In a major upset, Sullivan Cauley manages to secure one of the spots in the PFL World Tournament light heavyweight final, defeating Phil Davis via unanimous decision in the PFL Chicago co-main event.
Cauley will now face Antonio Carlos Jr. in the light heavyweight tournament finals in August.
The opening round was competitive, with both men exchanging as Davis tried to assert control with his wrestling and takedowns. Cauley caught Davis’ attention late in the round with a sharp right hand, setting the tone for what would come.
Davis was using wrestling to his advantage more in the second round, busting open Cauley’s cheek with a pair of clinch knees to the head. But the momentum of the fight swung dramatically when Cauley rocked Davis late in the round with a right hand before a combination scored him a knockdown.
Cauley continued to get the better of Davis in the third, landing the more effective strikes and defending his wrestling and grappling well, going on to earn the nod on all three judges’ cards.
Sullivan Cauley Reaches PFL World Tournament Final With Upset Win Over Former Bellator Champ Phil Davis
What an incredible performance from Sullivan Cauley! He is a stud everywhere and he handled business with Phil Davis excellently.
Nobody does that to Phil Davis. That’s a hell of a performance for a guy so fresh in his career. The evolution is going to be incredible to watch.…
Sullivan Cauley just had the best performance of his career against an all-time great at 205. The PFL needed him to win this. #PFLWorldTournament#PFLMMA
Sullivan Cauley scored this semifinal spot with a first-round finish of Alex Polizzi. This marked Cauley’s first victory that went past the first round.
Davis, the former Bellator light heavyweight champion, earned his spot in tonight’s semifinals with a finish of former PFL champion Rob Wilkinson when they met in May.
A fight between former teammates and two of the best bantamweights in the world was ultimately lackluster; however, Sergio Pettis did enough to defeat Raufeon Stots at PFL Chicago.
Pettis dictated the pace early with kicks, landing clean combinations, while Stots didn’t bring out his expert wrestling abilities until scoring a takedown with about 40 seconds left in the round.
Pettis landed a slick backfist early in the second, but Stots responded by landing a strong punch that stumbled Pettis before landing a takedown. Pettis didn’t provide much defense from there, as Stots controlled the round on the ground.
Both men traded in a stand-up affair for the third round before, again, Stots scored a takedown with 40 seconds left, but didn’t do enough to take the round.
All three judges scored the fight for Pettis 29-28.
Sergio Pettis Outworks Raufeon Stots In Battle Of Former Teammates At PFL Chicago
Stots vs. Pettis is a sparring match. I get that their friends but there’s a shot at $500k on the line cmon guys
Awful, awful decisions back to back continue to water down the PFL’s already garbage product. Even Sergio Pettis was shocked he got the decision in a fight he very clearly didn’t win #PFLWorldTournament
Pettis, the former Bellator bantamweight champion, came into this fight off a pair of losses against Patchy Mix (losing his belt in the process) and Kyoji Horiguchi (a rematch of Pettis’ award-winning knockout in 2021).
Stots, the former interim Bellator champion, is now 3-2 in his last five.
When the two first met in Bellator a few years ago, Aaron Jeffery was able to end Dalton Rosta’s then-undefeated record by forcing him away from his typical gameplan.
The rematch at PFL Chicago was very close, but Rosta edged out a split decision to score the win in the rematch, earning revenge and the first spot in the middleweight final portion of the PFL World Tournament.
Jeffery was aggressive in the opening round, trying to use his pressure early and bring clinch exchanges against the fence. Rosta, however, answered with strong knees and counters, including a sharp right hand and body shots late in the round that seemed to solidify momentum in his direction.
Jeffery continued with the pressure in the second round, looking to control large stretches of time. Jeffery brought forward pace and pressure, though Rosta fired back with flurries.
Rosta then found success with solid combinations and a late flurry in the third round, while Jeffery continued to push for takedowns.
While one judge gave the fight to Jeffery with a 30-27, Rosta earned 29-28 scores on the other two cards, giving him the nod.
Dalton Rosta Scores Revenge, PFL World Tournament Final Spot By Defeating Aaron Jeffery
LOL. Dalton Rosta clearly lost that fight, Aaron Jeffery just got robbed big time.
The fuck are we doing? You can't convince me that Dalton Rosta won that fight. Sure, he may have won a round but he didn't win that fight#PFLWorldTournament
— Notorious, Byron Ashworth (@Notorious_Byron) June 28, 2025
Rosta, who made his name as a rising young name in Bellator prior to the PFL, earned this semifinal spot with a submission of former PFL champion Sabidou Sy.
Jeffery, a former CFFC champion, earned this semifinal spot with a split decision over Murad Ramazanov.
Antonio Carlos Jr. is one fight away now from taking home his second piece of PFL hardware, scoring a decision over Simeon Powell during PFL Chicago to advance to the light heavyweight finals of the PFL World Tournament.
Carlos Jr. used his experience and grappling to control the pace from the opening round, working Powell to the fence early and often, landing knees and searching for openings. While Powell attempted to keep the fight at range, Carlos Jr.’s clinch work and pressure, as well as his takedown attempts, prevented that.
Carlos Jr. was able to score his sole takedown of the fight in the second round, getting right to Powell’s back. Powell had some moments throughout the second and third rounds, but the fight was mostly Carlos Jr. imposing his will on the British fighter.
Even a late outburst from Powell wasn’t enough, as the judges all gave the nod to Carlos Jr.
Antonio Carlos Jr. Bests Simeon Powell To Advance To PFL World Tournament Finals
Bruh Shoeface is harming this man
What a crafty bastard. Stroke of genius when he went to the PFL#PFLWorldTournament
Simeon Powell is a fighter who has all the Skills but has 0 dog in him, Every time he would get hit he would Wintz while Shoeface would walk forward. I really thought he could be somebody but U cant teach toughness. He just got pieced up by a Jui Jitsu fighter. #PFL#MMATwitter
Has an MMA coach every walked away from his fighter and left him find his own way home???? I would curse out Simeon Powell till I got fired for that stunt….if you get outboxed by Shoeface AT 205, you are in wrong business
Carlos Jr., the 2021 PFL light heavyweight champion, advanced to tonight’s semifinal after defeating Karl Moore in May.
