The event was headlined by a lightweight but between No. 8 ranked Renato Moicano and No. 12 ranked Tom Nolan.

UFC Vegas 123 Post-Fight Press Conference

The judges scored the bout 115-112, 116-111, 117-110 in favor of Alvarez. He  improved his record to 64-3-2, and Mbilli dropped to 29-1-1.

Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbilli Highlights

Moicano (21-7-1) rebounded from back-to-back losses in his last outing defeating Chris Duncan via submission in April. Nolan (11-1) will make the walk to the octagon riding a five-fight winning streak. 

UFC Vegas 123 Official Results:

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)

• Tom Nolan def. Renato Moicano via TKO (punches and elbows) at 1:28, Round 3
• Jacobe Smith def. Randy Brown via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–26, 30–26)
• Cody Durden def. Ode Osbourne via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Luana Santos def. Yana Santos via unanimous decision  (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Farman Hasanov via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 2:11, Round 3

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)

• Dakota Hope def. Francis Marshall via split decision  (28–29, 29–28, 29–28)
• Rodrigo Sezinando def. Theodor Berggren via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00, Round 2
• Julian Erosa def. JeongYeong Lee via KO (punches) at 1:31, Round 1
• Zach Reese def. Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (29–27, 29–27, 29–27)
• Joe Kropschot def. Nick Klein via Submission (armbar) at 1:25, Round 2
• Piera Rodriguez def. Talita Alencar via unanimous decision  (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
• Lucia Szabova def. Tainara Lisboa via TKO (punches) at 3:20, Round 3

Scariest UFC Knockouts:

The Mexican-American is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in MMA history. His dominance in the division at his peak sets him apart from many and among the very best to ever do it. But his life took a turn for the worse when his son was allegedly abused during stints in daycare.

The news, as it would for many others, led Cain Velasquez to do something unimaginable. He sought help from authorities before taking matters into his own hands. His target: the suspect, Harry Goularte, and all involved.

“One night I was putting my son to bed, and he tells me the things that are happening to him at his daycare,” Velasquez said. “So I ask questions about what happened. He tells me. I ask him how long has it been going on. He says, ‘For a while.’ Right. So we do what we’re supposed to do: make a report, call the authorities.”

“They just get everybody’s- it’s documented down on what, you know, they go into process. I understand, like, there’s a heavenly realm, and there’s an earthly realm of laws that we got to abide by here on Earth. Okay. God’s laws are a little different, so you got to act accordingly. So we do things that are right. Correct. We do make the report, all that. We hear that the daycare, the son, who’s a 40-year-old man, Harry Goularte, was there. And that’s who my son told me that, you know, did all this stuff.”

Velasquez continued.

“I put the report in. They book him. He gets out on Friday in that same week. He gets out on Friday with no ankle monitor, nothing… Not back at the daycare; that daycare’s at a house. Just seeing my son and seeing all the traumas now come out, right? ‘Cause he’s disclosed it. So, seeing the hurt in him, breaking down, crying. He let it out. He would cry and all this. He’d been going there since he was, maybe, around 3 years old. And he told us at 4. So, I’m guessing pretty quickly.”

After an approach with the law failed to deliver a just reaction to the sickening events, Velasquez was done relying on others.

“We believed the daycare would be shut down,” Velasquez added. “We knew, but then the owner of the daycare, Patty Goularte, the mom, put out a mass email and kept us on it; didn’t take us off. Saying that, ‘Oh, no. Those allegations are false. That kid wasn’t even here that day.’ And saying that they’re going to be open on Monday, right? Which they technically can’t, but that f***ing just blew my mind.”

“We did all this, and it’s still not going to get stopped. What the f***. The system f***ing sucks; it’s broken. People don’t know what the f*** they’re doing. So, all these things start running through my mind… I just got to take a drive. I did have my gun on me at the time. And I had all these thoughts like, I wish I would see him. But what are the odds of that, driving out in public? I’ve never seen him out in public ever. Well, that day I saw him.”

Such a disgusting, undercriminalized action against anybody, especially children, would send any man down a dark path. Cain Velasquez felt that firsthand. He explained how quickly one reaction altered his regular family life to being entangled in an 11-hour gun chase and eventual 21-hour day of solitary confinement in jail.

“I lost it. Whatever you would say having it is, I lost it. I f***ing lost a will to live. Didn’t care about dying. Didn’t care- didn’t care about anything. I was in a different place at that moment. I wasn’t maneuvering in the parameters of what we call a normal life; I was in something else,” Velasquez stated. “I went through an 11-mile chase, shooting at them. And all of them were guilty, so all of them could have got it. Look at the photos now from the crime scene, their truck was shot up, man… I only hit the stepfather who was in on it. Hit him in the arm. It wasn’t- it could have been much worse… All of them could have [been hit]; that’s what I was going for.”

“11-mile chase and like two gun clips. There was like a stop there with police, during traffic. Innocent people could have got hit. I was trying not to, but I wasn’t here… I went into jail that night… I was there nine months before I got on parole. So, nine months. Solitary confinement.”

Velasquez later detailed why he decided against going to trial.

“Yeah, [I went to state prison], instead of trying to fight the trial. The judge we had was pretty good. I felt like he was solid. I already done some time for what I did; for the circumstances. Instead of going to trial, I just gave it up to the judge to make a decision, instead of doing the whole sh*t, you know?”

“I man up to my mistakes. I understood what I did was wrong. I could have hurt a lot of people. So, he gave me a total of five years, which everything else I’ve done added up for me to do one more year in state prison. So, I went to state prison.”

Going straight for the head, Hearn has taken his feud with White to new levels. Under his Matchroom Talent Agency banner, the boxing promoter has invaded the UFC and signed some of its stars. Hearn has already built a team of fighters, but his latest move may be his most ambitious. Amid his rise to social media fame, Arman Tsarukyan has been a hot commodity. Everything he does is now under the spotlight, giving him much-welcomed attention from millions around the world, opening other avenues of income for the money-chasing freak athlete.

Hoping to squirm his way into Arman Tsarukyan’s rise in popularity, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has seemingly singled out the Armenian as his next Matchroom target. The Brit has been one of the most prominent promoters over the years, managing to build his boxers into global superstars with almost immaculate handling of their careers. Aiming to do the same in MMA, Hearn wishes to bring Tsarukyan into the fold.

