UFC legend Jon Jones has claimed that he’d be interested in ending his mixed martial arts retirement in order to compete on the recently announced UFC White House card.
As we know, Jon Jones is a pretty controversial figure in this sport – and that’s us putting it lightly. He has had a series of personal and professional setbacks throughout the course of his career, many of which have harmed the public’s opinion of him. The most recent was him seemingly ducking a fight with Tom Aspinall, who is now the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
However, after the White House card was announced, things seemed to change for Jon Jones. He appeared to like the idea of being part of such an iconic event, and made it clear that he would be willing to come back.
In a recent interview, Jon Jones doubled down on that, suggesting that he’ll be coming after the UFC heavyweight championship once again.
Jon Jones is down to fight Tom Aspinall at the UFC White House event if he’s still the champion next year 👀🔥
“I have a very strong feeling I’ll be on that card.”
Jon Jones considers Tom Aspinall fight at White House
“I can’t promise anyone anything, but I have a very strong feeling that I’ll be on that card. It’s gonna be historic.”
“I would wanna take one whoever’s holding the belt at the end of the year.
“Well you know, as of right now, the champion is Tom Aspinall. But we’ll see who’s the champion at the end of the year. It’d be only fitting to have an American guy fight for the championship that night. I’d be willing to put it all on the line one more time.”
UFC 318 fight week is here, which means we are now days away from the final Octagon walk for a UFC legend in his hometown. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.
The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, July 19. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will see a highly-anticipated trilogy bout between two beloved fighters, as BMF champion Max Holloway defends the title against Dustin Poirier, who will be retiring following the fight.
Poirier comes into this fight 2-0 against “Blessed.” “The Diamond” faced Holloway at featherweight at UFC 143, which marked the UFC debut for then-20-year-old Holloway. Poirier submitted Holloway in the first round. The two then met in the main event of UFC 236, which marked Holloway’s first lightweight bout in the UFC. Poirier defeated the then-featherweight champion by decision, claiming the interim lightweight title.
Both men enter this fight off losses. Poirier was unsuccessful in challenging then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway, meanwhile, was knocked out for the first time in his career against then-featherweight champion (and now new lightweight king) Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will feature Paulo Costa taking on Roman Kopylov in middleweight action. This fight was scheduled to take place at UFC 317 last month before being moved to this card. Costa fought twice in 2024, losing to former middleweight champs Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland, making it four losses in Costa’s last five fights. It was Costa’s first time fighting more than once in a year since 2017. Kopylov, meanwhile, has won six of his last seven, most recently scoring a third-round TKO of Chris Curtis in January.
The rest of the UFC 318 main card will see a welterweight bout between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, Patricio Pitbull facing Dan Ige in the former Bellator champ’s second UFC appearance, and Michael Johnson facing Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 318 just a couple of short days away, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through seven cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (20-12) Thomas Albano (19-13)
Ryan Jarrell (18-14)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 318!
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This is one of those classic crossroads matchups where two generations collide. Zellhuber is on the rise, and even his razor-thin split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics did more to raise his stock than to diminish it. He’s scrappy when the pace picks up, and he also possesses a finishing instinct that can swing a fight in his favor.
On the other side, Johnson is the ultimate spoiler. He’s derailed the momentum of elite names in the past and has quietly looked sharper in his recent outings. Give him even a small opening, and he’ll use his experience to take control of a fight. However, I’m not convinced he can match fire with fire against a younger, faster “Golden Boy.” For me, this feels like a straightforward pick. I’m backing Zellhuber to outpace Johnson and make a statement against a seasoned veteran. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Thomas Albano: Michael Johnson is always a pleasure to see fight. Though he never reached the pinnacle in his career, he’s usually in competitive outings even today and is always a tough test for an up-and-comer. So, this is going to be a good test for Daniel Zellhuber in the wake of his loss to Esteban Ribovics in the 2024 Fight of the Year. Johnson might be able to take a punch and fire one back, presenting a strong back-and-forth battle, but Zellhuber is younger, quicker, and has the advantages in reach and height. Johnson may have power, but he’ll need a chin, an aggressive pace, and then some to match the volume and speed of Zellhuber. I don’t think “The Menace” does that. Give me Zellhuber – either via a finish in the second half of the fight or a strong decision win. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Ryan Jarrell: If this fight was happening circa 2015 I would have a very different take. But we are midway through 2025 now, and Michael Johnson is almost 40 years old. “The Menace” is not nearly as menacing as he once was, and Zellhuber has all the tools to show out in this fight. The “Golden Boy” is younger, taller, longer and probably coming into this fight with a chip on his shoulder after losing a razor close split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics last September. I just don’t see any where Johnson can beat Zellhuber in this fight. I expect Daniel to use his range and frustrate Johnson until he makes a mistake and leaves an opening for the “Golden Boy” to close the show. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Consensus: 3-0 Zellhuber
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Images: UFC.com & Bellator YouTube
Pranav Pandey: Dan Ige is easily one of the most resilient fighters in the featherweight division. Time and again, he’s shown the ability to weather adversity and remain composed under pressure. Despite facing some of the division’s toughest names, no one has been able to finish him, which speaks volumes about his durability. Still, inconsistency continues to be his biggest hurdle, preventing him from truly breaking through.
As for Patricio Pitbull, his UFC debut was a rough one. He was soundly beaten by Yair Rodriguez, and it’s fair to say he hasn’t quite looked like the dominant force we saw during his Bellator reign. His recent performances haven’t helped that perception either. Still, this fight feels like a closely contested battle. If Pitbull can control the pace with takedowns and avoid the heavy hands of “50K”, he has a clear route to victory. But pulling it off will be anything but easy. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Thomas Albano: Patricio Pitbull did not look great in his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez outstruck him, outpaced him, and even did better on the ground against him. Pitbull even had questionable Fight IQ in the bout. Now it’s one thing to lose a competitive fight against a former interim UFC champ like Rodriguez; it’s another to lose in the fashion that he did, getting swept on the scorecards. Pitbull, however, has a strong opportunity in front of him in someone like Dan Ige. Ige is tough in his own right and has quite the chin and heart to be called a UFC fighter, even if he’s lower ranked in the contender standings and has lost three of his last five. Ige did get a strong rebound win by finishing Sean Woodson last time out.
Pitbull’s ground expertise will be matched up against someone with a collegiate wrestling background. Pitbull’s chin will be tested by Ige’s strikes, and vice versa. This is going to be an ultimate test, and there are plenty of people who doubt Pitbull based on how he looked against Rodriguez. I’m going to say Pitbull just cracked under the first-time pressure lights and will rebound against Ige.
That said, if Pitbull loses this fight, or he has another bad performance win or lose, then we have to question not only if he made the UFC jump too late, but also if he’s even competitive with the 145ers the UFC has. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tough one to pick confidently as both guys are very well rounded and seem to have a somewhat even skillset, or so it seems. Pitbull got off to a slow start in his UFC debut against Yair and it makes me wonder if that was the octagon jitters that a lot of fighters have when making their UFC debut, or if he may be starting his run in the big show just a touch too late in his career. Having said that, I expect to see a much more desperate Pitbull who will start strong and put the pressure on Ige from the opening bell. Patricio Pitbull has a ton of pride and he will find a way to will himself to his first victory as a UFC fighter. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Consensus: 3-0 Pitbull
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Truth be told, Kevin Holland has been showing real improvement after hitting a rough patch. Let’s not forget, most of his losses came against elite competition who exposed gaps in his overall game. But with “Trailblazer,” unpredictability is always part of the package. You never really know what you’re going to get, except that it’ll be entertaining.
On the other side, Rodriguez is a tough, durable opponent who’s managed to bounce back with two straight wins after dropping three in a row. He’s got heavy hands and a gritty style, but one thing that stands out is his tendency to slow down in the later rounds. Against someone like Holland, who thrives when the pace picks up, that could be a real problem.
I see this fight leaning in Holland’s favor, especially if he stays aggressive and maintains his rhythm. If he keeps the pressure on, I believe he gets it done. (Prediction: Holland)
Thomas Albano: Kevin Holland has come into question in the past over how serious he takes his fights; however, he’s really looked like he’s living up to potential in his last couple of outings. Since dropping back to welterweight earlier this year, Holland has racked up back-to-back performance bonuses in wins over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque – the latter coming just last month at UFC 316. D-Rod has recently claimed wins over Alex Morono and Santiago Ponzinibbio, but it doesn’t scream ready for a guy like Holland – especially since he was on a three-fight skid before those two wins.
