Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka may be on course for a trilogy bout if the words of the former’s coach have any grounding in reality going forward. Both of these prolific light heavyweights emerged victorious from their respective bouts at UFC 320 and Glover Teixeira spoke with a victorious Prochazka in the aftermath of his win on Saturday. This was a unique connection too considering that Prochazka defeated Teixeira to claim the 205 pound crown previously and shows the lineage of martial arts piece through the current alignment with Teixeira’s protege and ‘BJP.’
Video footage was captured, and shared via X account @full_send_mma, of Teixeira speaking with Prochazka who has previously fallen twice to Pereira. Touching on some friction with Magomed Ankalaev’s camp leading into the rematch with the Dagestan native but contrasting that with how they view Prochazka’s team dynamics, as Teixeira said,
“The other camp was weird to us, no respect. For you guys we’re probably gonna see you next. I don’t know what’s gonna happen but you’re the next guy man. All respect for you guys and your team.”
Glover Teixeira and Team Pereira show love to Jiri Prochazka and his team at UFC 320
“The other camp was weird to us, no respect. For you guys we’re probably gonna see you next. I don’t know what’s gonna happen but you’re the next guy man. All respect for you guys and your team” pic.twitter.com/IXy8VVUE1f
Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka’s massive efforts at UFC 320
Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka both had emphatic performances on October 4th that asserted to many how they are both truly in that upper echelon of UFC light heavyweights. For Pereira, he evened up his in-cage series with the man who took his 205 pound strap at UFC 313 in March. Magomed Ankalaev lost his UFC belt to Pereira in their sequel clash after ‘Poatan’ unleashed a torrent of strikes onto his rival which ended the contest eighty seconds in.
Pereira is now within a rarefied air of UFC competitor as a three time champion with his brief anomoulous journey in MMA continuing to impress.
Conversely for Prochazka, he seemed to drop the first two rounds to his opponent over the weekend but turned it up in the final frame of the fight in truly memorable fashion. Khalil Rountree was implementing his gameplan well and seemed to be leading the dance once the first two stanzas had elapsed. A left hook KO in the third round sealed the deal and speaking of anomalies, Prochazka may have secured a title shot against someone he is 0-2 against in Pereira.
A BKFC champion has called out Gennady Golovkin for a bare knuckle boxing bout and theorizes that it would be a quick affair. Connor Tierney is the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship titleholder in question who called out GGG recently. This callout was also made in the context of BKFC 81 freshly being in the books with acclaimed amateur and pro gloved boxer James DeGale winning in the main event but it seemingly being a one and done experience for him.
The BKFC UK welterweight champion used the medium of his Instagram story to convey this message as Tierney said,
Connor Tierney captured the BKFC UK welterweight crown in August 2024 against Jonny Graham. In their BKFC 64 headlining bout, Tierney authored a unanimous decision victory over Graham to cement himself as the champion of the promotion’s United Kingdom branch.
‘Brum Town Bomber’ also defended the BKFC UK strap in late-June of this year against Danny Christie. Tierney would stop Christie fourteen seconds into the fourth frame of their bare knuckle boxing bout when they tested skill at BKFC 77 in the main event.
Gennady Golovkin closes in on potential IBHOF recognition
Gennady Golovkin was in the headlines recently for matters related to his massive legacy in the sweet science possibly being immortalized. The International Boxing Hall of Fame ballot in 2026 has been distributed a few days ago with the Kazakhstan native being a frontrunner in those recent inductions conversations. Golovkin is a multi-time middleweight champion on a global scale and has been unified titleholder on a pair of occasions with one of the strongest runs at 160 pounds in recent memory.
The 43-year-old is in the running with Vernon Forrest as well as Steve Collins with all of these pugilists being looked at for the first time within the men’s modern category. The results of the voting will be made public come early December.
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with one of the best episodes in the show’s history tonight in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode nine of season nine this week saw six prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
Luke Fernandez made a statement to open the action, scoring one of the fastest knockouts in the history of Dana White’s Contender Series. In mere seconds, he landed a left jab and a right hand that cracked Rafael Pergentino on the jaw. A few follow-up shots later, and Fernandez earned the win and a UFC contract.
Luis Felipe Dias continued the finishes with a submission win over Donavon Hedrick. Dias quickly worked his way to Hedrick’s back to start the fight and seemed to get the better of the striking exchanges early in the first round. Hedrick worked his way back in, but Dias appeared to briefly stun him late in the round. Hedrick scored a takedown during the second round, and did some damage with ground-and-pound. But Dias scored his own takedown and controlled the action in a dominant position, landing ground-and-pound and threatening a couple of chokes.
Dias would finally sink in a rear-naked choke with less than 30 seconds left in the second round to score the tapout win and a UFC deal.
The Ultimate Fighter season 33 participant Imanol Rodriguez then made the most of his second opportunity at a UFC contract, scoring a first-round finish of Roque Conceicao. Rodriguez had a wrestling-based focus, but it was his striking that got the job done. After surviving a knockdown on a right hand by Conceicao, Rodriguez tagged Conceicao multiple times, starting with a right hand after blocking a high kick attempt. Rodriguez then rocked Conceicao with a knee and scored a couple of knockdowns and unleashed flurries, ending with a left-right combo that slept Conceicao.
In the evening’s co-main event Adrian Luna Martinetti and Mark Vologdin produced one of the greatest fights of 2025, let alone of the greatest fights in the history of Dana White’s Contender Series, both earning contracts as well as — in a Dana White first — $25,000 bonuses. Vologdin stayed on the outside, but Martinetti managed to work his reach advantage by tagging him and putting him to the fence. But Vologdin not only fought out of it, but he proceeded to trade with Martinetti blow for blow, creating a violent, all-out action fight. In the second round, however, Martinetti’s pressure and clinch knees seemed to get the better of Vologdin, but again, he managed to clip Martinetti and get back right into things.
Martinetti had already broken the DWCS bantamweight record for most significant strikes in a fight in just two rounds; he landed 213 in total by the fight’s end. But Vologdin rushed Martinetti, appearing to hurt him in the first minute of the final round, before Martinetti scored a takedown. After another action packed war, Martinetti scored the decision win 29-28 on all three scorecards.
In the main event, Magomed Zaynukov made a statement with a one-sided beatdown of Lucas Caldas. Zaynukov had to endure an early knockdown and multiple eye pokes in the fight, resulting in a one-point deduction for Caldas. But Zaynukov poured on the pressure and striking, setting a new DWCS lightweight record for significant strikes (making it two straight fights on the night to set division DWCS records in significant strikes) with 248. In fact, if the fight had taken place in the UFC, it would have set the record there, too.
Zaynukov scored the unanimous decision 30-26 on all three cards.
