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Former WEC, UFC Bantamweight Champ Dominick Cruz Retires From MMA

One of the greatest Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters in the history of the sport is deciding to hang up his gloves.

Ex-UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz (24-4) was slated to return to the Octagon against Rob Font for his final MMA bout at UFC Fight Night 252 on Feb. 22. “The Dominator” sustained a shoulder injury and withdrew from the match on Wednesday. Rather than recover and attempt to rebook the Font matchup, Cruz elected to say farewell to the sport on Thursday. He will still remain as a color commentator and analyst for the UFC.

Posting on Instagram, Cruz wrote a farewell message detailing his recent setbacks and thanking those involved in his career. ”To the fans worldwide, “I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years. I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in 8 months calls an end to this guy’s career.

“I gave everythi…

Ilia Topuria Changes Tune, Pitches Diego Lopes as Possible Next Challenger

A lot can change in a day.

During the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s media day for UFC 312, current featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria (16-0)—who is in Australia cornering brother Aleksandre Topuria—suggested that he had one name in mind if he remained at 145 pounds: Alexander Volkanovski. He also continued floating the idea of moving up to lightweight to challenge Islam Makhachev. On Thursday, however, Topuria informed Sherdog he had a different name in mind.

“Diego [Lopes] has this profile, he is aggressive and brings dynamism to the Octagon,” Topuria said to the surprise of some. “He does what the public wants to see: he fights for real, not to simply survive. And that’s what I want for my next fight. I don’t want an opponent who just controls the pace, I want someone who really challenges me.”

Whether this means Topuria has changed course, or if he is intentionally giving different outlets different answers to generate confusion or interest,…

Judge Grants Final Approval for $375 Million Settlement of UFC Antitrust Case

Court grants FINAL approval in first of two UFC fighter pay lawsuits. pic.twitter.com/gv6Ja3cjDI

— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) February 6, 2025 The Ultimate Fighting Championship is officially settling the first of two antitrust cases for $375 million.

In September, the UFC agreed to up its amount for the settlement of the Le vs. Zuffa antitrust case for fighters that competed with the league from 2010 to 2017 to $375 million. This was subject to approval from Nevada judge Richard Boulware, who did so in October while scheduling the final approval hearing for February. First breaking from to combat sports attorney Erik Magraken on Thursday, Judge Boulware has granted final approval to the settlement and the first case will be closed.

Over a decade ago, the UFC’s former parent company of Zuffa was sued for violating antitrust laws, and accused of engaging in anticompetitive practices to harm fighters. The claims were that the UFC paid…

Dominick Cruz Forced Out of UFC Seattle Due to Injury

Dominick Cruz is out of the UFC Seattle co-main event due to an injury.

Cruz was expected to hang up his gloves after a matchup against Rob Font at UFC Fight Night 252 on Feb. 22 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. However, Cageside Press was first to report that “The Dominator” has been forced out of the booking due to an unspecified injury. It is currently unknown whether Cruz will step inside the Octagon again before retiring. Multiple outlets have since confirmed Cruz’s exit from the card.

Cruz’s legendary career saw him win the UFC bantamweight title on two separate occasions. Cruz won 13 consecutive fights from 2008 to 2016 before losing to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207, after which he never found the same momentum. Cruz returned to action after a hiatus of over three years and suffered a stoppage loss against Henry Cejudo at UFC 249. Cruz rebounded with a two-fight win streak, which was snapped by a knockout loss against Marlon Vera in 2022 an…

Brandon Royval Announces Withdrawal from UFC Vegas 103 Main Event

UFC Vegas 103 is in need of a new headliner.

Brandon Royval on Wednesday announced via Instagram that an injury has forced him to pull out of a proposed flyweight showdown against Manel Kape on March 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Royval did not reveal the exact nature of the injury. It’s currently unclear if Kape will remain on the card against a replacement opponent.

“Unfortunately I’m going to have to pull out of my fight,” Royval wrote. “I’m sorry to Manel Kape and my fans. I’m facing an injury that has me questioning when I’ll be able to train again. This is absolutely a fight I think needs to happen for the flyweight division, but as of right now competing [next] month has been ill advised. Love y’all and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I’ll have more details on my YouTube this week.”

