Former UFC two-time welterweight title challenger and original BMF belt holder Jorge Masvidal revealed his Top 5 UFC stars currently competing in the fight promotion.

"I got Ilia [Topuria], No. 1," Masvidal said on Deep Waters. "Chama (Alex Pereira) No. 2 because that guy fights. Everybody knows, in Japan, in Korea, it doesn't matter whether it's Thailand or Japan. International. He is a star. He is an effing star, bro. Like, it's crazy, man."

"No. 3, I'll go with [Khamzat] Chimaev. I think Chimaev is a huge star worldwide," Masvidal continued. "No. 4, I'm going to throw a curveball at y'all. But I think especially after his next fight, he's going to be one of the biggest names, Sean Strickland, bro. And he's got like that whole love and hate. He's going to be up there.

"No. 5, I'm going to go with Charles Oliveira. He's so famous worldwide. He's got the whole Brazil on his back without even mentioning it."

Masvidal has teased an octagon return. He last fought MMA in April 2023. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that matchmakers are in talks with "Gamebred."

The former two-division UFC champion hasn't fought since UFC 264 in July 2021 when he lost to Dustin Poirier after suffering a gruesome leg injury. It was his second consecutive loss to "The Diamond" and the Irishman has been on the sidelines since.

The 37 year-old was scheduled to make the walk to the octagon at UFC 303 in July 2024 against Michael Chandler but pulled out of the event citing a toe injury. The whispers around a McGregor return have grown louder over the last year with the announced of the UFC White House event. Of course, he's not competing on the UFC Freedom 250 fight card but there's chatter about him returning during International Fight Week.

 Over the weekend, McGregor gave a positive update on a potential return via social media along with a series of training phots.

“Legs still sharper than a guillotine,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “Training with the young wolves, sharpening the blade. The return is coming whether they like it or not.”

View this post on Instagram

Despite having not won a fight since early 2020, McGregor remains the sports' biggest star. The highest selling UFC pay-per-view event is UFC 229. McGregor headlined the fight card against former lightweight titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Top 5 all have McGregor at the top of the bill.

The UFC CEO, a longtime Donald Trump ally who has been by his side through the highs and lows of each presidential term, was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner as a guest of the President's. While dining at the Washington Hilton, an armed man charged the building and began firing shots, causing panic among the attendees.

However, sitting beside the head table in the front row was an incredibly unfazed Dana White. Instead of panicking, ducking behind flipped tables, or evacuating like many others who were present, White, smiling ear to ear, sat up and soaked in the occasion.

Dana White was unbelievably calm when chaos broke out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

(via @tonydokoupil ) pic.twitter.com/HB3iakMEE6

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 26, 2026

The untroubled reaction went viral, but it was Dana White's words in the aftermath that captured headlines. White seemingly loved every minute of the events that unfolded in the country's capital, revealing how much fun he had amid the panic.

"It just started getting noisy," White said as the dust settled on a wild night in Washington, D.C. "Tables getting flipped over, guys running in with guns and they were screaming, 'Get down.' I didn't get down. It was f***ing awesome. I literally took every minute of it in, and it was a pretty crazy, unique experience."

One officer was hit in the ballistic vest during the events, though he is expected to make a full recovery.

Before the suspect, a 31-year-old male, was subdued and arrested, Secret Service agents approached Dana White's table, making White believe the shooter was located close to his seating area.

"We were sitting right in front of the table, right in front of where the president was," White continued. "Nobody got tackled, but guys came in looking for shooters, and they came toward our table. I thought the shooter was over by us or something, but no. It was a pretty f***ing unique experience."

Dana White’s reaction to the shooting at the White House correspondents dinner:

“It was f*cking awesome. I literally took every minute of it in. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience.” 😭 pic.twitter.com/pLtEIB8r9m

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 26, 2026

Sterling largely dominated Zalal. Since moving up a weight class, "Funk Master" has gone 3-1 with his one loss coming to top contender Movsar Evloev via decision. In his post-fight Octagon Interview, Sterling called for a title shot and stated his case.

"Movsar, I'm coming for that a** next. [Alexander] Volkanovski, you know I'm coming for that a**," Sterling said.

"I bring something different to this table, man. None of these guys can do it the way that I do it. I mix it up well. I'm a hard guy to stop for takedown. I've got veteran experience. I know when to push, take my foot off the gas and put it in their a**.

"Give me my shot now. I've worked so hard for this. I've been in this company 12 years. That was my 23rd UFC fight. I've only fought three unranked guys since I got signed to this company. My third fight in the UFC was a guy ranked sixth in the world and I haven't looked back since. So, put some motherf**king respect on my name when I say I'm next in line for that motherf**king title shot."

UFC Vegas 116 Octagon Interview: Aljamain Sterling

Following the event, White gave his account of what took place to USA TODAY.

"(Suddenly), it just started getting noisy," White said. "Tables getting flipped over, guys running in with guns and they were screaming ‘Get down.’ I didn’t get down. It was f**king awesome. I literally took every minute of it in, and it was a pretty crazy, unique experience. We were sitting right in front of the table, right in front of where the president was. Nobody got tackled, but guys came in looking for shooters and they came toward out table. I thought the shooter was over by us or something.”

Dana White’s reaction to the shooting at the White House correspondents dinner:

“It was f*cking awesome. I literally took every minute of it in. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience.” 😭 pic.twitter.com/pLtEIB8r9m

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 26, 2026

The Vice President and other cabinet members were also in attendance and were whisked away to safety by The Secret Service and other authorities. A suspect was reportedly taken into custody.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a late-night news conference that the suspect rushed the Secret Service checkpoint at 8:36 p.m. E.T. at the Washington Hilton, the site of the event.

The event was headlined by a featherweight bout between former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and No. 7 ranked Youssef Zalal.

UFC Vegas 116 Post-Fight Press Conference

Sterling entered the match ranked No. 5 in the division and coming off a dominant win over former two-time title challenger Brian Ortega. Since returning to the bantamweight division in 2024, "Funk Master" has gone 2-1 with the one loss being to the top contender Movsar Evloev via decision.

Zalal made the walk to the octagon for his first UFC main event riding an impressive eight-fight winning streak knowing a win over Sterling would jump him in the rankings and into the title picture.

They met in the center and measured distance with missed leg kicks. Zalal landed a leg kick. Step.ing pressed forward behind a jab. Zalal began pressuring Sterling. He landed a counter right hand. Sterling changed levels and worked to get the fight to the ground midway through the round. Zalal defended the attempt and they separated. Zalal slipped while throwing a kick and Sterling seized the opportunity to gain top control on the ground. Zalal briefly looked for a triangle choke but Sterling defended and moved to h half guard. Zalal scrambled but was unable to get back to his feet. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Sterling.

Sterling delivered leg kicks early in the second frame before looking for a takedown. Zalal's takedown defense held up and they separated. Zalal jumped into the pocket with a knee that partially landed. Sterling began pressuring Zalal and delivered a kick to the body. Sterling looked for a takedown along the cage but Zalal circled away. Zalal began landing his jab. Zalal missed with a right hand and Sterling secured a takedown. He mounted Zalal and hammered away with left hands. Zalal rolled Stelring remained on his back with a body lock applied. He delivered a series of punches. MMAWeekly scored the frame 10-9 for Sterling.

Sterling moved forward and changed levels. He elevated Zalal and sat him down on the canvas. Zalal applied a guillotine choke. Sterling defended the submission attempt but had to give up top position. Sterling avoided taking damage and connected with an uptick. Zalal passed Sterling's guard to side control. Zalal took Sterling's back and applied a body triangle. Sterling avoided absorbing damage but lost the round. MMAWeekly scored the frame 10-9 for Zalal.

