In what might have been one of the more bizarre fights of recent time, Mike Malott pulled off perhaps the biggest win of his UFC career so far, defeating Kevin Holland in front of a native Canadian crowd in the co-main event of UFC Vancouver.
After a quiet start, Holland managed to catch a kick from Malott and dropped him with a right hand. Malott, however, managed to grab a leg and sweep, getting on top with grappling pressure. Back on the feet, Malott landed a pair of accidental low blows on Holland in a short timespan, the latter being a knee to the groin that clearly hurt Holland. Holland took the full five minutes and continued despite appearing to still be in pain, but nothing significant was landed following that. Despite this and Drew Dober’s point deduction earlier in the evening, Malott was not deducted a point.
After a bizarre sequence of events to check on Holland’s condition, Malott seemed to find success in the second round with technical striking, including a combination and knee to the body that appeared to hurt Holland. Holland seemed to not pour out as much as he should have in the third, and a slam takedown and an arm-triangle attempt helped to secure Malott the decision victory.
Mike Malott Bests Kevin Holland At UFC Vancouver
In any just world, that's a 28-28 draw. But Dan Miragliotta is horrendous as his job so Mike Malott wins.
Mike Malott is genuinely so bad lmao kneed Holland’s balls into his stomach and still couldn’t even finish the guy. Holy fuck what a fraud this guy is. pic.twitter.com/2XppDS1zrH
#UFCVancouver going down as one of the weirdest cards of the year…
1. Malott kicks Holland’s nuts, he’s fine after 1 minute 2. Malott knees Holland’s nuts, waits the full five minutes, then decides to continue fighting 3. Holland clearly in pain still as the doctor asks if he… pic.twitter.com/Hk7puxohGO
Malott has now won three straight and is now 6-1 in the UFC since his 2021 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. He entered tonight off a knockout of Charles Radtke at UFC 315.
Holland has now lost four of his last six, coming into tonight off a loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318.
Aiemann Zahabi continues to make his climb up the bantamweight rankings, as he came away with a decision victory over former title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC Vancouver.
Vera pressed the action early, opening up a cut on Zahabi’s nose, though Zahabi had his fair share of moments, appearing to out-strike Vera in the opening frame. Vera then pressured Zahabi during the second round, which included a jab in particular that appeared to rock Zahabi. The Canadian, however, managed to survive the second round and rallied in the third, digging with crisp combinations and leg kicks.
All three judges scored the bout 29-28, with Zahabi getting two judges’ nods to score the split decision win.
Aiemann Zahabi Gets Split Decision Nod Over Marlon Vera At UFC Vancouver
I think there was a missed opportunity there for Chito when he had him hurt. #UFCVancouver
Why is Chito Vera acting so pissed off? You had the guy in the 2nd round, and you chose to stall it. Zahabi was much better after stumbling, and it is ironic.#ufcfightnight
Manon Fiorot took many in the MMA community by surprise with just how quickly she disposed of Jasmine Jasudavicius, needing just over a minute to score the victory at UFC Vancouver.
Fiorot worked her jab early, landing flush on Jasudavicius from the very beginning. Fiorot landed a one-two about a minute into the fight, which rocked Jasudavicius. Fiorot then landed a pair of knees on the Canadian before raining down a barrage of blows that would force a referee’s stoppage.
Manon Fiorot Makes Easy Work Of Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavicius At UFC Vancouver
What a left hand from Fiorot! Expected a win from her but not like that!
Manon Fiorot wobbled Jasmine Jasudavicius and closed it out quickly. Massive finish for Fiorot but super tough for Jas in Canada. What a wild finish #UFCVancouver
Fiorot will win the title if she gets her rematch. She clearly folded under the lights last time. What a statement! #UFCVancouverhttps://t.co/SEgnG5ZX2x
This was Fiorot’s first fight since unsuccessfully challenging Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight championship at UFC 315 in May. That loss marked just the second of Fiorot’s career.
Jasudavicius sees a five-fight win streak snapped with this defeat.
In front of a native Canadian crowd, Charles Jourdain scored another highlight finish, putting away Davey Grant at UFC Vancouver.
Both men came out swinging from the opening bell, with Grant focused on leg kicks, while Jourdain fired back with sharp combinations. Grant looked for his signature flying knee, and after several explosive exchanges, he landed one.
Jourdain then took advantage of a busted-up Grant and landed some strong ground-and-pound. He then locked up a guillotine to score the submission win.
Charles Jourdain Submits Davey Grant At UFC Vancouver
Kyle Nelson came away with the win at UFC Vancouver, but it wasn’t the kind of victory that he could have gotten — and a simple mistake by referee Dan Miragliotta is to blame.
Late in the first round, Nelson was controlling opponent Matt Frevola on the ground, and he executed ground-and-pound that appeared to earn him the finish. Referee Dan Miragliotta appeared to step in with three seconds left in the first round, and Nelson celebrated as if he had scored the win.
Miragliotta, however, then informed Nelson that the fight was not over. Miragliotta appeared to claim he heard the horn that signaled the end of the round, but video replays on the UFC Vancouver broadcast seemed to show no sound of a horn.
Nelson admitted his gas tank was a bit compromised following that, but he managed to outwork Frevola over the next 10 minutes to score the unanimous decision win.
