Zuffa Boxing is Dana White's new passion, seemingly pouring his all into the resurection of a once beautiful sport. White and his partners have an idea on how to make their promotion click; signing big names and putting on even bigger fights is one way to grab fans' attention and steal viewers from the competition. However, for what seems like the first time in modern history, a global boxing event didn't feature ring girls, but the reason why is highly unusual.

Callum Walsh remained undefeated, strolling his way to a unanimous decision, while fellow countryman Aaron McKenna handed prospect Etinosa Oliha his first professional loss on his way to capturing the vacant IBF world middleweight title. It's safe to say Zuffa Boxing 10 didn't disappoint, delivering a massive night of fights at the 3Arena on Saturday. However, boxing tradition was missing one key component.

The ring aprons were bare after the exclusion of ring card girls. Appearing ringside on a live broadcast with the popular Nina Drama, White was questioned about why the event lacked its usual ring card girls. As he has come accustomed to, White did not hold back his frustrations, saying:

"Don't even get me started," White said in response to the lack of ring card girls at Zuffa Boxing 10. "The UK won't use ring card girls unless you have ring card boys."

His outrage was matched by Nina Drama, who labeled the thought of having ring card boys weird and perverted.

While there is no actual law requiring ring card boys, some European broadcasters and venues push modern equality guidelines, pressuring promotions to display an equal number of ring card girls as ring card boys. Dana White rejected the notion and scrapped them entirely for his show on Saturday.

Dana White just said the UK didn’t allow ring girls unless they included ring boys too 😭

“Don’t even get me started…” pic.twitter.com/UhQraoJU4w

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) August 8, 2026

Salkilld extended his winning streak to 13 consecutive fights and picked up his fourth Performance of the Night bonus in a row. During his post-fight interview, Salkilld put the top of the lightweight division on notice.

"It feels f**king good," Salkilld said. "I tell you what, I just proved I'm the real f**king deal now. These Top 5 better watch the f**k out."

Five of Salklilld's six UFC fights have ended in the first round. He entered Saturday's fight ranked No. 9 in the division and wants a Top 5 ranked opponent next.

"I don't give a f**k (who I face next) as long as it's in the Top 5, mate. I earned my spot in the Top 10 and now I think I deserve a spot to come into the Top 5," he said. "I think I deserve someone that's in the Top 5 or close to it."

Quillan Salkilld UFC Vegas 120 Octagon Interview

Check out the UFC Vegas 120 main event highlights. There's a new contender in the 155-pound division.

The event featured 12 bouts. Seven of them ended in finishes. Following the event, the fight promotion announced the recipients of the performance-based bonuses.

Fight of the Night honors went to the lightweight co-main event between Carlos Diego Ferreira and Billy Quarantillo. Ferreira won the bout via unanimous decision. It was a spirited contest with heavy exchanges.

Welterweight Ty Miller earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his third-round TKO win over Billy Ray Goff to kick off the main card.

Main event winner Quillan Salkilld banked his fourth Performance of the Night bonus in a row for his first-round stoppage of Mateusz Gamrot. Late in the opening round, Salkilld locked on a rear-naked choke that forced Gamrot to tap out. It was only the second time Gamrot had been submitted in his 14-year career.

The bonus winners were awarded $100,000 bonus checks. The other finishers from the fight card received $25,000 finishing bonuses.

After the fights, the winners will answer questions from the media during the post-fight press conference.

UFC Vegas 120 Post-Fight Press Conference Video

Gamrot rebounded from a submission loss to former champion and BMF titleholder Charles Oliveira in his last outing defeating Esteban Ribovics via submission. "Gamer" was looking to begin a winning streak and stay in title contention.

Salkilld made the walk to the octagon riding an incredible 12-fight winning steak. The Australian hadn't lost a fight since his professional debut in 2021. He'd scored three consecutive first-round finishes that earned three Performance of the Night bonuses in a row.

Salkilld worked to establish his jab early. He mixed in leg kicks. A left and hurt Gamrot forcing him to look to get the fight to the ground. Salkilld remained standing and they worked for position along the cage. Gamrot dropped down and rolled for a leg. He isolated a leg but Salkilld escaped the threat. Gamrot stood and circled away. Salkilld pressured Gamrot. Gamrot landed a right hand but Salkilld secured a takedown with two minutes remaining. Salkilld took Gamrot' back. Gamrot tried to shake him off. Salkilld applied a rear-naked choke and Gamrot was forced to tap out.

The official time of the submission stoppage was 4:25 of the first round. The lightweight division has a new contender.

HE'S THE REAL DEAL‼️@QuillanSalkilld just dominated in his first UFC main event!! #UFCVegas120 pic.twitter.com/0QWKyQMqVD

— UFC (@ufc) August 9, 2026

Refresh page for the latest outcomes from Las Vegas.

UFC Vegas 120 Start Times:

• Main Card begins at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+
• Preliminary Card begins at 5 p.m ET on Paramount+

UFC Vegas 120 Official Results:

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

• Quillan Salkilld def. Mateusz Gamrot via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:25, Round 1
• Diego Ferreira def. Billy Quarantillo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Yadier del Valle def. Darren Elkins via TKO (punch) at 0:35, Round 1
• Alexia Thainara def. Amanda Lemos via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)
• Ty Miller def. Billy Ray Goff via TKO (punches) at 0:15, Round 3

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

• Steven Asplund def. Guilherme Pat via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Diyar Nurgozhay def. Bruno Lopes via TKO (punches) at 4:59, Round 1
• Jose Montanha Luiz def. Louie Sutherland via Submission (face crank) at 1:50, Round 1
• Manoel Sousa def. Richie Miranda via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Miles Johns def. Gianni Vazquez via TKO (punches) at 3:09, Round 1
• Juliana Miller def. Ravena Oliveira via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:38, Round 2
• Carol Foro def. Gigi Canuto via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Gamrot and Salkilld were the first two fighters to weigh in. Both came in at 155.5 pounds. Former title challenger Amanda Lemos needed three attempts to come in within the limit.

First to the scale and weighing in at 155.5 lbs@quillansalkilld is ready for #UFCVegas120 💪

[ LIVE SAT AUG 8 at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/1Z9lWA2nK5

— UFC (@ufc) August 7, 2026

Completing the #UFCVegas120 main event: @gamer_mma weighs in at 155.5 lbs

[ LIVE SAT AUG 8 at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/O86F92cvsX

— UFC (@ufc) August 7, 2026

UFC Vegas 120 Official Weigh-In Results:

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

• Mateusz Gamrot (155.5) vs. Quillan Salkilld (155.5)
• Diego Ferreira (154.5) vs. Billy Quarantillo (155.5)
• Yadier del Valle (145.5) vs. Darren Elkins (145.5)
• Amanda Lemos (115.5)* vs. Alexia Thainara (115.5)
• Billy Ray Goff (170.5) vs. Ty Miller (170.5)

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

• Steven Asplund (263.5) vs. Guilherme Pat (249.5)
• Bruno Lopes (204.5) vs. Diyar Nurgozhay (205)
• Jose Montanha (258.5) vs. Louie Sutherland (258)
• Richie Miranda (155.5) vs. Manoel Sousa (156)
• Miles Johns (145.5) vs. Gianni Vazquez (143)
• Juliana Miller (125.5) vs. Ravena Oliveira (125.5)
• Gigi Canuto (116) vs. Carol Foro (116)

Flyweight champion Joshua Van and former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja rematch in the featured fight at Crypto.com Arena. The fight promotion revealed the full UFC 331 fight card via social media on Wednesday.

