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Islam Makhachev More Interested in Second Title Than Potential Ilia Topuria Fight

👀Islam Makhachev thinks it's more likely he'll fight the winner of Belal vs. Shavkat for the welterweight title than face Ilia Topuria in 2025:

“Topuria doesn't make sense. For what? For belt, for money. I have money, I don't need. I need the second belt.”

🎥 @Shak_Fu ▫️ pic.twitter.com/OOcl72Us5I — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 10, 2025

Islam Makhachev prefers a move up to welterweight over a clash against featherweight champ Ilia Topuria.

Makhachev is scheduled to defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. In recent times, the Dagestani has been vocal about a move up to welterweight for a double-champ bid.

Meanwhile, Topuria is contemplating a move up to lightweight after defending his featherweight title only once. However, Makhachev isn’t interested in fighting Topuria with very little to gain. While it could potentially be a mega…

Umar Nurmagomedov Believes Merab Dvalishvili ‘Created’ Beef Ahead of UFC 311

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Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t think Merab Dvalishvili has any reason to hate him.

Nurmagomedov challenges Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title in the co-main event at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Dvalishvili was initially adamant about not fighting Nurmagomedov in his very first title defense. According to “The Machine,” the undefated Nurmagomedov is undeserving of a title shot despite six UFC wins under his belt. Dvalishvili accuses Nurmagomedov of being favored by the UFC due to the legacy of his family name.

Dvalishvili ultimately accepted the fight, citing intolerable insults from Nurmagomedov. The two also went off on the same topic during a promotional presser last month. However, it remains slightly unclear what insults Dvalishvili is referring to, as Nurmagomedov hasn’t seemed to cross any boundaries in terms of trash talking. Dvalishvili has vowed to slap Nurmagomedov if he doesn’t receive an apolo…

Coach: Umar Nurmagomedov Won’t Be Able to ‘Keep Pace’ with Merab Dvalishvili

👀Merab Dvalishvili’s coach predicts Umar won’t keep up with Merab’s relentless pace:

“3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds, I think it’s gonna be Merab’s fight. I expect a hard couple of rounds, but I also expect Merab to do what he does best and take over.”

🎥 @Home_of_Fight ▫️ pic.twitter.com/jbVm0TGHCl — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 10, 2025

Merab Dvalishvili’s head coach is confident that the champ will retain his title against Umar Nurmagomedov.

Dvalishvili will put his bantamweight title on the line against Nurmagomedov in the co-main event at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Many expect Nurmagomedov’s elite wrestling to be Dvalishvili’s toughest test to date. While Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood doesn’t expect an easy night at the office for Dvalishvili, he believes “The Machine” will get his hand raised.

According to Wood, Dvalishvili’s cardio is going to be the gam…

UFC Vegas 101 Weigh-in Results: Main Event Set; 2 Fighters Heavy

Mackenzie makes the main event OFFICIAL 😮‍💨@MackenzieDern weighs in at 116 lbs!

[ #UFCVegas101 | LIVE tomorrow 7pmET on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/F8SdUJVGNs

— UFC (@ufc) January 10, 2025 Editor's note: The article has been updated at 2:35 p.m. ET on Jan. 10 to reflect the fine amounts for the heavy fighters.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns for its first mixed martial arts event of the year.

Headlining the UFC Vegas 101 main event is a five-round strawweight fight between Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas. Both women successfully made weight, although two fighters on the undercard did not. First was Jose Johnson, who came in 2.5 pounds over the flyweight limit for his fight against Felipe Bunes. Also overweight was Ihor Potieria, who came in two pounds over the limit for his middleweight bout versus Marco Tulio. While Johnson has received a 20% fine of his overall fight purse, Potieria's fine totals 25% of…

Olga Rubin vs. Mayra Cantuaria Headlines Invicta FC 60 in Atlanta on Feb. 7

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Islam Makhachev Reveals Interaction with Nate Diaz Prior to Water Bottle Incident

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Islam Makhachev and Nate Diaz allegedly had a cordial interaction months before nearly getting into a brawl last December.

