Magomed Ankalaev has admitted that Ali Abdelaziz composes the tweets on the UFC light heavyweight champion’s X account but everything is done in a collaborative sense. This has become part of the narrative leading into Ankalaev’s light heavyweight title rematch with the man he claimed the crown from Alex Pereira. Leading into their UFC 320 main event clash on October 4th, Pereira has accused Ankalaev of not running his social media account.
The former two division titleholder intimated that the Russian champion was a bit of a shrinking violet when ‘Poatan’ confronted him about some of the online trash talk that Pereira claims actually came from Ali Abdelaziz. During a recent interview with Mike Heck of MMA Fighting, Magomed Ankalaev addressed some of these sentiments as Ankalaev said,
“You know, I don’t know what he’s referring to because I am constantly on in communication with my manager Ali. We always talk about things. If somebody’s throwing a challenge out or somebody says something in my direction, we discuss it.”
“We hash it out and we figure out what we have to write and then he puts it into a tweet. Never has he ever written anything without my consent. We’re constantly in communication.”
“So there’s not one tweet, not one writing that came out that I wasn’t aware of that was done behind my back. We always do stuff together.”
Magomed Ankalaev’s manager and why he draws the ire of Alex Pereira
Magomed Ankalaev’s managher Ali Abdelaziz courts controversy frequently and it doesn’t seem like the Brazilian standout is a fan of his behaviour. This was something that the former Glory Kickboxing and UFC champion touched on while appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, as Pereira stated [via Bloody Elbow],
“Honestly, I don’t know Ali’s story. I don’t know his background. But we know that he seems to be a guy that likes to be in the media. Even now, we start talking about Ankalaev and then his name came out.”
“The way that he carries himself — I don’t know about his past, but he carries himself like he was a super MMA champion that retired and now is a super manager but still wants to be relevant and stay in the media.”
“He seems to be a guy that was used to fame, stopped fighting, but now keeps trying to show up, using his fighters. Everybody sees that.”
Per a report from NJ.com’s Kevin Armstrong, Edgar will no longer be competing on the BKFC 82 card against fellow New Jersey native Jimmie Rivera.
The reason for Edgar’s removal is currently unknown. BKFC President David Feldman told Ariel Helwani on October 1 that there was a potential medical issue for Edgar that left his status unknown.
When the news of Edgar’s BKFC debut first came to light, many in the combat community expressed concern over the well-being of Edgar. Edgar, who will turn 44 in a couple of weeks, has not been in action since UFC 281 in November 2022.
Frankie Edgar Removed From BKFC Debut Days Before BKFC 82
Armstrong reports that in order to cleared for the BKFC event, Edgar had to undergo an echocardiogram, stress test, and eye examination, as well as a bloodwork panel, EKG, and MRI.
Armstrong added that Edgar’s family and friends have asked him not to return to action but Edgar reportedly felt the BKFC environment was safer because of the punching-only focus.
The UFC Hall of Famer lost five of his last six fights in the UFC, occuring between 2019 and 2022.
Rivera, a fellow UFC veteran, will remain on the card, taking on Timmy Mason.
BKFC 82 will take place on October 4 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It is the first bare-knuckle event to take place in the Garden State.
On Wednesday, UFC CEO Dana White announed that UFC Qatar will feature a pivotal lightweight showdown in the main event, as top contender Arman Tsarukyan takes on Dan Hooker.
Tsarukyan has not competed since defeating out former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira by split decision at UFC 300 in April 2024. “Ahalkalakets” was originally scheduled to challenge then-titleholder Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 this past January, but a back injury suffered during fight week forced him to withdraw from the bout.
He is currently riding a four-fight win streak and holds a 9-2 record in the UFC, with four of those victories coming by way of finish.
On the other hand, Hooker returns to action after edging out Mateusz Gamrot by split decision at UFC 305 in August 2024. The 35-year-old New Zealander has long been calling for a showdown with Tsarukyan, but a string of recurring injuries has repeatedly kept him sidelined.
“The Hangman” comes into the fight on a three-fight winning streak and owns a 14-8 record in the UFC, including nine victories by stoppage.
Meanwhile, the co-main event of UFC Qatar will see former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad facing off against Ian Garry. Muhammad returns to the Octagon following a unanimous decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May, a defeat that ended both his title reign and an 11-fight unbeaten streak. “Remember the Name” currently holds a 15-4 record with one no-contest in the UFC.
Garry was last seen in the Octagon at UFC Kansas City in April, where he bounced back from his first career loss by earning a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Prates. His only defeat came against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 in December 2024. “The Future” currently boasts a 9-1 record in the UFC, including three stoppage wins.
Your #UFCQatar main and co-main event is HERE 🤩 🇶🇦
Knockout CP Freshmart will test skill with Carlos Canizales in Thailand during the final quarter of 2025. Double C enters the ring as the WBC light flyweight champion and takes on a former standout titleholder at minimumweight in Knockout CP Freshmart with the intriguing contest set to go down on December 4th in Bangkok. A lot of people see Canizales as the preeminent fighter at 108 pounds today.
Conversely for CP Freshmart, government name Thammanoon Niyomtrong, he is looking to rebuild as he is now on the heels of authoring the longest running title reign in the history of championship campaigns at 105 pounds. Freshmart held the WBA light flyweight title since ascending to that throne in 2014 and went on a decade long run of defending that gold strap.
This impressive run came to a crashing halt in a November 2024 title unification clash with Oscar Collazo that saw Knockout CP Freshmart take the first loss of his professional boxing career. The 35-year-old has since bounced back somewhat and put together a winning streak but this fight defintiely represents a marked jump up in quality of sweet science opposition for CP Freshmart.