Referee Dan Miragliotta Criticized For Mistake That Robbed Kyle Nelson Of UFC Vancouver Finish
I do not say this lightly, Dan Miragliotta should never be allowed to referee again. #UFCVancouver
🤔 #UFCVancouver What happened here? With 3 seconds left in the round one, the ref stepped in and stopped the fight. … round two starts… ?!?! pic.twitter.com/7WXArFS34d
What happened at the end of the first round of Nelson vs. Frevola is one of many reasons as to why nobody takes MMA seriously. It’s a stain on the sport and it just continually makes the entire sport look like a joke. Dan Miragliotta should be fired and there should be a massive… pic.twitter.com/POfdF9MfyP
Dan Miragliotta clearly waves the fight off with 3 seconds left in Round 1. Kyle Nelson should’ve been credited with a TKO victory. After this the fight continued and Frevola was cornered in a neutral corner instead of the blue corner. WILD. #UFCVancouverpic.twitter.com/T1ANgxcgZj
Talk about not needing to break a sweat. Aori Qileng didn’t need much to get a win at UFC Vancouver, as he put away Cody Gibson in just 21 seconds during the preliminary card portion of the event.
As Gibson tried to start out the fight with leg kicks, Qileng dropped him with a major right hand. He then landed a couple of ground-and-pounds shot before the referee stepped in and stopped the bout.
Aori Qileng Makes Quick Work Of Cody Gibson At UFC Vancouver
The UFC debut of former GLORY Kickboxing title challenger Yousri Belgaroui ends in major success, as he scored an upset of Azamat Bekoev during the UFC Vancouver prelims.
Bekoev constantly tried to push the pace and pressure Belgaroui, but he paid the price for it. Belgaroui’s kickboxing experience was on full display as he delivered with his striking, which helped to open up a cut on the Russian’s head. Belgaroui dictated the pace in the first two rounds through his usage of his strikes, playing into the significant reach advantage he had.
Belgaroui then needed less than a minute in the third round to pour on one more barrage of damaging strikes on an already drained Bekoev, earning the early third-round TKO victory in his UFC debut.
Yousri Belgaroui Stops Azamat Bekoev In Octagon Debut At UFC Vancouver
Belgaroui went 27-7 in kickboxing, unsuccessfully challenging for the GLORY middleweight title on three occasions, two of which have come against current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Belgaroui also fell short in a GLORY Middleweight Tournament appearance, losing to former UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya.
Belgaroui competed in UAE Warriors and Levels Fight League, along with two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series, before making his Octagon debut tonight.
Bekoev, the former LFA middleweight champion, had won eight straight and nine of 10 entering tonight’s bout. Bekoev had won both his appearance in the UFC so far, knocking out Zachary Reese at UFC 311 and finishing Ryan Loder at UFC Des Moines in May.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder took on Brendan Allen in a middleweight bout. In the co-main event, Kevin Holland faced off with Mike Malott in a welterweight matchup.
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Middleweight bout: Brendan Allen def. Reinier de Ridder via TKO: R4, 5.00
Welterweight bout: Mike Malott def. Kevin Holland via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Bantamweight bout: Aiemann Zahabi def. Marlon Vera via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
The PFL has arrived to Rwanda as it presents PFL Africa 3 — and MMA News has you covered with all the action.
The PFL’s expansion efforts began a couple of years ago with the launch of PFL Europe, followed by the establishment of PFL MENA last year. Now, as was once promised when the PFL signed Francis Ngannou in 2023, the PFL has officially launched PFL Africa this year.
The third-ever PFL Africa event will focus on the promotion’s semifinals of their weight division tournaments in this inaugural season.
The evening’s main event will feature combatants in the bantamweight tournament, as Nkoski Ndebele takes on Simbarashe Hokonya. Ndebele, the former Brave CF bantamweight champion, scored a first-round finish of Mahmoud Atef in their first-round matchup. Hokonya, who is 5-0, fought in EFC Africa for his first four bouts before upsetting Frans Mlambo in July.
The co-main event of the evening will be a welterweight semifinal that sees Shido Esperanca take on Ayinda Octave. Esperanca scored a 34-second submission of Ibrahima Mane in their first-round matchup in August. Octave, meanwhile, put away British Boloyoang in under two minutes in their first-round tournament battle.
PFL Africa 3 actions begins at 12pm ET/9am PT on the PFL App. If you can’t watch the action, MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights below.
Tension continues to rise in between Round 1 & 2 between Guinea’s Mohamqd Camara and Cameroon’s Alain Majorique 👀🗣️#PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/N4snMB6XOY
Cameroon’s Alain Majorique takes the momentum in the third!
The action continues in Rwanda! #PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/y2Qdfvk3Ph
Abdoulayne Kane absolutely turns off the lights with a vicious head kick! #PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/2wDpYW6ioD
Wasi Adeshina gets the W as he books his ticket to the PFL Africa Featherweight Finals!
Majorique vs Adeshina is your PFL Africa Featherweight Final! #PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/R8yoOBTgXt
Yabna N’Tchalá defeats Emilos Dassi as he advances to the PFL Welterweight Finals! #PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/R6Bnsyf4L1
Karim Henniene hits a jumping knee KO to book his ticket to the PFL Africa Bantamweight Finals!#PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/QOuS5tqBaf
Abraham Bably gets the ground and pound finish in the First Round to secure his spot in the PFL Africa Heavyweight Finals! #PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/wBu9J8QqzK
Ocheme and Sankara laying it all on the line inside the SmartCage!
The action continues LIVE from Rwanda!#PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/QtfZNDZ4kB
South Africa’s own gets the W as Nana is unable to continue!