Sterling pressed forward to start the fourth. He backed Zalal up with punches and worked to get the fight to the ground. He secured the takedown and took Zalal's back with four minutes left in the round. Sterling delivered left hands to the side of Zalal's head. Zalal rolled but Sterling maintained position. Sterling continued to pepper Zalal with punches. Zalal rolled to his back but was met with more punches. Zalal worked his way to his feet in the closing moments but Sterling dominated the round. MMAWeekly score the frame 10-9 for Sterling.

Zalal came out in the final frame looking to engage. He pressured Sterling and landed a right hand. Sterling decided to get the fight to the ground. Zalal had other plans and the two eventually separated. Sterling pressed forward with punches and took Zalal down with two minutes remaining on the clock. Zalal gave up his back. Sterling delivered left hands followed by right hands. He let Zalal up at the bell. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Sterling.

The Judes scored the fight for Sterling via unanimous decision. All three scorecards read 49-45.

Dumont entered the fight having not lost since May 2022 and riding a six-fight winning streak. Another win would strengthen the Brazilian's argument to get a crack at the title.

Edwards had the opportunity to leap in the rankings, pick up the biggest win of her career and put herself squarely in the title shot conversation. The Panamanian made the walk to the octagon coming off four consecutive wins.

Dumont switched back and forth with her stance and delivered a leg kick. Edwards pressed forward with punches but Dumont moved just out of range. Edwards pressured Dumont and connected with a right hand. Dumont quickly clinched the took Edwards down but Edwards immediately got back to her feet. They worked for position along the cage and exchanged knees to the legs. Edwards worked to take Dumont down. She pulled Dumont to the ground but Dumont gained top position. She didn't inflict any damage but maintained top control. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Dumont.

They exchanged leg kicks to begin the second frame. Dumont inched forward and delivered leg kicks. Edwards responded with a right hand to the body. Edwards was short of the mark with her punches. The round plate about at distance, kickboxing distance. Both women were settling to throw one strike at a time and not putting together combinations. Dumont caught a leg kick and landed a right hand down the middle. Edwards closed the distance and clinched late in the round. She landed knees to the legs of Dumont. MMAWeekly scored the frame 10-9 for Dumont.

Dumont connected with a kick to the body. Edwards responded with a hard right hand followed by a right to the body. Edwards pressed forward while Dumont circled on the outside. Edwards landed to the body with a kick. In an exchange, Edwards connected with a left. Midway through the frame, Edwards landed a left hand and clinched. She looked to get a takedown but Dumont shook off the attempt. Edwards was the more active fighter. Edwards connected with a combination. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Edwards.

The Judes scored the fight for Edwards via unanimous decision. The scorecards read 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27.

Hair recession is prevalent in the United States, with reports stating that two-thirds of American men will suffer from some degree of noticeable hair loss by age 35. That percentage steadily rises over time, but modern technology is helping those who are dealing with balding combat its effects.

Taking a trip to Turkey, Jorge Masvidal is the latest UFC ace to undergo surgery to correct his hairline.

"I've been seeing Now Hair Time throughout the years, and I've seen amazing, great results," Masvidal said. "Time hasn't been on my side. My hairline has receded back. Before it got any worse, I came to Now Hair Time to make sure I would stop all of that and get myself up to optimal aesthetics."

Despite having one eye on the octagon, Jorge Masvidal will be sidelined for several weeks following the surgery. The 41-year-old is in the latter stages of his career, having already retired once, but will have to wait up to six weeks before returning to heavy physical contact in the gym to ensure the hair transplant recovery period isn't altered.

However, shelving his imminent return, Masvidal was complimentary of Now Hair Time Turkey for their hospitality. 'Gamebred' honored the staff and thanked them for restoring his hairline.

"I've had numerous people that I could rely on to ask questions from before the procedure, during the procedure, and after the procedure to make sure my hair is top-notch; nothing gets messed up. Besides the great facility and the way that the staff has treated me, they have shown me a great time."

"Thank you, Now Hair Time, for bringing my hairline back."

https://youtube.com/shorts/f36WhAwXPO0?si=L93U3oRYhxj1g4Sh

The live UFC 116 live results from Las Vegas will begin at 5 p.m. ET on MMAWeely.com. Refresh the page for the latest outcomes.

UFC Vegas 116 Start Times

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

UFC Vegas 116 Official Results

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

• Aljamain Sterling def. Youssef Zalal via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)
• Joselyne Edwards def. Norma Dumont via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Rafa Garcia def. Alexander Hernandez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Davey Grant def. Adrian Luna Martinetti via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Raoni Barcelos def. Montel Jackson via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)
• Ryan Spann def. Marcus Buchecha via KO (punches) at 2:10, Round 2

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

• Eric McConico vs. Rodolfo Vieira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jackson McVey def. Sedriques Dumas via submission (d'arce choke) at 2:14, Round 1
• Michelle Montague def. Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Cody Durden def. Jafel Filho via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Talita Alencar def. Julia Polastri via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

On Friday, the athletes competing on the fight card officially weighed in. Sterling was the first fighter to step on the scale weighing 146 pounds. Zalal weighed in second and tipped the scale at 145.5 pounds.

All set! Our #UFCVegas116 headliners punch their ticket for tomorrow night! 🧨

🇺🇸 @FunkMasterMMA vs @MoroccanDevil45 🇲🇦

[ @Sportsnet & @TVASports | Main 8pmET ] pic.twitter.com/RO6uvZc0J1

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) April 24, 2026

UFC Vegas 116 Official Weigh-In Results

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

• Aljamain Sterling (146) vs. Youssef Zalal (145.5)
• Norma Dumont (135.5) vs. Joselyne Edwards (135.5)
• Rafa Garcia (155) vs. Alexander Hernandez (155.5)
• Davey Grant (135.5) vs. Adrian Luna Martinetti (135.5)
• Raoni Barcelos (136) vs. Montel Jackson (135.5)
• Marcus Buchecha (252.5) vs. Ryan Spann (264)

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

• Eric McConico (186) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (185.5)
• Sedriques Dumas (184) vs. Jackson McVey (185)
• Michelle Montague (135.5) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (136)
• Cody Durden (135.5) vs. Jafel Filho (135.5)
• Lucas Brennan (155.5) vs. Francis Marshall (155.5)
• Max Griffin (170.5) vs. Victor Valenzuela (170)
• Talita Alencar (116) vs. Julia Polastri (115)

Sterling was the first fighter to step on the scale weighing 146 pounds. Zalal weighed in second and tipped the scale at 145.5 pounds. Check out how the main event fighters looked on the scales.

UFC Vegas 116 Main Event Weigh-In Video

"It's tough because like thinking in America what we think of as being stars versus like worldwide stars. You could look at like social media presence, but sometimes that doesn't like really correlate with being like a star," Weidman said.

"For me, I ended up doing like who am I most excited to watch fight? Who do I get that buzz, you know, when they get ready to fight?"

Beginning with No. 5, Weidman picked current welterweight titleholder Khamzat Chimaev and moved up his list.

"Number five, I got Chimaev. Four, I got Jon Jones. Then I've got [Ilia] Topuria, Alex Pereira, and then Conor McGregor," said Weidman. "Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. have been out for awhile, but they're still on the UFC contracts, so I'm putting them in there."

Four of his top five are two-division UFC champions. One is considered the GOAT, and another is undeniably the biggest star the fight promotion has ever produced. What do you think of Weidman's list?

Masvidal claims to be in talks with the UFC for a potential octagon return with a big opportunity. Sonnen accused the orginal BMF titleholder of lying.

“I have no problem with Masvidal lying, trying to get headlines. As a matter of fact, I support it,” Sonnen recently said on his YouTube channel.

“You don’t want to contradict your own lie; that’s where the problem comes. If you’re lying to get headlines, you’re not a liar, you’re a performer, and you’re entertaining," Sonnen continued.

"But you have to keep track of your story. Masvidal has been workshopping a story that ‘I’m back in the pool, under contract, fighting in the UFC, and got something massive coming up’. Flirted and danced, he was at the White House ... it’s a work, there’s no truth to it, and Masvidal is out of the UFC."