Knockout CP Freshmart vs. Carlos Canizales overview continued
Canizales will be stepping into enemy territory here as the defending champion against a prolific Thai fighter who will certainly be the partisan favorite when these two do battle inside the ring. The fight’s booking coincides with the WBC’s 63rd annual convention which runs from November 30th to Decmeber 5th in Bangkok.
The 32-year-old titleholder out of Caracas, Venezuela, looks to establish a bit of consistency here as Canizales has alternated between victories and defeats over his last four boxing bouts. Carlos Canizales captured the belt by way of an emphatic fifth-round knockout in August. This was during a sequel clash versus Panya Pradabsri. Freshmart looks to keep Canizales in that mixed results category as the former aims to cement himself as a two division titleholder here in this prizefight which is adjacent to the holiday season.
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has an interesting theory regarding Jon Jones requesting $40 million to take on Tom Aspinall.
Right now, Jon Jones is not the UFC heavyweight champion. He was, but he gave up that belt and decided to retire from mixed martial arts instead of fighting Tom Aspinall. However, after the promotion revealed that they’d be heading to the White House for an event next year, ‘Bones’ seemed to change his mind.
Now, fans are left to wait and see whether or not Dana White will change his mind regarding Jon Jones taking part on that card. Either way, there’s a great deal of uncertainty in the air, and it’s clear that Jon will ask for a substantial amount of money in order to agree to the fight.
After it was suggested that Jon Jones wanted $40 million to fight Aspinall, Sonnen felt the need to respond in a recent video.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Jon Jones’ financial request
“I was at the press conference right after Jon Jones beats Stipe Miocic and Jones to fight Tom Aspinall throws out the biggest number he could think of, and that was 40 million. Now, the reason that number happened to be on Jon’s brain is there was just a report that came out that a fight that happened the day before on Netflix, Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, that Jake Paul was paid $40 million.
“It was not true. It was never true… But when he was asked how much he was going to need to fight Aspinall, he yelled out the biggest number he could think of, which at that time was 40 million because he just read the article about Jake Paul.
“But when you get back home and it’s time to actually find a date in a venue and get this fight done, Jon’s locked in at $40 million. Jon had forgot why he said $40 million. Jon forgot that this was part of the show.”
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has rejected the notion that Conor McGregor is negotiating directly with the US government regarding his return to the cage.
Right now, UFC sensation Conor McGregor is making it clear that he is interested in a comeback fight – at the White House next summer. Alas, given the many controversies that he’s been involved in, there isn’t quite as much intrigue from the MMA fanbase as there once was when it comes to his mixed martial arts future.
Still, this is Conor McGregor we’re talking about here. He is a global superstar and nobody can deny that, even though he may not be at the level that he once was. In a recent interview, the Irishman claimed that instead of communicating with the UFC, he was speaking directly with the US government ahead of the promotion’s first ever event at the White House next year.
Chael Sonnen, however, doesn’t believe a word that Conor McGregor is saying.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Conor McGregor
“It’s not a matter of, okay, here’s the information that we got from Conor. If it was, I would just tell you not one word of that is true, and I would get up and walk out of the room. But that’s not a very fun conversation.
“However, there’s not one word of that that’s true. Conor is not negotiating with the United States government. And there’s people that you can pull into your routine. There’s people that are willful participants, and when you’re doing a ruse with the media, that person becomes your tag team partner. They’ve got to be willing.”
UFC star Jiri Prochazka has discussed ditching his signature hair as he prepares for his return to the cage at UFC 320.
On Saturday night, Jiri Prochazka will collide with Khalil Rountree Jr in what has the potential to be a thrilling encounter at UFC 320. While there are no guarantees, there’s every chance that the winner could earn a crack at the UFC light heavyweight championship. When you consider that Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira are battling for the belt in the main event, that makes UFC 320 a pretty important event for those at 205 pounds.
Jiri Prochazka, as we know, has been a real force of nature since arriving in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He holds an impressive 5-2 record since his debut with the promotion, and the only two defeats that he’s suffered have come against Pereira.
In a recent media scrum, Jiri Prochazka opened up on why he decided to depart with his samurai-style hair not so long ago.
Jiri Prochazka discusses dropping his iconic hairstyle
“Right now I’m on the point where I don’t need to have some special hair or some special visualize to show something in a cage. After my last fight, I said myself, man, I know who I am and I want I know why I’m going there and I know what I want to show there. This hair others like tattoos or whatever is just like other things. Everything I have here. So that’s what I’m going to show.”
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren has admitted that he couldn’t believe it when he was informed that he had received a double lung transplant.
As we know, one of the biggest stories in mixed martial arts this year has been the incredible tale of Ben Askren. After a severe bout of staph infection which led to pneumonia, it seemed as if the former UFC and ONE Championship star was in a pretty bad way. Ultimately, though, he was able to fight back against his illness, to the point where he received a double lung transplant that quite literally saved his life.
The MMA and wrestling community came out with as much support as they possibly could for Ben Askren during what were obviously very traumatic times. Now, though, he’s on the road to recovery, and while his life will look very different moving forward, he has been given a second chance that many don’t get.
In a recent interview, Ben Askren spoke openly about what happened and his surprise to learn that he had two new lungs upon waking up.
Ben Askren details medical situation
“When I woke up, I had two new lungs. They called it necrotizing pneumonia. Prior to going to the hospital, I felt fine—I’d even worked out. It was shocking. One doctor told my wife I wouldn’t make it; another friend said my heart stopped for 20 seconds. I don’t remember it, but I was on so many machines to stay alive.”
UFC star Alex Pereira isn’t too bothered about what Magomed Ankalaev brings to the cage when they collide once again at UFC 320.