Holland’s got the height and reach advantages, and he’s actually the younger fighter with MORE fight experience despite arriving to the UFC a couple of years before Rodriguez. I’m staying hopeful that Holland is finding a true place for himself at 170 and scores a statement win here. (Prediction: Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Kevin Holland is coming off two consecutive impressive wins over Gunner Nelson and Vicente Luque. ‘Big Mouth’ is way more dangerous at welterweight than when he fights the naturally thicker competition at Middleweight. Additionally, Holland has a seven inch reach advantage and is six years younger than Rodriguez. Look for Kevin to make it three wins in a row at 170 and start to make some real noise in the division he should have been in all along. (Prediction: Holland)
Consensus: 3-0 Holland
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This might just be one of the most exciting fights on the entire card, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. Kopylov has quietly put together an impressive run, and while that submission loss to Anthony Hernandez stands out on paper, it doesn’t tell the full story of how skilled he really is. His striking is razor-sharp, he carries serious knockout power, and stylistically, he’s a nightmare if you give him space to operate. The big question now is whether he can handle someone like Paulo Costa.
Now, let’s be honest. Costa hasn’t looked like the wrecking ball he once was. A string of losses, inactivity, and some questionable performances have taken the shine off his name. But still, when he’s locked in, “Borrachinha” is an absolute menace. I don’t think Kopylov will be rushing in blindly, because once Costa starts moving forward with intent, he’s like a pressure-cooker with fists.
To me, this feels like a make-or-break fight for Costa. I believe he knows the stakes and will come into this one with a renewed sense of urgency. That said, he’ll need to be cautious, because Kopylov’s well-rounded skill set can pose real problems if Costa lets his foot off the gas. (Prediction: Costa)
Thomas Albano: There is zero chance I ride with Costa in this fight. I was barely on his hype train when he made his way up, and he lost all credibility with me as a legitimate contender when he had the performance that he had against Israel Adesanya. That said, I’ll give him this – he actually fought more than once in a year last year and he looked great when facing Sean Strickland his last time out. At least three of Costa’s losses are not bad in terms of opponent (and the thing with the Marvin Vettori fight is that it was out of the division technically), but it’s hard when you’re a fighter on that kind of skid, and you’re taking on someone who’s on the rise such as Kopylov.
Kopylov has power in his strikes that can match Costa’s. He’s also got good footwork and a developing wrestling game on top of that. Costa needs the win here; however, Kopylov will make a strong statement by coming out on top with a strong performance. Given Kopylov’s rise and slowly developing all-roundness, I’m going to pick him via decision. (Prediction: Kopylov)
Ryan Jarrell: I am trying not to overthink this one, because when I do I find all these reasons why Kopylov wins. But my initial instinct was to lean Costa because of his boxing and power. Roman is definitely a wild card and has the tools to beat almost anyone at middleweight on any given night. But Paulo has fought the tougher competition and his only losses are to the absolute best in the division. I believe Costa will dictate where this fight takes place and his power will lead to him to a decision victory. (Prediction: Costa)
Consensus: 2-1 Costa
Lightweight: BMF Title: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Images: UFC.com & UFC YouTube
Pranav Pandey: These two warriors know each other like the back of their bruised hands. Both men have shown time and again that they can crank up the violence on command, and while we’ve seen nearly everything from these all-action veterans, there’s still something magnetic about watching them collide. Their last meeting was a fan-favorite classic filled with nonstop action.
Poirier is stepping into the Octagon one last time against the very man he’s already beaten twice. But don’t let that 2-0 record fool you; this is no victory lap. “The Diamond” is throwing himself into the fire once again, fully aware of how dangerous “Blessed” can be. Yes, Holloway is coming off a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, but let’s not kid ourselves. This is a different opponent, a different stage, and a different Max.
Like Poirier, Holloway doesn’t know how to take a backward step. He’s made a career out of throwing volume like a man possessed. And while I fully expect another chaotic war, I have a strong feeling it won’t go the distance. I think Holloway has absorbed more cumulative damage over the years, and that wear and tear might finally catch up to him. If Poirier stays disciplined and avoids diving into those adrenaline-fueled guillotines, I believe “The Diamond” gets the finish and the storybook ending he’s been chasing. (Prediction: Poirier)
Thomas Albano: Throughout my journey from teenhood to adulthood, I’ve watched the rises of Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, and I’ve watched their first two encounters in the Octagon. Now, I get to witness their third. These two have become my favorite fighters today, and in the words of Tim McGraw, I love it, I hate it, I want some more of it. I loved the battles between these two that have already happened. I love that Poirier gets to end his career in this kind of fight. But it stinks that one of these two is going to have to lose this matchup. I just hope it doesn’t end in a way where we’re going to talk about someone’s stock (namely Holloway since he’s still going to be fighting after this) dropping.
Now for the fight itself, this is the hardest pick of the night. Something might seem in the air that makes it feel like the third time is going to be the charm for Holloway. I don’t doubt that and wouldn’t put it past Holloway to win this; however, I have my concerns. Dana White had some skepticism about Holloway in terms of his size when first trying out lightweight – back when he and Poirier fought for the second time. Holloway looked more even in terms of size when he fought Gaethje, but will Poirier still look like the bigger fighter when they match up again? My thoughts say yes – even with Holloway as the slightly taller fighter.
The concern for Holloway is if he’ll be able to work around Poirier’s reach. The concern for Poirier is if his chin can handle the boxing of Holloway. I could say Poirier has the edge if this one goes to the ground, but who am I kidding? This is NOT going to the ground unless someone gets a knockdown. This one’s tough, and I wouldn’t bet on this unless it’s a go the distance prop, but I’ll take Poirier to ride into the sunset with a win – either by a narrow unanimous decision (48-47s on all three cards?) or a controversial split decision. (Prediction: Poirier)
Ryan Jarrell: These are two of my all time favorite fighters so I’d love to say this fight ends in a draw so neither man takes a loss on their record. But that’s not going to happen. The last time these two fought was back in 2019 when Dustin won a unanimous decision over 5 exciting action packed rounds. It is safe to say that both men have evolved tremendously since that contest, so we may be in for absolute treat as fans for this hugely anticipated main event scrap. I belief this will be a very even matchup on the feet and I do expect it to stay on the feet for the majority of the fight. Ultimately, I think ‘The Diamond’ will have the more meaningful moments and land more significant strikes en route to a decision victory and sail off into retirement on a high note. (Prediction: Poirier)
Consensus: 3-0 Poirier
That’ll do it for our UFC 318 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, you can check out the full UFC 318 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
Welterweight: Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Robert Valentin
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Łukasz Brzeski
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari
While Robert Valentin encountered some difficulties doing tape study for Ateba Gautier, he thinks he will have the durability and on the job experience to put on a memorable performance. Valentin vs. Gautier will transpire at UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 on July 19th. Valentin appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to touch on seveal subjects including fighting someone this weekend that some people are calling ‘the middleweight Francis Ngannou.’
When expounding upon how if he gets his ideal outcome on Saturday night that a victory over someone being buzzed about like this could give him a lot of momentum in his career, Robert Valentin said,
“Yeah, definitely. I mean getting an opportunity to fight a guy with like you said such hype behind his name. I mean even if they call him the little Ngannou or middleweight Ngannou, that’s a big name to put behind someone. So that’s definitely also [an] opportunity for me to capitalize on and yeah, I’m looking forward to.”
Robert Valentin gets into the X’s and O’s of this Ateba Gautier clash
In terms of the overall resume and skillset of Ateba Gautier heading into this matchup in the coming days at UFC 318, Robert Valentin stated,
“So you definitely see an individual who is very athletic and big and strong. It was still very hard to analyze him before the fight. Just because of the level of competition he faced. It’s very hard to tell how he fights when the fight gets tough, when the opponent is resisting, you know. He has eight professional fights and kind of all of them, they were not really giving him a fight.”
“So I think in regards of that, there is definitely some room for interpretation. But also for me, an advantage in the experience of facing higher level opponents. So yeah, all of that in combination with an athletic and strong opponent, yeah, it’s like a surprise box. You don’t know what you get out of it. But it’s definitely a recipe for a f***ing good fight.”
After a pair of first round finishes punched his ticket to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter season 32, Valentin is still looking for his first win on the UFC main stage. This on the heels of his controversial loss to Torrez Finney via split decision in April. ‘Robzilla’ initially cut his teeth on circuits like Levels Fight League and Ares FC before entering the TUF house.
