MMA News

Tag: UFC

  • Vince McMahon Issued Misdemeanor Following Car Accident

    Vince McMahon, the former Executive Chairman of WWE & TKO, parent company of the UFC, was involved in a car accident on July 24.

    Per a report from TMZ, McMahon was traveling northbound on Route 15 in Westport, Connecticut, when the 2024 Bentley he was driving crashed into the back of a 2023 BMW 430. It then collided with a median wood-beam guardrail before a third vehicle, a Ford Fusion, ran into it.

    About 30 feet of damage to the median guardrail. No one was injured, with all three drivers having worn seat belts, but all three vehicles needed to be towed. McMahon’s Bentley and the BMW had its airbags deployed.

    McMahon was issued a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving and following too closely resulting in an accident. He is scheduled to appear in court next month.

    Vince McMahon, Former WWE And TKO Executive Chairman, Cited For Car Accident In Connecticut

    McMahon was one of the leading forces behind WWE’s sale to Endeavor in 2023. The Ari Emanuel-led company then formed TKO as part of a “merger” between the WWE and Zuffa, the longtime parent company of the UFC. McMahon, who originally purchased the WWE from his father in 1982, served as executive chairman of TKO upon its original creation.

    McMahon originally retired from his role as WWE chairman and CEO in June 2022 following hush-money payment allegations. He, however, powered his way back into the position of executive chairman and Board of Directors head in January 2023 as part of WWE’s sale process.

    McMahon was ousted from TKO, however, in January 2024 follwing allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He is still under federal investigation.

  • “[Merab Dvalishvili] Could Fight Jon Jones, He Would Beat Him,” Says Ex-UFC Vet

    “[Merab Dvalishvili] Could Fight Jon Jones, He Would Beat Him,” Says Ex-UFC Vet

    Merab Dvalishvili is not just the bantamweight GOAT of MMA in the eyes of many, but some think he can get the jump on the man many see as the overall MMA GOAT, pound for pound. Appearing on Bowks Talking Bouts prior to his recent Rizin flyweight grand prix bid, Jose Torres touched on some of his past training experiences with the Georgian standout. When responding to the talk from some that the UFC bantamweight champion is the greatest bantamweight in MMA history, Torres said,

    “He’s a great fighter, but he’s not super tough on the ground until he becomes tough, if that makes any sense. Like when it comes to technique, that’s where he lacks, but he pushes so much with his heart and just his conditioning that he will break you. Your best bet against Merab, and I guess even against myself and this is me saying this against Merab too, your best bet is to beat him in the first or second round. Because after the second half of the second round, that’s it. There’s no way you’re going to be able to keep up the pace.”

    “Merab is; again, they call him ‘The Machine’, ‘Robocop’, all these different nicknames because his gas tank is relentless. He’s not technically the best fighter, but because of how hard he pushes, especially with that fight style conditioning, that adrenaline that comes on fight day, all that stuff, it’s no match. I think Umar Nurmagomedov easily is the better fighter, but the guy who obviously shows up on fight day in Merab is easily the champion, if that makes any sense.”

    Merab Dvalishvili’s weaponized pace and how he could best Jon Jones

    When getting more into the machinations of the machine that is Merab Dvalishvili, Torres continued,

    “Technically, Sean O’Malley should have been able to win every fight against Merab, but Merab just doesn’t stop. Again, that [Alexandre] Pantoja-style where they’re kind of sloppy, they push forward. But Merab has that gas tank where you’re just like dude, you’re not gonna slow down at all? Like nothing whatsoever? … He’s that guy that just walks forward. He will beat any technical athlete… He could fight Jon Jones, he would beat him in the third or fifth, whatever final round of the fight. Like that’s Merab’s gas tank [laughs].”

  • Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Leaves Vegas Pros Reeling: New Tax Rule Could KO Sports Gamblers

    Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Leaves Vegas Pros Reeling: New Tax Rule Could KO Sports Gamblers

    U.S. President Donald Trump has found himself in the MMA news headlines recently because of his announcement of a UFC card that will take place on the White House lawn next July 4. Congress is also in the headlines for the discussion and possible passing of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act.

    But another piece of politics is about to swoop in and potentially affect professional bettors, according to Gianni “The Greek” Karalis, host of The Gambler’s Perspective and UFC On The Line.

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is a piece of legislation that focuses on tax and spending, as part of President Trump’s financial-related policies. This bill, however, can also come at a cost to gamblers.

    The bill proposes that professional bettors could be taxed on gross winnings without being allowed to deduct their losses. In other words, even gamblers who finish with more losses than wins could still owe.

    “It’s basically saying that it could force some bettors — key word there — some, to pay income tax even in years when they have net losses in gambling,” Karalis told James Lynch in a recent interview. “It could significantly hike the tax burden on professional sports bettors.”

    Gianni The Greek: How Sports Gamblers, Including MMA Bettors, Are Affected By The One Big Beautiful Bill

    Traditionally, professional gamblers could deduct losses from winnings when filing taxes, effectively being taxed based on net income. OBBBA threatens that by eliminating loss deductions. That’s the equivalent of taxing an investor for every winning trade while ignoring the losing ones.

    Karalis explains this as “the problem,” as it defies a gambler’s accounting principles.

    “You can no longer write off your losses against your wins like you used to before,” Karalis said. “I mean, the bottom line is this: you could lose money and still have to pay taxes as if you were profitable. That’s the negative of this.”

    Karalis does say, however, that most bettors will not be affected, as this portion of the bill targets professional bettors, rather than recreational ones. According to Karalis, only about 0.5 percent of bettors can be considered profitable and will be the most affected.

    “99.5 percent of sports bettors have negative lifetime earnings,” Karalis said. “Who this is going to affect is that half a percent that truly makes their living in betting sports.”

    There are two possible motives for this governmental action, according to Karalis. The first is a form of government money grab, similar to when states actively passed recreational marijuana laws in order to gain the tax revenue. The U.S. federal government may see sports betting — as an untapped goldmine, and it wants a bigger piece of the pie.

    The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) previously barred sports betting in most states. When the Supreme Court ruled the act unconstitutional in May 2018, states were allowed to decide on its legalization.

    Karalis’ other theory is that sportsbooks themselves may have lobbied for this part of OBBBA. While winning bettors may represent a tiny fraction of users, they may present a major threat to profit margins. In other words, severely hampering these winning bettors protects the bottom line. By making the environment toxic for sharps, they encourage a casual betting pool dominated by losing wagers.

    Karalis compared this to a shift that was seen in casinos when blackjack payouts went from 3-to-2 to 6-to-5 as part of their efforts to stop card counters.

    “To most tourists, the most recreational bettors, they don’t see the difference,” Karalis explained. “They don’t know the difference between blackjack paying three-to-two or six-to-five. But for a card counter, that simple rule made the game unbeatable. So someone like myself that’s an advantaged blackjack player, if I see a table that says six-to-five blackjack, I can’t beat that game no more. The edge has changed.”

    Three groups are most at risk with the bill’s passage, according to Karalis. One, as mentioned, are those professional sports bettors whose success relies on those onscreen, regulated sportsbooks who report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including FanDuel and DraftKings.

    The second group are the scalpers and middlers, including younger bettors, who depend on quick, narrow-margin trades across multiple books. Karalis stated that “It may even shut down a lot of those shops…because the margins are small…you got to question now: Is this endeavor still worth it?”

    Lastly are the handicappers who work solo or in small groups, without access to “off-screen” credit-based betting systems.

    Those offshore books and underground markets can offer one potential workaround, according to Karalis. They, however, do not come without great risk and aren’t available to all bettors. While off-screen books, often offshore and illegal, are preferred by pros for tax and liquidity reasons, high-stakes bettors would need millions tied up in regulated accounts that earn no interest. This, according to Karalis, would make on-screen betting financially inefficient.

    “There’s not very many people worth seven figures who are willing to leave that money sitting in a sportsbook account getting zero return,” he said. “You could put it in Coinbase and get four percent.”

    Though most in the sports gambling world felt negative reaction in the industry to the OBBBA was an overreaction, concern among full-time bettors is growing. As the new tax reality sets in, some professional gamblers are considering a re-evaluation of their systems and the potential end of their careers, especially if they rely on razor-thin profits.

    Karalis says this may even stretch to content creators and side hustlers, including the previously-mentioned scalpers. He adds there are also questions around how bad this will impact younger and newer pros.

    “They’re definitely being forced to reorganize their business model,” Karalis said. “I would not be surprised if a handful do realize maybe it’s not as profitable — and move that capital elsewhere with less risk.”

    When describing how he personally is affected, Karalis says that since 90 percent of his betting is off-screen, he isn’t as affected as other professionals. OBBBA, however, may affect his side hustle due to regulated betting use; it would force him to use the regulated sportsbooks.

