Strickland recently stated he’s considering relinquishing his 185-pound world title, fighting out his UFC contract and leaving the organization for boxing. His biggest complaint centers around fighter pay but in an Instagram story, “Tarzan” said he’s “over MMA.”

“I crashed out a little. Let me explain my frustration,” Strickland wrote on Instagram. “I think I’m just over MMA. My body is wrecked from 21 years of training … Boxing is just easier and way more fun.

“I’ve always been a boxer who’s does MMA. Just ready for boxing. My heart isn’t in MMA anymore.”

Strickland last fought at UFC 328 in May, defeating Khamzat Chimaev via spit decision to pick up the middleweight crown a second time. He’s expected to be back in the octagon in December but with each social media post that becomes more and more in question.

Kennedy is a decorated Army sniper and special forces operator. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and doesn’t shy away from telling war stories during his time defending the country. But despite his experience in the field, Kennedy came close to a fatal injury while in DRC.

According to reports, Tim Kennedy was part of a three-man squad that came under fire during an ambush in Central Africa. The attack took place on September 17, when Kennedy’s element came under fire. Throughout the ambush, Kennedy sustained multiple gunshot wounds, most notably three shots to the leg. The squad’s evacuation allegedly took close to eight hours, but Kennedy was medevaced back to the United States for medical treatment, where he remains in stable condition.

While no official reports have surfaced on their purpose for being in Congo, rumors have come to light linking the operatives to a U.S. private military firm associated with Erik Prince, an American businessman and Blackwater founder. Other reports claim they may have clashed with Russia’s Africa Corps during their operation, though neither claim has been confirmed.

Despite being struck with several gunshot wounds, Tim Kennedy was the lucky one. Lance Corporal Justin Conaglen, a former elite New Zealand SAS member, was tragically killed during the altercation. New Zealand authorities have opened an investigation into Conaglen’s death, but no official comment has been made by any of the survivors due to the strict operational security and non-disclosure boundaries common with other private military contracting.

Alongside Tim Kennedy being wounded and the devastating loss of Conaglen, there was a third unnamed agent who was also injured.

Stay tuned for further updates as the story of Tim Kennedy’s ambush continues to unfold.

Imavov (17-4) has been aggressively lobbying to get a title shot and rematch with Strickland (31-7) recently but Strickland appears to be at odds with the fight promotion over money. He tracked the champion down at the UFC PI and confronted him. Championship Rounds posted footage of the exchange on X.

Nassourdine Imavov just ran into Sean Strickland in Las Vegas and it got HEATED 😳

🗣️ Imavov: “What is your problem? You not sign the contract?”

🗣️ Strickland: “Say what?”

🗣️ Imavov: “Money? I have money, I give. Hey I’m here, where are you going?” pic.twitter.com/wVA0xuJchP

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 7, 2026

Prior to tracking Strickland down at the UFC PI, Imavov went to Strickland’s gym to confront the champion. “I’m here in your gym. Sign the contract. Do you need a pen? Or do you need balls,” he said in a video posted to social media.

Strickland responded to Imavov and the situation. “”Cringe… his training partner knows our schedule because he’s trained with us. But instead chose to go to the PI with the nicest underpaid staff and full security to get content,” Strickland wrote on X. “It was all fake content. If anything it’s just mildly uncomfortable. 4 guys with iPhones and security lol I just felt awkward.”

Nassourdine Imavov actually pulled up to Sean Strickland’s gym earlier today, but Sean wasn’t there, so Imavov headed to the UFC PI 😳

“I’m here in your gym. Sign the contract. Do you need a pen? Or do you need balls?” https://t.co/8GiEtaJNDD pic.twitter.com/1lQvcy6B8Z

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 8, 2026

Strickland and Imavov first fought at UFC Fight Night 217 in January 2023. “Tarzan” defeated the Russia via unanimous decision. He’s expected to be back in the octagon in December but on Wednesday revealed that he’s considering relinquishing the 185-pound championship, fighting out his UFC contract and transitioning over to boxing.

Strickland’s beef with the organization is over money. He doesn’t feel like he’s being paid his worth and cites others earning much more. He believes greener pastures may be in boxing and called out Jake Paul.

“I gotta be honest unless things change with the UFC Im kinda over it,” Strickland wrote on X. “[Conor] McGregor makes 30 million to fight for 30 second and they dont want to pay us a fraction of it. Contemplating just going to 205 knocking out my contract and scrapping with @jakepaul That sounds fun.”

I gotta be honest unless things change with the UFC Im kinda over it.

McGregor makes 30 million to fight for 30 second and they dont want to pay us a fraction of it.

Contemplating just going to 205 knocking out my contract and scrapping with @jakepaul

That sounds fun.

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) October 7, 2026

“It’s just hard McGregor 30 million. Some lame boxer 15 million,” he wrote in a followup post. “The thought of just giving up my belt going to 205 and speed running my contract to fight Jake [Paul] and make what these guys are making sounds pretty damn appealing.”

Its just hard McGregor 30 million
Some lame boxer 15 million

The thought of just giving up my belt going to 205 and speed running my contract to fight Jake and make what these guys are making sounds pretty damn appealing

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) October 7, 2026

Pavlovich will look to extend his three-fight winning streak and earn a title fight while Pereira hopes to rebound from a TKO loss to champion Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut. It’s a matchup former middleweight titleholder Chris Weidman considers a ‘pick’em.’

“It’s an exciting fight because I don’t really know what’s going to happen. I have no idea,” Weidman said The Deep Waters. “It’s pretty much a pick’em.”

“I’ve got to go for Pereira, man. I just feel like his back’s against the wall right now. He’s so upset and frustrated, chip on his shoulder coming off this loss. Every time he’s lost, he came back and won.

“He lost to Izzy (Israel Adesanya), goes up to 205, did his thing up there. I just think Pereira’s got that championship mindset. I’m going to say he figures it out, but man that’s a tough fight. It’s a tough fight to call.”

“I think the game changer for Pereira is calf kicks,” Weidman said. “I think the kicks. I think he could out kick him and kind of stay out of boxing range to start the fight and kind of cut down the legs of Pavlovich.”

UFC 335 is headlined by a BMF title fight between titleholder Charles Oliveiraand former two-time featherweight title challenger Diego Lopes. It will be Lopes’ lightweight debut.

Four of the five bouts ended in the first frame. Hear what the winners and Dana White had to say during the post-fight press conference.

DWCS 10 – Week 9 Post-Fight Press Conference

In the headlining bout, light heavyweights Nell Ariano and Preston LaGrange ended in the first round. LaGrange landed big early and Ariano employed his clinch game. On a break, LaGrange let his hands go, pressed forward and finished with a clean right hand. Four of the five buts ended in the first frame.

Welterweight Salhahuddin Everett and Ozzy Martin wasted no time letting their hands go. Everett, a UFC employee, pressed forward and ended it with a right hand midway through the opening round. He extended his record to 5-0 with five first-round stoppages.

Lightweight Mateus Soares scored the first finish off the night in the second bout. He only needed 63 seconds to stop Mateus Soares via knockout. Flyweight Roque Conceicao picked up a first-round submission win over Alexander Chavez in the third match.

Women’s bantamweights Alivia Bierley and Summer Onley kicked off the fight card. The opening round played out mostly on their feet with neither fighter gaining an edge. Bierrley’s grappling took over in the second frame and she logged a dominant round of ground and pound. The bout went the distance with Bierley picking up a unanimous decision and handing Onley her first career loss.

DWCS 10 – Week 9 Official Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 7 p.m. ET)

• Preston LaGrange def. Nell Ariano via KO (punches) at 2:24, Round 1
• Sal Everett def. Ozzy Martin via KO (punch) at 1:57, Round 1
• Roque Conceicao def. Alexander Chavez via submission (triangle choke) at 3:37, Round 1
• Mateus Soares def. Ryuho Miyaguchi via KO (punches) at 1:03, Round 1
• Alivia Bierley def. Summer Onley via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

The two former training partners fought in the UFC 328 main event in May and Strickland edged out “Borz” via split decision to become a two-time middleweight titleholder. Chimaev not only lost the championship, it was the first loss of his career.