Powell’s loss to Jakob Nedoh in the finals of the 2023 PFL Europe light heavyweight tournament was the sole loss of his career prior to tonight. Powell advanced to tonight’s semifinal after finishing Karl Albrektsson in May.
In one of the most surreal finishes in PFL history, Valentin Moldavsky vs. Alexandr Romanov ends in a no contest after a knee to the groin left Romanov unable to continue with 34 seconds left in the first round.
Romanov was reportedly unable to stretch out his legs and had to be stretchered out of the cage.
Romanov, however, was selected by the judges as the winner of the round and will now face Oleg Popov in the finals of the PFL World Tournament at heavyweight in August.
Romanov used his wrestling to great success early, landing a belly-to-belly suplex and displaying top control, including a pair of submission attempts. Moldavsky landed a shot that wobbled Romanov late, with the pair swinging wildly until a clinch battle against the cage.
And it was there where Moldavsky landed a knee to the groin, causing an accidental foul. Romanov was in significant pain, and the fight was called off by the referee, resulting in the no contest.
Alexandr Romanov Advances To PFL World Tournament Finals After No Contest Vs. Valentin Moldavsky
Damn shame for Romanov’s PFL debut, he seems really banged up after that. Question would be if there’s a DQ or NC now, and how a potential NC decides who advances. Weird times. #PFLChicago
Romanov coach saying Romanov was dominating is wild lmao he was rocked then ran in for a clinch fest because he’s an out of shape fat lard piece of a shit #PFLWorldTournament
Moldavsky, the former Bellator interim heavyweight champion, competed in the 2024 heavyweight season, defeating Ante Delija before losing to Linton Vassell. Moldavsky earned a spot in tonight’s semifinal after defeating Sergey Bilostenniy in May.
Romanov, who joined the PFL after parting with the UFC at the end of last year, made his PFL debut with a sub-two-minute submission of former interim Bellator heavyweight title challenger Tim Johnson in their first-round heavyweight tournament battle in May.
For the first time since his amateur debut, Biaggio Ali Walsh — the grandson of the legendary Muhammad Ali — tastes defeat, as Chicago native Ronnie Gibbs pulled off the unbelievable upset with a submission during the early card of PFL Chicago.
Ali Walsh entered this fight as a -1100 favorite per DraftKings, while Gibbs was a +950 underdog.
Ali Walsh looked sharp in the opening round, making use of his crisp striking and power to drop and trouble Gibbs early. He outlanded Gibbs and delivered some strong ground-and-pound.
Gibbs, however, stole the momentum in the second round. Gibbs got a takedown late in the first and managed to get the fight back to the ground in the second, landing some strong ground-and-pound before an arm-triangle put Ali Walsh unconscious to secure the massive upset.
Ronnie Gibbs Scores Massive Upset Over Biaggio Ali Walsh At PFL Chicago
Ali Walsh such a fraud lmfao that was some of the worst ground work I’ve ever seen ever #PFLMMA
Ali Walsh like a fish out of water on the ground. PFL should stay away from having 2-0 fighters on their cards imo. Walsh should’ve learned this lesson on the regional scene, not on TV and in front of an arena #PFLWorldTournament
Ilia Topuria faced a brief moment of uncertainty ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
Topuria is set to headline UFC 317 this Saturday at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where he’ll square off against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound title in a high-stakes showdown during International Fight Week.
“El Matador” has exuded confidence leading up to UFC 317, not only in his conditioning but also in his belief that he’s on the brink of becoming a two-division UFC champion. That self-assurance was on full display during the official UFC 317 weigh-ins held Friday morning, where he was the first fighter to step on the scale.
However, when Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Jeff Mullen called out Topuria’s weight, he initially announced it as 155.5 pounds, half a pound over the championship limit for a lightweight title bout.
Initially, no one appeared to notice the discrepancy, and Topuria went ahead with posing for the cameras. Moments later, however, he was asked to remain on the scale. Mullen returned, adjusted it, and then corrected himself, announcing the official weight as 155 pounds.
Ilia Topuria had a minor scare after the commission read off the wrong weight during his weight-in ahead of #UFC317pic.twitter.com/JlKoolRtG9
Fans React To Ilia Topuria’s Weigh-In Confusion At UFC 317
Ilia Topuria’s brief weigh-in glitch during the UFC 317 proceedings sparked a wave of fan reactions online. While some called for the Nevada commission to retire the old-school mechanical scale in favor of digital equipment for more accurate readings, others used the moment as fuel for playful jabs and light-hearted trolling.
We have rockets flying into the moon but not a fucking precise weighing machine yet??? Dana was gonna give jon 20 million, just fucking buy a machine with that bro
“El Matador” captured the featherweight title with a stunning knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024, then cemented his dominance by finishing Max Holloway in emphatic fashion at UFC 308 that October. However, after establishing himself as the division’s top force, he chose to vacate the belt this past February to make a full-time move to lightweight.
Ilia Topuria enters UFC 317 with a flawless 8-0 record inside the Octagon and a perfect 16-0 mark overall. Of those victories, eight have come by knockout and six via submission.
Oleg Popov is known for his brute strength and overwhelming wrestling, and those were on display as he defeated Rodrigo Nascimento in the semifinals of the PFL World Tournament at heavyweight during the preliminary card of PFL Chicago.
From the start, Popov smothered Nascimento with his grappling pressure, setting up low kicks before taking him down more than once during the opening frame, and keeping Nascimento seated against the fence. Nascimento tried to fight back with combinations during the second, but Popov continued his relentless pressure and worked him well on the ground.
Popov appeared to do damage during the third round, rocking Nascimento with his punches, before continuing his grappling success en route to a one-sided decision.
Oleg Popov Dominates His Way Over Rodrigo Nascimento To Earn Finals Spot In PFL World Tournament
Didn't hurt him today but Popov absolutely needs to fix that head positioning. I'm sure Fedor tried, no way he didn't, but the way he stares off into space after throwing anything leaves him wide ass open to someone with faster hands. #PFL
Popov just snatching that ankle and controlling and riding like second nature is so impressive and something more takedown-first heavyweights should be doing. #PFL
Popov earned his spot in tonight’s semifinals after defeating Karl Williams in the first round in May. Popov made the finals of last year’s heavyweight tournament before his win streak was snapped at the hands of Denis Goltsov.
Nascimento, who joined the PFL after parting ways with the UFC at the end of last year, has now lost three of his last four. He earned his semifinal spot with a win over Abraham Bably in May.