Back on the West Coast 🌴

The official bout list for #CryptoCom #UFC331 is here!

[ Tickets on sale TODAY | LIVE SEP 19 at @CryptoComArena ] pic.twitter.com/PWxADetCRv

— UFC (@ufc) August 5, 2026

Van (17-2) won the flyweight championship by defeating Pantoja at UFC 323 last December after Pantoja suffered an arm injury just 26 seconds into the fight. He successfully defended the belt at UFC 328 in May, defeating Tatsuro Taira by TKO. He'll bring with him a seven-fight winning streak to the octagon.

Pantoja (30-6) has been on the sidelines since losing to Van and recovering. Healed and back to form, Pantoja wants the belt back. Before the unfortunate injury loss, Pantoja was riding an eight-fight winning steak and hadn't felt defeat in five years.

The event will mark the promotion’s sixth visit to Los Angeles but the first in eight years. The last time the octagon was in L.A. was for UFC 227 in August 2018.

Tsarukyan (23-3) will instead face No. 7 ranked Mauricio Ruffy (14-2) in the UFC 331 co-main event in a five-round fight. UFC 331 takes place on Sept. 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and is headlined by a flyweight championship rematch between titleholder Joshua Van and former champion Alexandre Pantoja.

Tsarukyan will enter the bout riding a five-fight winning streak. He last fought at UFC Fight Night 265 last November defeating Dan Hooker via submission. The finish earned him a 'Performance of the Night' bonus.

Ruffy has won back-to-back fights and is coming off a TKO win over Michael Chandler at the UFC Freedom 250 event at The White House in June.

The event will mark the promotion's sixth visit to Los Angeles but the first in eight years. The last time the octagon was in L.A. was for UFC 227 in August 2018.

Back on the West Coast 🌴

The official bout list for #CryptoCom #UFC331 is here!

[ Tickets on sale TODAY | LIVE SEP 19 at @CryptoComArena ] pic.twitter.com/PWxADetCRv

— UFC (@ufc) August 5, 2026

"Well folks, here we go again," he captioned the video.  "Surgery number 5 of my career coming up! All things considered that is an ok number! Let’s do it, WE GOT THIS!"

View this post on Instagram

The former two-division champion headlined the UFC 329 fight card on July 11 in a rematch with former featherweight champion and former BMF titleholder Max Holloway. To begin the bout, McGregor rushed across the cage and leaped into the air with a jumping switch kick. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the canvas. He fell twice more, once while throwing a kick and later a punch. The referee stepped in once it was obvious McGregor had suffered an injury. 

It was later determined that McGregor to his ACL and MCL, the same injury he fell victim to in his first fight against Holloway in 2013.

On Wednesday, McGregor provided an update following successful surgery and remains confident that he'll eventually return to the octagon. He's targeting next summer for a return date. The 38 year-old has one fight remaining on his UFC contract.

"Surgery went excellent. I am confident," the Irishman wrote on Instagram.

'The Notorious' saw his break from competing end in disastrous fashion when he injured his leg within the opening seconds of the fight last month. McGregor sustained an injury that will again sideline him for a lengthy period, but has announced that a second notable return is on the cards.

While Conor McGregor's diehard fans rejoice at the news of his return, which is likely to go ahead next year if all goes to plan, it may not be as good as it seems. Rumors of retirement continue to hang over McGregor's head, but Islam Makhachev believes, with one fight remaining on his contract, fans will see him under the bright lights at least one more time.

"Yeah, he will come back after five years. He will come back," Makhachev said. "Honestly, I heard he has [one] last fight under his contract. I think he's going to fight one last time."

Unfortunately for his supporters, along with having to wait another year to see McGregor potentially compete again, his full focus may not be on getting back into fighting shape and taking his career seriously.

Analyzing McGregor's return, Islam Makhachev believes the Dublin native's time away from the UFC has been unproductive. Makhachev suggests the returning McGregor is yet to retire due to financial problems.

"And he's going to move into boxing, or I don't know, somewhere to make money," Makhachev continued. "Maybe he spent all his money on drugs [and] alcohol. He needs more money."

UFC CEO Dana White has a new baby to nurture in the shape of Zuffa Boxing. The new organization has already made a splash, signing elite-level talent to its roster as it promises to rival and one day take over a sport that White believes has long been suffering a progressive decline. In the year since its founding, Zuffa Boxing has already garnered much interest from potential fighters, with martial artists believing they now have a clear path to compete in their combat sport counterpart should they one day wish to put on the 8-to-10-ounce gloves

The latest to make a case for a boxing transition is current UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. While Makhachev still has a lot of fight left in him at 34 years old, he recently revealed that talks have taken place about his inclusion in Zuffa Boxing.

"Man, we had good talks about the boxing match in Zuffa Boxing," Makhachev said. "We spoke with Sheikh Turki, and I don't know if it's a secret or not, but he said, 'When you are ready for boxing, just let me know and we will do something.'"

"Yeah, why not? Box with some other fighters, why not?

Dana White has shut down any chance of UFC fighters featuring on Zuffa Boxing cards, hoping to truly keep the two sports separate.

But Turki Alalshikh is keen on welcoming Islam Makhachev to the ring. With Turki's blessing, Makhachev could have a home in Zuffa Boxing should he decide to take that route during his fighting career.

"Yeah, Turki asked me a couple of times, 'You ready for boxing?'" Makhachev continued. "I just tell him, 'Hey, you see with Dana. Just ask him, I'm ready anytime.'"

Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping gave his list of the top 5 most finishers on the UFC roster.

5. Carlos Prates

"One of my favorite guys to watch right now. This guy has a lot of fun whether he's smoking cigarettes or smoking people inside the octagon, he puts people to sleep," Bisping said on his YouTube channel.

"He's currently the No. 1 ranked welterweight contender. He's got a record of 24-7 with 22 stoppages, 19 of them coming by way of knockout, three submissions and two decisions and a 92% finish rate. Carlos Prates is a guy not many people want to fight. He will put your lights out with one shot."

4. Shavkat Rakhmonov

"We've all forgot about Shavkat. He's been inactive since he last fought Ian Garry. But this man is a finishing machine," Bisping said. "The only person he didn't stop was Ian Garry because outside of his 19 victories, 19-0, 18 stoppages, eight knockouts, 10 submissions, only one decision to the No. 1 contender, the man that's fighting Islam Makhachev at the very next numbered event.

"He's got a 95% finish rate. Formally the No. 2 ranked welterweight contender because he's on the sideline due to an injury. ... His last fight was way back in 2024 in December when he took on Ian Garry, busts his leg and I hope he comes back soon because this man is a finishing machine."

3. Jiri Prochazka

"One of my favorites of all time. The man is an original. There's no one like him," said Bisping. "The man is one of one and he's the No. 3 ranked UFC light heavyweight. The former UFC champion when he took out Glover Teixeira. And of course since then he's fought for the belt two more times against Alex Pereira and against Carlos Ulberg. Sadly, those fights didn't go his way, but he did provide pure entertainment. And he does every single time, every since he came to the UFC."