Ever since the scorecards were read inside Prudential Cedner in Newark, New Jersey, Chimaev has been lobbying for a rematch. On Monday, he made Strickland an offer and doesn’t care if the fight takes place inside or outside of the octagon.

“[Strickland] I will pay you 1 🍋. Send me location and let’s fight don’t care outside inside the cage,” the Chechen wrote on X.

Striciland I will pay you 1 🍋
Send me location and let’s fight don’t care outside inside the cage 🦾

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) October 5, 2026

In the lead up to their May showdown, the two engaged in heated and personal exchanges during press conferences during the event’s buildup. They seemed to put their differences aside following the bout, but have recently rekindled the rivalry. At the time of publication, Strickland hadn’t responded to Chimaev’s callout offer.

Pereira relinquished his 205-pound world championship in April to move up to the heavyweight division and chase history. “Poatan” wanted to become the first three-division champion in the promotion’s history. He was defeated via second-round TKO to interim champion Ciryl Gane on the UFC Freedom 250 fight card at The White House this past June.

Over the weekend, during the UFC 332 broadcast, Pereira’s next fight was announced and he’s remaining in the heavyweight division. The Brazilian faces former interim title challenger Sergei Pavlovich in the UFC 335 co-main event in December. Cormier believes the 205-pound weight class is where Pereira should be.

“I believe that he should fight at 205. I think that’s the sweet spot for Alex Pereira,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I think heavyweight’s big. I think 185 is like killing him to make the weight. I think 205 is that sweet spot where he can ultimately max out his powers.”

“I can understand where Alex is going, ‘Why should I ever have to cut weight again in my life?’ He hits so hard. He’s got so much power,” continued Cormier. “He has all the skill and ability to be as good as he wants in any weight class he wants. But, there are weight classes for a reason. And I think heavyweight is like right at that limit of probably where he shouldn’t be.”

While “DC” thinks light heavyweight is the best division for Pereira, he also believes the Brazilian has the skillset to become a heavyweight champion.

“Alex does have the potential to become a heavyweight world champion,” said Cormier. “Size does matter in fighting, in wrestling. In any combat sport, size does matter at a particular point, especially when you start getting to the elite of the elite in that division.”

The fight promotion made the announcement during Saturday’s UFC 332 broadcast and oddsmakers quickly put out the betting lines. Pereira opened as a slight underdog to the Russian. BetOnline Sports & Casino set the odds at Pereira +105 and Pavlovich -120.

Pavlolvich (21-3) will enter the fight coming off a 39-second knockout win over Tallison Teixeira in May. He’s won three fights in a row and will be looking to extend the streak and earn a title shot.

Pereira relinquished his light heavyweight crown to move to the heavyweight division in his last outing in an effort to become the first three-division champion in UFC history. He was defeated by Ciryl Gane via second-round TKO on the UFC Freedom 250 fight card this past June. A win over Pavlovich could put the Brazilian back on a collision course with a championship bout.

UFC 335 is headlined by a BMF title fight between titleholder Charles Oliveira and former two-time featherweight title challenger Diego Lopes. It will be Lopes’ lightweight debut.

Leading up to his UFC 332 bout against Deiveson Figueiredo, Talbot claimed the former champion turned down the matchup. Talbot defeated Figueiredo via first-round TKO on Saturday in the fight card’s co-main event and used his mic time to call out “Suga.”

“I just mopped the floor with two champions back-to-back and I want another one,” Talbot said in his post-fight interview. “Sean O’Malley, you can’t run forever. Give the people what they want.”

O’Malley responded to Talbot’s claims, calling them ‘bullish*t.”

“I’m here to f**king address these rumors that I got offered Payton Talbott for the White House,” O’Malley said. “That is just absolutely bullsh*t.”

Sean O’Malley responds to the rumors that he got offered to fight Payton Talbott at the White House 😅

“That is just absolutely bullsh*t.”

(via @SugaSeanMMA) pic.twitter.com/PHKZyfGupp

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 3, 2026

O’Malley also addressed Talbot in an Instagram story. “4 out of the last 7 fights have been against three of the greatest bantamweights of all time,” O’Malley said. “Ain’t ducking no one.”

O’Malley is coming off a second-round TKO win over Aiemann Zahabi at the UFC White House event. He’s ranked third in the division while Talbot will likely jump into the Top 10 with his win over Figueiredo.

Tuesday’s fight card is headlined by bantamweights Alivia Bierley (5-1) and Summer Onley (6-0). On Monday, the athletes officially weighed in at the host hotel.

DWCS – Week 9 Official Weigh-In Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 7 p.m. ET)

• Alivia Bierley (135.5) vs. Summer Onley (136)
• Sal Everett (170) vs. Ozzy Martin (170)
• Alexander Chavez (125) vs. Roque Conceicao (124.5)
• Ryuho Miyaguchi (136) vs. Mateus Soares (135)
• Nell Ariano (205) vs. Preston LaGrange (199.5)

The 14-bout fight card featured 11 finishes. The event broke the UFC record for most knockouts in a single UFC event, surpassing UFC Fight Night 258. During the post-fight press conference, the fight promotion announced the winners of the $100,000 bonuses. Roman Kopylov, Imanol Rodríguez, Damian Pinas, and Johnny Walker earned “Performance of the Night” awards. All other finishers banked an extra $25,000.

Johnny Walker KOs Mick Parkin

Damian Pinas KOs Andrey Pulyaev in 75 seconds

Imanol Rodríguez takes out Alden Coria in first round

Roman Kopylov hammers Ateba Gautier

The 14-bout fight card featured 11 finishes.  The event broke the UFC record for most knockouts in a single UFC event, surpassing UFC Fight Night 258. Check out the event’s highlights including all 11 stoppages.

UFC 332 Full Event Highlights

The 14-bout fight card was headlined by a battle for the vacant women’s flyweight championship between top ranked contender Natalia Silva and No. 6 ranked Wang Cong. The event was the promotion’s fifth visit to Salt Lake City.

UFC 332 Post-Fight Press Conference

A high-stakes bantamweight bout between Payton Talbott and Deiveson Figueiredo takes place in the co-main event. King Green looks to extend his winning run to five, but must bypass the dangerous Esteban Ribovics. Khaos Williams welcomes the debuting Roberto Soldic, plus much more.

Refresh the page for the latest updates.

UFC 332 Live Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+ 8:00 PM ET)

• Natalia Silva def. Wang Cong via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
• Payton Talbott def. Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO (Punches) at 2:09, Round 1
• Esteban Ribovics def. King Green via TKO (Punches) at 4:08, Round 1
• Roberto Soldic def. Khaos Williams via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-28)
• Roman Kopylov def. Ateba Gautier via TKO (Punches) at 3:12, Round 1

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+ 4:00 PM ET)

• Imanol Rodriguez def. Alden Coria TKO (Body Kick and Punches) at 3:11, Round 1
• Damian Pinas def. Andrey Pulyaev via KO (Uppercut) at 1:15, Round 1
• Marcus McGhee def. Anthony Romero via TKO (Punches) at 4:58, Round 1
• Anthony Wint def. Lucas Armand via TKO (Punches) at 0:23, Round 1
• Johnny Walker def. Mick Parkin via KO (Knee) at 3:35, Round 1
• Jacobe Smith def. Bruce Whitehead via TKO (Punches) at 1:32, Round 1
• Alexander Hernandez def. Rafael Dos Anjos via TKO (Punches) at 3:12, Round 2
• Ismail Naurdiev def. Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Eric Nolan def. Court McGee via KO (Punch) at 3:26, Round 3

A devastating defeat last time out, Topuria sustained a lot of damage, forcing him to take a much-needed rest away from the octagon. After spending some time to recover, the former two-division UFC champion is preparing his comeback, with his sights set on reclaiming the gold. But is an immediate rematch against Justin Gaethje the right move?

Ilia Topuria could find himself fighting for the lightweight title upon his return. While passing on a title opportunity may not be the best idea, many believe he needs to earn his way back. Shaking off any ring rust and getting familiar with real-time combat again could be the smart move for Topuria, and Renato Moicano wants to be the sacrificial lamb.