On Saturday night, Alex Pereira gets his chance at revenge when he locks horns with Magomed Ankalaev. The two men met earlier this year and in that instance, it was Ankalaev who was able to come out on top. As a result, he became the new UFC light heavyweight champion, sending Pereira back to the drawing board in the process.
Now, Alex Pereira has the opportunity to really cement his position as one of the all-time greats by overcoming Ankalaev and winning the title for the second time. ‘Poatan’ isn’t immune to adversity and he’s been through a lot in his career already, but this time, it definitely feels like the stakes are high.
In a recent media scrum, however, Alex Pereira made it known that he doesn’t put too much thought into what Ankalaev is doing.
Alex Pereira isn’t interested when it comes to Magomed Ankalaev
“When I’m watching these videos that have me and him there, when it gets to his part, I skip forward. I swear by my children, I never watch it. I don’t want to see what he’s doing strategically. I never watch, truly, I never watch.
“I watch my fight, but I don’t watch what he’s doing there. So when it gets to my part, it’s a 30-minute video, there’s 5 minutes of my part, I don’t even watch, I skip forward, my part ends, the video ends.”
Alex Pereira is letting the verbal volleys fly at Magomed Ankalaev before the fistic fireworks are set off this weekend. Pereira and Ankalaev will run it back in a rematch for light heavyweight gold which transpires at UFC 320 on October 4th. Speaking to assembled media at an open workout event in Las vegas prior to his sequel clash with the dominant Russian, with video footage provided by MMA Junkie, ‘Poatan’ touched on several subjects related to the personal rivlary that has emerged between himself and Ankalaev all through 2025.
Speaking about how he perceived that Ankalev was avoiding him and even intimating that the reigning 205 pound champ was not the one generating the trash talk in question, as Pereira [through the aid of an interpretor] said,
“100% he hid when he arrived here. I think this proves that it’s not him who writes things, because people are putting responsibility on him. And then, when he gets here, he thinks: ‘Damn, I wasn’t the one who said that, right? Now I’m going to stay here, I’m alone.’ And then whoever spoke is somewhere else, maybe, right? So the guy is here alone, feels alone… I don’t believe it’s fear, but maybe he didn’t know my reaction and said: ‘I’m going to hide to avoid something.’ Maybe, but that he hid, that’s 100%.”
Alex Pereira and the backstory on why he made these claims about Magomed Ankalaev
Alex Pereira did not make these comments apropos of nothing as Magomed Ankalaev had previously made some claims about ‘Poatan’ lying. The reigning UFC light heavyweight champion described Pereira as not being truthful regarding a confrontation that recently happened between the two at the UFC’s Performance Institute.
Giving an overview of the whole situation and trying to indicate a stoic detachment from any kind of rivalry with his opponent on Saturday night, Pereira stated [via MMA Junkie],
“I don’t know why he’s saying that because that’s 100 percent what happened. That just goes to show you it’s not him writing online. It’s not coming from him. What happens is somebody else is somewhere else writing for him, and then he comes here and sees me. Maybe he thought I don’t want to face him right now, and I’m alone. But that’s 100 percent what happened.”
“I try to avoid conflicts with my opponents. I even try to be friendly with them afterward. You’ve seen this before. I’ve talked about training with past opponents. I don’t really know what it is. He used to say a lot, that I was running away from him, that I didn’t want to fight him. That’s never happened. We all know the UFC didn’t want to promote that fight. That’s never what it was. I have no problem with him. I always try to be friendly and avoid conflict.”
Pele is a well regarded figure to longtime fans of mixed martial arts and Rory MacDonald got to experience that direct ferocity with the Brazilian combatant as a young fighter on the come up in Canada. This was touched on by the former UFC welterweight title challenger recently during a conversation with Rampage Jackson on the ex-UFC light heavyweight champion’s show, Jaxxon Podcast.
Pele, also known by his government name Jose Landi-Jons, is known for iconic fights against names like former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in International Vale Tudo Championship as well as Canada’s first ever UFC titleholder, former UFC welterweight champ Carlos Newton inside the Pride FC ring.
Landi-Jons has also authored hugely impressive wins over the likes of UFC’s inaugural welterweight champion Pat Miletich, UFC welterweight legend Matt Hughes, as well as former Bellator MMA middleweight kingpin Alexander Shlemenko to name but a few.
Speaking of his training experiences years back with the decorated MMA veteran of close to fifty pro mixed martial arts bouts, MacDonald said,
“Yeah, I trained with Pele. He almost killed me when I was a kid. No, he sparred hard. He brought it. It was like he was back out west in British Columbia. I think he moved out there for a little while.”
When asked by Rampage Jackson if Pele was a nice guy as many have imparted to him through the years, MacDonald stated,
“He’s awesome. Yeah, super happy like fun guy. But then when you put on the gloves, you’ve got to be ready [laughs].”
Rory MacDonald contemplates return from retirement for White House card against a familiar foe
Rory MacDonald has been retired for a little while now but an opportunity on next year’s UFC White House card in a third fight with Robbie Lawler would entice him to don the gloves on. This was also referenced by the Canadian combatant on the same appearance for the Jaxxon Podcast.
Speaking to what his intrigue level would be in competing on that unique card set for next Summer and who he would ideally like to tangle with in that hypothetical return to the octagon, MacDonald stated [via MMA Junkie],
“That would be tempting, yeah, for sure. If I had the right opponent. I don’t know, though, if I’d be welcomed back or not. I don’t know where I stand… I’d probably [fight] if Robbie [Lawler] was up for it.”