Justin Clarke vs Abraham Bably will be your PFL Africa Heavyweight Final!#PFLRwanda | LIVE NOW | BK Arena, Kigali Live on SuperSport & Canal+ | 🇺🇸 Live on The PFL App pic.twitter.com/6dSGTB8Zvq
UFC star Mackenzie Dern believes her five round experience will help her significantly heading into her UFC 321 title fight.
In the co-main event of UFC 321, Mackenzie Dern will battle Virna Jandiroba for the vacant UFC strawweight championship. This has been a long time coming for Dern and after fighting for years to try and get her way to a title shot, the opportunity has finally arrived – and she’s as prepared as one could ever hope to be.
Mackenzie Dern is a great fighter but she’s certainly faced a few setbacks in her time. Alas, her experience has worked wonders for her career, and a lot of that has come in five round fights as a result of her headline slots on fight night cards.
In a recent interview, Mackenzie Dern explained why that’s going to be really important for her heading into this bout.
Mackenzie Dern recognizes her five-round experience
“I’ve had about four or five five-round fights in the last five years. It changes the game a bit compared to three rounds—you have some rounds where you can feel out and see how your opponent is fighting, find your timing. Three rounds go by so fast; you don’t want to fall behind. But in five rounds, you have 25 minutes to really figure out your opponent and see.”
“We’ve been training hard to make sure we don’t run out of cardio, keep the pace the whole time, but also to have a champion mindset—be able to take time and play smart in the strawweight division.”
Ilia Topuria has stated that he believes Merab Dvalishvili would be able to defeat Alexander Volkanovski if he challenged for the UFC featherweight championship.
Right now, Merab Dvalishvili is on top of the world. He has already achieved some incredible things in the sport of mixed martial arts and this year alone, he has successfully defended the UFC bantamweight championship three times. Later this year, he will attempt to make it four when he goes head to head with Petr Yan for the second time.
Merab Dvalishvili is known as ‘The Machine’, and for good reason. He is well on his way to being viewed as the consensus greatest bantamweight of all time, and it’s hard to see how many would be able to argue against that if he’s able to get the win over Yan in December.
In a recent appearance, Ilia Topuria gave his thoughts on Merab Dvalishvili’s chances if he opted to make the shift up to 145 pounds to face Alexander Volkanovski.
Ilia Topuria believes Merab Dvalishvili has everything it takes to dethrone Alexander Volkanovski and become a two-division champ ⚔️
"I’ve already told Merab once that he needs to change weight class because he has a 100% chance of winning a second belt. As for Merab’s potential… pic.twitter.com/HpdWvOLIzF
“On that note, I’d like to wish good luck to Merab, as he just had yet another fight scheduled. That man is not normal. He’s an awesome guy, salt of the earth. I haven’t met many good people like him.
“I’ve already told Merab once that he needs to change weight class because he has a 100% chance of winning a second belt. As for Merab’s potential fight with Volkanovski, I have no doubt that Merab will end up winning.”
Former UFC champion Kamaru Usman has some pretty big goals for his last two fights in mixed martial arts.
As we know, Kamaru Usman is a true legend of the sport. He has achieved some wonderful things throughout the course of his tenure as a fighter, and he is often considered to be one of the greatest welterweights of all time. Now, though, many believe that he is in the final farewell portion of his run.
While he did beat Joaquin Buckley in his last outing, Kamaru Usman is still not considered to be a frontrunner in the chase for the world title. With that being said, it would make sense if the promotion wanted to vault him into a championship opportunity off the back of what he’s already done in MMA.
In a recent interview, Kamaru Usman made it clear that he wants to win two world titles before retiring.
Kamaru Usman has just two UFC fights left in his "dream scenario"
"Next fight, win the welterweight title. Vacate. Win the middleweight title. Retire. You can't top that." 👀
“In this part of my career, the dream scenario is next fight, win the welterweight title. Vacate. Win the middleweight title, retire. Yeah. Just boom boom, one two, and then we’re done. You can’t top that. It’s like, what else do I wanna do?”
Many will say that this is unrealistic but at the very least, it’s not impossible for Usman to get back to a title shot, even if he has to beat one more contender in order to do it. Regardless of what you think of him, this is the kind of thought pattern that makes you great.
Alex Pereira isn’t interested in hearing about any Magomed Ankalaev injuries following their battle at UFC 320.
As we know, Alex Pereira defeated Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 320 to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion. He did so in pretty impressive fashion, finishing him via TKO within 80 seconds of the fight getting underway.
It’s safe to assume that we won’t be seeing a trilogy fight anytime soon as a result of how dominant the rematch was. Still, Alex Pereira did lose their first meeting, and after noting that he was dealing with some injuries, Ankalaev did the same thing following the rematch, raising a few eyebrows about just how compromised he may have been.
In a recent interview, Alex Pereira had the following to say about any injury worries that Ankalaev was having.
Alex Pereira reacts to reports of Magomed Ankalaev's rib injury:
"Bro, if you saw my injuries right now… he'd feel like sh*t. He wouldn't even come back to fight again…
I'll show you my medical results. What I've got versus what you've got. I doubt this guy has dealt with… pic.twitter.com/rOiOU3IbfK
“I’ve always been injured and injuries man, it’s all the same. Now, Ankalaev is talking about a broken rib or whatever he had. Bro, if you saw my injuries right now, me, fighting him today, he’d feel like s***. He wouldn’t even come back to fight again.