“Ilia Topuria. That’s a name. He needs an easy fight, right? That’s the truth. We know how the UFC operates,” Moicano said. “Either they sacrifice him and Paddy Pimblett [against each other], or they’ll give him a fight to keep rolling. So the guy can get his confidence back. And I think his confidence is broken.”

“Look at how life works, man. A year ago- even less. Six months ago, I was saying this guy could possibly be one of the greatest of all time, but you’re only as good as your last fight. And he can come back. He can come back and knock out the next guy. And it would be a f***ing tough fight because I think this guy is p*ssed off, right?”

Moicano continued.

“I think that fight would make sense. I don’t know if the UFC will make it happen. I don’t even know if that’s the fight I’ll ask for.”

“He seems like an intelligent guy who will learn from his mistake. What was his mistake? He thought he could knock out a guy who’s difficult to KO. He thought he could knock him out at any moment.

(1/2) Renato Moicano argues he’s the perfect opponent to welcome Ilia Topuria back to the UFC

“Ilia Topuria. That’s a name. He needs an easy fight, right? That’s the truth. We know how the UFC operates.”

(🎥 @guicruzzz) pic.twitter.com/dGRSlS53mm

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 2, 2026

The undefeated welterweight last competed almost a year ago, defeating Sean Brady in a one-sided win. He sits at #3 in the division and believes one more victory will earn him a title shot. While it seemed all signs pointed toward an Ian Machado Garry clash, those rumors have been dispelled.

Discussing his UFC comeback, Michael Morales revealed neither Ian Machado Garry nor Carlos Prates will be his next opponent. Morales said Garry already has a fight booked and won’t be available for his ideal return window, while speculation suggests Prates is next in line for a title shot.

“As for my fights, I already have one lined up,” Morales said. “I was in Vegas discussing it because they hadn’t given me a fight for a whole year. We were pushing to see if we could fight in December, but it looks like the fight will be in January instead, against a very tough opponent.”

“It’s neither Prates nor Ian Garry. Neither wants to fight. And Ian Garry supposedly said I wasn’t available, but he already has a fight booked. He wanted to skip another fighter, and that’s supposedly why he wanted to fight me in December.”

Questions remain regarding who Michael Morales will face next. But the opponent doesn’t matter for Morales; his sights are firmly on a date with the champion.

A win in his next outing will extend Morales’ record to 19-0; one of the better unbeaten records in the UFC. He considers himself ready for a title shot and is relishing the opportunity.

“We accepted the January fight, which is my last fight before a title shot. I think that would be it. Then, God willing, we need to win that fight, and then we’ll fight for the title in June, God willing.

¡No Prates ni Garry! 👀

Michael Morales (@michaellmma) confirmó que peleará en enero pero no será con Carlos Prates ni Ian Garry.

Después de esta pelea, podría ir por el cinturón. pic.twitter.com/qTel39VsfN

— Juan Francisco Rueda (@juanfranrueda_) October 3, 2026

The event sees an underrated clash stand front and center for the vacant women’s UFC flyweight title. Natalia Silva expects to continue her almost decade-long unbeaten run, while striking phenom Wang Cong dreams of becoming the first Chinese UFC champion since Weili Zhang.

King Green, Payton Talbott, and the highly anticipated debut of Roberto Soldic also feature at UFC 332.

Check out the weights the fighters stepped on the scale at below.

UFC 332 Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

UFC 332 Weigh-In Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8:00 PM ET)

• Natalia Silva (125) vs. Wang Cong (124.5)
• Deiveson Figueiredo (135) vs. Payton Talbott (135.5)
• King Green (155.5) vs. Esteban Ribovics (156.5)*
• Roberto Soldic (170) vs. Khaos Williams (170)
• Ateba Gautier (184) vs. Roman Kopylov (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 4:00 PM ET)

• Imanol Rodriguez (126) vs. Alden Coria (126)
• Damian Pinas (185) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185.5)
• Marcus McGhee (144.5) vs. Anthony Romero (145)
• Anthony Wint (236) vs. Lucas Armand (263)
• Johnny Walker (242) vs. Mick Parkin (265.5)
• Jacobe Smith (171) vs. Bruce Whitehead (170)
• Rafael Dos Anjos (155.5) vs. Alexander Hernandez (155)
• Marvin Vettori (185.5) vs. Ismail Naurdiev (184.5)
• Court McGee (170) vs. Eric Nolan (170)

* Ribovics missed the lightweight limit by a half pound. 20 percent of his purse is awarded to his opponent.

A grueling affair opposite Raul Rosas Jr. was going well for Barcelos on September 26. The pair entered the fight on lengthy win streaks, with a big win for either man pushing them closer to a title shot. Despite a brilliant performance that put him ahead on all three judges’ scorecards going into the final round, the Brazilian passed out; many believe it was due to a cardiac arrest or stroke. The 39-year-old was stretchered out of the cage and rushed to hospital, where he stayed for several nights. Fans worried for Barcelos’ safety, not knowing if his quality of life would be threatened by the scary events. Positive news has since surfaced, claiming the veteran was awake, talking to his friends and family, and able to walk around. But fans still sought answers for what happened on that fateful night.

Now, six days after the situation unfolded in the octagon, countryman Glover Teixeira has revealed exactly what happened to Raoni Barcelos.

“It looked like it was a headbutt there. The kid accidentally headbutted him, but we didn’t know,” Teixeira said. “And, man, being carried out on a stretcher at that moment- it was the most desperate moment in MMA… It was something out of nowhere that made us think of several things.”

Teixeira continued.

“Could it have been his heart? Could it have been a brain injury? That’s what happened there. They did the exams, and there was swelling in the brain, so it was a traumatic brain injury. Maybe that swelling knocked him out. His body, the body’s defense mechanism- let’s stop, because this guy isn’t going to stop.”

“His mind was stronger than his body. I’m going to say it this way: he didn’t want to give up.”

The baddest motherf***er label used to mean something in the UFC. While the champion aspect of holding the title wasn’t taken entirely seriously, fans loved the thought of a big fight that they knew would deliver. One that didn’t have to make sense. It wasn’t a ranked fight; losing had no real repercussions—just two of the sport’s most fun fighters colliding for the title of baddest. But lately, the magic of the BMF has gone. The fights no longer live up to expectations. Viewers have come to dread it rather than anticipate it. And that’s where King Green comes in.

Green has experienced somewhat of a career resurgence. After losing three of four from late 2023 to early 2025, all by stoppage, the future looked bleak. Now, in seven months, the 40-year-old is riding a four-fight win streak and hopes to make it five straight this Saturday. Esteban Ribovics is the final hurdle in Green’s best-ever UFC run, but that’s not all a win could do for the veteran.

During the UFC pre-fight press conference, Dana White was asked if the BMF can return to its core: fighters who compete for the fans, no matter the opponent or location. White liked the idea and gave the nod for King Green to be next in line for the BMF title.

The lineage of the BMF championship falls on Charles Oliveira. He managed to beat Max Holloway to claim the belt, but his performance left much to be desired.

Win, lose, or draw, Green comes to fight. If he is victorious on Saturday. He, more than anyone, would be the perfect man to bring the spark back to an area of the sport that has lost it.

Watch King Green and more at the UFC 332 press conference below.

The high-flying Payton Talbott faces the dangerous veteran Deiveson Figueiredo in the co-headliner, while King Green looks to build on his four-fight win streak at the expense of Esteban Ribovics. Roberto Soldic also makes his UFC debut.

Check out all the action from the UFC 332 Pre-Fight Press Conference below.

UFC 332 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video

‘The Baddy’ has ruffled many feathers since arriving in the UFC from Cage Warriors. Entering the octagon with a big following, Pimblett has turned fame into superstardom with his performances on the mic and inside the octagon. A sensational display last time out saw him submit Benoit Saint Denis in less than a minute at UFC 329, leading many to consider it the best result of his career.