"When Jiri steps into a ring or cage, it is all out madness. The man's got a record of 32 wins, six losses, 31 stoppages, 28 KOs, three submissions. That is absolutely insane. And of course that equates to a 97% finish rate."

2. Uros Medic

"They should call him the surgeon because this accuracy is absolutely ridiculous," Bisping said of the Serbian welterweight. "Or it should be the second best finisher in the UFC alive today. Of course, he just absolutely flatlined Daniel Rodriguez in 30 seconds. He's on a four-fight win streak and most of those fights lasted around a minute."

"His record is 14-3. The 14 wins, they're all 14 stoppages. They are 12 knockouts and two submissions. That equals a 100% finishing rate."

1. Tom Aspinall

"When you look a the record, it's 15-3. Those 15 wins, they're all stoppages. 12 knockouts, often very, very quickly. Three submissions just to finish it off. That's a 100% finish rate," said the former middleweight champion.

"That's the same as Uros Medic, but he's doing it at a higher level against tougher competition. And he's also the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He's also the former interim heavyweight champion of the world and he's the guy that forced Jon Jones into retirement without even fighting him.

"He's got the shortest average fight time in all of UFC history, two minutes, 18 seconds," Bisping said.

Makhachev, the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, will enter the championship bout as a heavy betting favorite. He's tied with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in UFC history with 16. The Russian expects surpass Silva with a win at UFC 330 and predicts that he'll finish "The Future."

"This fight I will take more risk to finish my opponent because I like it, finish my opponents, you know? This fight I think, honestly, from the first time when I take him down, I have chance to finish him because I saw his ground game is not so good," Machachev told MMAJunkie.com.

"He has good striking, long reach, you know, long arm. He control the distance, always go back. But I see when I take him down, it's going to be (a) finish."

Makhachev relinquished the lightweight championship in June 2025 after four successful title defenses to chase becoming a two-division UFC titleholder. He captured the welterweight world title in his last outing in November. He dominated then-champion Jake Della Maddalena in the UFC 322 main event on his way to a unanimous decision win.

“Today I lost a brother that fighting gave me. Thank you forever for sharing the mats, the training, and everything we’ve been through together,” Oliveira wrote on Instagram. “I have nothing but gratitude for having you by my side, brother—in training, in our corner, and in all the moments we shared. I love you, man. You were an incredible guy. I can’t believe it. You will be missed a lot.”

https://www.instagram.com/stories/charlesdobronxs/3955845655742001031/?hl=en

On Monday, the Brazilian flyweight suffered an apparent heart attack in his sleep. He was found unresponsive and declared deceased at the scene by first responders.

A member of the famed Chute Boxe Diego Lima team, Nascimento made six octagon appearances, amassing a 4-2 record. He compiled a 22-7 career record with 16 of his 22 wins coming by way of submission. He was 34.

BKFC-94 is headlined by The Fighting Pride of Liverpool, Darren ‘The Gorilla’ Till of Liverpool, England and long-time Cuban archrival Yoel ‘Soldier of God’ Romero of Miami, FL in the light heavyweight division.

Co-featured and appearing for questions at BKFC 94 MANCHESTER is BKFC Middleweight World Champion David ‘The Redneck’ Mundell, (10-2), of Dunedin, FL, USA defends his title against UK professional boxing standout Jack ‘The Meat Cleaver’ Cullen, (2-0), of Bolton, Lancashire, England. Also fighting at BKFC 94 MANCHESTER, Gaz ‘The Crusher’ Corran, (2-0), clashes with Mac ‘The Attack’ Bygraves, (2-0), for the BKFC UK Middleweight Title.

BKFC Founder and President David Feldman hosted the BKFC 94 Launch Press Conference.

BKFC 94: Manchester Kick Off Press Conference Video

The UFC announced Nascimento's death via social media on Monday. The Brazilian suffered an apparent heart attack in his sleep. He was found unresponsive and declared deceased at the scene.

"This morning, Monday, August 3rd, our beloved flyweight fighter, Allan Nascimento, was found unresponsive after suffering an apparent heart attack in his sleep. Despite the efforts of the responding medical team, he was pronounced deceased at the scene," read the fight promotion's statement.

This morning, Monday, August 3rd, our beloved flyweight fighter, Allan Nascimento, was found unresponsive after suffering an apparent heart attack in his sleep. Despite the efforts of the responding medical team, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Our thoughts and deepest… pic.twitter.com/vlaBaBOyJr

— UFC (@ufc) August 3, 2026

"A member of the famed Chute Boxe Diego Lima team, Nascimento made six trips into the Octagon, amassing a 4-2 record while building a reputation as a skilled competitor and consummate professional. For his career, “Puro Osso” compiled a 22-7 record with 16 of his wins coming by way of submission.

"A fixture on the doorstep of the Top 15, Nascimento was a constant presence alongside his teammates whenever they made the walk, sharing an especially close bond with former lightweight champion and current BMF titleholder Charles Oliveira.

"Our condolences go out to Nascimento’s family and friends, the Chute Boxe Diego Lima team, and all those impacted by this sudden, heartbreaking loss," the UFC posted on their website.

The Brazilian quickly transitioned from prospect to fan-favorite within his first few bouts inside the octagon. The kickboxing phenom has proven to be one of the most fun and impactful strikers since debuting in the sport, managing to find the perfect balance between entertainment and efficiency on his path to greatness. Despite falling to defeat last time out, Pereira is determined to put the loss behind him and make a second push for unrivaled success.

When the curtain closed on UFC Freedom 250, a fight between Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall was verbally agreed, with Paris in September being earmarked for their potential rematch. However, an aging Alex Pereira doesn't want to wait that long to get back into the cage, publicly announcing his plans during a UFC Q&A a few days ago.

"Well, I don't know what's going to happen [in that fight], or how long it will take for that fight to happen," Pereira said in response to a fan's question about fighting the winner of Aspinall vs. Gane.

War between England and France is a tale as long as time. The storyline has been built as one of the most anticipated heavyweight clashes in recent history, where the returning British champion will collide with a former challenger whose game plan he struggled to navigate last time out.

If all goes to plan for the South American, he will be stepping in to face the winner of Aspinall vs. Gane. However, not willing to wait that long, Pereira wants a tune-up fight ahead of a potential title shot next year.

"I definitely want to fight before then, and after that, I definitely want to fight for the title."

The long layoff and subsequent injury led many to call for the Irishman's retirement from the sport. Instead of laying down his gloves and moving on from a career that brought much success, 'The Notorious' is determined to fight his way back to full fitness and give the story of the greatest comeback in sports history a second chapter.

In the days following the incident, Conor McGregor provided an update about the severity of his injury. With rumors of a full ACL tear circulating, McGregor shared news with his fans.

"Update: It was ACL and meniscus. It is the same injury as the first [Max] Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg. Quite shocking," McGregor said. "I returned to competition within 9 months to fight Diego Brandao back then. With today's regenerative medicine advancements and improved training methods, it is well within my realm to return by next summer."

