The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Vancouver, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Despite her win at UFC Vancouver, Manon Fiorot falls one spot in the rankings to No. 5, as does Julianna Pena (to No. 6). Natalia Silva moves up two spots to No. 4.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: Following her win at UFC Vancouver, Manon Fiorot moves up one spot to No. 1, swapping places with Natalia Silva.
The woman Fiorot defeated, Jasmine Jasudavicius, falls two spots to No. 7. Maycee Barber and Rose Namajunas each move up one spot to No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: Following his UFC Vancouver win, Aiemann Zahabi moves up two spots to No. 7. The man he defeated, Marlon Vera, and Mario Bautista fall one spot each to No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.
Additionally, Rob Font moves up one spot to No. 12, swapping places with Vinicius Oliveira (No. 13).
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: Following his win at UFC Vancouver, Mike Malott enters the rankings at No. 15, replacing the man he defeated, Kevin Holland, who falls off the list.
Middleweight: Following his win at UFC Vancouver, Brendan Allen moves up four spots to No. 5. The man he defeated, Reinier de Ridder, falls four spots to No. 8. Additionally, Anthony Hernandez moves up two spots to No. 4, while Israel Adesanya drops one spot to No. 6.
Robert Whittaker falls one spot to No. 9. Jared Cannonier moves up one spot, tying with Michael Page for the No. 10 position.
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Rio, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Following his win at UFC Rio, Charles Oliveira returns to the men’s pound-for-pound UFC rankings at No. 15. Shavkat Rakhmonov departs the list.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: Luana Santos joins the rankings at No. 15, replacing future UFC Vegas 111 opponent Daria Zhelezniakova, who falls off the list.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: Following his UFC Rio loss, Montel Jackson departs the list. Marcus McGhee returns to the rankings at No. 15.
The man Jackson lost to, Deiveson Figueiredo, remains at No. 6.
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: Following his win at UFC Rio, Charles Oliveira moves up one spot to No. 3, swapping places with Max Holloway (now No. 4). Additionally, Paddy Pimblett moves up one spot to No. 6, swapping places with Dan Hooker (now No. 7).
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: No changes.
Light Heavyweight: No changes.
Heavyweight: No changes.
This week’s new UFC rankings were first reported by John Morgan. UFC.com’s rankings section still to be updatedas of publication time.
It’s unfortunately not uncommon for an MMA card to feature a fighter who missed weight for their bout. UFC Rio, however, presented us with a truly ridiculous case.
The opening bout of the evening saw Luan Lacerda taking on Saimon Oliveira — a fighter who missed weight by eight pounds. The bout ended up contested at 144 pounds, making it more like a featherweight contest than a bantamweight one. Oliveira also had to weigh in under a certain amount for the fight to even go on.
Lacerda won the fight anyway, avoiding the controversial idea of a fighter missing weight on purpose to get an advantage in the fight — as well as fighter pay issues in circumstances such as these. Oliveira, in fact, looked terrible and drained, and his UFC future is probably in doubt.
Photo By Tim Wheaton
But that doesn’t get us away from the debate over how weight misses in MMA should be handled. Oliveira ended up forfeiting 50 percent of his fight purse, which means he didn’t make a lot of money for this loss. Traditionally, commissions penalize MMA fighters 20-30 percent of their purse for such weight misses, so this kind of fine is a good statement.
Perhaps that could set a precedent for other potential penalties that could be “perfect” solutions for these kinds of issues.
Percentage Increase For Fines With Each Weight Miss
This idea is based off of the bigger fines for bigger weight misses in MMA — and the extreme case in the case of Oliveira from UFC Rio.
Essentially, in this scenario, a second (or later) weight miss after an initial one results in an increased set minimum of fine for the fighter that misses weight. While, as discussed, most circumstances see an MMA fighter get fined a minimum of 20 percent of their fight purse for a weight miss, a second weight miss would mean the fighter’s minimum fine gets increased to 25 percent.
Let’s use Charles Oliveira as an example. The weight miss for his 2012 bout with Cub Swanson would have resulted in the normal 20 percent purse fine. But his second weight miss, which came against Jeremy Stephens, would see a minimum of a 25 percent purse fine with this rule, and a minimum 30 percent for his weight miss against Myles Jury. That said, an extreme case — such as Oliveira’s 10-pound miss against Ricardo Lamas — could result in a percentage fine that is more than the minimum.
This rule can also apply to just a certain timespan, such as 12-18 months. In a case like this, Charles Oliveira’s weight miss against Stephens would still just be a 20 percent minimum, since it came two years after the Swanson fight. But the weight miss against Jury would see the bump up in minimum since it came a year later.
Forcing Fighters To Move Up After Two Weight Misses
If weight cutting isn’t going to go away in this sport, since MMA fighters and their teams love to have the size advantage in a fight, then perhaps we need to more strictly come down on fighters who can’t keep up on the weight cutting responsibility to maintain such advantages.
In this circumstance, a second weight miss results in the fighter being mandated to move up in weight class. There are no exceptions. Whether it’s a fighter who is fighting on the undercard, or a fighter who was nearing a title shot in a weight class, a second weight miss means their run in that division is over. They must move up in weight or they will not be permitted a license to fight.
It sounds harsh. But the intention is to fight back against the harm done to one’s body during a weight cut — and to fight back against a fighter who might willingly miss on purpose (like Yana Santos accused Macy Chiasson of doing recently). The California State Athletic Commission, in fact, has rules in place that can force fighters to move up depending on how much weight they are cutting and rehydrating to, or fight cancelations depending on the extremity of an MMA fighter’s weight miss.
But with this case, it’s not just fighters and state athletic commissions who have to take responsibility, it would also be on the promotions to be required to follow such measures.
Image: UFC/Facebook
Automatic One-Point Deduction On The Scorecards
This is perhaps the harshest of all circumstances, but I believe it is one that might be necessary to get improvements moving — and it is the one I most support.
In this circumstance, a fighter who misses weight is brought to the center of the cage right away and issued a one-point deduction immediately as the fight starts. This means that this fighter can only earn a maximum of nine points for the opening round and essentially must sweep three rounds on two judges’ scorecards to get a decision win. Losing a round would mean a fight that goes to the scorecards sees that fighter only able to earn a draw at best.