    Karalis says that he sees no upsides in OBBBA for sharp bettors and that the bill could shift the landscape by making professional sports betting less viable in the U.S. He implies it could lead to brain drain or push more betting activity to offshore books.

    “Talking to serious guys out here in Vegas, even professional poker players, let alone sports bettors, who are like, ‘Dude, I don’t know if I can continue doing this the way I’ve been doing it and be profitable anymore,’” Karalis said.

    OBBBA could usher in a new era where the house edge isn’t just built into the odds — it’s written into law.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Reinier De Ridder Moves Into Top 5 At Middleweight

    UFC Rankings Report: Reinier De Ridder Moves Into Top 5 At Middleweight

    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 Abu Dhabi, 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: Tabatha Ricci moves up three spots to No. 7, while the woman she beat, Amanda Ribas, falls three spots to No. 10. Gillian Robertson moves up one spot, sharing No. 8 with Iasmin Lucindo.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: Marcus McGhee falls one spot to No. 13 following his loss, while Vinicius Oliveira moves up one spot to No. 12. Aiemann Zahabi also moves up one spot to No. 10, swapping places with Henry Cejudo (now No. 11).

    Despite his win, Petr Yan remains at No. 3.

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder moves up eight spots to No. 5, while the man he beat, Robert Whittaker, falls two spots to No. 7.

    Jared Cannonier, Roman Dolidze, Anthony Hernandez, Brendan Allen, and Paulo Costa all fall one spot to Nos. 8-12, respectively. Marvin Vettori falls two spots to No. 13.

    Light Heavyweight: Bogdan Guskov moves up three spots to No. 10, while the man he beat, Nikita Krylov, falls two spots to No. 12. Johnny Walker moves down one spot to No. 13.

    Heavyweight: Martin Buday moves up one spot to No. 12, swapping spots with Mick Parkin (now No. 13).

    This week’s new UFC rankings were first reported by John Morgan. UFC.com’s rankings section still to be updated as of publication time.

  • “Do You Think We’re Babies?” UFC’s Joe Rogan SLAMS Donald Trump Over Jeffrey Epstein Files

    “Do You Think We’re Babies?” UFC’s Joe Rogan SLAMS Donald Trump Over Jeffrey Epstein Files

    The most‐listened podcast host in the United States, Joe Rogan, has turned sustained attention to the Donald Trump administration’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related records. In a recent conversation with former CIA operations officer Mike Baker, Rogan challenged official explanations for Epstein’s 2019 jail death, questioned gaps in newly released surveillance footage, and criticized what he called a pattern of “messaging failures” inside the White House and Donal Trump administration.

    Joe Rogan Critisizes Donald Trump’s Handling of Jeffrey Epstein

    Rogan’s “The Joe Rogan Experience” averages 11 million listeners per episode on Spotify and reaches millions more through YouTube clip channels and syndicated news coverage. His audience overlaps significantly with the populist‐leaning faction of the president’s voter base, making his statements crucial signals of grassroots discontent.

    During episode #2354, Rogan began by calling the entire Epstein case “so crazy” because official sources now insist that “there’s no tapes, there’s no video” despite years of references to large caches of recorded material. He reminded listeners that forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden reported Epstein had “three broken bones in his neck, which never happens when you hang yourself,” a detail Rogan believes undermines the government’s suicide finding.

    Joe Rogan focused on the surveillance clip released by the Department of Justice on July 5. “They said they have a film… but the film has a [expletive] minute missing from it. Like, do you think we’re babies? What is this?” he asked. Independent forensic analysis published by WIRED later confirmed that nearly three minutes of source footage had been trimmed before release, raising additional questions about the gap. Attorney General Pam Bondi has attributed the jump to a nightly system reset of the jail’s aging recorder, but experts told CBS this explanation is atypical for modern security systems.

    Ghislaine Maxwell Interview Questions

    Rogan also zeroed in on the DOJ’s decision to interview Ghislaine Maxwell six years after her 2019 arrest. “Nobody from DOJ has ever, according to her legal team, interviewed Gileain Maxwell. This is the first time the DOJ is talking to her, even though she is serving 20 years for sex trafficking,” he said, paraphrasing her attorneys’ complaints. NBC News confirmed that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche personally led two days of closed‐door sessions with Maxwell in late July, an unusual step for a senior official. Commentators have noted it is rare for a deputy attorney general to conduct witness interviews directly.

    Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, has intensified her legal efforts in July 2025. On July 28, her attorneys filed a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that a 2007 non-prosecution agreement with Epstein should have protected her from prosecution. The filing came just three days after Maxwell met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for what her attorney described as “a very productive day.”

    Maxwell’s legal team directly appealed to Trump for clemency, with attorney David Oscar Markus stating: “We are appealing not only to the Supreme Court but to the president himself to recognize how profoundly unjust it is to scapegoat Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s crimes.”

    Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out pardoning Maxwell, stating on July 28: “Well, I’m allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody’s approached me with it. Nobody’s asked me about it”. This has drawn criticism from Epstein survivors and some Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who expressed “great pause” about the possibility.

    Baker’s Intelligence‐Community Lens

    Baker, who spent decades running covert operations, added that Epstein’s properties were likely wired with “pinhole cameras all over; you’d have to gut the walls to remove them,” making it implausible that no incriminating video exists. “The idea that there wasn’t some kind of intelligence agency involved or watching is naive,” he said, arguing that both U.S. and foreign services exploit blackmail when recruiting assets. He cited Russia’s “shotgun approach” of gathering compromising material as a parallel.

    Rogan and Baker flagged payments uncovered in earlier Senate inquiries, including Apollo Global co-founder Leon Black’s $158 million in consulting fees to Epstein between 2012 and 2017. Baker called the sums “operationally interesting,” while Rogan suggested they pointed to a sophisticated leverage network rather than legitimate tax advice. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden continues to pursue Black for documentation on those transfers.

    Political Fallout for the Trump Administration

    Rogan’s criticism carries added weight because he endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 campaign and regularly hosts Trump‐aligned guests. He told listeners that the unresolved questions mark a “line in the sand” for supporters who expected full disclosure. Media outlets from CNN to Yahoo News have highlighted Rogan’s shift as evidence that the Epstein controversy is fracturing parts of the president’s right‐leaning coalition. Joe Rogan was personally thanked during Donald Trumps election victory.

    The Epstein files controversy represents the first significant fracture in Trump’s MAGA coalition, with supporters who backed him based on anti-establishment and “drain the swamp” messaging feeling betrayed. The crisis has created an unusual situation where Trump cannot use his typical deflection tactics effectively, as the demands for transparency come from his own base rather than political opponents.

    The controversy continues to dominate headlines and has followed Trump internationally, with protesters in Ohio holding “JD Protects Pedophiles” signs during Vice President Vance’s appearances. Despite the mounting pressure, Trump has maintained that the Epstein story is a “hoax” while simultaneously suing media outlets and refusing to definitively rule out a Maxwell pardon.

    In July 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had contributed to a compilation of birthday letters for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, which allegedly included a drawing of a nude woman and the message “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret”. Trump vehemently denied writing the letter, calling it “fake,” and filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the newspaper and owner Rupert Murdoch.

    Trump explained his break with Epstein differently than previous accounts, claiming on July 28 that he ended the friendship because Epstein “stole people that worked for me” rather than the previous explanation that he kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago “for being a creep.”

    Messaging Missteps

    The host faulted the White House for what he called a self-inflicted credibility problem: “If you think you can get away with saying ‘there’s nothing to see here’ after all the hype, you should be fired. The ability to have a self-inflicted wound because of messaging is a hallmark of the Trump administration,” Rogan said. Baker agreed, noting that administration surrogates spent years promising “explosive” evidence only to release a two-page memo stating the case is closed.

    Bondi contends the July 8 memo and video were intended to settle speculation. She has reiterated that the DOJ found “no incriminating client list” after reviewing investigative files. On the missing-minute issue, she told reporters the same gap appears in each night’s recording because of an equipment reset. CBS forensic analysts, however, say metadata proves the DOJ video was edited and not truly raw.

    The House Oversight Subcommittee has subpoenaed Maxwell to testify remotely on August 11, though her credibility and willingness to answer questions remain uncertain. Meanwhile, legal experts predict continued litigation over public access to grand-jury transcripts and sealed exhibits, even though multiple federal judges have ruled against unsealing them.

    Joe Rogan’s ongoing interest ensures the Epstein narrative will persist in conservative media circles, keeping pressure on the administration to clarify inconsistencies.