On November 22, 2025, a significant change will take place in the world of boxing broadcasts as DAZN and Turki Alalshikh, chairman overseeing Riyadh Season boxing events, move away from the pay-per-view model for select major events. The announcement was made following a meeting between Alalshikh and DAZN CEO Shay Segev, resulting in a revised policy that will grant all DAZN subscribers access to Riyadh Season and Ring-branded boxing events without additional PPV fees.
Turki and DAZN Ditch PPV
This change is timed to begin with the “Ring IV” show, which is scheduled for November 22, 2025. All subsequent Riyadh Season and Ring events aired on DAZN will be included as part of the standard subscription, eliminating the need for fans to pay extra for high-profile fights. Turki Alalshikh and DAZN leadership cited a shared desire to reach a broader boxing audience and reduce the barriers created by escalating PPV costs. They stated that the PPV model has negatively impacted the sport by limiting its accessibility and said that Riyadh’s investment in boxing allows for large fight purses without depending on PPV receipts.
The new policy applies to all Ring and Riyadh Season boxing events moving forward, marking a departure from a business model that has dominated major fight broadcasts for decades. Until the “Ring IV” event, two more PPV shows are scheduled on DAZN before the new approach takes effect. The policy shift means that DAZN subscribers will only need to pay their normal monthly fee for access to these events, consistent with DAZN’s original promise of being a subscription-based streaming platform for live sports.
On Social Media, Turki Alalshikh wrote:
“Great meeting with my brother Shay, CEO of DAZN. We have big vision to grow boxing and decide: No More Pay-Per-View. Starting with our [Ring Magazine] show in November, all Riyadh Season & The Ring events will be free to DAZN subscribers. The PPV model has damaged boxing, and we will no longer support it. We are with the fight fans.”
With DAZN and Riyadh Season removing extra charges for their marquee boxing cards, fans will be able to watch world title fights and major matchups under a single subscription. The decision also addresses long-standing complaints within the boxing community regarding fragmentation and high costs to watch important fights. Industry observers note that Saudi Arabia’s financial commitment to boxing enables this move and may put pressure on other promoters and broadcasters to reconsider PPV models if DAZN’s strategy proves effective in both reaching new fans and retaining subscribers.
The November launch event, “Night of the Champions,” will serve as the first showcase under this system, featuring four world title bouts. This change signals a new distribution model for top-tier boxing and may influence the way other rights holders structure their future broadcasting agreements.
Turki Alalshikh announced he’s eliminating pay-per-view for ALL future events beginning in November 🤯
“The PPV model has damaged boxing, we will no longer support it. We are with the fans.” 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QgRwGFNaLy
Misfits Boxing 22 has announced some intriguing matchups for this late-August offering which features a trifecta of big name former UFC stars. Tony Ferguson will embark on his first competitive combat sports effort following his UFC departure and on the heels of his GFL fight with Dillon Danis not materializing with the Global Fight League cancelling their pair of kickoff cards for the end of May.
August 30th at the AO Arena in Manchester, England will play host to the boxing debut of the former interim UFC lightweight champion. ‘El Cucuy’ will throw down under Queensberry Rules against the influencer Salt Papi (AKA Nathaniel Bustamante) who has multiple bouts on the Misifts circuit so far.
Ferguson vs. Papi is positioned as a co-main event clash underneath a sweet science throwdown between a former UFC welterweight title challenger and a former middleweight champion in Strikeforce as well as UFC. Darren Till will don the big gloves to test skills with Luke Rockhold in the final fight of Misfits Boxing 22 with championship hardware attached to both of these prizefights. Ferguson versus Papi will be a battle for the MFB interim middleweight title while Till versus Rockhold will be for the MFB bridgerweight championship.
Misfits Boxing 22 and a brief overview of these two title bouts
Misfits Boxing 22 already includes four familiar names, whether in a localized way under the MFB banner or in combat sports in a more overarching way, but what do the respective paths of these four fighters look like heading into this end of Summer offering? Tony Ferguson looks to return to the win column after an eight fight losing streak in the UFC saw him depart the octagon after a final setback to Michael Chiesa during a losing skid where he was finished five times.
Salt Papi has the influencer cache with millions of followers across TikTok and YouTube while boasting a boxing record of 6-2 on the influencer fighting circuit. Darren Till has put together a 3-0 record on the boxing scene since his time with the UFC came to an end with the Englishman’s last Queensberry Rules matchup taking place on the previous Misfits Boxing card in May.
Also, Luke Rockhold has had one of the more nomadic journeys in a way as he has truly explored his independent contractor freedoms across multiple martial arts disciplines since his own UFC departure. Rockhold fought Mike Perry in BKFC, finished Joe Schilling in the Karate Combat pit, grappled as part of the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational, and had his own planned GFL fight fall out in what was supposed to be a rematch with Chris Weidman.
BKFC has always had it’s home operations based in Philadelphia but relatively recently getting the green light to throw bare-knuckle cards in that city in 2025 has produced some incredible results for the company with their BKFC Philly series so far. Appearing on Bowks Talking Bouts, BKFC commentator Sean Wheelock covered several subjects with a particular focus on the multi-event run that Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has had in the Pennsylvania city.
BKFC KnuckleMania 5 broke an attendance record in the city for indoor Philadelphia fight cards and is the largest fight crowd that city had seen in over half a century. In September of 1952, Rocky Marciano and Jersey Joe Walcott had their first fight at Municipal Stadium which has held the Philly attendance record for a combat sports event since that date with over 40,000 live and in-person. The fifth instalment of BKFC’s tentpole event which featured a headlining attraction of Eddie Alvarez clashing with Jeremy Stephens produced a sold out BKFC Philly crowd where just shy of 18,000 fans were live in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center for the night of gloveless combat.
When discussing BKFC Philly with the Wells Fargo effort as well as the focus on the 2300 Arena aka the old ECW arena where the promotion returns on July 25th, Wheelock said,
“So it took a change in leadership. Greg Sirb who, my wife is English and there’s a great English expression, she would say he’s been there since the year dot. Which means he’s been there a very long time, right. Greg Sirb had been there from the year dot. Greg Sirb was not a fan of bare knuckle. Although interestingly he showed up even though he’s retired at BKFC KnuckleMania 5 [laughs] in Philadelphia. But I would not know his motivations for that. He seemed like he enjoyed himself. Greg Sirb was a person who was adamant in keeping bare knuckle out of his state of Philadelphia when he ran the commission, he retired, he was successful in doing so.”
“Fantastic guy named Ed Kunkle, one of the best regulators in the country who used to be a deputy in New York, took over that job and now it happened. That’s really how it works in regulatory world. You have to have someone in a high position being the executive director, chairman of the commission, leuiteneant governor of your state, governor of the state to want it and if there’s someone who doesn’t want it, it’s probably not going to happen. So in Greg Sirb, you had someone who did not want bare knuckle and in Ed Kunkle you had someone who did and Ed Kunkle has been great.”
BKFC Philly’s massive entrance into the market in 2025
Further delving into the historical significance of the massive BKFC Philly effort in January, Wheelock continued, “I was happy we were able to reward that state and that athletic commission with 17,800 paying customers on the Pennsylvania debut for bare knuckle back in January in Philadelphia. As you said yeah, it was the largest combat sports crowd [in Philadelphia] since Jersey Joe Walcott-Rocky Marciano, 1951… Which is unbelievable to me. Bigger than the UFCs that have been there, bigger than the Joe Frazier fights, but we did.”
“It was legitimate, there was not papering of that house, there weren’t comped tickets… So many celebrities, so many important people in state government, so many people who needed that access to be right in the front row. It was a really incredible night. We’ve had some pretty special, amazing nights in BKFC. But right now through I believe 126 shows, that for me is number one.”
Dana White and Francis Ngannou have an infamous public rivalry with one another but there are people in the combat sports world who seem to manage to be on good terms with both. Appearing on MMA Canada, Karim Henniene will now take on Asiashu Tshitamba at PFL Africa 1 on July 19th. At the time of the recording, Antero dos Santos was the initial opponent for Henniene before dos Santos withdrew.
Combing back through some of his earlier outings on the Canadian mixed martial arts scene, it was referenced when Henniene got a photo op with Dana White in Toronto. This meeting took place at Unified MMA 55 which went down amid the UFC 297 fight week that transpired in the same Ontario city. When discussing the win inside of Rebel that night and the meeting with the UFC figurehead, Henniene said,
“Yeah, I got to be honest, that was surreal. Like I don’t know. I’ve watched all the interview(s) of Dana. I’m watching the UFC since Royce Gracie and yeah, he was just there. I saw him and I was just, ‘hey, Dana, I fought tonight.’ He told me ‘did you won?’ I was like ‘of course’ and he was like ‘come over here’ and then we talked. He was like ‘oh, how old are you? What’s your record?’ Like we had a little chat. It was nice and afterward we got a picture and that was all. But yeah, that was really a great experience to fight in front of the UFC.”