The PFL did something like this when using its regular season-playoff format. A fighter who missed weight lost one point in the standings, and that later saw a change where that fighter was unable to earn any points in the standings. There was also the controversial losing one point implementation in PFL Europe’s tournament format. Regardless of what you think of the PFL’s usage of these created ideas, I think they were getting somewhere with how hard you need to come down on fighters for this circumstance.
Making weight is a matter of professionalism. And if we can’t get rid of it in MMA, then we have to come down harshly on it for the respect of those fighters who are responsible with their weight cutting and for those MMA fighters who hold making weight in necessary regard.
Who knows if any of these ideas actually get implemented in the future? But hopefully we as an MMA community can discuss these ideas to bring about necessary change for the sake of the fighters and the sport as a whole.
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC 320, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: As a result of regaining the UFC light heavyweight title, Alex Pereira moves up four spots to No. 6. The now-former champion, Magomed Ankalaev, falls four spots to No. 11.
Consequently, these moves also result in Alexander Volkanovski falling one spot to No. 7 and Dricus Du Plessis moving up one spot to No. 10.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: As a result of her win, Yana Santos moves up five spots to No. 5. The woman she beat, Macy Chiasson, falls two spots to No. 7.
Ailin Perez consequently falls one spot to No. 8, while Mayra Bueno Silva falls two spots to No. 10.
Flyweight: As a result of his suspension, Ramazan Temirov has been removed from UFC rankings eligibility.
As a result, Bruno Silva moves up one spot to No. 14, while Rafael Estevam joins the rankings at No. 15.
Bantamweight: Petr Yan moves up one spot, tying Umar Nurmagomedov for the No. 2 position. Montel Jackson enters the rankings at No. 15, while Marcus McGhee falls off the rankings.
Cory Sandhagen remains at No. 4 after his title fight loss at UFC 320.
Featherweight: Following his UFC 320 win, Youssef Zalal moves up two spots to No. 7. The man he beat, Josh Emmett, falls one spot to No. 9.
Subsequently, Brian Ortega falls one spot to No. 8.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: Following his UFC 320 win, Joe Pyfer joins the rankings at No. 15, while Ikram Aliskerov falls out of the rankings.
Light Heavyweight: Following UFC 320, Alex Pereira takes the champion spot, while Magomed Ankalaev falls to the No. 1 contender position. Ankalaev shares this position now with Jiri Prochazka, who moved up one spot following his win at UFC 320.
The man Prochazka beat, Khalil Rountree Jr., falls one spot to No. 5, swapping places with Jan Blachowicz (now No. 4).
It’s been assumed that the UFC will want a massive event for its Paramount premiere, and while UFC CEO and President Dana White has planned such, a new report hints at what potentially could be the headliner for that first card.
Per a new report from Alvaro Colmenero, Ilia Topuria is expected to make his first defense of the UFC lightweight championship in January, with the most likely opponent being former interim champion Justin Gaethje.
Colmenero reportedly told EuroSport Network that this is the matchup the UFC is looking for to open its contract with Paramount. He adds that the premiere UFC event with Paramount will take place in Los Angeles, though it was not directly stated if this would be at the Intuit Dome or the Crypto.com Arena.
Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje Lightweight Title Fight For UFC’s First Event With Paramount?
In August, the UFC signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount to be the new U.S. broadcasting partner of the UFC. Beginning in January 2026, UFC cards will air on the Paramount+ streaming service, with select cards to be simulcasted on local CBS stations.
During the UFC 320 post-fight press conference, White did not name a particular headliner for any January event — numbered or Fight Night. He, however, did tease a massive card for the first UFC event on Paramount before shifting focus to the White House card later that summer.
“We’re about to go on a new network, on Paramount, and we need to deliver a massive, incredible card in January,” White said. “And then in February, we’ll start looking at building the White House card, which I will right now tell you will be the greatest fight card ever assembled in the history of of of definitely this company.”
Topuria had won the UFC featherweight title with a finish of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. After retaining with a finish of Max Holloway at UFC 308, Topuria vacated that title to face Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight championship at UFC 317. Topuria won the belt with a first-round knockout of the former champion.
Gaethje would enter this title fight off winning a rematch with Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 in March. Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title at UFC 249 but fell short in fights with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 and Oliveira at UFC 274. Gaethje is also a former BMF champion, defeating Dustin Poirier for the title at UFC 291 before losing to Holloway at UFC 300.
DWCS rolled on with Episode 8 of Season 9 on Tuesday, September 30th. Five fights took place at the UFC Apex, with four of the winners walking away with UFC contracts. The UFC will officially be adding the following fighters to the UFC roster:
Kurtis “Pink Panther” Campbell – 8-0 Featherweight
Louis “Mad Prince” Jourdain – 9-3 Bantamweight (brother of current UFC fighter Charles Jourdain)
Chris “The Newborn” Alvidrez – 7-1 Welterweight
Damian “Baba Yaga” Pinas – 8-1 Middleweight
All four of these fighters secured their victory via finish, proving this week’s roster is ready for the big show. Although winning on the contender series is the first step, we will be looking forward and predicting some potential matchups that could fit well for these fighters UFC debuts.
Kurtis “The Pink Panther” Campbell– 8-1 Featherweight
Kurtis “The Pink Panther” Campbell secured perhaps the most viral finish of the evening, annihilating his opponent Demba Seck with massive elbows from top position. Following his performance, Campbell walked out of the cage to The Pink Panther theme, showing that the UFC brass is already getting behind the 23 year old scouser.
Kurtis Campbell is an excellent prospect, very similar to Paddy Pimblett in his size and skill set. The Liverpool native is a former champion of England’s FCC promotion, and has a variety of finishes on his record. Long kicks, powerful punches, and an awkward yet effectively wrestling game make up his primary skillset on the feet, but where he is truly dangerous is in on the ground. When Campbell gets top position, he is brutal with his ground and pound and showcased in his contender series bout.