Royval has won five of his last six Octagon appearances, with his only defeat coming against Alexandre Pantoja in a flyweight title bout at UFC …

‘Shara Bullet’ Elaborates on Issues That Affected Performance at UFC Saudi Arabia

Sharabutdin Magomedov recently offered further details on the aliments that hindered him against Michael Page at UFC Saudi Arabia last weekend.

“Shara Bullet” dropped a unanimous verdict to Page in the card’s middleweight co-main event this past Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Shortly thereafter, the Dagestani released a statement via social media revealing that he was dealing with a "nightmarish health condition” in the bout.

While Magomedov still hasn’t specified exactly what was wrong, he did provide more insight into those health issues during a recent interview with Red Corner MMA.

“I’ve never felt this sick in the cage,” Magomedov said. “My legs were gone, my arms felt weak, and I’ve got a lot of health issues I don’t want to reveal. It was a whole bunch of problems that affected my performance. My mind was there, but my body was off. I’ve got dysbacteriosis and parasitosis in my intestine, and I’ve got problems with my …

Kevin Lee Reacts After Leaked Sparring Footage Shows Him Being Dropped

KEVIN WATCH OUT pic.twitter.com/jeBJxFsknL

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) February 5, 2025

Kevin Lee isn’t especially pleased after footage of a recent sparring session went public.

In a video making the rounds on social media, Lee is dropped by an overhand right after missing a flying knee attempt during practice at Kill Cliff FC in Florida. The UFC veteran returns to his feet but is still wobbly as Robbie Lawler attends to him. Lee can be overheard saying, “I’m good,” and Lawler responds by telling him to “Walk it off.”

While such instances aren’t necessarily uncommon during training, it’s rare for video of sparring to be released. It’s currently unclear how the footage became available, but Lee was understandably unhappy that it did.

“[I don’t know] who posted that video or why, but I’m heading right now to find out,” Lee wrote on X. “I can only blame myself for showing mercy and pulling my knee back bu…

Sean Strickland: Alex Pereira ‘F—ing Hates’ Dricus Du Plessis

Sean Strickland says that Alex Pereira hates Dricus du Plessis 😭

“For some reason he hates Dricus. I don’t know what you did to him, but he f***ing hates you dude.”

🎥 @ufc #UFC312 #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/WIRKpdOwtU

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 4, 2025

Sean Strickland believes Alex Pereira isn’t especially fond of Dricus Du Plessis.

Strickland will try to reclaim the middleweight title against Du Plessis in the main event at UFC 312 on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The former champ is training with foe-turned-friend Pereira leading up to the fight.

According to Strickland, “Poatan” has hatred toward Du Plessis, though the source of that animosity is unknown.

“I think Alex is an angry motherf---er,” Strickland said at UFC 312 media day. “Like, Alex is angry and for some reason he hates Dricus. I don’t know what you did to him. But he f---ing hates you, dude. The way he looks at…

MMA Veteran Philip Keller Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Murder of Fiancee

PHILIP KELLER, who shot and killed popular Merritt Island piercing artist Alicia “Red” Campitelli, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. KELLER pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in agreement secured by ASAs Jason Andersen and Nader Hatoum. https://t.co/XzmVTURdLr pic.twitter.com/foGqSfGEaR

— State Attorney 18th Circuit FL (@SA18PIO) February 3, 2025

Eight-time MMA veteran Philip Keller was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Monday for murdering his fiancee, according to a release from the Florida Office of the State Attorney.

Keller pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, grand theft, fradulent use of a credit card and tampering with evidence. Keller shot and killed Alicia Campitelli, who worked as a piercing artist in Merrit Island, Florida, in 2021 during an argument over his drug use.

According to the release, Keller took the victim’s car and used her debit card to withdraw more than $1,400 to buy drugs. He later disposed…

Jailton Almeida Open to Pavlovich Fight, Backup Role for Jones vs. Aspinall

Jailton Almeida wants to help Tom Aspinall add some fun to the heavyweight division.

The interim heavyweight champion recently expressed some frustration following a lackluster fight between Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC Saudi Arabia

"Heavyweight fights have been horrible lately. Let's bring back the entertainment and stop holding the division back," wrote the British fighter on his Instagram Stories.

Almeida, who is coming off back-to-back first-round finishes of Alexander Romanov and Serghei Spivac, offered his services for a fight against Aspinall.