PFL Africa’s magnitude in the eyes of Karim Henniene
‘The Kryptonian’ is fairly well travelled over the big Canadian regional circuits despite his relatively brief career at 4-0 in professional mixed martial arts. Henniene has cut his teeth for Unified MMA (as mentioned) which many see as the biggest MMA show in Canada today, Samourai MMA which has a strong presence in Quebec, and his first two pro fights being with BTC Fight Promotions who have been stalwarts in a sometimes tragically underserved Ontario market.
While he mentioned it was great to fight in front of the UFC figurehead in Toronto, that same feeling seems to be there heading into this Smart Cage foray that will see him fight in front of the PFL Africa chairman Francis Ngannou. When addressing his excitement being part of this inaugural foray into Africa for the PFL, Henniene stated,
“Yeah, for sure. I’m excited to see Francis Ngannou here, courtside or ringside we call it. But yeah, it’s a pleasure to fight in front of Francis Ngannou and the PFL team.”
For his finals parting thoughts in the interview, Henniene quipped,
“I’m ahead to make history. I’ll be the first Algerian-Canadian to win the belt in PFL Africa. So yeah, keep up with my journey and I’ll do the work just for my fans.”
PFL Africa 1 is headlined by Johnny Eblen who will defend his middleweight strap against Costello Van Steenis on Saturday.
Rafael Fiziev was able to return to the win column after a three fight losing skid and a sparring partner of the talented lightweight has offered some thoughts on Fiziev’s return to form at UFC Baku. Appearing on MMA Canada, Karim Henniene will make his first foray into the smart cage as the company goes to Africa for the first time with PFL Africa 1 on July 19th.
Henniene is a well travelled fighter across several of Canada’s big regional circuits and the 4-0 pro MMA fighter is also well travelled in terms of gyms he has hone his skills within. Some of these gyms include Kill Cliff FC and Bangtao Muay Thai with Henniene working with Fiziev in the latter space.
When getting into some aspects of the training dynamics with the super exciting 155 pound UFC fighter and the key victory Fiziev secured in the octagon on June 21st, Henniene said,
“Yeah, exactly. I was in Thailand. I trained at Bangtao. I got some good rounds with Rafael Fiziev, one of the best strikers in the world. So at this point, I don’t think anyone can surprise me with any striking… I know exactly he was going to win and like now that I’ve sparred him, I know exactly what kind of combination he’s going to throw and how he throw it.”
“Yeah that was really fun to see and beautiful technique and everything. How he goes to the body and to the head. Yeah, distance control when he had to close the distance. He don’t go only to the head. He goes body, body, head, distance, he get back in. Body, body, head. Like yeah, that was beautiful to see, definitely.”
Rafael Fiziev and the story of his UFC Baku journey
Rafael Fiziev found himself in a tough career spot as the partisan pugilist headed into the cage for his fight in Azerbaijan. ‘Ataman’ entered the cage at UFC Baku on the heels of three setbacks with a pair of losses to former interim UFC lightweight champion and former BMF champion Justin Gaethje bookending an injury-based loss to Mateusz Gamrot. Fiziev had his back against the wall and faced a stiff test in front of him in the form of a game combatant in Ignacio Bahamondes.
When all was said and done with their UFC Baku co-main event clash, it was Fiziev would emerge victorious over Bahamondes by way of a unanimous decision. Fiziev is now the number eleven ranked lightweight competititor in the UFC’s rankings hierarchy, as of this writing.
Sebastian Fundora has collected multiple world titles in the boxing ring with his sisters Gabriela and Fabiola inspiring him along this journey of his that could maybe see him someday enter the ring in a different capacity. On a recent episode of Bowks Talking Bouts, Fundora touched on multiple topics as he prepares for a rematch with Tim Tszyu following their barnburner initial fight with their sequel clash serving as the penultimate fight of the night before Manny Pacquiao challenges for Mario Barrios’ WBC welterweight crown.
His sister is a massively successful purveyor of pugilism as well and has cemented herself in the history books of the sport. When offering up his thoughts on sister Garbiela Fundora becoming the youngest undisputed champion, male or female, in the history of boxing at 22 years old, Sebastian Fundora said,
“Of course, of course, you know. Me and my father, we; my father’s always working with her, I’m always seeing her train. Seeing her do her thing in the ring and stamping to everybody that she’s the best female fighter in the world right now, it’s nice to see. It’s nice to see because I see how much work she puts in the ring. I see how much work she puts into the gym. Now instead of me saying it, it’s proven. So just the fact she goes out and does her thing, it’s great for the whole family.”
Sebastian Fundora on ‘interesting’ future path that pro wrestling may provide
Thw two siblings seem to have a strong bond which also came across when Sebastian and Gabriela Fundora attended a CMLL show ringside somewhat recently. Sebastian Fundora then articulated on social media that in another life, he could see himself endeavouring to be a professional wrestler. When discussing what the experience was like being ringside for one of the most established lucha libre promotions there is, Fundora stated,
“Oh yeah, it’s great, it’s great. My little, my youngest sister Fabiola, she’s a big wrestling fan right now with WWE. Of course Lucha is a whole different world, the crowd, the way they do things is a lot different over there but it’s still just as exciting. So right now I’m just watching all the wrestling with her, observing it all as a show. As entertainment but also as the sport itself. It’s interesting. It’s interesting, who knows where life takes me after boxing? I feel like I have the size for it. Maybe put on some weight. but who knows in the future?”
When the idea was suggested to pair up boxing’s tallest champion in the current pound for pound landscape with the shortest wrestler on whatever roster he joins if he does step into the wrestling ring someday, Fundora quipped,
“[laughs] You know what, a mini me, that would be pretty cool.”
Don’t try to outshine Conor McGregor — whether you believe him or not.
Just as news drops of Jon Jones explaining his plans to unretire and confirming his intentions to compete at the UFC’s White House card next year, McGregor makes his own claim of the same nature.
Talking to The Schmo, McGregor confirmed his intentions to return for the major UFC card in July 2026.
🚨”I’m Back in The Pool. So get ready and stay ready. Damage will be Done.” @TheNotoriousMMA
“They’re testing me. I’m in the pool,” McGregor told The Schmo. “That’s what pools are for — jumping in and out. But I’m back in the pool. So get ready and stay ready, because damage will be done.”
Conor McGregor Confirms Desire To Be On UFC Card At The White House
Following an announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump, UFC officials, including UFC CEO and President Dana White have confirmed plans for a UFC card on the White House grounds during the U.S. Semiquincentennial next July 4.
McGregor has been out of action since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. Plans were in motion for McGregor to return following his stint as a coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, taking on rival coach Michael Chandler. After a drawn-out negotiation, however, McGregor vs. Chandler was scheduled for UFC 303 — only to be canceled a few weeks before the event.
While a toe injury is the given reason for the fight falling through, some reports have claimed contract issues between McGregor and the promotion. McGregor has two fights remaining on his current deal and wants to fight the contract out; meanwhile, the UFC wants to lock McGregor up under another contract.
McGregor has been focused on his role as a part-owner of the BKFC, recently promoting its upcoming $25 million tournament and new signings, as well as getting into a confrontation with Mike Perry.
BKFC President David Feldman, during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, says McGregor told him of his intentions to fight on the White House card and then have one last fight with the UFC after. He teased that after completing his UFC contract, McGregor might potentially fight in BKFC.
“He’s got two fights left on his contract,” Feldman said. “He told me in person. He whispered in my ear. He said, ‘I’m in the testing pool.’ He said, ‘I’m getting ready to make my comeback. I’m going to fight on that big card, and then I’m going to have another fight, and then we can talk.”
The saga of Jon Jones’ retirement and unretirement decision has been one that stretched back to when it was debated if he’d retire after facing Stipe Miocic — and it’s ongoing in the wake of his decision to unretire just two weeks after doing so and giving up the UFC heavyweight championship.
And now, Jones has publicly given an explanation for his decision to both retire and unretire quickly.
Jones was present at ESPN’s ESPY Awards show on July 16 and appeared on the red carpet. It was at the event’s Red Carpet show where Jones gave an interview, allowing him to give insight on his decision.
