lightweight bout showcasing Mexicoโs rising prospect against a savvy veteranโโ
Edgar Chairez vs. Jafel Filho (or Bunes, depending on final listing) โ flyweight action boutโ
Jesus Santos Aguilar or a similar local favorite vs. TBD โ flyweight/ bantamweight slot featuring Mexican talent (keep an eye on late-week updates).
Preliminary card โ 5 p.m. ET, Paramount+ The prelims lean heavily into regional representation with multiple Mexican and Latin American fighters, paired with international opponents looking to steal momentum. While precise pairings differ slightly by source, expect matchups along the lines of:โ
Lightweight & featherweight prospects opening the show
Womenโs flyweight and bantamweight bouts spotlighting emerging talent
At least one veteran vs. newcomer pairing to set the tone for the night.โ
Why this card matters
Flyweight picture: A Moreno win keeps him in the immediate title conversation; an upset for Kavanagh would instantly throw a new, marketable name into the mix.
Mexican market: This is part of UFCโs continued investment in Mexico City as a key market, following prior Arena CDMX shows headlined by Moreno.
Depth: With 13 scheduled bouts and several allโaction pairings, the card is designed as a showcase for Mexican and Latin American fighters across divisions, not just the headliner.
Rankings Updated Following UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez | Toyota Center, Houston, TX โ Feb. 21, 2026
The UFC released its updated divisional rankings Monday following Saturday night’s card in Houston. Below is a complete breakdown of every movement across all divisions.
Welterweight (Champion: Islam Makhachev)
Uroลก Mediฤ โ ENTERS at No. 12 (NR)ย | “The Dalmatian” crashes into the rankings with his Round 1 KO of Geoff Neal
Colby Covington โ UP 1, now No. 13ย | Covington ticks up one spot despite not competing in the UFC in quite some time โ a notable passive rise driven by others’ results
Daniel Rodriguez โ DOWN 2, now No. 15ย | “D-Rod” slides two places following the ranking reshuffle
Geoff Neal โ EXITS Top 15ย | The Houston native is dropped entirely after being stopped on home soil
Middleweight (Champion: Khamzat Chimaev)
Sean Strickland โ HOLDS at No. 3ย | Main event TKO win not enough to move the needle for “Tarzan” in a crowded division
Brendan Allen โ UP 1, now No. 4
Israel Adesanya โ UP 1, now No. 5
Anthony Hernandez โ DOWN 2, now No. 6ย | Pays the price for the TKO loss in the main event
Heavyweight (Champion: Tom Aspinall)
The Spivac win over Ante Delija sent significant ripple effects down the entire division. Derrick Lewis returns to the Top 10.
Serghei Spivac โ UP 1, now No. 6
Rizvan Kuniev โ DOWN 1, now No. 7
Marcin Tybura โ UP 2, now No. 8 (tied)
Derrick Lewis โ UP 3, now No. 8 (tied)
Ante Delija โ DOWN 1, now No. 10
Tallison Teixeira โ UP 1, now No. 11
Shamil Gaziev โ UP 1, now No. 12
Mick Parkin โ UP 2, now No. 13
Vitor Petrino โ ENTERS at No. 15 (NR)
Women’s Bantamweight (Champion: Kayla Harrison)
Joselyne Edwards โ UP 3, now No. 11ย | The biggest mover of the week following her dominant finish
Mayra Bueno Silva โ DOWN 1, now No. 12
Nora Cornolle โ DOWN 1, now No. 13ย | Falls following the loss to Edwards
Miesha Tate โ DOWN 1, now No. 14
Men’s Flyweight (Champion: Joshua Van)
Lone’er Kavanagh โ EXITS Top 15ย | Drops out entirely ahead of his Feb. 28 main event vs. Brandon Moreno in Mexico City
Lightweight, Light Heavyweight, Men’s Bantamweight, Women’s Strawweight, and both Pound-for-Pound rankings all held steady with no movement following UFC Houston.
The next UFC event is UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Kavanagh on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Mexico City.
The UFC has officially announced a marquee middleweight clash for the Pacific Northwest: Israel Adesanya will face Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Fight Night 271: Adesanya vs. Pyfer on Saturday, March 28, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. The card streams live on Paramount+.
Adesanya (24-5), the two-time UFC Middleweight Champion, looks to snap a brutal three-fight losing skid and reassert himself among the division’s elite. The Nigerian-New Zealander known as “The Last Stylebender” made history during his first title reign with five consecutive successful defenses, and reclaimed the belt in spectacular fashion with a second-round knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023.
Since then, however, the wheels have come off: he dropped the title to Sean Strickland by unanimous decision at UFC 293, was submitted by Dricus du Plessis in a championship rematch at UFC 305, and was stopped by TKO just 30 seconds into round two by Nassourdine Imavov at a UFC Fight Night in Riyadh in February 2025. A strong performance in Seattle could go a long way toward turning the page on that difficult stretch and putting him back in the title conversation.