The pair recently spent some time together following Tsarukyan’s devastating knockout win at UFC 331 and subsequent RAF victory over Dillon Danis. While no further details have emerged, the Instagram post suggests they had spoken about a potential future partnership.

Arman Tsarukyan could be heading to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency. Check out their social media post below.

View this post on Instagram

As stated, this isn’t Eddie Hearn’s first venture into MMA. After signing Tom Aspinall, Hearn turned his attention to Ian Machado Garry and Paulo Costa, who are all reportedly signed to his agency.

A former UFC heavyweight champion, two former UFC title challengers, and now a man destined for the very top; Eddie Hearn means business.

Moicano (21-7-1) rebounded from back-to-back losses in his last outing defeating Chris Duncan via submission in April. Nolan (11-1) will make the walk to the octagon riding a five-fight winning streak.

The first fighter is expected on the scales at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. ET. Refresh the page for the latest weights.

UFC Vegas 123 Official Weigh-In Results:

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)

• Renato Moicano (156) vs. Tom Nolan (155.5)
• Randy Brown (170.5) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5)
• Cody Durden (126) vs. Ode Osbourne (126)
• Luana Santos (136) vs. Yana Santos (135.5)
• Farman Hasanov (171) vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (170.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)

• Dakota Hope (145.5) vs. Francis Marshall (148)*
• Theodor Berggren (171) vs. Rodrigo Sezinando (170.5)
• Julian Erosa (145.5) vs. JeongYeong Lee (145.5)
• Mickey Gall (155.5) vs. Zach Reese (185)
• Nick Klein (186) vs. Joe Kropschot (186)
• Talita Alencar (116) vs. Piera Rodriguez (115.5)
• Tainara Lisboa (125) vs. Lucia Szabova (125.5)

*Francis Marshall missed weight by 2 pounds for his featherweight but with Dakota Hope

The event was originally headlined by a welterweight match but a staph infection forced Sean Brady to back out of the featured fight against Gabriel Bonfim. The news was first reported by Laerte Viana on Twitter. Bonfim is expected to be booked for a later date.

Cortes-Acosta (17-4) will enter the fight ranked No. 8 and looking to rebound from back-to-back decision losses to Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov. Walker (23-10, 1 NC) will be looking to build off the momentum gained by knocking out Mick Parkin at UFC 323 earlier this month. Walker’s ranked No. 12 in the heavyweight division.

 Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba collide in the UFC Vegas 124 co-main event in a fight between two of the women’s strawweight top contenders.

The Christmas Eve showdown will mark Paul’s first professional fight in Dubai, as one of combat sports’ biggest global stars prepares to begin the next chapter of his boxing career. Paul’s opponent and additional event details will be officially revealed over the coming weeks.

Since making his professional debut in 2020, Paul has become one of boxing’s biggest commercial attractions, headlining record-breaking events and drawing unprecedented global audiences. His November 2024 showdown with Mike Tyson drew 125 million Live+1 viewers globally, while his December 2025 event against Anthony Joshua drew 33 million Live+1 viewers worldwide.

“I’ve spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I’d face. Nothing that’s happened has changed my belief in myself or what I’m working toward,” Paul said via press release.

“I”m hungrier than ever, and on Thursday, December 24, I’m returning to the ring in Dubai to start the next chapter of my journey. Dubai is a city that thinks big, breaks boundaries, and doesn’t believe in limits. That’s exactly the kind of place I want to make my comeback. We’ve got plenty of names on the list; let’s see who signs the contract. Merry Christmas, Dubai. Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody’s getting knocked out.”

“Jake Paul has spent his career challenging what people think is possible. Twelve months ago he suffered a double broken jaw against a two-time heavyweight world champion and since then many have doubted his desire or need to return to boxing. Well he is back, and that tells you everything about the competitor Jake Paul is and how much he loves this sport,” said Most Valuable Promotions co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian.

“This is more than a fight. It’s a global event in one of the world’s great destination cities, on one of the most special nights of the year, when families everywhere are together and watching. At Most Valuable Promotions we build events people remember, and Thursday, December 24th in Dubai will be a Christmas Eve spectacle that the world will be talking about. We’re finalizing an opponent worthy of Jake’s return and look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks.”

A heavyweight title bout between champion Ciryl Gane and No. 5 ranked Josh Hokit headlines the UFC 334 fight card on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden. It will be Gane’s first title defense since being elevated from interim champion to undisputed titleholder. Masvidal believes Hokit will leave New York with the strap.

“That’s where I’m putting my money at, Hokit,” Masvidal said on Deep Waters.

Masvidal believes Hokit will use his wresting to put Gane in bad positions like we saw when the Frenchman faced Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

“Ngannou, he didn’t have an answer it didn’t seem like or it seemed like he got to positions he was just content to be there, you know? Has he made those improvements on technical basis and the mental? Because we all know to get away from somebody has you down, it takes gas. It costs a lot. Does he have enough of that to go do it against Hokit? I don’t think so. I think Hokit gets him down he could break him,” said Masvidal.

“I’m betting the house on Hokit,” he said. “And I’m literally betting the house on Hokit. Because of the odds, I’m going to put real f**king money on Hokit.”

At the time of publication, DraftKings had the odds set at Gane a -265 favorite and Hokit at +215.

Volkanovski successfully defended his belt at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 defeating the previously undefeated contender Movsar Evloev via second-round stoppage. It was the second title defense of the 38-year old’s second 145-pound championship reign.

Gaethje hasn’t fought since defeating Ilia Topuria to capture the lightweight title at the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House in June. If the two do get matched up against each other, former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker believes Volkanovski would get the job done.

“I want to see him fight Gaethje. I want to see him fight Gaethje because, dude, he beats Gaethje,” Whittaker said on the MMArcade Podcast. “He beats him, man. 100% he does.”

Volkanovski stated that he’d retire if given the opportunity to face “The Highlight.” He suggested it could be the final fight for he and Gaethje. Whittaker likes the possibility.

“And that is such a cool thing that both guys leave it all out there. Both guys leave gloves out there. Both guys cement legacies. That’s mad. That’s a really cool end of the rainbow sort of situation,” said the former champ.

With the event a couple of weeks away, fighters and analysts are weighing in on the matchup. Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman gave his take on the matchup and believes Hokit will dethrone the champion.