“I felt like I was at a place where I’ve done it all in the MMA space and felt like there wasn’t too many more challenges for me,” Jones told ESPN. “I just wanted to do something more than championships and money — and Donald Trump mentioned that he wanted to have a fight at the White House Garden, and that just seems like such a huge opportunity.”
Jon Jones Confirms His Intention To Compete On UFC White House Card
Following Trump’s announcement of a UFC White House card, UFC officials would confirm the plan was being explored. In the days since, UFC CEO and President Dana White has confirmed such plans are in motion. White has promised to bring the “baddest” and most anticipated UFC pay-per-view card ever next July 4.
While logistics for the event still have to be worked out, White has mentioned that he sees a long-overdue fight between Jones and Aspinall as a “dream main event” for the card.
Conor McGregor has also thrown his name in the hat for the White House UFC event, and White has stated he would get both a Jones fight and McGregor fight on this kind of card.
“I’m a very proud American,” Jones said. “I have a lot of close friends that are in the military, and this is my act of — I can’t call it service — but just to be able to entertain the country and the world at this level at the White House. It just means the world to me. So I’m back.”
Jones became UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 285 by defeating Ciryl Gane for the then-vacant title, and he retained the championship against Miocic at UFC 309. Jones and Miocic were scheduled to face off originally at UFC 295 before Jones suffered a torn pec. Instead, Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title at that event — and then retained the interim gold against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Negotiations between Jones and Aspinall had been ongoing and seemed to be near completion until Jones’ retirement announcement. Aspinall was then named the new UFC heavyweight champion at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference last month.
In an announcement that is jaw-dropping, but more than welcomed by combat sports fans around the world, Turki Alalshikh — the chair of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority — has announced the end of the pay-per-view model of Riyadh Season and The Ring cards on DAZN.
Posting to X (fka Twitter), Alalshikh announced that this decision was made in partnership with DAZN, which broadcasts Riyadh Season boxing events, following a meeting with DAZN CEO Shay Segev.
This will go into effect beginning with The Ring IV card on Saturday, November 22 — a card that features three — and potentially a fourth — world championship fights.
Great meeting with my brother Shay, CEO of DAZN. We have big vision to grow boxing and decide: No More Pay-Per-View. Starting with our @ringmagazine show in November, all Riyadh Season & The Ring events will be free to DAZN subscribers. The PPV model has damaged boxing, and we… pic.twitter.com/txF1VMQaXA
“We have big vision to grow boxing and decide: No more Pay-Per-View,” Alalshikh posted. “Starting with our Ring Magazine show in November, all Riyadh Season & The Ring events will be free to DAZN subscribers. The PPV model has damaged boxing, and we will no longer support it. We are with the fight fans.”
Turki Alalshikh: Riyadh Season & The Ring Cards To Be Free For DAZN Subscribers Beginning In November
The news announced by Alalshikh also comes as the UFC, who Alalshikh also has a working relationship with, is in the midst of negotiations to find its new U.S. broadcasting home after its deal with ESPN expires at the end of this year. Some believe that the UFC could end up one way or another on Netflix — and the deal could be so financially massive some hope it ends the UFC’s usage of the pay-per-view model as well.
When DAZN first launched in 2016, reaching the U.S. in 2018 right before an Anthony Joshua vs Alexander Povetkin heavyweight title fight, the hope was for this to be the start of the combat sports world eventually moving away from pay-per-view.
Through a combination of factors, however, including the economics of combat sports (let alone boxing) — which included impacts DAZN, and the combat sports industry as a whole, were dealt during the COVID-19 pandemic — led DAZN to introduce pay-per-view events, beginning with the May 2022 clash between Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol.
DAZN had some financial straits placed on it around that time. SportsPro reported a $1.3 billion loss for the streaming platform in 2020, and a 2021 Bloomberg article said DAZN’s losses swelled to $2.3 billion by that point — part of which came from acquisitions of soccer programing.
DAZN also began a five-year broadcasting partnership with Bellator in 2018 before the two parted ways in 2020. DAZN executive Joe Markowski, in a 2022 appearance on The MMA Hour, did not go into specifics; however, he stated the early end of the contract was a “consequence of COVID.”
The Ring IV in November will be headlined by WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez defending his title against Anthony Yarde. The co-main event will see Brian Norman Jr. defend his WBO welterweight title against unbeaten former undisputed lightweight champion and former WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney.
Sam Noakes and Abdullah Mason, the top two lightweight contenders ranked by the WBO, will clash for the vacant championship.
An undisputed champion at 115 pounds could also be determined on this November card. WBC junior bantamweight champion Jesse Rodriguez takes on WBO champion Phumelela Cafu on July 19, and if Rodriguez wins and unifies the WBC and WBO titles, he will then face WBA and IBF champion Fernando Martinez to determine the undisputed champion of the weight class at The Ring IV.
At 41, Tony Ferguson is set to pen the next chapter of his combat sports journey.
Ferguson is scheduled to make his influencer boxing debut on August 30 at the AO Arena in Manchester, England where he’ll square off against Salt Papi (real name Nathaniel Bustamante) for the MFB interim middleweight title, Misfits Boxing announced Wednesday.
The matchup will serve as the co-main attraction of Misfits Boxing 22: ‘Ring of Thrones,’ headlined by a showdown between former UFC standouts Darren Till and Luke Rockhold for the MFB bridgerweight title.
𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 ⚔️
Darren Till takes on his biggest challenge yet in former UFC champion Luke Rockhold for the MFB Bridgerweight Championship. 🎖️
Salt Papi makes his triumphant return against the UFC veteran and legend Tony Ferguson for the MFB Interim Title. 😤… pic.twitter.com/QKhIkgzEz2
Till is gearing up for his third outing under the Misfits Boxing banner. Earlier this year, “The Gorilla” picked up back-to-back wins over Anthony Taylor and Darren Stewart. Since parting ways with the UFC in February 2023, where he held a 6-5-1 record, the former welterweight title challenger has focused fully on boxing.
Meanwhile, Rockhold is set to make his gloved boxing debut after testing the waters in bare-knuckle competition with BKFC in April 2023. He most recently competed at Karate Combat 45 in April 2024, where he earned a TKO victory over Joe Schilling. The former UFC middleweight champion parted ways with the promotion following a unanimous decision loss to Paulo Costa at UFC 278 in August 2022.
When Was Tony Ferguson’s Most Recent Bout?
Tony Ferguson was once regarded as one of the most feared fighters in the UFC, having captured the interim lightweight title during a dominant 12-fight winning streak that solidified his place among the elite. However, the tide eventually turned, and he found himself on the wrong side of history, enduring a tough eight-fight skid.
“El Cucuy” suffered a first-round submission loss to Michael Chiesa at UFC Abu Dhabi in August 2024, marking his final appearance under the UFC banner. Despite the setback, Tony Ferguson never seriously considered retirement. He initially signed with the Global Fight League for a bout against Dillon Danis, but the promotion folded before hosting its inaugural event.
Image: UFC.com
Meanwhile, Salt Papi is a standout in the influencer boxing world, having burst onto the scene with a pair of highlight-reel knockouts. The Filipino-born content creator holds a respectable 6-2 record.
MMA legend Randy Couture is back at home after spending time over the last week hospitalized following a car crash at a pro racetrack.
Per TMZ Sports, Couture was released from a burn center he was at and is now home recovering from injuries he suffered during practice runs at a racetrack in Kansas City. MMAFighting’s Damon Martin added that Couture is now undergoing outpatient treatments.
Couture suffered first and second-degree burns in the accident, as well as broken ribs and smoke inhalation.
Randy Couture Released From Burn Center, Still Recovering From Racetrack Injuries
Couture, an avid motorcyclist, was set to compete with the National Hot Rod Association, originally scheduled to make his debut later this year. Couture reportedly went through licensing in order to compete in the NHRA’s new Pro Mod program.
It is still unclear what caused the accident. The vehicle Couture was in was totaled in the accident.
A boxing bout between Shakur Stevenson and Conor Benn would definitely bring eyeballs — especially after the way they talked trash at each other on a livestreamed Internet program.
Stevenson and Benn were both scheduled guests for a recent edition of The Ariel Helwani Show following Stevenson’s victory over William Zepeda in Flushing, NY, this past weekend, retaining the WBC lightweight title.
Helwani brought the two in and seated them next to one another at one point, where things seemed to get stirred. And after an early exchange of pleasantries, the insults — be it serious or playful — started to get thrown.