He believes the win he had, in the fashion he had it, was enough to position him next in line for a title shot. Many believe Arman Tsarukyan’s knockout win against Mauricio Ruffy should earn him a title opportunity, but Pimblett wasn’t impressed.

“No. No, I wasn’t [impressed by Tsarukyan’s performance],” Pimblett said. “I was impressed with the finish. The finish was lovely; finish was brilliant. But I thought up until that he looked very average. He didn’t look great at all.”

“I know Ruffy’s improved a lot, and I think Ruffy’s a great fighter, don’t get me wrong. But look at what BSD did to him, and then look at what I did to BSD. BSD took Ruffy down at will, ground and pounding him. Got the submission. Arman couldn’t even get him down.”

All signs are pointing toward either Arman Tsarukyan or an Ilia Topuria rematch for Justin Gaethje next, and Paddy Pimblett is not happy.

“People keep saying he’s the undisputed number one contender. Why?” Pimblett continued. “Because he’s beat ranked 6 and ranked 7? Dan Hooker, who’s absolute dog sh*t. Dan Hooker couldn’t lace my gloves up. And then Ruffy’s good, but as I say, he’s ranked 7.”

“I’ve just beat ranked 5, so since UFC 300, [Tsarukyan] hasn’t beat anyone ranked higher than I’ve beat; in over two years. But somehow he’s next for the title.”

Listen to Paddy Pimblett’s comments below.

Pimblett and Topuria are two of the top prospects in the lightweight division. Despite both navigating different stages of their career, the pair have been on a collision course for the past few years. What started as a disagreement online quickly turned into something fierce, and worsened with a physical altercation at UFC London in 2022. Since then, Pimblett and Topuria have constantly attacked each other in interviews, and the feud shows no signs of slowing down.

As he sits and waits for his next opponent to emerge, Paddy Pimblett has reignited the fire between himself and Ilia Topuria. Pimblett doesn’t consider Topuria a tough matchup, and sees himself sending the former UFC lightweight champion back down to featherweight if a fight materializes.

“I have no fight booked at the minute; I would love to fight Ilia Topuria,” Pimblett said. “I’ll beat him that bad, I’ll send him back down to featherweight.”

Dismissive of Ilia Topuria’s ability, Paddy Pimblett thinks the fight would go similarly to Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo: a 13-second finish.

But Pimblett isn’t satisfied just fighting Topuria. The Brit wants to host the new season of The Ultimate Fighter alongside the Georgian. Expecting the season of TUF to aid in his performance against Topuria, Pimblett has rallied for the opportunity.

“I think me and Ilia Topuria would be a brilliant season of The Ultimate Fighter,” Pimblett continued. “Because I’d get under his skin so much that when we come into the fight, I’d beat him just as fast as McGregor beat Aldo.”

“It’ll be a brilliant press conference. As I say, The Ultimate Fighter would be a very entertaining six weeks, to say the least, if it was me and him.”

Listen to what Paddy Pimblett said about Ilia Topuria below.

Still in pursuit of greatness, ‘Poatan’ remains in the heavyweight division, hoping to become the first three-weight champion in UFC history. Last time out, Pereira was knocked out by Ciryl Gane, but he blames the officiating for his defeat, citing several illegal blows that led to the finish. Looking forward to his next outing, the Brazilian has returned to the gym and is putting in work ahead of his comeback.

However, developments may be more advanced than first thought, and fight news could be on the horizon. In a social media post dedicated to his fans, Alex Pereira showed himself doing a boxing drill on a punching bag. Alongside his work on the bag, Pereira told fans to expect news about his next opponent to be released soon.

“That’s right, everyone; it’s coming. It’s coming. Good news,” Pereira said.

Speculation about who Pereira will fight has been mounting recently. With his sights solely set on another shot at UFC heavyweight gold, the 39-year-old needs to face one of the division’s elite to return to the title picture.

With Josh Hokit fighting Ciryl Gane for the undisputed heavyweight title next, and Alexander Volkov colliding with Rizvan Kuniev next month, that leaves just one name remaining in the weight class’s top 5.

Not unlike Alex Pereira when it comes to devastating knockout power, Sergei Pavlovich sits opponentless, having not competed for over four months. The winner would make a strong case for being given the next title opportunity if the battle of the powerhouses materializes.

“That’s right, a big challenge,” Pereira added. “Like I told you, if I hadn’t taken risks in all my fights, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

Check out the Alex Pereira video below.

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The UFC CEO was expecting to enter the world of boxing and dominate. While he has made a splash, his plan hasn’t transpired thus far and has worsened during his verbal war with Eddie Hearn. White wanted to be involved in the biggest fight in British boxing history: Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua. He spent months battling Hearn but ultimately failed in his pursuit of being the fight’s official promoter.

Unwilling to kick the man while he’s down, Joshua confirmed that his loyalty lies with Eddie Hearn and he would never deviate from that. The heavyweight boxing star then posed a question to Dana White, saying:

“So my loyalty is with Eddie. There’s nothing against Dana at all. I don’t know Dana to have anything against him, but my honor and loyalty in this situation stands with Eddie Hearn.”

Joshua continued.

“A good question that maybe when you interview Dana would be: Dana, put yourself in Eddie’s shoes. If you’re promoting a show in America and Eddie wanted to promote that show that you’re managing the fighter and promoting the fighter and you’ve been with him, would you let Eddie do it? And there you have your answer whether Eddie done the right thing, standing his ground.”

Unbothered by the ongoing feud between Eddie Hearn and Dana White, Anthony Joshua welcomed White to join in the fight’s promotion.

“So, you think Dana should be involved? I agree. I agree,” Joshua added. “And it wasn’t no calling Dana like, ‘Yeah, say more.’ I think there’s a genuine- I don’t think they dislike each other that much. But I think on a business level, there is a genuine dislike there. And they want to show I’ve got the bigger- I’ve got the bigger corporate business type thing. I want to show you who I am when it comes to contracts. I want to show you who I am when it comes to deals.”

“And I think that it’s been fun.”

‘The Predator’ by name and nature; talking his prey and unleashing heavy bombs has contributed to an over-94 % finish rate. So when Sean Sharaf goes toe-to-toe with Ngannou behind closed doors at Xtreme Couture, it’s impossible to be worried about the men he faces inside the octagon. Sharaf has taken that confidence into the cage and has achieved things he could only dream of.

Sean Sharaf is proof that if you bet on yourself, you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. Making it to the UFC was his dream. To be able to compete under the lights in the top promotion in the sport. But once that goal was completed, he wanted more. Not many people would have expected him to be lined up to fight Gable Steveson on the back of a two-fight skid. Even fewer would have fancied his chances. A 12-second knockout. History made. But for Sharaf, it wasn’t a surprise; he is used to being locked in the cage with world-class talent.

“I’ve sparred, like, you name it. Luke Rockhold, Michael Bisping, Sean Strickland, Francis Ngannou, Rafael Dos Anjos. You know, like, Tito Ortiz,” Sharaf said. “All through my career, I’ve sparred the biggest, scariest dudes. OSP. You name them, I’ve sparred them.”

“That’s always given me confidence because whenever I walk out [to the octagon], I’m like, ‘Nobody’s scarier than Francis Ngannou.’ I’m not scared of nobody.”

Sharaf continued.

“That confidence, it comes a lot from who I’ve sparred and the experience I put in. But that was the thing I was talkinmg about with this fight. Everyone was giving him all the accolades. He’s this wrestler. He’s this Olympic champion. But you haven’t been through the fire. You haven’t been through those grueling years of sparring. Going home with black eyes, broken noses. That experience plays a factor.”

Aside from an early-career defeat, Ngannou has lost only twice: once to Stipe Miocic and once to Derrick Lewis. A poor performance against Lewis led to one of the sport’s most boring decision defeats, but he avenged his loss to Miocic back with a crushing knockout three years later. He has wins over some of the greats, and his decision victory over Ciryl Gane continues to age well. But his MMA success has led him to leave the cage behind for the boxing ring. So, where does his heart lie?

According to his MMA head coach Eric Nicksick, no talks have happened about whether Francis Ngannou will return to MMA or boxing next. Talks will happen soon, and fans will likely know Ngannou’s next move before too long.

