Martial Arts News

Boxer Edgar Berlanga has reportedly been arrested on battery and aggravated battery charges.

Berlanga was arrested Monday, Oct. 26, by the Lakeland Police Department in Polk County, Florida, in connection with an alleged Oct. 18 incident, according to Uncrowned, which cited court records.

Edgar Berlanga faces aggravated battery and misdemeanor battery charges, with arraignment scheduled Nov. 17The 29-year-old super middleweight contender faces one count of misdemeanor battery and one count of felony aggravated battery. A judge set his combined bail at $16,000 during a court appearance Tuesday. His arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 17.

Berlanga (24-2, 19 KOs) is coming off a seventh-round technical knockout victory over Steven Butler at Zuffa Boxing 9 in July. The former world title challenger has alternated between losses and wins in his last four bouts.

Boxer Edgar Berlanga was arrested on misdemeanor battery and felony aggravated battery c…

Vadim Nemkov wants to be financially secure after hanging up his gloves.

Nemkov (20-2, 1 NC) recently criticized fighter pay in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Professional Fighters League heavyweight champion believes UFC athletes receive too little of the promotion’s revenue and deserve greater compensation for the risks to their health.

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PFL heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov explains why UFC fighter pay influenced his decision not to sign Without naming anyone, Nemkov recalled seeing retired UFC fighters at an event whose appearance suggested to him that they were struggling financially. He said earning potential was a major reason he didn’t sign with the UFC.

“The UFC is a huge money-making machine, so to speak,” Nemkov told Ushatayka. “There are massive sums involved, and the fighters get paid mere pennies. Those who put on the show, those who make the fights happen, they should be earning much more because of the heavy toll on their h…

There are no hard feelings between Daniel Cormier and Sean O'Malley.

Petr Yan defended the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title in a trilogy bout against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. Cormier subsequently asked Yan about a potential rematch with Song Yadong, who was in attendance at Etihad Arena.

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Daniel Cormier explains his Song Yadong question after Petr Yan's UFC 333 title defense O’Malley and his coach, Tim Welch, criticized Cormier’s question in their respective UFC 333 reaction videos on YouTube. “Suga” and his team believe he deserves the next title shot because the former champion has beaten both Yan and Song.

Cormier recently interviewed O’Malley on his YouTube channel to clear the air. The UFC commentator explained that he mentioned Song because the Chinese contender was in the arena and the production team had told him Song was about to appear on screen.

“Petr Yan defends his title and Song Yad…

Malcolm Wellmaker is reflecting on the sacrifices he made before his third consecutive loss in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Wellmaker suffered a knockout loss to Otari Tanzilovi at UFC Vegas 122, dropping his promotional record to 2-3. “The Machine” earned his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024.

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Malcolm Wellmaker reflects on third straight UFC loss after moving his family to train at American Top Team Wellmaker (10-3) finished his first two UFC opponents in the opening round last year. He then suffered his first professional defeat against Ethyn Ewing by unanimous decision in November before losing both of his 2026 appearances by stoppage.

Wellmaker previously trained at Faglier’s MMA in Augusta, Georgia. He moved with his family to Florida to train at American Top Team ahead of the Tanzilovi fight.

“After taking some time to let things settle and gather my thoughts, I have to be honest, this sh*t still really hur…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s next trip to Australia will be headlined by a lightweight clash.

Quillan Salkilld will have the home crowd behind him when he faces Benoit Saint Denis in the main event of UFC Sydney on Feb. 7 at Afterpay Arena. The event will air Feb. 6 in the United States.

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Quillan Salkilld brings a 13-fight winning streak into his second UFC main event against Benoit St. Denis Salkilld lost his professional debut in 2021 and has since won 13 consecutive fights. He earned a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024 and has gone 6-0 in the UFC, with five first-round finishes.

Salkilld is coming off victories over Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot. Saint Denis, meanwhile, will look to rebound from a first-round submission loss to Paddy Pimblett. The Frenchman had won four consecutive fights by stoppage before Pimblett submitted him in 52 seconds at UFC 329 in July.

Saint Denis is 9-4 in the UFC. “God of War” made…

Amateur mixed martial artist Calvin Olson has reportedly been hospitalized in intensive care following a serious motorcycle accident.

A GoFundMe fundraiser, organized by Ivan Silva, says Olson is being monitored by medical professionals in the intensive care unit as he begins what could be a lengthy recovery.

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Fundraiser says Calvin Olson sustained a brain injury and faces a potentially lengthy recovery Olson reportedly sustained a brain injury in the accident. He recently faced Nathaniel Esquibel in an amateur bout at Guerrilla Fighting Championship 2. Olson won the fight by second-round technical knockout.

The fundraiser’s organizer said the accident has left Olson facing significant physical, emotional and financial challenges. Donations are being sought to help cover medical care, rehabilitation and everyday expenses.