On Thursday, Masvidal responded to Sonnen's comments with an expletive filled reaction.

"For starters, this motherf**ker has some nerve. He’s transitioning into a woman and he’s talking sh*t to me? You lesbian ass motherf**er, and no disrespect to the lesbians, this motherf**ker needs to chill,” Masvidal said.

"Now that he’s a lesbian, he thinks I can’t slap him? I’ll still slap the f**k out of you, Chael, you lesbian in transition. Look at them f**king tits and glasses he’s wearing, he looks like one of my f**king aunts.

“I can’t take this guy seriously. The only serious thing this guy did was fighting Anderson Silva, lost, got triangle tapped, and he was on seven different PEDs. Dude, you can never talk to me. I’ve never had a positive exam for steroids in my life, shut the f**k up, Chael, you’re talking to a real fighter," Masvidal continued.

“I never said I’m ‘officially’ fighting at the White House, you f**king lying piece of sh*t. There was a lot of interest in that fight, at first, and there was a big chance I’d be on that card. They asked me for a few things, and then the date changed … not contradicting anything, it’s called ‘Rolling with the punches’. Now, the UFC has offered me something else."

She made her professional mixed martial arts debut in March 2011. A year later she was the Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion. The next year she was making her walk to the octagon and a household name.

She returns to the cage on May 16 against fellow women's MMA pioneer Gina Carano. Following a recent press conference to promote the upcoming fight, Rousey shared some career advice for other fighters.

"I think a lot of them (female fighters) need to realize that just going in and fighting isn't the whole job and putting a lot of thought into like media and stuff like this and being able to get your message across because your job isn't to win fights, it's to get people to watch your fights," Rousey said.

"It's awesome if people are watching the brand and then they see your fight while it's there, but I think it's important for all the women to kind of learn from this and from what me and Gina are doing and what we've done in the past. We don't just show up and fight. It's storytelling. It's I put a lot of thought into anything that could be asked of me," continued Rousey.

"I think a lot of girls now are just going to do media and they're just winging it. And it shows. You need to put just as much effort into promotion as you do into fighting if you want anyone to watch your awesome fight."

"Rowdy" picked upon some useful knowledge about promotion while in the WWE and believes it carries over to promotion in MMA.

"People need to realize yes, they are athletes and they're doing a sport, but it is your job to also be an entertainer and to get people interested in your fight," she said.

"There's something that I kind of learned in pro wrestling is every single time that we had a match, we'd ask ourselves, 'What's the story of the match?' And so, I would advise everybody in MMA at any matchup that you have, think, 'What is the story of my match? What is something unique that just the two of us bring to the table that you would never see in any other matchup?' And put a lot of thought into it. Don't just show up and be like, 'Oh, I don't care about this because I don't care about fame.' Like, okay, all right, you're really awesome. You're really cool, but it's not your job to be cool, it's to get people to watch your f**king fight. So, please think about it."

The 49-year-old was expected to have left the sport behind after his knockout win over UFC ace Conor McGregor almost ten years ago. Instead, as his nickname suggests, Mayweather sought out money fights, wanting to compete against big names across combat and entertainment worldwide. The exhibition boxing bout, which ran from 2018 to 2024, was filled with chaos, and two years after his last appearance in the squared circle, 'TBE' announced he would be stepping back into the ring.

Since announcing his return, speculation has mounted regarding when one of the greatest boxers of all time will grace the ring once again. Rumors have been circling, and after months of suspense, Floyd Mayweather has finally confirmed the comeback date, which will serve as a warm-up ahead of his Manny Pacquiao rematch in September.

"IT'S OFFICIAL," Mayweather said in a post on social media. "June 27 - Athens, Greece. History will be made."

Unlike his last few outings, Floyd Mayweather will collide against a highly experienced combatant with over two and a half decades of experience.

Despite plying his trade in the kickboxing ring, Mike Zambidis has amassed 157 wins, with 87 of those coming by way of knockout during his tenure in the sport. With 24 losses also on his record, Zambidis boasts 181 total fights throughout his professional career, making him Mayweather's most seasoned opponent.

After ending his legendary kickboxing career in 2015, Zambidis last fought in 2019, winning his boxing debut by unanimous decision. The Greek will welcome the step up in competition when he locks horns with Mayweather in his home country on June 27.

"I'm stepping in the ring with Mike Zambidis. One night. One stage. An all-out bout you don't want to miss," Mayweather continued. "This will SELL OUT... fast. Be part of history from the sidelines."

View this post on Instagram

TKO Group Holdings is in its pursuit of greatness, recently adding Zuffa Boxing to its catalog alongside the UFC and WWE. With the help of Turki Alalshikh, promises have been made publicly, suggesting that the promotion will be a new dawn in the sport, moving away from its traditional values and offering a different structure for the future.

The changes are aimed at returning boxing to its former heights, but a structural shift isn't the only benefit for fans and fighters. Recently, speaking about his idea for Zuffa Boxing, Nick Khan insisted that those signed under the Zuffa banner will be fast-tracked to superstardom compared to traditional boxing, with many other perks in store for them.

"This provides an additional option," Khan said. "So, the current state of boxing would continue to exist. If the fighter wants to go into that, please, feel free to sign with those promoters."

"If you want a chance to be something bigger over a shorter period of time, on a platform. We were able to secure a deal with Paramount. As I said, on a platform that has almost 80 million subscribers worldwide and has a network partner in CBS. If you want that exposure, if you want trading card deals, if you want merchandise deals, if you want video game deals, of which the fighters would all participate financially. If you want all of that plus some more, come this way. If you don't, that's your choice."

Zuffa Boxing has already made headlines earlier this year, snatching Matchroom Boxing's prize asset, Conor Benn, away from them. The Brit signed a multi-fight, multi-million-dollar deal, signalling Zuffa's first foray into the big market in the sport.

https://youtube.com/shorts/hQmYJpHRlig?si=723oYowcbE6a8SI_

The two-time UFC bantamweight titleholder was awarded the “For Merit to the Fatherland” medal during a ceremony inside the Kremlin. The medal is given for outstanding contributions to the state, economy, science, culture, or defense and features a crowned double-headed eagle. It can be awarded to both civilians and military personnel.

Yan won back the UFC 135-pound championship last December at UFC 323, defeating Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch. "No Mercy" is recovering from surgery and is expected to face Dvalishvili in a trilogy match when he returns.

🇷🇺 Petr Yan was awarded a medal “For Merit to the Fatherland” by Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin today 🥇 pic.twitter.com/6TUf1reuFu

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 22, 2026

In a recent interview, Topuria was critical of Tsarukyan's headline-making antics outside of the cage. The 29-year-old has struck a fan on his walk to the octagon, head butted an opponent during face-offs, engaged in a post-fight brawl at RAF 6, got thrown off an airplane and tackled MMA icon Urijah Faber off the stage during their RAF 8 match last weekend.

Topuria called Tsarukyan 'dumb' and 'a f*cking kid' that flaunts his father's wealth. On Wednesday, Tsarukyan responded to Topuria's comments during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.

"He's jealous," Tsarukyan said. "He wants to say like I'm nothing and if you see like offer me him, he's not going to take it because he wants to tell everybody in this world that I'm not in his level. He was saying like [Charles] Oliveira is good fighter, [Justin] Gaethje is good fighter, Max Holloway is good fighter, but he didn't say anything about me. How can it be like, it's just a joke."

"I mean, in my culture, where I come from, if you say about someone, you've got to explain why, right? You ask him why and he doesn't know like answer why am I dumb or I'm like ret*rded or whatever," Tsarukyan explained.

"If you say something, you've got to answer why, right? You ask him why, he says I don't know, so he's the stupid guy, not me because he doesn't know even like why I'm ret*ard or dumb and f*ck."