“I’ll actually see him in a couple days; he’s flying into town,” Nicksick said. “Planning on getting caught up with [what’s next]. He hasn’t really said much about anything. He celebrated his 40th birthday at the beginning of the month, and you know, he had a pretty big blowout. We’ll see. I’ll get caught up with him and see what’s on his mind and what he wants to do from a boxing standpoint or MMA standpoint.”

If it were up to Eric Nicksick, Francis Ngannou would return to MMA. Not only because that’s where Nicksick can help his fighter the most, but also because he believes Ngannou has what it takes to become the greatest fighter of all time, saying:

“Hopefully MMA, because obviously I think we’re making some really good strides there. But we’ll see what MVP has to offer for him.”

Nicksick continued.

“For me personally, it’s just like the boxing side of things is very much a learning experience for me. I use that time to really sit back and watch what Dewey [Cooper] does, and the other coaches, and learn how to kind of formulate a game plan when it comes to something I’m not very familiar with.”

“On the MMA side of things, we’ve talked about this for years, man. Just the development of Francis from that Jairzinho fight all the way to Ciryl Gane to now. It’s like, man, there’s so many things that we’re advancing on; I just wish we had more time in the MMA space, because I feel like we could break a lot of records, and he could be left as the greatest to ever do it. And that’s just having more time in the cage.”

“That’s where I think my- selfishly, I would love to see him fight more MMA.”

Fury and Joshua came together to promote their blockbuster fight scheduled for December 11. Many expected a heated exchange and promises of big performances now that the bout has been finalized, but that wasn’t what we got. A more methodical approach from both men, with Fury much more composed than his usual self and Joshua in an upbeat, respectful mood. But the talking point of the presser was not either of the fighters; it was Max Kellerman.

Kellerman, the American sports personality, took center stage and hosted the press conference between the two British titans. Aside from the fighters, Kellerman took the majority of the spotlight, spending much time on the mic trying to build hype for the matchup. But Eddie Hearn didn’t approve of his approach.

“I have to be honest. And I don’t mean to be disrespectful to Max Kellerman, who I think is a fantastic broadcaster; they should just let me do it. Like, it’s too- it’s a little bit too long-winded, you know? And it’s a little bit too staged, if I’m honest,” Hearn stated.

Hearn expected the spotlight to be on the fighters, asking them questions and allowing them to talk between themselves to build anticipation.

Believing he does a better job, Hearn tasked fans with watching his press conference tomorrow. He will host for this weekend’s battle between Ben Whittaker and Conor Wallace.

“Watch the press conference tomorrow with Ben Whittaker and Conor Wallace that I’ll host,” Hearn added. “I just feel like- listen. I mean this even when I talk about Jamie Ward, who is another tremendous broadcaster. And I think he’s a great compare. It’s just not the same. You’ve got to let the promoters do the press conference. Or the ones that are willing to stand up there and get things bubbling and going.”

“Sometimes it can be a little bit too corporate. But I thought it was good. Quite respectful.”

Eight years ago, Adesanya and Vettori were fierce rivals. The pair butted heads at every opportunity, which twice led to the octagon. ‘The Last Stylebender’ got his hand raised both times, but the Italian didn’t take his defeats lightly. He has kept the feud alive, criticizing Adesanya at every turn. But now, with the two men on a combined eight-fight losing streak, Adesanya is rooting for his old nemesis.

His career has taken a hit, but an event away from the cage has been much more devastating for Marvin Vettori. Last year, Vettori’s younger brother lost his life in a house fire; a tragic loss for anybody. Knowing the pain it could cause, Israel Adesanya offered Vettori his sympathy.

“My boy, Vettori,” Adesanya said. “This is his first fight back since the tragedy? Yeah. Vettori is a hard man to finish. I don’t think anyone has finished him in the UFC yet.”

“I think he still hates me. I don’t know why. I mean, it’s obvious… Every other- like twice a year, he’ll take shots at me for no reason. But nah, I respect him.”

“If I lost [my brother] in a fire, I would be heartbroken. That makes me sad saying that. So I, like, I empathize. So, it’s hard for me to feel anything bad towards this man because I’m like, if I lost [my brother] in a house fire. God forbid.”

Adesanya is hoping Vettori can regain the form that led him to a UFC title shot. The 33-year-old collides with Ismail Naurdiev at UFC 332 on Saturday.

“I want him to win,” Adesanya added. “I mean, it’ll be good for him. It’s been a while, spirit. When you win, I win. When I win, you win. Whether you like it or not Vettori, we’re locked in this sh*t for life. Yeah, man, I’m going for Vettori. I’m pulling for him to win this one.”

To promote the fight a decade in the making, Fury and Joshua sat down for their launch press conference.

Respect was shared from both sides. Some fiery fight talk. And we got to hear from the man who made this all possible: His Excellency Turki Alalshikh.

Watch the press conference highlights video below.

Last time out, Van silenced all the doubters who believed he wasn’t the rightful flyweight champion. In December 2025, Van became the second-youngest fighter in UFC history to claim gold, but he did so with an anticlimactic ending when Alexandre Pantoja severely dislocated his elbow during a fall. The 24-year-old would go on to defend his title against Tatsuro Taira, but some fans still counted him out. There are no more doubts after his most recent performance, which saw him beat Pantoja convincingly over five rounds to remain the 125-pound king.

In the last two years, Joshua Van has fought a remarkable eight times. Keeping with the tradition of staying active, the Burmese native has set his sights on a tough contender who is riding a four-fight win streak. Unwilling to sit and wait for the next challenger to emerge, Van issued a challenge to Manel Kape on social media.

“Yo fat f***,” Van said. “Start cutting now cuz u better make weight! We don’t want another weight excuse. Let’s give the people what they want!”

Yo fat fuck
Start cutting now cuz u better make weight !!
We don’t want another weight excuse.
Let’s give the people wht they want!!!#tittyboi

— Joshua Van (@JoshuaVanBT) September 30, 2026

Joshua Van is nursing a right shoulder injury that could keep him out for some time. Ahead of his rematch with Alexandre Pantoja, Van damaged his shoulder and was unable to spar until the latter stages of his fight camp.

As the dust settled on an impressive win at UFC 331, Van announced that he would get his arm looked at before making any immediate decision to return. He stated he would welcome any fighter that the UFC wants him to fight, but he has to make sure he’s healthy first.

However, fast forward to Wednesday, September 30. Van has sought out his next opponent, leading fans to believe his injury isn’t as bad as he first thought. Could we get a Joshua Van vs. Manel Kape announcement before the end of the year?

We have arguably just witnessed the biggest upset in UFC history. Steveson was supposed to steamroll Sean Sharaf and treat him as an afterthought on his way to the title. An Olympic gold medalist with power in his hands, he has all the attributes to be great in the sport. But a devastating knockout just 12 seconds into his second UFC outing threatens to derail his hype.

At just 26, Gable Steveson has many years to refine his skills and reach the pinnacle of the sport. Believing he has good coaches around him, MMA coach Eric Nicksick expects Steveson to bounce right back.

“This guy, being the ultimate competitor, you know, an Olympian, I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit to get back in there,” Nicksick said. “I think he’s got a great coaching staff around him, with Brandon and Greg and Jon Jones; one of the best to ever do it.”

But to reach the top, changes have to be made. Despite his deep wrestling history, Gable Steveson is still green in mixed martial arts. Steveson has just five fights in the sport and hasn’t had a taste of different bodies and styles on the regional scene before making the jump to the UFC.

Not everyone needs vast experience to be great in the UFC, but one thing they do need is to play to their strengths. Eric Nicksick sees Steveson trying to replicate Jon Jones’ style inside the octagon without possessing the same length, reach, and athleticism as his mentor. To succeed, Nicksick wants Steveson to figure himself out as a fighter instead of mirroring Jones.

“From an outside perspective looking in, I think maybe blending his style more into his striking,” Nicksick added. “He’s trying to move around a little bit like Jon, and doing things that Jon does really well with his length. Gable’s a different build; a different style. So, I think maybe catering to his body type a little bit more. But again, that’s over time. You’re going to keep growing and keep learning.”