Luke Fernandez vs Rafael Pergentino
QUICK FINISH ALERT 🚨
Luke Fernandez only needed :15 to get the job done!
In what will go down as one of the greatest fights in MMA — let alone of the greatest fights of 2025 and perhaps the greatest fight to ever happen on Dana White’s Contender Series — Adrian Luna Martinetti and Mark Vologdin both earned UFC contracts and $25,000 bonuses from UFC CEO and President Dana White.
Vologdin took early control in the opening round, landing some crisp boxing and working combinations on Martinetti, including a counter shot that dropped Martinetti. Martinetti would not be deterred, however, landing his own combinations, and he stormed back in the second round with barrages of blows. In fact, through two rounds, Martinetti set a new record for significant strikes by a bantamweight in DWCS history.
Martinetti seemed to trouble Vologdin in the second round with plenty of clinch knees, leaving his mark literally on Vologdin, but the Russian battled back and produced more trading between the two. Martinetti then scored a takedown in round three and did plenty of damage with ground-and-pound to bring a fantastic slugfest to an epic conclusion.
Martinetti won the fight with 29-28 scores on all three judges’ scorecards.
DWCS Fighters Earn UFC Contracts And $25K Bonus After Critically Acclaimed Slugfest
Martinetti vs. Vologdin is #DWCS version of Lawler vs. MacDonald 2!
This is legitimately one of the best wars I've ever SEEN in my time watching MMA 😮💨 hundreds of strikes landed on both sides pic.twitter.com/VXywdD9CYe
Conor McGregor is serving a suspension, but it won’t stop his planned UFC return.
The former two-division UFC champion has emphatically pledged to make his highly anticipated return to the Octagon after a hiatus of more than four years, setting his sights on the MMA promotion’s special White House event on June 14, 2026, celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary.
“The Notorious” has disclosed that he has already rejoined the drug testing pool and is seriously weighing a showdown with his Ultimate Fighter Season 33 rival coach, Michael Chandler, a fight that was originally slated for UFC 303 in June 2024 but fell through due to a toe injury.
McGregor has received an 18-month suspension for breaching the UFC anti-doping policy, but it won’t stand in the way of his anticipated comeback.
Image: ESPN.com
Conor McGregor Receives 18-Month Ineligibility After Failing To Submit Samples Three Times In 2024
The reported whereabouts failures occurred on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024. UFC-contracted fighters are obligated to keep their locations updated to allow testing agents to conduct random, unannounced drug tests. According to CSAD, McGregor failed to meet this requirement.
CSAD also noted that “The Notorious” actively cooperated with the investigation and acknowledged his responsibility for the violations. As a result, the agency reduced the standard 24-month sanction by six months. McGregor’s suspension officially began on September 20, 2024, the date of his third missed test, and ends on March 20, 2026.
“McGregor missed three attempted biological sample collections within a 12-month period in 2024, which constitutes a violation of the UFC,” the statement read. “McGregor fully cooperated with CSAD’s investigation, accepted responsibility, and provided detailed information that CSAD determined contributed to the missed tests… Taking McGregor’s cooperation and circumstances into account, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month sanction for three whereabouts failures by six months.”
Conor McGregor was last seen in the Octagon at UFC 264 in July 2021, where he endured a broken leg early in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. The Irish star boasts a UFC record of 10-4, with eight of his wins coming by way of knockout.
UFC star Jiri Prochazka has gone into more detail on his emotional reaction to Alex Pereira’s win over Magomed Ankalaev.
As we know, Jiri Prochazka is the definition of a true martial artist. He goes out there and puts it all on the line, and he lives the life of a true warrior. In his recent outing at UFC 320, he was able to knock out Khalil Rountree Jr to vault himself right back into title contention. Then, later in the night, he sat cageside to watch his old rival Alex Pereira defeat Magomed Ankalaev to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight championship – to which he had a visibly emotional reaction.
As we look ahead to the immediate future, it certainly seems like Jiri Prochazka is lining up for another crack at the belt. While Jiri has already somewhat explained his emotions in the immediate aftermath of the UFC 320 main event, he recently went into more detail during a chat with Ariel Helwani.
Jiri Prochazka explains emotional reaction at UFC 320
“There was no bad wish or whatever,” Procházka told Uncrowned. “I just, like every time, want to see the best fight. Let the better [man] win. But inside myself, maybe I wished more [that] Alex [would win] because all this bulls*** with what Ankalaev said.”
“It’s not that I was so happy Alex won or Ankalaev lost,” Procházka said. “I was so emotional because, in that moment, I really realized that Pereira won and there is a potential fight between me and him. That means there is a third fight. Third chance for me to be successful. I deeply realized, ‘Man, this is something you have to win, or nothing.’ That will be the biggest challenge of my life.
“F***, man, I really want to win. I know I’m taking a lot of risks in my fights, but I know I will find a way.”
UFC star Sean O’Malley still firmly believes that he is more than good enough to compete with, and defeat, Merab Dvalishvili.
In his two fights against Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley has come up short – once via decision, and once via submission. As such, the idea that he could beat him in a trilogy bout may seem ridiculous to a lot of people, and even ‘Suga’ acknowledges that some will roll their eyes at such a suggestion.
Dvalishvili is coming off the back of another impressive victory, this time against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. For Sean O’Malley, of course, if he wants to even come close to a shot at ‘The Machine’, he’ll need to go out there and pick up some wins – which is exactly what he plans on doing.
Sean O’Malley still believes he can beat Merab Dvalishvili
“He’s very, very confident in his striking right now,” O’Malley said of Dvalishvili on his YouTube channel.
“He can be [confident] because either his opponent’s gonna back up, and like, nothing really happens, or they’re gonna stand and try to trade. He’s gonna crack them, fall into a single leg, fall into a double leg, or they’re gonna get cracked with the right hand.
“To beat Merab, you just have to land that shot,” O’Malley explained.
“You have to be able to f—— snipe him.
“And he was getting a little bit more reckless. The more confident he gets into striking, the more gaps it leaves open to be caught. That’s just the only [way]. I don’t see really anyone being [able to beat him].
“I do think I’m the only one… I hate to say it. I hate to f—— say it. I’m the only one that could beat him. Give me a shot at the White House,” O’Malley said.
“I gotta go out there and get some wins. I gotta get some wins. But, I don’t see anyone really beating Merab anytime soon.
“He needs to be clipped, needs to be knocked out and put to sleep to beat him. I just don’t really see anyone other than myself being able to do that.”
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on what the future could, and should, hold for Jon Jones as he contemplates a return from retirement.