Topuria headlines the UFC White House event on June 14 against two-time interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. He predicted that he'd break Tsarukyan's jaw in the first round if the two fought. Tsarukyan wants Topuria to prove it and sign to fight him following the UFC Freedom 250 unification bout with Gaethje.

"Good luck to him. We'll see when the fight happens, and we'll see how I'm not going to take him down. I can takedown anybody. So, about that, he's going to break my jaw. Whatever he wants to do, just accept the fight. Why you ducking if you're super confident that you can beat me so easy in the first round? Just sign the contract after this fight and don't move up and stay there and beat (me) because I'm an easy fight. Why move up," Tsarukyan said.

"He has his own fanbase, but like he behaves like untouchable and like he's superstar. But he's not, and I'm going to bring him back on the Earth."

Topuria accused Tsarukyan of being a 'Twitter gangster,' but when the two see each other it's a different story.

"I'm not a gangster. I'm the man," said Tsarukyan. "But he's not. He shaves his ass. He shaves his arms, legs. At least I'm a man. I don't do that."

"

The event, UFC Freedom 250, takes place on June 14 in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. An American, interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, competes in the fight card's main event for the undisputed lightweight title against champion Ilia Topuria.

The seven-bout event features eight American fighters, but former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington doesn't think the fight card showcases the best Americans.

"I mean, it's the celebration of the 250th birthday of the greatest country on God's green Earth, America. You'd think there'd be more American fighters on it from top to bottom. You'd think there'd maybe be some favorable matchups for the American. But to send Gaethje out there to be slaughtered. I'm mean, Topuria is the best fighter on the planet right now. No one can dispute that," Covington said during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.

"The way he's finishing these guys: [Max] Holloway, [Alexander] Volkanovksi, and [Charles] Oliveira. He's just on another level right now. He's in his prime and Gaethje is on his way down and there's no beating Father Time. I just feel like they could have put more Americans in bigger fights, and they didn't put the best American fighters on the card," continued Covington.

"They put Gaethje there. He's a good American fighter for sure, but there's other great American fighters. I'm happy Sean O'Malley's on there. He's going to put on a good show for sure. But Michael Chandler, 41, 42-year-old Michael Chandler. He's a punching bag now."

The 29-year-old has struck a fan on his walkout to the octagon, head butted an opponent during face-offs, engaged in a post-fight brawl at RAF 6, got thrown off an airplane and tackled MMA icon Urijah Faber off the stage during their RAF 8 match this past weekend.

Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria was recently asked about Tsarukyan and didn't hold back with his assessment.

"I'm really impressed of how dumb he is. He's a ret*rd. He looks like a kid. He's a kid, like his mentality. Like, he's dumb as f*ck," Topuria said on the Ariel Helwani Show. "Everything I saw about him on the internet, it's embarrassing a little bit.

"F*ck Arman. Who cares about him? I don't care."

Tsarukyan isn't your typical UFC fighter. His family is worth an estimated $100 million, and the 29-year-old often flaunts his privilege. When he was recently removed from a commercial aircraft, he booked a private jet to get him to his location like it was an Uber.

"The thing that I don't like is like is when they play that they rich, and they show all that money," Topuria said. "It's like bro, you aren't even rich. You that poor that the only thing you have is money. And you're spending your father's money, not even yours. You know what I mean? He's a f*cking kid."

The two seem to be on a collision course. If the matchup comes to fruition, Topuria predicts he'll finish Tsarukyan early.

"He's not on my level. If we cross paths, like I'm going to break his jaw in the first round," Topuria said. "Like, what's he going to do? He's going to take me down? Bro, please."

"Listen to me. Calm down. Calm down. Do your thing. Go to those wrestling tournaments, do your streams, and whenever the moment arrives, just make sure to show up and I'm going to do the rest. The little weasel."

Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has always wanted to try his hand at boxing, but his contractual status with the UFC prevents it.

"I still have fights on my contract with the UFC. I'm stuck in purgatory, so I can't go out and do nothing," Poirier said on Deep Waters. "And I don't even know if I could I don't even know if I would. But boxing is something that I always wanted to do."

While active, Poirier was known as one of the better boxers on the UFC roster. Half of his career wins were by knockout. With the UFC and Zuffa Boxing being under the same ownership umbrella, TKO Group Holdings, it would seem there could be crossover opportunities for UFC fighters. But according to Poirier, that's not the case. The organization will not be a place where we'll see former or current UFC fighters competing.

"I've been down this road before. They don't want any crossover," said Poirier. "They want to be taken serious. Plus, if you let one guy do it every guy and on the roster is going to try to do this

Concerns were raised within the MMA space after Rogan and Trump shared what was perceived to be an awkward moment at the UFC's most recent pay-per-view in Miami. The sports commentator-turned-podcaster has publicly confirmed not being aligned with any governmental party, insisting he is politically homeless, and has even called out the President for the escalating war with Iran. However, speculation began to mount when the pair were seen uncomfortably shaking hands and exchanging words a few weeks ago.

Fans were worried for Joe Rogan after the talks, forcing Rogan to clarify the situation. Instead of being scorned and embarrassed by Donald Trump during their recent conversation, Rogan revealed what was truly discussed.

"It was literally the opposite [of all the rumors]," Rogan said. "I texted him on Friday about Ibogaine. And I was telling him how there's all these vets, this is the one the vets use. So, they've had to go to Mexico to get this. So, I've had these two different podcasts with Bryan Hubbard and Rick Perry. Rick Perry was the governor of Texas, and they talked about Ibogaine. And Bryan Hubbard was relaying his story about how Ibogaine saved him from addiction and fixed his brain, and then they had all these other stories of all these other veterans, and all these different people that had PTSD and opiate addiction. I know a lot of people have gone down there to do it."

Joe Rogan has been pushing for Ibogaine legalization in the United States, as he believes it will be vital in helping millions of Americans overcome their struggles with PTSD, brain injuries, addiction, and other mental health issues.

Taking his findings to the President, Rogan confirmed that it is the entire reason for his interaction with Donald Trump, and nothing more.

"I know so many people that have done it, particularly sodliers that have done it, and people with opiate addiction, like my friend. Ed," Rogan continued. "I said, I told [Donald Trump] about it. I said how effective it is and I said, you know, it's been held up for so long."

"He said, 'What are you looking for? Are you looking for FDA approval?' He goes, 'It sounds good to me.' He said, 'Let's do it.' And so literally, sees me at the UFC the next day, shakes my hand and says, 'It's done.' That's what he was saying. I was like, I said, 'Thank you, sir.' It wasn't like he was mad at me at all. It was the opposite... This is the truth. That's exactly what happened."

"He came to me and said, 'It's done. We're going to take care of it. This is a good thing. It's a good thing for everybody.' And then he had the press conference the next week... That one is a really good thing for everybody, because addiction is a huge problem, and Ibogaine is one of the most effective treatments for addiction that they've ever found. Another one that's really good for addiction is Psilocybin. They're going to study that as well, and hopefully fast-track that as well."

After their talk at UFC 327, Joe Rogan was present in the Oval Office as Donald Trump signed the executive order to accelerate research and medical access to psychedelic drugs.

All involved parties intend to find a sustainable solution to help US veterans and citizens who are dealing with serious and treatment-resistant mental illnesses, ultimately offering better aid to those in need.

Joe Rogan was happy to clear the air regarding his encounter with Donald Trump. Listen to what he had to say below.

Zalal put on a ground clinic. After taking Emmett down early in the opening round, Zalal took Emmett's back and looks to lock in a rear-naked choke. He transitioned to a triangle choke before finishing the fight with an armbar. Take a look back at the submission win.

Zalal headlines Saturday's UFC Vegas 116 fight card against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.