Standing across from him is the surging Joe Pyfer (15-3), one of the most exciting young talents in the 185-pound division. Nicknamed “Bodybagz” for good reason, Pyfer has racked up nine knockout victories and four Performance of the Night bonuses in his UFC tenure, quickly building a reputation as one of middleweight’s most dangerous finishers. Currently ranked No. 15 in the division, a statement win over a legend like Adesanya would be the biggest result of his career and could vault him into the upper tier of the rankings.
UFC Fight Night 271: Adesanya vs. Pyfer takes place March 28 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and airs live on Paramount+. The full fight card is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Paul “Big News” Hughes (14-3) will headline PFL Belfast on April 16 from the SSE Arena in Northern Ireland, facing New Zealand’s Jay Jay “The Mฤori Kid” Wilson (11-2) in a lightweight main event, the league announced Monday.
It will be the second consecutive time Hughes has headlined an event at the SSE Arena, having famously stopped Bruno Miranda in 42 seconds at PFL’s debut Belfast card in May 2025.
Hughes, ranked No. 4 in the PFL lightweight division, is framing the fight as the beginning of a climb back toward a third meeting with Nurmagomedov. The County Derry native says finishing Wilson is a requirement, not just a preference.
“It’s not good enough to have a good performance, I need to finish you and put myself in the mix again,” Hughes said. “This is the beginning of my redemption arc โ it starts with Jay Jay.”
PFL CEO John Martin confirmed the matchup to ESPN, noting that Hughes specifically requested a return to Belfast. “Hughes is looking to get back on track, and Jay Jay will have an opportunity to play spoiler in Paul’s backyard,” Martin said. “I think that makes for a super fun fight.”
Wilson Seeking Upset To Boost Title Contention
Wilson enters as a significant underdog fighting on enemy soil, but the 28-year-old Kiwi has never been stopped across 13 professional bouts. He is coming off a decision loss to undefeated contender Archie Colgan on the same PFL Dubai card where Hughes fell to Nurmagomedov. Prior to that, Wilson withdrew from the PFL lightweight tournament semifinals due to a broken jaw.
PFL Belfast airs live in the United States on ESPN2, the ESPN App, and ESPN Deportes. The main card begins at 7 PM ET, with the preliminary card streaming on the ESPN App (ESPN Unlimited) at 2:30 PM ET. Doors at the SSE Arena open at 7 PM local time, with the main event scheduled after midnight BST.
Pre-sale tickets are available Tuesday, February 24 at 12 PM GMT, with general sale beginning Wednesday, February 25 at 12 PM GMT via pfl.info/belfast. The full undercard is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Real American Freestyle has confirmed a significant change to its RAF 06 card: former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will replace the injured Chad Mendes and face Benson Henderson this Saturday, February 28, at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona.
Chad Mendes is out.
Aljamain Sterling will take on Benson Henderson at RAF06.
Sterling, a decorated grappler and UFC 135-pound titlist, now makes his RAF debut in a high-profile welterweight freestyle bout set at 170 pounds. Henderson, a former UFC lightweight champion and veteran of the WEC era, was originally slated to compete against Mendes before the injury forced the late change.
RAF 06: Updated Card
The event, officially titled RAF 06: Cejudo vs. Faber, airs live on Fox Nation at 9 PM EST and marks the sixth flagship event from the Real American Freestyle promotion. The card also features former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo headlining against Urijah Faber in a lightweight matchup, as well as other notable bouts including Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas at middleweight and welterweight champion David Carr defending his title against Bubba Jenkins.
Sterling vs. Henderson is a compelling late addition โ both men carry substantial pedigrees in combat sports, making this a marquee matchup in its own right despite the short-notice circumstances. Tickets remain available through Ticketmaster, and the event takes place at Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena.
If you take Conor McGregor’s word for it, when he said he’d fight anyone for his UFC return bout, he meant it.
McGregor was one of several UFC fighters watching along and sharing his thoughts on X (fka Twitter) during the UFC Houston card.
During that time, McGregor posted about making his UFC return, something that he has teased on and off again, especially since U.S. President Donald Trump’s first announcement about a UFC White House card.
Conor McGregor says his return fight could possibly be against "a no name" ๐ค
In a now-deleted post, McGregor told the MMA community that his next opponent might be a “no name” — but he also didn’t care.
“It’s a no name up next for me possibly, folks,” McGregor posted. “And as you know, I don’t give a f***. I ACCEPT. Send the contract, lads. CONOR MCGREGOR’S DEAL.”
McGregor would later make a post responding to those saying they were tired of McGregor’s ego.
I have no ego whatsoever but sublime confidence earned through decades of hard work!
“I have no ego whatsoever but sublime confidence earned through decades of hard work!” McGregor posted.
McGregor has been one of the UFC names who have pushed the heaviest to compete on the UFC White House event, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 14.
Still, as of press time, no announcement of any UFC White House fights, let alone a McGregor one, has been announced.
In fact, at the UFC Houston post-fight press conference, when asked about the truth to McGregor’s recent posting about being offered a fight, UFC CEO and President Dana White suggested such a claim was not true.
Dana White when asked about Conor McGregor's recent post that he had been offered a fight: If it was done and he accepted it I would announce it. pic.twitter.com/VSyjKMV7jh
“If it was done and he accepted it, I would announce it,” White said.