DWCS rolled on with Episode 8 of Season 9 on Tuesday, September 30th. Five fights took place at the UFC Apex, with four of the winners walking away with UFC contracts. The UFC will officially be adding the following fighters to the UFC roster:
Kurtis “Pink Panther” Campbell – 8-0 Featherweight
Louis “Mad Prince” Jourdain – 9-3 Bantamweight (brother of current UFC fighter Charles Jourdain)
Chris “The Newborn” Alvidrez – 7-1 Welterweight
Damian “Baba Yaga” Pinas – 8-1 Middleweight
All four of these fighters secured their victory via finish, proving this week’s roster is ready for the big show. Although winning on the contender series is the first step, we will be looking forward and predicting some potential matchups that could fit well for these fighters UFC debuts.
Kurtis “The Pink Panther” Campbell– 8-1 Featherweight
Kurtis “The Pink Panther” Campbell secured perhaps the most viral finish of the evening, annihilating his opponent Demba Seck with massive elbows from top position. Following his performance, Campbell walked out of the cage to The Pink Panther theme, showing that the UFC brass is already getting behind the 23 year old scouser.
Kurtis Campbell is an excellent prospect, very similar to Paddy Pimblett in his size and skill set. The Liverpool native is a former champion of England’s FCC promotion, and has a variety of finishes on his record. Long kicks, powerful punches, and an awkward yet effectively wrestling game make up his primary skillset on the feet, but where he is truly dangerous is in on the ground. When Campbell gets top position, he is brutal with his ground and pound and showcased in his contender series bout.
This fight was quick work, and there is no doubt Campbell will be looking for fast turnaround for his first fight in the big show. He seems to be on UFC matchmakers good side thus far, so I anticipate a favorable matchup for Campbell’s UFC debut.
Prediction: Kurtis Campbell (8-0) vs Francis Marshall (8-3) – December 2025/January 2026
Louis “Mad Prince” Jourdain – 9-3 Bantamweight
Louis Jourdain had the cleanest and most well rounded performance of the evening. The Canadian bantamweight and younger brother of UFC fighter Charles Jourdain, showcased all of his skills en route to a third round submission of Magno Dias. Jourdain utilizing his lead hand, calf kicks, and excellent grappling game to dominate all phases of the fight. A Jiu Jitsu brown belt with four pro boxing matches, Jourdain is about as well rounded as they come. Not only did he secure a contract, but he also made history as Charles and Louis became the first Canadian siblings in UFC history to be on the roster.
Louis Jourdain’s biggest setbacks have not been losses inside the cage, but rather injuries and lost time. Now that he is back in the metaphorical saddle, there is no doubt he knows the time is now for his career. On the broadcast, he could be seen pleading with Dana White to book him for UFC Vancouver (despite the fact Dana White hasn’t booked a single fight for the UFC in years, that’s all Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard). While it would be a quick turnaround in just two weeks, we can certainly hope the UFC honors his wishes and allows him to share a card with his brother.
Prediction: Louis Jourdain (9-3) vs Kris Moutinho (14-7) – UFC Vancouver – October 18th
Christopher “The Newborn” Alvidrez – 7-1 Welterweight
The only betting underdog of the evening to win his fight, Christopher Avidrez showed excellent heart and desire in his fight, knocking out the unorthodox Eliezer Kubanza in the first round. A former football player who turned his life around through MMA, Alvidrez has overcome a lot to make it to this moment. He relocated to Miami after a brutal car accident ended his football career, and fully committed himself to combat sports while training at The GoatShed.
Alvidrez is the least polished of all the winners of this episode. His toughness and strength are no question, and he utilized outstanding elbows in the clinch, he still has questions that need to be answered in terms of his overall game. We could see Alvidrez being thrown into a tough matchup right away, but his mentality won’t stop him from taking a challenge head on. It should also be noted he was seen with a large wrap around his right knee, so it could be some time before we see him make his debut.
Prediction: Christopher Alvidrez (7-1) vs Daniil Donchenko (12-2) – February 2026
Damian “Baba Yaga” Pinas – 8-1 Middleweight
In the main event of the evening, Damian Pinas made quick work of his opponent, flatlining Vitor Costa with a brutal right hand in the first round. This contract was long overdue, as Pinas was scheduled to be on episode one of this season, but due to visa issues was not able to travel for the fight. Luckily he was rebooked, and now can look forward to being booked in the UFC.
Pinas is a fantastic kickboxer with excellent power in his hands and feet. He will become the second Surinamese fighter in UFC history, following Jair Rozenstruik. Similar to Bigi Boy, Baba Yaga has the kickboxing skill and power to dispatch anyone inside the cage. Now that the visa issues are fully cleared, we can hope to see the young fighter pick up another fight soon. At just 23 years old, time is on Pinas’ side, but it would be advantageous to keep his momentum going. Between his performances and the unique national heritage, I expect Pinas to find early success in the middleweight division, similar to Ateba Gautier who fights this weekend.
Prediction: Damian Pinas (8-1) vs Jackson McVey (6-1) – January 2026
While none of these fights are official nor even rumored, they all are potential interesting first matchups for this week’s winners of DWCS. Stay tuned for next week’s edition following episode 9 of DWCS.
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with a highlight, finished-filled night 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 eight of season nine this week saw four prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
Kurtis Campbell provided the first highlight of the night, scoring a first-round finish of Demba Seck. Campbell laid in a solid head kick in the opening seconds before Seck tried to fire back with a kick-based offense of his own. Campbell scored a takedown to try and nullify Seck’s offense. Seck was able to work his way to his feet, but Campbell landed a solid knee that put him back down. Some follow-up shots later, and Campbell had done enough for the win and a UFC contract.
Christopher Alvidrez followed that up with a solid performance over Eliezer Kubanza. Alvidrez dictated the pace, mixing up his strikes and nearly scoring a takedown on Kubanza in the first. While Kubanza landed some power shots, Alvidrez landed a solid one-two that caught Kubanza’s attention. Kubanza, however, landed a damaging body kick and caught Alvidrez coming in, briefly using his grappling to pin him to the fence.