This fight was quick work, and there is no doubt Campbell will be looking for fast turnaround for his first fight in the big show. He seems to be on UFC matchmakers good side thus far, so I anticipate a favorable matchup for Campbell’s UFC debut.
Prediction: Kurtis Campbell (8-0) vs Francis Marshall (8-3) – December 2025/January 2026
Louis “Mad Prince” Jourdain – 9-3 Bantamweight
Louis Jourdain had the cleanest and most well rounded performance of the evening. The Canadian bantamweight and younger brother of UFC fighter Charles Jourdain, showcased all of his skills en route to a third round submission of Magno Dias. Jourdain utilizing his lead hand, calf kicks, and excellent grappling game to dominate all phases of the fight. A Jiu Jitsu brown belt with four pro boxing matches, Jourdain is about as well rounded as they come. Not only did he secure a contract, but he also made history as Charles and Louis became the first Canadian siblings in UFC history to be on the roster.
Louis Jourdain’s biggest setbacks have not been losses inside the cage, but rather injuries and lost time. Now that he is back in the metaphorical saddle, there is no doubt he knows the time is now for his career. On the broadcast, he could be seen pleading with Dana White to book him for UFC Vancouver (despite the fact Dana White hasn’t booked a single fight for the UFC in years, that’s all Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard). While it would be a quick turnaround in just two weeks, we can certainly hope the UFC honors his wishes and allows him to share a card with his brother.
Prediction: Louis Jourdain (9-3) vs Kris Moutinho (14-7) – UFC Vancouver – October 18th
Christopher “The Newborn” Alvidrez – 7-1 Welterweight
The only betting underdog of the evening to win his fight, Christopher Avidrez showed excellent heart and desire in his fight, knocking out the unorthodox Eliezer Kubanza in the first round. A former football player who turned his life around through MMA, Alvidrez has overcome a lot to make it to this moment. He relocated to Miami after a brutal car accident ended his football career, and fully committed himself to combat sports while training at The GoatShed.
Alvidrez is the least polished of all the winners of this episode. His toughness and strength are no question, and he utilized outstanding elbows in the clinch, he still has questions that need to be answered in terms of his overall game. We could see Alvidrez being thrown into a tough matchup right away, but his mentality won’t stop him from taking a challenge head on. It should also be noted he was seen with a large wrap around his right knee, so it could be some time before we see him make his debut.
Prediction: Christopher Alvidrez (7-1) vs Daniil Donchenko (12-2) – February 2026
Damian “Baba Yaga” Pinas – 8-1 Middleweight
In the main event of the evening, Damian Pinas made quick work of his opponent, flatlining Vitor Costa with a brutal right hand in the first round. This contract was long overdue, as Pinas was scheduled to be on episode one of this season, but due to visa issues was not able to travel for the fight. Luckily he was rebooked, and now can look forward to being booked in the UFC.
Pinas is a fantastic kickboxer with excellent power in his hands and feet. He will become the second Surinamese fighter in UFC history, following Jair Rozenstruik. Similar to Bigi Boy, Baba Yaga has the kickboxing skill and power to dispatch anyone inside the cage. Now that the visa issues are fully cleared, we can hope to see the young fighter pick up another fight soon. At just 23 years old, time is on Pinas’ side, but it would be advantageous to keep his momentum going. Between his performances and the unique national heritage, I expect Pinas to find early success in the middleweight division, similar to Ateba Gautier who fights this weekend.
Prediction: Damian Pinas (8-1) vs Jackson McVey (6-1) – January 2026
While none of these fights are official nor even rumored, they all are potential interesting first matchups for this week’s winners of DWCS. Stay tuned for next week’s edition following episode 9 of DWCS.
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with a highlight, finished-filled night in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode eight of season nine this week saw four prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
Kurtis Campbell provided the first highlight of the night, scoring a first-round finish of Demba Seck. Campbell laid in a solid head kick in the opening seconds before Seck tried to fire back with a kick-based offense of his own. Campbell scored a takedown to try and nullify Seck’s offense. Seck was able to work his way to his feet, but Campbell landed a solid knee that put him back down. Some follow-up shots later, and Campbell had done enough for the win and a UFC contract.
Christopher Alvidrez followed that up with a solid performance over Eliezer Kubanza. Alvidrez dictated the pace, mixing up his strikes and nearly scoring a takedown on Kubanza in the first. While Kubanza landed some power shots, Alvidrez landed a solid one-two that caught Kubanza’s attention. Kubanza, however, landed a damaging body kick and caught Alvidrez coming in, briefly using his grappling to pin him to the fence.
Alvidrez turned things into his favor for good with a right hand, followed by a left, to drop Kubanza. Alvidrez then unleashed a flurry on the ground, and despite a long leash from referee Herb Dean, the fight was stopped, giving Alvidrez a late first-round finish and a UFC contract.
In the co-main event, Louis Jourdain, the brother of UFC fighter Charles Jourdain, pulled off a third-round submission of Magno Dias. Jourdain came out with some speed in his strikes, looking to take control early, while Dias looked to pressure him toward the fence. Jourdain briefly dropped Dias with an elbow, but Dias got back to his feet and managed to score a takedown. Dias locked in a neck crank, but Jourdain managed to scramble out and get top position, working his way back to the feet.
Jourdain troubled Dias with a calf kick and a solid knee in the second round until Dias pushed Jourdain to the fence. Dias looked to take back control with the fight back on the ground, but Jourdain got the fight standing, landing more leg kicks and troubling Dias’ movement. Jourdain laid in a couple of more knees in the third round before working around Dias’ guard attempt to score a rear-naked choke and UFC contract via submission.
In the main event, Damian Pinas managed to land a devastating blow to score a big knockout of Vitor Costa. Pinas landed an uppercut that split Costa’s guard, landing a strong flurry in the first minute of the fight. Costa landed some low kicks and tried to get on the inside before taking Pinas to the fence briefly. A short time later, however, Pinas cracked Costa with a right hand, dropping Costa out cold for the highlight knockout and UFC contract.
