Martial Arts News

Aljamain Sterling claims he never gets opponents of his choice. 

Sterling defeated former UFC champion Benson Henderson in a wrestling match via fall at RAF 6 on Saturday. The former UFC bantamweight champion is now calling for a featherweight title shot against Alexander Volkanovski. Sterling also slammed Diego Lopes’ performance in his title rematch against Volkanovski at UFC 325 this past January.

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“I’ve been with the company since 2014, been calling my shot, defending the belt the most in the bantamweight division,” Sterling said at the said at the RAF post-fight press conference. “Give me my f——ing shot. I deserve a shot at the title, OG vs OG. I’m smarter than all these dumb motherf—-ers out there… Diego Lopes gets a f—-ng rematch, and he goes out there and fights worse after actually doing decent in the first fight. He can’t figure out how to do a lateral step to cut the cage.” ‘I’ve Never Turned Down Anybody’ Sterling is also ready …

Bobby Green wants a shot to compete at the UFC’s White House card. 

Green was a sizeable underdog going into his lightweight matchup against an up-and-coming Daniel Zellhuber at UFC Mexico on Saturday. Green led the dance from the opening bell and completely outstruck Zellhuber before knocking him out late in the second round in front of his home fans. 

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When asked about his next potential opponent, Green called for Nate Diaz to be re-signed to the UFC. However, Green later changed tune and called for a matchup against Michael Chandler at the White House in June.‘I’m a Great American’ “Michael Chandler at the White House, that would be dope,” Green said in an interview with the UFC. “I’d love to be on the White House lawn. I’m a great American. I want to show for the Black folks and say, ‘Hey America, this is what a standup Black American looks like.’ I’m showing the example to America and saying, ‘Hey, this is who I am. I represent America…

Dana White isn’t shy about his political alignment. 

White is an avid supporter of President Donald Trump and even actively campaigned for him in the 2024 elections. White’s relationship with Trump goes way back to when the UFC was on the verge of bankruptcy. While the sport was being condemned as “human cockfighting,” Trump opened the doors of his casino to host UFC fights. Trump has since been closely associated with White and has become a regular at major UFC events. 

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White’s unabashed political tie with Trump inevitably poses the question of whether it will affect the UFC fan base. However, White isn’t one to take the road to safety by being non-political. The UFC president and CEO says that people with opposing political opinions can just be authentic without agreeing with each other.‘Just Be Authentic’“How about you be authentic and just be yourself? Just be authentic,” White told CBS Sunday Morning. “You don’t have to agree with me …

Khamzat Chimaev seemingly wants to make his first UFC middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland. 

Chimaev recently called for a wrestling match against Colby Covington at RAF.

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“Next RAF I will make American boy humble again colbiclown let’s go,” Chimaev wrote.

Next RAF I will make American boy humble again colbiclown let’s go 🦾😂

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) March 1, 2026 When a fan asked if Chimaev is currently injured, the middleweight champion said that he is waiting for Strickland. 

“No I waiting for [Strickland],” Chimaev replied.

No I waiting for strikiland

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) March 1, 2026 Grudge Match Brewing? Strickland responded with an American flag, expressing his interest in the booking.

👊🇺🇲 https://t.co/NcMepsZbts

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) March 1, 2026

Chimaev won the middleweight title against D…

Bad blood between Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas erupted into a post-fight brawl at Real American Freestyle 6 in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday.

pic.twitter.com/GucttN4zpk

— ً. (@C0MB4TT) March 1, 2026

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Tsarukyan defeated Poullas via decision in a wrestling match that featured a number of chippy moments, including a backhanded slap from the UFC lightweight. When the match concluded, Tsarukyan shoved Poullas down and landed a right hand and a knee before he was separated from his opponent. At that point, chaos ensued as people rushed the mats.Poullas, Tsarukyan React “Unfortunately, I was jumped,” Poullas said on social media. “But as you guys saw my 62-year-old dad and both my brothers came to my rescue. That’s the way we were brought up. To fight for each other no matter what. We were outnumbered by like 12 Armenians and they came out running, fighting with me, fighting for me. So that’s f—king love. That’s how we were rai…

Jon Jones' last Octagon appearance came in November 2024. | Getty/UFC

Jon Jones may still get his wish of fighting at the UFC’s White House event before all is said and done.

During a meet and greet at the Brook Casino in New Hampshire, the former two-division champion revealed he was in still talks with the promotion to compete on the highly-anticipated card.

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”I’m in negotiations with the UFC about this White House thing, as well,” Jones said (video via Championship Rounds). “I’m a very, very, very proud American, and I cannot wait to represent one more time. So, we’ll see what happens.”

🚨 Jon Jones reveals he's in talks to fight on the UFC White House card 👀

"I'm in negotiations with the UFC about this White House [fight] as well. I'm a very proud American, and I cannot wait to represent one more time." pic.twitter.com/5dySHjvDc4

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 1, 2026

Jones hasn’t foug…

Francis Marshall is reaping the harvest of his hard work. 

