While all attention will be on the main and co-main events, many are looking to the future. If Covington and Chimaev are able to each come away with a win, a super-fight between them is likely going to happen next. Luke Rockhold will collide with Joe Pyfer at the event.

Keep refreshing to see the latest updates.

RAF 13 Official Results:

• Colby Covington def. Belal Muhammad by tech fall 10-0
• Khamzat Chimaev def. Gilbert Burns by tech fall
• Jason Nolf def. Julian Ramirez by 7-6
• Kennedy Blades def. Diana Avsaragova by tech fall
• Arsen Harutyunyan def. Austin DeSanto by 6-3
• Joe Pyfer def. Luke Rockhold by tech fall
• Timur Aslanovich Bizhoev def. Michael Caliendo by 5-4
• Jacori Teemer def. Gadzhi Aliev by 9-6
• Chance Marsteller def. Georgios Kougioumtzidis by 8-6
• Cayden Henschel def. Johnni DiJulius by 7-2
• Bryce Meredith def. Movlid Khaybulaev by 17-13
• Keelon Jimison def. Mike Holston by pin

With the odds stacked against him and retirement looming, Gaethje delivered one of the best performances in modern UFC history. A true display of exactly who ‘The Highlight’ is. Beautiful violence: butchering Topuria’s face and becoming the first ever to defeat him. But also heart and grit. Something that cannot be taught. Those who doubted him ahead of UFC Freedom 250 were arguably right, but his performance changed many people’s minds.

One of those who altered their belief about Justin Gaethje is division rival Arman Tsarukyan. After watching Gaethje pick apart Ilia Topuria, overcome a knockdown scare, and rally back to win his first-ever undisputed UFC title, Tsarukyan has had a change of heart about the 37-year-old.

At UFC 331 on Saturday, Tsarukyan looks to extend his winning run to six straight, putting himself in pole position for a title shot, and in turn placing pressure on the champion. But ahead of his fight this weekend, the Armenian revealed that his respect for Gaethje had shifted dramatically after referring to him as a bum, saying:

“Well, after Topuria, my opinion on him has changed a bit. [He’s] better than a bum.”

Listen to what Arman Tsarukyan had to say about Justin Gaethje and more in the video below.

With a title shot on the other side of UFC 331, Arman Tsarukyan is determined to impress and leave the promotion and Justin Gaethje with no doubt about who is next.

But to get an opportunity to face the champion, Tsarukyan must get past the dangerous Mauricio Ruffy. Ruffy, known for his highlight-reel knockout ability, has an unwavering self-belief that threatens to end Tsarukyan’s run.

UFC 331 goes down this Saturday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Catch it live on Paramount+, with the prelims starting at 7 PM ET.

‘King’ Ryan has been vocal about his future after his recent one-sided WBC welterweight title defense win. A rematch with Gervonta Davis at 147-pounds is high on his bucket list. Defending his throne against Teofimo Lopez on Cinco de Mayo weekend seems to be in the works. But perhaps the biggest of all is Garcia’s attempt at dragging undefeated superstar Terence Crawford out of retirement for a blockbuster clash.

A career-defining victory over Canelo Alvarez and his subsequent retirement portrayed Crawford as content with his career. An unstoppable 42-0. But recent comments on social media could be showing his itch to return.

“Ryan Garcia I like you I really do because you’re funny. Why you never called me out when I was an active fighter? And I’m old wouldn’t you say, what would you get outta fighting this old guy?”

@RyanGarcia I like you I really do because you’re funny. Why you never called me out when I was an active fighter? Ant I’m old wouldn’t you say, what would you get outta fighting this old guy?😁

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) September 18, 2026

Crawford left a legacy in the ring that is up there with some of the greats. But since retiring, there has been an unwarranted stigma on his name. Some believe he ducked fighters and retired at a specific time to avoid facing ‘Boots’ Ennis, forcing a response from Crawford.

“Certain fighters is kept away from other fighters because it’s a business,” Crawford continued. “Now me I was bad for business because I was coming to f*** up plans. There’s not one fighter that came across my table that I didn’t take. I called out and fought every top fighter in every division I was in.”

Certain fighters is kept away from other fighters because it’s a business. Now me I was bad for business because I was coming to fuck up plans. There’s not one fighter that came across my table that I didnt take. I called out and fought every top fighter in every division I was n

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) September 18, 2026

Once again signalling his intent on a potential return, Crawford went after Ryan Garcia, claiming it wouldn’t end well if the fight did happen.

“I’ll f*** Ryan Garcia up so bad people going to be calling the law on me talking about child abuse. Like why did you do that to that little boy you knew he was just talking for the entertainment. Here I am.”

I’ll fuck @RyanGarcia up so bad people going to be calling the law on me talking about child abuse. Like why did you do that to that little boy you knew he was just talking for the entertainment. Here I am 🤷🏿‍♂️🤣

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) September 18, 2026

While it seems like a lifetime ago, Burns retired from the UFC earlier this year following a fifth straight defeat. But it didn’t take long for the Brazilian to return to combat sports. Just two months after departing the octagon, the now-40-year-old secured a submission victory over Horlando Monteiro at UFC BJJ 9. Fast forward three months, and Burns is now preparing for his Real American Freestyle venture. Will Burns be able to fend off the grappling dominance of Chimaev, or will he be another victim steamrolled by ‘Borz’? Time will tell. But win, lose, or draw, ‘Durinho’ has laid out a proposal to Chimaev.

Having competed once under mixed martial arts rules and then once with the freestyle wrestling ruleset, Gilbert Burns is interested in a third bout against Khamzat Chimaev. This time in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where Burns thrives.

Burns built a career off of his grappling prowess. In the 22 wins he has as a mixed martial artist, a significant 41% of those came via submission. Speaking of a potential BJJ follow-up to their RAF match, Burns said:

“That would be fun. That’s my territory, so I hope [it happens]. I’m way outside my territory [in RAF]. I still can wrestle; people are going to be surprised, I think. But yeah, that’ll be a good one.”

Recalling Chimaev’s controversial past of fighting competitors outside of competition, Burns made a plea to his opponent: if we don’t get into a brawl before the time comes, our BJJ match would be legendary.

“Let’s hope we don’t get into a brawl; nothing on my part,” Burns added. “But yeah, that’ll be a good one for the BJJ fans.”

Gilbert Burns says maybe one day we’ll see a trilogy with Khamzat Chimaev, but in a BJJ match, noting that Khamzat would enter his territory of grappling.

“That would be amazing, right? That would be fun. That’s my territory, so I hope so. I’m going outside of my territory. I… pic.twitter.com/aDCGyZHiyi

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 17, 2026

The main event was made official when both Van and Pantoja tipped the scales at championship weight in the flyweight division.

Check out the complete UFC 331 weigh-in results and video below.

UFC 331 Weigh-In Video

UFC 331 Official Weigh-In Results

Main Card (9 PM ET, Paramount+)

• Joshua Van (125) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (125)
• Arman Tsarukyan (156) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (155)
• Patricio Pitbull (145.5) vs. Doo Ho Choi (146)
• Gable Steveson (240) vs. Sean Sharaf (241)
• Alonzo Menifield (205.5) vs. Iwo Baraniewski (206)

Preliminary Card (7 PM ET, Paramount+)

• Marlon Vera (136) vs. Charles Jourdain (135)
• Tai Tuivasa (264.5) vs. Robelis Despaigne (263)
• Michael Aswell Jr. (146) vs. Joo Sang Yoo (145.5)
• Ryan Gandra (186) vs. Ozzy Diaz (186)
• Edmen Shahbazyan (185) vs. Brunno Ferreira (184.5)
• Casey O’Neill (125) vs. Eduarda Moura (125.5)
• Giga Chikadze (146) vs. Joanderson Brito (145.5)

The Armenian has been a force in the lightweight division for some time, beating some big names on the way to a 10-2 record inside the octagon. But despite his performances and his current five-fight win streak, the 29-year-old has still not fought for UFC gold. But he expects that to change this weekend.

Arman Tsarukyan has been overlooked for a title shot several times. Paddy Pimblett was handed an interim title opportunity despite his resume being arguably weaker than Tsarukyan’s. Hurt by the snub, Tsarukyan said:

“Yeah, of course. It’s so hard. When I beat Dan Hooker, I [was] supposed to fight for the title, and then Paddy fought versus Gaethje for the interim title. I was watching and sitting that fight, and saying it’s impossible how I’m just sitting and watching this fight… Justin won, and then he fought with Ilia. Again, I’m waiting.”

Knowing sitting on the sidelines risks other contenders jumping ahead of him, Tsarukyan happily took a fight with one of the most dangerous strikers in the division.

“Now they’re giving me an opportunity to become a number one. So, I took it,” Tsarukyan added. “I cannot sit and wait for my title fight, you know? I’ve got to beat people and show that I’m here; number one still. I’m saying in my head, if I’m the best, I can beat everybody. Give me anybody.”