“I think Hokit is fine. I think he’s good, bro. He’s tough. He’s good on the feet and we’ve seen him rag doll people in wrestling,” Weidman said on Deep Waters. “I think he wrestles in this fight. He gets close. And he has that Cain Velasquez like control on top where he’ll just shift your weight, move your hips around clock you. It wears on these guys.”

Hokit is 6’1 and 231 pounds. Gane is 6’5 and 250. Weidman the size difference could come into play, but still picked Hokit to win.

“The size difference is going to be interesting because that’s the thing is even with Derrick Lewis, it wasn’t super easy for him to get takedowns at will against Derrick Lewis being such a bigger dude,” said Weidman. “But I do think his pace and the pressure, bringing Gane to the cage and looking for takedowns there is probably Hokit’s best chance. And he’s got heavy hands too.”

“I’m actually shocked that the odds are that favored for Gane,” Weidman said. “I am shocked.”

At the time of publication, DraftKings had the odds set at Gane a -265 favorite and Hokit at +215.

Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping laid out why he doesn’t want to see the two matched up.

“In the lightweight division, Justin Gaethje has got a clearcut No. 1 contender in Arman Tsarukyan. There’s also Charles Oliveira that he’s lost to that’s fighting Diego Lopes. There’s Max Holloway that he’s lost to. So he’s not in the same kind of – Listen, the man’s a legend, awesome career, but he’s got work to do in the lightweight division,” Bisping said on the Believe You Me Podcast.

“Volkanovski, does he deserve a third shot? I’m not saying he does or he doesn’t, but he’s already had two shots at becoming a lightweight champ. And to be honest, the’s one way legacy for Volkanovski,” added the former champion.

“I’m just saying, if I were Justin Gaethje sitting here right now, I’d be like, well, I’m going to take a chance. I’m going to take a guy that’s coming up a weight class, so it’s win-win for him regardless. And if he were to lose, it’s not the best look and then he loses his belt and then what, retires. … I would understand if Justin Gaethje was hesitant to want to do that.”

Some people, including fighters, felt Dvalishvili’s hand should have been raised. Atlas wasn’t one of them. He not only believes the judges got it right, he didn’t think the fight was difficult to score.

“I thought it was one of the easier fights to score. Call me crazy. I don’t care,” Atlas said on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas. “I had the first two rounds for Merab and the next three to the champ, Yan. And when he had to be the champ, he was a champ. I could leave it with that. That could be my analysis. I can leave it with that. I’ll go a little more, but I can leave it with two things.

“He hurt him again in the body. He was looking for that because that’s what really separated him in the first fight. I mean the second fight. I’m sorry. This is a trilogy. The second fight, the last fight. He gave Merab a beating.”

The second thing Atlas attributed to leading to Yan’s victory was the Russian’s tenacity and champion determination.

“When the championship rounds, whatever you want to call it, but when it came time to say, “I want to keep my title. I’m not giving up my title. I am champion!” When it came time to do that, he did that. That’s what took over the fight. That’s when he took over the fight,” he said.

Yan defended his title in the UFC 333 main event this past weekend, defeating former champion Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision in a trilogy bout. O’Malley lobbied to be the one standing across from Yan in Abu Dhabi but knew the trilogy made more sense.

“I knew after Petr and Merab fought in December last year, that was a trilogy in the making. It was, everyone was kind of like, that needs to happen next. Merab defended his belt three times, tried to defend it four times in one year. Merab deserved a title shot. If anybody in the history of the sport deserved a title shot or a rematch after losing the belt, it was Merab,” O’Malley told Daniel Cormier on Cormier’s YouTube channel.

Considering he and the champion having wins of Song, O’Malley believes a rematch between he and Yan will be the next bantamweight title fight. He refuses to think anything else.

“Petr beat Song when I was defending my title in Miami I believe it was. So Petr already beat Song. I already beat Song. I don’t think it’s really a debate or an argument,” he said. “I don’t really feel like I have to push for it or argue for it or, you know, try to do anything crazy for it. Me versus Petr is happening next. It just is. And I refuse to believe otherwise.”

“I think the majority of people want to see this rematch. It was a close fight four years ago. We’re both in our prime. It’s just time,” O’Malley said.

Volkanovski defeated previously undefeated top contender Movsar Evloev via second-round TKO. It was the second title defense of Volkanovski’s second 145-pound championship reign. The two-title titleholder has only lost one featherweight fight in his 14-year career.

Prior to the fight and after, Volkanovski pitched the idea of moving up to the lightweight division to face champion Justin Gaethje in a super fight. The 38-year-old Australian has fought for the 155 title twice, losing to Islam Makhachev both times. Despite the two failed attempts, White was open to the thought.

“I think when you’ve accomplished what he’s accomplished, there’s not much we’re going to say no to with him,” said White. “So, we’ll see how this whole thing plays out.”

Volkanovski has stated that he’d retire if given the opportunity, win or lose. Eyeing the end of his fighting days, “The Great” wants to leave accomplishing something big, or at least trying to.

“That’s something I would retire for. So if they wanted to give me that opportunity, I would retire. Win or lose, retire; then it’s (featherweight title) vacant, so I’m not holding the division up. Then you’re gonna get the — if I win it and vacate, then you’ve got everyone else fighting anyway. So that’s something I would retire for. Otherwise, I’m just taking each fight as it goes,” Volkanovski said during the post-fight press conference.

“Short of breath and cant grab something off the ground without grunting but happy,” she wrote in the post. “Still waiting to find out the gender.”

View this post on Instagram

Tate last fought in May 2025, losing to Yana Santos via unanimous decision. She won the women’s 135-pound championship by defeating Holly Holm at UFC 196 in March 2016. She was defeated by the great Amanda Nunes in her first title defense. She hasn’t officially announced her retirement from fighting but a return at 41 seems unlikely.

Tate has two children, and eight-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son.

The event featured two world title bouts. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski put his title on the line against then undefeated contender Movsar Evloev in the main event. The co-main event featured a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili. It was the promotion’s 24th visit to Abu Dhabi and it set records.

“Tonight was the highest attendance for a UFC event in Abu Dhabi history, highest gate,” said UFC CEO Dana White during the event’s post-fight press conference. “We broke the arena record. We now hold four of the top five gates here at the arena. And over 50% of the fans came from outside UAE.”