Update: It was acl and meniscus. It is the same injury as the first Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg. Quite shocking. I returned to competition within 9 months to fight Diego Brandao back then. With today’s regenerative medicine advancements and improved training… pic.twitter.com/2Me14ayIgh

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 19, 2026

Conor McGregor has shown remarkable progress since being struck by injury. McGregor is already in the gym, doing seated leg extensions and putting in work on the rowing machine, despite suffering a suspected major affliction less than a month ago.

Brian Sutterer, a popular sports scientist, has weighed in on the discussion. Closely following the events that led to the injury and the miraculous feats McGregor has managed in such a short time, Sutterer doesn't believe the injury is as bad as it's being made out to be.

"Based on everything we've seen Conor posting amongst all the energy drink ads, I'm a little bit confused about the timeline and what else might be going on with his knee," Doctor Sutterer said.

"Between the videos of Conor cranking away on the rowing machine, all of the knee extensions he's been doing, and every picture we've seen about how his knee looks, I have some questions about what's going on with his injury timeline here and the treatment plan."

"Going back to the actual injury, the mechanism makes sense with an ACL and with a meniscus. My, of course, first thought was primarily meniscus because we didn't see that classic shift forward and then buckle backwards in the tibia like you will often see with a complete full-thickness ACL tear..."

"[There] doesn't seem to be even the slightest bit of swelling in his knee. Either Conor is like a superhuman, or this is just extremely atypical for your usual, kind of run-of-the-mill ACL tear this quick after suffering the injury. I think there's a real injury; I just don't think we maybe necessarily have all the facts and know all the details of it because it doesn't seem to add up 100% with what we're seeing timeline-wise."

Ronaldo is second to none among the world's most famous people, capitalizing on his notoriety beyond the sport to amass a staggering 1+ billion followers across all social media accounts. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward has shown an interest in mixed martial arts in his time away from the field, often finding himself at UFC showcases when his busy schedules allow. Because of this, he has been able to connect with many notable figures in the combat sports world, most significantly McGregor and Khabib.

The Portuguese phenom has not slowed down at the grand age of 41, pushing to further his record as soccer's all-time leading goalscorer. Less than 30 goals away from hitting 1000, Ronaldo is on the verge of unrivaled greatness, though he is also closing in on a personal milestone arguably more important than his career achievements.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his long-term girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, have decided on a wedding date after eight years of dating. The wedding is set to be trending among the biggest in history, and the guest list is full of familiar faces around the globe.

For MMA fans, Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov will be front and center should they accept the reported invitation. If the UFC stars put their feud behind them, they will be in attendance alongside famous musicians Drake, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez, as well as personalities like IShowSpeed and Piers Morgan, who are all rumored to be present.

McGregor and Khabib haven't publicly been in the same location since their meeting back at UFC 229 in 2018. Leaks have suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo's wedding will take place within the next year, either in late 2026 or 2027, meaning 'The Notorious' could break his eight- or nine-year break from interacting with his Russian counterpart.

Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly invited both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor to his wedding.😅👀

According to multiple reports, the Portuguese superstar's wedding guest list includes the two MMA icons, who have both built friendships with Ronaldo over the years.

How do… pic.twitter.com/DY5zV7N1BN

— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) July 30, 2026

Following the fights, the winners will answer questions from the media during the post-fight press conference.

UFC Belgrade Post-Fight Press Conference Video

Both entered the featured bout riding three-fight winning streaks but one streak had come to an end.

Medic took the center of the cage and landed first with a leg kick. Rodriguez responded with a hard leg kick. Medic stepped in the pocket with a left hand that dropped Rodriguez. Rodriguez covered up but Medic kept the pressure on.

Medic continued to hammer away with punches until the referee stepped in to stop the fight. Medic made quick work of the American. The official time of the TKO stoppage was 0:30 of the first round.

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED@Urketaraketa finds the finish IMMEDIATELY in RD1 at #UFCBelgrade!

[ @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/KxFGNV0qDf

— UFC (@ufc) August 1, 2026

Former titleholder Jan Blachowicz faced the unbeaten Navajo Stirling at Belgrade Arena. Stirling picked up the biggest win of his career and kept his undefeated record intact.

Blachowciz pressed forward and was met with leg kicks. Stirling slipped but quickly got back to his feet. They clinched and worked for position along the cage. Blachowicz connected with a short right hand in the pocket. Stirling quickly tied him up. They separated and Stirling landed a clean right hand that knocked Blachowicz down. Stirling followed him to the canvas and hammered away with punches. Blachowicz was cut. Stirling continued to land punches. The referee stepped in to stop it.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:56 of the first round.

UNBEATEN@NavajoStirling continues to climb up the light heavyweight rankings with a RD1 TKO victory!

[ #UFCBelgrade | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/5WTE4BY0h5

— UFC (@ufc) August 1, 2026

SHORT NOTICE, NO PROBLEM 😤@NavajoStirling earns the THUNDEROUS TKO victory at #UFCBelgrade!

[ LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Yg2k5NB9gp

— UFC (@ufc) August 1, 2026

UFC Belgrade Start Times:

• Main card begins at 1 p.m. ET on Paramount+
• Preliminary card begins at 10 a.m. ET on Paramount+

UFC Belgrade Official Results:

Main Card (Paramount+ at 2 p.m. ET)

• Uros Medic def. Daniel Rodriguez via TKO (punches) at 0:30, Round 1
• Navajo Stirling def. Jan Błachowicz via TKO (punches) at 2:56, Round 1
• Aleksandar Rakic def. Marcin Tybura via unanimous (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Robert Valentin def. Dusko Todorovic via Submission (guillotine choke) at 4:14, Round 1
• Gilbert Urbina def. Vlasto Cepo via TKO (punches and elbows) at 1:01, Round 1
• Noah Gugnon def. Milos Janicic via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:21, Round 1

Preliminary Card (Paramount+ at 11 a.m. ET)

• Tofiq Musayev def. Lodovit Klein via TKO (punches) at 4:07, Round 2
• Michael Oliveira def. Oban Elliot via KO (punches) at 1:49, Round 1
• Borislav Nikolic def. Mark Vologdin via unanimous decision  (29–27, 29–27, 29–27)
• Bogdan Grad def. Dennis Buzukja via Submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:33, Round 2
• Mateusz Rebecki def. Kyle Prepolec via TKO (punches) at 4:41, Round 1
• Nina Milosevic def. Hailey Cowan via TKO (punch to the body) at 3:41, Round 1
• Jovan Leka def. Alexander Poppeck via TKO (body kick and punches) at 2:22, Round 1
• Stephanie Luciano def. Marina Spasic via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:30, Round 1

On Friday, Smith's manager, Brian Butler of SuckerPunch Entertainment, released a statement addressing Smith's arrest and asked people not to rush to judgement based on the initial reports.

Smith was arrested on Monday evening at 8:44 p.m. in Sarpy, Nebraska following an alleged altercation with his wife. He turned himself in without incident and was later released on $500,000 bond after being charged with attempted first-degree domestic assault,  terroristic threats, and first-degree false imprisonment.

"We are aware of the reports concerning Anthony Smith’s recent arrest. At this time, it would be inappropriate to comment on the allegations or speculate regarding facts that have yet to be fully established," Butlter wrote on Instagram.

"Like every individual, Anthony is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the due process protections afforded under our justice system. We respectfully ask that people avoid rushing to judgment based solely on initial reports, as they often do not reflect the complete facts or context.