While he may not be everyone’s cup of tea, there’s no denying that Jon Jones is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. That’s largely due to the legacy he built for himself in the light heavyweight division, but he also became a UFC champion up at heavyweight, defeating Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic during his stint there.
Right now, Jon Jones is in a strange position. There’s a chance he could fight for the UFC heavyweight championship at the White House next summer, but there’s also the possibility of him battling Alex Pereira in a superfight – which is what ‘Poatan’ called for after his iconic UFC 320 title win last weekend.
In a recent video, Jones’ former rival Chael Sonnen gave his thoughts on what he believes should be next for ‘Bones’, and it involves a return to 205 pounds.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Jon Jones’ future
“If I were Jon Jones, I would say, ‘I will fight you, but it will be for a belt.’ They’re going to say, ‘Well, that belt’s between y’all and Aspinall, and we don’t quite have time to get it done.’ And I would tell Jon Jones, ‘Look at the man in the mirror.
“He’s holding the belt. I’ll come see you, Alex Pereira, but I’m coming back. I’m coming to my weight class. You never should have been champion. You never would have been champion had I not left. And I’m going to come back one more time to remind you who the goat really is.’ That changes everything.”
Newly released footage has raised questions regarding the health of Magomed Ankalaev heading into his UFC 320 rematch against Alex Pereira.
Last weekend, Magomed Ankalaev fell short in his attempt to successfully defend the UFC light heavyweight championship against Alex Pereira. Instead, he was beaten via TKO within the first 80 seconds of the contest. As a result, very few people are discussing the possibility of the pair running it back for a trilogy fight anytime soon.
Recently, however, there were suggestions from Magomed Ankalaev’s team that not everything went smoothly in camp in the lead-up to UFC 320. Of course, it’s become pretty common for fighters to come up with reasons or outright excuses as to why they lost, but it does seem like there’s some legitimacy behind this one.
That’s because recent footage has suggested that Magomed Ankalaev may have entered UFC 320 with some issues in relation to his ribs which, as we know, would’ve severely harmed his movement.
Magomed Ankalaev’s rib problems
There are going to be varying points of view when it comes to this footage, and the claim as a whole. Some won’t really be interested in hearing anything from Team Ankalaev right now, whereas others will perhaps wonder whether or not the outcome would’ve been different if this apparent injury didn’t exist.
Either way, it doesn’t really matter at this stage in proceedings. All that matters is that Ankalaev rests up and gets back to 100%, before beginning his journey back to a title shot.
Sean Strickland has some interesting thoughts on how a fight between Jon Jones and Alex Pereira could potentially play out.
As we know, Jon Jones retired from mixed martial arts not so long ago. Then, in the blink of an eye, he seemed to change his mind, instead opting to shoot for a possible return at next summer’s UFC White House card. While Dana White doesn’t appear to be all too interested in the idea, Jon seems set on trying to change the boss’ mind.
While fighting for the UFC heavyweight championship will obviously appeal to him, Jon Jones has also previously teased the idea of a superfight against Alex Pereira. After UFC 320 this past weekend, ‘Poatan’ also flirted with battling Jones, implying that he was going to call him out in the cage before news of his brother’s passing broke.
In a recent interview, the aforementioned Sean Strickland weighed in on a possible Pereira vs Jones showdown.
Sean Strickland’s view on Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira
“I think if there’s anyone to beat Jon Jones, it’s Alex. But I mean, Jon Jones, that one guy could wrestle, dude. That level of black athleticism, you know, like that—that man could wrestle, dude. You know, when you come from a lineage of like D1 professional athletes, you know, real real good. Oh, yeah. No, I love it, dude.”
Aside from Strickland’s strange choice of language, the point about Jon’s wrestling ability is certainly an interesting one given Alex’s striking-heavy style.
This past weekend in Bangkok, Thailand, Burmese MMA legend Aung La N Sang made his walk to the ring for the final time. Led by Burmese Rock legend Lay Phyu singing a live rendition of N Sang’s legendary walkout song, the entire crowd was behind the ONE championship star. The energy was high, but a certain level of nerves and tension remained. Waiting in the ring was Swedish powerhouse Sebastian Kadestam, riding a three fight win streak which included a knockout of the world renowned Roberto Soldic. Aung La N Sang on the other hand, was coming off two fights with Shamil Ergodan in which he suffered a loss in both.
With the ‘Burmese Python’ announcing his retirement prior to the bout, many worried that with one foot out the door N Sang may lay down his gloves following a third straight loss.
That would not be the case.
After a tentative first round, both N Sang and Kadestam began to turn up the heat. Exchanges in the pocket quickly turned bloody and dirty, with the Swede consistently backing up at the power of N Sang’s strikes. After eating a spinning elbow halfway through the round, Aung marched forward firing a barrage of hooks and uppercuts, sitting Kadestam down in the corner of the ring. The crowd went wild, as Aung La N Sang did what so many fighters fail to do: Retire on a win.
After an up and down start to Aung La N Sang’s career, not many would have guessed he would become one of the greatest fighters in ONE Championship history. Born in Myanmar, he moved to the United States at a young age. He began his professional MMA career in 2005, fighting primarily in promotions on the East Coast. He faced future UFC fighters such as Uriah Hall and Costas Philippou. He found mixed success, racking up a record of 15-9 fighting in the United States fighting for promotions such as Bellator, CFFC, and Ring Of Combat.
ONE Championship began aggressively expanding their MMA roster around 2014, searching for Asian fighters across the globe regardless of their country of residence. Aung La N Sang was one of the fighters signed, along with athletes such as Lowen Tynanes, Martin Nguyen, and the Lee Family. This was where it all changed for the Myanmar native.
Aung La N Sang proceeded to win four fights in a row, earning a title shot against Vitaly Bigdash at ONE: Quest for Power in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2017. Despite a spirited effort, N Sang fell short in his title attempt and lost the unanimous decision to Bigdash. He was given another opportunity to win the title just 6 months later, and this time flipped the script, defeating the champion Bigdash by unanimous decision, securing the first belt of his career and avenging his first loss in the promotion.
Image credit: @aunglansang on Instagram
Following these two fights with Bigdash, Aung La N Sang put together one of the most impressive runs in promotional history. He finished six consecutive opponents, while securing and defending two different belts in the process.
N Sang became the first double champion in ONE history, cementing his status as a legend in Asian MMA. Following this incredible run, he would lose three out of four, including his trilogy bout with Bigdash and two fights to current UFC contender Reinier De Ridder.
Aung La N Sang has been a long term member of Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Beloved amongst the gym and its members, Henry Hooft could be seen in N Sang’s corner at nearly all his fights. The same could be said for N Sang himself, who supports and corners countless fighters including Marc Andre Barriault, Linton Vassell, and even his former opponent Reinier De Ridder.