Alvidrez turned things into his favor for good with a right hand, followed by a left, to drop Kubanza. Alvidrez then unleashed a flurry on the ground, and despite a long leash from referee Herb Dean, the fight was stopped, giving Alvidrez a late first-round finish and a UFC contract.
In the co-main event, Louis Jourdain, the brother of UFC fighter Charles Jourdain, pulled off a third-round submission of Magno Dias. Jourdain came out with some speed in his strikes, looking to take control early, while Dias looked to pressure him toward the fence. Jourdain briefly dropped Dias with an elbow, but Dias got back to his feet and managed to score a takedown. Dias locked in a neck crank, but Jourdain managed to scramble out and get top position, working his way back to the feet.
Jourdain troubled Dias with a calf kick and a solid knee in the second round until Dias pushed Jourdain to the fence. Dias looked to take back control with the fight back on the ground, but Jourdain got the fight standing, landing more leg kicks and troubling Dias’ movement. Jourdain laid in a couple of more knees in the third round before working around Dias’ guard attempt to score a rear-naked choke and UFC contract via submission.
In the main event, Damian Pinas managed to land a devastating blow to score a big knockout of Vitor Costa. Pinas landed an uppercut that split Costa’s guard, landing a strong flurry in the first minute of the fight. Costa landed some low kicks and tried to get on the inside before taking Pinas to the fence briefly. A short time later, however, Pinas cracked Costa with a right hand, dropping Costa out cold for the highlight knockout and UFC contract.
The night opened with Rashid Vagabov sweeping the cards against Paulo Henrique. Vagabov landed from the outside despite Henrique’s pressure, landing low kicks and working combinations. The two had their exchanges of power shots during the opening round, but Vagabov controlled the last portion of the first round, pinning Henrique against the fence before scoring a takedown. Henrique brought the grappling pressure in the second round, pressing Vagabov into the fence. A takedown attempt was reversed, however, and Vagabov quickly brought the action back to the feet, controlling the action there.
Vagabov then dominated the third round with grappling, scoring a takedown and being unrelenting with his pressure, nearly scoring a submission on a couple of occasions before earning a decision win. It wasn’t, however, enough to earn a contract.
Gautier was originally set to clash with Ozzy Diaz on the preliminary card of UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, on Monday, the matchup fell through after Diaz withdrew from the middleweight bout due to undisclosed medical issues, leaving the 23-year-old Cameroonian without an opponent.
Ozzy Diaz is OUT of #UFC320, he announced, citing an unspecified medical issue. It’s unclear if Ateba Gautier will remain on the card pic.twitter.com/W6snLt8qHD
Initially, it was uncertain whether “The Silent Assassin” would remain on the UFC 320 card, but a short-notice replacement has now been secured, who is set to make his Octagon debut with just five days’ notice.
Image: @ateba_theassassin/Instagram
Ateba Gautier Will Fight Treston Vines At UFC 320
On Tuesday, Iridium Sports Agency announced via social media that Ateba Gautier will now face promotional debutant Treston Vines, who replaces Ozzy Diaz on the UFC 320 card this Saturday.
Gautier enters UFC 320 riding the momentum of a first-round knockout over Robert Valentin at UFC 318 in July, marking his seventh consecutive knockout victory. He earned his UFC contract in September 2024 with a second-round stoppage of Yura Naito on Dana White’s Contender Series.
“The Silent Assassin” now boasts a professional record of 8-1, including an unbeaten 2-0 slate in the UFC.
Meanwhile, Vines most recently competed at AFC 12: The Great Commission in August, scoring a first-round knockout victory. The 29-year-old American was set to face Andreas Tricomitis at LFA 219 next weekend before earning the call-up to the UFC.
Until now, Vines has primarily competed in regional promotions, amassing a professional record of 10-3, with seven of those wins coming by stoppage.
Dricus Du Plessis trusts Alex Pereira won’t repeat the mistakes he made in the first clash with Magomed Ankalaev.
Pereira is set to run it back with reigning light heavyweight champion Ankalaev in the UFC 320 main event on October 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two titles headline in the Fight Capital 🏆🏆#UFC320 Fight Week has officially started!
The two first met at UFC 313 in March, where “Poatan” showcased his stellar takedown defense by shutting down all 12 of Ankalaev’s attempts to bring the fight to the mat. Despite neutralizing the his opponent’s wrestling, Pereira found himself on the wrong side of the striking exchanges, as the Russian edged him across five rounds to claim the 205-pound title.
Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Dricus Du Plessis Believes Alex Pereira Will Defeat Magomed Ankalaev In UFC 320 Rematch
During a recent interview with Fight Forecast, Dricus Du Plessis shared his thoughts on the upcoming UFC 320 clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira. The former middleweight champion credited Ankalaev for emerging victorious at UFC 313 but warned that “Poatan” will return sharper, and far more dangerous in the rematch as he looks to reclaim his crown.
“I’ve been looking at the training footage of Pereira for this one.” Du Plessis said. “He looks scary. He looks angry. And, you know, we’ll see what that loss did to him. He has come back from a loss and came back to reclaim the title, but, this fight is a big fight for him. Ankalaev now has that confidence, of course, of being the champion. But, I’m going to go with Pereira on this one.”
“Stillknocks” went on to say he believes Pereira has addressed the weaknesses that cost him in their first encounter and is confident the Brazilian will correct those mistakes to finish Ankalaev at UFC 320.
“It wasn’t the fact that he got taken down. It’s the fact that he got smothered… He’s going to need to keep his back off the fence, and I do believe that they’ve spent enough time working on that. Him taking some time away from the sport was good for him… I really don’t see this fight going the distance this time, but I’m putting my money on Alex Pereira to claim the title. I have to go with him.”
