Martial Arts News

Dana White’s Contender Series concluded Season 10 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Four fighters earned Ultimate Fighting Championship contracts on Week 10 to close out the season.

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Smilla Sundell joins Gregory Foster, Douglas Lapa and Luis Francischinelli as UFC contract winners; Erick Visconde misses out Gregory Foster (9-1) and Jason Asher (5-1) opened the card with a back-and-forth clash. Each fighter scored a knockdown, and Foster earned a unanimous decision after three rounds.

“Greg, happy birthday to Barbara and hope she gets well soon,” UFC CEO Dana White said. “The pace you set tonight, the shots you landed, the shots you took, you opened the show the way I love the show to be opened. And I’ve never been this excited to see a 34-year-old come into the UFC. Congratulations.”

Douglas Lapa (7-0) faced Davi Cabral (7-1) in a middleweight matchup. Both fighters hurt each other in the opening round before Lapa took control in the secon…

Charles Oliveira is targeting a shot at the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title after his next bout.

Oliveira is scheduled to defend his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While preparing for that matchup, “do Bronxs” has weighed in on the lightweight title picture and the future of reigning champion Justin Gaethje, whom he previously defeated.

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Charles Oliveira sees Arman Tsarukyan as possible vacant-title opponent if Justin Gaethje retires after UFC 335 Oliveira acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Gaethje’s future in an interview with Sherdog. He said the UFC needs to establish whether “The Highlight” intends to defend his title. Gaethje has discussed retirement and a potential bout against Conor McGregor.

“The first step is for the UFC to sit down with Gaethje and find out exactly what he plans to do,” Oliveira told Sherdog’s Marcelo Alonso. “He says he won’t fight this year, but …

Petr Yan welcomes the challenge of Merab Dvalishvili’s pressure.

Yan (20-5) is scheduled to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title against Dvalishvili (21-5) at UFC 333. Having already shared the Octagon with his challenger for 10 rounds, the champion recognizes Dvalishvili’s strengths and is eager to demonstrate his own improvements.

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Petr Yan says 'diamonds are made under pressure' as he prepares for Merab Dvalishvili trilogy in Abu Dhabi Dvalishvili is known for relentless pressure that often frustrates his opponents. Yan, however, views it as a test of his abilities.

“I cannot really be annoyed with [Merab’s pressure] because it’s part of his game plan,” Yan told Paramount+. “Every MMA fighter has their own game plan. This is his. To keep moving forward, to keep pressuring. But as we know, diamonds are made under pressure. So, we will find out who we really are when that pressure keeps coming at you and see if you are that…

Merab Dvalishvili says he realized early in his rematch against Petr Yan that he was going to lose.

Dvalishvili (21-5) defeated Yan (20-5) in their first meeting in 2023 and won the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title in September 2024. The Georgian was a heavy favorite when he defended his belt in their rematch at UFC 323 last December.

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However, Yan thwarted Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts and outstruck him to earn a unanimous decision. Ahead of their trilogy bout, “The Machine” has revisited the rematch, saying he knew as early as the second round that he wasn’t going to win.Merab Dvalishvili explains how Petr Yan's takedown defense changed their UFC 323 rematch ahead of UFC 333 trilogy Yan is scheduled to defend his title against Dvalishvili at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The challenger said a failed takedown in the second round left him doubting his chances of winning their previous encounter.

Once he realiz…

Cris Cyborg (left) faced several disadvantages against Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa. | 📷: PFL MMA

Nearly two months after her 30th mixed martial arts victory, Cris Cyborg considers the circumstances surrounding her Aug. 22 bout with fellow Brazilian Ketlen Vieira in Tampa, Fla., to be "extremely unusual."

Vieira missed weight by more than seven pounds, turning the final fight of Cyborg’s Professional Fighters League contract into a non-title contest.

Those circumstances now include a positive test for a steroidal substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, according to Mike Mazzulli, director of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation.Ketlen Vieira missed weight by more than seven pounds before Cris Cyborg bout; regulator confirms banned steroidal substance in A and B samples Mazzulli told Sherdog.com that analysis of Vieira’s A and B samples from her in-competition collection returned the same adverse analytical finding.

Mazzulli declin…

Julianna Pena is returning to competition in a wrestling match.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight titleholder will face Diana Avsaragova at Real American Freestyle’s Abu Dhabi event on Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena. The promotion announced the matchup Monday.

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Julianna Pena to face Diana Avsaragova at RAF Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14 in first competition since Kayla Harrison defeat Pena hasn’t competed since losing her title to Kayla Harrison in June 2025. Harrison submitted her with a second-round kimura to capture the belt. Pena has served as a color commentator for RAF since the promotion’s launch and will now transition from the broadcast team to the mat.

Avsaragova has competed for Bellator and the Professional Fighters League. She lost by technical fall to reigning middleweight champion Kennedy Blades at RAF 13 in September.