Marshall faced Erik Silva in a featherweight matchup on the prelims at UFC Mexico on Saturday at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. Marshall justified his heavy favorite status by submitting Silva with a rear-naked choke in the very first round. Marshall revealed that while he originally planned to spend some more time on his feet, his opponent’s wild haymakers caught him off guad. When Marshall heard his corner calling for a double leg, he didn’t hesitate.

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“I would have liked to stay on the feet a little bit more but he was throwing some wild stuff at me that I wasn’t really expecting,” Marshall said in a post-fight interview with the UFC. “So safe bet, heard coach from the corner saying, ‘Jab-double leg.’ Listened to what coach said, jab-double leg, and from there I know my grappling is very high level. So I was just able to secure the finish there.”Singular Focus Marshall (9-3) w…

Regina Tarin is not to be judged by her baby face. 

Ernesta Kareckaite was originally scheduled to face Sofia Montenegro in a flyweight bout at UFC Mexico. However, Montenegro pulled out due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Mexico’s Tarin on three days’ notice. “Kill Bill” made her UFC debut against Kareckaite in a 130-pound catchweight bout. A sizeable underdog going into the fight, Tarin outstruck her opponent to earn a unanimous decision victory. 

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The 21-year-old Tarin is now the second youngest fighter on the current UFC roster. Tarin warns her future opponents not to judge her by her looks. While Tarin knows she looks like a little girl at 21, she says her Octagon persona, “Kill Bill,” is a whole different person.Another Person in the Octagon “I know I look like a little girl,” said in a post-fight interview. “I am a girl, I’m 21, but I’m ready. I’m training all the day. So my face is not me. Regina is here, but ‘Kill Bill’ i…

Fighting in Mexico almost feels like fighting in his home country of Colombia for Javier Reyes. 

Reyes faced Douglas Silva de Andrade in a featherweight matchup at UFC Mexico on Saturday at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. The 40-year-old Andrade (29-7) made his featherweight debut, moving up from bantamweight. Reyes paid the price early for keeping his hands low as Andrade dropped him. However, “Blair” survived the scare and came from behind to secure a finish via ground-and-pound with a second remaining in the first round. 

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Reyes says he wants to be a crowd favorite by being different.

“I just want to be different,” he said in his post-fight Octagon interview. “I just want that the crowd notices me and they realize that a Colombian fighter is doing very different things in order to win the championship.”

A Familiar Feeling While Mexico City’s elevation is a test for some fighters, Colombia’s Reyes feels right at home there. Wi…

Ryan Gandra was out to have fun at his UFC debut on Saturday. 

Gandra made his debut against Jose Medina in a middleweight matchup at UFC Mexico on Saturday at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. Gandra barely took a punch as he dropped Medina with a flurry of punches and finished him in just 41 seconds. 

Gandra (9-1) earned his UFC contract with a first-round knockout win over Trent Miller on Dana White's Contender Series last year. Gandra admits he was way more nervous for his Contender Series appearance than for his UFC debut. The 30-year-old explains that there is a lot more at stake on the Contender Series, as it is an opportunity to make or break one’s career. Having secured a UFC contract, Gandra was just out to have fun on his debut on Saturday.

“To tell you the truth, I was way more nervous in the Contender Series,” Gandra said in a post-fight interview with the UFC. “Because if you think about it, the nerves kick in because that’s the opportun…

Ailin Perez says this is the best time for Tracy Cortez to fight her. 

Perez took on women’s bantamweight veteran Macy Chiasson at UFC Mexico on Saturday at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. After dropping the first round, Perez bounced back to earn a unanimous decision win, which is her sixth straight win. Perez subsequently called out archenemy Tracy Cortez. 

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Perez later elaborated on her callout of Cortez. Perez says this is the best time for Cortez to fight her, as “Fiona” won’t give her the opportunity when she is the champion. Perez says that while Cortez is always beefing with her, she is nowhere to be found after the callout.Looking for a Fight “I already conquered the bantamweight division,” Perez told the UFC. “All the girls in the weight class are scared of me. And the time to fight Tracy is now. Because when I’m the champion, I’m not going to give her that opportunity. So the fight is now. Tracy Cortez is always trying to …

Santiago Luna recognizes the mistake that led to the end of his finishing streak. 

Luna (8-0) took on fellow newcomer Angel Pacheco (7-4) in a bantamweight tilt at UFC Mexico on Saturday at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. Being a former Mexican wrestling champion, Luna was expected to dominate Pacheco on the ground. But Pacheco showed impressive defense in getting back to his feet every time he was taken down. However, Luna outstruck Pacheco on the feet to earn a unanimous decision win. 

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Luna’s win over Pacheco was the first time he saw the judges’ scorecards. Luna believes he could have kept his finishing streak intact if he hadn’t gone head hunting against Pacheco. The undefeated 21-year-old believes he instead should have targeted the body of a durable fighter like Pacheco.Work the Body “I couldn’t keep up with my streak of finishes but I think I did quite a good performance for the people to enjoy… I don’t believe anyone has the …