Before his loss to Ankalaev, Alex Pereira successfully defended the light heavyweight title three times in 2024, scoring back-to-back knockout victories over Khalil Rountree Jr., Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill. “Poatan” now boasts a 9-2 UFC record, with seven of those wins coming via devastating knockouts.
Australia’s Isaac Thomson has always been destined to fight. The son of a three-time Australian Muay Thai champion, Thomson recollects training with his mother for her fights at a young age, spending hours in the gym alongside her. It wasn’t long until he began to compete himself, making his MMA debut at just 15 years old, winning by TKO in the second round. With his family fully dedicated to supporting his dream of becoming the youngest UFC champion of all time, Isaac moved to Sacramento, California to train with Team Alpha Male.
Shortly after winning his first two professional fights, Thomson signed with the Legacy Fighting Alliance in 2021 at just 19 years old. He faced Dorian Ramos, in Ramos’ home state of Arizona for his promotional debut at LFA 119. This would be the first setback Thomson would face in his MMA career. Ramos showed relentless heart and pressure, and secured the win in the second round. After all the hype for this young prodigy, was it all too much too soon?
Real fighters are not the ones who score the great knockouts, or have the most followers on social media. Real fighters are the ones who face setbacks in both life and their career, yet are able to battle back, recorrect, and fight for their goals. After suffering his first defeat to Ramos, Thomson showcased all of these qualities.
Thomson with UFC Fighter Darren Elkins
Thomson returned to the LFA cage on January 23rd, 2023, over a year from his last fight. Reinvigorated, Thomson secured a unanimous decision victory against the tough Gary Konkol, who had double the professional experience. This was valuable as it showed Isaac had the heart, cardio, and toughness to win over the distance.
Thomson continued his success, winning by TKO for Idaho’s Front Street Fights promotion, before returning to the LFA cage to take on now UFC fighter, Lerryan Douglas. As of the writing of this piece, Thomson is the last man to defeat Douglas as he has since won five consecutive fights by knockout, securing a UFC contract in the process. In their matchup, Thomson utilizes fantastic kicks, landing a left headkick that knocked down Douglas and led to the finish. This is without a doubt the strongest win on Isaac’s resume, and was the perfect showcase of his sky high potential.
Thomson training with UFC champion and fellow Aussie Alexander Volkanovski
After defeating Colorado scrapper AJ Robb, Thompson faced his second setback as he dropped a split decision to the experienced Shaheen Santana. This time, Isaac shook off the close defeat and got back in the cage just four months later, defeating Israel Delgado by unanimous decision. He followed this by defeating Jeremy Henry at LFA 213, securing the first submission win of his career by rear naked choke in the first round.
Isaac Thomson’s journey leads us here to his first main event on October 3rd at LFA 219. The 8-2 Thomson will be facing 10-1 Uzbekistani Akbarjon Islomboev, potentially his toughest opponent yet. Headlining a card might be considered a career peak for many fighters, this is certainly not a surprise to Thomson, it is more akin to destiny. Born to be a fighter, this is just yet another milestone marker in the Aussies blossoming career. While the opportunity to become the youngest UFC champion may have passed, there is no doubt Isaac Thomson will be a name we hear for years to come.
Watch LFA 219: Thomson vs Islomboev on Friday, October 10th on UFC Fight Pass.
Former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka is ready for war on Saturday night in his UFC 320 clash with Khalil Rountree Jr.
For quite some time now, Jiri Prochazka has been recognized as one of the most entertaining fighters in all of mixed martial arts. Regardless of whether he wins or loses (he currently holds a 5-2 record in the UFC with his only losses coming to Alex Pereira), he puts on a show.
This weekend, Jiri Prochazka will have to dig deep into his bag of tricks when he locks horns with Khalil Rountree Jr, another light heavyweight contender who has been on an absolute tear over the course of the last few years.
With the winner hoping to earn another UFC title shot at 205 pounds, Jiri Prochazka has made it clear that he plans on leaving it all in the cage.
Jiri Prochazka prepares for battle against Khalil Rountree Jr
“I think he’s a dynamic, fast and a tough fighter. He knows how to go long rounds,” Prochazka told MMA Junkie and other reporters Monday at the UFC Performance Institute. “This is something that I needed, to have more patience in the fight and to not want to end it as soon as possible.
“I think that’s my strongest weapon and the other side is a little bit bad because I want to end it as soon as possible. So I’m going all the time. Every attack has to go through. That’s what I worked on. To work lightly, to be precise, and with that to have deadly attacks.”
“I’m always excited to show my performance to show that I made a step-up since the last preparation in January, so that’s it,” Prochazka said. “I’m just excited to be here and finally to go back to the cage.”
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has given his thoughts on what a good strategy would be if you’re hoping to try and defeat Khamzat Chimaev.
Right now, Merab Dvalishvili and Khamzat Chimaev are among two of the most exciting fighters in all of mixed martial arts. While Merab prepares to defend his strap for the third time at UFC 320 this weekend, Khamzat is still basking in the glory of his recent triumph over Dricus du Plessis that saw him become the new UFC middleweight champion.
As we look ahead to the future, it certainly seems like Khamzat Chimaev has a good chance of holding onto the belt for a long time. With that being said, it all comes down to how his opponents approach their fights against him. ‘Borz’ is known for smothering his opponents and making them feel incredibly uncomfortable, specializing in a style that often helps him make it look easy when he takes on his foes.
In a recent interview, Merab Dvalishvili gave his thoughts on what the key to victory might be for anyone who dares step into the cage to face Khamzat.