“[Did] I read excitement? 22 wins in my career, 21 finishes (eight knockouts, 13 submissions), nine UFC wins, eight finishes (three knockouts, five submissions). I think I meet the requirements. Champ, if Jones doesn't make a deal with the UFC, I'm here and I'm ready. Let's do it!" wrote Almeida while tagging Aspinall, UFC CEO Dana White and matchmaker Mick Maynard.

Jiri Prochazka Eyes Three Potential Opponents for Next UFC Appearance

Jiri Prochazka isn’t looking beyond the Top 3 contenders at light heavyweight for his next fight.

In an ideal world, Prochazka would like to fight for the title next. That will have to wait at least until Alex Pereira puts his light heavyweight crown on the line against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event at UFC 313 on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Prochazka is also willing to prove himself one more time if necessary. The Czech would like to fight either Pereira, Ankalaev or Jan Blachowicz in his next promotional appearance.

“I see three guys there who’s from Top 5 like [as a good] challenge for me,” Prochazka said on the "Overdogs with Mike Perry" podcast. “Because I don’t wait to fight other guys. There’s Alex, there is Ankalaev and third one is Jan Blachowicz. Because he showed a really nice performance against Alex too… This year I know I’m going to the top… Just give me an opponent and I want to show that I am the champion.”

<…

Dricus Du Plessis Explains Killer Championship Mentality Going into UFC 312

Dricus Du Plessis recently revealed the mental framework that he believes is key to being a champion.

According to the middleweight champ, it’s a prerequisite for every fighter to be willing to die going into every fight. The South African believes it’s his willingness to kill, if need be, that sets him apart as the champion. “Stillknocks” coldly declared that he’ll be willing to mercilessly damage his opponent in front of their family, for as long as the referee doesn’t stop him.

“The mindset that you have to be willing to die when you get in there. You have to, but that’s a minimum requirement,” Du Plessis recently told Mark Bouris. “The harder part is, can you kill a man when you have to? Yes, I can. So I’m willing to die and I’m willing to take that life. I know that. When I go in there, if the ref doesn’t stop it, I’m not stopping. I can be sitting on you for 10 minutes, bashing your face and if the ref doesn’t stay, ‘Stop,’ I’m not stopping. …

Jairzinho Rozenstruik Removed From UFC Roster After Loss to Sergei Pavlovich

Jairzinho Rozenstruik’s Ultimate Fighting Championship career has come to an abrupt end following his latest loss.

Rozenstruik met fellow knockout artist Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Saudi Arabia at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last weekend. With both fighters boasting proven KO power, the odds for the fight to end inside the distance were a massive -650. However, the outing didn’t live up to advance billing, and the Russian eventually edged out a unanimous decision win over Rozenstruik.

UFC CEO Dana White labeled the fight “horrible,” while stating that Pavlovich was the clear winner. According to Twitter account UFC RosterWatch, Rozenstruik has been removed from the UFC roster. Rozenstruik’s release has since been confirmed by multiple outlets.

Rozenstruik racked up a 9-6 record since joining the UFC in 2019. “Bigi Boy” has notable wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Shamil Gaziev and Tai Tuvasa, wwith losses a…

Video: Conor McGregor Spits in Man’s Face Following Khabib Taunt

UFC star Conor McGregor spit in a guy's face at Wynn after he yelled "Let's go Khabib!"

Technically a crime (battery) under Nevada law. pic.twitter.com/weHD4Vr3Yz

— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) February 3, 2025

Conor McGregor continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.

On Monday, a video surfaced of the former Ultimate Fighting Championship two-division champion spitting in a man’s face outside Caffe Al Teatro in Wynn Las Vegas and Encore. The incident began after shouts of “Let’s go Khabib” can be overheard. McGregor then turns and walks toward a group of people and spits in one man’s face before walking away. The Irish star appears to be surrounded by security at the time.

“I spit in your face,” McGregor then says. “What’d you do? Nothing.”

Exactly when the incident occurred is currently unclear.

The video comes after McGregor tweeted and deleted a slur-filled rant directed at Khabib…

Three-Time Contender Series Winner Torrez Finney Set for UFC Debut on April 5

Torrez Finney will make his first Octagon foray against Robert Valentin at UFC Fight Night on April 5.

Both Finney and Valentin confirmed the middleweight booking on social media following an initial report from Eurosport NL. UFC Fight Night is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. A headliner has not been announced for the event.