RAF Abu Dhabi will be headlined by a cruiserweight crossover championship match between former UFC…

Jon Jones believes Josh Hokit has a legitimate chance to dethrone Ciryl Gane when the pair meet for the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title at UFC 334.

Gane (14-2) will defend his title against the unbeaten Hokit (10-0) on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Jones, who has shared the Octagon with Gane, discussed the matchup in an interview with The Schmo, saying his compatriot could beat the French champion.

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Jon Jones explains why Ciryl Gane beating Josh Hokit at UFC 334 would also benefit his legacy Jones praised Hokit’s recent UFC performances and coaching team but acknowledged that a Gane victory would bolster his own reputation. “Bones” submitted “Bon Gamin” to win the heavyweight title in 2023.

“Josh looks great right now,” Jones told The Schmo. “He's doing a great job; Obviously, he's coached by some of the best in the world. I've always supported wrestlers and backed wrestlers. So, my prediction is that I believe Hokit…

Salhahuddin Everett plans to keep working as Dana White’s personal runner after earning an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract.

Everett (5-0) secured the contract with a first-round knockout of Ozzy Martin on Week 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10. The 29-year-old has continued reporting for work.

Salhahuddin Everett describes his unusual dual role after DWCS Everett began working security for the UFC before becoming White’s personal runner. He told TMZ Sports he intends to keep the job.

“I've been working,” Everett said. “I worked yesterday and I worked today. I'm at work right now, actually. I love my job, so it's not like I was working so hard to get away from stocking Dana's fridge. Dana's been blessing me in this position, and yeah, some days are stressful, but it's work, you know? I'm a working man; I'm not lazy. I like to be here.”

White had suggested Everett should leave his office job to focus on training after earning the contract.

Jon Jones believes his victory over Stipe Miocic was a fitting conclusion to his fighting career, though he regrets missing the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s White House event.

Jones has not competed since stopping Miocic at UFC 309 in November 2024. Speaking to The Schmo, “Bones” reflected on that victory and described his absence from UFC Freedom 250 as one of his biggest regrets.

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Jon Jones reflects on Stipe Miocic victory as possible final UFC fight, regrets missing UFC Freedom 250 Jones said his last bout was particularly meaningful because his father and late brother were there, along with then-President-elect Donald Trump. He described beating Miocic, widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights, as a career high point.

“I really do believe that was my last moment inside the cage – and it was great,” Jones told The Schmo. “I got to fight, my brother was still alive at the time, my father was there. I got to tell the world that I lo…

Jon Jones believes his protégé, Gable Steveson, will rebound from his first professional MMA defeat.

Sean Sharaf knocked out Steveson in 12 seconds at UFC 331 in September, handing the Olympic wrestling gold medalist his first loss in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Jones discussed Steveson’s response and the adjustments his team plans to make.

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Jon Jones backs Gable Steveson after Sean Sharaf knockout, outlines training adjustments The former two-division UFC champion said Steveson had returned to training. Jones pointed to other accomplished fighters who overcame defeats, expressing confidence that Steveson would do the same.

“Gable's doing great,” Jones said in an interview with The Schmo. “I believe in Gable. I believe in the man and the person that he is. And if you think about it, all the great fighters have had knockouts and losses. I mean, GSP [Georges St. Pierre] vs. Matt Serra – there's just so many examples. He's in the right headspac…

Alex Pereira has responded to Valter Walker after the submission specialist questioned how “Poatan” would fare against Sergei Pavlovich.

Walker has described the former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship champion as a favorable matchup for himself and predicted Pereira would struggle against Pavlovich at UFC 335. Pereira responded by suggesting Walker was afraid to spar with him.

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Alex Pereira offers Valter Walker his last fight purse for a foot submission during proposed Las Vegas sparring session Speaking to Laerte Viana, Pereira challenged Walker to spar in Las Vegas and offered to pay him the equivalent of his most recent fight purse if Walker submitted him with a foot attack.

“I invited him to train with me and he ran off,” Pereira said. “I heard he was scared. He said he wasn't a punching bag. He got scared, and now he wants to hype up something he knows isn't going to happen. I’m not kidding. Whenever he wants. Let’s go to Las Vegas—…

Michael "Venom" Page believes his move to Misfits Boxing will give him greater freedom to express himself after his Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure.

Page signed a multiyear, multifight agreement with MF Sports after going 5-1 in the UFC. He concluded his run with a unanimous decision victory over Nursulton Ruziboev in September, but the promotion opted not to renew his contract.

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Michael Page says Misfits Boxing gives him creative freedom after UFC walkout restrictions and missed big fights Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Page said the agreement came together quickly and would allow him to showcase more of his personality.

“To be fair, this one happened relatively quickly,” Page said. “We kind of didn’t know as recently as three or four days back; it still wasn’t 100% confirmed where we’re going. But yeah, this makes sense. Like I said out there, I feel free of the shackles. I’m a very creative person — my walkouts, my entrances, my exits — a…