Aung La N Sang Cornering Reinier De Ridder – image credit @aunglansang on Instagram
Aung La N Sang had a long career prior to ONE, meaning by the time his stretch of dominance ended, he was in his late 30’s with plenty of mileage on the body. The Burmese Python defeated Yushin Okami, Gilberto Galvao, and Rong Fan before getting finished twice by Turkish powerhouse Shamil Erdogan. Following his 28-second loss, N Sang announced his next fight would be his last.
With history not on his side, and an opponent six years younger than him, Aung La N Sang delivered perhaps the moment of his career, finishing Kadestam while his father cheered ringside. He was able to make the trip from Myanmar to Thailand for his son’s final fight and witness this incredible moment.
The pride of a nation, Aung La N Sang will forever be remembered as the first Burmese Mixed Martial Artist to make an impact on the world stage, and can be proud that he rides of into the sunset with a victory in his final bout and a seat in the ONE hall of fame waiting for him.
Prolific Arab MMA fighter Mohammad Fakhreddine is set to be inducted into BRAVE’s newly instantiated Hall of Fame. This announcement came amid the broadcast proceedings for BRAVE: Georgia vs. The World which took place on Friday, October 3rd. Fakhreddine will now forever be cemented in the history books for BRAVE CF along with veteran announcer Carlos “The Roaring Lion” Kremer who was brought in as the sophomore inductee.
Speaking on the nature of this big induction, Mohammed Shahid, President of BRAVE Combat Federation, stated,
“Mohammad Fakhreddine is more than a champion; he is the face of Arab MMA and one of the greatest fighters to ever represent this region. His passion, resilience, and history-making achievements inside the BRAVE CF cage have inspired an entire generation.”
“It is only fitting that he becomes one of the first members of the BRAVE CF Hall of Fame. His story is our story, and his legacy will forever be celebrated.”
The BRAVE middleweight champion himself weighed in on the accomplishment, as Mohammad Fakhreddine quipped,
“To be inducted into the BRAVE CF Hall of Fame is beyond anything I imagined when I started this journey. BRAVE CF gave me a stage to show the world who I am, and every battle, every victory, and every setback shaped me into the fighter I’ve become.”
“This recognition is not just for me, but for every fan who believed in me from the beginning. I’m honored, I’m grateful, and I’m ready to continue making history.”
BRAVE CF Hall of Fame inductee resume
Fakhreddine has been a pillar in BRAVE since his 2017 debut and has had 13 memorable contests under their promotional banner. With demonstrable KO power, he has put together stoppages in the bulk of his pro MMA contests.
In September 2020 at BRAVE CF 41 in September 2020, Fakhreddine won the BRAVE middleweight strap when he dethroned Daniel Pereira. Two years after winning the title with a fourth round finish, at BRAVE CF 57, he would ascend into rarefied air within the promotion’s history. Fakhreddine became the first combatant to hold two world championships concurrently when he defeated Mohamed Said Maalem with a TKO in the second stanza of the matchup to win the vacant light heavyweight belt.
After a limited time foray outside of the BRAVE cage, Fakhreddine made a huge return to BRAVE in 2024. In that BRAVE CF comeback outing, he stopped Abdel Rahmane Driai inside of two rounds. He would further punctuate his comeback to the BRAVE CF cage by regaining the middleweight belt this past June. At BRAVE CF 96, Fakhreddine put it on established competitor Erko Jun in the opening stanza of their contest.
Despite the HOF induction, Fakhreddine prepares to fight again in the coming weeks. He will compete at the landmark BRAVE 100 which transpires on November 7th. This is also where his induction ceremony will happen during the build up into the event. The BRAVE CF Hall of Fame will reveal more inductees in the coming weeks as the event looms closer. The promotion prepares for one of the most important celebrations in their history as the road continues to BRAVE CF 100.
Craig Jones is one of the most prevalent characters in the world of submission grappling and Garry Tonon has weighed in on some of the discourse around Jones’ recent efforts as both a competitor and promoter. Tonon has historically been close to Gordon Ryan over the years and the former has some opinions on if Craig Jones’ behaviour is largely authentic or if it’s to generate headlines and get attention, Tonon said,
“Yeah, I don’t really know enough. I don’t follow a ton of stuff that Craig [Jones does]. I obviously hear about certain things, like I don’t follow it a ton. It definitely rubbed me the wrong way when CJI [Craig Jones Invitational] initially, you know, started doing whatever they were doing because I felt as though it was a lot less about creating a new organization and a lot more about trying to burn an organization that had already existed.”
“I felt like the express goal was destroy this other thing that otherwise had been, you know, the foundation of the no gi grappling community for a long time. It was hard for me to be in any way on board with that kind of mentality because, you know, I mean f**k, ADCC has basically been a charity organization for grappling for over a decade, maybe possibly two decades.”
“Because there was no money to be made in the sport and they were giving out money, you know, substantially larger prizes than any; like you couldn’t fight; in order to win $1,000 in jiu-jitsu, first of all, there was very few opportunities to do it. But in order to do it, I mean, you had to win like an absolute division in like a Grappler’s Quest or something like that and fight like a bunch of the best guys, you know, in at least a 16-man bracket.”
“That was to win like a thousand bucks and nobody was paying for your travel. Nobody was paying any of your expenses. So like basically you probably; if you had to travel from anywhere, you weren’t; you wouldn’t make any money. You know and that’s like what the grappling scene was professionally for a really long time.”
“And you know, could you make the argument that ADCC at this stage of the game, you know, could maybe make some adjustments as far as like pay, pay scheme, and how they do things? Yeah, you could make that argument and I kind of get it, you know. But man, they’ve been a pretty big mainstay in the community that has been giving back to that community for, you know, in terms of at least monetarily and prestige-wise for a very long time.”
“And it just didn’t feel right to go full scorch earth on them and have that be the express goal. So, you know, that rubbed me the wrong way. So, because of that, I really haven’t been; it pushed me away from the whole [CJI] concept. You know, obviously we all; I have a bias as well because of what happened with the team split between those guys, but that’s really the biggest complaint that I have is it felt a lot more like taking down and destroying people that have done generally good things than it did have to do with, hey, I’m going to start this new organization that’s going to be great for professional grappling.”
“That was my biggest grievance really, more than anything else. I don’t really, like I said, follow too much of like the day-to-day drama stuff. I do know that supposedly he’s leaving B team and now they’re kind of doing their own thing. Like I don’t know if they’re going to rebrand as a different team or what, but that’s the only other thing that I’ve really heard.”