“No young man should have to face a battle like this without the support of those around him,” the fundraiser reads.

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Alexander Volkanovski believes his victory over Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 came down to a difficult stylistic matchup for the challenger. The champion says Evloev would fare better against other featherweights.

Volkanovski (29-4) stopped the previously unbeaten Evloev (20-1) by second-round technical knockout in the main event Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Australian defended his featherweight title, finishing Evloev with a barrage of punches at 4:54 of the frame.

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Alexander Volkanovski calls himself a nightmare matchup for Movsar Evloev after their UFC 333 featherweight title fight Volkanovski praised Evloev’s performance but argued that their styles made the difference. He believes the Russian remains a formidable opponent for the rest of the division despite suffering his first professional loss.

“I thought he still looked great, as well. Again, I'm just the wrong guy,” Volkanovski said of Evloev in an interview with Freak MMA. “I feel…

Khamzat Chimaev says he is willing to follow Sean Strickland to another weight class to secure a rematch.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion renewed his pursuit of Strickland in a video posted by Red Corner MMA. Chimaev (15-1) is seeking to avenge his split-decision loss to Strickland (31-7) at UFC 328 in May, which cost him the 185-pound title.

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Khamzat Chimaev vows to pursue Sean Strickland across weight classes after losing their UFC 328 title fight Asked whether he would wrestle Strickland in Real American Freestyle if he could not secure a UFC rematch, Chimaev said he was determined to make the matchup happen.

“We will make the matchup, bro. Don’t worry. Light heavyweight, heavyweight, wherever he goes, we go after him. I’m the hunter. He’s a chicken running away,” Chimaev said.

Chimaev said he would move up if Strickland competed at heavyweight.

Chimaev has repeatedly called for a rematch since losing …

Lone’er Kavanagh is leaning toward Joshua Van in his title defense against Manel Kape.

Van will put his Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title on the line against Kape at UFC 336 on Jan. 30 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Kavanagh is excited to watch the matchup between the two strikers but says it’s difficult to pick against the reigning champion.

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Lone’er Kavanagh favors Joshua Van over Manel Kape and offers to serve as backup for the flyweight title fight Kavanagh explained why he’s leaning toward Van, saying “The Fearless” proved himself with his dominant showing against Alexandre Pantoja.

“As a fan, it’s gonna be an exciting one to watch,” Kavanagh told Ariel Helwani. “They’re both high-level strikers… You can't really bet against Joshua Van anymore. He's proved himself against Pantoja twice. So maybe [I’m leaning] towards Van… I was surprised. He had an answer for everything that Pantoja threw at him… I'm gonna say the flyweight divisi…

Alexander Volkanovski says he embraced an extra challenge ahead of his latest title defense.

Volkanovski said he was ill heading into his Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title bout against Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. The champion retained his title by stopping the previously undefeated Evloev in the second round.

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Alexander Volkanovski says his team opposed his decision to fight Movsar Evloev without permitted medication Volkanovski (29-4) subsequently revealed that he declined medication for his illness despite being told it was permitted. “The Great” said he thought people might view it as an advantage if he took it.

“I thought people might look at it as an advantage even though it would only be so I wouldn’t feel as bad and as sick,” Volkanovski said during a media scrum captured by Brendan Bradford. “I turned it down, even though the UFC and everyone else were saying, ‘No, you’re allowed to do this. You can take it. Why …

Israel Adesanya has questioned Alex Pereira’s decision to continue fighting at heavyweight.

The former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder is scheduled to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Pereira recently discussed the possibility of returning to light heavyweight, prompting a response from his former foe.

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Israel Adesanya argues Alex Pereira should have returned to light heavyweight instead of facing Sergei Pavlovich Pereira has said he plans to return to light heavyweight if he loses to Pavlovich. Adesanya questioned why the Brazilian would discuss that possibility before the fight and said he doesn’t understand why Pereira accepted the matchup.

Adesanya believes “Poatan” should have moved back down to 205 pounds after losing to Ciryl Gane in an interim heavyweight title bout at UFC Freedom 250 in June.

“I already saw a clip of Pereira saying if he loses to Pavlovich, he is goin…

Chris Weidman has criticized Movsar Evloev’s wrestling against Alexander Volkanovski.

Weidman believes Evloev (20-1) made a basic error while trying to take Volkanovski (29-4) down in the second round of their Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title clash at UFC 333 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

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Chris Weidman explains Movsar Evloev's failed mat return against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333 Evloev had Volkanovski’s back against the Octagon fence and tried to pull him to the ground, but the champion scrambled into top position. Weidman said Volkanovski was able to keep his hips high and turn into Evloev. According to the former middleweight champion, Evloev should have gone hip-to-hip to bring Volkanovski down, even though it would have required more effort.

“When you have someone’s back and have to mat return, you never pull them on top of you,” Weidman said on the “Deep Waters” podcast. “It’s kind of like a lazy way of bringing someone do…