Martial Arts News

Islam Makhachev finally found a sport that tests his limits.

Makhachev recently played the traditional horseback sport of kok boru in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz game involves two teams on horseback trying to carry a goat carcass and put it in the opposing team’s goal.

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Islam Makhachev discovers how demanding Kyrgyzstan’s kok boru really is Makhachev revealed that he initially thought he would adapt to the sport with ease while watching it on tape. However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder was surprised by how difficult it really is.

While Makhachev’s team won the match, he credited his teammates for the victory. He found lifting the goat carcass to be one of the toughest parts of the game.

“To be honest, it seemed to be a bit easier on tape,” Makhachev said. “But it is very hard. A very intense and physical sport. I would say a very energy-consuming one. When I was watching it on tape, it seemed like I would play it with e…

Alexander Volkanovski sympathizes with Movsar Evloev.

Volkanovski is scheduled to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title against Evloev at UFC 333 on Oct. 24. The Australian champion felt bad for his Russian counterpart after fans booed him at their press conference in September.

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Alexander Volkanovski says he felt bad as UFC fans booed Movsar Evloev Volkanovski and Evloev squared off at a press conference in Los Angeles during UFC 331 fight week to promote their upcoming title clash. Evloev was showered with boos while the crowd cheered for Volkanovski throughout the press conference.

Volkanovski recently revealed that he felt bad when the crowd booed Evloev. While Volkanovski understands why Evloev’s fighting style might not appeal to some fans, he noted that the undefeated contender has paid the price for it. “The Great” believes Evloev has long deserved a title shot and has been held back by his lack of finishes in the UF…

Ultimate Fighting Championship star Alex Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz, has a new opponent for his upcoming Misfits Boxing appearance.

Cruz was initially scheduled to face Chase DeMoor, who previously made headlines by beating Andrew Tate at Misfits Mania: The Fight Before Christmas in Dubai. However, DeMoor has withdrawn from the matchup due to an eye injury. Instead, DeMoor’s coach, Gary Olive, is set to step into the ring to face Cruz.

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Gary Olive replaces Chase DeMoor against Plinio Cruz at Misfits Boxing After DeMoor’s withdrawal, Olive will face Cruz in what Misfits Boxing has dubbed a “battle of the coaches.”

“When an opportunity comes knocking, I’ll answer that door,” Olive wrote on Instagram. “I’m forever grateful to Chase DeMoor for putting me in these positions because without him none of this is possible.”

Misfits Boxing announced the change on social media. The matchup is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, at Copper Box Arena in Lond…

Alex Pereira and Sergei Pavlovich have reacted to their newly confirmed heavyweight matchup.

The former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder and the Russian heavyweight will meet in the co-main event of UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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Pereira and Pavlovich react to their UFC 335 heavyweight matchup Both Pereira (13-4) and Pavlovich (21-3) took to Instagram to react to their confirmed matchup at UFC 335. Pereira shared an AI-generated video following the announcement, captioning the post: “See you soon.”

“Poatan” enters the matchup after suffering a second-round technical knockout loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in June in his UFC heavyweight debut.

Pavlovich responded on his own Instagram account with a similarly brief message: “Back in action soon.”

Pavlovich enters the matchup on a three-fight winning streak. The Russian most recently knocked out Tallison Teixeira in 39 seconds at UFC Macau…

The Professional Fighters League continues to bolster its upcoming event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

A lightweight matchup between Alexei Pergande (8-0) and Akhmed Magomedov (10-2) has been added to the PFL Dubai card, scheduled for Nov. 14 at Coca-Cola Arena and set to air on ESPN2.

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Alexei Pergande faces Akhmed Magomedov at PFL Dubai on Nov. 14 Pergande, 25, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Julio Arce in March. The PFL prospect has competed exclusively under the promotional banner since turning professional and will make his first appearance outside the United States at PFL Dubai.

"I love this matchup because it’s another good name to have in my record," Pergande said about the fight.

Meanwhile, Magomedov returns to action after suffering a unanimous decision loss to A.J. McKee in July 2025.

PFL Dubai will be headlined by Vadim Nemkov vs. Sergey Bilostenniy for the heavyweight championship. Other bouts on the card i…

Cris Cyborg looks set to continue her mixed martial arts career after confirming that she intends to compete again following her final fight under the Professional Fighters League banner.

Cyborg made the revelation during a recent interview. When asked whether she would return to mixed martial arts, the combat sports veteran offered a straightforward answer.

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Cris Cyborg says Ketlen Vieira win proved she can still compete with MMA's best Cyborg most recently fought Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa on Aug. 22 in what was initially believed to be her final MMA outing. She defeated Vieira via unanimous decision to improve her professional record to 30-2.

In an interview with MMA Sucka, the Brazilian revealed that she plans to fight again and isn’t done with MMA, pointing to her performance against Vieira as evidence that she can still compete at a high level.