“He’d be like ‘damn, what am I even doing in this organization?’. He’d quit, man. I’m not even gonna say anything. I’ll bet him though, I’ll show you my medical results. What I’ve got versus what you’ve got. I doubt this guy has dealt with the things I’ve dealt with, man.”
Ilia Topuria has teased Islam Makhachev ahead of his upcoming title fight against Jack Della Maddalena.
As we know, Islam Makhachev is one of the best fighters in all of mixed martial arts. He has proven himself time and time again, and as we look ahead to the future, it certainly feels like he has a lot of gas left in the tank. In his next outing at UFC 322, he will attempt to become a two-weight world champion when he locks horns with Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight championship.
There’s no denying that this is one of the toughest tests of Islam Makhachev’s career. In equal measure, his sheer dominance at 155 pounds means that many people are feeling pretty confident about his chances of dethroning JDM – rightly or wrongly.
In a recent interview, Ilia Topuria spoke about the possibility of him locking horns with Islam Makhachev one day.
Ilia Topuria was asked if he’d still fight Islam Makhachev if he lost to JDM at #UFC322
“If Islam loses, he can go back to Dagestan to his farm and continue herding his sheep.” 😭
“Sorry, I couldn’t remember the word. If Islam loses, he can go back to Dagestan to his farm and continue shepherding his sheep. That’s the word, right? But if he wins, I’ll definitely move up. Definitely. 100%.”
There is obviously a lot of intrigue behind this fight and what exactly it would look like. Regardless of who you would favor, though, nobody can look past the fact that it would be one of the biggest fights in the recent history of the sport, and that it has the potential to be fight of the year.
The martial arts community, including prominent names throughout the world of MMA, are pouring out their respects to famed coach Duke Roufus, who passed away in his sleep on the evening of October 16. He was 55 years old.
Scott Joffe, a head coach at Roufusport — the gym established by he, Roufus, and Anthony Pettis — confirmed the news of Roufus’ passing in a statement on his Facebook page.
“Duke was more than a celebrated trainer and champion kickboxer — he was a mentor, innovator, father and friend whose influence transformed the landscape of mixed martial arts,” Joffe said. “His knowledge, charisma, and passion inspired countless fighters to reach heights they never imagined possible. From world champions to first-day students, everyone who crossed his path felt his genuine care and unwavering belief in their potential. His loss leaves an irreplaceable void in the sport and in the hearts of all who knew him.
“Though we grieve deeply, Roufusport MMA Academy will continue forward, driven by Duke’s enduring philosophy and commitment to excellence. The culture he built — rooted in respect, hard work, and family — will live on through the fighters, coaches, and students who proudly carry his torch. His impact will echo in every strike, every lesson, and every victory that bears the Roufusport name. Champions. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.”
Just saw the tragic news that coach Duke Roufus passed away.
Duke was a legend in combat sports. Trained so many champions and remained one of the best coaches over so many years. Tragically gone too soon pic.twitter.com/MpX8dbldxc
Oh my god this is awful man, Duke was extremely kind and respectful anytime we interacted on social media and through our brief interactions in person you can just tell his love for this sport was one of a kind. RIP to an incredible coach and legend of the sport🙏🏼🙏🏼 https://t.co/E6TtTaRFuU
Oh man, it never ends. Crushed to learn of my friend Duke Roufus’ passing. What a great guy. Sincerest condolences to his family and friends. https://t.co/mNF3ITEY2j
Roufus competed in kickboxing for 20 years, winning a number of super heavyweight championships during the 1990s.
He then went on to coach some of the most legendary names in the sport of MMA, including Anthony Pettis, Sergio Pettis, Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren, Stephan Bonnar, Paul Felder, among others. Roufusport also served as the camp for WWE’s CM Punk during his UFC stint from 2014-2018.
Duke Roufus (real name Jeffrey Roufus), one of the most prominent striking coaches in martial arts and the founder of the Roufusport gym, has passed away at the age of 55.
According to a statement on social media by Scott Joffe, a head coach at Roufusport, Roufus passed away in his sleep on the evening of October 16.
“Today, the Roufusport family and martial arts world was stunned by the heartbreaking news that Duke Roufus, world-renowned top MMA coach, founder, and namesake of Roufusport MMA Academy, passed away peacefully in his sleep,” the statement read. “Duke was more than a celebrated trainer and champion kickboxer — he was a mentor, innovator, father and friend whose influence transformed the landscape of mixed martial arts. His knowledge, charisma, and passion inspired countless fighters to reach heights they never imagined possible.
“From world champions to first-day students, everyone who crossed his path felt his genuine care and unwavering belief in their potential. His loss leaves an irreplaceable void in the sport and in the hearts of all who knew him.”
No cause of death is currently known.
Renowned Striking Coach Duke Roufus Passes Away
Beginning his martial arts training at a young age, Roufus, the younger brother of kickboxing hall of famer Rick “The Jet” Roufus, went on to have a 20-year professional kickboxing career.
Roufus won a number of super heavyweight championships in the discipline during the 1990s, including championships with the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), the ISKA, and the World Kickboxing Association (WKA).
Though he initially retired on a full-time basis from competitive kickboxing in 2002, his last kickboxing contest came in March 2008, scoring a unanimous decision win over Lawson Baker.
Roufus, alongside Joffe and Anthony Pettis, opened up Roufusport, with Roufus going on to become one a well-known name as a striking coach across martial arts, including the world of MMA.