The 26-year-old Finney has kicked off his professional career with 10 consecutive triumphs. He notably needed three victories on Dana White's Contender Series before he could secure a UFC contract. The most recent of those wins occurred this past October, when he stopped Abdelah Er-Ramy in the opening stanza.

Valentin made it to the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter 32” before suffering a second-round TKO defeat to Ryan Loder at UFC on ESPN 62 this past August. The Zurich, Switzerland, native owns a 10-4 career mark and has finished all but one of his victories inside the distance.

Michael Page Still Focused on Return to Welterweight: ‘I Can See My Path to the Top’

Michael Page made an immediate impact at 185 pounds at UFC Saudi Arabia.

The flashy striker handed Sharabutdin Magomedov his first career defeat in the evening’s middleweight co-headliner, winning a unanimous decision at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While “Shara Bullet” displayed a penchant for the spectacular in previous Octagon appearances, he struggled to find openings against Page.

“This is the reason why I called him out. I could see my style fit his style,” Page said on the ESPN post-fight show. “As much as he’s an exceptional striker, I’ve seen that before. I knew he would be a bit more tentative with me bouncing in front of him … He likes to kick. I’ve seen all the best kicks in the world. I’m never fazed with any kick.”

While the victory might create some more options for “Venom,” the Brit is still eyeing a return to the welterweight division, where he has competed for the majority of his career.

“I’ve just got goals at 170,” P…

Vinicius Oliveira Details Cartilage Injury That Hindered Him at UFC Saudi Arabia

Vinicius Oliveira has revealed the injury that hindered him toward the end of his victory over Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Saudi Arabia this past Saturday.

“LokDog” plans to take six weeks to recover and is eyeing a return to the Octagon this summer following his unanimous decision win over Nurmagomedov, which received “Fight of the Night” honors.

“The name is costochondritis. It is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib to the chest,” Oliveira told Sherdog.com. “The pain is so severe that 30% of [people who think they are suffering a heart attack] are due to costochondritis. The pain is so severe that I couldn't [train properly] during the week of the fight. Grappling, no way. As it is cartilage, there is no way to infiltrate it. All I could do was take paracetamol and codeine, which made me very slow and really affected my performance in the first round.

“The treatment for it is six weeks of absolute rest and physiotherapy. You w…

Tatiana Suarez Offers Theory As to Why Virna Jandiroba Matchup Fell Through

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Tatiana Suarez isn’t taking much responsibility for her canceled fight against Virna Jandiroba.

Suarez was scheduled to meet “Carcara” in a potential strawweight title eliminator at UFC 310 in December 2024. However, the matchup fell through when Suarez pulled out due to what was reportedly an unspecified health issue.

Suarez has now opened up on the bout cancellation, partly hinting that it was the UFC’s choice. According to Suarez, the UFC was hesitant about the matchup at the last moment, as it would rob the division of a potential contender. As Suarez challenges for the 115-pound title, she believes Jandiroba vs. Xiaonan Yan at UFC 314 could decide the next contender.

“I just think the UFC wanted this fight instead,” Suarez told Shakiel Mahjouri. “I think at that point they probably thought to themselves, ‘Why are we gonna remove another contender?’ Because when I fight her, after that they can have another contender. I …

Belal Muhammad Mocks Sean Strickland’s Title Opportunity at UFC 312

There’s no love lost between Belal Muhammad and Sean Strickland.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship standouts haven’t been shy about trading barbs on social media in recent months. While they belong to different weight classes, Muhammad has even expressed interest in moving up to middleweight to fight Strickland. Responding to “Remember the Name,” Strickland went on a profanity-filled rant in a recent interview with The Schmo.

“Listen about Belal Muhammad,” Strickland said. “F---ing where is he from, Miami, Detroit (Chicago)… Belal do me a favor, s--t the f--k up. Go get on a boat, go back to f---ing Palestine. Go pick up a rock and go f---ing do something. I’m so sick of you f---ing on the Twitter and just talking s--t. Every time I f---ing see you bro, you have your head down like a f---ing little girl… You wanna f---ing fight me and try to dry hump me?”

Sean Strickland reacts to Belal Muhammad saying he’d move up to …

Nassourdine Imavov Intent on Title Shot Following Signature Win at UFC Saudi Arabia

Nassourdine Imavov has gradually been building an impressive resume over the course of the past year.

