Day: 26. März 2025

A flyweight clash pitting Joshua Van against Bruno Silva has been rescheduled for UFC 316.

Marcel Dorff was first to report the pairing. Van and Silva were intially slated to meet at UFC 313 on March 8 before Silva withdrew from the event due to injury. UFC 316 takes place on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. A headliner has not been announced for the card.

Van remained on the UFC 313 card, where he defeated replacement foe Rei Tsuruya via unanimous decision. The 23-year-old Myanmar native has been victorious in six of his seven Octagon appearances overall, with his only defeat coming to Charles Johnson in July 2024.

Silva, meanwhile, had a four-bout winning streak snapped in his last outing, when he fell to Manel Kape via third-round TKO at UFC Tampa. “Bulldog” had finished all four of his previous UFC opponents inside the distance.

今日の会見で追加のワンマッチも4試合発表させていただきました！どのカードも、男祭りに相応しいド派手な闘いが繰り広げられると思いますよ！何れにしても今週末のRISEさんの大会とRIZIN香川大会の試合の結果も踏まえて、未来の相手と、更なる追加の対戦カードをマッチアップします！… https://t.co/aqpjhUvcwW pic.twitter.com/Non1oW40Qs

— 榊󠄀原信行 Nobuyuki Sakakibara (@nobu_sakakibara) March 26, 2025

Several new bouts have been announced for Rizin Fighting Federation’s upcoming event on May 4.

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At flyweight, current BKFC champ and former UFC title challenger John Dodson will lock horns with Takaki Soya, while outspoken Bellator MMA veteran Danny Sabatello will face Shinobu Ota at bantamweight.

Rizin "Otoko Matsuri" takes place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo and features a featherweight title tilt pitting Kleber Koike Erbst against Rajababil Shaidullaev. The event will also include a heavyweight grand prix.

A handful of other bouts have b…

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE LLEGA A FOX SPORTS 🔥

*La PFL iniciará el jueves 3 de abril con la Primera Ronda de PFL World Tournament 2025...

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👇MÁS DETALLES👇https://t.co/XdcfDudFC3 — FOX Sports MX (@FOXSportsMX) March 26, 2025

Fight fans South of the Border will now be able to get their Professional Fighters League fix in Spanish.

The PFL on Wednesday announced a multi-year broadcast partnership with Fox Sports Mexico to air all of the organization’s franchises: PFL World Tournament, Champions Series, PFL Europe, PFL MENA, PFL Africa and the PFL fight library. Fox Sports Mexico will also carry PFL programming such as pre- and post-fight shows, press conferences and weigh-ins. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. All content will be broadcast in Spanish.

Fox Sports Mexico airs a variety sporting events including soccer, NFL, MLB, UFC and Formula 1 racing. According to PFL CEO Peter Murray, the agreement could…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Former Alex Pereira rival Artem Vakhitov isn’t going to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

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Vakhitov is among the few men in the world who can boast a victory over Pereira. The Russian beat “Poatan” via majority decision under the Glory kickboxing banner in 2021, avenging a split-decision loss from earlier that year.

Following in Pereira’s footsteps, Vakhitov transitioned to MMA in 2023 and earned a UFC contract with a first round knockout on Dana White's Contender Series last year. However, Vakhitov the rare fighter who is going to pass on his contract from the Contender Series. Vakhitov revealed that the UFC has a standard pay structure for all contracts earned through the Contender Series. While Vakhitov understands the UFC’s strictness with protocols, he couldn’t turn down a much more lucrative contract that Glory offered. The former champ is now going to fight he…

Charles Oliveira believes Ilia Topuria needs a lesson in humility.

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Topuria recently vacated his featherweight title and announced a move up to lightweight. While “La Leyenda” has always exuded confidence, he has never failed to back it up with action. Topuria continues the same with his lightweight move, recently proclaiming himself the champion of the division.

Since Topuria might not get an immediate title shot at 155 pounds, the Georgian-Spaniard’s name has been linked to a potential matchup against former champ Oliveira. However, “do Bronx” made clear that he isn’t willing to fight Topuria until he has proved himself at lightweight.

Topuria was recently honored in Spain with a street being named after him. Topuria was also asked about Oliveira’s comments and if he would take a walk with the Brazilian on the newly-named street.

“Actually yes, to give him a bit of culture and teach him something,” Topuria said. “I’m sure I would, because it…

👀🔥Kamaru Usman names ideal opponents for his return fight

"If I had to pick in order I would say Brady, Shavkat and Buckley. That what makes sense."

🎥 @pound4poundshow ▫️ pic.twitter.com/mqImUypRnh

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) March 25, 2025

Kamaru Usman recently listed potential opponents in order of preference for his next fight.

Usman would like to fight either Sean Brady, Shavkat Rakhmonov or Joaquin Buckley when he returns to action. Usman’s first preference would be Brady, who submitted Leon Edwards at UFC London last weekend. While Usman doubts Brady will be able to get past him, “The Nigerian Nightmare” believes the Philadelphia native’s title shot will be undeniable if he does.

“Honestly, what would make sense would be – If I had to pick the order, I would say Brady, Shavkat, Buckley,” Usman recently said on the “Pound4Pound” podcast. “That’s what makes sense. Because, winner of Brady and I, we fight for the …

Magomed Ankalaev is willing to defend his title against absolutely anyone.

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Ankalaev dethroned Alex Pereira via unanimous decision at UFC 313 earlier this month. However, color commentator Joe Rogan recently noted that Pereira’s team claimed that he was not 100% going into the fight. “Poatan” allegedly had nororvirus and a broken hand.

While Ankalaev believes no fighter goes into a fight 100%, he is willing to give Pereira another shot. The Russian claims to have already accepted a rematch against Pereira in August. However, Ankalaev is willing to defend the light heavyweight throne against anyone if Pereira isn’t ready in August.

“Joe Rogan mentioned his team said that Alex fought with a broken hand and Norovirus. When fighters step in the cage nobody is 100%,” Ankalaev wrote on X. “I was offered a rematch with him in August and I said yes, but if he is not ready I will fight whoever is next. It doesn’t matter.”

Joe…