Youssef Zalal vs Josh Emmett Full Fight Video

Ulberg had suffered a torn ACL and was having difficulty with stability and balance on the leg. When Prochazka realized Ulberg was injured, he claims to have took his foot off the gas in a show of 'mercy.' Moments later, as Prochazka closed the distance, Ulberg connected with a left hook that sent him crashing to the canvas. Ulberg finished with a series of strikes on the ground to capture the vacant title.

In an Instagram post on Monday, the 33 year-old Czech continued to assert that he wasn't fighting at 100 percent, something he deeply regrets.

"Good evening. Let's keep this short and to the point. I just want to comment on the last fight as I promised, and I'll mainly focus on what actually happened out there. Let's get this down in black and white so no one comes up with any bullish*t here because what I'm hearing all around is complete nonsense," ," Prochazka said in the video post.

"So briefly and the only thing in the fight: I lost my focus there. Focus on the goal. Focus on the target and that was especially the case when Ulberg injured his leg. I know what that’s like because exactly this happened to me once in a fight in Japan. I fought through that match, but I know what it’s like. The pain, the struggle, so all credit to him for managing to keep a cool head, for catching me with that hook.

“But I can say for myself that I know from the moment that happened to him, I wasn’t at 100% anymore. I was at maybe 40, 50% of my performance and I was just sparring and waiting for the referee to stop the fight at any moment.”

“It was a big mistake,” Prochazka continued. “Maybe one of the biggest. I don’t want to beat myself up about it nonstop. Because the most important thing is to always learn from it and move forward stronger. So that’s it.”

View this post on Instagram

Prochazka's looking forward to his next opponent and challenge. He expects to come back better and make another run at the heavyweight championship.

“I’m already looking forward to the next opponent, the next round of training. To strengthen it again, to be a little better, to stay on the way. Strength and honor," he said.

“This match has just lit the fire in me even more. And I believe that before Carlos returns to the fight, I will fight for the title.”

Namajunas last fought in January, losing to Natalia Silva via unanimous decision at UFC 324. In the fight, the 33 year-old was on the wrong end of an eye poke that took three months to heal.

Namajunas posted a video to instagram showing the final procedure of her eye recovery. In the caption, "Thug" called for eye-poke reform and stiffer penalties even for accidental pokes.

"So you wanna be a fighter? Three months and now Im healthy finally. Thumb and eye are all fixed up. Im a bit out of shape but I’m cleared to train now," Namajunas wrote on Instagram.

Eye pokes have always been an issue in mixed martial arts due to the open finger gloves. The problem has garnered more attention as of late after heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall suffered a double eye poke against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October. The bout was ruled a no contest and Aspinall is still recovering.

"I really hope eye pokes will be taken more seriously in the future," Namajunas added. "I propose instant purse deduction even for an accident. An accident that could seriously affect a fighters health long term. Anyways I’m just grateful that it was not more serious."

"I feel like he's old," Perry said during a media scrum. "I feel like he has some great talents that we've all looked up to. He's very durable and he's very smart in the fact that he wouldn't even face-off close with me. That tells me, it makes me wonder about how we're going to fight, you know. Is he going to be walking away? I mean, obviously, we've seen that. Is he going to get in the fire with me?"

"I think maybe he also knows he's in trouble, getting older. He's had a long road in this game, as have I," Perry continued. "With my youngness and, you know, I'm a lot years younger than him and my strength, my power and aggressive style, you know, to bring that to him. He knows I'm coming at him.

Diaz turned 41 on April 16. Perry is 34. There's a mutual respect between the two and Perry looks forward to facing Diaz and adding his name to his resume.

"To get the opportunity to face a Nathan Diaz before decides to leave the game. I'm going to give the fans the fight they want," he said.

The wrestling promotion has seen several incidents in its short time that went viral including post-match brawls. Over the weekend, they had another one. Top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan took on MMA legend Urijah Faber. Tsarukyan was dominating the retired fighter, but during the second period a scary incident occurred.

Tsarukyan drove forward for a single-leg takedown attempt driving both himself and Faber off the stage and crashing onto the concrete floor. Luckily, neither were injured.

Arman Tsarukyan just tackled Urijah Faber off the stage during their wrestling match at RAF 08!

(🎥: @mikeHeck_JR) pic.twitter.com/EXOXkLip5W

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 19, 2026

On Sunday, Faber released a statement via social media addressing the incident and laid heavy criticism on Tsarukyan.

"He’s got all the makings of a Champion…except for self control," Faber captioned a video post on Instagram. "Spoiled kid for life. Congrats [Tsarukyan], too much cushion for a hospital visit.”

View this post on Instagram

The undefeated Chimaev and Strickland used to train together but their relationship deteriorated into becoming bitter rivals. The two will address their disagreements inside the cage at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. UFC lightweight veteran Beneil Dariush broke down the championship matchup and warns not to sleep on Strickland's grappling.

"In the first couple of rounds, Khamzat's doing to be very dominant," Dariush told Helen Yee Sports. "Sean can wrestle. This is what people don't understand. Every time I see Sean, every time I go over to Vegas, he's wrestling. He's working on his wrestling. He's working on his get up ... He goofs off about it, but he's legit. He wrestles so much and he looks very very good when he does wrestle."

Chimaev is known for his relentless pace and pressure in the early rounds. He overwhelms opponents and then out-grapples them. Dariush believes Chimaev will be able to take Strickland down but questioned whether "Borz" can keep him there.

"I think Sean is going to get taken down and I think he's going to get pressure quite a bit. But I think Sean has the ability to keep getting up and then round three, round four, round five, that's where things will be interesting," said Dariush.

"The first two rounds I think will be for Khamzat, but then after that it'll be really fun to watch after that. I think smart money would be Khamzat, but I believe Sean can do it, too."

RAF pits the very best freestyle wrestlers across the globe against one another, often complete with current and former MMA fighters, influencers, and those who spent their collegiate lives on the wrestling mat. Since its birth on August 30, 2025, the company has managed several viral moments, with legendary athletes being summoned to compete under the RAF banner and post-match brawls breaking out.

There have been some success stories in the RAF's short life, but none more than Arman Tsarukyan. The UFC lightweight cannot stay out of the public eye at the moment, having raised his brand from a relatively unknown fighter outside of combat sports to an internet sensation in a matter of months. A large part of his rise to fame is his controversial moments under the RAF banner, and he provided another viral hit once again this weekend.

After a successful three-fight stint, Tsarukyan would take on MMA veteran Urijah Faber. Many expected the Armenian to make light work of the uber-talented but past-his-prime Faber, and that's what he did.

Tsarukyan asserted his dominance from the start, building an early 8-0 lead and running away with the victory following a series of snap-downs, gut wrenches, and pins.

Arman Tsarukyan wins the main event matchup over Faber by techfall. pic.twitter.com/bCRhmStdd4

— InfaWrest (@InfaWrest) April 19, 2026

However, despite the performance, a wild moment in the second period captured the headlines. Tsarukyan overshot on a single-leg takedown, driving both himself and his opponent off the stage and crashing onto the concrete floor.

The takedown would have secured the win for the 29-year-old, who already had the commanding lead, though he would later earn it in period 3 with a tech fall victory (13-1). The chaotic event was met with an explosion of cheers from those in attendance, and surprisingly, neither fighter suffered any injury during the fall.

Arman Tsarukyan just tackled Urijah Faber off the stage during their wrestling match at RAF 08!

(🎥: @mikeHeck_JR) pic.twitter.com/EXOXkLip5W

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 19, 2026

An alternate angle of the incident shows just how bad things could have ended up for either fighter and how lucky they are to be both escaping without any serious injuries.

Watch the alternate angle of the grimacing fall below.

Here's a different angle of Arman Tsarukyan pushing Urijah Faber off the mat. pic.twitter.com/0dAY5RpMX6

— 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓕𝓲𝓰𝓰𝔂 👹🩸 (@ChampFiggy) April 19, 2026

When used in controlled settings, psychedelic drugs have produced significant benefits for treating depression and neurological conditions. The United States is in the midst of a severe opioid crisis that is being considered one of the deadliest public health disasters in American history, causing the death of close to 600,000 people in the past two decades.

