Jack Maddalena

Manager Ali Abdelaziz has declared that Belal Muhammad's mandatory challenger Ignacio Bahamondes rival and rising contender Carlos Prates is the rightful next opponent for UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, ruling out Joaquin Morales. Abdelaziz argued that Prates has earned his shot by defeating former champions Leon Edwards and Jack Maddalena, whereas Morales' most notable win came over Sean Brady, who sits outside the UFC top five. Makhachev himself urged Morales not to wait for a title shot and to stay active in the meantime. Abdelaziz added that the timeline for Shavkat Rakhmonov's return remains unclear and that the welterweight contender picture still needs sorting out.

Rakhmonov, Makhachev, Brady+3

Islam Makhachev has publicly denied rumors that he is considering retirement, stating he wants to keep fighting and break all records. The dismissal comes in the wake of speculation that had circulated following UFC 330.

Makhachev

UFC 317 produced a string of confirmed results, including Song Yadong over Deiveson Figueiredo, Sergei Pavlovich over Tallison Teixeira, Aoriqileng over Cody Haddon, and Rei Tsuruya over Luis Gurule, according to ESPN’s fight center. The card also included other completed bouts, with results now official across multiple weight classes. These outcomes matter because they immediately affect divisional rankings, contender trajectories, and short-term booking decisions after the event. The UFC typically uses these results to shape the next matchmaking cycle over the following week.

Teixeira, Henrique, Makhachev+11

ESPN published a July 2026 feature on Jack Della Maddalena as he prepared for a return fight in Perth, describing his effort to rebuild after a short title reign. The piece says he was mentally preparing for a 25-minute battle and had a chance to reset after losing his belt. It is relevant because it frames his next step as part of a comeback narrative rather than a simple one-off bout.