Michael Chandler had been teasing a long-awaited fight with McGregor would take place at the White House card, but White nixed that idea last month.
A fight between McGregor and Chandler had been awaited since the two coached season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. The two were booked for the original UFC 303 main event before McGregor withdrew a few weeks before the fight.
McGregor has not been seen in action since his loss to Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout that headlined UFC 264 in July 2021.
Sean Strickland wants his middleweight championship back and thinks he’s ready for Khamzat Chimaev, making that statement with a finish of Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston.
Strickland started the fight by working behind the jab, looking to keep Hernandez at bay and prevent any takedown attempts. Strickland landed a strong right hand that caught Hernandez’s attention about halfway through the first. Hernandez, however, battled hard during the second half of the round, landing a couple of strong rights.
Strickland continued to work a strong jab during the second round, while Hernandez looked to come forward and turn the momentum with his pressure.
Strickland ended things with a body shot that hurt “Fluffy” during the third, following it up with clinch knees to the body and some ground shots before the referee stopped the action.
Thatโs what nothing but hours and hours of sparring gets you. Just show up and shit spar everyday and voila! Overthink nothing. Who gives a fuck! Haha! Sean is great!
โThe former Champโโฆ.. when talking about Strickland, blows my mind ๐คฏ dude is tough but f***, feel like he couldnโt carry my jockstrap! With that being said, congrats, Champ! ๐คฃ #UFCHouston
This was Strickland’s first fight since losing his UFC middleweight championship rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 one year ago. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the title at UFC 293 before losing to DDP at UFC 297.
“Fluffy” Hernandez sees an eight-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Strickland. He came into this bout off a dominant submission of Roman Dolidze this past summer.
Two men looking to break into the upper echelon of the welterweight contender scene will do battle in the main event of UFC Vegas 116, as Sean Brady takes on Joaquin Buckley.
The UFC confirmed the bout in an announcement during the UFC Houston broadcast.
MAKE OR BREAK! โ๏ธโ๐ฅ
Sean Brady & @NewMansa94 go at it for five rounds inside the Meta APEX!
Both men are coming in off losses but are still ranked in the top 10 at 170 pounds, and a strong performance could gain the winner a top-five opponent.
Brady comes into this bout off a loss to Michael Morales at UFC 322 in November. He had won three straight prior to that and was once 15-0 before running into then-future welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
Buckley last fought this past June, dropping a decision to the returning former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta. Prior to that, Buckley had won six straight and hadn’t lost since 2022.
UFC Vegas 116 takes place on April 25 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A lightweight main event has been booked to headline UFC Vegas 115 on April 4, as former lightweight title challenger Renato Moicano faces Chris Duncan.
The UFC confirmed the pairing in an announcement during the UFC Houston broadcast.
Submission specialists set for April 4th! ๐ค@MoicanoUFC & @TheProblem155 are ready for five rounds!
What makes this fight particularly interesting is that both men train at American Top Team in Florida. It is unknown which man, if either, will not train at the facility for this bout.
Moicano is looking to rebound from a pair of losses, losing a short-notice lightweight title bout with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 and dropping a decision to Beneil Dariush at UFC 317. Moicano is currently ranked No. 10 in the division.
Moicano was scheduled to face Brian Ortega at UFC 326 in early March, but the bout was scrapped following an injury to Ortega.
Duncan has won four straight and is 6-1 in the UFC since coming in off a knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series. He most recently submitted Terrance McKinney at UFC 323 in December.
UFC Vegas 115 takes place on April 4 from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Uros Medic has scored the biggest win of his career and has most likely forced his way into the welterweight rankings, scoring a first-round knockout of Geoff Neal in the UFC Houston co-main event.
Medic eyed an early end to the fight, looking to use his speed to set up power shots. Medic appeared to be getting the better of Neal in the opening minute of the fight.
Medic landed a brutal combination, cracking Neal with a left hand and dropping him out cold for the win.
HE ONLY NEEDS ONE ๐@Urketaraketa with a vicious Round 1 KO for a massive ranked win!
Medic has now won three straight and four of his last five while retaining his 100 percent finish rate.
Medic called out Leon Edwards for a fight this summer.
Neal has now lost four of his last five. This is his second straight fight where he was knocked out in brutal fashion, following his loss to Carlos Prates at UFC 319.
Melquizael Costa extends his win streak and will most likely become a ranked featherweight, putting away Dan Ige at UFC Houston.
Ige looked to take control of the fight, coming forward with pressure and mixing in a takedown attempt. Costa, however, showed strong work in the clinch to take momentum, adding in some kicks that left their mark on Ige.
Costa then finished things by landing a spinning kick on the side of Ige’s head, crumbling him and landing follow-up shots to end the fight.
SPINNIN BACK KICK RIGHT TO THE FACE ๐คฏ@MelkCostaCauthy earns the biggest win of his career with that kick!
After starting his UFC career 1-2, Costa has now won six consecutive fights. He came into this bout off a head kick knockout of Morgan Charriere this past December.
Ige has now lost four of his last five, and he is 4-8 in his last 12.