“I know they’re doing; our team is has a team in CJI, the next one, or whatever the case may be. They’re doing like a teams thing. So like I’m peripherally, you know, kind of aware. But yeah, I don’t know. Like you said, there’s a lot of stuff that’s done for attention and drama and clicks and things like that. He’s very good at that, at doing that sort of thing, and I think that’s a lot of; maybe the motivation behind it but I can only really speculate. But yeah, man, I don’t know. I think having diversity in professional grappling is always a good thing.”
Craig Jones, athletic exclusivity, and what could uplift the submission grappliong scene
As the prolific submission grappler further expounded upon his thoughts regarding Craig Jones, promotional exclusivity for athletes, and what could best serve the future growth of the sport, Tonon continued,
“I’ve never been huge on like one organization just signing people’s lives away and not having them be able to; I feel like it prevents, you know, all the matches that people want to see and stuff like that. Because it’s not on the level that MMA is where you can really; where an organization can really afford to, you know, support; like any specific organization can really afford to just support, you know, an entire stable of athletes, you know. They can do it for like a few of them, you know, and for those few, I think it’s probably great, right?”
“Like if you got like; so, for example, like the Ruotolos at ONE, for example, right? Like I’m sure they’re paid great, you know? I’m sure that they’re having a great time. I’m sure that like it’s a good decision for them to generally like be basically mostly competing there, you know. But it would be really difficult for ONE, logistically speaking, to do that with for example, every; to do that with like 10 of the best athletes or let’s not not even say 10 because really you would need like a top 15, right?”
“So like 15 of the best athletes in every single weight division, you’re paying them enough for them to only participate and not just paying them enough, but also have enough opportunity for them to compete only in that organization. Like that would be very difficult to do, you know, like without having a whole separate grappling organization, you know, if you’re going to have the events on the same cards as MMA fighters and kickboxers. Like I said, like you just can’t do all of those things at once.”
“So, you know, I like the idea of different organizations popping up and giving athletes different opportunities and stuff like that, but I don’t know if they necessarily need to. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a zero-sum game is kind of what I’m saying. I don’t really see; I don’t think that’s helpful for anybody really. Like for it to be a zero sum; for people to present it as a zero sum game, you know? It’s like CJI didn’t need to be on like the same weekend as ADCC, you know, like that was crazy.”
“There’s just no reason for that. It’s like, okay, sure, it’s a publicity stunt, but you basically made it so that grapplers couldn’t get both opportunities. They were going to only be able to participate in one and fans were probably going to have a tough time. Like I guess you could have gone back and forth a little bit because there was some overlap and some isolation. But it’s still like, you know, same thing. Like people probably would have liked to watch both of those things live.”
“I just don’t; I remember even coming up early on in the professional grappling scene and seeing like; I’d see like a NAGA or Grappler’s Quest or something like that and it would be on like the same; it would be like on the same weekend or something like that as some major tournament in IBJJF or something like that. There would be like a big; and I’d be like, well, why are these two things happening on the same weekend? Like, it just doesn’t need to be the case.”
“Like, both of these things; or you’d have like, maybe it wouldn’t necessarily be a major IBJJF. Maybe it’d be like a Grappler’s Quest or a NAGA and like they would be in like this, like a similar area on the same weekend. And it’s like, well, guys, like could have just f***ing staggered this s**t and like probably both companies would have made money. Like [laughs], it just wasn’t necessary to pit both of them against each other.”
“I’m sure sometimes it was like an accidental, you know, circumstantial thing. But that’s the kind of thing that I’m talking about. Like I don’t; I think that there’s so much room for growth in this industry and in this sport that like there really is a place for a lot of these organizations. Especially when they’re all doing like new and unique things with like different rule sets and different types of promotions. Like a Fight to Win is vastly different than ADCC and vastly different from CJI and like all these things.”
“Like they all have their own little niche and I think they should just focus on building whatever it is that they’re building instead of just tearing down. You don’t need to tear down anybody else in order to build something cool, you know, with any of these organizations, you know. So, I don’t know, man. I’m very pro, you know, multiple organizations, but I don’t really like the approach. So yeah, that’s kind of my take.”
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC 320, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: As a result of regaining the UFC light heavyweight title, Alex Pereira moves up four spots to No. 6. The now-former champion, Magomed Ankalaev, falls four spots to No. 11.
Consequently, these moves also result in Alexander Volkanovski falling one spot to No. 7 and Dricus Du Plessis moving up one spot to No. 10.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: As a result of her win, Yana Santos moves up five spots to No. 5. The woman she beat, Macy Chiasson, falls two spots to No. 7.
Ailin Perez consequently falls one spot to No. 8, while Mayra Bueno Silva falls two spots to No. 10.
Flyweight: As a result of his suspension, Ramazan Temirov has been removed from UFC rankings eligibility.
As a result, Bruno Silva moves up one spot to No. 14, while Rafael Estevam joins the rankings at No. 15.
Bantamweight: Petr Yan moves up one spot, tying Umar Nurmagomedov for the No. 2 position. Montel Jackson enters the rankings at No. 15, while Marcus McGhee falls off the rankings.
Cory Sandhagen remains at No. 4 after his title fight loss at UFC 320.
Featherweight: Following his UFC 320 win, Youssef Zalal moves up two spots to No. 7. The man he beat, Josh Emmett, falls one spot to No. 9.
Subsequently, Brian Ortega falls one spot to No. 8.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: Following his UFC 320 win, Joe Pyfer joins the rankings at No. 15, while Ikram Aliskerov falls out of the rankings.
Light Heavyweight: Following UFC 320, Alex Pereira takes the champion spot, while Magomed Ankalaev falls to the No. 1 contender position. Ankalaev shares this position now with Jiri Prochazka, who moved up one spot following his win at UFC 320.
The man Prochazka beat, Khalil Rountree Jr., falls one spot to No. 5, swapping places with Jan Blachowicz (now No. 4).
Alex Pereira has responded to Khamzat Chimaev’s challenge in the wake of his victory at UFC 320.
Last Saturday night, Alex Pereira defeated Magomed Ankalaev via first round TKO to win back the UFC light heavyweight championship. It was one of the most sensational performances in UFC title fight history, and while that may sound like an overstatement, it certainly isn’t when you consider how the first fight between the two men played out earlier this year. Now, as we look ahead to the future, there are plenty of questions regarding what exactly is going to be next for ‘Poatan’.
Alex Pereira is one of the scariest fighters in mixed martial arts and while there are plenty of potential contenders at light heavyweight, including Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka, he has his eyes set on history. The Brazilian sensation has made it known that he wants to venture up to the heavyweight division in pursuit of a third world title in a third weight class, something that has never been accomplished in the history of the UFC.
However, in the aftermath of UFC 320, Khamzat Chimaev seemed to issue a challenge of sorts to Alex Pereira on social media, following on from previous talk of the two colliding in a superfight. In the post-fight press conference, though, Pereira politely let Chimaev know that he isn’t interested at this time.