Talk about a fast start — Rafael Xavier delivered that and then some, needing less than 30 seconds to finish Karl Albrektsson in the first bout of the PFL Chicago early card.
Xavier landed a left jab that wobbled Albrektsson, who went in for a takedown in response. Xavier stuffed the attempt before landing a series of punches until the referee stopped the fight.
Rafael Xavier Needs Less Than 30 Seconds To Defeat Karl Albrektsson In PFL World Tournament Card
The UFC returns to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday for its next pay-per-view event, serving as the marquee showcase capping off this year’s International Fight Week.
UFC 317 card features a high-stakes championship double-header, headlined by former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria taking on ex-lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound belt. In the co-main event, flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja makes his fourth title defense against Kai Kara-France.
Image: @ufc/X
Chris Ewert Released By Promotion Following Major Weight Miss At UFC 317
All but one fighter successfully made weight during the weigh-ins for UFC 317 on Friday. The lone exception was Chris Ewert, who missed the middleweight limit for his scheduled bout against Jackson McVey.
At the start of the official weigh-in show, UFC commentator Jon Anik announced that Ewert came in 10 pounds over the limit, leading to the immediate cancelation of his bout. In a surprising development, it was also revealed that the 31-year-old Chilean had been released from the promotion.
Jackson McVey vs. Chris Ewert is OFF per Jon Anik
Ewert was going to be several pounds overweight and has subsequently been cut from the UFC roster
Meanwhile, McVey still appeared at the official weigh-ins, hitting the 185-pound mark. The promotion is reportedly working to find a new opponent for “The Moose” in the near future.
“El Tanke” was originally scheduled to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series on August 2 against Yuri Panferov. However, he accepted a short-notice fight against McVey at UFC 317 after Sedriques Dumas withdrew earlier this week due to restrictions tied to a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor.
Ewert holds an undefeated professional record of 7-0, with five of those victories coming by knockout. He last competed at Fury FC 100 this past January, earning a dominant unanimous decision over Reese Watkins.
We’re about 24 hours away from UFC 317, and MMANews is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC 317 takes place on June 28 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The main event of the evening will feature Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira colliding for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. Topuria won the featherweight title from Alexander Volkanovski last year and retained against Max Holloway but vacated the strap to move up a weight class. Oliveira is a former champion who held the gold for a year, and he enters this fight off a win over Michael Chandler last November.
The co-main event, meanwhile, will see Alexandre Pantoja look to defend the UFC flyweight championship once again, as he takes on Kai Kara-France.
The rest of the main card will also see Brandon Royval face Joshua Van, Beneil Dariush square off with Renato Moicano, and Payton Talbott battle Felipe Lima.
Christopher Ewert vs. Jackson McVey, originally scheduled to open the early prelims, was scrapped after Ewert came in 10 pounds overweight and was cut from the UFC. All of the other fights, however, are still on!
The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!
Payton Talbott is still coming to terms with suffering his first professional mixed martial arts loss but has a chance to potentially put it behind him this weekend. Talbott entered this calendar year with a 9-0 pro MMA record and by all accounts seemed like one of the big surging prospects within the company. That trajectory took a slight setback this January when Raoni Barcelos bested the 26-year-old by way of unanimous decision in their UFC 311 clash.
Reflecting on that setback against Barcelos a few months ago at the UFC 317 fight week media day as he is just hours out from being given a chance to redirect his competitive trajectory, Talbott said,
“I’m still not over the loss. I don’t think I ever will be over that. Yeah, I took that to heart. That’s like, you know, it’s a loss, but the ref isn’t in there and you’re on the street with somebody like that, and your life could be ended. It’s deep, man. So, I take that to heart, and that’s been my motivating factor every time I’ve been to the gym.”
Payton Talbott and the challenge that awaits him at UFC 317
Payton Talbott is looking to return to the win column during this year’s International Fight Week offering in the main card opener for the promotion’s big annual tentpole event. The bantamweight competitor will get in there with Felipe Lima who boasts a 14-1 professional ledger heading into this Talbott fight. Talbott began his MMA career by putting together a 5-0 record with all of his victories coming by way of emphatic knockout through that stretch while he cut his teeth on circuits like FirePower and Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat.
After then securing a UFC contract on Contender Series, in what is his lone pro MMA fight to go the distance, Talbott returned to his fight ending ways with finishes in his first three UFC outings before that Barcelos setback.
We are just one day away from UFC 317, and we’ve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMANews.
Per tradition during the UFC’s International Fight Week, a highly-anticipated pay-per-view event in Las Vegas will take center stage, and UFC 317 finds itself in that role here. The T-Mobile Arena will see a card filled with some noteworthy matchups, including two title fights to close out the show.
In the main event, a new UFC lightweight champion will be crowned from former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria jumps up in weight to face the challenge of former UFC lightweight king Charles Oliveira. Topuria comes into this bout off his 14-month run as featherweight champion, during which he won the belt by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and retained by knocking out Max Holloway. Oliveira won the lightweight title against Michael Chandler and retained against Dustin Poirier before losing the belt on the scales.
The co-main event will see Alexandre Pantoja defend the UFC flyweight championship against Kai Kara-France. Pantoja won the belt at International Fight Week just a couple of years ago, defeating Brandon Moreno. Since then, he’s retained the gold against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura. Kara-France earned the title shot with a knockout of Erceg last August.
The main card will also feature Royval taking on Joshua Van, Beneil Dariush facing off with Renato Moicano and Payton Talbott doing battle with Felipe Lima.
UFC 317 Weigh-In Video, Results
UFC 317 takes place Saturday, June 28 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.
See above to watch the UFC 317 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Ilia Topuria (155) vs. Charles Oliveira (154.5)
Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja (125) vs. Kai Kara-France (125)
Flyweight: Brandon Royval (125.5) vs. Joshua Van (125.5)
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (156) vs. Renato Moicano (156)
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (135.5) vs. Felipe Lima (136)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (186)
Featherweight: Hyder Amil (145.5) vs. Jose Miguel Delgado (145.5)
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo (125.5) vs. Tracy Cortez (126)
Lightweight: Terrance McKinney (155) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (156)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Niko Price (170.5) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5)
Heavyweight: Jhonata Diniz (257.5) vs. Alvin Hines (259.5)
Middleweight: Christopher Ewert vs. Jackson McVey — Canceled due to Ewert being 10 pounds overweight and getting cut from the promotion
Charles Oliveira seems to highly tout lia Topuria heading into their fight this weekend but the former is wondering if the latter can measure up the murderer’s row of talent he has fought throughout his career. Oliveira vs. Topuria headlines UFC 317 on Saturday, June 28th with the vacant lightweight title up for grabs in this year’s International Fight Week main event.