Some of Roufus’ most famous students have included the likes of Anthony and Sergio Pettis, Stephan Bonnar, Paul Felder, Jens Pulver, Ben Askren, and Tyron Woodley. WWE’s CM Punk also trained at Roufusport during his brief stint in MMA during the mid-2010s.
UFC Vancouver is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday, October 18. The main card portion of the event will start at 7PM ET/4PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 4PM ET/1PM PT.
The main event will see a middleweight title eliminator featuring Reinier de Ridder and Brendan Allen.
The co-main event will see welterweight action as Kevin Holland faces Mike Malott.
The main card will also feature Marlon “Chito” Vera facing Aiemann Zahabi, Manon Fiorot fighting Jasmine Jasudavicius, Cody Gibson taking on Aori Qileng, and Kyle Nelson in action against Matt Frevola.
UFC Vancouver: De Ridder vs. Allen Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vancouver as of October 17 at 9:15 pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder (-198) vs Brendan Allen (+164)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (-105) vs Mike Malott (-115)
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (+110) vs Aiemann Zahabi (-130)
Women’s Flyweight: Manon Fiorot (-230) vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (+190)
Bantamweight: Cody Gibson (-185) vs Aoriqileng (+154)
Lightweight: Kyle Nelson (+102) vs Matt Frevola (-122)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Charles Jourdain (-180) vs Davey Grant (+150)
Flyweight: Bruno Silva (+200) vs HyunSung Park (-245)
Middleweight: Danny Barlow (-278) vs Djorden Santos (+225)
Lightweight: Kyle Prepolec (+300) vs Drew Dober (-380)
Women’s Strawweight: Stephanie Luciano (-298) vs Ravena Oliveira (+240)
Middleweight: Azamat Bekoev (-298) vs Yousri Belgaroui (+240)
Women’s Bantamweight: Melissa Croden (-130) vs Tainara Lisboa (+110)
We’re a little less than 24 hours away from UFC Vancouver, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC Vancouver takes place on October 18 from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
In the main event, a No. 1 contender to middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev could be determined when Reinier de Ridder faces off with Brendan Allen. De Ridder, the former two-division ONE champion, is 4-0 in the UFC with finishes of Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, and Bo Nickal, as well as a split decision win over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi this past July. Allen, who fills in for an injured Anthony Hernandez, enters off his decision win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 318.
The co-main event will see the previously mentioned Holland in action against Mike Malott. Holland came up short against Daniel Rodriguez his last time out at UFC 318. Malott, meanwhile, knocked out Charles Radtke at UFC 315.
The main card also features a noteworthy bantamweight bout between Marlon “Chito” Vera and Aiemann Zahabi, a key women’s strawweight contenders’ bout between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius, a bantamweight battle between Cody Gibson and Aori Qileng, and a lightweight fight featuring Kyle Nelson and Matt Frevola.
All fighters have made weight, and all fights are good to go!
The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!
UFC Fight Night: Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen — UFC Vancouver — takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.
This will be the seventh time in history that the Octagon touches down in the most populated city of British Columbia, Canada. The last time the UFC was in the Rogers Arena saw Amanda Nunes defeat Irene Aldana at UFC 289 to retain the women’s bantamweight title before retiring.
The main event of UFC Vancouver will be a pivotal middleweight title eliminator, as former two-division ONE champion Reinier de Ridder takes on Brendan Allen. Allen fills in for an injured Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez.
De Ridder comes into this contest off a narrow decision victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi this past July. He’s now 4-0 in the UFC following finishes of Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland and Bo Nickal.
Allen enters this contest off a win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 318 that same month, a bout that earned that card’s Fight of the Night honors.
The aforementioned Holland will be competing in the UFC Vancouver co-main event, taking on Mike Malott. Holland enters this bout off a loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318. Malott enters off a knockout of Charles Radtke at UFC 315 in May.
The main card also features a noteworthy bantamweight bout between Marlon “Chito” Vera and Aiemann Zahabi, a key women’s strawweight contenders’ bout between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius, a bantamweight battle between Cody Gibson and Aori Qileng, and a lightweight fight featuring Kyle Nelson and Matt Frevola.
UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs. Allen Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs. Allen takes place on Saturday, October 18, at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.
See below for the official results of the official UFC Vancouver weigh-ins. You can view the weigh-ins in the video player above.
Main Card:
Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder (186) vs Brendan Allen (186)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (170.5) vs Mike Malott (171)
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (136) vs Aiemann Zahabi (135.5)
Women’s Flyweight: Manon Fiorot (125.5) vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (125.5)
Bantamweight: Cody Gibson (136) vs Aoriqileng (135.5)
Lightweight: Kyle Nelson (155.5) vs Matt Frevola (155)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Charles Jourdain (135.5) vs Davey Grant (136)
Flyweight: Bruno Silva (125.5) vs HyunSung Park (126)
Middleweight: Danny Barlow (185.5) vs Djorden Santos (185.5)
Lightweight: Kyle Prepolec (155.5) vs Drew Dober (155.5)
Women’s Strawweight: Stephanie Luciano (116) vs Ravena Oliveira (115.5)
Middleweight: Azamat Bekoev (185) vs Yousri Belgaroui (185.5)
Women’s Bantamweight: Melissa Croden (136) vs Tainara Lisboa (135.5)
Even relatively minor experience advantages in bare knuckle make such a world of difference and Marisol Ruelas hopes to have that shine through in her sophomore fight in BKFC. Marisol Ruelas embarks on that quest this weekend when she collides with Brooke Evans at BKFC Fight Night: Hammond on October 18th. Ruelas appeared onBare Knuckle Bowker to cover multiple topics as she is finally in more of a familiar weight class after her BKFC debut was two weight classes higher.