“This Saturday I’m going to prove that I’m number one contender and I deserve to fight for that title… It’s a risky fight. If you ask me [to] fight for the title or with Mauricio Ruffy, of course I would wait. But I cannot wait because someone can fight and become a number one contender and jump ahead of me. So, that’s why I’ve got to prove that I’m here. That I’m taking anybody. And it’s risky, but I believe myself; I’m the best, and I got to beat anybody.”

With President Donald Trump watching, Gaethje delivered a performance that will join the great underdog stories in sports history. Beating a previously undefeated killer, Ilia Topuria. A much younger man, with real knockout pedigree, who had just knocked out two men back-to-back who had already finished Gaethje. But that didn’t prevent ‘The Highlight’ from showing out on US soil. A truly remarkable display, or was it? While nobody can take anything away from Gaethje regarding his ability to weather the storm and outperform Topuria on the night, some image-damaging allegations have surfaced against the UFC lightweight champion.

According to Ilia Topuria, there was something strange about Justin Gaethje’s gloves. After announcing his interest in a rematch, Topuria hinted that Gaethje had tampered with his gloves.

The comments got the world talking. And the latest to join in on the conversation is Colby Covington, who said:

“You know, I’ve seen the conspiracy theories, and I’ve seen, like, the pictures. It definitely looked like there was something in his glove. Like, I don’t know what to say. It looked off-color. It didn’t look like the taping of your hands, you know, how all the UFC fighters get their hands wrapped. It looked like an off-color yellow. It didn’t look like white tape. So, I don’t know. Maybe he’s on to something. Maybe he knows something we don’t know. I don’t know.”

Despite also believing something to be off with Justin Gaethje’s gloves, Covington claimed he doesn’t like speculation. So instead of agreeing with the rumors, Covington gave Gaethje his flowers.

“I don’t like to speculate on things,” Covington continued. “You know, Ilia lost the fight fair and square. Justin got his hand raised. It was one of the greatest underdog stories in American history, and you know, I’d like to see that fight again.”

Stepping into UFC 321 to make his first title defense, a chance to prove to the doubters that he’s the best in the world. A chance to make a statement to Jon Jones after months of verbal warfare. An opportunity to put himself into the greatest heavyweight of all time talks. All gone within the opening round. After a less-than-impressive start to the fight, Aspinall was poked in both eyes simultaneously by opponent Ciryl Gane, ultimately bringing an end to his night. A no contest. Fans drew their pitchforks and marched toward the champion in abundance. Fellow fighters accused the Brit of trying to find an easy way out. But they were all wrong.

Almost one year since the incident, and Tom Aspinall remains sidelined. Several surgeries later, there is still no timeline for a return. Earlier this week, Aspinall was forced to vacate his title, but there’s more. Questions are starting to be asked. The most damning: Is this the end of Tom Aspinall’s career?

Knowing the difficulties that eye injuries bring, UFC great Randy Couture weighed in on the dire situation, saying:

“Unfortunately, that’s fighting. That’s training. That’s competing. That’s one of the worst injuries I sustained, against Ricco Rodriguez. It’s that elbow to the eye and the fractured orbit. It took me six months to recover from that.”

Recalling the time he met Tom Aspinall amid his rise to superstardom, Randy Couture made an interesting proposition to the former UFC champion.

Hoping he recovers well from an injury that can affect his quality of life outside of fighting, Couture insisted that there’s a home for him at the new, exciting Ki MMA promotion should he want it.

“So, I feel for Tom. I got to meet Tom a few years back in Manchester at an expo; a fan expo there. What a nice guy,” Couture added. “That was before his title run. He was still an up-and-comer then. So, great guy; enjoyed being around him.”

“I hope he recovers well, and I hope he gets back in there somewhere. Maybe it’ll be here [in Ki MMA].”

A clash filled with bad blood is set to headline the Los Angeles, California, event as Joshua Van welcomes back the returning former champion Alexandre Pantoja to settle their feud once and for all.

A respectful but tense face-off between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy, with the winner likely being offered a shot at UFC gold. But as expected, Gable Steveson and Sean Sharaf let their tempers flare during a heated head-to-head. All will be settled on Saturday night.

UFC 331 Face-Offs Video

UFC 331 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video

If the rumored bout goes ahead, it will be the first time either man has fought since that historic night at the White House when the entire world stood still. A truly remarkable night of fights. But despite his near-flawless run to that point, many believe Topuria doesn’t warrant an instant rematch upon his first fight back in the octagon. Those fans insist he needs to prove himself again, and another clash with Gaethje in a moment when he’s trying to get back on track could be a potential career-altering mistake.

One of those men is Arman Tsarukyan. The lightweight contender is one impressive performance away from being next in line for a shot at Justin Gaethje’s throne. Tsarukyan could get behind an instant rematch if the fight was competitive, but with how it played out, Topuria doesn’t deserve a title opportunity, states the Armenian.

“I don’t think he deserves [another title shot] because the fight was not close,” Tsarukyan said. “Justin mauled him and just finished him, you know? If it was decision, close decision, yeah, it makes sense. But right now, no. No way.”

The clash between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria was incredibly close. Both men absorbed sickening damage, were each close to being stopped, and put on a show in front of the world. But Tsarukyan doesn’t see it like that.

The 29-year-old claims Topuria was completely outclassed, and if a rematch does materialize, Gaethje will one-up himself and deliver an even more dominant display.

“Even for him, it’s a bad matchup. They gotta give him some easy fight. Come back and then fight for the title.”

“Either a different result. Either even worse.”

Listen to Arman Tsarukyan’s thoughts below.

Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t think Ilia Topuria deserves an immediate rematch against Justin Gaethje 👀

“The fight was not close. Justin mauled him and just finished him… They gotta give him some easy fight, come back, and then fight for the title.” pic.twitter.com/nQEupcmzuC

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 17, 2026

Going a perfect two-for-two in his short RAF career, Chimaev is one of the biggest names regularly competing on the Real American Freestyle stage. He has the chance to extend his winning run in the promotion on Friday, when he collides with former UFC opponent Gilbert Burns. Headlining the card will be Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad, and if both men come away with a victory, there is a good chance they’re matched up next. The pair have publicly announced interest in making the fight happen, but Chimaev may have just prematurely leaked the fight.

In the press conference ahead of his clash tomorrow, Khamzat Chimaev revealed that the long-awaited RAF bout against Colby Covington will, in fact, take place. ‘Borz’ found the funny side of his slip-up, while he all but confirmed the best match in company history, saying:

“Colby is not in the UFC right now, so I think we’re going to wrestle in Abu Dhabi. Maybe I too early announced that. Sorry, guys.”

Watch the hilarious mistake and more in the RAF 13 press conference below.

A fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington would undoubtedly bring the most eyes to RAF. However, there’s still time for the bout to lose much of its traction.

While Chimaev and Covington have combined for a flawless 6-0 on the RAF mats, they have a huge obstacle in the way of their super-fight; Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns.

Two serious grapplers with true pedigree. Chimaev and Covington are likely heading into their bout on Friday, September 18 as favorites, but anything can happen in combat sport as we’ve seen countless times.

If the pair get through their main and co-main event outings on Friday, the hype will be much stronger. If any of them lose, what would be RAFs selling point?

Unprovoked, Makhachev opened fire on Jones, disregarding his 20-fight win streak following his victory that was later overturned to a no contest against Daniel Cormier. Makhachev later claimed the former two-division UFC champion should be excluded from GOAT talks. Jones fired back, and the pair have been entangled in a social media feud since. Fans have taken sides. Some are siding with the retired veteran, while others are backing the reigning UFC welterweight champion.

Neither side is willing to back down, with Islam Makhachev having the final say. He insisted that Jon Jones’ persistent problems and PED failures cannot be ignored. One man who agrees with Makhachev’s sentiment is his former teammate at American Kickboxing Academy, Luke Rockhold.

Also singling out Jones’ alleged history with performance-enhancing drugs, Rockhold opted for Makhachev as the greatest of all time. Favoring an athlete who has competed cleanly and fairly over the course of his career, Rockhold had this to say:

“I mean, it’s hard to go against somebody who’s done it cleanly and fairly his whole career. Jon, you know you’ve cheated the game. You know you’re a f***ing specimen, but you cheated the game. You cheat the game, you cheat the game; you can’t call GOAT status when you cheat the game. I don’t know.”

Despite excluding Jon Jones from the greatest of all time discussion, Luke Rockhold remains aware of just how good the New Mexico native was during his best years in the octagon.

Showing little sign of admiration for Jones, Rockhold signed off his short speech with a respectful message.

“You’re a legend,” Rockhold added.

Watch as Rockhold shares his thoughts on the burning feud between Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev in the video below.

Luke Rockhold weighs in on the GOAT debate between Islam Makhachev and Jon Jones, arguing that Jones’ failed drug tests should be considered when discussing his legacy. Rockhold says it’s difficult to compare Jones to a fighter who has competed cleanly throughout their career.… pic.twitter.com/ExErAm3ycL

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 17, 2026

Tony Hawk achieved global fame and became a household name in the mid-to-late 90s. Hawk was a huge part of skateboarding becoming a mainstream cultural phenomenon, grabbing the attention of children and young adults with his wild, nail-biting tricks and subsequent video game success. The 58-year-old has been spotted at several UFC events as a prominent cage-side celebrity over the years, but his love for the sport runs deeper.