"Our thoughts are with Anthony and his family as they navigate this difficult and deeply personal matter. We ask that their privacy be respected while the legal process runs its course.

"Out of respect for the ongoing proceedings, we will have no further comment at this time."

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DbeqARyTtrA

In the post, Butler also provided a comment from Smith's wife Mikhala's Instagram account.

"There's not a lot I can say right now," her comment read. "I love Anthony with every ounce of my being! He is a good man, a great dad, and an incredible husband who loves us endlessly. Anyone that knows him can attest to that. They made a mental health struggle into something it wasn't. I am safe and always was safe. He would never hurt me. Ever. I called for help to protect him from himself."

Smith’s next court appearance is scheduled on Aug. 17 at the Sarpy County District Court. Smith retired from mixed martial arts last year having his retirement fight against Zhang Mingyang on April 26, 2025. He came out of retirement and competed in a bareknuckle boxing match in April.

UBS Arena played host to an night of mixed martial arts as PFL New York  lit up the Big Apple with unforgettable performances and thrilling finishes. The event comes on the heels of yesterday’s landmark merger announcement between MVP and the PFL. MVP Co-Founders, Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidaria, joined Chief Executive Officer John Martin cageside for the event which created the new platform under the MVP banner. Several global combat sports stars were in attendance to witness this incredible night of action including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Islam Machachev, Kamaru Usman, Royce Gracie and PFL Interim World Champion Johnny Eblen. 

Nurmagomedov (22-0, 1NC) continued his reign of dominance with a first round TKO of previously-undefeated challenger No. 3 Archie “King” Colgan (13-1) to retain the PFL Lightweight World Championship. Nurmagomedov put his striking arsenal on full display as he dropped Colgan with a well-placed head kick followed by a left hook. Colgan survived momentarily, but the champ put the challenger away with a pair of brutal uppercuts and ground and pound, all in the opening round. 

The co-main event saw the triumphant return of No. 1 “Dangerous” Dakota Ditcheva(16-0), as she defeated No. 6 Denise “Miss Dynamite” Kielholtz (9-6) by unanimous decision. Stepping into the cage for the first time in over a year, Ditcheva looked as sharp as ever, as she put on a striking clinic and landed a takedown. Kielholtz gave a valiant effort, but in the end, the PFL’s top Women’s Flyweight was just too much to handle. 

In a dominant display of striking skills, No. 10 Amru Magomedov(11-0) took Angel “Salsa King” Alvarez(11-3) en route to a second-round TKO win. From the opening bell, Magomedov used his kicks to devastating effect, punishing Alvarez’s legs. Magomedov chopped Alvarez down with a leg kick in the second round, and finished things off with an avalanche of ground and pound from full mount. 

Moustapha Diakhate (6-0-1) kicked off the main card with a bang, as he crushed Darryl “The Sacred Beast” Walker(2-1) by TKO in the opening round. Diakhate, who was fighting for the first time on American soil, scored an early takedown and eventually got to full mount. From there, it was all Diakhate, as he punished Walker with heavy strikes to get the stoppage win and make a massive statement in his PFL debut. 

PFL New York Main Card Results:

• PFL Lightweight World Title Main Event: C-Usman Nurmagomedov (22-0, 1NC) defeated #3-Archie Colgan (13-1) by TKO (strikes) at 3:42 of round one
• Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event: #1-Dakota Ditcheva (16-0) defeated #6-Denise Kielholtz (9-6) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Lightweight Bout: #10-Amru Magomedov (11-0) defeated Angel Alvarez (11-3) via TKO (strikes) at 4:28 of round two 
• Light Heavyweight Bout: Moustapha Diakhate (6-0-1) defeated Darryl Walker (2-1) via TKO (strikes) at 2:35 in round one

Preliminary Card Results:

• Bantamweight Bout: #10-Lazaro Dayron (11-0-1) defeated #5-Raufeon Stots (21-5) via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)  
• Bantamweight Bout: Sean Gauci (12-1) defeated Allan Begosso (10-5-1) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Catchweight Bout (175 lbs): #7-Omar El Dafrawy (16-6) defeated Jonathan Piersma (12-4, 1NC) via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
• Women’s Flyweight Bout: Tatiana Postarnakova (8-0) defeated #10-Montana De La Rosa (13-10-1) via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
• Lightweight Bout: Levan Khabalaev (5-0) defeated Chamy Delva (7-2) via TKO (punches) at 1:44 in round one

The fight card is headlined by a welterweight bout between No. 13 ranked Daniel Rodriguez and No. 14 ranked Uros Medic. 

UFC Belgrade Final Face-Offs Video:

The fighters officially weighed in Friday morning with every athlete hitting their marks on the scale.

UFC Belgrade Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

The fight card is headlined by a welterweight bout between No. 13 ranked Daniel Rodriguez and No. 14 ranked Uros Medic. Both will enter the bout riding three-fight winning streaks but one streak will come to an end.

Medic and Rodriguez both tipped the scale at 171 pounds.

#UFCBelgrade, we have a main event! @urketaraketa makes weight at 171 lbs

[ LIVE SAT AUG 1 at 1pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/0JUtyN6dcd

— UFC (@ufc) July 31, 2026

Official weight for @DRODUFC ➡️ 171 lbs

[ #UFCBelgrade | LIVE SAT AUG 1 at 1pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/SSimZPk2x5

— UFC (@ufc) July 31, 2026

UFC Belgrade Official Weigh-In Results:

Main Card (Paramount+ at 2 p.m. ET)

• Uros Medic (171) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (171)

• Jan Blachowicz (205) vs. Navajo Stirling (205)

• Aleksandar Rakic (237.5) vs. Marcin Tybura (254)

• Dusko Todorovic (185) vs. Robert Valentin (185.5)

• Vlasto Cepo (186) vs. Gilbert Urbina (185.5)

• Milos Janicic (156) vs. Noah Gugnon (155)

Preliminary Card (Paramount+ at 11 a.m. ET)

• Ludovit Klein (155.5) vs. Tofiq Musayev (155.5)

• Oban Elliott (170) vs. Michael Oliveira (171)

• Mark Vologdin (135.5) vs. Borislav Nikolic (136)

• Bogdan Grad (145.5) vs. Dennis Buzukja (146)

• Mateusz Rebecki (155.5) vs. Kyle Prepolec (155)

• Nina Milosevic (134.5) vs. Hailey Cowan (136)

• Jovan Leka (262.5) vs. Alexander Poppeck (215)

• Marina Spasic (115.5) vs. Stephanie Luciano (115)

At first, "Tarzan" thought the man was joking until he started to become submerged in the water. Strickland filmed the gentleman jumping from a cliff into the water. He quickly became distressed and Strickland sprang into action to save his life.

😯🏊 Sean Strickland saved a man from drowning

He didn’t believe him unitil his head went under water, then he jumped in to save him. Crazy 🤯

(via @SStricklandMMA) 🔹 pic.twitter.com/cb9PcYbum3

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 30, 2026

"You were drowning. I had to jump in there and push your little ass," Strickland told the man afterward.

Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev via split decision in the UFC 328 main event in May to recaptured the 185-pound world title. His next opponent and timeframe for return is unknown.