While her opponent Evans is a debutant in gloveless combat, she does have several gloved boxing fights previously and some amateur MMA action as well. When asked for the thoughts on the general resume and skill set of Evans heading into this BKFC fight in Indiana coming up, Ruelas said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, I haven’t really paid too much attention to; I didn’t know she did MMA, but I did know that she did some boxing fights. I saw maybe like a clip, a small clip of it. I mean, I’ve said it before, I do feel like the opponents that she has had were lower caliber. I know she is very dedicated. She’s in really good shape. She’s obviously gonna be faster than Shyanna [Bintliff] but I’m just going to go based off of my experience that like yeah, if you do MMA and if you do boxing, like you have the experience, but it’s so different.”
“It’s so different getting hit with bare knuckles because it’s not the same. It’s not like when you get hit with a boxing glove, it’s like your whole head wobbles. But like you power through, you won’t feel it until the next day. Rather, when you get hit with a bare knuckle, like it stings. So, if you’re not ready for that sting, you’re going to get shocked real quick. So, I hope I can use that to my advantage. I know that I need to move a lot more.”
“I know that like it’s going to be a very different fight for me, offense and defense. There’s no way a ’25er moves the same as a ’45er. I know she; I mean she seems like she’s very dedicated and she’s ready for this. She’s been prepping for it before. I feel like I think it was she got signed actually before I got signed into bare knuckle because we had the same management that got us in.”
“But you know, again, like I’m fresh off a fight and it’s like; I don’t know. I just feel happy to be in my weight class and if I can do things at ’45, I know that at ’25 it’s a different game for me.”
BKFC debut “stung so bad”, but Ruelas “didn’t have a concussion after this fight” at BKFC Sturgis
Referencing a past Bare Knuckle Bowker interview with BKB champion Khortni Kamyron, the titleholder expressed a similar difference in physical sensations from being struck with a glove which is a dispersed sensation while a bare knuckle strike equates to super localized pain sensations. Responding that point and further delving into her thoughts on this subject, Ruelas quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah and you know, like when I did boxing at 145, like I got hit and I didn’t feel it in the moment. I was fine. I got up, shook it off. I’m fine. But then for the next two weeks, I had a concussion and I felt terrible. And then this last fight, same weight class, ’45, I got hit. I believe this was the punch that I think I ended up having to take a knee for.”
“It was right under my eye and in that moment, it stung so bad. Like it’s just a weird; like it stings so bad and like maybe 10-15 seconds go by and now you don’t feel it. But at this point, the fight’s done, you know, and I didn’t have a concussion after this fight. But in the moment, it was like you either push through it or it’s over.”
While he steps in the cage with a fellow unbeaten pro fighter on Saturday, Tamerlan Dulatov has a calm, understated confidence about who’s 0 will go.
Tamerlan Dulatov clashes with Henrique Melo at OKTAGON 78: Eckerlin vs. Trušček on October 18th. Dulatov appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to break down Henrique Melo, who also boasts a 2-0 professional record as Dulatov does.
Melo has a pair of unanimous decision wins in the BFC cage and is making his Oktagon specific debut here. When offering up his thoughts on Melo’s skill set and resume as a fighter, Dulatov said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Well, to be honest, I found his two fights. Like you said, both fights was both unanimous decision, but I saw his Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt like he’s always searching the takedown. He’s always looking for takedowns and then on ground game he starts like his game, little bit ground and pound. To be honest, he’s a solid fighter.”
“Like he know how to stand up, he know how to fight. But not his grappling, not his wrestling and even not his striking like make me feel, hey, man, I have to be careful. Of course, it’s MMA fight. He have two-zero. I have two-zero. We do both have not the biggest experience right now. So of course everything can happen but he’s like; when I would say it’s right now, when he will come to my gym, and we will make a sparring, it will be like; you would see like very, very one side sparring, you know.”
Tamerlan Dulatov thinks he’s better than Henrique Melo “in any kind of discipline”
As he kept delving into the machinations of this matchup over the weekend, Tamerlan Dulatov continued [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Like he’s; to be honest, not making him like bad or anything else, the truth is he can’t; like I said yesterday in an interview, if he going to bring me down on the ground, what I don’t think that he can wrestle me. But if we’re going to go down on the ground and he will start grappling, I don’t start getting up. I will grapple with him. If he want to stand up, I will stand up with him. If he go to wrestling, I will wrestle with him. So like I know I’m in any kind of discipline better than him, so. But he’s a solid fighter, yeah.”
On October 18th in Köln, Germany, OKTAGON MMA will host their thirteenth event of the year, but this card may be one of the most pivotal events in the promotions history. For the first time since the Klitschko brothers dominated boxing, a combat sports will be aired live on German cable television. This event is loaded with German stars such as Alina Dalaslan and Christian Eckerlin, with OKTAGON hoping they can reach an entire new demographic through household television.
OKTAGON’s relationship with RTL, the top streaming and television company in Germany has gone exceedingly well over the past year. RTL+ is the German home of OKTAGON, a subscription based service similar to ESPN+ or Hulu in the United States. OKTAGON has already managed to grow their reach extensively through this partnership, evident through the massive German events that continue to sell out. RTL+ serves roughly 6 million subscribers, but the number of German household televisions with cable access is estimated to be upwards of 40 million, meaning this is a fantastic opportunity for OKTAGON to grow even further.