Aside from hosting a podcast with former UFC fighter Jason Ellis and recently investing in the exciting new promotion Ki MMA, Tony Hawk tries to keep up with the fight game through his kids, who are huge fans of the UFC.

“[I am a fan of MMA] through my kids. Yeah, our kids are massive MMA fans,” Hawk told the media. “We’ve gone to a bunch of events all over the country, and they’re the ones that keep me informed and up to date on who to watch.”

There is always room for an icon like Tony Hawk in the MMA space. Many fighters will have grown up watching him or playing one of his popular video games, but which fighter is Hawk’s favorite?

Jon Jones? Alex Pereira? Maybe even Conor McGregor? No. Surprisingly, Tony Hawk opted for former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera. ‘Chito’ has become good friends with the pioneer in recent years. The pair often surf and skateboard together, forming an unlikely but lovable friendship.

“Honestly, Chito. Because I’ve become friends with him,” Hawk continued. “We’ve surfed and skated together.”

In the video below, you can listen to Tony Hawk talk about his love for the UFC and ‘Chito’ Vera, while also seeing the pair spend time together in a skatepark.

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk reveals that his kids have helped him become a fan of MMA and grow his love for the sport, listing Marlon “Chito” Vera as his favourite UFC fighter and saying they’ve skated and surfed together.

“We’ve gone to a bunch of events all over the… pic.twitter.com/TfDHF40AZi

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 17, 2026

With the backing of Turki Alalshikh, White has honed in on the sport of boxing, expecting to take over what he believes to be a dying sport. Many boxers and fans differ in opinion. Some like the addition of Zuffa and their innovative way of approaching the sweet science. Others consider the company to be damaging the sport, moving away from the tradition and history that dates back 5000 years.

Love or hate the idea, Dana White and co. are going ahead with their purge of boxing. But the initial plans have failed, and a shift in strategy has been applied, according to prominent American boxing analyst Dan Canobbio.

“I think they had to pivot. I don’t think they wanted to pivot; I think they had to. There was actual pushback,” Canobbio said. “Dana White came in and said, ‘We’re going to change everything with boxing. We’re going to get rid of the sanctioning organizations. We’re going to get rid of all these belts. We’re going to make it look like the UFC. We’re going to have uniforms. We’re going to have APEX events. We’re going to change the game.’ I still think they want to do that. But they came in, and they saw how difficult that is. There is pushback.”

“This is a sport that’s been around for 100+ years. There’s the Eddie Hearns. There’s the Oscar De La Hoyas. There’s the establishment that said, ‘Not so fast, Dana White. Maybe we’ll go down, but we’ll go down swinging.’ I ultimately still think that they want to implement complete control. They want to have the league. They want to lower fighter salaries. Lower fighter purses… They still have those aspirations to take over the sport and do it their way, which is the UFC way.”

Canobbio added:

“Now they had to pivot. They had to pivot to, they’re just the newest, coolest promotion now. They’re not doing anything different. What you saw on Saturday night wasn’t anything different than a PBC show or a Matchroom show. It’s just the newest, shiniest toy.”

.@DanCanobbio believes Zuffa Boxing has been forced to pivot from its original vision, leaving little to distinguish it from other promotions:

“I think they had to pivot. I don’t think they wanted to pivot.

Dana White came in and said, ‘We’re going to change everything with… pic.twitter.com/rbFFm1G4HE

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 17, 2026

With his imminent return announced, Topuria is looking to reclaim the throne he lost in June. Back hungrier and more determined to succeed, the fan favorite brought a serious accusation with him. After suffering the first defeat of his career, the former UFC champion hinted that Gaethje tampered with his gloves before their UFC White House clash, pointing to the damage that he sustained as proof. The comment kickstarted a verbal back-and-forth war between the lightweights, which only adds fuel to the fire for one of the promotion’s best rivalries at the moment.

A scintillating performance last time out has Justin Gaethje feeling on top of the world, enjoying the benefits of being an undisputed UFC champion for the first time in his career. But Ilia Topuria’s glove tampering allegation has Gaethje on the defensive. ‘The Highlight’ recently spoke out against the rumors, suggesting that people won’t believe such lies.

“I’m just enjoying being the champ,” Gaethje said. “People don’t believe that. People don’t believe that I’ve done that to everybody’s face that I fought.

Justin Gaethje is known for his love for violence. Arguably the most entertaining and ferocious fighter under the UFC banner, Gaethje continues to impress with his aggressive displays inside the octagon.

Unlikely to fight this year, Gaethje is looking forward to defending his title for the first time. The question of who Gaethje will fight next remains, but one name keeps being mentioned: Ilia Topuria.

While seemingly against the thought of an immediate rematch, Gaethje revealed that, after putting a beating on Topuria last time out, he would welcome a second bout.

“We’ll see. Time will tell,” Gaethje added. “Am I willing to? I just beat the sh*t out of him; of course I would [fight him again].”

Justin Gaethje responds to Ilia Topuria’s accusations that he loaded his gloves:

“People don’t believe that. I’ve done that to everybody’s face that I fought.

Am I willing to [rematch him]? I just beat the sh*t out of him, of course I would.”

(via joy.of.everything/IG) pic.twitter.com/XHjYdKw2Co

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 17, 2026

Unlike many before him, Steveson brings an undeniably elite resume with him into his mixed martial arts career. An Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time NCAA Division I National Champion, and two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, the 26-year-old has superstar-level wrestling credentials that have helped him reach a respectable 4-0 in his early MMA tenure. The heavyweight titan also possesses power in his hands and believes he’s destined to be remembered as one of the greats once the dust settles on his time in the UFC.

Despite Gable Steveson’s pedigree, Sean Sharaf claimed he was unimpressed. But Steveson believes otherwise.

While also praising his opponent, Steveson drew similarities between his fight against Sharaf and Mike Tyson’s 1995 fight against Peter McNeeley, saying:

“He’s a big heavy hitter. He tries to throw both hands at you and tries to get a big shot to land on you. I think Sean was a great regional fighter. I feel like he’s excited to make it to the UFC. But guys like me, we’re not excited to make it to here. We’re excited to win. We’re excited to win belts. We’re excited to support our team and our family.”

Steveson continued.

“I feel like he’s really excited to get this opportunity to go out there and say, ‘Hey, I fought Gable Steveson.’ It’s kind of like when Mike Tyson went against Peter McNeely. Peter McNeely was out here talking [to] the whole world, everybody saying, ‘Hey, I got the chance to fight Mike Tyson.’ And Saturday will be that day for him, and he’ll go to be a regular citizen after that.

Listen to Gable Steveson speak about his second UFC outing ahead of this weekend in the video below.

‘Borz’ was widely considered one of the best fighters in the world at his peak in the sport. An unmatched aura that built each time he entered the cage. That feeling has started to fade for most fans after he suffered the first defeat of his career to Sean Strickland last time out. Unsure of his UFC future, Chimaev now finds himself potentially spending time away from fighting if his plans don’t unfold with the promotion.

However, Gilbert Burns believes Khamzat Chimaev is elite. As they approach their RAF wrestling match on Friday, September 18, Burns has heaped praise on Chimaev. ‘Durinho’ insists that, if Chimaev can knuckle down and find the right coaching setup that benefits him, he could go on an historic tear through the UFC roster and become the company’s first-ever three-weight champion.

“I think he’ll be back soon, you know. He’s still young, he’s still fresh. The only thing that I can [say from the] outside watching is I don’t like when he changes camps; changes coaches too much. When he fought me, he had that solid general. The guy he was with in Sweden… When the team was kind of small, I think he was doing better. So, that’s my personal opinion.

“But I still think he’s going to bounce back. He just needs a solid team. Guys [who are] not a yes-man. Guys that are going to tell him what he has to do, and I think he’s going to follow. But yeah, I think with a solid team, he can go back and become a champion; maybe two, maybe three-division champion.”

“I think he has what it takes. Just about [getting] his mind right with a good team, and I think he’s going to become a champion again.”

Listen to Gilbert Burns’ comments about Khamzat Chimaev below.

Gilbert Burns believes Khamzat Chimaev can bounce back from his lone UFC loss to Sean Strickland and become a champion again, potentially across two or three weight classes. However, Burns believes Chimaev needs a solid team around him and more stability with his coaches.

“The… pic.twitter.com/hpRKenTy0f

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 17, 2026

Much was made of whether Jones was going to fight or not in the closing stages of his career. Ultimately, he decided to retire, and the sport has since moved on. But that retirement lasted all of 15 months. Rumors are beginning to surface of a potential return for ‘Bones.’ With the heavyweight division filled with uncertainty, now could be the perfect time for another title charge.

Revealing Jon Jones’ urge, training partner and friend Gable Steveson spoke to the media. Steveson told them that the itch is returning for Jones, and his sights could be firmly set on that unclaimed heavyweight crown.