Alex Pereira responds to Khamzat Chimaev
“Thanks for the congratulations, but I want a super fight. Like I said, I want to fight at heavyweight. So, thanks only for the congratulations.”
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has praised Cory Sandhagen for making life difficult for him in the wrestling department at UFC 320.
On Saturday night, Merab Dvalishvili defeated Cory Sandhagen to successfully retain the UFC bantamweight championship. It was a fairly competitive fight for long spells and Cory did well in defending against the wrestling of Merab, but in the end, it was a fairly comprehensive result in terms of the numbers.
For Merab Dvalishvili, this served as yet another feather in his cap as he attempts to cement his legacy as the greatest bantamweight of all time. Even straight after the fight, he made it known that he’s eager to get back in there and compete before the end of the year.
In the post-fight press conference, Merab had some interesting comments regarding the difference between the striking exchanges and the wrestling exchanges with Sandhagen.
Merab Dvalishvili discusses Cory Sandhagen fight
“I was impressed actually about how he was defending my takedowns and to get up. He was doing great job. Also, he was pushing my hand that way. He was making tire my hands. He was well prepared while training and I think striking is more easier than wrestling with him because he was making my wrestling way harder than striking. Striking, I had much success with him.”
It’s unlikely we’ll see a rematch between these two anytime soon but at the very least, Sandhagen can take pride in knowing that he put forward an admirable performance in Las Vegas.
UFC star Conor McGregor has discussed his future fighting possibilities, whether it be with the Ultimate Fighting Championship or BKFC.
As we know, Conor McGregor is very interested in getting back in the ring or cage sooner rather than later. He has singled out next year’s UFC White House event as a possible return for him, and if that does come to fruition, you’d have to imagine he’ll square off with Michael Chandler given the history that the two share together. At the same time, he’s also heavily teased a showdown with BKFC sensation Mike Perry.
For Conor McGregor, his window for competing at the elite level obviously isn’t as big as it once was. He has plenty of options on the table, but given his commitment to the UFC, it doesn’t feel like a BKFC venture is particularly likely just yet – despite how involved he is with the promotion. Still, the Irishman is known for being a bit unpredictable, and at this point, there isn’t a whole lot that could surprise either his fans or his critics.
During a recent media scrum, Conor McGregor spoke openly about what the future holds for him in the world of fighting.
Conor McGregor discusses BKFC and UFC
“I know Dave wants me in the bare knuckle. The UFC are concocting a new contract deal or whatever’s going to happen. I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll take it day by day. But God is great and I thank him every day.”
UFC light heavyweight star Jiri Prochazka has spoken about how Khalil Rountree Jr helped bring out a different side of him in their UFC 320 clash.
On Saturday night, Jiri Prochazka knocked out Khalil Rountree Jr in the final round of their UFC 320 clash – but that doesn’t tell the full story. For the first two rounds of this fight, Khalil had Jiri in all kinds of trouble, putting forward the kind of technical display that we’ve gotten used to seeing from him in the last couple of years.
While he ultimately fell short and was knocked out, Khalil Rountree Jr can still hold his head up high, in a similar manner to how he accepted the Alex Pereira title loss. He may not be the best light heavyweight on the roster, but Khalil is more than capable of mixing it up with those in the elite category, and he deserves to be praised for that.
In his post-fight press conference appearance, Jiri Prochazka made sure to take the time to praise Khalil Rountree Jr for what he was able to bring to the table in Las Vegas.
Jiri Prochazka praises Khalil Rountree Jr
“Thank you for the fight. Thank you. Thank you. You activate my rarest side inside of myself, because wow—long time I didn’t activate myself like that. Because I really felt: you have to win or nothing, you have to find a way. And a long time I was not in this position in training, so I really need to be connected with this side of myself. Win or nothing. Yeah. So, so thank you, Khalil. Thank you, all your team, and I hope he will be back soon.”
UFC 320 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The promotion was in Las Vegas last week, where the T-Mobile Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its nine numbered event of the year. Of note were headline wins for Alex Pereira and Merab Dvalishvili, as well as important victories for Jiri Prochazka, Youssef Zalal, and Joe Pyfer.
While the aftermath of the October 4 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the light heavyweight and bantamweight championship title pictures to the heavyweight and women’s strawweight championship conversations.
At UFC 321, which takes place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on October 25, Tom Aspinall will defend the UFC heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane.
This will mark Aspinall’s first defense of the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship. He had been promoted from interim to undisputed champion during the UFC Baku post-fight press conference back on June 21 — the result of a long, drawn-out negotiation process involving him, the UFC, and Jon Jones. Aspinall defeated Serghei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight championship at UFC 295 and retained the interim belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Gane is 13-2 and has won three of his last five. He comes into this bout off a split decision win over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310. Gane defeated Derrick Lewis to become an interim UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 265 in 2021. He has challenged for the heavyweight title twice since, losing to Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 and to Jon Jones at UFC 285.
Stakes will also be high in the co-main event, as a vacant women’s strawweight championship will be on the line, thanks to Weili Zhang moving up to challenge Valentina Shevchenko at women’s flyweight. UFC 321 will see Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern scrap in a rematch to determine the new champion. Dern previously scored a decision win over Jandiroba at UFC 256. Jandiroba enters this fight on a five-fight win streak, most recently scoring a decision over Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314. Dern, meanwhile, has won three of her last five, most recently submitting Amanda Ribas in a rematch that headlined UFC Vegas 101 in January.
Nurmagomedov, Volkov, Rakic Set The Stage For Heavyweight Title Headliner At UFC 321
Before Aspinall, Gane, Jandiroba, and Dern make their way out for their title fights, several names will look to make their own statements on the main card for UFC 321.
This includes Umar Nurmagomedov, who will be doing battle with Mario Bautista. This will be Nurmagomedov’s first fight since coming just short of capturing the UFC bantamweight title from Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311, suffering the first loss of his MMA career in the process. Bautista, meanwhile, has won eight straight, which includes defeating UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo at UFC 307 and former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix at UFC 316.
A heavyweight title eliminator will also be featured on this card, as Alexander Volkov takes on Jailton Almeida. Volkov will be looking to rebound from the previously mentioned split decision loss to Gane, a fight that snapped a four-fight win streak for Volkov. Almeida, meanwhile, has won two straight and 17 of 18, coming into this bout off a performance bonus-earning finish of Serghei Spivac at UFC 311.
The main card is scheduled to open with Aleksandar Rakic taking on Azamat Murzakanov. Rakic has lost three straight, most recently dropping a decision to now-former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 308, which was last year’s Abu Dhabi pay-per-view card. Murzakanov is undefeated at 15-0, most recently finishing Brendson Ribeiro at UFC 316 in June.
Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the likes of Ikram Aliskerov, Mateusz Rebecki, and Nathaniel Wood, all of whom are expected to be featured players on the event’s preliminary card.
See below for the UFC 321 lineup, as it stands.
Main Card:
Heavyweight Championship: Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane
Women’s Strawweight Championship: Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern
Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista
Heavyweight: Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida
Light Heavyweight: Aleksandar Rakic vs. Azamat Murzakanov
Preliminary Card (Order TBA):
Middleweight: Ikram Aliskerov vs. Jun-yong Park
Lightweight: Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Matheus Camilo
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has gone after Magomed Ankalaev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz in the wake of the UFC 320 main event.
On Saturday night, Alex Pereira defeated Magomed Ankalaev to become a two-time UFC light heavyweight champion. He won back the belt that he lost earlier this year and in the process, cemented his position as one of the greatest fighters of his generation, and perhaps of all time.
As we look ahead to the future, it’ll be interesting to see what’s next for Magomed Ankalaev. A trilogy fight against Alex Pereira doesn’t feel particularly likely, at least not right now, given the emphatic nature of how ‘Poatan’ won the rematch. In equal measure, Pereira has some big plans, which could include a move to heavyweight and a clash with Jon Jones.
In a recent post on social media, Alex Pereira seemed to take a shot at Ali Abdelaziz, the manager of Magomed Ankalaev.
Alex Pereira just WENT OFF on Ali Abdelaziz 😳
"When a manager has never been an athlete and wants to promote to gain fame and money, but you’re the one in there risking your life, and he’s outside laughing." #UFC320pic.twitter.com/bB5kuHkClg
“When a manager has never been an athlete and wants to promote to gain fame and money, but you’re the one in there risking your life, and he’s outside laughing.”
Abdelaziz has a tendency to rub people the wrong way in the world of mixed martial arts, and it seems as if that’s happened again here. Alas, it isn’t likely to develop into anything too dramatic, especially given that Alex was the one who managed to get the last laugh in this feud.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see if there are any developments from here.
President Donald Trump announced during remarks at Naval Station Norfolk on October 5 that the highly anticipated UFC fight at the White House will take place on June 14, 2026, coinciding with his 80th birthday. The announcement provides the first official date for what was previously described as a July 4 event tied to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
The 79-year-old president revealed the date while addressing Navy sailors during a ceremony marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy. He made no mention that June 14 also marks his milestone birthday or that the date falls on Flag Day in the United States.
Donald Trump and the UFC White House Event
The event represents a significant departure from the original July 4, 2026 date that UFC President Dana White had indicated earlier this year. According to reports, the schedule change occurred because Trump’s calendar is heavily committed for Independence Day, when he plans to be in multiple states as part of the broader America 250 celebrations.
“On June 14 next year we’re gonna have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House, on the grounds of the White House.”
UFC officials have revealed substantial logistical challenges and costs associated with staging the event on the White House South Lawn. White disclosed that the organization will spend $700,000 just to replace the grass damaged by the 15,000-pound octagon and associated equipment. The grass replacement represents only one component of what White describes as “the most challenging event we have ever done.”
Security concerns have significantly reduced the planned attendance. While Trump initially suggested accommodating 20,000 to 25,000 spectators, White confirmed the actual capacity will be under 5,000 people due to Secret Service requirements. The limited attendance reflects the unprecedented security challenges of hosting a combat sports event at the nation’s most protected residence.
Fighter Participation Claims
Former UFC champion Conor McGregor has publicly claimed he signed a contract to compete at the White House event, stating the deal is “done, signed, delivered.” McGregor, who has not fought since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, also claimed he negotiated directly with the U.S. government rather than through the UFC.
White disputed McGregor’s assertions during the post-fight press conference for UFC 320 on October 5. The UFC president clarified that no fight negotiations have begun and won’t start until February 2026. White acknowledged McGregor’s enthusiasm for participating but emphasized that nothing has been finalized.
America 250 Context
The UFC event forms part of the broader America 250 celebration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The semiquincentennial festivities will span the entire year 2026, with events planned in all 50 states culminating on July 4, 2026.
Trump has positioned the UFC fight as one of several major sporting events during his second term, alongside the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung previously characterized the event as potentially “one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history.”
Image: @WhiteHouse/X
Trump-White Relationship
The White House UFC event builds on a relationship between Trump and White spanning over two decades. Their partnership began in 2001 when Trump hosted UFC events at his Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City during a period when few venues would accommodate mixed martial arts. White has repeatedly credited Trump with supporting the UFC when the sport faced widespread rejection.
The arrangement reflects Trump’s continued involvement with combat sports and the UFC’s appeal among demographics important to his political base. Trump has attended multiple UFC events during his presidency, often receiving enthusiastic receptions from crowds.
Image: UFC.com
Event Specifications
Current plans call for an elaborate setup featuring a massive illuminated arch structure over the octagon, designed to provide unobstructed views of the White House for cameras and attendees. Fighter weigh-ins are scheduled to take place at the Lincoln Memorial, with fan events planned throughout Washington, D.C. during the week leading up to the fight.
For fans unable to secure tickets to the exclusive South Lawn event, the UFC plans to accommodate up to 85,000 people in a nearby park with large screens and concert stages. White described plans to “take over Washington, D.C. for that entire week” with various activities and events.
The June 14 date confirmation marks a significant milestone in what White promises will be “the greatest fight card ever assembled in the history of this company.” However, the actual fight card remains unannounced, with negotiations not expected to begin until February 2026.
Trump: "On June 14 next year we're gonna have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House, on the grounds of the White House." pic.twitter.com/RJIOKjIhx5
Jiri Prochazka took genuine joy in watching Alex Pereira reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title.
Prochazka faced former title contender Khalil Rountree Jr. in a key light heavyweight bout at UFC 320 this past Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although the former UFC light heavyweight champion struggled to find his rhythm in the first two rounds, mostly relying on counterstrikes against “The War Horse,” the third round saw a complete turnaround. “BJP” unloaded a vicious onslaught of unorthodox strikes that opened a deep cut above Rountree Jr.’s eye, before connecting a spinning elbow that sent him face-first to the canvas, sealing the fight in spectacular fashion.
Meanwhile, in the UFC 320 main event, Pereira challenged reigning 205-pound champion Magomed Ankalaev in a highly anticipated rematch. “Poatan” started aggressively, overwhelming the Russian with relentless forward pressure before landing a devastating right hand that forced Ankalaev to rely on grappling.