While Oliveira looks to regain the lightweight strap he once had, Topuria is aiming to enter that rarefied air of two divison champions in UFC history considering he previously won their featherweight strap. When speaking to assembled reporters at the fight week media day regarding his process heading into this fight as well as his prior fighting history compared to the run Topuria has been on, Oliveira said,
“Evolution, experience—you grow every day. That’s what I’m doing. I’m evolving, I’m not losing my aggressive style, but I’m a little more calculated. I continue to be aggressive, but I’m also thinking more.”
“I’ve fought legends of this sport. Ilia Topuria has a lot of hype right now, but does he have what it takes to match those men? The guys you mentioned—how many years have they been among the best in the world? Topuria is a kid who is arriving, hungry, undefeated, and has a lot to prove.”
Charles Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria is a 50/50 fight according to former lightweight champ
Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria is a fight that is captivating the attention of many including the man who vacated the lightweight belt that will be on the line this weekend. Islam Makhachev was touching upon this massive matchup during a recent interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie as Makhachev stated [via MMA Junkie],
“It depends who can follow his game plan. If Charles can take him down, he can finish him easy on the ground. Or, if Topuria can catch him, he’s going to sleep. It’s two options. Who is going to make the game plan work?”
“[Oliveira has a] big chance. He always fights good against strikers. He has good striking. Against [Dustin] Poirier he fought good, against [Michael] Chandler he fought good. Both have good punch, both very good at stand up. But if you give him small chance, he’s going to finish. That’s why Charles is always dangerous. So I’ll go 50/50.”
Joshua Van has noticed some differences in his life situation with his recent UFC successes but is still staying grounded and focused on the task at hand. Van prepares to do battle with Brandon Royval at UFC 317 on Saturday night in Las Vegas as part of this year’s Internationalol Fight Week offering.
Speaking to assembled reporters at the fight week media day while addressing his UFC journey that has seen him perform on several massive numbered events, Van said,
“Life has been great. Back in training camp, things like that—I love staying active. So yeah, life has been great. Outside of fighting, I don’t really know yet how life has changed for me because I’m back in camp already. I don’t really go outside like that. Maybe after this fight, I’ll feel the difference. The cameras are following me to church, following me around for Embedded. I saw you yesterday doing stuff with ESPN. So, yeah, it’s been different, but I’m still focused on the fight.”
Joshua Van vs. Brandon Royval and the presence of the flyweight champ at UFC 317
The main card matchup has big implications for how the future of the flyweight divison looks with Joshua Van entering this fight as the number twelve contender against the number one ranked flyweight fighter in Brandon Royval. This is intriguing to note especially in a division that is starving for a next contender as well as the fact that the flyweight title will also be contested for on June 28th.
In the UFC 317 co-main-event, Alexandre Pantoja will look to defend his strap against a former oponent of his on The Ultimate Fighter in Kai Kara-France. With Van entering the cage on the heels of a third round knockout earlier this month at UFC 316 and the general state of the flyweight contender landscape, if Van were to get a statement win over the division’s top ranked contender it could pay dividends in his pursuit of being the person to fill that title challenger gap that seems to be there at flyweight post-UFC 317.
Alberto Blas was BKFC’s bantamweight champion until seemingly just earlier today when a surprise signing to BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing shook up the landscape of the sport. BKB announced the signing of the undefeated bare-knuckle boxing standout to their ranks in a move that raised the eyebrows of many within the space of gloveless combat considering the banner year Blas had with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in 2024.
The already stacked BKB Men’s Lightweight division just got more dangerous. Announcing the signing of bare knuckle world champion, BoxRec’s number 6 ranked pound-for-pound fighter and its top-ranked bantamweight (BKB Lightweight/135), 6-0 (6 first-round KOs) Alberto “El Indio”… pic.twitter.com/Wr0KWrxqaq
— BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing (@bkbbareknuckle) June 26, 2025
In the coming hours, BKFC then sent out a press release which proclaimed that they had elected to release their 135 pound champion effective immediately for what was broadly described as “a pattern of unprofessional behavior outside of competition”. The press release ended off by detailing that the BKFC bantamweight belt is now vacant with said release also stating,
“BKFC values discipline, accountability, and respect for the sport both inside and outside the ring. While the athlete’s performance inside the squared circle has been exceptional, repeated incidents and conduct inconsistent with the values and image of the organization have made it necessary to part ways.”
Also in a statement that was included in the referenced press release, BKFC Founder and President David Feldman stated,
“We have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of our promotion and the sport as a whole. There were multiple infractions that went into this decision. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Alberto Blas responds to all of the discourse surrounding him jumping ship to BKB
Alberto Blas then took matters into his own hands and went to his personal social media in an attempt to give his side of the story and hopefully answer some questions for quizzical bare-knuckle boxing fans worldwide.
In a truly curious turn of events, BKFC’s partial owner Conor McGregor was also found liking a post from Alberto Blas regarding the initial announcement of the BKB signing as captured in a screenshot shown below.
Plus, in an exclusive statement to MMA News on the matter of Blas departing BKFC and the promotion’s account of how things transpired here, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing president Mike Vazquez quipped,
“It’s hard to release someone that wasn’t under contract. It’s also hard to digest that they would put a statement like that out about a fighter only minutes after he signed by another organization. And it’s also strange to think that they’re relying on any kind of ethical/moral values or integrity after seeing what happens in that organization.”
“My inbox is full of past and current [b]kfc fighters complaining about late or no pay. Purse and bonuses. That’s a fact. I will leave it to him and his coach to decide if they want to pursue a defamation suit, I know I would. Lastly, they should produce that so called ‘release letter’. Let’s see when it was made, and when and to whom it was sent.”
BKFC was reached out to for subsequent comments on the matter and to flesh out the specifics of what patterns of behaviour and outside of the ring incidents Blas was described to have been engaging in that warranted his dismissal. The promotion has not responded to these inquiries at the time of this writing.