Makhachev defends his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan in the main event at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Makhachev was in Las Vegas for a promotional presser in December when he almost got into an altercation with Diaz, who was in town to corner teammate Kron Gracie the following weekend at UFC 310. Diaz and Makhachev’s teams threw water bottles at each other before security broke them up without letting it escalate further.

Nate Diaz and Team Makhachev threw water bottles at each other backstage 😳 #UFC310 pic.twitter.com/gr3TDd5abt

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 7, 2024

While Makhachev didn’t have any animosity with Diaz, he believes Khabib Nurmagomedov might have had something to do with the incident. According to Makhachev, Diaz fli…

Report: Rodolfo Bellato Replaces Marcin Prachnio, Meets Jimmy Crute at UFC 312

The UFC 312 card has undergone a change a month before fight night.

Jimmy Crute (12-4) was originally scheduled to face Marcin Prachnio (17-8) at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. However, Prachnio is now out of the bout due to unknown reasons. Rodolfo Bellato (12-2) will instead take on Crute in front of the latter’s home fans. The change was first reported by Laerte Viana.

Crute is 0-3-1 in the Octagon since 2020 and is coming off a submission loss against Alonzo Menifield in his most recent outing at UFC 290 in July 2023.

Meanwhile, Bellato graduated from Dana White's Contender Series with a technical knockout over Murtaza Talha Ali and followed it up with another stoppage win against Ihor Potieria in his UFC debut in December 2023.

Prachnio is 4-6 in the UFC and fresh off a submission loss against Modestas Bukauskas at UFC 304 in July 2024.

Angela Hill to Face Ketlen Souza at UFC Vegas 102 on Feb. 15

A strawweight matchup pitting Angela Hill against Ketlen Souza has been added to the UFC Vegas 102 bill.

Souza confirmed the bout on social media following an initial report from MMAjunkie.com. UFC Vegas 102 ? also known as UFC Fight Night 251 -- takes place on Feb. 15 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a middleweight duel between Jared Cannonier and Gregory Rodrigues.

Hill will be making her 27th walk to the Octagon when she faces Souza. The former Invicta FC title holder had a two-bout winning streak snapped in her most recent outing, when she fell to Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 62.

After dropping her promotional debut to Karine Silva, Souza has rebounded to post back-to-back triumphs against Marnic Mann and Yazmin Jauregui in UFC competition. The 30-year-old Brazilian has been victorious in seven of her last eight professional appearances overall.

Carlos Barreto: Rumored Alex Pereira-Alexander Volkov Fight Makes ‘Perfect Sense’

A recent video posted by Alex Pereira created quite the uproar among UFC fans.

In the clip, “Poatan” was seen leaving the UFC offices with manager Ed Soares — presumably with a fight agreement in tow. If Pereira wanted to return to fight in March as rumored, it seemed to rule out a title defense against top light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev, who would not be available due to Ramadan. One website speculated that Khamzat Chimaev would be the opponent, but that possibility was not confirmed by either side or any MMA journalist.

It won’t be Ankalaev ! 😭

— Alex "Poatan" Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) December 19, 2024

In the first week of 2025, Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana revealed on his YouTube channel that he received information from people close to “Poatan” that his next opponent would be heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov. That rumor was analyzed by UFC Fight Pass Brazil commentator Carlos Barreto on hi…

Bo Nickal Believes Khamzat Chimaev Won’t Be Able To Take Him Down

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Bo Nickal recently made some bold claims about a potential clash with Khamzat Chimaev.

Nickal has been touted as a potential foil to Chimaev’s wrestling since he joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2023. The former three-time NCAA Division I national champion delivered on those expectations until recently. While Nickal has finished six of his seven pro outings, the Penn State alum eked out a unanimous decision win over Paul Craig in his most recent fight at UFC 309 this past November. In that bout, Nickal was hesitant to engage on the ground against “Bearjew,” who is known for his tricky jiu-jitsu.

Nickal’s latest performance has led to doubts that the 28-year-old will be a match for Chimaev, who is on the brink of receiving a title shot. However, Nickal is confident that he can beat the Chechen-born Swede. According to Nickal, he will be able to win the majority of potential grappling exchanges with Chimaev. Nickal believes Chimaev’s…

Movsar Evloev Willing to Move to Lightweight for Chance to Face Ilia Topuria

Movsar Evloev is coming for Ilia Topuria.