  • What Are Mackenzie Dern’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Credentials? Championships and Belts

    What Are Mackenzie Dern’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Credentials? Championships and Belts

    When it comes to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu credibility, Mackenzie Dern was born for the martial arts. She’s a third-degree black belt, promoted by her father, the inimitable Wellington “Megaton” Dias, himself a revered figure with a coral belt and a choking grip on BJJ history.

    Mackenzie Dern’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Credentials

    Dern’s lineage runs straight through the Gracie tree: Carlos Gracie – Helio Gracie – Royler Gracie – Wellington Dias – Mackenzie Dern. A very impressive lineage.

    Dern’s journey started nearly as soon as she could walk; by age three, she was on the mats, shadowing her dad and stepmom (black belt Luciana Tavares) instead of cartoons. She gained her black belt at age 19, racking up colored belt world titles like they were souvenir tees: IBJJF World Champion at blue, purple, and brown belt – she made it a habit.

    “My dad is black belt, Megaton Dias and my stepmom, Luciana Dias is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Fortunately, instead of a babysitter, my dad took me to his academy where he introduced me to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when I was 3 years old.” She explained. “My father has been heavily involved in my jiu-jitsu career since I began my training at the age of three. He has taught me almost everything I need to know about how to train and live like an athlete.”

    Championships and Accolades

    If BJJ had a shopping cart, Dern would need a couple of them. She’s the only woman to snag Gold (as a black belt, mind you) at all five of the high-profile IBJJF Gi Championships: Worlds, Euros, Pan Ams, Brazilian Nationals, and Asian Open. She also holds gold in both the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship and IBJJF No-Gi Worlds, making her a unicorn in women’s grappling.

    Highlights include:

    • 1st Place ADCC Championship (2015)
    • 1st Place IBJJF Black Belt World Championship (2015)
    • 1st Place IBJJF No-Gi World Championship (2015, Absolute division)
    • 1st Place IBJJF Pan American Championship (2015, 2016)
    • AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion (2015, 2016)

    Let’s not forget the headline-grabbing win over the much-larger Gabi Garcia — a feat rarely accomplished at the top of the sport.

    Mackenzie Dern in the UFC

    Mackenzie Dern’s transition to MMA had plenty of “BJJ phenom” hype, and the numbers have (mostly) delivered. Making her UFC debut in 2018, Dern was a known finisher – with most of her wins coming via submission, often before her opponent figured out the rules of engagement, Her story wasn’t all slick armbars and smooth transitions: she missed weight more than once early in the UFC, earning some cheeky headlines and forfeiting slices of her purse, but rarely her nerve. She pressed on picking up wins and mastered the weight cut.

    In the UFC, she boasts the second-most wins in UFC women’s strawweight division history. Her most recent scrap saw her exact revenge on Amanda Ribas at UFC Fight Night 249, catching a late armbar in a tactical, ground-heavy main event. Not only did this push Dern’s UFC win streak to two and her submission total to double digits, it avenged her earlier decision loss to Ribas in 2019 – always a sweet kind of paperwork.

    “I’m drawn towards MMA training now that I am making the transition to fighting, but BJJ will always be my first love. BJJ has given me everything I have in life and I try to represent the sport to the best of my ability.”

    It’s rare for an athlete to be a world champion at every BJJ belt, then jump into MMA and break records. Whether it’s the family tree, the hardware, or her mat-smothering style, Mackenzie Dern remains a must-watch in both Jiu Jitsu and MMA.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Significant Movement Following UFC 318, Dustin Poirier’s Retirement

    UFC Rankings Report: Significant Movement Following UFC 318, Dustin Poirier’s Retirement

    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 318, 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: No changes.

    Bantamweight: Following his win at UFC 318, Vinicius Oliveira moves up two spots to No. 13. The man he defeated, Kyler Phillips, drops two spots to No. 14.

    Marcus McGhee moves up one spot to No. 12, while Montel Jackson moves down one spot to No. 15.

    Mario Bautista now has sole possession of No. 8 as Rob Font drops one spot to No. 9.

    Featherweight: Following his win at UFC 318, Patricio Pitbull debuts in the UFC featherweight rankings at No. 11. Dan Ige, meanwhile, falls three spots to No. 14.

    Steve Garcia and Giga Chikadze each fall one spot to No. 12 and No. 15, respectively. Calvin Kattar and Bryce Mitchell both are no longer ranked.

    Lightweight: Max Holloway moves up one spot to No. 4, swapping places with Justin Gaethje, who falls to No. 5.

    With Dustin Poirier’s retirement, Joel Alvarez returns to the rankings at No. 15.

    The following fighters have all moved up one spot in ranking due to Poirier’s retirement: Dan Hooker (to No. 6), Mateusz Gamrot (to No. 7), Beneil Dariush (to No. 8), Paddy Pimblett (to No. 9), Rafael Fiziev (to No. 10), Renato Moicano (to No. 11), Michael Chandler (to No. 12), Benoit Saint Denis (to No. 13), and Grant Dawson (to No. 14).

    Welterweight: Following his win at UFC 318, Daniel Rodriguez returns to the welterweight rankings at No. 14. Kevin Holland has fallen out of the rankings.

    Additionally, Gabriel Bonfim moves up one spot to No. 13, while Geoff Neal (moving up one spot to No. 10) trades places with Gilbert Burns (falls one spot to No. 11).

    Middleweight: Following their fight at UFC 318, Paulo Costa moves up two spots to No. 11, while Roman Kopylov falls one spot to No. 15. Abus Magomedov, consequently, moves up one spot to No. 14.

    Also following their fight at UFC 318, Brendan Allen moves up one spot to No. 10, while Marvin Vettori falls one spot, tying him with Costa at No. 11.

    Reiner de Ridder, who headlines this weekend’s card in Abu Dhabi, moves down one spot to No. 13.

    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 updated as of publication time.

  • Tom Aspinall Wants to Defend His UFC Title Against Francis Ngannou – But Knows the Risks

    Tom Aspinall Wants to Defend His UFC Title Against Francis Ngannou – But Knows the Risks

    Is Tom Aspinall vs. Francis Ngannou on the table? Tom Aspinall, the undisputed UFC heavyweight king and poster child for “I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime,” has publicly declared he’s ready to defend his title against none other than Francis Ngannou. Yes, that Francis Ngannou – the man still regarded as the lineal UFC champion (he never lost his belt in the Octagon), newly-minted PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Champion, and possibly the most dangerous puncher the heavyweight division has ever known.

    Tom Aspinall vs. Francis Ngannou

    On paper, a clash between Aspinall and Ngannou is combat sports fantasy writ large. You’ve got the reigning champ with British steel, technical ability, and the self-proclaimed willingness to “never turn down a fight,” up against the immovable Cameroonian juggernaut who KO’d his way out of the UFC and into a new era at PFL. Ngannou may have swapped UFC gold for PFL millions, but many in the MMA world still see him as the true lineal king.

    And Aspinall? He’s almost taunting fate. “The day I start ducking out of fights and turning opponents down is the day I’m going to retire,” he reaffirmed, clearly not planning an early exit from the champion’s hot seat. “I’ll fight anyone. I’ll fight anytime and I’ll fight anywhere. Never turned down a fight in my life. Never will.”

    In a recent interview, Tom Aspinall was easked about Francis Ngannou and explained:

    “I’m not sure on his circumstances… I know he didn’t have the best relationship with the UFC, so I don’t know if that’s repairable. But like I said, I’ll fight anybody. He’s very, very dangerous. I think I’m a smart fighter with a good fight IQ, and I think I could navigate that danger well. But, man, you never know. This is heavyweight MMA at the top level. You never know until you get in there. It’s a fight I’d definitely be interested in.”

    But before Dana White gets too excited, here’s the rub: Ngannou’s UFC exit was as storied as it was messy. He left in 2022 after the two sides couldn’t agree on contract terms – Ngannou wanted more freedom, the ability to box, better pay for himself and all fighters, and a bit of good, old-fashioned respect from the top brass. The UFC? Not exactly in the business of co-promoting or bending the rules for departing stars, no matter the payday.

    Ngannou’s current PFL deal is equally ironclad – exclusive, lucrative, and, crucially, not constructed to let him stroll into the Octagon for a one-night-only grudge match. Both camps have the legal teams on speed dial; any “crossover” bout would require unprecedented cooperation. And, yes, plenty of zeroes on the checks.

    PFL's Donn Davis, Francis Ngannou, Peter Murray
    Image: @DonnDavisPFL/X

  • “It’s Done” – Tom Aspinall Confirms He Has Signed Contract For First Undisputed UFC Title Defense

    After almost exactly a year away since his last fight, Tom Aspinall apparently has signed a contract for his next fight — his first as defending UFC heavyweight champion.

    Following the long, dragged-on saga involving him, the UFC, and Jon Jones, Aspinall told Stefan Struve with UFC Eurosport that he has signed a contract to solidify his first defense since being elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.