That work culminated in a surprising second-round stoppage of ex-champ Israel Adesanya in the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday. While Imavov was pleased to vanquish an opponent who ruled the middleweight division for years, he’s taking the victory in stride.

“To be honest, it’s just another victory,” Imavov said through a translator at the post-fight press conference. “A fight is a fight. Obviously, it feels great to beat someone who’s a legend of the sport.”

In addition to Adesanya, Imavov has bested the likes of Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier and Roman Dolidze during a run that began in February 2024. The Frenchman believes it’s more than enough to have earned himself a crack at middleweight gold. Conveniently enough, the title will be on the line next Saturday when Dricus Du Plessis faces Sean Str…

Israel Adesanya Reflects on ‘Thrill and Agony’ of Loss to Nassourdine Imavov

It wasn’t what Israel Adesanya envisioned as he prepared to regain momentum in his Ultimate Fighting Championship career.

The former middleweight champion suffered his third consecutive defeat in the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner, falling to Nassourdine Imavov via second-round technical knockout on Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While “The Last Stylebender” appeared poised to return to form against a rising contender, it wasn’t meant to be.

“Disappointed,” Adesanya said on the ESPN post-fight show. “I hate disappointing my fans and my team. My team’s still proud of me for the work that I put into this. It’s just the thrill and agony.”

According to Adesanya, only those entrenched in the sport will truly understand what it means to be on wrong side of such a defeat. Those who haven’t competed will only be left to speculate.

“I don’t think it’s for them to know. You have to really be in it to know,” Adesanya said. “It’s only a priv…

‘Shara Bullet’ Claims He Fought at UFC Saudi Arabia with ‘Nightmarish Health Condition’

Sharabutdin Magomedov came up short in a tactical battle against Michael Page in the UFC Saudi Arabia co-headliner, but it turns out that the Dagestani striker might not have been fighting in peak condition.

“Shara Bullet” suffered his first defeat in 16 career outings on Saturday, dropping a unanimous verdict to Page at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Afterward, the 30-year-old released a statement on social media explaining the adversity he faced in the middleweight bout.

“The pirate sails into the harbor, but I will return,” Magomedov said. “I knew all the risks when stepping in with such a nightmarish health condition and preparation. I felt that despite everything, I could still win—but it didn’t work out, and that’s it.

“Thank you to the UFC organization for this opportunity and to everyone involved. I wanted to put on a show and meet expectations without canceling the fight. Thank you to everyone who stands by me in any situation! A…

Vinicius Oliveira Returns Focus to Umar Nurmagomedov After UFC Saudi Arabia Win

Vinicius Oliveira is intent on a showdown against Umar Nurmagomedov.

Oliveira scored the biggest upset of the night against Said Nurmagomedov (18-4) with a come-from-behind unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 250 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Oliveira subsequently called out the recent title challenger, who hails from the same region as Said — although they aren’t related.

Oliveira had no second thoughts while issuing a callout to Umar in his post-fight Octagon interview. “LokDog” even went a step further, claiming the Dagestani contender is scared to face him.

“I’ve been talking some bad things about some guys from Dagestan. It’s part of the game,” he said. “It’s just business. I have only one specific guy from Dagestan to fight – his name is Umar Nurmagomedov. If he have courage to face me, I’m here. And if Dana [White] allows this fight, I’m here to fight against Umar Nurmagomedov, but I think he’s scared of me.”

Middleweights Michel Pereira, Abusupiyan Magomedov to Meet at UFC Kansas City

A clash of middleweights has been added to UFC Kansas City.

Michel Pereira (31-12) will take on Abusupiyan Magomedov (27-6-1) at 185 pounds on April 26 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The matchup was first reported by Ag.Fight and was subsequently confirmed by Pereira on social media.

Pereira moved up to middleweight in 2023 despite being on a five-fight winning streak at welterweight. “Demolidor” was unbeaten in three middleweight outings before suffering a fifth-round TKO loss against Anthony Hernandez in his most recent outing this past October.

Meanwhile, Magomedov joined the UFC in 2022 and has since gone 3-2 in the promotion. The Russian’s losses came against top-tier competition in Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho. “Abus” is coming off consecutive wins over Warlley Alves and Brunno Ferreira in 2024.

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