The night opened with Rashid Vagabov sweeping the cards against Paulo Henrique. Vagabov landed from the outside despite Henrique’s pressure, landing low kicks and working combinations. The two had their exchanges of power shots during the opening round, but Vagabov controlled the last portion of the first round, pinning Henrique against the fence before scoring a takedown. Henrique brought the grappling pressure in the second round, pressing Vagabov into the fence. A takedown attempt was reversed, however, and Vagabov quickly brought the action back to the feet, controlling the action there.
Vagabov then dominated the third round with grappling, scoring a takedown and being unrelenting with his pressure, nearly scoring a submission on a couple of occasions before earning a decision win. It wasn’t, however, enough to earn a contract.
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Perth, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: Following her win at UFC Perth, Alexia Thainara debuts in the rankings at No. 14, replacing the woman she defeated, Loma Lookboonmee.
Women’s Flyweight: Following her UFC Perth loss, Luana Carolina departs the rankings. Gabriella Fernandes enters the rankings at No. 15.
Jasmine Jasudavicius moves up one spot to No. 5, swapping places with Maycee Barber (now No. 6).
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: Vinicius Oliveira moves up one spot to No. 12, swapping places with Rob Font (now No. 13).
Kyler Phillips moves up one spot to No. 14, swapping places with Marcus McGhee (now No. 15).
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: Joaquin Buckley moves up one spot to No. 7, swapping places with Michael Morales (now No. 8).
Middleweight: Caio Borralho moves up one spot to No. 7, swapping places with Robert Whittaker (now No. 8).
Brendan Allen moves up two spots to No. 9, while Michael “Venom” Page, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze all fall one spot to No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12, respectively.
Ikram Aliskerov enters the rankings at No. 15, pushing Roman Kopylov out of the rankings.
Light Heavyweight: Following his UFC Perth loss, Dominick Reyes falls one spot to No. 8, swapping places with Aleksandar Rakic (who moves up to No. 7).
Despite his win over Reyes, Carlos Ulberg remains at No. 3.
UFC welterweight Kiefer Crosbie appears to be interested in other combat sports ventures outside the world of MMA, and he has requested his release from the promotion.
A recent post on Instagram from Crosbie pictured a pair of UFC gloves, with Crosbie thanking the UFC in the caption. This led to the belief from many that Crosbie was hanging up the gloves and retiring from the sport of MMA.
In a new Instagram post, however, Crosbie provided an update of clarification. Crosbie confirmed that he has no interest in competing in MMA anymore; however, he still wishes to be a professional fighter, competing in other disciplines of martial arts.
In order to fulfill these desires, however, Crosbie is requesting that the UFC let him go from his contract.
Kiefer Crosbie Desires UFC Release To Pursue Other Combat Sports Avenues
“I’ve been doing this sport a long time,” Crosbie said in the Instagram video. “My body is absolutely rallied and broke up my life, my money, my mental and physical health on the line for so long. And to be honest with you, it’s not worth it continuing on the MMA journey. That being said, that doesn’t mean I’m retired. I absolutely would love to fight again, multiple times, and explore different avenues.
“Now, funny enough, the UFC haven’t actually cut me or released me. I don’t know what the gameplan is there. Maybe that want to honor me another fight because I was f***** over so bad the last time. But, to be completely honest with you, I would like to ask for a release. I have no desire to step foot in the Octagon and have another MMA fight…”
Crosbie’s last fight at UFC Shanghai came under controversy. Opponent Taiyilake Nueraji hit Crosbie with an illegal knee but was allowed to continue. He was quickly finished seconds later.
Conor McGregor is seemingly in preparations to compete at the UFC White House card next summer, but did he just post a demand he needs to see for that to be met?
It appeared that McGregor would never compete in the Octagon ever again given the amount of money and brand he’s made over the years. But since U.S. President Donald Trump and the UFC first started teasing the idea of a UFC card on the White House lawn — in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the United States — there arguably has been no fighter who has done more advocating to compete on the card than McGregor.
In a post on social media, however, McGregor appeared to state that he was looking for a $100 million payday to compete on the special UFC card in Washington D.C. He would also be looking for 100 “Golden Visas” in the U.S. for his family and friends.
$100million to fight at the White House along with 100 U.S “Golden Visas” for myself and family and friends
I look very forward to entertaining the fighting world once again.
“I look very forward to entertaining the fighting world once again,” McGregor added in his social media post. “A pleasure I never take for granted!”
Conor McGregor Wants $100 Million And 100 Golden Visas To Compete At UFC White House?
The “Golden Visa” McGregor may be referring to is a newly announced “Gold Card” plan by U.S. President Trump that would see residency and citizenship given to those who gift $1 million ($2 million for corporations) to the U.S. government’s Department of Commerce.
This would mark a departure from the country’s EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which saw foreign investors qualify to become lawful U.S. residents by making “the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States” and planning “to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.”
McGregor teased a bid for the Ireland presidency earlier this year before withdrawing. McGregor is no strange to controversy over his UFC career; however, he’s come under fire in particular over the last year, thanks to being found civilly liable of the rape of Nikita Hand in a hotel room in December 2018.
McGregor has not competed in the Octagon since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. He was scheduled to face Michael Chandler, his opposing coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, at UFC 303 last year before pulling out of the fight less than one month prior to the card.
While the Australian fanbase has been one of the strongest and most vocal in terms of internal UFC audiences and attendees, UFC Perth is struggling to get fans in the door.
A recent broadcast report from 7 News Australia stated that the venue of this weekend’s card, RAC Arena, in Perth, is only at about half capacity — a poor number in comparisons to sellouts in previous UFC events across the country over the recent years.
🚨UFC Perth ticket sales have been ‘Poor’
“The venue is about half full— it’s disappointing”
“The WA [Western Australian] government’s financial investment in cage fighting is in question tonight with poor ticket sales to a UFC event this weekend,” 7 News Australia’s Rick Ardon said. “UFC Fight Night is being staged at RAC Arena, but the venue is only about half full, and tickets are now being discounted.”