“I called Jon today, and he’s, honestly, he’s honored to have the opportunity to maybe come back. And so you know, he’s always had gold around his waist. It’s cool to have him in my corner. We train every day one-on-one together.”

Jones’ possible comeback comes in light of the news of Tom Aspinall vacating his UFC title. The pair endured a notorious saga that led to Jones retiring and Aspinall wasting months of his career chasing a bout that never transpired.

Despite Jones having public hostility toward Aspinall, Gable Steveson doesn’t share that sentiment. Steveson spoke highly of the Brit, and hopes he heals up well, but knows his absence is a chance for him to close in on a title shot.

“I hope Tom gets well. I hope the eye gets healed up the way it should, and maybe he’ll step in the cage again. I’m not sure. But that’s going to be up to him. I’ve always been a Tom Aspinall fan. I think he’s an athletic gift from God that came down and struck the division. But now it’s time to move on and kind of get the guys with the next gift to step up.”

Gane vs Jones 2? 🤔

Gable Steveson thinks Jon Jones could comeback to fight for the heavyweight title he never lost. #UFC331 pic.twitter.com/2gmpNvNhVi

— Uncrowned (@uncrownedcombat) September 17, 2026

MobLand is one of the hottest new shows on television. A gritty, high-stakes drama that follows the all-powerful Harrigan crime family throughout their dominant but bloody rule of the London underworld. Chaos ensues when the youngest son of the Harrigan family stabs the son of Richie Stevenson, the Harrigan family’s rival. Hardy plays Harry Da Souza, a cold-blooded helper of the Harrigans who cleans up after their criminal mishaps. Channeling his inner love for mixed martial arts, Hardy brings an authentic feel to an already incredible show.

But outside of acting, one of Tom Hardy’s passions remains Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Coincidentally, this is exactly where Paddy Pimblett flourishes in his MMA career. Meeting at the premiere of MobLand season 2, Pimblett and Hardy shared a mutual respect for one another. With both men expressing how they would love to train together, we may see a future link-up between the lovable Brits.

During their interaction, Paddy Pimblett asked if Tom Hardy believed he would survive in the cage.

“I’d love to train with you, lad,” Pimblett said. “Do you reckon you could last in the cage?”

Knowing the dedication and time you have to pour into your career to be a success in MMA, Tom Hardy answered the question with a swift ‘no.’

Hardy legitimately trains in BJJ and won several gold medals at real-world UK tournaments as a respectable blue belt.

Check out the brief meeting between Paddy Pimblett and Tom Hardy below.

The Baddy crashed a family affair. #MobLand returns THIS FRIDAY on #ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/fjAAp8Agrw

— Paramount+ (@paramountplus) September 16, 2026

You can watch MobLand Season 2 exclusively on Paramount+.

The 10-episode second season will have a weekly release schedule, starting this Friday, September 18. If you reside in the U.S., you’ll be able to stream the show starting at 3:00 AM ET every Friday morning. Residents in the UK are treated to new episodes every Friday morning, starting at 8:00 AM BST.

The Frenchman entered the octagon with a lot of hype around his name. Considered one of the best fighters in the world not fighting under the UFC banner at the time, his debut came with much expectation. The 28-year-old lived up to the hype. It took Parnasse half a round to finish the tough, well-traveled Dan Hooker. Showing a lack of fear and comfort under the bright lights, Parnasse dismantled Hooker. It was a performance dreams are made of, but the lightweight isn’t satisfied just yet.

Less than two weeks out from his win at UFC Paris, Salahdine Parnasse has set his sights on the division’s elite. Initially, Parnasse called for a shot at Max Holloway after stunning the home crowd on September 5. A callout that was well-received by the UFC brass. But if he’s unsuccessful in his push for a Holloway fight, he has targeted another former UFC champion.

Amid his return to the octagon, Ilia Topuria has been drawing a lot of attention. Potential fights with Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett loom for Topuria, but he has another option.

Topuria announced his imminent comeback on social media earlier today. During the message, the knockout artist dared anybody to step up and face him in the wake of his recent defeat and the following doubt, saying:

“Final medical tests done. I’m back. To all the clowns who’ve been talking sh*t and counting me out this whole time, here I am. Now let’s see who’s got the balls.”

Salahdine Parnasse, hoping to capitalize on the opportunity, welcomed the Georgian back. But alongside his seemingly respectful message was an hourglass emoji, which possibly indicates Parnasse’s intention to face the fan favorite.

Welcome back 👋⏳ https://t.co/oRbYJyMa8A

— Salahdine Parnasse (@SalahdineP) September 16, 2026

‘El Matador’ has been largely silent since suffering the first defeat of his career at UFC Freedom 250. Confident as ever, Topuria entered the octagon on June 14, expecting to come away with another win and subsequent title defense. That wasn’t the case. Instead, it was Gaethje who put on an all-time display in front of his president to capture the lightweight crown. For months, the former champion has kept his cards close to his chest, not speaking publicly for some time. Now, he’s back with some crazy allegations.

Ilia Topuria took a beating on the White House lawn, suffering orbital bone fractures, a broken nasal septum, and a heavily damaged foot. Speaking to his fans, Topuria thanked them for their support and announced his imminent return to the cage.

“Final medical tests done. I’m back,” Topuria said. “To all the clowns who’ve been talking sh*t and counting me out this whole time, here I am. Now let’s see who’s got the balls. Thanks to everyone for the support.”

The stars aligned and shone on Justin Gaethje, allowing him to execute the greatest performance of his mixed martial arts career on that historic night in the capital; or maybe not. According to Topuria, Gaethje may have tampered with his gloves in the build-up to their encounter.

“Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything weird on them. See you soon,” Topuria added.

It didn’t take long for Gaethje to respond to the comments. Referencing his win over Topuria, Gaethje told his former opponent to do better.

“94 days and the best you could come up with is a lame excuse. As terrible as your last performance. Do better kid.”

94 days and the best you could come up with is a lame excuse. As terrible as your last performance. Do better kid.

— Justin Gaethje 🇺🇸 (@Justin_Gaethje) September 16, 2026

The MMA legend is considered one of the best heavyweights of all time. A three-time UFC heavyweight champion who defied Father Time and competed against high-level opponents into his 40s, Couture earned his respect in the cage. But in its current state, he doesn’t approve of where the sport is at.

An old-school icon, Randy Couture believes the sport flourished more when the best would fight the best. Using boxing as his example, Couture hit out at promotions that prefer trash talk and characters as opposed to the best fighters in the world colliding with each other.

Likening the sport to WWE, Couture had this to say:

“It lends itself to the flaw in our sport. The fact that each one of these promotions has created their own little exclusive fiefdom, where they’re setting the rankings and the titles, and they have a stable of fighters that, if they’re on your good side, they’re going to get ranked and they’re going to get a shot at that title. And therein is the flaw in our sport.”

“Prize fighting is all about getting the two best fighters, regardless of what stable they’re in, to be able to compete against each other… Again, it lends itself to this kind of closed system that’s not true prize fighting. It’s more akin to WWE, and all about talking smack, than it is to traditional prize fighting, where the IBO guy is going to put his belt on the line against the WBO guy. And now let’s see who the real champ is that carries both those belts around now. That’s traditional prize fighting.”

Listen to Randy Couture’s comments about the UFC and the state of modern MMA in the video below.

Usman has been a revelation in both Bellator and the PFL. Still undefeated at 22-0, the 28-year-old is a new generation of Dagestani. While he can wrestle with the best of them, he also has an elite arsenal of weapons on the feet. Rumors are linking him with an imminent move to the UFC, potentially joining a stacked lightweight division.

Unlike many before him, Usman Nurmagomedov is a star before making a single UFC appearance. But despite having over 2 million Instagram followers, Arman Tsarukyan believes he would be a regular fighter without the backing of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.

“Well, becoming a UFC champion would already make him a star,” Tsarukyan said. “Especially with Islam and Khabib behind him, with their fan base. It pushes you to a completely different level. For example, if they weren’t there, he would be just another regular PFL champion, like all the others.”

“Thanks to Islam and Khabib, he has a name. And, well, even now, a big name.”

While he believes Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev helped build his fame, Tsarukyan does consider Usman Nurmagomedov an elite fighter.

The Armenian believes he would be a top contender in the UFC lightweight division and would cause problems for some of the division’s top contenders, but needs to be tested first.

“I think he needs to be tested against top guys, and then we’ll see. Because the competition in the PFL isn’t what it is in the UFC…”

“I think he’s better in some areas, worse in others [than Ilia Topuria]. Let’s say in the pocket, he’s worse. But overall, in the stand-up, he might be a bit better. And even better thanks to his wrestling. So, I think this fight would be as competitive as possible. I think Usman could win it with his wrestling and his mix.”

After almost a year away from the octagon, Aspinall has finally relinquished his UFC gold. The Brit is still suffering from the aftermath of an illegal eye poke that ended his UFC 321 title defense prematurely; undergoing several successful surgeries. Now with no undisputed champion in place, the division can move forward. Vocal in their pursuit of a title opportunity, some heavyweights have spoken out on social media about the possibility of fighting for the abandoned throne.