Both champions retained their belts. Volkanovski handed Evloev his first career loss with a second-round TKO stoppage. It snapped the Russian’s 20-fight win streak. Yan defeated Dvalishvili via unanimous decision.

Following his UFC 333 first-round knockout win over Azamat Murzakanov, Reyes launched heavy criticism toward the former two-division champion calling Cormier a “low IQ hater.” Cormier responded and the two went back and forth on social media. On Monday, Reyes went further on his newly created YouTube show The Commentary Scorecard.

Reyes accused Cormier of not doing his research and pointed to DC’s assessment of Murzakanov’ style and his comments on Reyes’ level of competition.

“You see Murzakanov switch to southpaw right away,’” Reyes said. “The problem with this comment is Murzakanov is a southpaw naturally. He’s a natural southpaw. He fights southpaw every time. He never fights orthodox ever.

“So for him to say he’s switching to southpaw is completely wrong. It just goes to show that he did no research or he’s just talking, so that’s the first minus for DC.”

“DC says, ‘Everyone wrote this kid off. Went a little bit on a losing streak, was not fighting well, now he’s back fighting the best ranked fighters in the world,’” Reyes added. “That comment is incorrect because I have only fought ranked fighters in my career since going on that losing streak, so for him to say now I’m back fighting ranked fighters is another minus on his commentary because he didn’t do his research.”

Reyes’ win on Saturday was his second in a row. He’s won five of his last six fights with four of the five wins by knockout. Prior to his recent success, Reyes had lost four consecutive fights from 2020 to 2022.

Reyes went on to criticize Cormier’s comments about referee Mike Beltran’s stoppage of the fight accusing the commentator of wanting to “see murder.”

“At the end of the fight, I drop Murzakanov. He curls into a ball because he’s very hurt and DC makes a comment that says, ‘Mike Beltran could have stopped the fight at any moment but he just wanted to see murder.’ See, that kind of comment, that’s a tough comment, because then you have situations like we have with Herb Dean where anywhere he goes he gets booed, he gets harassed on the street. You’re creating a narrative about how he just wants to see murder out there.

“This is a ranked fight between two ranked fighters, No. 7 vs. No. 8. So this is a high-stakes fight and Beltran is just giving us an opportunity to fight and not stop the fight early, so I do commend Beltran for not stopping it early.”

He graded the commentary giving Cormier an ” F-plus” and expects better from the broadcast team.

“We go out there and we fight with our hearts, all our hearts, and we give it our best every time we go out. I expect the same from everybody in the organization to go out there and give their best and get better. It’s not good enough just being in there just talking. You’ve got to do your research, you’ve got to be well-informed, and you’ve got to be unbiased. Being biased, that’s not cool,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter if you trained a guy or worked with a guy, whatever. You have to be unbiased when you go out there, so this is me holding these guys accountable.”

Heading into the third bout, each fighter had a win over the other. Yan left Abu Dhabi with his championship intact after winning the final three rounds on the judges scorecards. According to the statement, Dvalishvili expects a quick turnaround.

“Good day everyone! First and foremost I want to thank God for he has truly blessed me and I am grateful! Next I want to thank my cornermen@funkmasterMMA @DaveyGrantMMA @zviadlazishvili @bigwoodmma for their help and dedication. I am grateful for my Vegas teammates and training partners who always showed up and pushed me to great limits. Also big thanks to my New York team @MattSerraUFC and @TrainingDaywRay and all my New York / Long Island Boys,” he wrote on X.

“Thank you to the @ufc for always giving me these opportunities! Last but certainly not least – my family, friends and fans – your support and love means the world to me ! I cannot wait to be back in that cage doing what I love to do ! I am healthy and motivated and will be back soon ! This Machine never breaks! See you all soon.”

Good day everyone! First and foremost I want to thank God for he has truly blessed me and I am grateful! Next I want to thank my cornermen @funkmasterMMA @DaveyGrantMMA @zviadlazishvili @bigwoodmma for their help and dedication. I am grateful for my Vegas teammates and training…

— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) October 26, 2026

All three judges scored the fight the same, 48-47 for Yan. The scorecards were all the same with Dvalishvili winning the first two rounds and Yan earning 10-9s in rounds three, four, and five. Take a look at the official scorecard below.

UFC 333 Scorecard: Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili

The win ended Evloev’s 20-fight winning streak and earned Volkanovski a $100,000 bonus. Check out the UFC 333 main event highlights below.

UFC 333 Highlights: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev

UFC 333 Highlights: Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili

Fight of the Night honors went to the co-main event trilogy bout between champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili won the early round with relentless pressure, high output and pace. Yan captured the final three rounds fending off takedown attempts and working his boxing.

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski earned a bonus for his second-round stoppage of the previously undefeated Movsar Evloev in the fight card’s main event.

Taking home the final “Performance of the Night” award was flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh. Kavanagh scored a first-round finish over rising star Ramazan Temirov. Temirov entered the bout riding a 12-fight winning streak.

The remaining fighters who secured finishes at UFC 333 earned an extra $25,000.

MORE UFC 333: Main Event Highlights | Co-Main Event Highlights

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski put his title on the line against undefeated top ranked contender Movsar Evloev in the main event. The co-main event featured a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili. 

UFC 333 Post-Fight Press Conference Video:

It was Volkanovski’s second title defense of his second 145-pound championship reign. Evloev entered the fight riding an incredible 20 fight winning streak.

Volkanovski landed first with an outside leg kick. He labnded a right hand while staying just out of range of Evloev. They exchanged jabs. Evloev went to the body with a right hand. He landed to the body with a kick. Volkanovski responded with a leg kick. Volkanovski closed the distance and clinched. Evloev secured a takedown but Volkanovski quickly got back to his feet. Volkanovski pressured Evloev and was taken down. He again quickly got to his feet. Volkanovski connected with a right hand. Evloev landed a left hand on the break. Volkanovski clinched but they separated moments later. The champion connected with a right hand. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Evloev.

They exchanged leg kicks to start the second. Evloev landed a right hand. Evloev worked for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Evloev drug Volkanovski to the ground but the champion gained top position. Evloev rolled and scrambled to his feet. Volkanovski landed a right that stunned the challenger. He pressed forward and clinched. Volkanovski was cut below his left eye. A left hand found a home for Volkanovski. Volkanovski hurt Evloev with a right hand. Evloev was cut. Volkanovksi had top position and hammered away with punches. The referee stepped in and stopped it. Volkanovski handed Evloev his first career loss.