Alberto Blas leaves BKFC with a spotless 6-0 record comprised of all first round finishes after not only capturing but also then defending their 135 pound strap at BKFC 66 last September.
Ilia Topuria is poised to take over this new weight category that he finds himself in as International Fight Weeks marches toward Saturday night. This weekend Topuria aims to become the new kingpin of 155 pounds as he does battle with former divisional ruler Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt in then UFC 317 main event.
Spoeaking to on-site media members for the fight week media day, the former featherweight champion fielded several quesitons about the differences he has noticed in his prior efforts fighting at 145 pounds in the context of how different fighting at lightweight is. While expounding upon that thought process to assembled reporters, Topuria said,
“Featherweight and lightweight are two different worlds. I have been able to enjoy the whole process. Even today I feel good, and when I was fighting in the featherweight division at this point, I was feeling really, really bad. I think that I made a great decision. Years ago, when Dustin Poirier went from featherweight to lightweight, he said it took him a few fights to feel like a lightweight rather than just a featherweight who stopped cutting.”
“Charles said something similar, that when he went up to lightweight, he would be able to knock people out at featherweight, but at lightweight, they could take a lot more damage, and it took him a while to kind of feel like that. Do you feel like a featherweight still, or have you stayed experienced? I already fought in the lightweight division, I have one fight in the UFC in that division, so I felt actually great. My experience is going to be completely different.”
Ilia Topuria and his prior foray in the UFC lightweight ranks
Ilia Topuria referenced in the above quote that this will not be his first dance in the octagon as a lightweight with his previous UFC effort in the 155 pound ranks providing some fireworks. On March 19th, 2022, the 28-year-old threw down with Jai Herbert in a main card bout as part of UFC Fight Night: Tom Aspinall vs. Alexander Volkov.
After overcoming some early adversities against Herbert, Topuria would turn out his adversary’s lights sixty seven seconds into then sophomore round of the fight after landing a devastating right hook in their main card opening bout.
Alexandre Pantoja has been competing in mixed martial arts for more than half of his life and the gratitude to do what he does remains noticably at the forefront of his focus. Pantoja prepares to run it back against prior opponent on The Ultimate FighterKai Kara-France as the two run it back for a quasi-rematch (considering TUF bouts are categorically exhibitions) with the former defending his flyweight title against the latter this weekend.
It all takes place in the co-main event of UFC 317 as part of this year’s International Fight Week proceedings with the reigning 125 pound titleholder fielding questions from assembled media at the fight week media day. When expounding upon his gratitude oriented mindset while also delving a bit into his long road to this moment on Saturday night through the lens of his anecdotal journey within MMA, Pantoja said,
“I really appreciate everything UFC does for me and for my family. I love to fight in this octagon. That’s always a huge opportunity. I fight in the best octagon ever in the world—thousands of people watch me live, millions watch me on TV. I love it, man. I really appreciate that. That’s so cool. I’ve been fighting all my life, brother.”
“My first fight was at 17, and now I’m 35, still fighting at a high level, showing all the world my skills. That’s why I started to fight—I want to show everybody my art. That’s so crazy because I’m not a huge fan of social media and everything, but I love people watching me fight. That’s what I do. When I go to the octagon, that’s when you see the Cannibal, Pantoja.”
Alexandre Pantoja inside the cage versus outside of the cage
Alexandre Pantoja continued, “But outside the octagon, I’m a regular man, a regular guy. The opportunity to go to the octagon and feel freedom—that’s what I like. When I go to the octagon, I feel freedom. I can do whatever I want to do to finish my opponent. That’s why I go to the UFC—why people pay me—to see what I can do to finish my opponent. I love that situation. I don’t know if you have another sport like that. You need to use all your skills to beat your opponent and feel freedom to do that. That’s why people love UFC, love MMA.”
It’s UFC International Fight Week, and we find ourselves just a couple of days away from this year’s card that coincides with the celebrations — UFC 317. And what better way to help hype things up further with a pre-fight press conference?
The seventh UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, June 28. UFC 317 will be headlined by former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria stepping up in weight to face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira with the vacant 155-pound title on the line.
The co-main event will also see gold on the line, as Alexandre Pantoja looks to defend his UFC flyweight championship for a fourth time, as he goes toe-to-toe with Kai Kara-France.
Watch The UFC 317 Pre-Fight Press Conference
The main card will also see a flyweight contenders’ battle between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van, more lightweight action from Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano, and a bantamweight scrap between Payton Talbott and Felipe Lima.
As per tradition, the UFC pay-per-view main card participants will be featured in a press conference during fight week. This is the opportunity for fighters to answer questions from media and fans, as well as potentially lay in some smack talk on their opponents.
The 2025 edition of International Fight Week is here, and that means UFC 317 is upon us. 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, June 28. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6:30pm ET.
The main event will see a new UFC lightweight champion be crowned, as former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria steps up in weight to take on former lightweight king Charles Oliveira. Topuria won the featherweight title at UFC 298 last year with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski and defended it at UFC 308 by becoming the first man in years to finish Max Holloway. Oliveira, who comes into this bout off a win over Michael Chandler at UFC 309, defeated Chandler to become champion in another vacant title fight at UFC 262. He then defended it against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 before losing the belt on the scales prior to UFC 274.
The co-main event, meanwhile, will see the flyweight title at stake as Alexandre Pantoja defends against Kai Kara-France. Since winning the title from Brandon Moreno at UFC 290, Pantoja has defended the belt against Brandon Royval (UFC 296), Steve Erceg (UFC 301) and Kai Asakura (UFC 310). Asakura, meanwhile, comes into this bout off a knockout of Erceg at UFC 305.
The main card will also see Royval in action against short-notice replacement Joshua Van (who just fought at UFC 316), Beneil Dariush take on Renato Moicano and Payton Talbott facing Felipe Lima.
UFC 317: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 317 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 six cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (17-10) Thomas Albano (16-11)
Ryan Jarrell (15-12)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 317!
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
Images: UFC
Pranav Pandey: It’s hard to make a confident pick here, given how little we’ve seen from either fighter at the highest level. Talbott tasted his first professional loss in his last outing against Raoni Barcelos, and I expect him to come in sharper, having learned from that experience. That said, one glaring hole in his game stood out: his takedown defense, which could be a real liability in this matchup.