    “I’ve just been doing what I’m told by the UFC, which is stay ready,” Aspinall said. “I’ve stayed ready for a year now. So, it’s been a little weird situation, but that’s done. We now have a fight. We can move forward with that, finally. I’m really happy about it.”

    No details on an opponent or date and venue were revealed. It should be noted that Aspinall has beaten most of the top 10-ranked heavyweights in one round; however, he has never faced No. 1 contender Ciryl Gane, who has been an interim heavyweight champion but has come up short in challenges of Francis Ngannou and Jones.

    Tom Aspinall To Make First Defense Of UFC Heavyweight Title, Details Still To Be Announced

    This news also comes on the heels of an ever-going drama between Jones, Aspinall, and the UFC.

    Aspinall was elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference last month following the announcement of Jones’ retirement (and the news of new legal troubles). Of course, Jones’ retirement lasted just two weeks before unretiring in the wake of the UFC White House card announcement — and he has since claimed he and Aspinall were back in negotiations.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White had called Jones vs. Aspinall a “dream match” to headline such a card; however, he admitted at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference that he has trust issues about putting Jones on what would be such a prominent event.

    After his win over Gane, Jones defended the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic 20 months later at UFC 309. Jones and Miocic were originally booked for UFC 295; however, Jones ended up tearing his pec, and the UFC — driven to have Jones vs. Miocic — elected to postpone the fight.

    Aspinall defeated Sergei Pavlovich for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 295 and retained the interim gold against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 309.

    Jones and Aspinall’s teams had been in negotiations with the UFC for quite some time. The story goes that while the fight was nearly official last month, Jones decided to retire, citing feeling that he’s accomplished everything he has needed to in the sport.

  • UFC 318’s Robert Valentin on “Little Ngannou” Being “Like a Surprise Box”

    While Robert Valentin encountered some difficulties doing tape study for Ateba Gautier, he thinks he will have the durability and on the job experience to put on a memorable performance. Valentin vs. Gautier will transpire at UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 on July 19th. Valentin appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to touch on seveal subjects including fighting someone this weekend that some people are calling ‘the middleweight Francis Ngannou.’

    When expounding upon how if he gets his ideal outcome on Saturday night that a victory over someone being buzzed about like this could give him a lot of momentum in his career, Robert Valentin said,

    “Yeah, definitely. I mean getting an opportunity to fight a guy with like you said such hype behind his name. I mean even if they call him the little Ngannou or middleweight Ngannou, that’s a big name to put behind someone. So that’s definitely also [an] opportunity for me to capitalize on and yeah, I’m looking forward to.”

    Robert Valentin gets into the X’s and O’s of this Ateba Gautier clash

    In terms of the overall resume and skillset of Ateba Gautier heading into this matchup in the coming days at UFC 318, Robert Valentin stated,

    “So you definitely see an individual who is very athletic and big and strong. It was still very hard to analyze him before the fight. Just because of the level of competition he faced. It’s very hard to tell how he fights when the fight gets tough, when the opponent is resisting, you know. He has eight professional fights and kind of all of them, they were not really giving him a fight.”

    “So I think in regards of that, there is definitely some room for interpretation. But also for me, an advantage in the experience of facing higher level opponents. So yeah, all of that in combination with an athletic and strong opponent, yeah, it’s like a surprise box. You don’t know what you get out of it. But it’s definitely a recipe for a f***ing good fight.”

    After a pair of first round finishes punched his ticket to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter season 32, Valentin is still looking for his first win on the UFC main stage. This on the heels of his controversial loss to Torrez Finney via split decision in April. ‘Robzilla’ initially cut his teeth on circuits like Levels Fight League and Ares FC before entering the TUF house.

  • “I’m Back In The Pool” – Conor McGregor Confirms Intentions To Return, Compete On UFC White House Card

    “I’m Back In The Pool” – Conor McGregor Confirms Intentions To Return, Compete On UFC White House Card

    Don’t try to outshine Conor McGregor — whether you believe him or not.

    Just as news drops of Jon Jones explaining his plans to unretire and confirming his intentions to compete at the UFC’s White House card next year, McGregor makes his own claim of the same nature.

    Talking to The Schmo, McGregor confirmed his intentions to return for the major UFC card in July 2026.

    “They’re testing me. I’m in the pool,” McGregor told The Schmo. “That’s what pools are for — jumping in and out. But I’m back in the pool. So get ready and stay ready, because damage will be done.”

    Conor McGregor Confirms Desire To Be On UFC Card At The White House

    Following an announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump, UFC officials, including UFC CEO and President Dana White have confirmed plans for a UFC card on the White House grounds during the U.S. Semiquincentennial next July 4.

    McGregor has been out of action since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier. Plans were in motion for McGregor to return following his stint as a coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, taking on rival coach Michael Chandler. After a drawn-out negotiation, however, McGregor vs. Chandler was scheduled for UFC 303 — only to be canceled a few weeks before the event.

    While a toe injury is the given reason for the fight falling through, some reports have claimed contract issues between McGregor and the promotion. McGregor has two fights remaining on his current deal and wants to fight the contract out; meanwhile, the UFC wants to lock McGregor up under another contract.

    McGregor has been focused on his role as a part-owner of the BKFC, recently promoting its upcoming $25 million tournament and new signings, as well as getting into a confrontation with Mike Perry.

    BKFC President David Feldman, during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, says McGregor told him of his intentions to fight on the White House card and then have one last fight with the UFC after. He teased that after completing his UFC contract, McGregor might potentially fight in BKFC.

    “He’s got two fights left on his contract,” Feldman said. “He told me in person. He whispered in my ear. He said, ‘I’m in the testing pool.’ He said, ‘I’m getting ready to make my comeback. I’m going to fight on that big card, and then I’m going to have another fight, and then we can talk.”

    McGregor, who is running for the Irish presidency, is also currently dealing with drama outside of the cage, following a leak of nude pictures by rapper Azealia Banks, as well as being spotted with a woman on a beach that isn’t his fiancée, Dee Devlin.

  • Jon Jones Explains Decision To Unretire: “To Be Able To Entertain The Country, And The World…At The White House…”

    Jon Jones Explains Decision To Unretire: “To Be Able To Entertain The Country, And The World…At The White House…”

    The saga of Jon Jones’ retirement and unretirement decision has been one that stretched back to when it was debated if he’d retire after facing Stipe Miocic — and it’s ongoing in the wake of his decision to unretire just two weeks after doing so and giving up the UFC heavyweight championship.

    And now, Jones has publicly given an explanation for his decision to both retire and unretire quickly.

    Jones was present at ESPN’s ESPY Awards show on July 16 and appeared on the red carpet. It was at the event’s Red Carpet show where Jones gave an interview, allowing him to give insight on his decision.

    Ultimately, Jones says it boils down to feeling like he had accomplished everything in the sport — until U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a UFC card at the White House next year as part of the U.S. Semiquincentennial.

    “I felt like I was at a place where I’ve done it all in the MMA space and felt like there wasn’t too many more challenges for me,” Jones told ESPN. “I just wanted to do something more than championships and money — and Donald Trump mentioned that he wanted to have a fight at the White House Garden, and that just seems like such a huge opportunity.”

    Jon Jones Confirms His Intention To Compete On UFC White House Card

    Following Trump’s announcement of a UFC White House card, UFC officials would confirm the plan was being explored. In the days since, UFC CEO and President Dana White has confirmed such plans are in motion. White has promised to bring the “baddest” and most anticipated UFC pay-per-view card ever next July 4.

    While logistics for the event still have to be worked out, White has mentioned that he sees a long-overdue fight between Jones and Aspinall as a “dream main event” for the card.

    Conor McGregor has also thrown his name in the hat for the White House UFC event, and White has stated he would get both a Jones fight and McGregor fight on this kind of card.

    “I’m a very proud American,” Jones said. “I have a lot of close friends that are in the military, and this is my act of — I can’t call it service — but just to be able to entertain the country and the world at this level at the White House. It just means the world to me. So I’m back.”

    Jones became UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 285 by defeating Ciryl Gane for the then-vacant title, and he retained the championship against Miocic at UFC 309. Jones and Miocic were scheduled to face off originally at UFC 295 before Jones suffered a torn pec. Instead, Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title at that event — and then retained the interim gold against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

    Negotiations between Jones and Aspinall had been ongoing and seemed to be near completion until Jones’ retirement announcement. Aspinall was then named the new UFC heavyweight champion at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference last month.

    Of course, Jones is also dealing with recent legal troubles stemming from a February car accident.