Josh Hokit has been the loudest, claiming that he deserves a shot and has called out interim champion Ciryl Gane to accompany him in the cage. While many believe Hokit deserves his shot, one man who is confident he’ll find himself in the title picture soon is Gable Steveson.

But instead of kicking Tom Aspinall while he’s down, Steveson offered some words of encouragement for the former titleholder.

“I feel for Tom,” Steveson said. “I hope the recovery is going well, and as he posted, it seems like it’s really not. So, prayers to him and his family, and make sure he can get back on his feet in the best way possible.”

Steveson also knows Tom Aspinall’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the weight class. The Olympian is ready to capitalize on the void, believing he is one step closer to UFC gold due to Aspinall’s injury.

“I think this is a great opportunity for a lot of young guys like myself, and a few others that are in the heavyweight division to kind of sneak our way in and work hard and get to where we need to go, and in a faster transition,” Steveson added.

“So, sorry to him for these complications, but I feel like it’s a good thing for us.”

Gable Steveson reacts to Tom Aspinall vacating the UFC Heavyweight Championship 🏆❌

🎙️ @CarolinePearce / @Gablesteveson #UFC331 | Saturday | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/d10PJu9nSK

— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) September 16, 2026

Being one of the best fighters in the world doesn’t automatically earn you a place in the UFC anymore. If you’re not entertaining or don’t resonate with fans, you could be on the chopping block, no matter how many wins you collect. That was the case for Page during his time in the octagon. Five wins out of six wasn’t enough to keep him around. And while he may not have long left in the sport, he has no shortage of suitors since his release from the UFC.

Michael “Venom” Page is weighing up his options, and a brand new one just surfaced. Scott Coker and Rich Chou are the brains behind the new Ki MMA promotion, which promises to turn heads once it gets underway. And already, Chou has announced his interest in Page, saying:

“Well, Page, obviously we have great history together. He represents everything that we love about martial arts and MMA. So, yeah, look. I think it makes sense for, we both should, you know, both sides should feel the need to talk. It shouldn’t just be a one-way street.”

Chou reveals that if Page reaches out, he will be taken seriously about becoming one of the first fighters under the Ki MMA banner. But the company won’t stop there. With many free agents out there waiting to be snapped up, Chou is hoping to sign many of them.

“I think if you’re a free agent out there, you should see what your options are. You should test the waters,” Chou said. “I think we’ve shown throughout our history at Strikeforce and at Bellator that we will invest in free agency. We will shake things up a little bit… Free agency’s a real thing.”

“We have an eight-figure war chest that Scott alluded to for free agents… That is the hardest part of coming back in the business today; it’s who’s available. And when could they be available? I think, it seems to me like the current situation, the current state of the sport, the business, a lot of fighters were deeming hit perhaps not worth it to test it. Hopefully we can come, change the narrative, and shake things up. And make fighters realize that they have, they have a real option here with us, and it’s certainly going to be worth the conversation for both sides.”

The Armenian is a man of very few words, often blunt and not very talkative in interviews. But when questioned about the ongoing spat between Jones and Makhachev, he had much to say. Jones and Makhachev have formed an unlikely vendetta on social media, following the Dagestani’s comments about the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion.

Islam Makhachev gave himself praise for securing 20 wins in a row, excluding Jon Jones from the greatest of all time talks for his alleged PED use. But according to Arman Tsarukyan, Makhachev hasn’t surpassed Jones’ legacy.

“No, how can he catch up? Well, if you look at it mathematically,” Tsarukyan said. “Look, for example, title defenses. How many times has Jon Jones defended the title?”

Like Makhachev, Jones managed to win titles in two divisions. His dominant years were at 205-pounds, but a stint at heavyweight late in his career was fruitful. His easy first-round win over Ciryl Gane has aged incredibly well, but there are still doubts about his fight with Stipe Miocic.

Defending Jones’ win over Miocic, Tsarukyan said:

“Wait, is Miocic not a top fighter? Well, I don’t know. Everyone has their own opinion. It seems to me that nobody has beaten Jon Jones’ record yet. I would be glad if Islam breaks the record.”

Arman Tsarukyan stands by Jon Jones’ 20-fight win streak, despite his win over Daniel Cormier being overturned by a PED violation.

“Yeah, [I believe Jones has 20 wins]. They didn’t take away the victory because of the doping. He didn’t lose the fight. Well, yeah, see, it was annulled. He probably has 20 wins.”

Listen to Arman Tsarukyan weigh in on the Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev feud in the video below.

Taking nothing from main event winner Mayton Perea—who won by knockout—it was Akbar Abdullaev who stole the headlines. Dana White gave the ultimate praise to Abdullaev, calling him the greatest fighter in Contender Series history.

Watch Abdullaev secure a 19-second knockout, alongside the other winners below.

DWCS 10 – Week 6 Highlights

Each fighter who got a stoppage victory was given a contract by Dana White. The lone fighter who secured a unanimous decision victory was offered the chance to return to the Contender Series to try to improve on his performance.

Congratulations to the contract winners: Mayton Perea, Igor Cavalcanti, Akbar Abdullaev, and Luis Hernandez.

4 contracts given out tonight at #DWCS 👏

[ LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/jmuJcvvmiX

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 16, 2026

DWCS 10 – Week 6 Post-Fight Press Conference Video

The Kyrgyzstani improved to a perfect 14-0 with a 19-second finish on Tuesday. Not only did he steal the show, but he also delivered one of the best knockouts ever seen on the show. Abdullaev will be a welcome addition to the UFC lightweight division and could fight again this year, having not broken a sweat.

Much was made of Ednilson Santos ahead of the fight. The Brazilian took the opportunity on short notice and is said to have an eerily similar style to his training partner Alex Pereira. A lover of the calf kick and power punches, Santos threatened to be a true test for Akbar Abdullaev. Unfortunately for the South American, Abdullaev was on top of his game.

It took one big overhand right, sending Santos falling face-first into the canvas. A shocked Dana White sat cageside, likely already getting the contract warm for the UFC’s newest prospect.

Take a look at the insane knockout below.

Welterweight finishers collide in tonight’s main event. Mayton Perea (8-3) carries an impressive three-fight win streak and an even more eye-catching 100% finish rate into the cage. The Ecuadorian will be in Zevan Hunt’s crosshairs; an undefeated prospect with great skills both on the feet and on the canvas.

DWCS 10 – Week 6 Official Results:

• Mayton Perea def. Zevan Hunt via knockout (punches) at 0:45, Round 1
• Igor Cavalcanti def. Oscar Ravello via TKO (punches) at 1:38, Round 1
• Akbar Abdullaev def. Ednilson Santos via knockout (punch) at 0:19, Round 1
• Luis Hernandez def. Hugo Guillon via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:01, Round 2
• Tyshawn Williams def. Antonio Monteiro via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

The former featherweight title challenger has endured a rough few years, and that worsened earlier this week. ‘T-City’ was pulled from his scheduled clash with Renato Moicano due to an injury he got during training. A wound over the eye left the submission specialist with no choice but to call off his matchup against Moicano; the second failed booking of their fight this year.

Instead of sitting in silence, Brian Ortega has apologized to his true fans who wanted to see him compete.

“For all of you who are saying that I pulled out because I’m scared, I’m ducking, whatever; you guys are stupid people among stupid people,” Ortega said. “I’m not even going to sugarcoat that sh*t; you guys are some dumbasses.”

“For those of you who are mad because I pulled out and you genuinely want to watch me fight, and you’re mad at the situation and you’re mad that this sh*t happened, for you guys I’m sorry. That sh*t ain’t cool. This is not something that I expected to happen. It’s something that, I just can’t hide this. I would have to see commission today, and I would have to hide this today from them. And that’s just not going to happen… I’m f***ing sorry.”

Speculation mounted on how Ortega could have sustained such a deep cut just days before his fight. Surprisingly, it was a headbutt during a jiu-jitsu session that opened up the gash on his head, as opposed to rumors of him going hard in sparring.

“This is a freak accident that happened doing jiu-jitsu. I wasn’t sparring, I wasn’t [whatever], I was doing jiu-jitsu,” Ortega added. “Going over the last details; the last game plans. Getting just a last sweat, and this f***ing headbutt happened.”

“At the time, they said it was a small cut. I was happy. And then when we found out how many stitches it was and how big it was and what it did, we just can’t hide that, man.”

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The disdain between the two parties was common knowledge, and both sides have had a patchy relationship for some time. White famously claimed that Ngannou was scared to fight amid the saga of him leaving the UFC, and more bad blood has continued to spill since. White recently revealed his true feelings toward the fighter, stating that he is one of the people he hates the most, alongside Oscar De La Hoya. Ngannou clapped back, posting his thoughts on social media, and the war of words shows no sign of slowing down.

Fans are divided on who they believe. Is Dana White valid for his comments about his former employee? Is Francis Ngannou telling the truth about his former boss? While many still disagree, a UFC legend has sided with the athlete.

