Martial Arts News

Jiri Prochazka has sent Paulo Costa a warning.

Prochazka (32-6) recently warned Costa (16-4) against tagging him on social media or mentioning his name unless the Brazilian wants to fight him. The former champ also claims the Ultimate Fighting Championship has offered Costa a booking against him for October or November and he’s eager to take him on.

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Jiri Prochazka claims UFC offered Paulo Costa a light heavyweight matchup

Costa has taken shots at fellow light heavyweight contenders ahead of the final bout on his current contract. The former middleweight title challenger criticized former champion Magomed Ankalaev’s performance at UFC Abu Dhabi and also mocked Prochazka for his loss to current titleholder Carlos Ulberg.

Prochazka has now clapped back at "Borrachinha,” claiming that the latter shouldn’t mention his name unless they’re actually slated to fight. The Czech star added that the promotion has already offered the fight to Costa.

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HOME TOWN HERO 🇷🇸@Urketaraketa proves why he is a PROBLEM in the welterweight division as he earns the electric finish at #UFCBelgrade! pic.twitter.com/pyJO3X7FmD

— UFC (@ufc) August 1, 2026 After a historic UFC Belgrade card that featured 12 finishes, four fighters earned an extra $100,000 for their standout performances.

Given the rapid finishes, it's no surprise that the Ultimate Fighting Championship opted against giving out a fight of the night distinction. Instead, four performance of the night bonuses were awarded, including one to main event winner Uros Medic. "The Doctor" impressed with a 30-second knockout of Daniel Rodriguez, who was completely outmatched by the 33-year-old striker.

Co-main event winner Navajo Stirling also received a performance of the night bonus for smashing former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in under three minutes. It's the biggest win in the career of Stirling, who is now 11-0. Big fights a…

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED@Urketaraketa finds the finish IMMEDIATELY in RD1 at #UFCBelgrade!

[ @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/KxFGNV0qDf

— UFC (@ufc) August 1, 2026

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Uros Medic stuns UFC fans with 30-second main event knockout in Belgrade The first-ever Ultimate Fighting Championship card in Serbia set the record for the most first-round finishes (10) in promotional history and saw the local fighters piling up five victories.

Thirty seconds, that’s how long it took for local hero Uros Medic (13-3, 7-3 UFC) to secure a victory against Daniel Rodriguez (20-5, 10-4 UFC) in the UFC Belgrade main event. Medic took the center of the cage before trading low kicks with fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alum Rodriguez. After a front kick that served to take his opponent's measure, "The Doctor" landed a counter left hook as the American pressed forward, then followed up with a two-piece combination and a knee that imme…

Sherdog's live UFC Belgrade coverage will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 283. Round 1 A women’s flyweight tilt between Luciano (7-2-1, 2-1 UFC) and Spasic (7-1, 0-0 UFC) kicks off festivities at Belgrade Arena in northern Serbia. Dejan Tesic presides over the proceedings. They touch gloves and get down to business. Spasic presses forward behind jabs and overhands, all while controlling the center of the cage. Inside leg kick from Luciano. Blinding multi-punch volley from Spasic. Luciano lures her into the clinch and lands a knee to the body. Spasic separates. Luciano connects with a straight left and a right hand over the top. Sharp jab from Spasic, followed by a one-two and a leg kick. They circle one another in the center. Lucian steps into a right hand and beats the Serb to the punch. They trade in the center. Not much mind paid to defense here. Luciano working push kicks to the lead leg, then follows them up with a bur…

Usman Nurmagomedov WITH THE FIRST ROUND KO 😱#PFLNY | Main Card Live NOW on ESPN pic.twitter.com/mikFN1ZLFx

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 1, 2026

Professional Fighters League’s return to UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, was punctuated by a majestic performance in the main event.

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The PFL New York headliner saw current 155-pound titleholder Usman Nurmagomedov (22-0, 1 NC; 4-0 PFL) defend his championship against Archie Colgan (13-1, 2-1 PFL). After a feeling-out couple of minutes in the center of the cage, Nurmagomedov connected with a head kick on his opponent’s temple before following up with a big left hand that dropped Colgan. Shortly after the American managed to recompose himself and get back to his feet, Nurmagomedov followed up with more uppercuts that sent “King” to his knees. Smelling blood, the Dagestani landed more punches before referee Keith Peterson waved it off at the 3:42 mark of Round 1. In his post-fight …

Sherdog's live PFL New York coverage will begin Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

A lightweight title fight headlines PFL NY: Tune on Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte s…

Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Lucie Pudilova has patiently toiled away for her opportunity at a world title. But despite the setbacks and injuries, she vows that her sacrifices will pay off gloriously Saturday night.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for the opportunity to have this fight,” Pudilova told Sherdog.com. “I’ve battled through my injuries so I could be ready as fast as possible and still I’ve been kept waiting. But now I’m here. Finally.”