  • Pay-Per-View Might Be Over for the UFC Dana White Hints “Pay television is dying” Teases Major Streaming Shift

    Pay-Per-View Might Be Over for the UFC Dana White Hints “Pay television is dying” Teases Major Streaming Shift

    The UFC is entering a critical period with its broadcasting rights, as widespread speculation continues about the organization’s next major distribution partner. UFC’s current contract with ESPN, which began in 2019, is approaching its conclusion, prompting industry watchers to analyze possible shifts – including a significant move to a streaming-first platform like Netflix.

    Dana White on the UFC Broadcast Future

    UFC President Dana White has acknowledged the rapidly changing media landscape and signaled that a major shift could be on the horizon. “The world’s going to change a lot in the next year with our rights deals. Depending on where we end up, I mean, but more than likely we’re going to end up with a platform that is way more global than we are now,” White said in a recent media appearance.

    The UFC’s television journey has historically followed industry trends: beginning on Spike TV, then moving to Fox, and most recently signing with ESPN. In White’s words, “Every year that we’ve done a deal, if you think about Spike TV, we started, from there, we went to Fox, from there we went to ESPN, it’s just we’ve leveled up every single time and made the sport bigger and bigger and bigger.”

    Netflix

    Rumors about Netflix emerging as a leading candidate for the UFC’s broadcast rights have gained traction, driven by the streaming giant’s expansion into live sports. Netflix’s increasing investment in live events, including recent deals with other sports leagues, has led analysts to believe that UFC could be a valuable addition to its content lineup. For UFC, a deal with Netflix would present opportunities to tap into the platform’s extensive global reach, which aligns with White’s vision for the organization’s continued international growth.

    Photo by Tim Wheaton

    Addressing the shift from traditional pay television, White commented, “Pay television is dying quickly. Satellite’s dying quickly. These streaming services … Netflix, their stock is higher than it’s ever been. They’re killing it.” He also stressed the scale of change ahead: “The world’s going to change a lot when we do our next rights deal. While we’re in this deal, the world will completely change by the time we come out the other side of that deal.”

    If a deal is struck with a major streaming service like Netflix, the impact would not be limited to distribution alone. The pay-per-view model, long a central revenue stream for the UFC, could be fundamentally altered. Negotiations, according to insiders, also include scenarios in which UFC content could appear on multiple platforms, not exclusively Netflix.

    UFC
    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 14: during the Power Slap event at UFC Apex on December 14, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Sciaffo LLC)

    The next broadcast partner is expected to play a substantial role in the UFC’s global audience growth. “There’s obviously certain platforms that could really even just grow the UFC even more, right? Which would be insane… reach more people,” White noted.

    Dana White
    Image: WikiMedia Commons
  • What Are the Most Recent Developments in Conor McGregor’s Civil Trial Appeal?

    What Are the Most Recent Developments in Conor McGregor’s Civil Trial Appeal?

    The appeal proceedings for Conor McGregor, the former mixed martial arts fighter, continue to draw attention as new developments unfold in the Irish courts. The case centers on McGregor’s appeal against a 2024 High Court decision that found him civilly liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. The original verdict required McGregor to pay over €248,000 (approximately £206,000) in damages to Ms. Hand, as well as a significant portion of her legal costs.

    Most Recent Updates in Conor McGregor’s Trial

    The most recent hearings, held at the start of July 2025, were marked by Conor McGregor’s legal team withdrawing a bid to introduce new evidence. This evidence was to come from Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, former neighbors of Ms. Hand, who claimed to have witnessed a confrontation between Ms. Hand and her ex-partner around the time of the alleged assault. Conor McGregor’s team argued that this testimony could suggest that bruising on Ms. Hand’s body may have been caused by her ex-partner rather than Conor McGregor.

    The civil case stems from an incident in December 2018, when Ms. Hand alleged that McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel. McGregor has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that any encounter was consensual. The 2024 High Court jury found in favor of Ms. Hand after a three-week trial, awarding her damages and legal costs.

    However, after further legal review and a new application involving expert testimony, Conor McGregor’s counsel decided to retract the request to present this evidence. The decision was announced abruptly in court, prompting visible frustration from Ms. Hand’s legal team, who argued that the late withdrawal was inappropriate and that their client had been subjected to additional stress as a result. The court permitted the withdrawal but noted dissatisfaction with the timing and handling of the matter.

    Conor McGregor Visits The White House To Meet US President Donald Trump
    Image: @WhiteHouse/X

    Following the withdrawal of the proposed evidence, Ms. Hand’s lawyer requested that documents related to the retracted testimony be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). This request was based on concerns about possible perjury, as Ms. Hand had described the neighbors’ statements as false. The Court of Appeal agreed to refer the matter to prosecutors for further examination. McGregor’s representatives have stated that he himself is not the subject of a criminal referral at this time.

    (Conor McGregor on Instagram)

    With the withdrawal of the new evidence, McGregor’s appeal now rests on several remaining legal arguments. His team contends that the original trial judge erred in allowing the jury to consider whether McGregor was liable for assault, rather than specifically for sexual assault. They also argue that the judge wrongly permitted extensive questioning about McGregor’s “no comment” responses during police interviews, which his lawyers claim prejudiced the jury. The appeal proceedings have focused on these technical aspects of the trial process.

    The hearings concluded with the Court of Appeal stating that a full decision will be delivered at a later date. McGregor has not attended the appeal hearings in person. The court’s final ruling will address the legal arguments advanced by McGregor’s team and the response from Ms. Hand’s lawyers, who have urged the court to uphold the original verdict and damages award. Pending the outcome of the appeal, the order requiring McGregor to pay the full amount of Ms. Hand’s legal fees has been suspended. The case remains under close scrutiny, with the possibility of further legal action if the DPP finds grounds for pursuing perjury charges related to the withdrawn evidence.

    Conor McGregor
    (Conor McGregor on Instagram)
  • Merab Dvalishvili Wins 2025 UFC Fighter Of The Year ESPY Award

    Merab Dvalishvili Wins 2025 UFC Fighter Of The Year ESPY Award

    UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili can add another piece of hardware to his collection.

    Though ESPN’s ESPY Awards ceremony will not be held for four more days, the UFC revealed the nominees and winner of the ESPY Award for UFC Fighter of the Year, with Dvalishvili taking home the honors. The UFC made the announcement during the UFC Nashville broadcast.

    The other nominees were UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, and UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.

    Dvalishvili is the only one of the nominated winners to win in three title fights during the July 1, 2024 – June 20, 2025 timeframe the awards are based on.

    This stretch began with Dvalishvili capturing the UFC bantamweight title from Sean O’Malley at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 in September. He then retained the title in a comeback decision over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 and a finish of O’Malley at UFC 316.

    He is expected to face Cory Sandhagen in his next defense of the gold.

    Merab Dvalishvili Wins Fighter Of The Year ESPY Award

    Makhachev retained his lightweight title, defeating Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 and Renato Moicano at UFC 311, before vacating the title to move up to welterweight.

    Harrison defeated Ketlen Veiera at UFC 307 before defeating Julianna Pena at UFC 316 to become women’s bantamweight champion. She is expected to face the returning great Amanda Nunes at a time and place to be determined.

    Du Plessis retained the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 and Sean Strickland at UFC 312. He will defend the title against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319 next month.

    The UFC commentary team stated new lightweight champion and former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria was not nominated because of the timeframe the awards are based on. His lightweight title win came a week after deadline.

  • Dana White Confirms Plans For White House Card, Promises ‘Baddest’ PPV Fight Card Of All Time

    UFC officials have previously told reporters of the seriousness of plans to hold a card at the White House — first teased last week by United States President Donald Trump — during the Semiquincentennial celebrations for the U.S. next year.

    Now, the UFC boss is doubling down on those plans.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White confirmed in a recent appearance on the Full Send Podcast that he and his team have already begun to look at the logistics on how they can make such a card work and make it one of the biggest the UFC has ever produced.

    “We’re still a year away, so the whole UFC landscape will change over the next year,” White said. But, we will absolutely, positively put on the baddest card of all time. This is going to be an exceptional pay-per-view card.”

    Dana White Promises Major Pay-Per-View Card For White House Event In July 2026

    Trump’s announcement brought about several fighters publicly stating their desires to compete on such a card, including Conor McGregor and Jon Jones — with Jones even unretiring in his very next social media post.

    This has brought about questions amongst fans and pundits alike about the aspects for a UFC at the White House. These have included what would be an appropriate main event (and would it be worth sacrificing gate opposed to placing that fight elsewhere), what potential fighters (American or otherwise) could be on the card, if the card would be a pay-per-view or on free TV (or Netflix), how 2026 International Fight Week plans would be affected, and how 25,000 people can fit on the White House grounds.