On the other hand, Lima looks like the real deal. “Jungle Boy” hasn’t lost in nearly a decade and brings a well-rounded, composed skill set to the table. He’s dangerous in all areas, but particularly effective on the mat. That’s where I see him having the clearest path to victory. If he can get Talbott to the ground, I believe he can control the pace and potentially dominate from top position. (Prediction: Lima)
Thomas Albano: Felipe Lima has caught some attention of late with his pair of victories in the Octagon thus far. And it’s enough of an impression that the UFC wanted to book him against Payton Talbott in a battle of young rising prospects. Talbott was shocked by Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311, and he needs this win to keep the momentum that he’s had going. The problem is Lima, a former Oktagon MMA champion, hasn’t lost since dropping his professional MMA debut.
Talbott has the height and reach advantage in this one, but if Lima can get on the inside and push the pace, how will he respond? He struggled against Barcelos, and Lima has shown he can adapt to either a high-paced brawl or a calculated, cerebral attack. My feeling is the more Lima finds holes in Talbott’s game and the more he scores takedowns, the better he’ll nullify Talbott’s offense and work his way toward a decision win. (Prediction: Lima)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tough one to call for me. Felipe Lima is definitely more technically sound and has impressed me more thus far in his UFC run. Lima’s wins over Naimov and Johns were enough to lead me to believe he could fight for a title down the road. Obviously the UFC sees Star potential in Talbot, but this is a really tough matchup for him. I think Talbot learned some valuable lessons in his recent loss to Raoni Barcelos, but I’m not sure he has evolved enough to get past Lima. Give me Felipe Lima to use his footwork and striking en route to a UD win. (Prediction: Lima)
Consensus: 3-0 Lima
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Both Dariush and Moicano are seasoned veterans who bring grit and experience into the cage. Moicano was gaining serious momentum before stepping in on short notice against Islam Makhachev. But prior to that, he had put together some impressive wins, and his dismantling of Benoît Saint Denis was a statement-making performance that showed just how dangerous he can be when he’s dialed in.
As for Dariush, I still rate him as a high-level lightweight. His eight-fight win streak wasn’t a fluke. But ever since it came crashing down in 2023 with back-to-back knockout losses, he hasn’t returned to action. That layoff, in my opinion, could be a real factor. The question is whether he can match the rhythm and urgency Moicano brings with his recent activity. I’m leaning toward Moicano here, but it won’t be easy. He’ll have to dig deep and weather some tough moments, because Dariush isn’t the type to go quietly. (Prediction: Moicano)
Thomas Albano: Two 36-year-old lightweight contenders. Two men who are looking to get back into the win column. Two men who were supposed to face off at UFC 311. And only one of them can come out on top and potentially rise up the ranks toward a crack at the gold.
Renato Moicano may have lost his last fight, but that was a title shot against Islam Makhachev that came on one day’s notice after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew. It was this fight that caused the cancelation of Dariush vs. Moicano the first time around. It may have been a one-sided loss, but that decision and hearty performance proved something fans of “Money” Moicano already knew – the man is game.
Dariush has been a lightweight contender for some time now, but he’s hit a couple of really rough patches of late. Dariush hasn’t fought since 2023, a year that saw an eight-fight win streak of his get snapped at the hands of Charles Oliveira, followed by a knockout loss against Tsarukyan. While these aren’t bad losses per say against the kind of competition he’s facing, a third straight loss is going to seriously hurt his contender status. And given the age of these two men, time is running out.
Unfortunately for Dariush, that might be his reality. Moicano having all of this momentum, combined with him being the better all-around product, leads me to give the nod his way. (Prediction: Moicano)
Ryan Jarrell: This should be a very fun fight and one the hard core fans are really looking forward to. I have become a huge fan of Moicano over his last few fights, and he is always money on the microphone. Dariush hasn’t fought since his ugly performance against Arman Tsarukyan in late 2023. I wonder if the time off and his age will play a factor in this fight against a much more active fighter in Renato. I think skill for skill these two are pretty even, but I do expect Moicano to land more significant strikes and be the aggressor throughout the fight and win it on points. (Prediction: Moicano)
Consensus: 3-0 Moicano
Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: There’s something really intriguing about this matchup. First off, credit to Joshua Van for stepping up on short notice. That alone speaks volumes about his mentality. “The Fearless” is riding a wave of momentum right now, and while he’s still young, he’s already proven that he belongs among the division’s elite.
That said, Brandon Royval is no stranger to high-pressure situations. He’s been in deep waters with the best of the best and knows exactly how to navigate chaos. With his experience and ability to thrive in scrambles, I think “Raw Dawg” will be sharp enough not to leave any openings. If he stays composed and sticks to his rhythm, I see him getting the job done. (Prediction: Royval)
Thomas Albano: This is probably the fight I am seriously looking forward to on this card outside of the title fights. It’s also the one I’m having the most difficulty in picking, and apparently, I’m not alone given that these two men have near-even odds as of this point.
What we saw at UFC 316 earlier this month is exactly what makes Van so entertaining; he pushes the pace, is aggressive with his striking, and he’s not afraid to get in a brawl. And Bruno Silva was a battered victim of that in route to a third-round TKO, marking Van’s fourth straight win and 12th win in his last 13 fights. Royval has earned a following for a similar fight style, though he’s been a lot more strategic in his most recent outings against the likes of Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira.
This is a no-risk matchup for Van; he’s already coming off one strong performance, and anything that comes out of this fight should just be a bonus. That said, even if this becomes a memorable slugfest, the all-around abilities of Royval and his experience should give him the edge here. (Prediction: Royval)
Ryan Jarrell: Josh Van has looked incredibly impressive as of late and definitely has the skills to be a top contender for years to come. But this seems like a bad idea to step up on very short notice against a legit top 5 fighter in the division, especially after just competing against Bruno Silva a couple of short weeks ago. I understand that if a great opportunity presents itself a lot of fighter’s want to jump all over it and hopefully capitalize. But Brandon Royval is a dangerous puzzle that you need a full camp to prepare for and I don’t see Van having much for him in this contest. Give me Royval to make a statement in this fight and put a halt to Van’s winning streak. (Prediction: Royval)
Consensus: 3-0 Royval
UFC Flyweight Title: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Kai Kara-France is a legitimate threat in the flyweight division. His striking is sharp, explosive, and he’s proven time and again why he belongs among the elite. I’ll admit I picked against him in his last outing, and he made me eat my words with that knockout over Steve Erceg. But as impressive as “Don’t Blink” can be, I truly believe that everything he does well, the champ Alexandre Pantoja can do better.