Conor McGregor has been fighting a sexual assault case for more than five and a half years. Despite swearing his innocence, he was found liable in a civil court for the 2019 sexual assault of Nikita Hand. While McGregor is unable to appeal the assault verdict, the case remains in the news because a couple, Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, allegedly lied under oath in support of McGregor.

O’Reilly and Cummins attempted to help McGregor’s case by claiming they saw Nikita Hand getting beaten up by her boyfriend around a similar timeframe to the UFC star’s reported assault. If the statements were true, they would have severely damaged Hand’s civil case against McGregor and destroyed her credibility.

The couple stated that they were Hand’s next-door neighbors and witnessed her being violently kicked and punched outside of her home. McGregor’s team wanted to use the claim to strengthen their client’s argument, but the statements were voided when investigators found out that the couple did not live there at the time of the incident. And because they signed their names to the testimonies under oath, they have now been criminally charged with perjury for providing false written statements.

Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins will stand trial for perjury. Released on continuing bail, the couple is scheduled to return to court on November 9 at the Dublin District Court.

Depending on the pair’s guilty or not guilty plea, they could face potential prison time or heavy fines. Conor McGregor civil appeal has already been rejected, and no further appeals can be made. McGregor is legally required to pay Nikita Hand over $280,000 after an Irish civil court jury found him liable for Hand’s sexual assault. An additional $1.5 million in legal fees is also reported.

Dana White recently confirmed that one of Britain’s biggest ever fights will go ahead. The heavyweight titans have been entangled in an escalating feud for over a decade, and it’s reached boiling point. But the time for talk is over. According to UFC CEO White, amid the uncertainty, Fury vs. Joshua is happening.

Egos and disagreements pushed the bout to the verge of collapse. Luckily, problems were resolved behind the scenes, allowing the all-UK clash to proceed.

“There’s no confusion whatsoever,” White said. “I mean, if you look at everything that’s been- from the network, to the guy who’s actually f***ing paying for it, and to me saying what I’ve said. I mean, I’ve been saying it now; feels like for f***ing years, but it’s probably been weeks. But I’ve been saying the same thing. It’s a fact.”

“No, it’s happening. It’s done. It’s done. It’s a done deal. Everything that I’ve been saying is the truth. Why would I say it and double down, and triple down, and f***ing quadruple down if it wasn’t the case?”

Just days ago, it looked like the fight was in jeopardy. Anthony Joshua’s side wasn’t happy with plans from the other side. Exposing the truth, Dana White blamed Joshua and Eddie Hearn for the public difficulties that were reported, saying:

“This isn’t a hesitation; this is an ego thing. A total ego thing. It has nothing to do with any of this sh*t. Listen. Boxing has taken a hit in the United States. It’s not as big as it was here 20 years ago. It has become a very British sport. And all the sh*t that you’re hearing—the crying and the b*tching and the f***ing whatever—is all coming from the UK.”

Finding his feet in Extreme Fighting Championship Worldwide and Hexagone MMA, Diop showcased his ability to outlast opponents. Possessing a bizarre arsenal of strikes, the 31-year-old is comfortable wherever the fight takes place. Willing to implement grappling, while still happy to throw standing hammer fists and shots from awkward angles.

That is exactly how he earned himself a UFC contract. A sloppy but fun matchup against Zaurbek Sabanov, Adama Diop overwhelmed the Russian with his forward pressing and eventually earned the TKO victory. But Dana White was unimpressed by his performance.

“The heavyweight fight that I talked about- who disagrees with me? F*** atrocious. Atrocious,” White said.

Critical of his approach to the fight, White promised that Diop’s game plan wouldn’t work against fighters under the UFC banner.

“Sloppiest fight, probably in- I can’t remember off the top of my head, right here, right now. But I would call that the sloppiest. Standup: horrendous. Was just going to keep wrestling until he started getting booed out of the place. A UFC heavyweight won’t gas out like his opponent did tonight.”

Despite the negatives, Dana White wanted to give Adama Diop a shot. With age not on his side, and with the sheer unpredictable nature that heavyweights bring to combat sports, White announced the signing.

“The guy’s 31 years old. I said let’s give him a shot,” White added. “Knowing exactly how I feel about the fight, and about how his skill level looked tonight, let’s see what he goes back and does, and let’s see if he tries to do something with it.”

“The heavyweight division is always interesting. Anything can happen with the heavyweights… And he was a 4-to-1 underdog too, by the way.”

Listen to Dana White’s comments about Adama Diop below.

The Brazilian upheld a frantic pace against the much younger Raul Rosas Jr. on Saturday, determined to show the world, and his opponent, that his age won’t slow him down. And he did just that. A stellar performance all the way up until the final round. Barcelos was ahead on all judges’ scorecards, and would have likely gotten his hand raised had he avoided being finished in the final minutes. But Barcelos didn’t just lose; he had a health scare that many believed could be the first death inside the UFC.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Raoni Barcelos was transported to the hospital, where he spent several nights recovering. Publicly speaking about the situation for the first time, Dana White shared some positive news.

“Thank God he’s doing well. He’s doing well, yeah. He’s up, walking around. Talking,” White said.

Everyone, including Dana White, is glad to see Barcelos conscious and able to walk and talk.

Those who also deserve credit for their swift dealings with the frightening events on Saturday are the medical staff. White shed praise on the UFC and its workers for their diligent efforts.

“It goes right in line with everything that I always talk about and what we do. All the pre-fight medicals were triple-checked; everything was good,” White continued. “There were six doctors here that night. Three ambulances. He was taken straight to the trauma center, not to Valley. Everything was done the right way, and the outcome was good.”

Questions remain about whether Raoni Barcelos will compete again. At 39, suffering a scare as he did is incredibly concerning. But as long as Barcelos is fine, Dana White doesn’t care.

“Not even thinking about that. Who gives a sh*t as long as the kid is OK,” White added

George Staines hopes to follow in Paddy Pimblett and Luke Riley’s footsteps now that he’s officially a UFC fighter. Adama Diop looks to put West Africa on his back. Ian Escuza is determined to get Dana White’s approval after a controversial stoppage win. Aieza Bertolso cemented herself as a great addition to the UFC Strawweight division.

Watch all four of the fighters earn their contracts below.

DWCS 10 – Week 8 Highlights

George Staines lived up to the hype and put on a show as he became the first-ever fighter to get a slam knockout in DWCS history. Aieza Bertolso showed exactly why she was a heavy favorite with a slick submission victory.

Adama Diop failed to impress Dana White, but was given the opportunity to represent Senegal on the biggest stage. Ian Escuza overcame a controversial finish and a strong plea from Mick Maynard to force his way into the UFC.

4 new signees to the UFC 👏

George Staines, Adama Diop, Ian Escuza & Aieza Bertolso all are now UFC fighters!

[ #DWCS | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/tZyKTSLav9

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 30, 2026

DWCS 10 – Week 8 Post-Fight Press Conference Video

Loai Abushaar of Arizona puts his 100% finish rate to the test in tonight’s headlining bout. With a respectable 7-1 record, Abushaar believes no judges will be needed, but can he keep his good vein of form going against the Brit, George Staines. The undefeated Next Gen product is a friend and training partner of UFC superstar Paddy Pimblett, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of ‘The Baddy’ with a statement performance against a tough opponent.

Refresh for the latest updates.

DWCS 10 – Week 8 Official Results

• George Staines def. Loai Abushaar KO (Slam and Punches) at 1:01, Round 1
• Adama Diop def. Zaurbek Sabanov via TKO (Punches) at 2:13, Round 2
• Ian Escuza def. Luca Borando via TKO (Knees) at 0:32, Round 1
• Aieza Bertolso def. Camila Reynoso via submission (Inverted D’Arce Choke) at 3:02, Round 1

The scheduled fight between Ilias Bulaid and Erick Visconde has been cancelled due to fighter illness.