    White’s conversation has brought about some answers. Firstly, as noted, White suggested the card would be a pay-per-view — though as of July 10, it’s still unclear who the UFC’s U.S. broadcaster, or broadcasters, will be for 2026 and beyond.

    White added that all tickets for the White House card would be compensatory — none for the public.

    “First of all, I don’t know how many people will get in, not to mention that the Secret Service won’t let many people attend. Everyone will need background checks,” White said. “Whoever gets to be there live will have a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. While we’re filming, one side of the backdrop will be the White House and the other will be the Washington Monument.

    “I don’t think we’re going to sell tickets; it will all be comp tickets.”

    White added that even though the plans for such a noteworthy, unique event are in motion, he wasn’t aware Trump was going to announce anything when he did. He even added Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, has been placed in charge of collaborating with White and the UFC production team for the event.

    “That day, we probably texted four or five times that day, and he never told me he was going to announce it. My team already went and walked the White House, we did all the logistics, and we’re putting together the layout for it right now, and will probably pitch it to him in a week or two.”

  • The Fight Fan’s Guide To July 19: Everything You Need To Know

    The Fight Fan’s Guide To July 19: Everything You Need To Know

    Next Saturday, July 19, is shaping up to be a memorable day filled with fights for combat sports fans everywhere.

    It sometimes can happen where fight cards will be stacked on top of one another on the same day, or even go head-to-head with each other. But only every so often do we get a day where fights will happen from one card to another throughout the day — and only every so often do we have a day of fights that are either heavily promoted, see titles on the line, or are all meaningful otherwise in some shape or way.

    We know for the obsessed fight fan that wants to see everything, a day like July 19 can be overwhelming in trying to figure out what’s going on, what’s important, and, more importantly, when and where to watch.

    Well, we here at MMA News are designing this guide here to help you put your feet up, grab your favorite foods and drinks, and watch all the action go down — from the first bell to the last!

    Everything Fight Fans Need To Know For July 19

    On July 19, the UFC and PFL will both be hosting heavily promoted cards, and the boxing world will feature a highly-anticipated title fight and the return of a legend.

    Here are — in order from the start of the day to the end — all the events going down on July 19, as well as when they start, where you can watch them, and what you need to know.

    PFL Cape Town

    Start Time: 10 am ET/7 am PT (Champions Series bouts will start at approx. 2 pm ET/11 am PT)

    Where To Watch: PFL App (PFL Africa 1) & ESPN+ (PFL Champions Series 2)

    After years of waiting, a major MMA player finally makes its way to the continent of Africa, as the PFL will host its first-ever event there with PFL Cape Town at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, South Africa.

    With the Bellator brand officially no more, Johnny Eblen — still considered one of the best talents in the sport outside of the UFC — will defend the newly-named PFL middleweight championship in the main event of the evening against Costello Van Steenis. Van Steenis comes into this title shot off a 2024 campaign that saw him submit Gregory Babene with a Von Flue choke at the Bellator Champions Series card in Paris and a 48-second head-kick knockout of Joao Vitor Dantas at the 2024 PFL World Championships.

    Dakota Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL women’s flyweight champion and 2023 PFL Europe women’s flyweight champion, returns in the co-main event, taking on Sumiko Inaba. The main card will also feature former Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson in action at heavyweight against 2024 PFL heavyweight champ Denis Goltsov, as well as former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee taking on Akhmed Magomedov.

    Before the five-fight Champions Series card, PFL Africa will host its first event, featuring first-round tournament matchups at heavyweight and bantamweight.

    KSW 108

    Start Time: 12pm ET/9am PT

    Where To Watch: KSWTV.com

    KSW gets a piece of the July 19 action, too, presenting KSW 108 from the Hala Urania in Olsztyn, Poland. Two noteworthy European featherweight up-and-comers do battle in the main event, as Adam Soldaev takes on Leo Brichta. Ibragim Chuzhigaev and Marcin Wójcik face off in the light heavyweight co-main event.

    Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois 2 — Undisputed Heavyweight Title Fight

    Start Time: 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT (Main event ring walks expected, per DAZN, approx. 4:50pm ET/1:50pm PT)

    Where To Watch: DAZN PPV

    For just the second time in the four-belt era of boxing, there will be an undisputed heavyweight champion, as WBA/WBC/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk faces IBF champion Daniel Dubois.

    Having been an undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, Usyk is just one of three male boxers to win four-belt undisputed gold in two weight classes. He became the first four-belt heavyweight undisputed champion when he defeated Tyson Fury in their first encounter in May 2024 — also becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion overall since Lennox Lewis in 2000.

    With a win in this fight, Usyk would further cement his history by reclaiming the title of undisputed champion of heavyweight boxing; however, he’ll have to get past a familiar foe in Dubois.

    The two first met in August 2023, with Usyk winning by ninth-round knockout to retain the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. The fight wasn’t without controversy, however, as Dubois and his team have disputed a fifth-round low blow call thrown by Dubois was a legal shot.

    Usyk’s reign as undisputed champion only lasted about a month, as the IBF stripped him of the title as he pursued a rematch with Fury, which Usyk went on to win this past December. That opened the door for Dubois to be promoted from interim to full-time IBF heavyweight champion.

    Dubois — also a former WBA (Regular) heavyweight champion — had won the interim IBF heavyweight belt in June 2024 with an eighth-round stoppage win over Filip Hrgović. He has since successfully defended the IBF world title once, scoring a fifth-round knockout of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua this past September.

    UFC 318

    Start Time: Early Prelims start at 6pm ET/3pm PT. TV prelims start at 8pm ET/5pm PT. PPV Main Card begins at 10pm ET/7pm PT.

    Where To Watch: Early Prelims available on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass. TV Prelims available on ESPN and ESPN+. Main Card available on ESPN+ PPV.

    For the final time in his illustrious career, “The Diamond” will make his way to the Octagon — and he’ll do so in front of a hometown crowd.

    UFC 318’s main event will be a BMF title fight between defending champion Max Holloway and challenger Dustin Poirier, the latter of whom will be retiring following this event.

    This is the third encounter between the two men. They first met in February 2012 at UFC 143 — Holloway’s UFC debut and just his fifth professional MMA fight. Poirier scored a first-round submission of Holloway. The two would then go on to have lengthy, successful careers before they met a second time at UFC 236. This time, interim UFC lightweight gold would be on the line (it was first UFC fight at lightweight for Holloway, who was the reigning featherweight champion at the time), and Poirier won an entertaining battle by decision.

    Since then, Holloway has dropped the featherweight title but remained one of the UFC’s most entertaining and winning fighters. Poirier has fallen short three times of becoming undisputed lightweight champion, but he picked up career wins in 2021 by scoring a pair of finishes over rival Conor McGregor. Both men, in fact, come into this fight off unsuccessful title shots, with Poirier losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 and Holloway losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.

    The BMF belt was established for Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in November 2019 but has since gone on to be occasionally defended like UFC’s sanctioned titles. Justin Gaethje knocked out Poirier to win the belt at UFC 291 in July 2023 but was knocked out in highlight fashion by Holloway for the title at UFC 300.

    Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao — WBC Welterweight Championship

    Start Time: 8pm ET/5pm PT

    Where To Watch: Prelims available on Amazon Prime Video. Main Card available on PBC PPV on Amazon Prime Video & PPV providers

    Whereas we say goodbye to one combat legend in Poirier, another legend makes his return. Legendary boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title.

    This will be Pacquiao’s first fight since losing a WBA welterweight title fight with Yordenis Ugás in August 2021. Barrios won the WBC interim title by defeating Ugás in September 2023. He retained the interim gold against Fabian Maidana and was promoted to full-time champion not long after. He defended the title once this past November, battling Abel Ramos to a draw.

    The co-main event will feature Sebastian Fundora defend the WBC and WBO super welterweight titles against Tim Tszyu.

    The card will feature three prelims, topped by the return of Gary Russell Jr. against Hugo Castaneda.

    Bonuses For The Mega Fans!

    If you’re just that fight fan that wants to soak up every minute and all the action, we’ve got some bonus bones being thrown your way!

    In addition to all the pre-fight festivities surrounding the fight cards, action gets underway on Thursday, July 17, when UFC Fight Pass airs Tuff-N-Uff 146 at 10pm ET/7pm PT. The main event will see Jamie Siraj take on Marlon Gonzales in a featherweight matchup. The card will also see Leon Shahbazyan, a Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus and the brother of UFC fighter Edmen Shahzabyan, in action against Aaron Phillips.

    Combate Global will also hold on card on Thursday, July 17, in Miami. The main event will see Jaden Ortega in welterweight action against Ivan Castillo. The event will air starting at 8pm ET/5pm PT on Combate Global’s YouTube channel. Those in the US with Samsung TV Plus can watch the action there as well.