The card itself features multiple top talents hailing from Germany, with many up and coming prospects opening the show. Atop the card, the King of Germany Christian Eckerlin faces the veteran Ivica Trušček. In the co-main event, rising star Alina Dalaslan faces fellow German Katharina Lehner. Also on the card, the rising star Tamerlan Dulatov returns, as well as Arijan Topallaj looks to right the wrongs of his last fight. While the German fans will be cheering for these fighters, there is no doubt that every athlete competing understands just how massive of an opportunity this event is.
With OKTAGON continuing to make smart strategic moves both with media and promotion, it is no surprise that they have earned the right to be the first combat sport aired on RTL+ in over 15 years. For those in Germany, you can watch this groundbreaking event on RTL and RTL+, and global viewers can watch the card via OKTAGON.tv.
Tyler Goodjohn will have his last dance in Leeds this weekend and also sees Paulie Malignaggi bowing out from competing in combat sports as well. Tyler Goodjohn will battle Paulie Malignaggi at BKB 47: Leeds Brawl 2 on October 18th. Tyler Goodjohn appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker to touch on his highly hyped retirement bout as the former BKB champion and BKFC title challenger throws down with the multi-time gloved boxing champ, Malignaggi.
When touching on the dual pronged meaning of his social media post that referred to this intriguing headliner being the last dance in Leeds, Tyler Goodjohn said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“I mean look, it was always going to be my last fight, you know. I’m bowing out and it’s going to be Paulie’s last fight as well. I mean look, he signed a three fight deal but, you know, he’s not getting past the first fight. So it’s going to be retirement. It’s going to be a retirement do for both of us, you know. It’s probably never happened before where both are going to retire on the same night. Yeah, he’s definitely not going to want to carry on with the bare knuckle journey after this fight.”
“And I’m done. I’ve got nothing else to prove. You know, I’m a pioneer in this game. I think slowly people are starting to see it now. I opened the door for everyone. I went to America. I’ve done all the madness, you know, the COVID stuff. I’m starting to get my respect now.”
“It’s not often I can get into a room or a street and people don’t recognize now. So, you know, this fight against Paulie; As Paulie said when we had the face off, he wants to give me the exposure. I’ve not had the exposure that I really should have had in my career. So, yeah, it’s a nice one to bow out on.”
When addressing the pieces of fighting a former IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight champion in terms of how further delving into how much this is an ideal fight to bow out on, Tyler Goodjohn stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“There wasn’t a fight as a, you know, boxer that I missed. Paulie, I was a big fan of Paulie, you know. The fight; you know, boxing fans will remember the night he fought Miguel Cotto with a broken jaw or a cheekbone or whatever it was. Like the guy is very, very tough. The guy is very, very good and I actually just put a picture of his resume out and like he’s fought everyone, man.”
“Everyone, like and I salute that, you know, because that’s how I like to be in my career. Like that’s; you know, he’s obviously been a two-weight world champion, but he’s had a lot of lows. He’s lost a lot of fights, you know, but he’s always come back and fought the best. So you really, you know; you really have to take your hat off to people like that [laughs].”
Tyler Goodjohn, the multiple levels of BKB related closure here, and his retirement aims
The former BKB champion previously left the promotion on bad terms as he pursued opportunities with BKFC. Upon returning to an ever growing BKB fold, Goodjohn has since made amends with promotional figureheads Jim Freeman and Joe Brown after having some cross words from the prior regime. When touching on how this final prizefight for him seems like it’s creating closure in a multitude of regards, Tyler Goodjohn quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, definitely. You know, Jim [Freeman] and Joe [Brown] have been really good. They’ve stuck to everything they’ve said, you know, they’ve been really good. I can’t; no complaints at all. Then obviously, to give me this fight, the exposure. It’s just a massive fight to go out on. It’s great. I’ve not been totally honest with people how badly like, you know, my hands and my body’s been because I want it so badly, but at 34, people have got to remember there’s a lot of life [laughs] to live after fighting. You know, this is going to be my ninth bare knuckle fight.”
“But people forget that I fought at a very high level as a professional boxer and an amateur as well. You know, I had a lot of fights. I had 69 amateur fights and I had 19 professional boxing matches and like 10 of them were; 10 of them were like title fights, you know what I mean? 10 rounds, grueling 10 round title fights. So I’ve been up and about [laughs], up and about. On top of that, all the sparring and all the stuff, you know, all the behind the scenes that no one sees.”
Tyler Goodjohn continued, “It’s, 34 years of age. Maybe I could go on another couple of years but for what? I’m not really; and truly, after this fight against Paulie, what more can I do? Like and without being too disrespectful, people go, oh, be BKB champion again, I’ve done it. I done it in a historic fight against Sean George and even the champion now at my weight.”
“Liam Rees like, good fighter, champion, all this, but like no one knows who he is, you know? So, it’s like, after this Paulie fight, I could walk away and I want to get into coaching and who knows? Look, I could bring another bare knuckle superstar along.”
“But, you know, like I say, as a 34 year old man now, let’s face it, I’m on the decline. The scar tissue on my face is a joke. So, I’m having to fight most; well, my last three fights, pretty much blind really because the blood and the scar tissue damage. Yeah [laughs], I just don’t really want it for; I’ve got this last one. I can go, you know what, all in. Let’s go. But there’s got to come a time.”