The UFC featherweight title picture is in a bit of a fix right now. Topuria won the title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 last year and defended it by handing Max Holloway his only career knockout loss at UFC 308. With Holloway considering a permanent move to lightweight, Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev are in the running for title contention next.

However, Topuria has expressed an interest in moving up to lightweight soon, citing a lack of contenders at 145 pounds. Evloev is not bothered by Topuria’s comments, as he is currently focused on becoming world champion — regardless of the opponent he has to face. However, the Russian wants “El Matador” at some point and is willing to chase him across weight classes. But most importantly, Evloev believes Topuria isn’t going to move up before defending his featherweight throne at least once more.

“Ilia start talking that he’s moving up also, …

Quinton Jackson-Rashad Evans Boxing Match Targeted for Future Date in 2025

Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans will settle their old rivalry inside the squared circle.

Jackson and Evans are expected to meet in a boxing bout in Albuquerque, New Mexico, sometime in 2025. The exact date for the fight is yet to be announced. The promotion Influencer Crossover Series made it official on social media for their first event, which is entitled ICS Mania I. Jackson and Evans also both announced the fight via social media.

“Rampage” and Evans starred as rival coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter 10 “in 2009. The two met in a non-title main event clash at UFC 114 the following year, where “Suga” emerged victorious via a unanimous decision.

Over the course of career that spanned two decades, Jackson has competed in a number of major promotions, including the UFC — where he captured light heavyweight gold — Bellator MMA and Pride Fighting Championships. “Rampage” hasn’t fought since a knockout loss to Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 2…

UFC CEO Dana White Elected to Meta Board of Directors

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White is joining forces with Mark Zuckerberg.

It was announced on Monday that White — along with Exor CEO John Elkann and technology investor Charlie Songhurst — have been elected to Meta’s board of directors. One of the largest information technology companies in the U.S., Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, among other things.

“Dana, John, and Charlie will add a depth of expertise and perspective that will help us tackle the massive opportunities ahead with AI, wearables and the future of human connection,” said Zuckerberg, who is the founder and CEO of Meta.

White has long been the frontman of the UFC, both when it was previously owned by Zuffa and now under the TKO Group Holdings umbrella. He expressed enthusiasm about his new venture in a release.

“I’ve never been interested in joining a board of directors until I got the offer to join Meta’s board. I am a huge believer that social…

Henry Cejudo vs. Yadong Song, Dominick Cruz vs. Rob Font Top UFC Seattle Lineup

The top of the card appears to be in place for UFC Seattle.

A bantamweight clash between Henry Cejudo and Yadong Song has been targeted to headline the card. Verbal agreements are reportedly in place, and the bout is expected to be finalized in the coming days. Multiple outlets confirmed that the fight is in the works following an initial report from Kevin K on X.

Meanwhile, Dominick Cruz will lock horns with Rob Font in the evening’s co-main event at 135 pounds. UFC broadcast partner ESPN was first to report the pairing.

UFC Seattle — also known as UFC Fight Night 252 — takes place on Feb. 22 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, and also includes a middleweight title between Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez as well as a heavyweight scrap between Curtis Blaydes and Rizvan Kuniev. According to ESPN, the promotion is working on getting Spokane, Washington, native Michael Chiesa on the card.

A former title holder at both …

Vadim Nemkov vs. Tim Johnson Announced for Road to Dubai on Jan. 25

🚨 UPDATE: Vadim Nemkov now faces Tim Johnson at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Saturday 25th January.

BE THERE! 🎟️ https://t.co/HZ3ZYOEyw7#RoadtoDubai | Sat Jan 25 | Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, UAE pic.twitter.com/YsjhJSyKpo

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 6, 2025

Vadim Nemkov will remain on the Road to Dubai card after all — he just won’t be fighting against Corey Anderson.

Instead, Nemkov will square off against Tim Johnson in a heavyweight bout on Jan. 25 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The new booking was announced via the Bellator MMA social media account on Monday. Road to Dubai is headlined by a lightweight championship tilt pitting Usman Nurmagomedov against Paul Hughes.