Speaking with the media, Randy Couture insisted that Francis Ngannou was trying to help his fellow fighters. Instead of just signing a contract with the company and being locked into more years with the same outcome, Ngannou allegedly wanted more benefits for fighters. Couture recently shared Ngannou’s contract wishes.

“I think they came to terms financially on what they were going to pay Francis, but Francis tried to step up and speak for fighters,” Couture said. “[He] wanted a voice in how we’re regulated. And how we’re drug tested. And 401(k). And health insurance. And so many things that we as fighters lack right now.”

Couture continued:

“That’s why him and Dana have never gotten along, and why he ended up in the PFL, and fighting there. So, it’ll be interesting to see how it all shakes out.”

Listen to Randy Couture talk about Francis Ngannou and Dana White’s feud and much more in the video below.

One of the most loved fighters in the sport, the proud Mexican has set a perfect example of dealing with adversity and bouncing back throughout his career. His 15-year career has brought much success, but his mental well-being has been affected over the years.

Speaking out about his struggles, Brandon Moreno insisted that his deteriorating mental health has echoed some of his past performances, saying:

“Everything has been like this, you know? Because sometimes you feel amazing. Like, for example, I remember the fight against Amir Albazi; my mind was just super on point. With Erceg, the same. But then, against Tatsuro and Lone’er, my mind was everywhere. Obviously, that’s an excuse, because I know every single fighter has mental battles every single time. But it is what it is. I would love to perform in the best way possible, but my mind wasn’t able to do it.”

“But this time, I put a lot of focus on there… At some point in this career, everything is about your mind and how you can control your emotions, and how you can keep focused under pressure.”

Being 100% mentally prepared is a big part of professional sports, especially at the highest levels. Moreno believes he has put some good work in on improving his mental health, which can only ever be a positive thing.

“In other sports. Like Michael Jordan or Khabib Nurmagomedov, other sports. Everything is about the mental part at the end,” Moreno added. “I feel it’s stupid because it sounds like an excuse. But no, I don’t have any necessity to say that. I would love to just feel free again inside of the octagon, like before.”

“But yeah, I did an amazing job. I started working with my therapist, Jasmin, from Mexico. We’ve been working so hard with my mind and this process; all this training camp was amazing.

Listen to Brandon Moreno talk about his mental health struggles and more below.

The UFC welterweight king is undeniably one of the best fighters to ever grace the octagon. His dominance over two divisions has been nothing short of spectacular. Capable of smothering opponents with his elite grappling or knocking them out on the feet with his underrated striking, the Dagestani is dangerous everywhere. The 34-year-old is one of the greats. But alongside himself and other legendary talent, Makhachev doesn’t believe Jones should be in that conversation.

Islam Makhachev cited Jon Jones’ alleged PED use and failed drug tests, provoking a response from Jones. The former two-division UFC champion quickly shut down the criticism, contrasting his own almost-unblemished record in the cage against Makhachev’s past knockout defeat.

With both men saying their peace, the disagreement can be forgotten about and both parties can move on. But that isn’t the case. Islam Makhachev continued his attack on Jon Jones in a post targeting the legend’s history of bending the rules throughout the 16 years he spent in the spotlight.

“Jon, I’m not trying to diminish your achievements in any way,” Makhachev wrote on X. “But your whole life seems to be tied to breaking the rules one way or another, and somehow, you’re never the one to be blamed.”

Jon, I’m not trying to diminish your achievements in any way. But your whole life seems to be tied to breaking the rules one way or another, and somehow, you’re never the one to be blamed.

— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) September 15, 2026

Jon Jones did struggle with being thrust into superstardom, making many mistakes during his early years after becoming a UFC champion.

The infamous hit-and-run, several drunk driving arrests, an alleged domestic battery case, and an assault charge have clouded his name over the past decade. Jones has had many problems outside of the cage, but inside, he’s been almost flawless.

Love him or hate him, his ability under the bright lights is among the best. Despite their past troubles, Dana White has been unwavering in his belief that Jones is the greatest fighter to walk the planet in any discipline, proving just how elite he was up to and throughout his prime years inside the octagon.

Making the first defense of his WBC welterweight world title against a gritty brawler has never been so simple. Garcia made easy work of Benn, showing the levels between a champion-caliber fighter and a tough contender. Speed and power were on display on Saturday night, as the Mexican-American weathered an early onslaught, avoided any big damage, and landed a big shot of his own. While Benn showed heart and did his best to stay in the fight, Garcia delivered too much punishment and the referee decided to step in. A second-round knockout without sustaining any injuries leaves the 28-year-old in a good place.

However, one day after his dominant win, Ryan Garcia injured his hand. Fresh from the fight with Conor Benn, Garcia decided to showcase his talent with a friend.

“I hurt my hand more so fighting somebody on Sunday night,” Garcia said. “The homie. He wanted that work. I still had energy. I said, ‘Let’s get it.’ We just started brawling in the room. Yeah. We was both lit, and he wanted that work, so I gave him it. Bare-knuckle. [He’s not a fighter], but he wanted the smoke, though. Who won? Come on now… Easy work.”

Ryan Garcia now looks ahead to a potential December outing as the dust settles on an impressive first title defense. During his Sunday brawl with a friend, Garcia confirmed he sustained some cuts to his knuckles.

While that is more than his opponent, Conor Benn, managed, the cuts aren’t anything serious and won’t keep him out of action for any amount of time.

“Yeah, of course. A couple of little scratches,” Garcia continued. “It’s all good.”

Listen to the WBC welterweight king talk about Conor Benn, his post-fight brawl, and more below.

Becoming an unwanted occurrence for Ortega, he has been forced out of his scheduled bout on Saturday due to injury; the second time he has pulled out against Renato Moicano this year. This is the third time in two years he has been injured during training camp, stunting any chance he’s got at a title push late in his career.

Upset by the developments that led to his exclusion from UFC 331, Brian Ortega shared an update for fans, saying:

“This one hurts. I have to pull out of the fight because of the stitches in my eye. I’m on weight, I’ve been training my ass off, and this has honestly been one of the best camps I’ve ever had. I was really looking forward to fighting at home in Los Angeles in front of my family, friends, and everyone who’s been supporting me.”

Fans hoping to see Ortega compete won’t have to wait too long. Once his cut is healed, he’ll be back in the octagon.

’T-City’ revealed he’ll be getting right back to training and will likely make his next UFC appearance some time in November.

“My next fight is in soon, so I’m getting right back to training,” Ortega added. “We’ve brought some new people into camp and I’m excited to show you guys a new side of me. Thank you to everyone who’s been supporting me through all of this. I’ll see you guys in November.”

Ki MMA, under the guidance of Scott Coker, is looking to make a splash after its unveiling on Monday. With a financial war chest behind it, Coker is looking to sign the best fighters in the world to deals, with the ultimate aim of competing against the UFC one day. To do so, they’ll likely need to sign high-ceiling prospects before the competition does, but also add established talent to their roster. And that’s where Nate Diaz comes in.

Diaz has been proving his worth since departing the UFC four years ago. Testing himself in the boxing world before being one of the key factors in MVP MMA’s inaugural event on Netflix. Diaz, liking what he’s hearing about the promotion, shared his immediate thoughts during the reveal.

“It’s like a new Pride coming back in action, so I like it a lot. I like the ring,” Diaz said. “People don’t even know anything about this for the nowadays, you know? It’s 2026. Everyone’s new. They’re like, ‘Oh, a new thing.’ This is the first thing. It’s old-school, and I like it.”

Not ready to call an end to his career just yet, Nate Diaz has welcomed the opportunity to fight for Ki MMA, saying:

“100% [I’d fight for Ki MMA]. Especially if there’s a ring involved. I’m going to be fighting everywhere for a cool minute. I just think [the ring] is different, and I like it. I like to have the options to fight in a ring or a cage.”

“The ring’s different; people don’t even know. You can cut people off in the corners of the ring, which you can’t do in MMA. They run in circles from you. And there’s ways to use the ring to your advantage. And there’s disadvantages, all that… Different sh*t happens in these things.”

Diaz and McGregor have one of the most iconic rivalries in the sport. Two entertainers from completely different worlds. One, a showman who captures the heart of the casuals and delivers undeniable performances that make him an asset to the UFC. The other, a true American gangster from Stockton, California, whose raw, unapologetic personality resonates with many fans. When they collided in the octagon, the whole world stood still to watch. Two of the top six UFC pay-per-views in history, but is there room for a third fight a decade after their last? Diaz thinks so.

Nate Diaz has enjoyed some well-deserved paydays away from the UFC. Departing in 2022, Diaz went on to fight twice in boxing and was a major player in Most Valuable Promotions’ first venture into MMA.

Conor McGregor hasn’t had as much success. His triumphant return after five years on the sidelines ended in seconds after a self-inflicted injury. Despite their rivalry, Diaz wasn’t pleased to see McGregor’s crisis.

“Conor is a f***er. But Conor is a fighter,” Diaz said. “He’s someone you want to see.”