Tyler Goodjohn continued, “There’s got to come a time. And if the fighter can come up; it’s not often the fighter comes up with that. Do you know what I mean? Usually it’s someone else like trying to tell, persuade someone to retire and all that, but I feel it. I felt it in training for this fight. I mean I’ve had a lot going on in my personal life, a lot, lots. I’m very proud of myself how I’ve just got on with it.”
“But I’ve not been enjoying it. The discipline side of me is incredible and everything gets done impeccably. Do you know what I mean? Like to the max. But I’m just not loving it. I just, I haven’t got the love for it anymore. You know, it hurts [laughs]. Training hurts. What people forget is as well as a professional, we’re not training to keep fit and and training at 70%. We’re there, you know, I can only speak for myself, but I imagine most professional combat sportsmen, when you go into training, you’re giving 110% every time.”
Tyler Goodjohn continued, “I’m training twice a day, six days a week. People will be like, I’m my own worst enemy when I should take rest and everything else. But you know, when I’m switched on to a fight, man, I’m locked in. It’s an obsession. Again, I think most other fights was; fighters will say the exact same thing. It’s an obsession.”
“So yeah, the last 16 weeks have been hard with everything that’s going on outside in my life and, you know, in the mix of that, I’m also fighting a guy who’s a former two-weight world champion. So discipline, man. Super disciplined.”
Karim Henniene is embracing the moment and foresees a path this weekend to vault himself to the PFL Africa finals thereafter.
Karim Henniene will collide with Boule Godogo at PFL Africa 3 on October 18th in a semi-final contest. Henniene appeared on MMA Canada and discussed the alignment with himself and his opponent, even insofar as the fact that they both earned victories on that prior PFL Africa card in July. Both also won their respective fights via split decision, and when discussing the EFC fighter’s resume as well as Boule Godogo’s primary skill set, Henniene said [via MMA Canada],
“So, what I knew about him, he has the same background as me, as judo. And after judo, I guess he jumped to boxing just like I did, you know. So, I guess we kind of have a similar background, but unfortunately for him, I’m better everywhere, you know. I’m [a] better grappler. I’m a better striker overall, you know.”
Karim Henniene “the explosion will be bigger from my side” at PFL Africa 3
Considering the razor-thin verdicts of their last fights, at least looking at how the assigned judges scored it, the Canadian combatant explained how different his mindset is heading into this outing, as Karim Henniene continued [via MMA Canada],
“So, I guess since, you know, it will be fire against fire, it will be a huge explosion, you know. So, but unfortunately for him, the explosion will be bigger from my side. So, yeah, I think this matchup will be unmatched, will be my best performance so far. And I can guarantee a finish. You know, I’m, you know, I’ve been; I know the only critic[ism] that people can give me is I didn’t finish my opponent.”
“You know, but I know how to win a fight, but sometimes, I don’t take as much risk as I should. But this time, I’m taking risk. F**k it. I’m going there for the finish, and you guys will see a huge finish. That’s it.”
Nic Ouellet is preparing for the fight of his life and has a chance to beat an ex-Alexander Volkanovski opponent on UFC Fight Pass. The Powell River BJJ product will clash with Jeremy Kennedy at BFL 85 on October 16th for the BFL interim lightweight championship in the co-main event. Ouellet appeared on MMA Canada to touch on the moment he was made privy to this massive fight.
When asked about the bout offer timeline as well as how he feels stepping in to fight the biggest name opponent he has had so far, being that it’s a former UFC, PFL, and Bellator MMA vet, Ouellet said [via MMA Canada],
“They offered it a couple weeks ago. Like I’d say like five weeks ago. After one of my opponents fell through, I was booked for the same event at 145 against one of the top guys in the country and he ended up pulling out because of an injury. So I was kind of in limbo for a bit there. Then they came to me with Jeremy Kennedy and I couldn’t say no to that. That’s a huge fight for me and I always want to fight the best guys. He’s back in BFL, so he’s the best guy right now. So I want to figure this out.”
When speaking to the benefits of his prior experience within interim and also lineal BFL title fights and how much that will benefit him in this subsequent Battlefield Fight League championship showdown, Nic Ouellet quipped [via MMA Canada]
“Yeah, this is definitely the biggest fight of my career and I’m ready to make the best of it, you know. So, I know he’s an experienced guy and I know he’s one of the top guys in the country and that’s actually why I wanted to fight him. I remember telling my brother as soon as I saw that Jeremy was back in BFL, I was like that’s the guy I want to fight. He’s the guy and a win against him puts me right where I want to be, so.”
Nic Ouellet “I like the idea of surprising everyone” against Jeremy Kennedy
When asked what he wants the prevailing sentiment to be around him after this fight and what he wants people to be talking about when the dust settles on this title fight, Nic Ouellet stated [via MMA Canada],
“I want people to be surprised because I think I’m the underdog in this fight. So I want everyone to be surprised on how good I am. And when I finish Jeremy Kennedy, they’re going to be impressed. Everybody, everyone who doubts me. My people won’t be surprised, but the rest of the world will be. And I like that. I like the idea of surprising everyone.”
![Tyler Goodjohn: “It’s Going to be Paulie [Malignaggi’s] Last Fight” at BKB 47](https://media.mmanews.com/uploads/2025/10/Tyler-Goodjohn-and-Paulie-Malignaggi.png)