The official time of the TKO finish was 4:54 of the second round.

The two first fought in March 2023. Dvalishvili picked up a unanimous decision win that night in Las Vegas shutting Yan out on the scorecards. Yan avenged the loss at UFC 323 defeating Dvalishvili by unanimous decision setting up a third fight.

Yan took the center of the cage and inched forward. Dvalishvili landed first with a leg kick. Dvaishvili stepped in the pocket with a clean right hand. He looked for a takedown but Yan defended the attempt. Dvalishvili landed a right hand and worked to get the fight to the ground. Yan shook it off. Dvalishvili again looked for a takedown. Yan again stayed upright. Dvalishvili employed a high output offense. Yan defended another takedown attempt. Yan connected with a left. Dvalishvili answered with a right hand and a takedown. Yan immediately got back to his feet. Dvalishvili ducked under a punch and secured a takedown. Yan got back to his feet but remained in the clinch. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Dvalishvili.

Dvalishvili opened the second frame with a leg kick. He bounced on the outside. Yan landed a right hand and pressed forward. Dvalishvili connected with a right hand and timed a takedown. Yan got to his feet and separated. Dvalishvili secured another takedown. Yan scrambled back to his feet. Dvalishvili immediately looked for a takedown. Yan got up but Dvalishvili was relentless with takedown attempts. Yan inched forward and unloaded a combination. Dvalishvili continued to work for takedowns and Yan continued to get back up. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Dvalishvili.

Yan began the third with a leg kick. Dvalishvili responded with punches. Dvalishvili continued to pressure Yan. They separated and Yan pressed forward. Yan landed to the body with a kick. Yan easily defended a takedown attempt. Dvalishvili’s output was furious. Yan connected with a hard right hand, Dvalishvili fired back. Yay kanbded a combination that had Dvalishvili diving for a takedown. Yan defended the attempt. A kick to the boy hurt Dvalishvili. Yan went to the body with another kick. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Yan.

Dvalishvili immediately looked for a takedown. Yan stuffed the attempt. Yan landed a counter left hand. Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts failed to work. Yan pressed forward. He connected with a right. A left hand to the body got Dvalishvili’s attention. Yan labnddd a clean right hand. Dvalishvili clinched but couldn’t get Yan to the ground. Yan continued to target the body. Dvalishvili responded with a right hand. Yan’s jab began finding a home. He stalked Dvalishvili. Yan landed a knee on the break. He finished the round with a kick to the body. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Yan.

Dvalishvili continued to look for takedowns and Yan continued to stop them. Dvalishvili landed a combination. Yan pressed forward and lworked for a takedown. He didn’t get it. A left hand got through Dvalishvili’s defense. Yan exploded forward with a combination. A left hand knocked Dvalishvili back. Yan followed with a kick to the body. Yan connected with a jumping knee. Dvalishvili ate it. Yan began to take control late in the frame. He landed a combination. Yan delivered another kick to the body. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Yan.

The judges scored the fight for Yan. All three judges scored the fight 48-47.

In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top ranked contender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 2 p.m. ET)

• Alexander Volkanovski def. Movsar Evloev via TKO (punches) at 4:54, Round 2
• Petr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision (48-47, m48-47, 48-47)
• Lone’er Kavanagh def. Ramazan Temirov via TKO (punches) at 4:28, Round 1
• Alexander Volkov def. Rizvan Kuniev via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Aaron Pico def. Losene Keita via TKO (punches) at 1:14, Round 1

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 10 a.m. ET)

• Dominick Reyes def. Azamat Murzakanov via TKO (head kick and punches) at 2:40, Round 1
• Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev def. Nikita Krylov via TKO (knee and punches) at 2:38, Round 1
• Abus Magomedov def.. Cam Rowston via Technical Submission (guillotine choke) at 1:44, Round 1
• Grant Dawson def. Nurullo Aliev via unanimous decision  (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Colby Thicknesse def. Asaf Chopurov via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28)
• Abubakar Vagaev def. Jacob Malkoun via unanimous decision  (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Daniel Santos def. Bolaji Oki via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Kody Steele def. Noah Gugnon via TKO (punches) at 3:54, Round 1
• Iasmin Lucindo def. Nicolle Caliari via unanimous decision  (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)

The event takes place at Etihad Arena and will mark the promotion’s 24th visit to Abu Dhabi. 

UFC 333 Countdown – Full Episode

In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top ranked contender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili. Watch the fighters go face-to-face.

UFC 333 Final Face-Offs:

UFC 333 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and features two world title bouts. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top rankedcontender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

UFC 333 Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top ranked contender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

Volkanovski tipped the scales at 144.5 pounds while Evloev weighed in at 145 pounds even. Dvalishvili came in at 135 pounds as did Yan.

One fighter missed weight. Nicolle Caliari weighed-in 4.5 pounds above the strawweight limit of 116 pounds and was fined 30 percent of her fight purse.

Nothing new for The Champ 👑@AlexVolkanovski weighs in at 144.5 lbs!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi

[ #UFC333 | LIVE OCT 24 at 2pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/JsoLPWZSAt

— UFC (@ufc) October 23, 2026

Nothing will stand in his way 💪@MovsarUFC weighs in at 145 lbs!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi

[ #UFC333 | LIVE OCT 24 at 2pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/PhfJCZbTAT

— UFC (@ufc) October 23, 2026

No Mercy 😤@PetrYanUFC weighs in at 135 lbs!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi

[ #UFC333 | LIVE OCT 24 at 2pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/hSVjHCaib6

— UFC (@ufc) October 23, 2026

Redemption on his mind 👊@MerabDvalishvil weighs in at 135 lbs!@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi

[ #UFC333 | LIVE OCT 24 at 2pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/DWLEVvWDnz

— UFC (@ufc) October 23, 2026

UFC 333 Official Weigh-In Results:

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 2 p.m. ET)

• Alexander Volkanovski (144.5) vs. Movsar Evloev (145)
• Petr Yan (135) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (135)
• Lone’er Kavanagh (125.5) vs. Ramazan Temirov (126)
• Rizvan Kuniev (265) vs. Alexander Volkov (256)
• Losene Keita (146) vs. Aaron Pico (145.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 10 a.m. ET)