To combat the crisis and help millions, Donald Trump held a small ceremony at the White House. Trump sat in the Oval Office, accompanied by Joe Rogan, as he signed an executive order to push forward with the research into psychedelic drugs and the advantages they could give to the general public. Having raised concerns on his podcast, Rogan brought the issue to Trump's attention, resulting in the president springing into action.

"I want to tell everybody how this happened," Rogan said during his speech on the signing of the executive order. "I sent President Trump some information. We have a gigantic opiate problem in this country, obviously. In 2024, more than 80,000 people died of overdoses. It's a horrible number. And there are more than five million people that are addicted to opiates right now in this country. With one dose of ibagane, more than 80% of people are free of that addiction. With two doses, it's more than 90%."

"I sent him that information. The text message came back, 'Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it.' It was literally that quick. These drugs are illegal, not because they're harmful. They're illegal because of the 1970 Controlled Substances Act that was passed by the Richard Nixon administration. They did it to target the Civil Rights Movement and the anti-war movement. It's not because these drugs harm people. And for 56 years, we've lived under those terrible conditions. We're free of that now. We're free of that now. Thanks to all these people that you see next to me, and thanks to President Trump."

Joe Rogan has often discussed the matter on his podcast, delving into the possibility that some psychedelics could be beneficial. Alongside the epidemic that has taken the lives of many, mental health struggles are prevalent in the country.

After taking some time to research the true advantages psychedelics provide in their fight toward the psychological well-being of U.S. nationals, Donald Trump has acted. He thanked Rogan for highlighting the problem and credited Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and others for their input before signing the executive order.

"We all respect Joe, and he's a little bit more liberal than I am, but that's okay," Trump responded. "I have a lot of friends that are liberal. But Joe is an amazing guy, and he wrote me a little note about this and I had it checked out. I didn't just do it. I had it checked out. I went to [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] and [Dr. Mehmet Oz]. I went to some of the people that work for you, real pros. And everybody came back with the same answer..."

"I told [Kennedy Jr.], I said, 'Bobby, let's just do it and get Oz involved and it's going to get done so quickly.' And you guys did a great job."

The initiative aims to deliver a quicker solution for the government to check if mind-altering drugs can safely help people with mental issues, like PTSD, depression, or traumatic injuries to the brain, or those suffering from addiction.

During the event's post-fight press conferences, UFC CEO Dana White announced the fighter bonuses and Malott was included in the list.

Malott hurt Burns with a combination early in the third round of the featured fight. Burns got back to his feet and returned fire but was dropped a second time. Malott finished seconds later with a series of strikes on the ground. The finish was worth an extra $100,000.

Fight of the Night honors went to the co-main event fighters, Kyler Phillips and Charles Jourdain. The bantamweights put on a back and forth battle that resulted in Jourdain getting the judges' nod on the scorecards and both taking home a bonus check.

The final 'Performance of the Night' bonus went to featherweight Márcio Barbosa. Barbosa faced Dennis Buzukja in the featured bout on the preliminary fight card. 80 seconds into the match, Barbosa connected with a left hook that immediately ended the fight.

LEFT HOOK HITS HOME 🏠

Marcio Barbosa is UNREAL in the Octagon!

[ #UFCWinnipeg | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/LnItR6wglx

— UFC (@ufc) April 18, 2026

14,051 spectators attended the event generated a gate receipt total of $1.9 million. Burns vs. Malott was the third time the fight promotion has hosted an event in Winnipeg.

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

UFC Winnipeg Post-Fight Press Conference

Burns entered the bout desperately looking for a win. The 39 year-old had lost his last four fights. He hadn't won a bout since April 2023 but is no easy out for anyone. Malott brought a three-fight winning streak with him to the cage and had won nine of his last ten outings.

Burns landed first with a leg kick as the two stood in the center of the cage. Malott pressed forward with a combination. Burnms dug to the body with a hook. Malott connected with a counter combination. His jab began finding a home. Burns landed leg kick and fired off a right hand. Malott responded with a leg kick. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Malott.

Burns looked for takedowns but wasn't able to secure on in the early going. Malott stepped in with an uppercut. He landed a clean right hand. Burns went back to delivering leg kicks. Malott found his range and landed another right hand. Burns committed on a takedown attempt but was denied, again. Malott's jab continued to land. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Malott.

Burns landed two right hands to start the third frame. Malott pressed forward. Burns looked for a takedown but against was denied. Malott pressured Burns. He landed a left hook that knocked Burnw down. Burns got up and fired back. Malott dropped him again and finished with a series of strikes on the ground.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:08 of the third frame.

UFC Winnipeg Start Time

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

UFC Winnipeg Official Results

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

• Mike Malott def. Gilbert Burns via TKO (punches) at 2:08, Round 3
• Charles Jourdain def. Kyler Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jai Herbert def. Mandel Nallo via TKO (punches) at 2:05, Round 1
• Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Karine Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Gauge Young def. Thiago Moises via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)

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

• Marcio Barbosa def. Dennis Buzukja via KO (punch) at 1:20, Round 1
• Robert Valentin def. Julien Leblanc via Submission (rear naked choke) at 2:22, Round 1
• Gokhan Saricam def. Tanner Boserv via TKO (punches) at 4:43, Round 2
• Melissa Croden def. Daria Zhelezniakova via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• JJ Aldrich def. Jamey-Lyn Horth via unanimous décision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• John Castaneda def. Mark Vologdin via Draw (majority) (29–27, 28–28, 28–28)
• John Yannis def Jamie Siraj via TKO (elbows) at 2:43, Round 1

The event is headlined by a welterweight bout between former title challenger Gilbert Burns and Canadian Mike Malott. It will be the third time the fight promotion has held and event in Winnipeg.

UFC Winnipeg Final Face-Offs Video

The fighters competing at Canada Life Centre officially weighed in early on Friday with all fighters hitting their marks. The event is headlined by a welterweight bout between former title challenger Gilbert Burns and Canadian Mike Malott. Both men came in at 171 pounds.

UFC Winnipeg Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

All fighters officially weighed weight for the contests. The event is headlined by a welterweight bout between former title challenger Gilbert Burns and Canadian Mike Malott. Both men came in at 171 pounds.

Main event ready 💪@GilbertDurinho | 171 lbs

[ #UFCWinnipeg | APRIL 18 | 8pmET LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/ou3V3Bjxzp

— UFC (@ufc) April 17, 2026

PROPER 🤜@Michael_Malott weighs in at 171 lbs for his main event bout!

[ #UFCWinnipeg | APRIL 18 | 8pmET LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/xHpBpDz8GM

— UFC (@ufc) April 17, 2026

UFC Winnipeg Official Weigh-In Results

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

• Gilbert Burns (171) vs. Mike Malott (171)
• Charles Jourdain (136) vs. Kyler Phillips (135)
• Jai Herbert (155.5) vs. Mandel Nallo (155.5)
• Jasmine Jasudavicius (125) vs. Karine Silva (125.5)
• Thiago Moises (156) vs. Gauge Young (155.5)

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

• Marcio Barbosa (145) vs. Dennis Buzukja (145.5)
• Julien Leblanc (185.5) vs. Robert Valentin (186)
• Tanner Boser (244.5) vs. Gokhan Saricam (244.5)
• Melissa Croden (135.5) vs. Daria Zhelezniakova (136)
• JJ Aldrich (125.5) vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth (126)
• John Castaneda (139) vs. Mark Vologdin (138.5)
• Jamie Siraj (136) vs. John Yannis (136)

Starting out as good friends, their relationship deteriorated when, according to Covington, Jones began using banned substances that altered his personality.