Pereira didn’t let up on the ground, raining punishing 12-6 elbows and ultimately secured a TKO victory just 80 seconds into the fight to reclaim his light heavyweight title.
While Pereira avenged his UFC 313 loss to Ankalaev, the cameras captured Jiri Prochazka in the crowd, visibly moved as he watched his former rival in admiration.
Jiri Prochazka Explains His Reaction To Alex Pereira’s Win At UFC 320
At the UFC 320 post-fight press conference, Jiri Prochazka was asked about his emotional reaction to Alex Pereira’s dominant win over Magomed Ankalaev. The Czech fighter explained that, despite having faced “Poatan” twice and Glover Teixeira once, he has built a strong camaraderie with the Brazilian camp.
“BJP” said he admired how Pereira channeled his anger from Ankalaev’s trash talking into the fight, a feeling he deeply related to.
“You know, win, lose, win, lose, whoever, but Alex and his team, Glover Teixeira there, and all of these guys, we have good relationship with them,” Prochazka said. “I really wished him to win because all this bullsh*t what Ankalaev brought before and all these nonsenses, what he talked about himself, about others. So that was why I was happy because I saw really angry Alex going forward to Ankalaev and that was something what I needed to be in my fight, too.”
Jiri Prochazka fought Alex Pereira twice, with “Poatan” winning on both occasions, first scoring a second-round knockout at UFC 295 in November 2023 and then repeating the feat at UFC 303 in June 2024.
Merab Dvalishvili is here to stay in bantamweight and rule his division.
“The Machine” retained his bantamweight crown with a dominant unanimous decision over Cory Sandhagen in the UFC 320 co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dvalishvili showcased his relentless style against Sandhagen, combining precise striking with 20 takedowns to control the fight from start to finish. In the second round, he came dangerously close to ending the bout with a heavy flurry, but Sandhagen managed to survive.
The judges handed the 34-year-old Georgian a convincing unanimous decision, scoring it 49-45, 49-45, 49-46, securing his third consecutive successful defense of the UFC bantamweight title this year.
Taking names & making notes 📝@MerabDvalishvil remains the bantamweight champion of the world after #UFC320!
Merab Dvalishvili Confirms No Featherweight Move Planned After UFC 320 Victory
During the UFC 320 post-fight press conference, Merab Dvalishvili was asked whether he would consider moving up to challenge reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in a potential champ vs. champ bout, given the lack of fresh challengers in the bantamweight division.
“This is my division,” Dvalishvili said. “I’m comfortable here. I don’t want to try and go up and make a mess because I don’t want to be without an invite. Like if somebody shows up at [Aljamain Sterling’s] wedding tomorrow, I would crush his face in, we would be mad. … I’m comfortable here. I want to be my division’s champion.”
“The Machine” made it clear that he has no desire to move up to 145 pounds, citing his deep respect for Volkanovski and his close friend Aljamain Sterling.
“I have respect for all these guys, especially my brother Aljamain Sterling, Volkanovski, I don’t want to fight these guys. I’m good here. I don’t know, we’ll see. So far, I have next plan to fight Petr Yan.”
Dvalishvili now boasts a 14-2 record in the UFC, with his last defeat dating all the way back to April 2018, when he was caught in a third-round submission by Ricky Simon at UFC Atlantic City.
Cory Sandhagen once again came up short in his bid to claim UFC gold.
Sandhagen stepped into the Octagon to challenge reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 320 this past Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although “Sandman” came out strong and seemed to have an answer for almost every move Dvalishvili threw at him, whether standing or on the ground, the defending titleholder’s signature relentless pressure began to take its toll as the fight progressed.
That's triple digit takedowns 💪@MerabDvalishvil becomes the first fighter in UFC history to amass 100 takedowns!
Sandhagen came dangerously close to being finished in the second round when “The Machine” unleashed punishing him with heavy punches, but the challenger somehow weathered the storm. The 33-year-old Colorado native found occasional success with his striking, yet his rhythm was repeatedly disrupted by Dvalishvili’s perfectly timed takedowns. Ultimately, the judges handed a decisive victory to the Georgian, scoring the bout 49-45, 49-45, 49-46
Cory Sandhagen Pays Respect To Merab Dvalishvili Following UFC 320 Loss
After his challenging defeat to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320, Cory Sandhagen took to social media on Sunday to share his thoughts. “Sandman” began by showing respect to the reigning UFC bantamweight champion for delivering such a tough battle.
“Congrats to the champ – you’re a hell of a fighter and a great champion of the division. I’m proud to have fought you. I’ll get you next time!!”
He went on to say that he’s staying positive and is determined to come back even stronger in his next outing.
“To all my fans, nothing changes for me. It’s all hard work till the day I hang it up. We’ll still get to gold – even though the water is murky right now. “I’ll always have an unbreakable spirit until the day I die. I love this sh*t. “Love you guys. Peace,” Cory Sandhagen posted on Instagram.
With this loss, 4-4 in his last eight fights, which also includes unanimous decision loss to fomer champion Petr Yan for the interim bantamweight title at UFC 267 in October 2021. He now sits at 11-5 record in the UFC, with seven of his victories coming via stoppage.
Patchy Mix handled his recent setback with composure.
Mix squared off against former KSW champion and promotional newcomer Jakub Wiklacz on the UFC 320 preliminary card, held Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although, the former Bellator bantamweight champion found early success with his wrestling, timing takedowns off kicks and controlling portions of the fight on the mat. His grappling transitions were sharp, but Wiklacz’s constant movement and submission attempts kept Mix from settling into a rhythm.
As the bout wore on, fatigue became a factor, and “No Love” struggled to impose his will against Wiklacz’s relentless pressure and punishing bodywork. Though Mix closed strong with top control in the final round, the judges ultimately favored his opponent’s overall activity and striking volume, awarding him a razor-thin split decision win with scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 28-29.
Patchy Mix Reflects On UFC 320 Loss To Jakub Wiklacz
After dropping a controversial split decision setback to Jakub Wiklacz at UFC 320, Patchy Mix took to social media on Saturday to address the outcome. In a brief video message, “No Love” showed humility and acknowledged the loss even though many fans felt he had done enough to win.
“Walking home from the arena, man, it just hits you, you know?,” Mix said. “Just got to keep it in perspective. Can’t win split decisions and be happy when I win them and then when I lose them, I can’t be upset, either. Much respect to my opponent and his team, and just got to get back to the drawing board, get better.”
Back in June, Patchy Mix made his much-anticipated Octagon debut against Mario Bautista at UFC 316, but the night didn’t go his way as he dropped a one-sided unanimous decision. Now facing consecutive setbacks in the UFC, the 32-year-old New Yorker stands at 20-3 in his professional career, with 15 of those victories coming by way of finish.