    A pair of regional promotions will also hold events on Friday, July 18, as CFFC 144 goes down in Tampa, Florida, and Fury FC 106 takes place in New Orleans. CFFC 144 will be headlined by Auttumn Norton defending the CFFC bantamweight title against Emily Martins and Sean Mora facing Mark Grey for the vacant bantamweight title. Fury FC, meanwhile, will be headlined by Junior Maranhão taking on Artur Minev. Both cards can be watched on UFC Fight Pass.

  • Former Jon Jones Opponent on ‘Insane’ Strip Club Fight

    Former Jon Jones Opponent on ‘Insane’ Strip Club Fight

    A previous UFC light heavyweight title adversary of Jon Jones has racked up just shy of 60 pro MMA bouts and has experienced some wild things along that journey including competing at a particular adult entertainment establishment. Anthony Smith had an MMA career that covered nearly two decades and during that run, ‘Lionheart’ at one point found himself throwing down in an environment where the fighters weren’t the only ones going topless.

    This was something that the former UFC light heavyweight title challenger was discussing on his podcast On Paper as Smith said [via Sherdog],

    “I fought at a strip club while the ring girls were strippers. It was great. It was amazing, like, just the atmosphere of it was insane. I only think it’s amazing because now I can tell the story… It was crazy. On a Wednesday. They would run them one Wednesday a month. They have like a fight night.”

    Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith and how the story of their fight unfurled

    Jon Jones and Anthony Smith would battle over the sport’s richest prize for 205 pound athletes in March 2019. This UFC light heavyweight title fight served as the headliner of UFC 235 with Smith entering the octagon on the heels of a three fight winning streak that saw him finish a trio of former champions and title challengers. Anthony Smith secured consecutive first round striking-based finishes over former UFC light heavyweight titleholders in Rashad Evans and Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua before a third round rear naked choke finish of former 205 pound title challenger Volkan Oezdemir to secure his own crack at the gold.

    For Jones, he was looking to notch the first title defense of this particular reign with the UFC light heavyweight title after finishing Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch at UFC 232 for the vacant crown. When the dust settled for the pay-per-view headlining clash between Jones and Smith, it would be the former who would hear the refrain of ‘and still’ echo throughout the arena as Jones retained his title by way of a unanimous decision against ‘Lionheart’.

  • Kayla Harrison Opens Up About Why Her Son Didn’t Care About Her UFC Championship

    Kayla Harrison Opens Up About Why Her Son Didn’t Care About Her UFC Championship

    Kayla Harrison drew an excited reaction from one of her kids after winning UFC gold but the sentiment was not widespread throughout the Harrison household. The reigning UFC bantamweight champion spoke with assembled media at the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame red carpet and covered several subjects in the wake of unseating Julianna Pena a few weeks ago via second round submission at UFC 316.

    As the multi-time Olympic gold medalist in judo discussed how her kids reacted to the moment where she won UFC hardware, Harrison said,

    “My daughter was excited. My son doesn’t really care. He’s six, so he’s just like, ‘Oh, mom’s home. What did you bring me from New Jersey?’ And I’m like, ‘I brought you a belt.’ And he’s like, ‘No, no, I mean like candy, chocolate, like, what do we got?’ Both my kids do judo right now. I teach them judo. My daughter has especially shown a big interest in it.”

    “She’s very fierce. She’s very fearless. It makes me a little bit emotional to think about because she hasn’t had the easiest road and there’s been a lot of uncertainty in her life. Just to see her thriving and blossoming into the young woman she’s becoming is—yeah, it’s greater than any belt.”

    Kayla Harrison not keen on potential champ vs. champ fight at the White House

    Kayla Harrison is preparing to fight the women’s MMA GOAT Amanda Nunes for an as-of-yet unconfirmed date and location but there is a certain MMA fighter that she is not looking to get locked in the cage with. US president Donald Trump mentioned his desire to want to host UFC fights at the White House next year and a fan had quite the curious suggestion for Harrison.

    On a graphic that Harrison posted of herself holding the UFC gold with surrounding images of the American flag and several eagles, a fan claimed that he was speaking for all UFC fans by saying they want to see the women’s bantamweight titleholder take on the UFC men’s bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili at the White House in 2026. Harrison’s response was fairly succinct and clear as she stated [via Bloody Elbow],

    “I ain’t ready for that smoke sweetie”

  • UFC Expands Middle East Footprint With First Qatar Event On Nov. 22

    UFC Expands Middle East Footprint With First Qatar Event On Nov. 22

    The UFC is set to break new ground in its global expansion later this year with its first-ever event in Qatar.

    On Wednesday morning, the MMA leader officially announced a partnership with Visit Qatar to bring a Fight Night to Doha’s ABHA Arena on November 22.

    The upcoming event will mark the UFC’s third stop in Asia this year, with two additional Fight Nights already scheduled for Abu Dhabi, UAE on July 26 and Shanghai, China on August 23. Earlier this year, speculation circulated about a potential event in Qatar on May 17, but those plans were ultimately redirected to the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    UFC Octagon
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC

    ‘We’re Going Everywhere’ – Dana White Explains UFC’s Move To Qatar

    During a press conference (via MMA Fighting) in New York on Wednesday, UFC CEO Dana White addressed the promotion’s upcoming debut in Qatar, attributing the move to UFC’s ongoing global expansion, particularly its growing footprint across the Middle East.

    White emphasized that the success in nearby regions like Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia played a key role in paving the way for the promotion’s first-ever event in Doha.

    “We’re going everywhere,” White said. “We’re been in Abu Dhabi for a long time and we’re starting to move around. Qatar is something we’ve been working on for a couple of years now, and we finally got something done. The UFC has been a staple in Abu Dhabi for a long time and I think they’ve looked at Abu Dhabi and seen the success that they’ve had there and then Saudi [Arabia] and Azerbaijan. I’ve been wanting to go to Qatar for a long time and I’m looking forward to it.”

    UFC CEO Dana White
    Image: UFC/YouTube
  • Marcus Buchecha Is UFC’s New Signing, Set to Debut at Month’s End – Walking Away from ONE Championship

    Marcus Buchecha Is UFC’s New Signing, Set to Debut at Month’s End – Walking Away from ONE Championship

    Marcus Buchecha is a legendary figure in Brazilian jiu jitsu circles who has also been making waves on the MMA scene under the ONE banner but he is now preparing to hop into the octagon. After posting up a 5-1 mixed martial arts record under the ONE banner with all first round finishes, Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida entered a brief free agency period that saw him promptly sign on with the UFC.

    Per a report from Marcel Dorff, Buchecha will be making his UFC debut in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month when Almeida does battle with Martin Buday on July 26th. The Slovak heavyweight has more localized MMA experience than Buchecha with Buday boasting an overall record of 15-2 heading into this bout.

    The Oktagon veteran punched his ticket to the UFC’s main stage with a Contender Series win in October 2021 and has since posted up a UFC specific record of 6-1 with Buday notching notable wins over Uran Satybaldiev Andrei Arlovski.

    Marcus Buchecha’s pedigree heading into his UFC debut

    Marcus Buchecha is an exciting infusion of new blood into the UFC’s heavyweight division for those who have been following his submission grappling exploits as well as his efforts inside the ONE circle. Buchecha is one of the most accomplished jiu jitsu players in history and has garnered a record of 13 IBJJF world championships at the black belt level.

    Almeida also collected a pair of ADCC medals before deciding to mix the martial arts and pursue successes with the four ounce gloves on. The American Top Team product has only lost in MMA competition against eventual ONE heavyweight champion Oumar ‘Reug Reug’ Kane. Buchecha has halted some prominent names with the ONE heavyweight class as he has secured victories over the likes of Kang Ji Won and Amir Aliakbari.

    While Buchecha is taking on an MMA fight here and he has in past expressed an interest to singularly pursue this MMA path going forward with the UFC relatively recently doing their big rollout for their UFC BJJ promotional branch, it’s not difficult to foresee a future where Almeida could perhaps find opportunities on that circuit considering his laundry list of grappling credentials.

  • Donald Trump Plans a UFC Match at the White House for America’s Big Birthday, Conor McGregor Shows Interest In Michael Chandler Fight For Card

    Donald Trump Plans a UFC Match at the White House for America’s Big Birthday, Conor McGregor Shows Interest In Michael Chandler Fight For Card

    July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the United States declaring independence from Great Britain. That particular date also falls on a Saturday, and while the UFC typically takes off for American Independence Day weekend, could a chance to be involved in Washington D.C.’s events alongside U.S. President Donald Trump cause a one-time change?

    It could be if Trump has his way. And perhaps that kind of event would be enough to draw a matchup, once thought to be dead in the water, involving MMA’s biggest star ever back to life.