Nemkov was originally slated to face Ante Delija at Road to Dubai, but that quickly changed to a trilogy bout between the former Bellator light heavyweight king and Anderson when Delija withdrew from the fight. …

Donn Davis: PFL to Allow Elbows for All Fights in 2025

New Year … New AdjustmentsYOU asked for ELBOWS@PFLMMA is giving you elbows!

All elbows. All fights. All the time. #PFLMMA 2025 … COMING

— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) January 6, 2025

It appears that Professional Fighters League will have a significant revision to its rule set for 2025.

In a post on social media, PFL CEO and founder Donn Davis announced that the promotion will allow elbows for all bouts going forward. In previous years, elbows were banned during the PFL season, presumably to avoid cuts and injuries that might prevent competitors from advancing through the format.

“New year….new adjustments,” Davis wrote on Monday. “You asked for elbows, PFL is giving you elbows. All elbows. All fights. All the time.”

It’s currently unclear if Davis’ announcement could coincide with an end to the PFL season format. The organization has yet to announce any PFL events for 2025. Thus far, the only PFL-affiliated …

Colby Covington Hints at Potential Move to Middleweight Division

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Colby Covington is intrigued by the options that might accompany a move up in weight.

The former interim welterweight champion fought for the first time in a year at UFC Tampa, where he lost to Joaquin Buckley via third-round doctor stoppage in the evening’s main event on Dec. 14. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington discussed his options going forward, which included moving up or down in weight.

“I don’t see myself ever going to 155, even though I know I could make it and I’d probably be way stronger than the guys on fight night. I’d feel like a bully, and I’m not a bully. I got into MMA because I didn’t like guys bullying me,” Covington said.

“But [185]? Honestly, [185] is intriguing. I think it would be kind of cool to go up there with a narrative of, ‘Oh, this guy is a small ’70, he’s going to go up to ’85 and take on an even bigger challenge.’ There is a possibility. I’m always looking for the biggest an…

Arman Tsarukyan Claims He Has a Game-Changing ‘Trick’ for Islam Makhachev

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Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) has a special trick up his sleeve for Islam Makhachev (26-1).

Tsarukyan challenges Makhachev for the lightweight title in the main event at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. While Tsarukyan has long been the rightful No. 1 contender, he was very particular about having a full camp for his rematch against Makhachev.

Tsarukyan believes he is now totally ready. While “Ahalkalakets” spent a long time working on his physique, he is now focused on preparing specifically for Makhachev as fight night nears. And Tsarukyan claims to have devised a trick that he is certain will work and change the entire course of the fight.

“Back in September I worked on my cardio, my breathing, my strength [and] endurance,” Tsarukyan recently told Red Corner MMA. “But now it’s all about preparing for my opponent – Islam… Of course, I have one trick prepared that I believe in. I know it will work. And it will c…

Michael Page: If ‘Shara Bullet’ Shoots for Takedown, ‘It Means Fight is Going My Way’

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Michael Page (22-3) believes Sharabutdin Magomedov (15-0) will already be in a bad state if he tries to land a takedown in their upcoming clash.

Two of the most entertaining strikers in the sport, Page and Magomedov will clash in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 250 on Feb. 1 at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While it’s likely the fight remains on the feet, the dynamic could change if one of the strikers attempts to transition to a wrestling-based approach. “MVP” doubts Magomedov will try to take him down, as he believes the Dagestani is too hard-headed and confident in his own skillset. However, if it comes to that, Page thinks “Shara Bullet” will be in a desperate condition. According to the Brit, Magomedov might be too bloodied up to mount a comeback if and when he shoots for a takedown.

“If he does [shoot], it means the fight is going my way — and aggressively my way,” Page said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “Becaus…

UFC 313 Update: Chris Gutierrez to Face Jean Matsumoto on March 8

Chris Gutierrez will square off against Jean Matsumoto in a bantamweight contest at UFC 313.

Both fighters confirmed the pairing on social media following an initial report from Marcel Dorff. UFC 313 takes place on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A headliner has not been confirmed for the event.