Stevenson appeared to talk Benn down, following Benn’s loss to Chris Eubank Jr. in April.
“You’re not that big, bro,” Stevenson told him.
“When I hit you, you’ll feel it,” Benn responded. “You’re going to be on your bike. You’re not going to hit me.”
Did Shakur Stevenson And Conor Benn Just Agree To Lightweight Matchup In November?
Benn followed it up by mentioning a couple of moments during the Zepada matchup where he seemed to stumble Stevenson, which Stevenson responded by telling Been to “stop lying.”
When Stevenson went back to the size remarks, saying he and Benn are not that far off in terms of build, Benn challenged Stevenson to come up to 160 for a fight.
Benn, despite having fought at welterweight and middleweight most recently, then said he’d be interested in dropping to 147 to challenge Stevenson in November — which Stevenson seemed to accept.
“I’ll fight you at 147,” Benn said. “No, no, no, no, no. I don’t hear no excuses.”
“After I beat you, just tell me I’m great,” Benn also said.
The conversation continued to be an exchange of compliments and jabs before Stevenson left minutes later, as Benn finished up with Helwani.
Stevenson is undefeated at 24-0, having held gold at featherweight and super featherweight before becoming a lightweight world champion.
Benn’s lost to Eubank Jr. marked the first in the professional career of the former WBA Continental welterweight champion.
It was 10 years ago when two boxing legends — Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao — finally met in the ring for a highly-anticipated clash of boxing icons that many felt was long overdue. The fight ended up not living up to expectations, but it was had, and as years have gone on, many have felt we saw a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Or have we?
Boxing inside Lance Pugmire took to social media and stated that there are talks happening, after all the years, for a potential Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2.
According to Pugmire, the fate of such negotiations continuing depends upon Pacquiao’s ability to win his comeback fight with WBC welterweight champion Marrio Barrios on July 19.
Went over to @FloydMayweather Boxing Club upon my arrival today in Vegas for @MannyPacquiao fight week, was told to expect Floyd to attend with two fighters on the card. “Conversations are already happening … if Manny wins, this (rematch) could be worth billions,” I was told.
“Was told to expect Floyd to attend with two fighters on the card,” Pugmire posted to X (fka Twitter) on July 15. “‘Conversations are already happening…if Manny wins, this could be worth billions,’ I was told.”
Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao 2 A Possibility If Pacquiao Beats Mario Barrios?
Negotiations for a first fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather began all the way back in late 2009, following Pacquiao’s win over Miguel Cotto and Mayweather’s win over Juan Manuel Marquez — the latter being Mayweather’s first fight in 21 months after a brief retirement in 2008-2009.
Talks between the two sides collapsed in 2010. Mayweather and his team claimed Pacqiuao’s side were resistant to Olympic-style drug testing, while Pacquiao’s camp claimed they accepted the stipulation but Mayweather and his team were dodging the fight.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum attempted to bring a second round of negotiations, alongside HBO and Al Haymon, who was Mayweather’s manager and later went on to create Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) in 2015. Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, however, claimed negotiations never took place. Despite continued disputes, more momentum and hope were slowed in 2012 with Pacquiao dropping a decision to Timothy Bradley and getting brutally knocked out by Marquez.
Thanks to Gabriel Salvador, however, serious negotiations were re-started in mid-2014, as he brought together the likes of then-CBS head Leslie Moonves, Freddie Roach, and Bob Arum. A month after Pacquiao and Mayweather ran into each other at an NBA game, later meeting in a hotel room to iron out details, the fight was officially announced for May 2, 2015.
Though the fight did not live up to expectations, the fight became the highest-grossing boxing pay-per-view in U.S. history with 4.6 million buys and over $410 million in revenue.
Mayweather would go on to defeat Andre Berto later in 2015 and retire — although he came out of retirement for a superfight with then-UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, which Mayweather won via 10th-round TKO. Pacquiao, meanwhile, went on to gain revenge on Bradley and regain the WBO welterweight title before later becoming WBA (Regular) and WBA (Super) welterweight champion. Prior to his comeback this coming weekend, Pacquiao has not fought since losing the WBA title to Yodrenis Ugas in August 2021.
Mayweather and Pacquiao met at a music festival in 2018, and a rematch appeared to be teased but never came to fruition. Mayweather has competed in a series of exhibition bouts since, however, against the likes of Logan Paul, Tenshin Nasukawa, and John Gotti III.
The event will mark the UFC’s 22nd overall trip to Abu Dhabi and its second visit in 2025, following an upcoming Fight Night card on July 26, headlined by former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder.
Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida In Works For UFC 321
According to a recent report by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, heavyweight contenders Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida have verbally agreed to square off at UFC 321 in a matchup that could have major implications for the title picture.
(1/2) Big HEAVYWEIGHT matchup between Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida is targeted for #UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Who ya' got?
Both Volkov and Almeida had set their sights on a title shot against newly crowned undisputed champion Tom Aspinall following Jon Jones’ official retirement last month. However, the two are now expected to battle each other for a prime spot in the heavyweight pecking order
Volkov’s four-fight winning streak, which included stoppage victories over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alexandr Romanov, and Tai Tuivasa, along with a lopsided decision victory against Sergei Pavlovich, came to an end at UFC 310 this past December when he dropped a highly debated split decision to former interim champion Ciryl Gane. “Drago” currently holds a 12-5 record inside the UFC, with seven of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
Meanwhile, Almeida last competed at UFC 311 this past January, where he secured a first-round knockout win over Serghei Spivac. “Malhadinho” previously built a decent six-fight winning streak in the Octagon, which was snapped by a TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in March 2024. He now holds a UFC record of 8-1, with seven of those victories earned via finish.
Mixed martial arts legend Cris Cyborg has opened up on her plans to retire from the sport after an incredible career.
While she may be 40 years of age, Cris Cyborg is still more than capable of going out there and putting on a show. She’s been doing it for a long time now across multiple sports, but after all of that success, it appears as if she’s finally starting to see the end of the road.
Cris Cyborg has won belts in a plethora of major organizations including the UFC, and when the dust settles, she’ll almost certainly go down in history as one of the greatest female fighters of all time.
In a recent interview, Cris Cyborg spoke candidly about her plans to retire from mixed martial arts, seemingly after two more fights.
“The reality is this decision has literally been (there) longer,” Cyborg said in an interview with James Lynch. “When I signed this current contract, we had already made the plan to finish the contract and retire, because we started the legacy tour when I fought against Larissa Pacheco. So I have two fights left, and I’m ready for the next chapter. Some fighters will never know when to end. I just turned 40 years old, I feel great, but we have to know when it’s time to stop.”
“I like to do step by step,” Cyborg said. “My next fight, I believe, is going to be Sara Collins. She’s undefeated, she beat Leah McCourt, she’s No. 1 in Australia, she fought girls at the top at 145 pounds. I believe she’s going to be next, and I like to think about the next one.”
PFL star Dakota Ditcheva has praised teammate Kayla Harrison for both her work ethic and the way in which she was able to defeat Julianna Pena to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight championship.
Kayla Harrison is one of the greatest female fighters of all time and that much goes without saying. In addition to her remarkable Olympic success, she’s also had a phenomenal career in mixed martial arts – and some would argue she’s still got a lot left in the tank.
As she prepares to battle Amanda Nunes in a superfight at some point in the future, Kayla Harrison has been receiving a great deal of praise from the MMA community for what she’s accomplished over the years. That includes Dakota Ditcheva, one of PFL’s biggest stars, who had the following to say about her teammate recently.
Dakota Ditcheva praises Kayla Harrison’s success
“Yeah, it’s crazy. I’ve actually got goosebumps when you think about it,” Ditcheva told MMA Fighting. “Like her journey through MMA, or just through martial arts sport has been crazy.
“After she won out there was loads of things online, I was just reading it all because, for me, a journey like that — Olympic gold medalist, comes to PFL, cleans everyone out there. Goes to UFC, cleans everyone out there. Within two or three fights, she’s got the UFC belt. That journey that she’s been on is absolutely crazy.”
“The weight cuts, the dedication she’s got to training, when she’s saying in these interviews, she’s not missed a day running or biking, that girl is in the gym every morning, every afternoon, and between them sessions, she’s walking, she’s running,” Ditcheva explained. “She’s the hardest worker in that gym.
“So to have someone like that around us and set such an example like that for us girls in the gym is like second to none. That’s why we’re the best, best gym in the world because we’ve got examples like that around us. How can we not be inspired and want to keep working hard when we see people like Kayla Harrison doing that?”