“The Cannibal” seems to level up with every title defense. Whether he’s trading bombs on the feet or dragging the fight into deep grappling waters, Pantoja thrives in chaos. He can absorb pressure and return fire with even more intensity. Stylistically, this feels like a tough puzzle that Kara-France just isn’t equipped to solve. I think Pantoja overwhelms him and runs right through. (Prediction: Pantoja)
Thomas Albano: I’m going to get tomatoes thrown at me for what I’m about to say, but I hope I am heard out. I completely buy Kai Kara-France as a legitimate contender in the flyweight division and challenger for the flyweight title. When it comes to being a champion, however, I just don’t see it compared to some of the other names at 125.
I love KKF’s strike-heavy fighting style, but I don’t know how it helps him against Alexandre Pantoja, who, in my opinion, continues to get better and evolve even as the defending champion of his division. KKF has struggled against the top names of this division, and keep in mind, Erceg received the title shot and fought KKF last year even when he was, and still is, toward the bottom portion of the top 10.
Pantoja has been an absolute dog. Bring the fight to the ground? He’ll go toe-for-toe with you there. Keep the fight standing? He’ll show you power and accuracy. Pantoja is a very underrated champion, who should be considered one of the best champs that the UFC has, in a division filled with solid talent that includes KKF, Erceg, Brandon Royval, and Brandon Moreno. And I see the Pantoja train continuing to roll on. (Prediction: Pantoja)
Ryan Jarrell: The flyweight Champion seems to look better and better every time he climbs into the octagon. Pantoja is on a seven fight win streak and is cementing himself as an all time great at 125 pounds. I must admit I was surprised to see Kara France put out Steve Erceg the way that he did. Kai definitely is very savvy and skilled on the feet, but even if he gets the champ in any trouble, the diversity of Pantoja’s game will be enough to win any scrambles and dictate where this fight takes place. Give me the champ to win this one rather handily and retain his title for the 4th time in a row. (Prediction: Pantoja)
Consensus: 3-0 Pantoja
UFC Lightweight Title: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Now this is a fight that has me counting down the days. We’ve got two certified finishers stepping into the Octagon, and I’d be shocked if this one even sniffs the judges’ scorecards. Topuria made a daring move by jumping up to lightweight. Some might even call it audacious, especially considering his more compact build compared to the division’s powerhouses. Still, I see him as someone who can rise to the occasion. “El Matador” possesses some of the cleanest and most precise boxing in the UFC today. He doesn’t just throw punches. He detonates them. His power is fight-ending, plain and simple. And while his wrestling hasn’t been tested much inside the Octagon, the glimpses we’ve seen suggest he’s more than capable if the fight hits the mat.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Standing across from him is Oliveira, a savage finisher with a résumé full of elite-level fighters. While it’s no secret that “Do Bronx” owns arguably the most lethal submission game in UFC history, his striking is criminally underrated. He carries real knockout power in his hands and his body kicks slam into the midsection like sledgehammers that adds up quickly. That said, if Topuria can control the range, stay disciplined, and avoid getting tangled in Oliveira’s chaos, I can absolutely see him finding an opening and putting the Brazilian away inside three rounds. (Prediction: Topuria)
Thomas Albano: Yes, it’s not Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev. Yes, it’s disappointing. But Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira is still a matchup worth drooling over – and it’s going to become reality in just a couple of nights’ time.
I’m still not a fan of Topuria moving up in weight so quickly. Yes, he beat two of the featherweight GOATs last year. But this was something out of the Conor McGregor playbook; there was still a division full of solid contenders that includes Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev. That said, I understand the appeal of this matchup for sure, and Topuria is a legitimate threat to become a world champion in a second weight class.
I know it sounds cliché, but this really sounds like the typical striker vs. grappler battle. We know how deep a threat Oliveira is in the ground game. That said, Topuria will look to keep distance and bring the power he’s brought in the lead up to becoming a world champion the first time around. And I think he has more to afford with being in Oliveira’s world on the ground than Oliveira has on the feet against Topuria and his striking. Maybe with others’ striking, but not with Topuria’s.
History will be made one way or another at the end of International Fight Week. I think it’ll be Topuria who is the one to do it. (Prediction: Topuria)
Ryan Jarrell: There is something special going on with the former featherweight champ. The parallels between Ilia and Conor at this stage of their careers are too similar to ignore. Topuria’s striking is a beautiful thing to watch and he always seems to dictate where the fight takes place. It would be a beautiful story to see Charles recapture the title again, but MMA is a brutal sport where the young typically eat the old. I believe Topuria puts on an impressive performance and beats the former champ via TKO at some point in round 2 or 3. (Prediction: Topuria)
Consensus: 3-0 Topuria
That’ll do it for our UFC 317 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 317 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France
Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues
Featherweight: Hyder Amil vs. Jose Miguel Delgado
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez
Lightweight: Terrance McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Jake Paul has been knocked by critics for what some have described as cherry picked matchmaking but ‘The Problem Child’ will soon be fighting a real fighter at last, according to a boxing legend. This was expressed during an interview on DAZN’s Ariel x Ade: The Boxing Show as Oscar De La Hoya discussed the Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. boxing bout which is set for Saturday, June 28th.
With De La Hoya serving as Chavez Jr.’s promoter for this co-promoted boxing event with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, it articulates a seeming shift in approach for ‘The Golden Boy’ who previously seemed to stay away from promoting these kinds of influencer crossover fights. Explaining the shift in his approach and thought process in this regard, De La Hoya said,
“The partnership with MVP has been incredible—amazing. The only reason I got involved is because Jake’s fighting a real fighter now—Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., an ex-world champion, who went 12 rounds with Canelo. This is a real, legit fight. I’m looking forward to it. There are a lot of questions about Chavez Jr.—will he be in great shape, will he make weight—but ultimately, Jake Paul is fighting a world champion. That’s a big step!”