RAC Arena Showing Poor Sales For UFC Perth
The last UFC event to take place in Australia was UFC 312 in February, held at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. A sold-out crowd of 18,537 saw Dricus Du Plessis score a decision win over Sean Strickland to retain the UFC middleweight title. The last event held in Perth prior to this weekend’s card was UFC 305 in August 2024, which saw Du Plessis retain via submission over Israel Adesanya.
The sales for this coming weekend’s card, however, have been, in the words of reporter Geoff Parry, “disappointing, not the sellout of previous years.”
Andy Hickey confirmed the news on social media, calling UFC Perth, “easily the worst selling event at this point post-COVID” and noting that ticket prices have dropped to $167 AUS.
I check Ticket availability for all UFC events.
The reports of poor ticket sales are accurate.
Easily the worst selling event at this point post Covid.
Yahoo Sports points to a number of factors for the poor sales, including the number of notable names on this weekend’s card being lackluster, as well as injury forcing native Junior Tafa out of the originally scheduled co-main event against Ibo Aslan.
Yahoo also notes, however, that the UFC will profit from the event off site fees alone, which may mean the UFC won’t be too bothered by poor ticket sales for this outing.
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with a highlight, finished-filled night in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode seven of season nine this week saw six prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
The night had a strong start, courtesy of Rafael Tobias scoring a win over Jair de Oliveira. Tobias landed a counter shot in the opening minute of the fight, appearing to hurt de Oliveira and forcing him to use the clinch to recover. Tobias did not let up on the pressure and power, however, cutting off the cage on a constant basis. Tobias was able to score a takedown after a body kick, and he locked in a rear-naked choke on de Oliveira, scoring a first-round submission and earning a UFC deal.
Things only got better with Javier Torres pulling off a comeback finish of Justice Torres. Torres looked to bring pressure to Reyes early and get him toward the fence with his striking. But Reyes was able to find an opening and land a right hook to the body, starting up a sequence of power that overwhelmed Torres. The shots would bring Torres down to the mat covering up, giving Reyes the first-round finish and a UFC contract.
In what will go down as one of the best fights DWCS has ever seen, Jeisla Chaves came out on top in a war with Sofia Montenegro. Chaves and Montenegro came out with striking exchanges right away, with both ladies sporting blood on the sides of their faces within the first minute. Montenegro’s straight shots were finding their mark, but Chaves’ combinations and hooks were also leaving an impact. After a violent first round that earned praises for both women, Montenegro’s striking dropped Chaves in the first minute of round two. Chaves was able to get to her feet and landed some strong shots in the round’s final minute, but most of the round saw her pinned to the ground and fence by Montenegro.
The bloody war continued into a solid third round, with Chaves earning the split decision victory in a fight that could have fallen either way. It truly was one of the best fights of the DWCS season, and White displayed that by giving both women contracts. This makes both women’s fights this season the two fights so far to have both the winner and loser earn contracts.
Finishes returned in the co-main event, as Murtazali Magomedov pulled off a victory over Brahyan Zurcher. As the two seemed to get their striking going in the opening frame, Magomedov landed a jab that appeared to stumble Zurcher, getting through his guard and wobbling him. Magomedov then pressed and scored the finish seconds later, earning a victory and a UFC contract in quick fashion.
And one more strong performance came courtesy of the main event, as Mantas Kondratavicius put away Dani Barbir. Kondratavicius pressured right away, intending to get the fight to the ground quickly. He was able to do so, but Barbir scambled up and pressed himself. After a minute, Kondratavicius landed a one-two with a right hand that put Barbir’s lights out, giving him a UFC contract and capping off one of the best DWCS nights of the season.
UFC fans in the U.S. will have to shell out more to catch the action on ESPN networks.
Back in 2019, the UFC inked a five-year exclusive broadcasting deal with ESPN. Throughout the partnership, ESPN aired the promotion’s full lineup of events on its television network and ESPN+ streaming platform, while also holding the rights to distribute pay-per-view cards.
As the ESPN deal nears its conclusion at the end of 2025, the UFC has striked a staggering seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount Skydance. Under the new arrangement, the promotion will move away from the traditional PPV model for its biggest events, instead broadcasting these cards live to Paramount+ subscribers at no additional cost.
PARAMOUNT AND TKO ANNOUNCE HISTORIC UFC MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT💥All UFC numbered events and Fight Nights will stream live on Paramount+, with select marquee fights simulcast on CBS, beginning in 2026. pic.twitter.com/54z8DWlCk1
ESPN still has four UFC PPV events remaining before their departure, but viewers will have to pay extra to catch three of those cards.
Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
ESPN To Hike Streaming Costs From October With UFC Exit On The Horizon
On Tuesday, Disney, ESPN’s parent company, revealed that ESPN+ has been officially rebranded as ESPN Select. The announcement also included price hikes across several of Disney’s streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select, as well as increases to bundled packages. These changes will also impact UFC fans.
Beginning October 21, the monthly subscription for ESPN Select will rise from $11.99 to $12.99, while the annual plan will increase from $119.99 to $129.99. Fans can also access ESPN Select content through the new ESPN Unlimited streaming service, priced at $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year.
Meanwhile, bundle pricing is also set to rise. The ad-supported Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select package will increase from $16.99 to $19.99 per month, while the ad-free version will climb from $26.99 to $29.99 per month.
Since launching its streaming service, ESPN has consistently raised subscription prices year after year. The recent hikes also extend to the UFC’s PPV events, which previously cost $59.99 and now run $79.99.
By comparison, Paramount+ is priced at $7.99 per month with ads or $12.99 per month for the ad-free tier. While the company has not announced any upcoming price changes, an increase seems possible once the UFC’s new broadcast deal begins next year.
Is Conor McGregor really going to fight at the White House next year?
‘Mystic Mac’ sent the MMA world into a frenzy when he revealed on an episode of Fox & Friends that he was already booked for the UFC’s highly anticipated fight card at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2026. However, not everyone is buying it.
“The story that Conor McGregor is being talked to headline the White House card. I don’t buy it,” Chael Sonnen said via a video on his YouTube channel. “I can’t buy it. Why or would we be turning to Conor McGregor? And the answer is also out there because he is the sport’s biggest star. That is true.