Diaz still intends to return to the UFC. Should he follow through with his plan, he hopes to reignite his decade-long feud with McGregor, leading to an eventual trilogy.

“I’m not trying to kill him off. I’m not trying to be killed off by a guy trying to make a comeback. I’m trying to fight a big fight to move up in the fight program,” Diaz continued. “I feel bad for him; I hope he does good. Positive vibes for the comeback. I’ll start whooping ass and doing good. And then I’m going to whoop his ass.”

Listen to Nate Diaz’s comments on Conor McGregor in the video below.

Nate Diaz says Conor McGregor “is a f*cker” but still sees their trilogy happening in the future despite his ACL tear vs. Max Holloway.

“I feel bad for him. Positive vibes for the comeback. … I’m going to whoop his ass.

(via @MikeBohn) pic.twitter.com/TsMpXQJ1nm

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) September 15, 2026

‘T-City’ has endured harship in recent years. The 35-year-old has only managed five fights in the last five years, averaging one per year. But it isn’t just his activity that has been slacking. His last win came in early 2024, which is his lone victory in five. Now out of the rankings and looking to move up a division, Ortega needed a stroke of good luck to come his way. That hasn’t happened; in fact, bad luck seems to be looming overhead.

After falling out of the fight due to injury in March, Brian Ortega hoped a rescheduled clash against Renato Moicano would go smoothly. But just days ahead of his proposed appearance at UFC 331, injury strikes again.

While classified as an undisclosed injury, a picture has surfaced online that potentially shows the true cause. An image of Ortega with a significant cut and swelling above his left eye has been

Brian Ortega Is Seen With Damage On His Face Just 5 Days Away From His #UFC331 Fight 😳

🎥: lecrae IG Story pic.twitter.com/NAkocMCcJP

— Kevin (@realkevink) September 14, 2026

With days to prepare for an opponent, Renato Moicano has been removed from the Los Angeles card entirely.

Moicano will now headline a UFC Fight Night card at the Meta APEX on October 31. His new opponent is the dangerous Tom Nolan. The Australian is riding a five-fight win streak and looks every part of the hype surrounding his name.

On the back of his win against Fares Ziam earlier this year, Nolan now looks to make the jump up in competition, with a lightweight ranking up for grabs. The hungry prospect will be aiming to test Renato Moicano’s chin early, hoping to add to his 45% knockout rate.

A fun featherweight fight between Julian Erosa and Jeong Yeong Lee, a ranked women’s bantamweight clash featuring Yana Santos and Luana Santos, and the returning Francis Marshall will be present on the card.

The consensus in MMA remains that Jones is the greatest to ever do it. Over a decade of dominance inside the cage. Several records; one almost impossible to beat. He stands among the greats no matter which side you stand on. While some prefer different fighters, others believe the former two-division UFC champion is excluded from ‘GOAT’ talks due to his history of failed drug tests and alleged PED use. Makhachev is one of those. In a recent interview, the Dagestani revealed that he doesn’t consider Jones one of the greats, also not counting his 20-fight unbeaten run in the octagon.

Hearing the disrespect, Jon Jones took to X to respond. Islam Makhachev’s attempt at erasing his history in the sport didn’t go down well, leading Jones to fire back.

“Let’s start this week by dispelling rumors that have been spread by people chasing me,” Jones said. “If you believe USADA for finding a picogram in my system, then you must believe USADA when they say, ‘It was not found to be performance-enhancing or intentional.’ You can’t have it both ways.”

“Last time I checked, my hand got raised every time I was in the octagon, since any of you can remember. Your own coach said I was a ‘gift from God.’ Let’s not forget you’ve been KO’d, flatlined, went night night.”

The response didn’t end there. Jones then targeted his old foe, UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, saying:

“DC, I kicked you in the head, LOL. Keep telling yourself it was steroids. Whatever you need to tell yourselves to sleep better at night, go for it. Keep chasing; it’s lonely at the top. Islam, hopefully I’ll see you up here one day.”

Read what Jon Jones had to say about Islam Makhachev and his doubters below.

Let’s start this week by dispeling rumors that have been spread by people chasing me:
1. If you believe USADA for finding a pico gram in my system, then you must believe USADA when they say “It was not found to be PERFORMANCE ENHANCING or INTENTIONAL”. You can’t have it both…

— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) September 14, 2026

Coker has been a prominent figure in mixed martial arts for decades. The businessman was a huge part of Strikeforce’s impressive tenure, but most notably, he successfully ran an MMA empire with Bellator. For roughly 10 years, Bellator was at most a competitor and at least the second-best organization in the sport to the UFC. Coker was at the heart of that rise, having been there and done everything possible as a promoter. Pioneering women’s MMA, helping it reach the scale it’s at today? Check. Handling bold personality fighters and not faltering when things get tough? Check. Wanting to innovate by welcoming cross-promotional events? Check. Identifying and developing some of the sports greatest ever fighters? Also check. He’s done it all. And now, he wants to bring that expertise into his new business venture.

On September 14, Scott Coker announced his return to the sport after a two-year hiatus. But Coker didn’t come empty-handed. With him, he brings a new promotion. A new opportunity for fighters. An idea that he believes has what it takes to be successful.

View this post on Instagram

Turning away from tradition and modern MMA cages, Ki MMA fights will instead take place inside a ring, echoing the classic Japanese style. One of many differences we’re likely to see with the new promotion.

Take a look at the Ki MMA ring below.

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But why will it succeed? Unlike other startups, Scott Coker’s Ki MMA has launched with a significant $60 million investment fund. With Coker at the helm, an ownership group that includes legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk, soccer club D.C. United owner Steve Kaplan, and Griffin Gaming Partners co-founder Peter Levin helped finance a project being labeled the future of combat sports.

Coker’s right-hand man, Richard Chou, will also return, serving as the head of talent relations and executive matchmaking. Chou is a veteran matchmaker, serving many of his years working with Coker across several eras in the sport.

Hoping to start with a bang, Ki MMA will host a Featherweight Grand Prix. 32 fighters from four continents will compete to be crowned the inaugural 145-pound Ki MMA champion.

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Liverpool, England’s own Paddy ‘The Baddy’ has perfectly followed the blueprint to be successful in mixed martial arts. Be good on the mic, put on entertaining fights, and back up the talk. Conor McGregor did it before him, but Pimblett has his own style. With his unusual accent and deceptively elite style of fighting, the 31-year-old has worked his way to the pinnacle of the sport. A former UFC title challenger, with many eyes on what he’ll do next. But despite all of his accomplishments, and even with him likely being just one win away from fighting for UFC gold for a second time, there is a man determined to end all of the hype.

Paddy Pimblett had an incredible 14 fights during his eight-year stint in Cage Warriors. In that time, he suffered just three defeats. The last man to beat him before his move to the UFC was a man rightfully nicknamed ‘The True Viking’: Soren Bak.

Bak has a treasured history as a mixed martial artist of his own, winning both the Cage Warriors lightweight and interim featherweight titles. But in 2022, the Dane suffered severe knee injuries that required him to have both knees entirely rebuilt. A dominant presence with an incredible 16-1 record, Bak is determined to fight his way back to the cage and eventually the UFC.

Detailing his win against Paddy Pimblett, Bak said:

“We touch gloves and we get into an early scramble, and he knocks me off my feet by basically pushing [his feet] against the fence. He gets my back; he gets the body triangle from the back. He gets the full rear-naked choke under the chin, and I’m like, ‘Damn. Did I bring my mother to Liverpool to make her watch me lose the first round?’ No, it’s not going to happen.'”

Pimblett exerted a lot of energy trying to get the finish, but by rounds two and three, he didn’t have much left to compete. Bak took complete control from then on, battling his way to a unanimous decision victory after almost losing early in the opening round.

Soren Bak was also complimentary of Pimblett. Bak revealed that the Scouser spent half an hour speaking to him and his mother following the fight, showing himself to be a true gentleman once the dust settled.

But that doesn’t change Bak’s ultimate goal: to show the world he’s better than Paddy Pimblett.

“I promise, if it happens, if I get to the UFC and have a debut fight, I’m going to call him out. That’s for sure,” Bak added.

The former Bellator lightweight kingpin made the switch over to the UFC in 2021, with his eyes on two things: championship gold and Conor McGregor. Having fought for the title, there was just one thing remaining. But despite agreements being struck and the pair being coaches on a season of The Ultimate Fighter, the fight never came to fruition. Many believe Chandler came to the UFC too late, missing out on his prime years inside the octagon. Alongside his late arrival, the collegiate wrestler missed two years of his career waiting for a fight with ‘The Notorious’ to materialize.

His career has since gone downhill, losing each of his last four outings. Now 40, Michael Chandler doesn’t have many years competing left. And even with his limited time, he is still chasing a Conor McGregor fight.