A big win over Gable Steveson has changed his life. Not only has Sharaf gotten the weight of being cut from the UFC off his shoulders, but he also earned a tasty bonus for his troubles last time out. A 12-second knockout earned Sharaf the $50,000 MobLand ‘Proper Chaos’ bonus, which was doubled by Dana White. That kind of money can be life-changing, but the heavyweight may not see it.

Sean Sharaf revealed he has an outstanding balance that totals more than $680,000. Even with the huge bonus, it barely puts a dent in his debt. Explaining how he ended up owing that much money, Sharaf said:

“Some of it came from option trading. Some of it came from gambling. But bro, I’ve had zero sponsors. I’ve had absolutely no f***ing sponsors, bro. So, like, all my tattoos I paid for on my credit card. I got f***ing PRK lasek surgery on my eyes on my credit card. I took my mom to Mecca on my credit card.”

“I f***ing like- I was just like, charge it to the f***ing card, man. I don’t give a f***. Just ’cause I was just, like, I don’t know. I was just like so all in on this. Like, all I wanted to be was a f***ing UFC fighter. The same way all I wanted to be was a U.S. Marine. And so that was my logic.”

Dana White is known to be a high-stakes player in casinos and can often be found in and around Las Vegas when his busy schedule allows. The house always wins, and Sean Sharaf found that out the hard way while trying to find White in casinos.

“I was just doing all the wrong mistakes. That’s when I started gambling, too. When I got to Vegas, I was like, ‘Maybe I go play high limit, f***ing at Red Rock and Durango, I can meet Dana.’ Not the best thought process.”

“So, I’m playing f***ing high-limit, f***ing gambling money on margin and f***ing doing the dumbest sh*t, man.”

‘El Matador’ had an astronomical rise to the top of the sport, delivering every step of the way. Dealing with the first setback of his career, Topuria avoided the public eye to recover from the damage he took and regain his hunger after a rigorous six years with the UFC. Ready again to prove why he was once considered the best fighter in the world, the 29-year-old is preparing for something big.

After weeks of silence, Ilia Topuria spoke out earlier this month in an emotionally penned letter to his son, Hugo. The message detailed the traits of a champion amid defeat: perseverance and determination. Now, feeling rejuvenated, Topuria has teased his return.

In a post on social media on Tuesday, Topuria looked in phenomenal shape as he went over boxing drills with his coach. The picture carousel gives fans a glimpse of what he’s been working on during his time away from the octagon, and excitement is starting to build.

Check out Ilia Topuria’s Instagram post below.

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Speculation is mounting about who Ilia Topuria will be standing across the cage from upon his return to action. An immediate chance to avenge his only career loss and reclaim the UFC lightweight title against Justin Gaethje is a strong possibility.

However, many believed Arman Tsarukyan to be next in line for a shot at UFC gold. All he needed was a statement performance at UFC 331, and he delivered. Showcasing his ability to mix the martial arts, Tsarukyan landed a devastating elbow that shut Mauricio Ruffy‘s lights out.

If Tsarukyan jumped ahead of Topuria, another viable option remains Paddy Pimblett. Topuria and Pimblett have a history of bad blood and are both in the top 5 at lightweight, with the winner likely given the next title opportunity after Tsarukyan.

Fresh off a win on the Contender Series, Hernandez filled in on short notice to face Sedriques Dumas. It didn’t take long for the Miami Deputy to take initiative, catching Dumas in a standing guillotine choke and forcing the tap just 57 seconds into the opening round. His arrival in the UFC has raised eyebrows, but none more than Curtis.

The pair were involved in a viral post-fight brawl at Tuff-N-Uff 145. After Luis Hernandez beat Miles Hunsinger, he taunted Hunsinger’s corner, which comprised Chris Curtis and Sean Strickland. Unwilling to ignore their troubled past, Curtis has been demanding Hernandez from UFC matchmakers.

“Guys, I am petty as hell. The moment Luis Hernandez gets signed to the UFC, I messaged the matchmakers,” Curtis said. “And my response from both was, ‘He’s not ready yet. He’s got no fights; he’s not ready yet.’ Last night he gets his win. I immediately message the matchmakers, and I get the response, ‘He’s not ready. He’s still not ready. He’s not on your level.’ So, I can’t fight him right now; I’ve tried. I’m a very petty man. I have tried already.”

Determined to settle the score in the octagon, Curtis won’t stop pushing for the Hernandez fight.

“I want him to do well. I want him to get a few wins, because the moment he gets a few wins, the moment he’s not brand new in the UFC. I’m gonna find him,” Curtis continued. “I’ve been circling this man like a shark in the water, and the moment he gets a few more wins, I am gonna be there for him. And the moment they stop saying he’s not ready and they let him have a real fight, I am going to fold this man like a cheap suitcase. I cannot wait.”

“Understand how petty I am. And I don’t let anything go. There’s no forgiveness. I ran into one of his boys the other day, and he’s like, ‘Oh, he wants to squash the beef.’ I told him I’m going to pop his head like a grape when I see him. There’s no forgiveness; there’s no letting it go. No.”

“So, you know what, Luis Hernandez. Congratulations. Good work, stache. But the moment they say yes, and we sign that contract, I’m gonna strangle you and drown you like a bag of unwanted puppies.”

View this post on Instagram

After the success of its inaugural event in Qatar, the UFC is returning to the Middle East with one of its best fight night cards to date. Hoping to get his career back on track after a defeat to Carlos Ulberg and push toward another title shot, Jiri Prochazka returns. He meets the dangerous, undefeated New Zealand native Navajo Stirling. Stirling is fresh off a first-round knockout win over Jan Blachowicz and expects to remain in good form, leaving no doubt in the company’s mind that he’s next in line for a shot at the title.

A featherweight brawl with real title implications threatens to steal the show. #4-ranked Aljamain Sterling meets the high-flying Kevin Vallejos in the co-headliner, knowing a standout performance pushes them within touching distance of Alexander Volkanovski‘s throne.

Another addition to the event is a fun one between Dan Hooker and Brian Ortega. ‘T-City’ has been enduring a bad spell of health, but is looking ahead to showcasing his ability with a move up to lightweight. Hooker wants to cut his three-fight skid at the expense of Ortega.

The recent surge in popularity in the 125-pound division means Kyoji Horiguchi and Asu Almabayev have a lot to play for when the cage door closes behind them next.

A clash of titans promises a knockout when Shamil Gaziev locks horns with Tallison Teixeira. Amir Albazi is ready to propel himself into the title picture, but will have to snap the three-fight winning run of Alessandro Costa to do so.

Dubbed the best prospect in Contender Series history, Akbar Abdullaev lit up the show with a 19-second knockout. Abdullaev gets to display just how good he is against a tough, well-traveled veteran, Jake Matthews.

Check out the released fight list of UFC Qatar below.

• Jiri Prochazka vs. Navajo Stirling
• Aljamain Sterling vs. Kevin Vallejos
• Dan Hooker vs. Brian Ortega
• Asu Almabayev vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
• Jared Cannonier vs. Ikram Aliskerov
• Aleksandre Topuria vs. Santiago Luna
• Shamil Gaziev vs. Tallison Teixeira
• Amir Albazi vs. Alessandro Costa
• Jake Matthews vs. Akbar Abdullaev

QATAR GET READY FOR A GOOD ONE 😮‍💨 #UFCQatar looking absolutely STACKED! 🇶🇦

🎟️🔗 Tickets on sale October 9, register your interest at link in bio

[ LIVE NOV 21 on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/akdaUuh5b9

— UFC (@ufc) September 29, 2026

The Mount Rushmore argument in sports is forever going to cause division among fans. In MMA, some consider the four greatest fighters to ever step into the cage to be the correct answer. Others opt for the most influential figures, with names being included in the discussion for more than just being the best under the lights. Names like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey find their way into people’s lists because of the latter, but Gaethje has his own rules for his ideal roster.

Like Justin Gaethje, most have the same three names in their greatest fighters in MMA history: Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Georges St-Pierre. For his impact on modern mixed martial arts and being a true pioneer of the sport, Gaethje respectfully added Royce Gracie.