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Former UFC veteran Lucie Pudilova says years of injuries and postponed fights have prepared her to challenge unbeaten Oktagon champion Lucia Szabova Pudilova aims to shock the world when she challenges unbeaten Lucia Szabova for the Oktagon bantamweight title at Oktagon 92 at Stvanice Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic. This fight is six years in the making as Pudilova (17-11) has had the Oktagon flyweight and bantamweight double champion in her sights since 2020. Twice they were scheduled to fight…

#UFCBelgrade, we have a main event! @urketaraketa makes weight at 171 lbs

[ LIVE SAT AUG 1 at 1pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/0JUtyN6dcd

— UFC (@ufc) July 31, 2026 The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first-ever event in Serbia is officially set following the official UFC Belgrade weigh-ins.

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The 14-fight card is headlined by a welterweight battle between Uros Medic and Daniel Rodriguez. Both men had no issue making weight for the five-round affair. All other 26 fighters, including former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, also hit their marks without any drama.

A fan-favorite due to his constant finishes, Medic (13-3) is looking to impress in his first UFC main event. "The Doctor" is on a three-fight win streak that has seen him knock out Geoff Neal, Muslim Salikhov and Gilbert Urbina. 7-3 inside the Octagon, Medic officially weighed 171 pounds on the dot.

The 39-year-old Rodriguez (20-5) is a…

Jake Paul believes Most Valuable Promotions has taken its biggest step yet toward reshaping the combat sports landscape.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer addressed the landmark merger between MVP and the Professional Fighters League in a press release announcing the deal. The union will operate under the MVP banner, with Paul and Nakisa Bidarian serving as co-founders and board members, while former PFL CEO John Martin will oversee day-to-day operations as chief executive officer.

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Jake Paul explains vision behind MVP-PFL merger For Paul, the merger is the culmination of a vision that began with creating more opportunities for fighters than the traditional promotional model has offered.

“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Paul said. “We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernized stage to become global superstars. Joining forces with PFL accelerates that vision by a decade. We now have a scaled platform to give today's fans what they…

The Professional Fighters League CEO believes its merger with Most Valuable Promotions represents more than a business deal.

PFL and MVP officially announced that they had joined forces under the MVP banner in one of the industry's most significant shakeups. It will be led by MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, while former PFL chief executive officer John Martin will serve as CEO and a member of the board. Bidarian will continue overseeing MVP's boxing operations and marquee live events.

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John Martin explains vision for PFL-MVP merger Martin believes the merger combines two organizations that have each carved out unique positions in combat sports and gives the new company the scale to compete on a much larger stage.

“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s No. 2 global MMA company, assembling one of the sport’s most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 …

Professional Fighters League and Most Valuable Promotions have officially merged in a massive development in the world of combat sports.

The new company will operate under the MVP banner, led by Co-Founders and Board Members Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. Meanwhile, former PFL CEO John Martin will serve as CEO and Board Member of the new league. MVP’s boxing business and blockbuster live events will continue under Bidarian. Existing PFL shareholders 885 Capital and affiliated entities Knighthead Capital Management will be the founding investors of the new league, committing new capital.

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The new league vows to work under a “fighter-first” philosophy, seemingly challenging rival Ultimate Fighting Championship. While the UFC has been severely criticized over minimum profit share for athletes, the new combat sports league promises equitable compensation. The new league also plans to encourage athletes to build their brands inside and outside of competi…

Early betting odds are out for Magomed Ankalaev’s next fight, should the former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion take on fellow former titleholder Jiri Prochazka or reigning 205-pound king Carlos Ulberg.

Ankalaev bounced back from his title loss with a one-sided victory at UFC Abu Dhabi, finishing Bogdan Guskov in the final round of their main event clash to return to championship contention. Oddsmakers have now dropped the opening betting lines for the Russian’s next potential bout.

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Magomed Ankalaev betting odds emerge for potential UFC fights with Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka Ankalaev is the betting favorite against both Ulberg and Prochazka. If he’s awarded an immediate title shot against Ulberg, Ankalaev opens as a -190 favorite, while the Kiwi champion is listed as a +165 underdog, according to BetOnline.

However, with Ulberg currently sidelined with an injury and expected to return to the Octagon only next year, a title eliminator…