“So, is that what you need? If you’ve got the open checkbook and you’ve got the magic wand, without saying names, do you say I’m going to put as my main event the sport’s biggest star? Is that your answer? Doesn’t matter who he’s fighting.”
Conor McGregor Says He’ll Fight Michael Chandler in the Nation’s Capital
McGregor went on to claim that he already has an opponent lined up for the history-making event, and it’s none other than the man he’s been linked two for the last three years—Michael Chandler.
After an underwhelming stint as opposing coaches on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, McGregor and Chandler were rumored to fight in December 2023. When that didn’t happen, the focus shifted to UFC 303 where the bout was officially booked for the main event. Unfortunately, that card came and went with McGregor once again sitting on the sidelines, this time due to a broken pinky toe he suffered whilst training for the clash.
Despite having been more than four years since his last Octagon appearance, McGregor has continued to dominate headlines, albeit for all the wrong reasons.
So, what say you? Is McGregor’s “greatest comeback in combat sports history” finally happening, or is ‘The Notorious’ just pulling our leg again?
Former UFC fighter turned analyst Din Thomas thinks the UFC should trade off Magomed Ankalaev for PFL star Dakota Ditcheva.
Trades between MMA organizations are extremely rare. In fact, it’s only happened once. In October 2018, the UFC sent former flyweight king Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Akren. Now, Thomas thinks it’s time for the the UFC to initiate another trade, this time sending it’s reigning light heavyweight champion over to Donn Davis and Co. in exchange for their British bombshell.
Din Thomas thinks UFC should trade Magomed Ankalaev for PFL’s Dakota Ditcheva pic.twitter.com/NgFLZDwVTl
“We gotta understand that MMA is a star-driven sport,” Thomas said on The Casuals MMA podcast back in February. “We have a star problem in the UFC. [PFL] got Dakota Ditcheva, who’s a star. I’m like, ‘Yo, please listen, if you guys like MMA, do this for MMA. Trade her to the UFC, you know she belongs in the UFC.’ Just trade, listen, get rid of Ankalaev in the UFC, trade her for Ankalaev, we don’t need Ankalaev, you know what I’m saying.”
Is Dakota Ditcheva the Next Big Thing in Women’s MMA?
Meanwhile, Ditcheva continues to take the world MMA world by storm despite having a limited number of viable opponents to contend with under the PFL banner. After handily defeating Taila Santos—who once took Valentina Shevchenko to the limit—to win the 2024 PFL flyweight tournament, Ditcheva scored a decisive decision victory over Sumiko Inaba during the promotion’s inaugural event in Cape Town, South Africa.
Given her 15-0 record and 80% finish rate inside the Smart Cage, it’s clear that Ditcheva is ready for the next level of competition—something she’s unlikely to get in the PFL.
As for Ankalaev, he’ll put his gold up for grabs on October 4 when he runs it back with ‘Poatan’ at UFC 320 in Las Vegas. Ankalaev bested Pereira at UFC 313 after the Brazilian bruiser delivered an uncharacteristically lackluster performance in their light heavyweight headliner.
Ankalaev is currently trending as a 2-to-1 favorite to retain his title.
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with another night of memorable action in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode six of season nine this week saw four prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
Cody Chovancek got the night off with a finish, taking out Raphael Uchegbu. Despite a fence grab while defending Uchegbu’s grappling attempts, Chovancek rocked and dropped Uchegbu with an elbow. Uchegbu would not be deterred, however, using a triangle to threaten a submission and try to limit Chovancek’s movement on the ground. After Uchegbu’s grappling was fended off again in the second, Chovancek landed a combination just seconds into the final round to earn the finish.
Thomas Gantt earned a strong performance in his own right, defeating Adam Livingston. A protegee of Daniel Cormier, Gantt pressured Livingston to the fence in a clinching battle. In spite of fence grabs by Livingston, earning him a point deduction, Gantt scored a strong takedown and didn’t take back, completely overwhelming Livingston with his grappling strength. Gantt locked up a guillotine for the first-round submission victory and a UFC contract.
The biggest underdog of the night, Iwo Baraniewski, pulled off a stunner in the co-main event, taking out Mahamed Aly in only 20 seconds. Baraniewski took a leg kick from Aly but needed just one strong right hand to put him to the canvas. Despite protests not long after the stoppage, referee Mike Beltran called it one second after Aly’s head hit the canvas. Needless to say, Baraniewski earned a UFC deal.
In the main event, Hecher Sosa came away with an easy decision win over Mackson Lee. Sosa pressured Lee almost immediately, bringing him to the fence and overwhelming him with striking attacks. Lee only landed two strikes the entire first round, however, he nearly scored a guillotine choke submission. Sosa went back to overwhelming pressure in the second round, and despite a brief slowdown towards the later stage of that round, it was a dominating performance for Sosa, who swept the scorecards and earned a contract.
TUF 32 alumnus Paddy McCorry was in action this evening as well, taking on Hwang In-su. In-su was able to pressure McCorry during the first two rounds but found himself unable to pull the trigger. McCorry was able to land leg kicks and counter strikes, trying to show off his power. In spite of McCorry’s aggressive approach, neither man really pulled the trigger much in the later stages of the fight. Despite his win, McCorry was not awarded a contract.
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s Noche UFC, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Following her Noche UFC loss, Amanda Lemos moves down one spot to No. 15, swapping places with Maycee Barber (now No. 14).
Women’s Strawweight: Following her Noche UFC win, Tatiana Suarez moves up one spot, tying Virna Jandiroba for the No. 1 contender slot.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: Following his win at Noche UFC, David Martinez enters the bantamweight rankings at No. 11. The man he beat, Rob Font, falls three spots to No. 12.
Aiemann Zahabi and Henry Cejudo each move up one spot to No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. Vinicius Oliveira, Marcus McGhee, and Kyler Phillips all fall one spot, respectively, to No. 13, No. 14, and No. 15.
Montel Jackson departs the list.
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: No changes.
Light Heavyweight: No changes.
Heavyweight: In a bit of a surprise, Ante Delija falls one spot to No. 10, swapping places with the man he recently beat, Marcin Tybura (who now moves back up to No. 9).