"We were roommates. Bunk bed, dude. I had to put him on the top bunk bed because I used to sleep walk. I didn't want to fall off the top bunk, so I went on the bottom bunk. He went on the top at Iowa Central," Covington explained during an interview with Daniel Cormier.

"It wasn't until my last year in college (that I started to dislike Jones) when he started using testosterone because he wanted to beef up from 197 to heavyweight. So, his plan was like, 'Hey, let's just start doing a bunch of testosterone to get strength and get bigger.' That's when his mood swings started going all over the place. He started yelling at me for little sh*t. LIke, I'd leave my shoes up front by the door. 'What the f*ck Colby? Why are your shoes by the door? I almost tripped on them.' Freaking out, making a big deal out of something."

"I'm being real. That's the honest truth," Covington continued. "He would freak out about little sh*t that didn't matter just because he was having mood swings from all the chemicals and the steroids he was putting in his body. That's facts. No one can dispute that. He failed two or three steroid tests. The guy's a cheater, bro. He was doing it in college because he wanted to bulk up to heavyweight. He didn't want to go 197 anymore."

Obviously, the biggest stars garner the biggest paydays, but the debuting fighter's compensation makes it difficult for the aspiring athlete to be a full-time fighter.

Rousey returns to the cage in May in the main event of the Netflix and Most Valuable Promotion's first MMA event and she revealed the minimum pay for fighters in the Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian owned fight promotion.

"I think it's really important to raise the ceiling but also that we raise the floor," Rousey said during the Rousey vs. Carano NYC Press Conference. "One thing I'm really proud of in this fight is the absolute minimum that anybody will walk away with, even if they don't have a big, long record, even if they lose is $40,000. And if you fight three times in a year, that's much more than a living wage and that's something the UFC can not say."

"I hope that after this event we can keep raising that ceiling higher and higher and higher until it is on par with the highest level boxers because that is really where the Holy Grail for us is. And this is just the beginning."

The event takes place on May 16, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Rousey, 39, last fought in December 2016. Carano, 43, hasn’t fought since August 2009, but they're proving they can still move the needle.

"El Matador" faced former featherweight champion Max Holloway in the UFC 308 main event in October 2024. Early in the third round, Topuria knocked the Hawaiian out.

He relinquished the 145-pound belt and moved up to the 155-pound division following the win over Holloway. He then knocked out Charles Oliveira to become a two-division UFC champion. The 29 year-old puts the lightweight championship on the line in the UFC Freedom 250 main event at the White House on June 14 against two-time interim titleholder Justin Gaethje.

Hokit won the fight via unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the bout the same, 29-28. Blaydes, however, doesn't agree with the Judes and believes he should have had his hand raised instead.

"I was surprised. I was expecting Herb [Dean] to pick my hand up. I really was," Blaydes told TMZ Sports. "I was a little bit in shock. I was like, damn, I thought I did enough."

Blaydes hasn't seen the full replay of the fight but has watches most of the clips posted online. He believes his wrestling should have gotten him the nod.

"It looked like, yeah, it was a hell of a fight. I won a lot of those exchanges, and he won a lot of those exchanges. It seemed split, but then you add in the wrestling. He didn't get any of his wrestling going. I Got mine going," said Blaydes. "That was really the main reason I thought I won because I knew on the strikes it was event. But then when you add the grappling, I know I won that."

The fight was a violent back-and-forth slugfest and Blaydes' face was showing the damage early in the opening round. "Razor" suffered an orbital injury and a broken nose but feels 'good' four days removed from the event.

"I feel good. Early on, I was on pain meds. I was on Percocet because I have the orbital and broken nose but I haven't had any of those in a day, so I still feel good. And if you watched the fight, I know everybody did, he didn't hit me anywhere else besides the face, so my legs are good, my arms are good, everything else is good," said Blaydes.

"I think he broke the nose on that early overhand in the first round. That's where all the blood from. I think that was like the biggest deciding factor for the judges was all the blood I was spilling."

Despite being away from the octagon for almost a decade, Rousey remains atop the biggest names in women's mixed martial arts. The less-than-impressive end to her career didn't stifle her career status, with many fighters still referencing the 39-year-old, both positively and negatively.

One of those who has sided against Ronda Rousey is fellow judo practitioner Kayla Harrison. The pair have traded shots at each opportunity they get, but none come close to the destructive speech Rousey gave while attending the Most Valuable Promotions presser this week.

"Gina [Carano] is so relevant that she's the whole reason that the 145-pound division even exists," Rousey said, defending her upcoming opponent against Harrison's comments. "And I am so relevant that the only reason she has a job at the UFC is because of me. And Kayla is so irrelevant that she couldn't even keep the 145-pound division around."

"And honestly, she's just sour because no matter what she does or what she accomplishes, she can't change the fact that she has the charisma of a wet towel, and will always be in me and Gina's shadow. So, the next time she wants to talk sh*t, she should look down at her feet and consider who paved the road that she's walking on. Oh, wait, she can't look down at her feet because she's too busy holding on to the belt in a neck brace."

View this post on Instagram

Rousey's attack became more personal. The martial arts icon-turned-pro wrestler recalled a less fortunate time for Harrison, in which she was forced to help pay for her groceries.

"Then she goes on and says that I lied about training in judo in Canada in like 2006," Rousey stated. "Like, who the f*** are you to call me a liar? Okay. I was training there for five months. Bit**, you weren't even there. Over the last decade and a half of being a public figure, I have cultivated a reputation for being unabashedly truthful. This bit** just got here and was already caught in a lie."

"What did she say after she won the belt? She said, 'Oh, I'm never going to say anything bad about Ronda. She took care of me when I was broke in Japan and bought me groceries.' How about you shut the f*** up and eat your groceries."

Aiming once again at the UFC and Hunter Campbell, Ronda Rousey went on to discredit the company's credibility.

The rumored Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes clash is being billed as the biggest women's fight of all time, but Rousey stole the show as she not-so-politely disagreed with that sentiment.

"Her and Hunter [are] trying to act like her next upcoming fight is the biggest women's fight of all time," Rousey continued. "Then why is it being booked as a co-main for a men's interim title fight? The bit** isn't even bigger than Paddy 'The Baddy'. No offense to Paddy. I think he's got more potential than anybody in the UFC, and he should call me when his contract runs out."

"Here's another contradiction that I think is a f***ing kicker. If she thinks that her fight is the biggest women's fight of all time, why is she getting paid less now than I was 10 years ago? So, riddle me this, bit**: are you overvalued or are you underpaid?"

"And what really pisses me off more than anything else, yeah, I'm not f***ing done, is how small she thinks. This is not just the biggest women's fight of all time. This is the biggest MMA fight of all time. It's going to get the most views on the biggest platform on a card with the biggest stars. And it was all assembled by and will be headlined by two women who dare to dream big. And this dream is going to bring more opportunities and greater revenue share to fighters than they've ever had before because this fight is bigger than just me and Gina, and it's bigger than anybody on this stage. It represents an unstoppable force of change in this industry, spearheaded by the fighters themselves. Bet your f***ing asses it's the biggest MMA fight of all time, bar none."

Lobov alleged he and McGregor had a handshake deal where Lobov was promised a 5 percent share of the company. McGregor maintained there was never a deal. On Wednesday, the two reached a settle in the case according to The Irish Times.

Though his legal counsel, Mark Lynam, McGregor indicated that he was happy the lawsuit was resolved. McGregor thanked Lobov “for his hard work for my whiskey business”, Lynam said.

The details of the agreement were not disclosed, although Lobov said he was happy with the outcome leaving the court.

The marquee names will be in New York on Wednesday to promote the upcoming fight card. The press conference streams live on MMAWeekly.com at 6 p.m. ET.

Rousey vs Carano: NYC Press Conference

'Black Jag' beat Jiri Prochazka in the curtain closer at UFC 327 by knockout despite being incredibly compromised. Early reports state that the 35-year-old suffered an ACL tear from a misstep during his fight on Saturday, which could keep him out for the better part of a year. Expected to be out for a lengthy time, and an interim title fight likely being made to find a stand-in champion in his absence, it seems the newly-crowned light heavyweight king has taken the losing his belt news too literally.