The combined company will operate under the MVP banner. It will be led by Co-Founders and Board Members Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, with John Martin serving as CEO and Board Member.

"“Since launching MVP, our goal has always been bigger than just building a boxing promotion. It has been to build the future of combat sports. In less than five years, MVP has become one of the most influential and culturally relevant brands in the industry, producing some of the biggest events in combat sports history, elevating women’s boxing to unprecedented heights, and bringing millions of new fans into the fight game. The success of MVP MMA’s first event confirmed our belief that there is enormous demand for a modern, fighter-first approach to MMA. This merger accelerates our MMA ambitions while strengthening our ability to continue investing in boxing and MVPW. By combining MVP’s audience-building engine, storytelling capabilities, and brand with PFL’s roster, infrastructure, and international footprint, we are creating a new global home for combat sports. Under the leadership of John Martin, a world-class media executive with deep MMA knowledge, and investment from leading financiers 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital, MVP is going to achieve great things for fighters, fans, and partners," said Nakisa Bidarian, Co-founder and Board Member of Most Valuable Promotions.

“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s No. 2 global MMA company, assembling one of the sport’s most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 broadcast and streaming partners, reaching fans in more than 170 countries. At the same time, MVP has redefined how combat sports connects with a new generation of fans, creating events that become cultural moments and proving that athletes, sports, entertainment and creators can all thrive together.  This merger brings scale - in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development and in fan engagement.  We're not just combining companies, we're bringing an entire combat sports community together and creating a more powerful platform to accelerate growth. One company, one global stage, millions of fans and we're only just getting started. I'm excited to work with Jake and Nakisa as we build the future of combat sports together, and I'm deeply grateful for the continued confidence and support of our lead investors, 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management," John Martin, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of the new company, said.

"We started MVP to disrupt a broken model. We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernized stage to become global superstars. Joining forces with PFL accelerates that vision by a decade. We now have a scaled platform to give today's fans what they want: elite talent mixed with culture, lifestyle, and massive social velocity. MVP was always bigger than me and bigger than any one fighter. MVP is an inevitable movement that needs to happen for the athletes, and now we have all the resources we need to build something that changes this sport forever. I have more conviction in MVP than ever, driven by the proliferation of AI, which will only increase the value of real, live experiences and the sports properties that can bring fans closer to the athletes they love. I look forward to putting my entire promotional muscle into our new company, returning to the boxing ring and making my MVP MMA debut. To all current MVP and PFL fighters, things just got bigger. To fighters fighting in other organizations, we are open for business when you are contractually free. The time for change is now. Welcome to MVP," said Jake Paul.

The event's pre-fight press conference took place on Thursday featuring the main card fighters.

UFC Belgrade Pre-Fight Press Conference Video

Smith was arrested on Monday evening at 8:44 p.m. in Sarpy, Nebraska following an alleged altercation with his wife. He turned himself in without incident and was later released on $500,000 bond after being charged with attempted first-degree domestic assault,  terroristic threats, and first-degree false imprisonment.

The Sarpy County District Attorney’s Office released a statement on Wednesday revealing details about the accusations against Smith.

"It is alleged that on July 26, 2026, the defendant was involved in an altercation with his wife at a bar in Gretna, Neb., during which he reportedly threatened to kill her if she did not get into his vehicle and go home with him,” the statement said. “He is further accused of grabbing and pushing her inside the vehicle.

“At one point, during the drive, she was able to exit the vehicle. The defendant allegedly continued making threats, demanding that she get back inside the vehicle. After arriving home, she again exited the vehicle. Investigators allege that the defendant attempted multiple times to use the vehicle to strike her. The defendant’s wife was able to get out of the way and avoid any physical harm.”

Smith's next court appearance is scheduled on Aug. 17 at the Sarpy County District Court. Smith retired from mixed martial arts last year having his retirement fight against Zhang Mingyang on April 26, 2025. He came out of retirement and competed in a bareknuckle boxing match in April.

Makhachev (28-1) will enter his first welterweight title defense ranked as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The dominant grappler is a heavy betting favorite and expected to retain his belt. The majority of(13) of Makhachev's 28 career wins have been via submission and former UFC title challenger and original BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal wants to see the champion rack up another submission win in two weeks.

"I think he's getting choked to sleep. That's at least what I'm hoping for. I hope Makhachev goes in there, manhandles his ass, gets his neck and ... puts his ass to sleep," Masvidal said on Deep Waters.

"He's not bad defensively. His defense isn't bad and his footwork is I think what makes it amazing. But he's never grappled with a guy like Makhachev that has sweeps, the inside trips, the upper body," continued Masvidal.

"He's going to control the airspace and he's going to stay on his footwork, on his bicycle. He's going to jab the glove a lot and he's going to move and he's going to have to make Islam probably really throw some heavy shots to get his attention and then blast through him."

"Gamebred" believes the course of the fight will be determined early on with the first few takedown attempts from Makhachev.

"I just want to see how good Garry can defend that single-leg when he first gets to it. And I think that'll be a big indicator of how fight's going to go," he said. "If he could stuff those head inside singles, head outside singles the first round or two. But if Makhachev can take him down since round one, he's going to finish him because I think once it hits the ground there, just like on the feet, I think they're worlds apart on the feet. I think they're worlds apart on the ground."

"If they were to do a kickboxing match, I'd put my money on Ian Garry. 100 percent. And I think he'd beat him three out of five, four out of five, you know. I wouldn't give Makhachev much if a chance if it was just a kickboxing match," said Masvidal.

"If it's a gripping match, I would dump all the money on Makhachev to submit him every time. And I just think they're worlds apart on the feet and on the ground, more worlds apart on the ground."

Makhachev will enter the bout at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia as the top ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world and a heavy betting favorite. Most predict the champion will retain the title but former middleweight champion Chris Weidman sees a path to victory for "The Future."

"The best thing that he's got going for him is he's not afraid of have a boring fight. He's not afraid to footwork nonstop. He has no problem running from you the whole damn time, just touching and jabbing at you," Weidman said of Machado Garry on Deep Waters.

"I think that's the best chance he has, though, is to run and frustrate Islam into opening up, taking bad shots, bad takedown offense, also, you know, throw bad strikes on the feet because you're overreaching.

"Islam is used to dominating. He wants to go in there and just take him down, submit him, or beat him up on the feet. And if this fight is just slow and it's boring, I think Islam will make some mistakes."

Makhachev won the 170-pound championship in his welterweight debut in November defeating Jack Della Maddalena in a one-sided fight. It's been more than a decade since Makhachev suffered the lone loss in his career. He's currently tied for the longest win streak in UFC history with 16.

Smith was arrested on Monday evening at 8:44 p.m. in Nebraska and remains in custody in the Sarpy County Jail. "Lionhearted" faces felony charges for terroristic threats, false imprisonment in the first degree, and domestic violence causing serious bodily injury. TMZ first reported the story.

 Domestic violence causing serious bodily injury is a Class 2A felony in Nebraska.  Terroristic threats and false imprisonment in the first degree are Class 3A felonies. The domestic violence causing serious bodily injury charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. The 3A felonies can carry three years in prison, 18 months of post-release supervision, and up to a $10,000 fine.

The details of what led to the arrest weren't available. Smith retired from mixed martial arts last year having his retirement fight against Zhang Mingyang on April 26, 2025.