Gutierrez has won two of his last three Octagon appearances. In his lone bout of 2024, “El Guapo” outpointed Quang Le at UFC on ESPN 61 on Aug. 10. The 33-year-old Factory X representative has compiled a 9-3-1 mark during his promotional tenure.

Brazil’s Matsumoto has been victorious in his first 16 professional outings — including two in UFC competition. The Dana White's Contender Series alum went 2-0 in 2024, submitting Dan Argueta at UFC Fight Night 240 before outpointing Brad Katona at UFC Fight Night 245.

Yazmin Jauregui, Dione Barbosa to Clash at UFC on ESPN 64 on March 29

A strawweight showdown pitting Yazmin Jauregui against Dione Barbosa is on tap for UFC on ESPN 64.

Both fighters confirmed the pairing on social media following an initial report from Ag.Fight. UFC on ESPN 64 takes place on March 29 at CDMX in Mexico City and also includes a middleweight bout between Joe Pyfer and Kelvin Gastelum. A headliner has not been announced for the card.

Jauregui has dropped two of her last three promotional appearances. Most recently, the 25-year-old Tijuana, Mexico, native suffered a first-round submission defeat to Ketlen Souza at UFC 306 this past September.

Barbosa, meanwhile, had a four-bout professional winning streak snapped in her last outing, when she fell to Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 60 this past July.

UFC Vegas 101 Gets Two New Matchups Ahead of Saturday’s Event

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first card of 2025 has undergone a couple of changes a little less than a week before the event.

Jacobe Smith will make his Octagon debut on short notice against Preston Parsons at UFC Vegas 101 — also known as UFC Fight Night 249 — on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Smith is a replacement for Andreas Gustafsson, who withdrew from the event for undisclosed reasons. MMAjunkie.com was first to report the new booking.

Meanwhile, Joe Solecki will replace Yanal Ashmouz and face Nurullo Aliev in a lightweight bout on the same card. Both Aliev and Solecki confirmed the booking via social media. UFC Vegas 101 is headlined by a strawweight rematch between Amanda Ribas and Mackenzie Dern.

A former wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Smith has kicked off his professional tenure with nine straight triumphs — seven by KO or TKO. He earned a UFC contract with a second-round stoppage of Christien Savoie on D…

Deaf UFC Veteran Matt Hamill Able to Hear for ‘First Time in 41 Years’

Matt Hamill began the new year with a very special moment.

Hamill, the first deaf athlete to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, revealed on social media that he was able to hear his family for the first time with the assistance of special digital hearing aids.

“I just got the most powerful digital hearing aids ever made,” Hamill recently wrote on Instagram. “For the first time in 41 years, I can finally hear my kids’ voices, the sounds of people walking and laughing. I finally heard my mom’s voice and she cried. I’m looking forward to hearing my brother Pat’s voice too. I only hope he doesn’t have a voice like a foghorn. This is awesome, although I know it will take time to adapt to all of this. Happy New Year!”

The now 48-year-old Hamill compiled a 13-8 record over the course of a professional MMA career that began in 2005. He appeared on Season 3 of the “The Ultimate Fighter” and went on to have a 15-bout tenure in the Las Vega…

Umar Nurmagomedov Hopes to Inherit Khabib’s ‘Eagle’ Nickname

👏🦅Umar Nurmagomedov calls himself ‘Just Eagle’ and Khabib ‘Old Eagle’:

“I think on January 18th, I will deserve this name - Eagle. No more young, just Eagle.”😁

🎥 @akajav ▫️ pic.twitter.com/0UavJ9Neo8 — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 4, 2025

Umar Nurmagomedov wants to follow in the footsteps of cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov in every aspect.

Umar challenges Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title in the co-main event at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Undefeated like his cousin Khabib, Umar now looks to become a UFC champ like “The Eagle” and even potentially take over his moniker.

While he is yet to have an official nickname, Umar is popularly known as “Young Eagle” because of his relation to Khabib and their similar styles. However, Khabib seemingly declared that Umar can no longer be called “Young Eagle” after the latter turned 29 this past weekend. When their lo…

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