Earlier this week, Carlos Ulberg revealed that following his title-winning knockout, the celebrations were colossal. A gathering with family and friends then led to a Miami nightclub, where he accidentally misplaced the gold he had just won.

"I've lost the belt," Ulberg told Fox Sports Australia. "I don't know exactly where it is. Initially, after winning, the plan was to not have a drink. But you know how these things go, right? First, someone gives you a champagne to celebrate. Then one thing leads to another, and you're doing shots. So it's, 'OK, I'll have another, and another, and another.'"

"We've got a big group of boys over here in Miami and, when the fight was done, we all went out to the afterparty at a nightclub. Then after that, it was back to one of the boys' apartments, and we all hung out there. I didn't want to be carrying the belt around, so I think it's still there at the apartment somewhere. One of the boys probably has it in bed with him."

Making light of the situation, Carlos Ulberg believes the issue will be resolved and that his championship will be returned to him before he heads back to his home country for a hero's welcome.

Ulberg has decided to remain in the United States for scans and, if necessary, will opt to have surgery before planning his return to New Zealand. If all goes well for the new king of the 205ers, he will stay in Las Vegas and utilize the UFC PI for a few weeks during his stay.

"My knee is really swollen, so I'll stay in the U.S. for scans and then, if I need to go under the knife, I will," Ulberg continued. "I think I'll fly to Las Vegas in the next few days and see doctors there. Then I can do physio at the UFC Performance Institute and get looked after by the guys there. That's the plan. Get the knee sorted in Las Vegas and hang around for a few weeks..."

"Well, I've been hobbling around everywhere. So my knee isn't really wanting to forgive me right now. It's all been a crazy, crazy whirlwind and I'm just going with it."

This isn't the first time Carlos Ulberg has dealt with an injury throughout his career in combat sports.

Before dropping the ring for the octagon, Ulberg suffered a broken hand in kickboxing. Much more inexperienced as an athlete at the time, he would go on holiday without addressing the issue, which won't be the case this time around.

"It's been a bit like when I was kickboxing and broke my hand during King of the Ring. It was in the second fight on the night where I fought three times. Then, after fighting, I'd actually booked a holiday that weekend, so still went away. It was only after getting back that I went and saw a doctor who said, 'You need surgery...' I think that's what we're facing now."

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The 52-year-old has fallen on hard times professionally, financially, and personally since departing the UFC. Despite being a true knockout specialist, Hunt believed himself to be blacklisted by other promotions following his failed lawsuit with the UFC and subsequent departure. In 2024, 'Super Samoan' admitted to brain damage symptoms, which have also played a role in his hesitancy to return to combat sports. Now, adding to his long list of misfortunes, the New Zealand native has become entangled in a stalking scandal.

On Tuesday evening local time, police were called to an address, resulting in the arrest of Mark Hunt before he was taken into custody. Hunt was later transported to Ballina Police Station in Northern Rivers, Australia, a region north of Sydney, where he stayed until his court appearance on Wednesday. The MMA veteran was later charged with one count of stalking or intimidation with intent to cause physical harm.

The court was also informed that Hunt allegedly became aggressive and behaved in an intimidating manner towards the woman in question, and even reportedly sent death threats.

"I'm just going to murder you in the end anyway," the haunting text sent by Hunt to the victim allegedly read.

Despite the severity of Mark Hunt's apparent message, his defense team disputed the claim, and no separate charge was filed. After initially being refused, Hunt was afforded bail with strict conditions. Should the conditions be met, his next court appearance will be on April 30 at Ballina Local Court, where an application for an Apprehended Violence Order, an order that will prevent any further threats or stalking from Hunt for the woman's safety, will be considered.

Even the best officials are prone to mistakes, as seen inside the octagon with the likes of Herb Dean, Jason Herzog, and Marc Goddard. Unlike other sports, one referee's fault may not be too damaging, but that isn't the case in combat sports, as one seemingly minor slip-up can lead to a lifetime of damage.

There have been many instances where referees are too late to stop a fight, allowing someone to take unnecessary damage. Hoping to improve this area of MMA, former UFC light heavyweight champion and The Ultimate Fighter 1 winner, Forrest Griffin, shared a potential fix to the issues.

"This message is in no way, shape, or form reflective of the UFC and/or their viewpoints," Griffin said in a video on Instagram. "But, I had a thought as I was watching these fights this weekend. Why isn't there a fitness test or reaction test to be a referee? Shouldn't you have to be able to move x amount of human off of x amount of human, right?"

"Like, shouldn't you have to react? Like, shouldn't there be some formal testing to make sure that you're about to, you know, intervene in the fight at the right time, and saving someone's health? I don't know. Why isn't there? Maybe there should be."

The sport's officiating could use a big revamp. As Forrest Griffin rightfully stated, better training and stricter evaluation would ensure the best in class are hand-picked, guaranteeing fewer mistakes and better overall performances each week.

Listen to Griffin's referee rant below.

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UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the fight promotion is in talks with "Gamebred" during the UFC 327 Post-Fight Press Conference last Saturday in Miami.

"We have no fights for him right now. We have nothing done with him," White said. "He's talking to us."

"We're talking," Masvidal told UFC on Paramount+. "We're definitely talking. We've been talking for a minute, you know. We just haven't landed on that thing. You guys know ... how the UFC is. I love them to death But man, they make you work for every single thing. and it's always like it's not quite what you want it to be a lot of times, so we're working. We're going to get something done, though."

At 41, Masvial would prefer proper time to prepare to make the walk to the octagon again. Ideally, he'd be ready to fight in "four or five months" and would accept a fight at welterweight if it's the right opponent.

"I think the more time they give me to prepare the better, obviously. So a good four months, five months from here would be perfect," he said. "I will take a fight at welterweight if it's the right names that I'm asking. There's a name or two I'm asking ... Look, if they give me the Leon [Edwards] fight, I'll get to 170 by tomorrow. No kidding. Quick. I would like that fight, you know."

Unranked Hokit faced No. 5 ranked Curtis Blaydes in a main card matchup and was part of what some are calling the greatest heavyweight bout of all time. He defeated Blaydes via unanimous decision and banked two performance-based bonuses totaling $200,000.

In the fight card's co-main event, former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa handed No. 6 ranked Azamat Murzakanov his first career loss. It was Costa's return to the 205-pound weight class and he scored a head kick finish. According to Costa, Hokit received a bonus that should have went to him.

"Hey Josh Hokit you got my BONUS MTFK , I gonna fuc u up next time ur fucking bum," Costa posted on X.

Hey Josh Hokit you got my BONUS MTFK , I gonna fuc u up next time ur fucking bum

— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 13, 2026

It wasn't long before Hokit to respond. "Fight Deez Nutz… but yes of course, I got like 20% body fat but don’t get it twisted my Incredible Hok Juice is far more superior then your Secret Juice," he replied.

"Fat ass you owe me 100k bônus," Costa responded.

Fat ass you owe me 100k bônus . #danawhite @POTUS https://t.co/xol9i9HiQU pic.twitter.com/g1II1K6G1g

— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 13, 2026

Hokit didn't let it end there. He responded, "Id take you down and suffocate you with this belly… and take all your women from you… they prefer a dad bod anyways…"

Id take you down and suffocate you with this belly… and take all your women from you… they prefer a dad bod anyways… https://t.co/jAXENcR0CB

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

Costa called for the two to fight for the 'real' BMF. Hokit seemingly accepted the challenge. "I'll eat your heart," he said.

Costa x Huk for real BMF
-no weight limit
-no boring hugs
-winner takes all

— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 14, 2026

I’ll eat your heart https://t.co/j8iBxCqAzx

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