• Azamat Murzakanov (206) vs. Dominick Reyes (205)
• Nikita Krylov (206) vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (206)
• Abus Magomedov (185.5) vs. Cam Rowston (185)
• Nurullo Aliev (155) vs. Grant Dawson (156)
• Asaf Chopurov (136) vs. Colby Thicknesse (135.5)
• Jacob Malkoun (186) vs. Abubakar Vagaev (185.5)
• Bolaji Oki (146) vs. Daniel Santos (146)
• Noah Gugnon (156) vs. Kody Steele (156)
• Nicolle Caliari (120.5)* vs. Iasmin Lucindo (115)

*Nicolle Caliari weighed-in 4.5 pounds above the strawweight limit of 116 pounds, fined 30 percent of purse

The two first fought in March 2023. Dvalishvili picked up a unanimous decision win that night in Las Vegas shutting Yan out on the scorecards. Yan avenged the loss at UFC 323 defeating Dvalishvili by unanimous decision setting up a third fight.

The first two fights couldn’t have been more different. Dvalishvili dominated the first one while Yan largely had his way in the rematch. Former two-division UFC champion Georges St-Pierre recently gave his prediction for the monumental bantamweight matchup.

“The person that will be able to adapt the best that will win the fight. They know each other very well. It’s a clash of style, you know? Merab has the best takedown in the game. He has the record. However, last time Petr Yan prepared himself very well. You see that he countered a lot of Merab’s attacks and was able to neglect his pressure,” St-Pierre told Covers.

“Petr Yan is very well-rounded. He’ good everywhere. Merab, we know what’s his specialty. He’s very good at making his opponent guess whether if he strikes or take down and he’s got an amazing timing. So, he needs to use his bread and butter,” said St-Pierre. “Yan is amazing. He’s good everywhere. Everywhere. And he has a lot of experience. They both have a lot of experience, actually. It’s a clash of style.”

“Rush” believes Yan has the momentum with winning their last fight, but believes the belt will leave the octagon with Dvalishvili.

“I think the momentum favors Yan because, you know, he got the W last time, but I believe Merab can shock everyone and he can find a way to win,” St-Pierre said. “It’s a tough fight but if I had to choose, I think Merab will find a way to win.”

Danis, best known for his allegiance to Conor McGregor and several vulgar social media comments, has regained activity in his combat sports career in 2026. The jiu-jitsu practitioner hopes to cut his poor form after enduring a rough 0-2 start to life on the RAF mats. However, a tall task approaches when Danis collides with Tsarukyan in the RAF 14 headliner on Friday, October 23.

Ahead of their scheduled clash, Dillon Danis and Arman Tsarukyan attended the mandatory press conference to build hype for their bout, and build hype they did. A few verbal jabs back and forth came to a head when Danis presented his shirt to the media: a picture of Khamzat Chimaev with the quote ‘Khamzat is my b**ch’. Chimaev is a teammate and friend of Tsarukyan, and the Armenian didn’t appreciate the crude joke.

Tsarukyan jumped from his seat and attacked Danis. The scene got ugly fast, as members of Tsarukyan’s team stormed Danis, attempting to attack him for the disrespectful gesture. Security pulled Danis away as they desperately tried to restore order amid the chaos. While unnecessary for all involved, the brawl only adds to the intrigue heading into Friday night.

See the brawl unfold below.

Before the brawl broke out, Dillon Danis and Arman Tsarukyan traded barbs.

Danis accused Tsarukyan of pulling out of their canceled grappling match, claiming the UFC was scared of their star getting hurt and ultimately decided to pull him out.

Tsarukyan labeled Danis the worst fighter in MMA history, only crediting him as a good grappler. Ahead of the shirt reveal and subsequent brawl, tensions were already heated between the fighters. Danis, a master at getting under his opponent’s skin, managed to do so once again with a man known for his short temper.

Watch the press conference below.

In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top rankedcontender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

On Thursday, all four, including UFC CEO Dana White, participated in the event’s pre-fight press conference.

UFC 333 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video

UFC 333 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and features two world title bouts. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top rankedcontender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

UFC 333 Embedded – Episode 4

It seems ‘Money’ Mayweather cannot stay away from the ring. Almost a decade after hanging up his gloves with a win over UFC great Conor McGregor, the legendary boxer has been enjoying himself competing against fighters from around the world. A series of exhibition bouts has followed the 49-year-old since retirement, with his most recent coming two years ago. But as we near the end of 2026, the Mayweather rumors are beginning to heat up. However, this time, it’s different.

While it remains unlikely Floyd Mayweather dusts off his gloves and enters the ring for a professional bout as he approaches his 50th birthday, a recent conversation may give his fans hope. Mayweather and boxing megastar Ryan Garcia shared some words on FaceTime, which reportedly included fight talks between the two.

“Talking about [boxing],” Garcia wrote on social media.

Talking about 🥊 pic.twitter.com/x10bCca14Z

— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) October 21, 2026

A rumor that could have easily been swept under the rug has been gaining steam after Ryan Garcia’s latest statement.

According to the reigning, defending WBC welterweight champion, he believes his discussion with Mayweather went well, claiming the pair agreed to fight. ‘King Ry’ ranks among the most followed active boxers in the sport, amassing tens of millions of fans over the years.

If he is able to add Floyd Mayweather to his resume, while boxing purists will know the win doesn’t hold as much power as it would have a decade or two prior, it will likely see Garcia’s following multiplied by the more casual viewer.

Ryan Garcia has a title to defend whether the fight talks with Mayweather materialize or not, which he believes they will.

“Trust me at first I thought this was bullsh*t,” Garcia added. “But it’s real. Floyd and I agree to a fight. 147 for the WBC welterweight championship of the world. 50-0 vs. the current champ.”

Trust me at first I thought this was bull***

But it’s real Floyd and I agree to a fight

147 for the WBC welterweight championship of the world

50-0 vs The current champ

— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) October 21, 2026

It will be Volkanovski’s second title defense of his second 145-pound championship reign. He’s considered the greatest featherweight in the promotion’s history. Fellow UFC great Georges St-Pierre weighed in on the UFC 333 main event and gave his prediction.

“Evloev is someone who’s very strong and he puts a lot of pressure and once he gets a hold of you, he’s very hard to let go,” St-Pierre told Covers.