“Mount Rushmore of- that’s such a hard question. How many people do I get? Four? F*** that; why not six? I’ll make my own Mount Rushmore,” Gaethje said. “So, Royce Gracie. Anderson Silva. GSP. Jon Jones, obviously.”

But instead of four options, which is mandatory for a Mount Rushmore, Justin Gaethje made his own guidelines. Initially wanting to pick six but pivoting to five, Gaethje added a surprise name at the expense of some MMA legends.

Questioned about Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s inclusion, Gaethje quickly shut it down. There was no space for Khabib, any fighter currently active in the sport like Islam Makhachev, and, somewhat surprisingly, no place for Demetrious Johnson.

To fill out his five-man roster, Gaethje looked toward a fan favorite who played a key role in bringing mixed martial arts into the mainstream: Chuck Liddell.

“[Khabib?] No, not in mine. Chuck Liddell. I think that’s it.”

Check out Justin Gaethje’s Mount Rushmore below.

The two 135-pounders last met in December 2025, with Yan coming out on top and snapping Dvalishvili’s 7-year, 14-fight win streak. Determined to right the wrongs, ‘The Machine’ has been training like his namesake. According to Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood, the Georgian is in the best shape of his life.

Merab Dvalisvili is a cardio monster, but the man we’ve come to know in the octagon pales in comparison to the new version, declared Wood.

“A much better camp. A thousand times better. You know, there was a long layoff there, and it was a little rough for him. He’s not a guy that likes to sit on the sidelines, as we saw in his title run [and] title defenses. He wants to stay busy. He’s a guy that needs to stay busy. He loves to put in the work. He loves to- he’s always a go, go, go, go, guy.”

“So, once this camp finally became official, you could see the pressure and the weight of waiting around kind of lift off him. And he got in, man. And he got going. It’s a different Merab. It’s just a different Merab… I don’t know that he’s ever been in better cardio shape, to be honest. He’s just so motivated, obviously, to go back and avenge that last loss, get his title back, and put everything back the way it should be. It’s been a good camp. A very good camp.”

Petr Yan is an elite striker who is a puzzle for most. At the top of his game, he’s unbeatable and has shown that throughout his years inside the octagon. But John Wood believes there’s nobody better than Merab Dvalishvili when everything clicks.

“Petr Yan is currently the best fighter in the world, I think. He’s the champion for a reason. He’s very good,” Wood added. “But I also know what kind of dog we’ve got in the fight, and I know what Merab is capable of and how much he’s improved.”

“You’re going to get, I think, hopefully, the best version of Merab and the best version of Petr. And I think that when you have the best version of Merab showing up, I don’t know if there’s anybody in the world that can beat him.”

Aspinall has been out of action for almost a year with an eye issue that is damaging his quality of life. The Brit was expecting to show the world why many considered him the best in the world, but an eye poke from Ciryl Gane caused career-altering damage. Aspinall has still not recovered from the poke and subsequent surgeries, being forced to back down from his UFC heavyweight champion status.

Despite vacating the title, Josh Hokit doesn’t believe Tom Aspinall is truly suffering. Instead, Hokit has accused Aspinall of purposely exaggerating the true extent of his eye injury to avoid fighting.

“When I’m the champ, I’m giving them four fights a year. I ain’t doing no p*ssy sh*t like Tom Aspinall,” Hokit said. “Where it’s like, sh*t, let’s wait 500 days for Jon Jones. That sh*t didn’t even come to fruition.”

Hokit continued.

“I don’t even think that sh*t’s real. I think he has his teammates farting on his pillow, type sh*t. And then he goes to sleep, gets pink eye, posts that sh*t on Instagram, ‘Hey, everybody, feel bad for me, I can’t fight still.’ He has fake surgery, all that other sh*t.”

“I think he’s just trying to get out of his deal, being honest… Maybe the UFC ain’t trying to pay him what he’s asking. But it’s like, man, his numbers speak for itself. I mean, nobody really cares to watch him fight at the end of the day. Not like the bigger names that request that type of money. So, he’s over his head on this one.”

There aren’t too many incentives for Tom Aspinall, a prize fighter, to avoid doing the job that makes him and his family money. Though Josh Hokit believes he’s found one.

Hokit concludes Aspinall’s true plan is to be released by the UFC so he can venture into the boxing ring.

“That sh*t’s all fake, gang. It’s not real… I don’t know if he’s paying doctors, but I think he’s trying to get that bag in boxing.

The South American put on a great performance. Up on all three judges’ scorecards, Barcelos was minutes away from a unanimous decision sweep against a tough Raul Rosas Jr. But when his offense suddenly stopped and he was no longer resisting moments before his lifeless body hit the canvas, many anticipated disaster. Fears of it being the first death under the UFC banner rang around the world, but luckily, his health scare wasn’t as damning as first thought.

While still undiagnosed, Raoni Barcelos allegedly didn’t suffer a cardiac arrest or stroke, which is what many viewers originally believed. Now that the dust has settled on the bout, Barcelos announced how he’s feeling in a video posted to his fans.

“Hey everyone, hope you’re doing well,” Barcelos said on Instagram. “I just wanted to send a message to let you know I’m OK. Yeah, I’m doing really well. I’m getting all the tests done here at the hospital. I just have to do what the hospital requires, and that’s it, guys. I’m grateful for all the prayers and messages of support. Please keep them coming.”

All eyes on recovering and returning to the cage, Raoni Barcelos thanked fans for their support and promised a big comeback.

“Let’s move on to the next one. Man, I gave it my all out there. Like I said before, the way I went out wasn’t how I wanted it to happen; I really wanted to be the champion. I wanted to walk away with the win, but the good Lord knows best. So, on to the next one.”

“I’m here; I’m going to come back- come back stronger. I wanted to send a kiss and a big hug to all of you, and thank you so much for everything. Thanks. Let’s do this.”

Primeras palabras de Raoni Barcelos desde el hospital

En la publicación de IG escribió que se desmayó y aun no saben si hay algo más

Por suerte se siente bien, está recuperándose y con ganas de volver 🙏💪 pic.twitter.com/ICPWWWcl49

— MMA Latinoamérica (@ClubDeLasMMA) September 28, 2026

The former women’s WBO featherweight champion had a respectable career in the ring, bowing out of the sport with a 24-3 record. But during her time competing, one mistake may have led to a serious traumatic brain injury. In financial straits, Hardy took an unnecessary rematch with the surging Amanda Serrano. The pair had already met in their careers four years earlier, where Serrano earned a unanimous decision victory back in 2019. Serrano repeated her success in the rematch, but an aged 41-year-old was unable to take the damage late in her career.

This allegedly led to her experiencing symptoms eerily similar to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Believing Jake Paul and MVP used her despite knowing the severe risks of neurological harm, Heather Hardy has decided to sue. Claiming the fight ended her career and made her unable to maintain regular employment in retirement, Heather said she will seek $10 million in damages.

“I’m suing Jake Paul for $10 million. I was the first alive person diagnosed with CTE,” Hardy said. “I want to thank everyone who so generously donated, it’s going to a very good cause. I’m not allowed to discuss the case but I have a great team of 5 lawyers who are fighting so hard for me.”

“Please know that my case has a lot of unreleased details that I’m legally not allowed to defend or explain.”

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Fans were divided upon hearing the news. Some sided with Heather Hardy, who will likely never be the same if her claims are true. Others said she was lying, trying to extort Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions amid recent success.

In response to the comments, Hardy posted a separate post on social media. She further explained the lawsuit and believes her case is strong.

“This message is to my friends, my fans, my supporters, and my followers, and even to my haters. I have a team of doctors and a team of lawyers; very, very good ones. And when I say team, I mean a team,” Hardy added. “And they’re working behind the scenes, and they wouldn’t have taken this case if I didn’t have a case.”

“There’s a lot of things that I’m not allowed to talk about online, and a lot of things, bits of information that’s known behind closed doors- that fans and supporters just don’t know about. So, unless you’re a doctor or a lawyer and you have access to my case and my medical records, then probably you should not be in the comments and mind your business. And to my friends and fans and everyone who’s helped me, thank you so much.”

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