Merab Dvalishvili’s view on Khamzat Chimaev
“I don’t want to fight Khamzat. But if you want to fight Khamzat, you must know jiu-jitsu very well: escape positions, create space, bottom leg out, and get up. Also, when you’re standing, you have to do work.
“You should not just walk to Khamzat like Kevin Holland. You have to run away, keep distance, because Khamzat touches and shoots. You have to run, take your time, and know how to get up like Gilbert Burns did when escaping.”
Former UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal has called for a long-awaited showdown with Leon Edwards as part of the UFC White House card.
As we know, Jorge Masvidal has had a problem with Leon Edwards for many years now. It goes back to the infamous incident backstage at UFC London, during which ‘Gamebred’ attacked ‘Rocky’ following a back and forth exchange between the two. While they’ve come close to colliding in the cage in the past, it’s never quite come to fruition.
While both men are in a tricky spot in their respective careers, Leon Edwards was able to kick on and become UFC welterweight champion. Jorge Masvidal, meanwhile, is eyeing up a return to the UFC after a few years away.
In a recent chat with Henry Cejudo, Jorge Masvidal made it crystal clear that he is still interested in competing against the Englishman.
Jorge Masvidal wants to fight Leon Edwards at the White House 👀
"Leon I will beat the f*** out of you at the White House. Just like America kicked England's ass…
I'll go crazy on this motherf***er bro. I'll get in shape for you Leon don't worry." pic.twitter.com/WH0FvDqcXX
“If you’re watching this [Leon], I’ll f***ing beat the f*** out of you at the White House. Leon, I will beat the f***ing dogs*** out of you, just to say America, kicked f***ing England’s ass for trying to take over our s***.
“We had to send y’all back, I’m gonna send you back in the same way. On a ship back home. 4th July, America’s birthday, brother. Let them make the mistake and send you as a representative for England. I will crash that party, brother. I’ll go crazy on this motherf***er, bro. I’ll get in shape for you Leon, don’t worry about it brother”
UFC veteran Chael Sonnen has explained why he wants to see a bizarre crossover fight take place between Dillon Danis and Eddie Hall.
For the longest time now, Dillon Danis has been among the top 10 most hated fighters in mixed martial arts – and potentially combat sports as a whole. After an initially promising start to his MMA career, Danis seemed to fall back on his friendship with Conor McGregor. In addition to that, he opted to troll just about everyone he could on social media, which really became his ‘signature’ move.
Nowadays, though, it seems as if Dillon Danis is working his way into a position of prominence in the influencer fighting scene. There have even been suggestions that he wants to square off with Eddie Hall who, for those who don’t know, is a former World’s Strongest Man. While that may seem like an absolutely insane idea, it’d likely be in a setting that would allow Dillon to utilize his jiu-jitsu skills.
Either way, in the current landscape, Dillon Danis vs Eddie Hall is a fight that can actually happen – whether you love it or hate it. Chael Sonnen, who has had his fair share to say on the influencer scene, recently had the following thoughts on Danis vs Hall.
Chael Sonnen wants to see Dillon Danis vs Eddie Hall
“Big guy, game vs smaller guy with skills. Story told many times. Fascinating. Promoter would book it, audience there. Eddie Hall will do it, Dillon will too.”
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has said that he wants to continue competing in combat sports until the age of 50.
Right now, Merab Dvalishvili is easily one of the best fighters in all of mixed martial arts. He is building quite the legacy for himself at 135 pounds, having already successfully defended the belt against Umar Nurmagomedov and Sean O’Malley. On Saturday night, he’ll attempt to defend the gold for the third straight time when he locks horns with Cory Sandhagen in the co-main event of UFC 320.
At the age of 34, Merab Dvalishvili has already cemented his position as one of the greatest bantamweights of all time. With that being said, it’s clear to see that ‘The Machine’ has some pretty lofty ambitions for himself – and that much is an understatement.
In a recent interview, Merab Dvalishvili declared that he wants to keep fighting for longer than the majority of professional MMA fighters ever have.
Merab Dvalishvili wants to fight until 50
“Yeah, I want to do my best. Uh so, um when I’m training, I do my best. When I’m fighting, I’m doing my best. But it’s MMA, you know, like it’s it always will come next guys, the best guys and whatever. Of course, plan is to keep in my belt long as possible, but I don’t think it’s realistic to me stay 16 more years champion. I may lose belt, I may win again, I may lose again, but I want to fight until 50. That’s the goal.”
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 Perth, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: Following her win at UFC Perth, Alexia Thainara debuts in the rankings at No. 14, replacing the woman she defeated, Loma Lookboonmee.
Women’s Flyweight: Following her UFC Perth loss, Luana Carolina departs the rankings. Gabriella Fernandes enters the rankings at No. 15.
Jasmine Jasudavicius moves up one spot to No. 5, swapping places with Maycee Barber (now No. 6).
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: Vinicius Oliveira moves up one spot to No. 12, swapping places with Rob Font (now No. 13).
Kyler Phillips moves up one spot to No. 14, swapping places with Marcus McGhee (now No. 15).
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: Joaquin Buckley moves up one spot to No. 7, swapping places with Michael Morales (now No. 8).
Middleweight: Caio Borralho moves up one spot to No. 7, swapping places with Robert Whittaker (now No. 8).
Brendan Allen moves up two spots to No. 9, while Michael “Venom” Page, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze all fall one spot to No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12, respectively.
Ikram Aliskerov enters the rankings at No. 15, pushing Roman Kopylov out of the rankings.
Light Heavyweight: Following his UFC Perth loss, Dominick Reyes falls one spot to No. 8, swapping places with Aleksandar Rakic (who moves up to No. 7).
Despite his win over Reyes, Carlos Ulberg remains at No. 3.