Volkanovski, 38, will enter the octagon six years older than the 32-year-old Evloev. Whether Father Time has caught up to “The Great” is a legitimate question and will likely be answer this weekend.

“Volkanovski’s good everywhere. He’s the full package. He’s very well-rounded and very smart,” said St-Pierre. “With age, normally your experience improves and you’re smarter. However, your athletic ability starts to diminish a little bit. And sometimes there are things that you used to see coming and now you, they can surprise you.

“Yeah, 38, you’re at sometime at the limit. So, is the best version of Volkanovski in the past? I don’t know. We will find out.”

If the champion comes in as he typically does, how he has in the past, St-Pierre believes he’ll retain the title. “I think if Volkanovski shows up the best of his ability, on top of his game, I think he can do it,” he said.

The event takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday and features two world title bouts. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top rankedcontender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

Oddsmakers have set the lines and one fighter stands out to former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping as

“On the prelims, I’m telling you right now, here’s one guy that definitely walks away with a victory, I believe that he’ll do in stunning fashion. Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.

“This guy is ridiculous. He’s a first-round finisher. He’s taking on Nikita Krylov. I’m sorry to say it, but he’s going to go out there and he’s going to do it again. So, if you want to make a bet, a surefire guarantee, Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev will get the job done against Krylov.”

It’ll be Yakhyaev’ (10-0) fourth octagon appearance after making his way to the organization through Dana White’s Contender Series. He’s only gone the distance once and eight of his 10 wins have ended in the first round.

The Joshua and Fury rivalry dates back to 2010, well before either were household names. It began with a challenge by Fury who offered a Rolex watch to anyone that could drop him in sparring. Joshua accepted the challenge and the two went three rounds at Finchley Amateur Boxing Club in north London. Joshua didn’t earn the watch but insists to this day that he got the better of Fury that day.

It’s taken 16 years for the two to be lined up again and they’re no longer 20 and 21. Joshua is 37 and Fury is 38, past their primes. But it’s still going to be the biggest fight in British boxing history.

British UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett was recently asked about the boxing mega-fight and gave his prediction.

“If you would have asked me a few years ago, 10 years ago, I think I would have said Tyson Fury, but now I think Anthony Joshua beats him,” Pimblett told All Out Fighting.

“I think Fury hasn’t looked great in his last couple where he’s took like five years out. You just can’t take like five years out of a fighting sport and think you’re going to come back just as good. So, personally, now, I think Anthony Joshua beats him.”

UFC 333 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and features two world title bouts. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top rankedcontender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

UFC 333 Embedded – Episode 3

Gaethje last fought at the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn in June. He captured the UFC lightweight championship by making Ilia Topuria quit on the stool after the fourth frame. Since then, the 37-year-old has been recovering, traveling and, of course, golfing.

“I got to go home and recover a little bit for three weeks. I still can’t punch anything. Both of my hands are still hurt from the fight. It’s crazy, but for the last four or five weeks I’ve just traveling and doing all kinds of amazing things. Lots of golf. Lots of golf,” Gaethje told In The Corner with Destiny McCubbin.

He recently returned from playing in a charity golf tournament hosted by former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway in Hawaii. Gaethje has hosted four charity tournaments himself and has one scheduled in November in his hometown in Arizona.

Gaethje has shared a cart with numerous people but there’s one person he hasn’t that’s on his bucket list. He wants to golf with President Donald Trump and might get to cross that item off his list soon.

Gaethje recently returned to the White House with his family to have lunch with the president. During that lunch, he got an invite.

“He’s told me we’re golfing. We’re not good friends, but he loves to golf. I told him I’d bet him money,” said Gaethje. “Me and my parents went to the White House like three weeks ago and we had lunch there. And he said we were going to golf for money. If I could take the president’s money, that would be awesome.”

He went undefeated (6-0) as a bare knuckle boxer earning the nickname “The King of Violence,” but he’s done with BKFC. He also landed a boxing match against Jake Paul on short notice in 2024. Now, Perry is eyeing a full time MMA return.

He returned to MMA in May, defeating fellow former UFC standout Nate Diaz on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano Most Valuable Promotion’s fight card. He fought again in August, losing to Brandon Jenkins at Duel Arena 1.

“I might be having another big MMA opportunity here soon,” Perry said on The Ariel Helwani Show while also confirming that he will not return to BKFC.

“It’s good to get that out. You know, I’ve kind of had some feelings about it. It’s like the BK cheat code, man. Like, that bare knuckle stuff is like a cheat code, I guess. And those two-minute rounds. And it’s like I was good at it. It was fun. I made some noise doing it. And I’m ready for another challenge. So I think MMA is in my foreseeable future and I’m going to give it my best shot,” said Perry.

“I think it’s gloves for me and I’m going to keep that as like close to my heart as like, oh, I’m a high level professional and I’m getting to build something here and it’s very challenging. It’s harder. A five-minute round with everything with the grappling and the boxing and the kicking.”

Perry didn’t completely nail the door shut on a bare knuckle return but the 35-year-old plans to focus solely on MMA for at least the next two years.

The two first fought in March 2023. Dvalishvili picked up a unanimous decision win that night in Las Vegas shutting Yan out on the scorecards. Yan avenged the loss at UFC 323 defeating Dvalishvili by unanimous decision. They’ll settle the rivalry at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Former middleweight champion and UFC broadcaster Michael Bisping gave his prediction for the world title bout on his YouTube channel.

“We know last time out Petr Yan won it fair and square. He was far more economical. He didn’t throw as much as Merab Dvalishvili, but he landed more and he took him down more. Even though he didn’t try as many takedowns, he was more economical. He was more successful in the fight, simple as that. That’s why he won,” Bisping said.

“The first time out, of course, Merab a long time ago beat him, okay? But then he became the champion and he was trying to fight and defend the belt four times in a year and he was burned out. That’s is just a fact. It didn’t affect his output, but it affects your explosively. It affects your hunger. It affects your drive. Merab was kind of on cruise control.”

The first two fights couldn’t have been more different. Dvalishvili dominated the first one while Yan largely had his way in the rematch. In the trilogy, Bisping expects the champion to retain the belt.

“Now, Merab has had time off. He coming into this one fresh as a daisy,” said Bisping. “Petr Yan has got beautiful boxing. He’s the better boxer out of the two of them. Merab Dvalishvili is a great wrestler, and he weaponizes his cardio. It’s a very, very tough fight to call.