UFC middleweight Brendan Allen has spoken about how hard he was hit by Dustin Poirier once upon a time when they trained together.
On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will officially retire from professional mixed martial arts. He’ll do so after taking part in a trilogy fight against Max Holloway, with the two competing for the BMF title in the main event of UFC 318. Regardless of whether he wins or loses, it’s safe to say that ‘The Diamond’ will receive an incredible ovation from his home state of Louisiana.
In a recent inteview Brendan Allen, who will also compete on the UFC 318 card, opened up on his experience of training with Dustin Poirier many years ago.
Brendan Allen on Dustin Poirier’s power
“I was sparring, trying to watch them spar because they were having a hell of a sparring session. Then it was live gos starting from guard against the wall and man they said go and he hit me so hard. It was like a live drill but you start in guard and he hit me so hard. I’m like f*ck man, I’m just a kid. We ain’t little no more. That sh*t ain’t going to happen again.”
“You learn real quick,” Allen said. “That was my whole upbringing at the beginning, just trying with guys that are 25, 26, 27 [years old] and I’m 14, 15, 16 years old. It’s way different than nowadays, I can tell you that. It’s way different.”
“At the end of the day, everything aside, I’m super happy for him and his family,” Allen said. “He’s earned every single thing he has right now. So many fighters would kill to have that and he’s done it. No matter what happens, the man has made a great life for himself by punching people in the face. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen believes Dustin Poirier may have made a mistake that could cost him in his trilogy fight against Max Holloway.
As we know, Dustin Poirier is set to compete in his retirement fight this weekend in the main event of UFC 318. He will battle Max Holloway for the BMF title, but more importantly, he’ll be fighting professionally for the final time. These two warriors have fought on two previous occasions and in both instances, it was ‘The Diamond’ who was able to come away with the victory.
Of course, Dustin Poirier has never been one to hold back when giving his opinion on something, and he’s also a pretty honest guy when analyzing how a fight has gone. After their second fight a few years back, Poirier opened up on how you need to be able to disrupt Holloway, who he considers to be a rhythm fighter, so that he can’t go through the gears and build from one move to the next move.
Sonnen believes that Dustin Poirier’s words are something that Max Holloway can subsequently use to his advantage.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Dustin Poirier’s comments
“I watched Max Holloway build his way back into this fight, I knew Dustin Poirier was a different fighter because he fought him back when things started to go south. There were times earlier in his career, with ‘The Korean Zombie‘, where it kind of snowballed on Dustin and he was never able to get back to it.”
UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis appears to be fantastic shape as we get closer and closer to next month’s UFC 319 event.
In just a matter of weeks, Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319. The two have been going back and forth at one another for quite some time now, and ‘Borz’ has been eagerly awaiting his moment to finally try and claim the gold.
Despite that, Dricus du Plessis doesn’t seem particularly bothered about the scale of the task that sits in front of him. Given that he’s already beaten the likes of Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, both via finish, that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Ahead of the bout, Dricus du Plessis has shown off his physique – and part of his training – giving us a glimpse into his regime.
As you can see, the man known as DDP appears to be in the shape of his life as we sit just weeks away from UFC 319. There’s a lot on the line for the South African champion and although he’s had a lot of fun trolling Khamzat Chimaev, he knows the stakes involved here.
If he loses, he’ll have to scratch and claw (probably) in order to earn another shot at the title. If he wins, though, he’ll start being talked about as one of the greatest middleweight champions of all time. Either way, you just know that he’s going to bring everything he’s got to the cage.
Welcome, everyone, to the eighth edition of The TUF Stuff!
Each week, I’ll be guiding you through a recap of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode — from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.
This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it’s all said and done.
Last week saw the final flyweight matchup of the season, with Team Cormier’s frustrations continuing and Team Sonnen seeming to have turned the tide with Roybert Echeverria defeating Tumelo Manyamala.
Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 8
The first round concludes with the last welterweight semifinal spot on the line tonight in a grudge match! Two men who haven’t gotten along well during their time in the TUF House — Team Cormier’s Rodrigo Sezinando and Team Sonnen’s Diego Bianchini — will finally throw down!
Let’s get into episode eight of The Ultimate Fighter!
Team Cormier Training Session — Yair Rodriguez Joins
Michael Chiesa is back. Daniel Cormier is absent from the session, and Chiesa introduces former UFC interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, A previous TUF: Latin America winner, to join for the team’s training session.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Rodriguez tells the cast to remember to enjoy the moment — and that while TUF is a competition, it’s also a brotherhood. He then leads the team through some clinch techniques.
Jeff Creighton said Rodriguez has “layers to his game” and Rodriguez gave a “masterclass elbows seminar” in the sport.
Diego Bianchini Backstory
Bianchini grew up, and still lives, in Sao Paulo, Brazil and currently lives with his parents. He describes himself as spoiled to have his family and pets, as well as living in a quiet environment.
Bianchini says growing up in Brazil, you either play soccer or fight, and he knew that he was always going to be in the UFC.
Bianchini, who is 9-1, trains at the Fighting Nerds alongside Caio Borralho and Jean Silva. Borralho describes Bianchini as a good guy to train with and praises his talent, claiming “The Brazilian Bad Boy” (Bianchini’s self-proclaimed alter-ego) will be in the TUF Finale.
Rodrigo Sezinando Backstory
We see some of Sezinando’s homesickness on display, looking at a photo of his mom and feeling awful for not being able to afford to see her. Sezinando went as far as to say his mom “doesn’t know if he’s alive or not” but promises to make her proud of him.
Sezinando was born in Rio De Janeiro, raised by his mom. His mom talks on camera, saying how he fights for her. She says, “His battle is ours, too. I love my son very much and that’s how it is.”
Sezinando says he grew up in a simple life in a place that isn’t the safest — and so he joined a gym for self-defense.
Sezinando is in Vancouver now after competing for Battlefield Fight League. He moved to Canada with just $200 to his name, and he hopes to use his family’s support to fuel his dream.
Diego Bianchini Fight Prep
Bianchini gives Sonnen praise for his guidance. Bianchini says he recognizes Sezinando’s jiu-jitsu but promises to dominate him in the cage. He then works with Sonnen on takedown techniques and with other coaches on striking.
Bianchini wants to strike without taking damage. “Nobody can read me,” he says.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Sonnen feels Sezinando can’t keep up with Bainchini, who he says will weaponize pace. Sonnen feels Sezinando might come out with fury and will be dangerous in the first but won’t win a second or third round.
Bianchini says Sezinando has been talking crap and promises to show what “The Brazilian Bad Boy” can do.
Rodrigo Sezinando Fight Prep
Sezinando says he is going to use his striking to tire Bianchini out. Sezinando wants to knock Bianchini out given their history.
“My ego has to stay outside,” he says, promising if jiu-jitsu opens up, that’s what he’ll do to get the win.
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Cormier says he isn’t sure how Bianchini will be able to take Sezinando down. Cormier says Bianchini is sloppy with takedowns; however, he’s fearful that Sezinando will go wild and sloppy when he spots openings. Cormier, however, tells the camera that he thinks Sezinando can put Bianchini away with his striking.
Sezinando says his heart and his fight IQ are his biggest positives as a fighter.
Cormier adds to the fire by saying to think about his motivations – “This is fun to him, this is life to you.”
TUF House
Tumelo Manyamala says this is a fight everyone in the house has wanted to happened.
Bianchini claims Sezinando knows he loves him, seemingly trying to get under Sezinando’s skin. Sezinando says “Don’t worry. I will take care of you.”
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 16, 2025
Bianchini says Sezinando is a farce of an individual. Sezinando says Bianchini doesn’t understand how hard it is to move away from his family and sacrifice everything.
Bianchini says Sezinando doesn’t like successful people, but he himself “doesn’t like haters.”
The Fight: Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini
—–IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.———
Both men weigh in at 170.5. The fight is on! And, of course, we get an intense staredown!
Roybert Echeverria says this will be the fight of the season. Jeff Creighton says he told Sezinando to control his emotions to be the better fighter and winner.
Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini
Round 1
Bianchini comes right out the gate with a round kick. Another spinning kick but it misses! Low kicks from both men. Round kick by Bianchini. He misses another spin kick, and Sezinando takes him down! Cormier telling Sezinando to flatten him. Bianchini tries for a leg lock, but Sezinando gets the fight back to the feet. Sezinando misses a spin kick now! Flying knee from Bianchini! Low kick from Bianchini. It’s a leg kick battle here. Another one from Bianchini. Sezinando stops the takedown attempt and adds a low kick. Round kick from Bianchini lands. Sezinando goes for a clinch, but Bianchini tries to control it until a quick separation. Kick lands low and we get a timeout.