As soon as the bout began things unraveled for the 38 year-old Irishman. At the sound of the bell to start the bout, McGregor rushed across the cage and leaped into the air with a jumping switch kick. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the canvas. He fell twice more, once while throwing a kick and later a punch. The referee stepped in once it was obvious McGregor had suffered an injury. The fight lasted 69 seconds.

In an update to his injuries, McGregor revealed "It was acl and meniscus. It is the same injury as the first Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg,” McGregor wrote on Instagram on July 19. In the update, McGregor listed "next summer" as the timetable for his return. "The Notorious" has one fight remaining on his UFC contract.

On Sunday, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed McGregor's timeline during the Zuffa Boxing 09 Post-Fight Press Conference.

“I have no idea,” White said when asked about McGregor already doing keg exercises. “We had him on FaceTime tonight, ringside, but you know, Conor McGregor’s out for a year.”

Ankalaev entered the fight looking to rebound after losing the title to Alex Pereira last October. He was originally slated to face former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr., but Rountree was forced out of the bout due to injury two weeks before fight night. Guskov stepped up as a replacement. He was scheduled to compete next week at UFC Fight Night 283 in Serbia.

Guskov made the walk to the octagon coming off a majority draw against former champion Jan Blachowicz last December. Saturday's main event matchup was late-notice but came with a massive opportunity.

The two touched gloves and both pawed with their jab. They exchanged leg kicks early. Guskov relied heavily on leg kicks through the first two minutes. Ankalaev inched forward. Guskov went to the body with a kick. Ankalaev answered with a left hand. It was a slow-paced opening round. MMAWeekly scored it 10-9 for Guskov.

Ankalaev pressured Guskov to start the second and landed the body with a kick. Guskov circled on the outside. Ankalaev stepped in the pocket with a left hand. He went high with a kick that was blocked. They exchanged jabs. Guskov continued to deliver leg kicks. Guskov switched stances back and forth. Guskov connected with a right hand. Ankalaev closed the distanced and clinched. He peppered Guskov with knees to the legs along the cage. They separated in the final seconds. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Ankalaev.

Ankalaev went high with a kick to start the third but it was blocked. Guskov delivered leg kicks but just touched Ankalaev with them. They didn't seem to be inflicting much damage. Ankalaev continued to move forward. He connected with a left hand. Ankalaev dictated the pace of the fight thus far. He landed a left hand followed by a leg kick. A right hand landed for Ankalaev. Guskov constantly moved and circled on the outside not standing still. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Ankalaev.

Ankalaev took Guskov down in the opening moments of the fourth. He worked in the half guard position and delivered short left hands. Guskov rolled to his knees to try to stand and Ankalaev briefly looked for a rear-naked choke. He let it go and delivered left hands. Guskov did a good job or defended several rear-naked choke attempts. Ankalaev continued to land punches. He mounted Guskov at the end of the dominant round. MMAWeekly scored the frame 10-9 for Ankalaev.

They hugged to start the final round. Analaev changed levels and took Guskov down. Guskov quickly applied an anaconda choke but Ankalaev defended the submission attempt. Ankalaev moved to side control and delivered punches. Guskov rolled to his knees and Ankalaev delivered heavy shots. Ankalaev opened up with punches and the referee stepped in.

The official time of the TKO stoppage was 2:41 of the fifth frame.

Following the fights, the winners will answer questions during the post-fight press conference.

UFC Abu Dhabi Post-Fight Press Conference Video

The event will mark the promotion’s 23rd visit to Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev was originally slated to face former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr., but Rountree was forced out of the bout due to injury two weeks before fight night. Guskov stepped up as a replacement. He was scheduled to compete a week later at UFC Fight Night 283 in Serbia.

UFC Abu Dhabi Start Times:

• Main Card begins at 2 pm ET / 9 am PT on Paramount+
• Preliminary Card begins at 9 am ET / 6 am PT on Paramount+

UFC Abu Dhabi Official Results:

Main Card (2 pm ET / 9 am PT on Paramount+)

• Magomed Ankalaev def. Bogdan Guskov via TKO (punches) at 2:41, Round 5
• Ramazonbek Temirov def. Steve Erceg via KO (punch) at 4:21, Round 1
• Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman (Cancelled)*
• Magomed Zaynukov def. Damian Rzepecki via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Rizvan Kuniev def. Tyrell Fortune via TKO (knees) at 1:12, Round 3
• Abubakar Vagaev def. Saygid Izagakhmaev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card (9 am ET / 6 am PT on Paramount+)

• Valter Walker def. Thomas Petersen via submission (calf slicer) at 1:32, Round 1
• Muhammad Saidov def. Dustin Jacoby via TKO (strikes) at 4:48, Round 2
• Sam Patterson def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO (punches) at 3:06, Round 2
• Axel Sola def. Ismael Bonfim via submission (D'arce choke) at 4:44, Round 1
• Magomed Tuchalov def. Brendson Ribeiro via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Nurullo Aliev def. Mike Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Abdul Hussein def. Cody Gibson via  via submission (head-and-arm choke) at 3:07, Round 3

*The main card welterweight bout between Islam Dulatov and Wellington Turman was cancelled due to a Dulatov illness.

The event will mark the promotion's 23rd visit to Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev was originally slated to face former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr., but Rountree was forced out of the bout due to injury two weeks before fight night. Guskov stepped up as a replacement. He was scheduled to compete a week later at UFC Fight Night 283 in Serbia.

Ankalaev weighed in first and tipped the scales at 205.5 pounds. Gustov came in at the exact same weight, 205.5.

Ready to impress 💪@AnkalaevM weighs in at 205.5 lbs

[ #UFCAbuDhabi | SAT JULY 25 | 12pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/V2ZbKcGmiz

— UFC (@ufc) July 24, 2026

Looking to seize the moment 👀@BogdanGuskov | 205.5 lbs

[ #UFCAbuDhabi | SAT JULY 25 | 12pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/aDh8Ha24ll

— UFC (@ufc) July 24, 2026

UFC Abu Dhabi Official Weigh-In Results:

Main Card (2 pm ET / 9 am PT on Paramount+)

• Magomed Ankalaev (205.5) vs. Bogdan Guskov (205.5)
• Steve Erceg (126) vs. Ramazonbek Temirov (126)
• Islam Dulatov (171) vs. Wellington Turman (170)
• Magomed Zaynukov (155.5) vs. Damian Rzepecki (155.5)
• Rizvan Kuniev (265.5) vs. Tyrell Fortune (258)
• Abubakar Vagaev (171) vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev (171)

Preliminary Card (9 am ET / 6 am PT on Paramount+)

• Valter Walker (248) vs. Thomas Petersen (245)
• Dustin Jacoby (205) vs. Muhammad Saidov (206)
• Santiago Ponzinibbio (171) vs. Sam Patterson (170.5)
• Ismael Bonfim (155.5) vs. Axel Sola (155.5)
• Magomed Tuchalov (205.5) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (206)
• Nurullo Aliev (156) vs. Mike Davis (156)
• Cody Gibson (136) vs. Abdul Hussein (135.5)

Completed PFL Washington D.C. Main Card:

CareFirst Arena, Washington D.C.

10:00 pm ET | 7:00 pm PT | Saturday, July 25

ESPN (U.S.)