“Yes, I will fight MMA again,” Cyborg said. “I think my performance against Ketlen Vieira pro…

Ian Garry has addressed Michael Morales’ recent comments amid speculation about both top-ranked welterweights’ futures.

Morales released a video Sunday naming Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Islam Makhachev, Carlos Prates, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Garry as potential opponents. After taking subtle digs at the first three, the unbeaten Ecuadorian had a blunt message for Garry.

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Ian Garry says the UFC sent a date for a potential Michael Morales fight While naming other top welterweights in the UFC, Morales saved Garry for last and had a not-so-subtle message for the Irishman.

“Oh, I almost forgot about you,” Morales said in his Instagram video. “F*ck you, Ian Garry.”

Garry responded by reposting a clip of a previous interaction with Morales and insisted that he is ready to fight, saying he has already accepted a date and main event slot against Morales.

“I’ve said YES,” Garry wrote on Instagram. “The date is locked in.…

Dana White has opened up about his contentious relationship with his late mother, June, and the personal attacks she made against him in an unauthorized biography.

Speaking on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast, the Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO recalled how a series of emails from his mother escalated a family dispute that ultimately ended their relationship.

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Dana White details the emails that fractured his relationship with mother June White White recalled one incident that marked the beginning of the end of his relationship with his mother, June, who raised him and his sister, Kelly, as a single mother.

“I was on a trip one time, you know this was before—You know, I didn’t have e-mails and all that sh*t on the road, and I was with Lorenzo Fertitta, my partner, and we were in London for, like, two weeks,” White recalled. “And when I got back, I checked my e-mails, and I have a bunch of e-mails from [June] threatening me. ‘You’re going to send me t…

Jose Aldo returned to competition Sunday, battling Marlon Vera to a draw in a 10-minute grappling match at Hype Fighting in Quito, Ecuador.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer and the Ecuadorian UFC bantamweight headlined the event, which also featured grappling and bare-knuckle boxing bouts.

Jose Aldo and Marlon Vera battle to a draw in 10-minute grappling match Aldo returned to competition nearly 17 months after his final UFC fight against Aiemann Zahabi. The Brazilian was largely defensive early as Vera pressured him toward the corner and looked for takedowns. The action moved back to the center of the ring nearly six minutes into the contest, where Aldo pulled guard. Vera then threatened with a heel hook, but Aldo escaped the submission attempt.

The two returned to their feet and remained there until the final horn. With neither fighter securing a submission, the bout was declared a draw.

The event was also scheduled to feature former UFC interim…

Sean O'Malley has denied that he was ever offered a matchup against Payton Talbott for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s historic event at the White House.

Talbott (12-1) claimed ahead of UFC 332 that he was in talks for a potential bout against O’Malley (20-3-1) at UFC Freedom 250 in June. However, O’Malley said he was never offered the matchup.

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O’Malley responds after Talbott discusses potential UFC Freedom 250 matchup At the post-fight news conference following his first-round stoppage victory over Deiveson Figueiredo, Talbott reiterated that he was in talks to face O’Malley at UFC Freedom 250. O’Malley subsequently addressed the claim on social media, disputing Talbott’s account.

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

O’Malley also pushed back against the suggestion that he has avoided Talbott, pointing to the level of opposit…

Zabit Magomedsharipov is reportedly returning to active competition.

Magomedsharipov has signed a multi-fight deal with Real American Freestyle, according to his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight is expected to make his RAF debut Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

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Zabit Magomedsharipov will make his RAF debut Nov. 14 in Abu Dhabi ESPN’s Brett Okamoto first reported the news.

“Zabit Magomedsharipov has signed a multi-fight deal with [RAF], and will make his debut on the 11/14 card in Abu Dhabi, per [Ali Abdelaziz],” Okamoto posted on X.

Abdelaziz teased the signing shortly before the announcement.

“[RAF] Just signed one of the most infamous fighters in UFC history, stay tuned,” Abdelaziz wrote on X. “Big news coming soon.”

Magomedsharipov was at the height of his career when he last fought in the UFC in 2019. He officially retired from mixed martial arts in 2022 after citing canceled fight…

Sean O'Malley says a matchup against Payton Talbott hinges on the next Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title bout.

Talbott claims O’Malley turned down a fight against him for UFC Freedom 250 in June. O’Malley, who knocked out Aiemann Zahabi at the White House event, says he was never offered a fight against Talbott. “Suga” is open to the matchup, but a title shot is the former champion's top priority.

Sean O'Malley wants Petr Yan title rematch if Yan beats Merab Dvalishvili Talbott (12-1) made quick work of Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332 on Saturday in Salt Lake City. He then called out O’Malley in his post-fight interview, with the UFC commentators strongly supporting the matchup during the broadcast.

O’Malley says fighting Talbott next depends on the upcoming bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili challenges Yan for the title in a trilogy bout at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. If Yan loses, O’Malle…