“I love Merab Dvalishvili, but I’ve got to go with Petr Yan. I believe it will be like the last one. It’ll be closer. Merab’s going to have more success. He will land more takedowns, but the boxing is clean from Petr Yan and he’s got the mental momentum coming into this one because he beat him last time.”

Michael Bisping UFC 333 Main Card Predictions:

A feud that redefined the sport. True hatred on both sides, between two of the world’s biggest names in combat. Khabib had silently built a case for being the best fighter on the planet, collecting the souls of ten fighters on his way to a perfect start to life with the UFC. McGregor was one year removed from his record-breaking, uncharted territory in a boxing ring. A fight that, despite coming up short, catapulted him into superstardom following a respectable showing against one of boxing’s greats. Two titans would go on to enter the cage on October 6, 2018, but only one could walk away victorious.

But before they could collide inside the octagon, controversy surrounded the Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov clash. McGregor, unhappy with Khabib’s actions toward his teammate, Artem Lobov, decided to board a plane from his home country of Ireland with a mob. He arrived in New York with a crew of violent men, all with one purpose: to find Khabib and seek revenge. An attack on the fighter bus followed, when McGregor and his friends vandalized the vehicle, smashing windows and subsequently injuring several people on board. McGregor was arrested, and Khabib later captured the vacant UFC lightweight title against Al Iaquinta.

Almost half a year later, the fight was made official. Former champion Conor McGregor, who was never defeated for his throne, would face new champion Khabib Nurmagomedov; not only for undisputed gold but also to settle a rivalry that had been brewing for years.

McGregor was electric on the mic as ever, but something felt different. Maybe the hunger had gone after achieving everything in the sport, or perhaps his struggle with alcohol was beginning to take its toll. Khabib, however, dialed in and focused. During the fight week open workouts and the pre-fight press conference, the Russian was drowned out by the sound of boos and jeers from the Irish supporters. But a response from Khabib to the fans turned into a prophecy: I’m gonna smash your boy.

October 6, 2018. The T-Mobile Arena. The stage was set for what proved to be the biggest fight in the sport’s history. An estimated 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. McGregor had his moments and became the first fighter to take a round from Khabib on the judges’ scorecards. But ultimately, it was ‘The Eagle’ who soared. Dominating his opponent, locking in a fourth-round submission. The end of an iconic rivalry, right?

Wrong. After extending his unbeaten run to 27-0, Khabib jumped out of the octagon and attacked Dillon Danis, a training partner and friend of ‘The Notorious’. McGregor also got involved in a brawl as multiple members of Khabib’s camp scaled the fence to kick him while he was down.

Suspensions and fines followed for all involved.

Want to relive the entire story? Watch the chaos unfold in the video below.

UFC 333 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and features two world title bouts. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top rankedcontender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

UFC 333 Embedded – Episode 2

“The Lioness” isn’t simple returning for a grudge match against a former training partner. It’s not a one-off fight for the Brazilian. She would have returned regardless who held the belt and plans to defend the title if she wins it a third time.

“I would have come back anyways,” said told Deep Waters. “I think I did the break in the right time because I know I enjoy more to be there. It’s always more fun to walk in. You know I mean? Always fun for me.

“Being there, doing like everything that I was doing. I was like so burned out. And I kind of needed the break,” she continued. “A lot of people say like, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t retire. You shouldn’t take the break.’ I say like, “If I didn’t retire, UFC still pushing me, still like calling me, still like setting things up I can do because I still have the belt.” And so I go, “You know what? I don’t want to also stop there.””

“You’ve got to defend the belt,” Nunes said told when asked if she’s retiring after UFC 334. “You gotta defend the belt. for sure. …. And then we’re going to see.”

We are fast approaching a decade since we last saw St-Pierre grace the octagon. His last outing, which is likely his retirement bout, saw him capture the UFC middleweight title with an impressive win over Michael Bisping. In his time away from competing, ‘Rush’ has been busy. He has been putting in the work, venturing onto several different platforms to discuss various topics, and has now created his own: GSP Podcast. Unlike other podcasters, the Canadian is scarce with his episodes. He has just two public releases in the last month, but his latest is getting people talking.

Georges St-Pierre had PhD Sex Therapist Laurie Betito in the hot seat to delve deeper into relationships, sexuality, and other various topics. One that stood out above the rest was St-Pierre’s question to Betito. The UFC Hall of Famer wondered if a man having sexual intercourse with another man is automatically considered gay; the response may shock you.

“Do they identify as homosexual? Just because you’re having sex with a man doesn’t necessarily mean you’re homosexual,” Dr. Betito said. “I know that it’s hard to wrap your head around that. I know. But it’s also part of how a person identifies.”

Dr. Betito continued.

“Many people are going to argue this, obviously. Because, well, you’re having a d*** in your a**, you know, you must be gay. But the minute you have an image of a penis in a butt, that you think it equals gay… Maybe it sounds gay, but it’s not.”

Listen to the bizarre hour-long video below.

“Pete is not joke. He is no God damn joke,” O’Malley said on his Youtube channel. “I’m pushing for him to win. I want him to win. There’s a level of like, woo, all right, we’re fighting Petr again. Five rounds. Like, that nervousness you get when there’s a big f**king fight like that against such a killer, such a scary guy is like – I don’t know how to describe it – It’s like an alive, holy f**k, we’re really going to war with this motherf**ker again. Last fight was three rounds four years ago.”

O’Malley holds a win over Yan. He was defeated twice by Dvalishvili. If Yan wins, O’Malley believes a rematch with Yan would be an obvious booking for UFC matchmakers.

“If he wins, we get it. We’re next. We’re f**king next. I’m not 100%, like I don’t know. I’m putting that out there. I don’t know what the f**k else they’re going to have,” he said. “I just think me versus Petr will be the biggest fight in bantamweight history. The rematch, and it’s going to be massive. So obviously we’re rooting for Petr.”

The two fought at UFC 280 in October 2022. O’Malley edged out the Russia via split decision. Like with most split decisions, a lot of people didn’t agree with the judges. Many felt Yan’s hand should have been raised four years ago in Abu Dhabi, including Yan.

UFC 333 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and features two world title bouts. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his title on the line against undefeated top ranked contender Movsar Evloev. The co-main event features a trilogy bout between bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

UFC 333 Embedded – Episode 1