• PFL Welterweight World Title Main Event: #3-Thad Jean (11-0) vs. #8-Ernesto Rodriguez (11-1)

• Light Heavyweight Bout: #8-Tyson Pedro (10-6) vs. #10-Rafael Xavier (14-9)

• Light Heavyweight Bout: #4-Sullivan Cauley (8-2) vs. #7-Rasul Magomedov (9-0)

• Welterweight Bout: Eliezer Kubanza (8-1) vs. #9-Chris Mixan (7-2)

Completed PFL Washington D.C. Preliminary Card:

8:00 pm ET | 5:00 pm PT | Saturday, July 25

ESPN App (U.S.)

• Catchweight Bout (140 lbs): Bryce Meredith (7-1) vs. Michael Cyr (8-2)

• Catchweight Bout (140 lbs): Nkosi Ndebele (12-3) vs. Brandon Davis (14-11)

• Light Heavyweight Bout: Chad Yard (0-0) vs. Coby Bradford (5-4)

• Featherweight Bout: Noah Hermosillo (0-0) vs. Jacob Pais (1-0)

"It was like a three-month process. Right after the fight I had to get this surgery (canalicular tube surgery) right away. They put this weird silicone tube in my eye," Namajunas said during an appearance on Weighing In.

"So, they did that. It was a really easy surgery, though. It was just kind of uncomfortable. I couldn't blow my nose. I couldn't like, you now, rub my eye or something because it (the tube) could pop out. So, I had to be like off, you know, just like no contact training for three months."

Namajunas doesn't have a fight booked but plans to fight again. She's on a bit of a hiatus from the sport and traveling. She's also been reflecting on why she fights anymore considering her accomplishments inside the octagon.

"That's kind of why I've been sitting out for a while because I'm trying to like rediscover, okay, what am I doing now? Because, the last, like, to just be fairly transparent, like, the last three opportunities that I had, or the last three losses that I had, right? The Natalia fight, the Erin Blanchfield fight, and the Manon [Fiorot] fight. Those were, and I don't know about the Erin Blanchfield fight. I just kind off assuming, but those three fights, like the last one, I was told that I would get a title shot with a win with that fight. And same thing with the Manon fight, I needed to win that fight in order to get the title shot. Erin Blachfield, I'm pretty sure it was the same thing," she said.

"So, it's like I came up short in all three of those. And it's like, okay, well, you know, I'm at a point in my life where, you know, I'm thinking about like family stuff and all these things and like next steps, future things. I do want to compete and I still want to fight again, but I want to make sure that like when I'm going in there I'm like going for a purpose and a reason."

"The Diamond" was removed from a flight and arrested at an Atlanta airport for public intoxication. Video of the incident went viral showing Poirier threatening police officers. After the episode, Bud Light parted ways with the Louisiana native.

"They terminated my contract immediately. It's all good, man. I don't need that f****** poison in my life," Poirier said on The Ariel Helwani Show.

"I mean it sucks that my family loses out on the money I had left on the deal with them, which is a few hundred thousand dollars, but also if I'm representing something that I'm not going to be - If I'm advertising something I'm not going to be taking part in and promoting stuff that, you know, it is what it is."

Bud Light removed Poirier from ads and re-edited him out of commercials. The beer brand appears to be the only sponsor that parted ways with Poirier after the incident.

"So far everybody's been pretty supportive. Amazing," Poirier said. "These other companies I work with I've been working with for years for years and years and years. And they know my character. They've been around me in person. And it was just a really bad day, man."

Poirier retired from competition following his UFC 318 loss to Max Hollway last July and has struggled adjusting to life outside of fighting.

"The Diamond" was removed from a flight for public intoxication at an Atlanta airport and arrested.  Video of the incident went viral showing Poirier threatening police officers. A month after the arrest, Poirier say's he's 'good' and working on himself.

"Everything is good, man. I'm working on myself day in day out and it's a thing that's never fixed, you know? I've been dealing with mental stuff for years," Poirier said on The Ariel Helwani Show. "I'm doing everything I need to do. I have a great support system, and I'm good. Me and my family are good. Everything's good on my side."

While the incident was embarrassing and led to lost opportunities, Poirier believes maybe it needed to happen. It ended up being a wakeup call.

"Things happen. We live. We grow, and it's something that happened that's going to change my life. I know I've said this a few times on different shows, but it's something that maybe it needed to happen," Poirier said.

"Now my son, my daughter is never going to see me intoxicated like I saw my father. You know, it's just they're breaking a, breaking a family curse and I'm going to be the one to break it. It stops here."

"I don't believe it's something that's ever fixed. There's no eureka moment. There's no magic pill. There's no one day you wake up and the mental hurdles are gone. It's something you have to live with and work on every day. Every single day I have to read and write and do the things that I learned through therapy that made me feel better, that helped me control my thoughts. I just go away from it once I started feeling well mentally," he said.

In his first welterweight title defense, Makhachev faces No. 2 ranked Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 330 main event on August 15. Before he puts his 170-pound belt on the line, look back at all of his previous UFC fights.

With the win over "Baby Shark" and a new ranking, Kline has her eyes set on the top of the division. "The Archangel" wants to face former two-time titleholder Zhang Weili next.

"I think the perfect person to put me right in line to beat and to get a title shot after would be Zhang Weili or Tatiana [Suarez]," Kline told MMAJunkie.com. "Virna [Jandiroba] already lost to the belt. I guess Tatiana did also lose to the belt, too. I think Weili would be the perfect person.

"I think it would be a great fight. I think people think I could beat everybody except for Weili. I kind of see that in the comments. ... And so I would love to prove people wrong with that one and I'd love to prove it to myself. If she decides she's coming back to 115, I'd love to welcome her back."

The win over Ricci was Kline's first fight of 2026 and would like to get back in there before the end of the year. She's fought five times in the octagon since her UFC debut in July 2024.

"I'm definitely hoping to be back by the end of the year, you know. I said it in the cage I'd love to get one more in, you know, maybe in December," she said. "I'm going to make sure my health is good, I'm all in one piece and then hopefully we see me back in December."

The former two-division champion headlined the UFC 329 fight card on July 11 in a rematch with former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway. At the sound of the bell to start the bout, McGregor rushed across the cage and leaped into the air with a jumping switch kick. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the canvas. He fell twice more, once while throwing a kick and later a punch. The referee stepped in once it was obvious McGregor had suffered an injury. The exact injury wasn't known until Sunday.

McGregor revealed that he injured his "acl and meniscus" in an Instagram post. Ironically, it was the same injury he suffered in the first fight against Holloway in 2013.

"Update: It was acl and meniscus. It is the same injury as the first Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg," McGregor wrote. "Quite shocking. I returned to competition within 9 months to fight Diego Brandao back then. With today’s regenerative medicine advancements and improved training methods it is well within my realm to return by next summer.

"I am walking without a crutch. I done leg extension machine work the other day to no issue. So I can walk without aid, and activate my quad under resistance. All very positive. I am maximum discipline and have maintained it fully since the bout. I wonder was I saved from something worse here. I believe so. I would have attended the after party as “the man” and who knows then. I believe I was saved. Thank you God! On we go, no sad stories. Thank you for the support and well wishes everyone, your health is your wealth."

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