Martial Arts News

A welterweight semifinal clash pitting former Bellator MMA champion Jason Jackson against undefeated prospect Thad Jean will serve as the headliner for the Professional Fighters League’s tournament event in Nashville on June 12.

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The PFL announced the main card lineup for the event, which features semifinal bouts at welterweight and featherweight. In the evening’s co-main event, Jesus Pinedo and Gabriel Braga will square off for a third time in a 145-pound semifinal.

Two semifinal other fights will round out the PFL World Tournament 5 main draw: Logan Storley vs. Masayuki Kikuiri at welterweight and Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Taekyun Kim at featherweight.

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, April 11 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2..

The card takes place at Nashville Municipal Auditorium and will air on the ESPN family of networks. More bouts and specific broadcast deals will be announced at a later date.

Jac…

says the guy who got the easiest path to the top in ufc just because he’s got a funny accent and budget beatles haircut. I dare you to call me out if you win and we will see who will shit his pants in the octagon when we meet clown @PaddyTheBaddy https://t.co/TKbm1hn5X2

— Arman Tsarukyan UFC (@ArmanUfc) April 8, 2025

Mateusz Gamrot took a dig at Arman Tsarukyan for seeking a matchup against Paddy Pimblett.

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Tsarukyan was originally scheduled to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 earlier this year. However, “Ahalkalakets” pulled out due to a back injury a day before the fight.

UFC CEO Dana White seemed annoyed by the withdrawal and confirmed that Tsarukyan wouldn’t be getting the next lightweight title shot. Pimblett recently started claimed to have heard that the UFC doctors never advised Tsarukyan to pull out of UFC 311. “The Baddy” further mocked Tsarukyan for being a “posh boy” who “chicken…

😢 Jean Silva feels the presence of his passed away brothers when the fight day comes closer.

He feels the closest to them in that moment which is why he is happy and excited on fight weeks.

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Unfortunately, we don't know the story behind this and what brothers he means.🎥 @ufc pic.twitter.com/5uHJXRfqBX — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) April 8, 2025

Jean Silva is always at his happiest going into a fight because that’s when he feels the closest to his late brother.

Silva is scheduled to fight Bryce Mitchell in a featherweight matchup at UFC 314 on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. “Lord” recently revealed that there is no question of any ill feelings as he heads into a fight. Silva shared that he feels closest to the loved ones he has lost going into a fight, especially his late brother. The Brazilian feels the happiest during fight night, which is the same to him as sharing a cup of coffee with his la…

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Gilbert Burns doubts Michael Chandler can hold his own on the ground against Paddy Pimblett.

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Chandler and Pimblett are set to clash at UFC 314 on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. It’s almost a home outing for Chandler, who trains at Kill Cliff FC in Florida. “Iron” was recently seen training with former welterweight title contender Burns.

Burns revealed that he had the pleasure of wrestling with Pimblett in Mexico in the past. Known for his elite grappling, Burns considers “The Baddy” a high-level grappler as well. According to “Durinho,” Chandler’s key to victory against the Liverpudlian will be to stay on the feet. If forced to wrestle at all, Burns advises Chandler to attempt ground-and-pound instead of engaging in jiu-jitsu exchanges against Pimblett.

“Michael’s ready. Facing a guy that is very tough,” Burns said on the UFC 314 Countdown show. “I had honor to grapple with Paddy when I was in Mexico. Guy …

Merab thinks Islam Makhachev needs to fight Ilia Topuria next:

“Islam told me at the press conference ‘Merab I respect you but when you have a top contender you should fight him’, and I said okay…

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Now he has a top contender as Ilia Topuria but he’s not fighting him…

Nobody… pic.twitter.com/jRaghPkkRi

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 8, 2025 Merab Dvalishvili wants Islam Makhachev to live up to his own standards.

Dvalishvili was initially loathe to make his first bantamweight title defense against Makhachev’s cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov. Makhachev then expressed his respect for Dvalishvili while asking him to not shy away from fighting a deserving contender. Dvalishvili eventually accepted the booking and successfully defended his title against a previously undefeated Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 earlier this year.

Now Dvalishvili’s countryman Ilia Topuria has vacated his featherweight title in quest for a lig…

A thief broke into Henry Cejudo’s studio last night and stole his first UFC belt 😬

🎥 @rushmma11 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/FtjHqonN07

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 8, 2025

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Henry Cejudo’s first Ultimate Fighting Championship belt was reportedly stolen during a burglary.

Cejudo’s producer, Dylan Rush, recently revealed that the former two-division champion’s first UFC belt was stolen from his studio in the early morning hours on Tuesday. Rush was trying to sleep on the couch when he saw a person who he mistook to be Cejudo. Rush then suddenly heard a glass shelf break after which the unknown perpetrator took to his heels.