Believing the fight makes sense, Chandler shared an interest in reopening talks with McGregor, saying:

“I mean, I think, if you’re asking, does that fight make sense? I think so. I think it’s a fight that- he’s got one stain on his record, so to speak, right? Like, obviously, this one was a tough injury. We take injuries; that’s what happens. Him pulling out of that fight, which he has never done before in his entire career. You, me, the media, every fan had every reason to believe that that’s what Conor does: he shows up. He’s been injured before; he still shows up. So, that one was a tough pill to swallow for just the whole MMA landscape, as a whole. Not just myself.”

“But why shouldn’t it be me? Why shouldn’t it be me? But we’ll see how it plays out. We’ll see how he recovers. We’ll see if he comes back, when he comes back. It sounds like he’s going to…”

“I think that it’s a fight that he wants. I think that it’s a fight that makes sense.”

Despite having an outstanding 5-1 record inside the octagon, ‘MVP’ was released by the UFC. Forced to look elsewhere, the Brit has been away from fight talks for a few days as he clears his head and assesses what’s next. On his day, he remains one of the most exciting fighters in the world, and the love many have for him remains. The proof of that is evident following his UFC departure.

After Jake Paul‘s Most Valuable Promotions hinted at talks with him, Michael “Venom” Page has been swarmed with offers from multiple potential landing spots.

“The offers are just flying in. To be very honest, I don’t think there’s one place that I haven’t got an offer from. Name anybody you want; they’ve all put their hands up to be, like, ‘I know what he can do.’ And as you can see, it has nothing to do with me not being capable. Although I’m not getting the exciting finishes, I’m still beating guys.”

“Some of these guys are ten years my junior, and I’m still faster than all of these guys. [I’m] still capable. So these guys are like, ‘Nah, nah, nah. We want him on our show.'”

Page continued:

“I’ve only literally just got back [from holiday]. And I’ve kind of put that to one side and said, let me just kind of rest. Self-reflect. Be with myself. And then kind of think about where I’m at… I’m hungry. I’m hungry to keep working.”

Not giving away too much, Michael “Venom” Page has opened up doors to every possible outcome. A move to Rizin excites him, while he didn’t have enough positive things to say about MVP MMA.

Check out what Page had to say regarding his future and more below.

High on his win over Conor Benn, Garcia is looking ahead to more reputable and more dangerous fights. After the victory on Saturday, a potential clash against Teofimo Lopez lies around the corner, should he want it. While a fight against Lopez, ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, and even a rematch against Devin Haney interest the 28-year-old, his ultimate goal is a fight that will get him the most attention. That could be ‘Bud’ Crawford.

When discussing a potential meeting against Terence Crawford, Ryan Garcia announced his interest in the fight. However, a matchup can only materialize if Crawford comes out of retirement, which Garcia believes could happen.

“I want to avenge Canelo’s loss,” Garcia said. “I just want to beat his ass, to be real. I want that. He knows that I want that. I’m willing to test him, to see where he’s at, you know, but will he come back out of retirement? I don’t know.”

“He knows he has to. Nobody knows who the f*** he is. He has to come back to boxing. He knows that, though. You can see that. The security didn’t even know who the f*** he was; that’s a problem… You know you’ve got more on the plate. What are you doing? You retired for what?”

Going out on top as the undisputed king, Crawford beat Canelo Alvarez and cemented himself to most as the greatest boxer of his generation. Unconvinced by his retirement and believing his speed and power would be a problem for the 38-year-old, Garcia has urged Crawford to return to the ring.

“I know what he’s doing. Like, he knows he didn’t do everything he needed to do in the sport yet… He’s not really retired in his heart. He retired on paper, but not in his heart.”

Watch Ryan Garcia and more in the video below.

The 33-year-old was met with backlash from viewers after he refused to continue following an eye poke during his heavyweight clash against Ciryl Gane. The incident didn’t look too serious, and many believed he took the easy way out. But that clearly wasn’t the case. Since that night almost a year ago, Aspinall has had several surgeries, and despite pushing toward a return, a separate event then caused damage to his right eye.

Tom Aspinall released his own statement, telling fans he will return once he is healthy. Promoter Eddie Hearn also shared his own views. Praising Aspinall for showing class in the face of adversity, Hearn endorsed the UFC star and promised his comeback once he is able, saying:

“This has been an incredibly challenging time for Tom. But he has shown his total class throughout. Everyone at Matchroom is with him every step of the way. We are confident that he will succeed in his ultimate goal to return to the Octagon and reclaim the title that is rightfully his.”

🚨EDDIE HEARN STATEMENT ON TOM ASPINALL VACATING UFC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE 🚨

“This has been an incredibly challenging time for Tom.

“But he has shown his total class throughout. Everyone at Matchroom is with him every step of the way.

“We are confident that he will succeed in his… pic.twitter.com/AH3Vz2wYDk

— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) September 14, 2026

Tom Aspinall vacated his title on the back of Dana White‘s comments. While speaking to the media, White was questioned about Aspinall and his inactivity.

Aspinall found himself in a similar position to Valentina Shevchenko, whose injury would keep her out for an extended time. Shevchenko decided to abandon her championship status, allowing others to fight for the belt until she recovers.

Liking the idea, White told the media that conversations would be had with the Brit regarding his future in the UFC and his standing as champion. Those discussions appear to have taken place, resulting in Aspinall renouncing his title.

Having won three of his last four and riding a two-fight winning streak in the division, ‘Aljo’ believes he has positioned himself comfortably in the title picture. A potential new face for champion Alexander Volkanovski, the former bantamweight king wants to catapult himself to UFC gold in a second division, but knows he may need one more win. He wants that to come in a number one contender clash against the frightening Fighting Nerds product, Silva.

Unconvinced by Jean Silva’s Noche UFC performance, Aljamain Sterling claims the Brazilian needs to beat someone noteworthy to warrant a title shot. And up steps Sterling.

“If you want to claim you’re the number one guy, you should be next in line; you should have a performance like it,” Sterling said. “On top of that, you’ve got to beat somebody that’s worth the sh*t. No disrespect to you, Delgado, but in terms of how long you’ve been here and what you’ve done in the division, that’s not the win that gets you over the hump in my personal, unbiased opinion.”

“I’m the clear cut. I mean, people can say what they want to say, ‘Oh, you beat a half-dead Ortega. Oh, you only beat Zalal.’ Motherf***er, Zalal was probably going to get the next title shot had he beaten me. Now, all of a sudden, because I won, you don’t like this sh*t?”

Sterling continued.

“December, run that sh*t,” Sterling added. “All I’m saying is, I want to give [Silva] the fair opportunity to heal, be ready, be the best version of himself, and I would love to have that fight.”

“I want to fight the fights that make the most sense. The biggest names. The fights that get me somewhere, not just taking random fights just to say I fought this guy. Like, I don’t give a f***. Bro, I’m 37. It’s time to sh*t or get off the pot.”

“I’mma be fair. I’mma do the right thing and say I want you at your best. Take your time, heal up. Let’s run this sh*t back. Let’s run this sh*t for December. And we do this and see who’s the clear-cut number one contender.”

The controversial heavyweight has enjoyed much success during his short UFC stint thus far. Wins over Max Gimenis, Denzel Freeman, and Derrick Lewis, alongside a fight-of-the-year contender clash with Curtis Blaydes, have firmly placed Hokit in the upper echelons of the division. With the heavyweights being plunged into a state of sudden upheaval, Hokit believes he could force his way into a title fight, considering his standing in the weight class.

Seizing the opportunity, Josh Hokit took to social media to make his case. Believing the division has been in limbo for far too long and hoping it moves on from Tom Aspinall as soon as possible, Hokit called out interim champion Ciryl Gane.

“The fans deserve me vs. Gane,” Hokit said in a post on X. “I’ll give Ciryl what he has coming. If Alex can win 1 fight in my weight class, I’ll give it to him too, early [2027]. I’ll be the most active champ in the company.”

The fans deserve Me vs Gane. I’ll give Ciryl what he has coming.
If Alex can win 1 fight in my weight class, I’ll give it to him too, early ‘27.
I’ll be the most active champ in the company. https://t.co/fdtRFTL2G8

— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) September 14, 2026

Tom Aspinall’s recovery hasn’t gone as hoped, forcing him to vacate the world title while he works on getting back to full fitness. Aspinall left behind a division stacked with top contenders, but Hokit believes nobody deserves a shot at the title more than him.

Pointing toward his undefeated record, his American heritage, and his ability to bring eyes to the product, Hokit has been angling for a title fight for some time. And while he would welcome a meeting with Alex Pereira, he has long had his sights set on Ciryl Gane.

Just last month, Hokit again called out Gane, insisting the Frenchman should cherish the chance of facing him.

“The Incredible Hok says Ciryl Gane should be excited to fight him because this will be the 3rd time in his career that people will tune in to see a press conference that he was a part of… New Jersey, DC & TBD,” Hokit said. “Incredible Hok says Ciryl might even get cheered for the 1st time in his career.”

The Incredible Hok says @ciryl_gane should be excited to fight him because this will be the 3rd time in his career that people will tune in to see a press conference that he was a part of…..New Jersey, DC & TBD. Incredible Hok says Ciryl might even get cheered for the 1st time…

— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) August 22, 2026