Fight resumes, and Bianchini doesn’t get all of a spin kick. Sezinando goes big on his strikes and gets clinched to the wall briefly. Bianchini can’t get a takedown, and Sezinando tosses him down, adding a couple of strikes for good measures before he lets Bianchini up. Low kick from Sezinando. One-two from Bianchini. Sezinando lands a combination that HURTS Bianchini! Bianchini is able to get Sezinando to the fence. Bianchini continues to hold. The ref calls for activity with about 85 seconds left in the round, and Sezinando is able to reverse the position. Sezinando lands a knee. He adds a left hand on the separation.
Knee from Bianchini. Overhand right catches Sezinando now! Sezinando pressures and throws a high kick! Spin kick lands to the back of the head of Sezinando. Strong left hand from Sezinando. Sezinando clinches Bianchini against the fence for the last 10 seconds.
Round 2
Bianchini with a front kick and a right hand. Low kick from Bianchini, followed by a blocked high kick. Sezinando responds with kicks of his own. Bianchini lands a jab but his high kick is blocked. Bianchini goes for a takedown, but Sezinando stuffs it and gets him down! A couple of elbows from Sezinando. And another. Bianchini tries to get his legs up, but Sezinando works around them, staying on top of Bianchini. Sezinando covering Bianchini’s mouth. Activity slows. Sonnen trying to get Bianchini to work. Cormier telling Sezinando to stay on him.
Sezinando with more punches. Bianchini tries for another leg lock, but Sezinando gets away from it. He returns to the ground, working in Bianchini’s guard. Sezinando lands another couple of shots. Sonnen questions if Bianchini really wants the win, urging him to get up. Sezinando lands a couple of elbows, with his coaches urging to continue to beat him up. Another elbow from Sezinando. And another. This is a complete smothering as compared to the first round. Left hand lands. Another couple of elbows. More ground-and-pound from Sezinando.
No third round needed! Sezinando wins the rivalry!
Winner: Sezinando via unanimous decision after two rounds
Conclusion
Cormier says Bianchini came out crazy, but Sezinando mostly “stayed true to who he was.” Sonnen says he felt bad for Bianchini because he had pressure in being “the baddest dude” — as did Sezinando. Dana White says when a fight hype like this happens, the fight usually doesn’t live up to the hype.
Cormier says Sezinando fought a “beautiful” first round and then in the second, got a takedown and “beat the crap out of” Bianchini. White says Sezinando didn’t want to take a risk and dominated — alas, not a fun way to close out the quarterfinals.
Sezinando expresses excitement for the win, but the two hugged it out in the cage, seemingly putting the bad blood behind them. Bianchini says Sezinando earned his respect and that he was the better fighter tonight. “It is what it is,” Sezinando says. “The Brazilian Bad Boy” will be back.”
Semi-Finals Decisions
White will not join Cormier and Sonnen this season. The two coaches will hear from the fighters and they alone will make this season’s TUF semis.
Here were the fighters’ remarks:
Joseph Morales of Team Sonnen says he wants to fight Imanol Rodriguez.
Imanol Rodriguez of Team Cormier wants Roybert Echerverria.
Echerverria of Team Sonnen wants Alibi Idiris.
Idiris of Team Cormier says he also wants Echerverria.
Creighton of Team Cormier says if put in the position where he’d have to fight a teammate, he’d want to fight Sezinando.
Morales adds in the idea of him fighting Sezinando as well.
Sezinando says he’s interested in facing Matt Dixon.
Daniil Donchenko of Team Cormier says he puts his trust in the coaches.
Ultimately, the following semi-finals are announced:
Flyweight: Alibi Idiris (Team Cormier) vs. Roybert Echerverria (Team Sonnen)
Flyweight: Imanol Rodriguez (Team Cormier) vs. Joseph Morales (Team Sonnen)
Welterweight: Matt Dixon (Team Sonnen) vs. Daniil Donchenko (Team Cormier)
Welterweight: Jeff Creighton (Team Cormier) vs. Rodrigo Sezinando (Team Cormier)
Cormier says he feels Idiris is ready for the UFC right now, and Echerverria is better than what he showed in the quarterfinals.
Sonnen feels Morales, based on his previous UFC experience, is the best fighter in the competition. Morales and Rodriguez share some intense words.
Sonnen says Dixon could knock everyone out in the competition, but the fight with Donchenko will be “brutal.”
Cormier feels Sezinando was the best fighter entering the competition; however, Creighton has showed the biggest improvements of anyone. The two fighters face off, with Sezinando affirming Creighton’s claim “You knew this would happen.” Sezinando says the two can share food after the fight.
Cormier and Sonnen play pickleball for this season’s Coaches’ Challenge next week!
Idiris vs. Echerverria is the first semi to go down!
What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!
Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!
Ilia Topuria was already soaring in popularity and becoming one of the best fighters in the world — and that was solidified after UFC 317, if it wasn’t already.
Just a couple of weeks ago at this year’s International Fight Week card, Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in the main event to become UFC lightweight champion. This made Topuria the 10th UFC fighter to win championships in more than one weight class, and earned Topuria the top men’s pound-for-pound ranking in the UFC.
Though Topuria had plenty of supporters in the lead into the fight, Topuria still shocked plenty with the manner in which he dropped Oliveira out cold during the match. Oliveira had not been finished since losing to Paul Felder at UFC 218 — and hadn’t been straight KO’d since losing to Cub Swanson at UFC 152.
Eddie Alvarez, another former UFC lightweight champion, is one of those who picked Topuria to win but was still shocked in the manner that he did it.
“Everybody knew Ilia was going to put Charles down,” Alvarez told Helen Yee. “I didn’t know he was going to put him out like that. So yeah, I was shocked.”
Eddie Alvarez Praises Ilia Topuria’s Knockouts Of Several Big Names In UFC
Topuria’s victory over Oliveira moved him to 17-0, including a 9-0 record in the Octagon. It was just last year when Topuria won the UFC featherweight championship by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in violent fashion as well.
Topuria would retain the championship once before moving up to lightweight, knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308. It was just the first time Holloway had been knocked out in his professional career. Holloway also had not been finished since getting submitted by Dustin Poirier in their first fight at UFC 143.
Alvarez says that Topuria’s talent is already displayed in the Octagon performances and his wins and record. The manner in which he’s beaten the names he has, however, brings Topuria to another level of fighter.
“When you look at the last three guys…Volkanovski, Charles, Max Holloway — these are legends back to back that he’s knocking out,” Alvarez said. “The guy’s special, man. He’s special.”
Many have clamored for a superfight between Topuria and Islam Makhachev, who vacated the lightweight title to move up to welterweight. A Topuria vs. Makhachev fight could have happened had Belal Muhammad defeated Jack Della Maddalena; however, it remains to be seen if such a fight could still be made if Makhachev beats JDM for the 170-pound gold.
UPDATE: Timur Khizriev’s management team tells Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie that the fighter’s “life is not in danger” but is currently hospitalized.
Note: This is a developing breaking news story that will be updated as more information comes out.
Timur Khizriev, the featherweight champion of the 2024 PFL season, has been reportedly shot during an ambush attack in his native Russia.
Russian MMA media outlet Вестник ММА (Vestnik MMA) took to social media to post video of the incident.
Khizriev is still alive and is in surgery as of press time.
🚨В Махачкале расстреляли чемпиона PFL Тимура Хизриева (18-0).
Двое в масках подкараулили Тимура во дворе жилого дома на улице Даниялова. Когда он вышел из гелендвагена, нападавшие открыли стрельбу. В спортсмена попали 5 пуль от травмата пистолета. Хизриев в операционной, жив. pic.twitter.com/KnUN4NYRKX
2024 PFL Featherweight Champion Timur Khizriev In Surgery After Being Shot Five Times
According to the report, Khizriev was ambushed in the courtyard of a residential building located on Daniyalov Street, located in Chunya Village in Dagestan.
Khizriev was getting out of a vehicle when the two attackers approached and open fire. He was hit and wounded by five bullets, which were fired by a traumatic pistol.
Khizriev is currently 18-0 in his professional MMA career. After a three-fight stint with Bellator, Khizriev joined the PFL for its 2024 season after it purchased Bellator in late 2023.