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with another night of memorable action in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode five of season nine this week saw five prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
The night started with a banger, as Carol Foro pulled off a victory over Shanelle Dyer. Foro’s fists got going in the opening round, dropping Dyer twice and opening up a bad cut around one of her eyes. Dyer tried to get more volume with her strikes during the second round, but she was knocked down by Foro once again. Dyer picked things up in the third round but was unable to get the finish, as Foro took the decision in an action-packed battle. The fight impressed White so much that he awarded both women a UFC contract.
Samuel Sanches followed that up with a brutal first-round knockout of Chasen Blair. Blair attempted to bring the pressure to Sanches with power and pressing him up against the fence. After some in close fighting, Sanches landed a hard-hitting boxing combination, which ended with a left hook that slumped Blair out cold against the cage for the victory and the UFC contract.
Lerryann Douglas would pull off what White considered one of the best knockouts he’s seen in the evening’s co-main event, defeating Cam Teague in under a minute. Douglas did a number on Teague with leg kicks in the opening 25 seconds before connecting on a right hand that wobbled Teague. As Teague scrambled, Douglas nailed him with a left hand that faceplanted him, earning Douglas a UFC contract.
The heavyweight main event saw another sub-minute finish, as Steven Asplund took care of business against Anthony Guarascio. The two brought out their power right away, with Vasplund quickly dropping Guarascio with an uppercut, followed by some brief ground-and-pound before the referee stopped the match. In less than 20 seconds, Vasplund had a performance worthy of a UFC contract.
The evening also featured a light heavyweight bout that saw Freddy Vidal score a comeback victory over Felipe Franco. Franco looked to control the action early with grappling, but Vidal made him pay with strikes. On the ground, Vidal landed some strong ground-and-pound to trouble Franco. Franco would turn things around in the second, using his positioning to pin and pressure Vidal while matching him in striking this time around.
Vidal’s energy appeared drained in the third round and Franco controlled him with his pressuring. The fight would go to the ground, however, and Vidal managed to turn things around, looking for submissions. Vidal would get to the back and under the neck for a choke, and Franco went out, scoring the submission with just 12 seconds remaining.
While the fight was considered “horrible” by White, combined with Vidal missing weight, the finish and circumstances (Vidal taking the fight on six days’ notice) allowed White and the matchmakers to give him a fight on the final episode of the season to give him another shot at a contract.
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Paris, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: Jessica Andrade has been removed from the rankings pool at women’s flyweight. As a result, the following fighters have each moved up one spot in the rankings: Karine Silva (to No. 9), Miranda Maverick (to No. 10), Casey O’Neill (to No. 11), and Wang Cong (to No. 12).
Luana Carolina enters the rankings at No. 15, while Eduarda Moura moves up two spots to No. 13.
Maycee Barber moves up to No. 5, swapping places with Jasmine Jasudavicius (now No. 6).
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: No changes.
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: Following his loss at UFC Paris, Caio Borralho moves down one spot to No. 8, swapping places with Robert Whittaker (now No. 7). Michael “Venom” Page and Jared Cannonier each move up one spot to No. 9 and No. 10, respectively, while Brendan Allen falls two spots to No. 11, placing him in a tie with Roman Dolidze, who also moves up one spot.
Despite his win, Nassourdine Imavov remains at No. 2.
Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes moves up one spot to No. 7, swapping places with Aleksandar Rakic (now No. 8). Azamat Murzakanov moves up one spot to No. 10, swapping places with Bogdan Guskov (now No. 11).
Heavyweight: Following his win at UFC Paris, Ante Delija debuts in the UFC rankings at No. 9. The man he beat, Marcin Tybura, falls three spots to No. 10, while Serghei Spivac and Derrick Lewis each move up one spot to No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.
Tai Tuivasa, Shamil Gaziev, Mick Parkin, Tallison Teixeira, and Valter Walker each all drop one spot to Nos. 11-15, respectively. Rizvan Kuniev falls out of the heavyweight rankings.
Despite rumors and early reports following the cancelation of his scheduled UFC Paris bout due to weight management issues, it appears Losene Keita will remain on the UFC roster.
During the post-fight press conference for UFC Paris, UFC Senior Vice President of International and Content David Shaw stated that Keita has not been cut by the promotion.
“I believe [Keita has a future in the UFC],” Shaw said. “Honestly, I don’t know the specifics. I think a few of us were surprised the fight didn’t happen, but in any case, it’s going to be good to have him on the roster.”
Not long after the incident, Pitbull reportedly refuted any apology attempts from Keita, criticizing him for the weight miss and calling him “Fat Panther.”
Keita made his professional MMA debut in 2015, going on to be a notable presence in Oktagon MMA. In 2022, he’d win the Oktagon interim lightweight title before becoming undisputed champion about four months later. Keita would then interim featherweight gold in 2023 before becoming undisputed featherweight champ before the end of the year, becoming the first champ-champ in Oktagon MMA history.
Keita would regain the Oktagon lightweight title before the end of his time with the promotion by winning the promotion’s lightweight tournament, defeating Agy Sardari, Predrag Bogdanović, Mateusz Legierski, and Ronald Paradeiser in 2024.
Per a report from the Wall Street Journal, White met with U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Trump’s administration this past week to officially confirm plans for the event — one of several events in Washington, D.C. around that time to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
Though originally intended to be held on July 4, which falls on a Saturday in 2026, the card will instead take place in late June. Logistical challenges reportedly were the cause of moving up the date of the event. UFC officials do say, however, that plans for the event remain on track.
The event will reportedly include both a press conference and weigh-ins to take place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Fighters may warm up in the White House and make their Octagon walks through different ceremonial routes, including going through the Oval Office or Rose Garden, before entering the Octagon located on the White House lawn.
UFC White House Event Reportedly Set For June 2026
The UFC will reportedly have various fan engagement events in the days leading up to the card. This will include autograph sessions and other interactive activities occuring at the National Mall, as well as viewing screens for broader public access.
Fireworks and laser-light displays will reportedly be involved during the event.