“Someone broke into Henry's studio last night at 4:45 AM and stole his first UFC belt while I was sleeping on the couch,” Rush wrote on social media. “I woke up and watched the guy stand there for two minutes thinking it was Henry because it was dark. Then I heard a crash (the shelf fell)…

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As it turns out, Rashad Evans’ instincts were correct.

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A few days after Evans said his boxing match against Quinton Jackson was no longer happening due to unfulfilled contractual obligations, the entire card, which was scheduled for this Saturday at the Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was canceled. The cancellation was announced on the University of New Mexico Athletics website where tickets would have been sold.

“The Signature Punch Promotions card set for April 12, has been canceled,” read a statement on GoLobos.com. “All tickets will be refunded to the card used to make the purchase within 72-96 hours. This will happen automatically, no need to call the box office.”

The New Mexico State Athletic Commission in February approved the card, which was co-promoted Albuquerque’s Tapia Promotions and Florida’s Signature Punch Promotions. In addition to Evans vs. Jackson, the event was also expected to feature a boxing match between…

The Pitbull Brothers team will have two veterans making debuts in new promotions this weekend.

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First, Leandro Higo will make his Professional Fighters League debut on Friday in the evening’s main event against Josh Rettinghouse. The next day, Patricio Freire will make his Octagon debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314.

Higo, who has won five of his last six bouts, discussed sharing a camp with Patricio “Pitbull” and offered insight into both of their upcoming fights in a recent interview with Sherdog.

“I´m really happy to make my PFL debut fighting in the main event. I was so lucky to have Patricio making his Octagon debut in the same weekend, so the camp couldn't have been better,” the Bellator veteran said. “Since I was going to fight a Russian initially, we brought a wrestler from Kazakhstan, who helped me a lot.”

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, April 11 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2..

According to…

Aaron Pico is officially headed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

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Multiple outlets confirmed the news following an initial report from ESPN. While there were rumors of Pico making his Octagon debut against Movsar Evloev, a date and opponent for the Bellator MMA veteran’s first UFC foray have not been confirmed at this time. Pico was granted his release from Professional Fighters League, which purchased Bellator late in 2023 before dissolving the promotion this year.

fter years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief, I’ve officially signed with the UFC! This is more than just a dream come true; it’s the beginning of a new chapter,” Pico wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to my family, coaches, training partners, and everyone who has supported me on this journey. Your belief in me has fueled my fire. The ultimate goal? To become the UFC champion. I’m ready to work harder than ever before to make that a reality.”

A former Golden Glov…

Juliana Velasquez is unfazed by a last-minute change in opponent in the Professional Fighters League flyweight tournament.

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The former Bellator champion was originally supposed to face Taila Santos in a first-round matchup on Friday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. However, on Monday the promotion announced Santos had pulled out of the bout and would be replaced by Ekaterina Shakalova.

“When you participate in a grand prix, you know that these kind of short-notice opponent changes are part of the game,” Velasquez told Sherdog.com “In my daily routine at Team Nogueira, I train mostly with men — big ones, small ones, strikers, grapplers. That's what MMA is all about. Of course against Ekaterina I´ll change my strategy a little bit. But I'm ready for any girl in my division.”  

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, April 11 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2..

The Brazilian is coming off a TKO win o…

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Paddy Pimblett (22-3) is looking to make a statement against Michael Chandler (23-9).

Pimblett faces Chandler at the UFC 314 on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. While this will arguably be the biggest step up in competition for Pimblett, “The Baddy” sounds extremely confident going into his fight against Chandler. Pimblett believes he is better in all aspects than Chandler, who his known for his knockout power. However, Pimblett has famously declared in the past, “Scousers don’t get knocked out.” The Liverpudlian even claims he can beat Chandler more emphatically than lightweight elites Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje.

"As soon as he gets punched in the face he just wants to have a brawl,” Pimblett said on the Full Send podcast. “And I'll be using it against him… I don't see where he can beat me. The only way he can beat me is if he throws a hail mary punch and knocks me out. But I don't get knocked out, lad.…

The upcoming Professional Fighters League tournament event has undergone a few changes.

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The promotion announced Monday that Taila Santos has withdrawn from a first-round flyweight pairing against Juliana Velasquez at PFL World Tournament 2 on Friday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. As a result, Ekaterina Shakalova will step in and face Velasquez in the 125-pound bracket. Santos vs. Velasquez was slated to be the evening’s featured bout; instead a bantameight tilt pitting Leandro Higo against Josh Rettinghouse will now serve as the main event. Saray Orozco was originally supposed to face Shakalova, but it’s currently unclear if she will receive a replacement opponent.

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, April 11 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2..

PFL Tournament 2 features tournament bouts at women’s flyweight and men’s bantamweight. The prelims air on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, while the main card begins o…