Oscar De La Hoya on if Jake Paul can become a champ and Chavez Jr. bout prediction
Jake Paul is someone that Oscar De La Hoya thinks can win a world title in the sweet science someday. In the same referenced interview, De La Hoya expressed this thought but did say that Paul winning gold someday is something that will take time and experience to accomplish.
Also curiously enough, De La Hoya is predicting that Paul will edge out Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the fighter that ‘The Golden Boy’ is promoting this weekend, by way of a split decision and thinks the combat sports disruptor can get it done in a back and forth battle against the former WBC middleweight champion on the same night that UFC 317 transpires.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria is a fight that we could potentially see sooner rather than later according to a former two-division UFC title challenger. The bad blood between the two fighters over the years at one point seemed like it could potentially never lead to an in-cage culmination.
But the landscape is quite different now as Topuria is now prioritizing competing at lightweight which is the class Pimblett has been fighting at through his UFC tenure. Chael Sonnen was the analyst in question who touched upon the timeline of the Topuria and Pimblett rivalry as Sonnen said,
“When these two met, nobody knew what Ilia Topuria was. I used to call him Mr. Hand Sanitizer because I couldn’t pronounce his name. I didn’t know if Ilia was a first name, last name, or nickname. I don’t know if Topuria was a first name, last name, or nickname. And all these guys have done is gone out there and kick butt.
“Nothing trumps rivalry. You can have nationalistic, you can fight for pride of country, you can fight for world championships and undefeated records, but nothing trumps personal feud. Those fights are very hard to come by. If you’re a promoter, you dream of catching a fight like that on your watch—it’s just very hard to get to.”
“I do think it’s just one fight away. I think it should be the safest fight that they can find a way to get Paddy that victory, and then a lot’s got to happen on Ilia’s side, but they already took care of the hardest part—they got the hardest guy out of the division completely, check that box, one down. Paddy and Ilia can find each other if they both win their next fight, but oddly enough, Paddy and Ilia can find each other if they both lose their next fights.”
Ilia Topuria, Paddy Pimblett, and the path to a possible colission course
Ilia Topuria has his next assignment locked in and he could make a massive leap in his career when the cage door gets locked behind him on Saturday night. The former featherweight champion looks to claim the vacant lightweight title when he clashes with former 155 pound kingpin Charles Oliveira in the UFC 317 pay-per-view main event on June 28.
While Paddy Pimblett does not have his next fight formally booked, there are signs that he will be getting a big name opponent next that could vault him into a title challenger position following his dominant win over Michael Chandler earlier this year.
UFC star Ilia Topuria has revealed how much his weight cut to featherweight was impacting him as he prepares to make the move up to 155 pounds.
On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria will make his way up to the lightweight division in an attempt to become a two-weight world champion. He’ll square off with Charles Oliveira, a man who has already held that title before. While ‘El Matador’ is considered by many to be the favorite, you just never know what you’re going to get when ‘Do Bronx’ is involved.
While Ilia Topuria is clearly chasing greatness, many noted that it was a pretty big ask for him to get down to 145 pounds. He’s spoken about his struggles with it already in the past and in a recent interview, he went into even more detail.
Ilia Topuria discusses his weight cut concerns
“I took that decision because it was very hard for me to keep cutting the weight. My health was in danger, to be honest. I was putting my health at risk every weight cut. I had to cut a lot of weight. So, I took that decision with my family, and I decided to move up to the next weight class, where I have the full confidence that I will become a world champion also.”
The idea of Topuria being even stronger and even more dangerous at lightweight is pretty terrifying, but it also opens up the door for so many fascinating possibilities. Buckle up, fight fans, because this is going to be fun to watch.
UFC star Ilia Topuria has issued a fresh warning to Charles Oliveira if his foe decides to walk forward against him at UFC 317.
On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira will battle it out over the UFC lightweight championship. The expectation from many fans and pundits is that Ilia will become a two-weight world champion, but as we’ve come to learn, you simply cannot count Charles Oliveira out at the elite level.
As we look ahead to fight night, there are so many different ways this one can go. Oliveira has already said that he plans on walking forward, just like he always does. In a recent interview, however, Ilia Topuria warned ‘Do Bronx’ that he may be making a mistake.
Ilia Topuria is ready for Charles Oliveira
“You can never count him out because he’s a dangerous guy. He has the most finishes in UFC history. But I don’t know. I have faced those kind of situations many times before, with Volkanovski, with Max Holloway. They were like, ‘No one could beat them, no one could knock them out.’ But they never faced me. They never faced someone that skillful like me. This is what’s going to happen with Charles.
“He thinks that he has some opportunities, but the reality is that he has not. The only thing he has to do is show up, and I’m going to do the rest. I’m going to finish him in the first round. I say that to you like I say I’m going to get a coffee. He walks forward, this is all I need.
“The time that takes me to knock out my opponents is the time that takes me to close the distance. With Charles, I’m not going to need to close the distance because he walks forward, and this is all I need to take his lights out.”
Former UFC fighter Jon Jones appears to have responded to his most recent legal concerns on social media.
As we know, Jon Jones has decided to walk away from mixed martial arts and retire from the sport. Alongside that, he’s also been dealing with fresh legal problems in the midst of allegations that he fled the scene of an accident. As you can imagine, his attorney has dismissed this, but a lot of fans aren’t quite as convinced.
Jon Jones has always been pretty active on social media and we can’t really picture a world in which that changes. He likes to wind up the fans, and he also likes to voice his opinions. That’s just part of who he is, and we wouldn’t even be shocked to see him tease a return to the UFC at some point in the near future.
In the following tweets, however, Jon Jones seemed to make it clear that he isn’t happy with “lies” that he believes are being told right now.
One thing we all know about snakes, you let them hang around long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. It’s good to be real with the people that’s known you for a long time, but sometimes it’s OK to outgrow people. These are reasons why
Thank you, so far it’s going really amazing. Outside of the silly lies and distractions. Just became owner of another company. I would say first year in retirements going pretty good. Two new businesses in the books. https://t.co/iZBIigCZd1
“One thing we all know about snakes, you let them hang around long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. It’s good to be real with the people that’s known you for a long time, but sometimes it’s OK to outgrow people. These are reasons why.”
“Thank you, so far it’s going really amazing. Outside of the silly lies and distractions. Just became owner of another company. I would say first year in retirements going pretty good. Two new businesses in the books.”