Given the spectacle nature of this event, combined with the card’s historic nature and various events, it is still unclear how this will effect plans for International Fight Week in 2026.
The historical nature of the event has brought out several fighters to ask for placement on the card, including both Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. McGregor has not fought since UFC 264 in July 2021, while Jones announced a comeback following the first tease of such an event — coming just two weeks after he retired and surrendered the UFC heavyweight title.
This card also comes in more historic times for the UFC — the first year of a seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. broadcasting deal with Paramount.
Ever since it was first brought into the wild, the idea of a UFC White House event has been debated, discussed, derided, and defended. Now, approximately 10 months before the 250th anniversary of the United States, UFC CEO and President Dana White claims plans for an event are now official.
White made the announcement during an Instagram Live stream on the evening of August 28, stating he had spent the day in Washington, D.C. trying to figure out details in regard to the event
🚨 Dana White says the UFC White House event is officially on 👀
"White House fight is ON. I will have more details on that in the next couple weeks. We got it done today."
“We had the meeting at the White House; could not have gone better,” White said. “This is going to be awesome. The White House fight is on. I will have more details on that in the next couple of weeks. But we got it done today.”
Dana White Says UFC White House Event Is A Go Following Meeting In Washington, D.C.
U.S. President Donald Trump first teased the idea about a card at the White House during Fourth of July festivities last month. He stated such an event as part of a big series of events to celebrate the Semiquincentennial of the U.S.
The UFC and White, in a series of interviews, would later indicate the plans were one of serious nature, with full intentions of a card to take place on the lawn of the White House on July 4, 2026.
White has previously claimed he intends to make the one of the “baddest” cards in UFC history at such an event, though he wouldn’t name any potential names or matchups due to the distance of time between now and the White House card.
Many fighters have expressed their desire to be selected for such an event, including Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2021 but has since returned to the UFC’s testing pool. Jones’ retirement lasted only two weeks due to the announcement; however, White has expressed trepidation and a lack of desire in placing Jones on the card.
It is believed many or all of the tickets for the White House card will be complimentary, and it is unclear if this event would be broadcast on Paramount+ exclusively or on linear CBS networks as well with the UFC’s new U.S. broadcasting deal with Paramount that begins in 2026.
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on the future of Arman Tsarukyan and the UFC lightweight championship picture.
As we know, Arman Tsarukyan is one of the top lightweight contenders at 155 pounds and that much is obvious. He even had a title shot on his plate against Islam Makhachev at the start of the year, only for an injury to rule him out of the fight.
In a recent video, Chael Sonnen gave his thoughts on Arman Tsarukyan and where he’s currently at.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Arman Tsarukyan
“And we’ll stick him in this purgatory, if you will, of MMA where we don’t quite know what we’re going to do with you now. So, we’re going to do nothing. And it might end up being great; you might end up getting to come to heaven. It might not, though, and you’re gonna have to go to hell. But either way, being in a spot where you don’t know is basically punishment enough.”
“‘Yes, I believe I should have Ilia Topuria. Yes, I want Ilia Topuria. No, I’m not willing to wait to get Ilia Topuria because of my own personal situation, because of four training camps with no fight. I am not willing to wait. So, I guess I don’t get Ilia next.’ And it was a very interesting negotiating tool, I must tell you.
“I mean, regardless of what he said, he still wants Ilia. He did the interview to get himself closer to Ilia. And when I read it, he pulled this whole, you know, not only do I not care—I’m not going to get it—not only am I not going to get it, I’m looking for something else. He pulled this whole blew it off his shoulder, right?”
The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with another night of knockout action — namely of the first-round variety — and plenty of highlights in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode three of season nine this week saw five prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
The night’s action got off to a hot start from Donte Johnson, who scored a quick finish of Darion Abbey. Johnson brought his power out early, and a barrage of punches from Johnson forced the fight to be halted just over a minute into the fight.
Manouel Sousa then brought out another big finish with his comeback victory over Cristian Perez in a wild, skilled battle. Perez’s grappling caused some issues for Sousa early on in the fight, including threatening a choke in the first and a leg lock attempt in the second. But Perez appeared to tire out, and Sousa took advantage. Sousa pounded away on Perez in the third, fending off all takedown attempts and forcing him to fight on the feet. Sousa’s battering was too much for Perez to handle, and “Manumiuto” managed to get the TKO in the third.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev then one-upped everyone so far by demolishing Alik Lorenz in 30 mere seconds. After landing a low kick, Yakhyaev pressured Lorenz, landing a knee and a barrage of punches until Lorenz was a crumbled mess laying up against the fence.
Marcio Barbosa added to the fun with his own first-round finish, putting away Damon Wilson. Barbosa cracked Wilson with a right hand, sending him face first to the mat. Wilson, however, bounced right back up and tried to get in the fight. Barbosa landed more power shots, however, and the fight was soon stopped in his favor.
The main event of the evening saw Ryan Gandra make quick work of Trent Miller, who took this fight on about a week’s notice. Gandra brought power right away in the opening minute, landing and pressuring Miller with huge shots. A barrage of shots nearly brought the end of the fight, only for it to be finished seconds later with a right hand that dropped Miller.
The result to all this? A second straight week where all five winners received UFC contracts.
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Shanghai, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: As a result of his win at UFC Shanghai, Charles Johnson moves up two spots to No. 13. Ramazan Temirov and Bruno Silva each drop one spot, respectively, to Nos. 14 and 15.
Bantamweight: No changes.
Featherweight: Following his win at UFC Shanghai, Aljamain Sterling moves up two spots to No. 5, swapping places with the man he defeated, Brian Ortega — who falls two spots to No. 7.
Lightweight: Joel Alvarez enters the rankings at No. 15, replacing Mauricio Ruffy.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: No changes.
Light Heavyweight: Following his win, Johnny Walker moves up one spot to No. 12, swapping places with Nikita Krylov (now No. 13). The man Walker beat, Zhang Minyang, falls one spot to No. 15, swapping places with Alonzo Menifield (now No. 14).
Heavyweight: No changes.
This week’s new UFC rankings were first reported by John Morgan. UFC.com’s rankings section still to be updatedas of publication time.