    During an event on Thursday (July 3), Trump, at an event that marked a year-long celebration leading to the U.S.’ semiquincentennial, teased the idea of having a UFC event on the grounds of the White House, the residency of the U.S. President, during next year’s Independence Day events.

    “So every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250,” Trump said. “And I even think we’re going to have a UFC fight. “Think of this on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”

    According to the Associated Press, a spokesperson from the White House had no official details for such an event. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, claims the U.S. President is “dead serious” about it.

    Other logistics would also have to be worked out. The UFC has typically used the last weekend in June or the first or second weekend of July for it’s annual International Fight Week celebrations in Las Vegas.

    Trump and UFC President Dana White have enjoyed a long-standing friendship. The Trump Taj Mahal (now the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) in Atlantic City, New Jersey, hosted a pair of UFC events in 2001 as Zuffa, the then-recent new owners of UFC, were getting their feet under them at the same time the UFC was working alongside athletic commissions to get professional MMA sanctioned.

    Since his first election to the presidency, Trump has been a key figure at several UFC events, most recently appearing at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, last month.

    Could Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler Headline A Proposed UFC Event At The White House?

    Hours after Trump made the tease, Conor McGregor took to social media, announcing his desire to end his long layoff from the cage to compete in the main event of the White House’s UFC card. McGregor even posted an Instagram message to White, with White saying he “loves” the idea.

    McGregor has not been seen in the Octagon since losing his UFC 264 trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier due to injury.

    Hours after his initial posts, McGregor made another social media post, showing what appears to be an AI-rendered image of him and Michael Chandler facing off in suits on the White House, with President Trump smiling in the background.

    Neither Chandler nor the UFC have made an official statement on the White House event, let alone the potential McGregor vs. Chandler could headline such a card.

    McGregor and Chandler were initially scheduled to fight after the two coached season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. As time went on, no fight announcement happened, however, until White announced at the UFC 300 post-fight press conference that McGregor and Chandler would face off at UFC 303 — during 2024’s International Fight Week.

    The month of UFC 303, however, a press conference scheduled for Dublin was suddenly canceled at the eleventh hour, and the fight ended up dissolving. The official claim is a toe injury to McGregor, but some have speculated a contract dispute between McGregor and the UFC.

    McGregor, also a part-owner of BKFC, has two fights remaining on his current UFC deal, and some have speculated the UFC want McGregor to sign another deal and lock him up.

    McGregor, of course, has also dealt with his long list of controversies outside the cage, including a jury’s ruling last November implicating him in the alleged December 2018 sexual assault of a woman, Nikita Hand, in a Dublin hotel. Additionally, a video surfaced weeks ago of McGregor punching a man at a nightclub in Ibiza.

  • Tracy Cortez Breaks Silence on Tumors Found in Abdomen “F*ck Fighting, I Don’t Want to Die”

    Tracy Cortez Breaks Silence on Tumors Found in Abdomen “F*ck Fighting, I Don’t Want to Die”

    Tracy Cortez, a top contender in the UFC women’s flyweight division, has spoken publicly for the first time about the health scare that forced her out of competition for nearly a year.

    Tracy Cortez Talks Tumors and Health

    In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Tracy Cortez revealed that doctors discovered three large tumors in her abdominal area while she was training in Brazil in late 2024. The diagnosis prompted immediate concern, especially given her family’s history of cancer.

    “They found tumors in my abdominal area. Three huge ones. It was really scary. At that point I was like, ‘Fck fighting, fck everything else. I don’t want to die,’” Cortez said. She described the emotional impact of the discovery, explaining that her focus shifted entirely to her health and well-being. “We did biopsies… Just talking about it feels so heavy. I was just really focused on my health. My dad was with me every step of the way, he took time off work, he was staying with me at my house, he was taking care of me.”

    Tracy Cortez underwent surgery to remove the tumors, which were later confirmed to be non-cancerous. Despite the relief, she acknowledged the toll the experience took on her mental health. “I was pretty depressed. It was just a whirlwind of emotions. So heavy. Non-cancerous, but we’re going to stay on top of it. Immediately had surgery, got them all removed,” Cortez said.

    Her recovery was swift. Less than a month after surgery, Cortez returned to the gym and began preparing for a comeback. “I went to the gym almost three weeks later. Sometime in January, I was like, ‘You guys, I’m getting in shape, I’m feeling good, let’s book me a fight.’”

    Tracy Cortez made her return to the octagon at UFC 317, where she secured a unanimous decision victory over Viviane Araujo. The win marked a successful end to a difficult chapter, but Cortez emphasized that her health remains her top priority.

  • Ilia Topuria on Triple Crown Quest: ‘If Islam Wins at Welterweight, I’ll Chase Him—Or He Can Come Down for the Superfight’

    Ilia Topuria on Triple Crown Quest: ‘If Islam Wins at Welterweight, I’ll Chase Him—Or He Can Come Down for the Superfight’

    Ilia Topuria is not opposed to the idea of someday pursuing championship glory in a third weight division. This was expressed by the former featherweight champion during a recent interview with MMA Junkie as Topuria heads in to a vacant lightweight championship bout this weekend. The Georgian-Spanish mixed martial artist will look to enter the rarefied air of two-division champions in UFC history when he aims to take out former 155-pound kingpin Charles Oliveiria in the headliner of UFC 317 on June 28th.

    A fight that many thought would happen for Topuria though, is seemingly off the table with former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev vacating his 155 pound strap to pursue a welterweight title fight against sitting champion Jack Della Maddalena. The unbeaten pro MMA fighter does not think the Islam Makhachev fight has totally faded into the ether, though, as Ilia Topuria said,

    “We’ll see how he does in the welterweight division. If he wins the title and I win the title in the lightweight division, maybe I move up or he comes down and we have the fight that everyone wants to see.”

    Ilia Topuria and the history of fighters pursuing three division title accolades in MMA

    If he gets his desired outcome in the coming days, Ilia Topuria would be in a great position to go on and become a titleholder across three weight categories following a Charles Oliveira victory, and there are some notable examples in mixed martial arts history of fighters who have pursued just that.

    Martin Nguyen tried to do just this under the ONE Championship banner after previously holding titles at lightweight and featherweight. After contending for the lineal ONE bantamweight belt as well as the interim bantamweight strap, Nguyen would fall short of his lofty goal against Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon, respectively.

    The fighter who many see as the Bellator MMA GOAT, Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire also endeavored to become a three-division titleholder after multiple reigns with that promotion’s featherweight belt and a prior stint as the BMMA lightweight champion. Alas, the Brazilian standout would fall short to Sergio Pettis on points in his bid for Pettis’ bantamweight belt at Bellator 297.

    Anatoly Malykhin stands out as a three-division champion having held titles under the ONE Championship banner from middleweight up to heavyweight, while Juan Archuleta can claim to be a four-division champion while plying his trade with King of the Cage.

  • Bogdan Grad: “UFC Money Stays in the Bank – I’m Working Weekends to Stay Grounded”

    Bogdan Grad: “UFC Money Stays in the Bank – I’m Working Weekends to Stay Grounded”

    Bogdan Grad is keeping a surprisingly low profile when it comes to his finances. Despite the spotlight and paydays that come with fighting in the world’s premier MMA promotion, Grad says he has not touched a cent of his UFC earnings. Instead, he continues to referee on weekends and relies on sponsorships to cover his living expenses.

    Bogdan Grad

    Speaking to Kian Laing in an interview with Calf Kick Sports, Bogdan Grad explained:

    “I’m still doing the refereeing. All the money I earned from the UFC, it’s in my bank account, I didn’t take one cent from there. I’m still working some weekends, and thanks to my sponsors, I also get a little bit from there, so I can live with that money. The earnings from the UFC, I have to save and invest. We never know. Maybe I break my foot, or something happens. As a pro athlete, you have to think ahead. That’s also a way of thinking that I want to share and to teach the younger generation to think ahead.”

    Bogdan Grad’s approach to his finances is a rare one in a sport where flashy spending often makes headlines. He emphasizes the importance of planning for the unexpected, especially in a career as physically demanding as MMA.

    On June 21, 2025, Grad will step into the octagon again at UFC on ABC 8 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he faces Muhammad Naimov. As the only Austrian fighter on the main card, Grad carries the hopes of fans across the nation. Grad’s background is as diverse as his skill set. Before turning professional, he worked a variety of jobs, from detective to real estate agent, and even ran his own bar. This experience outside the cage has shaped his pragmatic outlook on life and career.

    Bogdan Grad is focused on climbing the featherweight ladder, not just in the rankings, but also in building a secure future. For now, Grad’s UFC money remains in the bank, his weekends are split between refereeing and training, and his sponsors keep him moving forward. It’s a routine that might not make headlines, but it’s one that keeps him grounded.