Rashad Evans is interwoven into the history of the UFC’s light heavyweight title and weighed in on the upcoming battle for the crown between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. Pereira vs. Ankalaev 2 takes place on Saturday, October 4th in the UFC 320 main event and Evans recently gave his thoughts on the bout during an appearance on ‘The Bohnfire’ with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie.
Their first fight took place in March at UFC 313 and for this sequel clash later on in the calendar year, ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans can see Pereira making some big adjustments after dropping the first Ankalaev fight by way of a unanimous decision.
When offering an overview of this meanignful matchup for the 205 pound crown he once held, Evans said [via MMA Junkie],
“This is a big fight for him because if he doesn’t win this fight, then his next step, he’s probably going to have to leave light heavyweight and go up to heavyweight. That would probably be the smartest move for him. I’m not saying that he can’t beat Ankalaev. But two in a row with him, it would be a tough one to go forward. Especially at the age he’s at right now. You don’t want to give anybody their eulogy or anything like that when they are a great performer, but at the same time, if he doesn’t win this fight, it’s like, do we plan on doing?”
Rashad Evans sees the Pereira vs. Ankalaev series evening up at UFC 320
Getting into the specifics of who he sees getting their hand raised when the dust settles this weekend, Evans stated [via MMA Junkie],
“I’m going to go with Alex Pereira. I feel he’s going to make the adjustments. I’ve got a lot of faith in his team. I think [Glover] Teixeira and Plinio [Cruz] are very good at making the adjustments that they need to. Alex, when I seen him last, he seems to be really locked in to doing what he needs to do in camp without the distractions and really just making sure he gets the training partners he needs to get. Fight from that place that he knows if he fights from that, he can win.”
Alexander Gustafsson could be back in action soon, though not inside the cage.
Even without a title to his name, Gustafsson earned recognition as one of the UFC’s premier light heavyweights, compiling an impressive record against elite competition thoughout his MMA career before retiring in 2022.
Image: UFC.com
However, according to a recent report from Swedish outlet Frontkick.online, “The Mauler” is gearing up for a fresh innings in combat sports, as he is reportedly in advanced talks to make his professional boxing debut with Misfits.
The report further noted that the former multi-time UFC title challenger could square off against a fellow Octagon veteran, should everything align as expected.
Exclusive 🚨 UFC Hall of Famer and three-time title contender Alexander Gustafsson 🇸🇪 turns to boxing. ”The Mauler” is currently in advanced negotiations with @MisfitsBoxing to face a fellow UFC veteran in the boxing ring, according to Frontkick’s sources. 🥊 pic.twitter.com/EQIHG4LKCp
Alexander Gustafsson initially seemed to step away from active competition following a fourth-round submission defeat to former title challenger Anthony Smith at UFC Stockholm in June 2019.
However, in June 2020, Gustafsson announced he would come out of retirement to make his UFC heavyweight debut. He faced former champion Fabrício Werdum at UFC Fight Island 3 in July, but the return didn’t go as planned, as he suffered a first-round submission loss.
The 38-year-old Swede remained inactive for another two years before returning to the Octagon in July 2022, moving back down to light heavyweight to face Nikita Krylov at UFC London. Unfortunately, his comeback was cut short, as he suffered a first-round knockout loss.
Alexander Gustafsson boasts a professional MMA record of 18-8, including a 10-8 mark in the UFC, highlighted by impressive victories over notable fighters such as Glover Teixeira, Jimi Manuwa, and Matt Hamill.
The UFC 320 card has been dealt its first disruption.
UFC 320 is set for this Saturday, October 4, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The pay-per-view event will be highlighted by a championship doubleheader, with UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev defending his title in a highly anticipated rematch against former champion Alex Pereira in the main event.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, reigning UFC bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili will aim for his third title defense of the year against perennial contender Cory Sandhagen.
Two titles headline in the Fight Capital 🏆🏆#UFC320 Fight Week has officially started!
However, just five days out from the event, the stacked UFC 320 card has already taken a hit, as Ozzy Diaz announced on Monday via social media that he is withdrawing from his middleweight bout against Ateba Gautier due to medical issues.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Gautier will take on a replacement opponent on such late notice, or if the bout has been completely canceled or postponed to a later date.
Diaz last competed at UFC 313 this past March, securing a unanimous decision victory over Djorden Santos to rebound from a first-round knockout loss to Zhang Mingyang in November 2024. “One Hit” boasts a professional record of 10-3, with nine of his wins coming by stoppage.
On the other hand, Gautier is coming off a first-round knockout win over Robert Valentin at UFC 318 in July, extending his undefeated knockout streak to seven fights. “The Silent Assassin” holds a professional record of 8-1, including 2-0 in the UFC.
Image: UFC.com
How Does The Complete UFC 320 Lineup Stack Up?
Beyond the two headline title fights, UFC 320 features a loaded lineup filled with exciting matchups. Former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka will make his return to the Octagon against ex-title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. Meanwhile, former interim featherweight title contender Josh Emmett is set to clash with Youssef Zalal.
Here’s the current fight card for UFC 320:
Main Card
Light heavyweight title bout: Magomed Ankalaev (c) vs. Alex Pereira
Bantamweight title bout: Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Cory Sandhagen
Light heavyweight bout: Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Featherweight bout: Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal
Middleweight bout: Abusupiyan Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer
Preliminary Card
Middleweight bout: Ateba Gautier vs. TBA
Middleweight bout: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. André Muniz
Bantamweight bout: Chris Gutiérrez vs. Farid Basharat
Featherweight bout: Daniel Santos vs. Yoo Joo-sang
Women’s bantamweight bout: Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos
Bantamweight bout: Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wikłacz
Welterweight bout: Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Welterweight bout: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford
Women’s flyweight bout: Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker
