UFC & MMA news updated daily: fight announcements, rankings moves, injury and card changes — with fighter stats and AI fight predictions on every story.
Top StoryJustin Gaethje has been told to vacate the UFC lightweight title, setting up a vacant-title fight involving Paddy Pimblett. The development marks a significant shake-up at 155 pounds.
Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn were on hand at Zuffa Boxing's press conference held at Fanatics Fest in New York. The appearance marks notable star power at the emerging promotion's event.
A fight prediction and pick has been issued for the Jared Cannonier versus Christian Leroy Duncan matchup at UFC OKC. The bout is among the key contests on the upcoming card.
Dricus Du Plessis successfully made weight for UFC Oklahoma City, completing a grueling 45-pound weight cut ahead of the event. The middleweight contender cleared the scales without issue despite the significant cut.
PFL champion Costello van Steenis has issued a sharp warning to Johnny Eblen ahead of a potential rematch, declaring he will smash him when they meet again. Van Steenis added that if Eblen loses to Impa, he will mean "even less than nothing" to him.
Former UFC rivals Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida will cross paths for the first time at RAF 11, facing off in a wrestling match. Both fighters expressed surprise that their paths never crossed during their overlapping UFC careers.
Ilia Topuria has responded to accusations that he is copying Conor McGregor, calling McGregor one of his favorite fighters to watch. Topuria drew a distinction between McGregor's in-cage career and his conduct outside the octagon, declining to comment on the latter.
Jiří Procházka has expressed a strong personal and spiritual connection to Japan, stating that he believes he is from the country because of his love for RIZIN and its people. The light heavyweight contender delivered a message directly to RIZIN fans, telling them, "We are connected."
ACA 205 gets underway today, with the prelims starting at 15:15 Moscow time (17:15 Kazakhstan time). The main card will air on Match TV, with prelims available on Match Boets. Live streaming is also available via the promotion's official platforms.
Tommy McMillen responded sharply to Alberto Montes after Montes suggested McMillen is merely playing a tough-guy persona. McMillen insisted his aggressive character is authentic, pointing to his DWCS performance as proof of his willingness to put everything on the line. He stated he intends to finish his next opponent and warned those who doubt him not to try jumping on his bandwagon after the fact.
Khamzat Chimaev has told the UFC he is ready and renewed his push for a rematch with Sean Strickland. The call-out marks his latest public effort to secure the grudge match.
Volkan Oezdemir has revealed he tested positive for EPO in February and received a 16-month suspension. He says he took the banned substance on the advice of a medical professional he met on social media while recovering from an ankle injury, who assured him it was safe and urged him to keep it quiet. Oezdemir injected his first dose that same evening and was visited by doping control three days later. He disclosed everything to the UFC immediately and accepted full responsibility, calling it the biggest mistake of his life.
Edil Yessengulov knocked out Abdul-Rahman Janayev in the middle of the first round at ACA 205, extending his winning streak to four consecutive finishes. With a record of 26-6-1, Yessengulov immediately called for a title fight following the victory. Janayev has now alternated wins and losses over his last six bouts dating back to August 2023.
SFC 14 is scheduled to take place on July 25 in Omsk, Russia. The full card for the event has been confirmed.
Islam Omarov (17-0 MMA, 10-0 ACA) has left ACA following the expiration of his contract. During his ten-fight run in the promotion, he successfully defended the featherweight title three times, finishing all three title defenses by submission within two rounds. Omarov has stated that his goal is now to sign with the UFC and that he will do everything necessary to make it happen.
Conor McGregor has acknowledged that five years away from competition left him overeager when he returned, causing him to "rush out the gate." McGregor said he does not regret opening with a flying kick but believes he executed it incorrectly.
Ricky Turcios is reportedly moving up to the featherweight division after his UFC 324 fight was canceled. According to the report, he is now slated to face Alberto Montes at UFC 326 on March 7 in Las Vegas. The matchup was described as confirmed to MMA Junkie by people familiar with the situation, although the UFC had not yet made an official announcement. This matters because it signals Turcios’ next booking and a notable change in weight class.
The bout between Artyom Reznikov and Zaur Gadzhiev at ACA 205 concluded in a split draw, with scorecards reading 29-29, 29-28 in favor of Gadzhiev, and 29-28 in favor of Reznikov. Following the decision, Reznikov called for a rematch to be scheduled in December.
Shamil Basayev needed just 32 seconds of the first round to knock out Bagdos Olzhabay at ACA 205, improving his perfect record to 8-0 with five finishes. Basayev is now 4-0 inside the ACA. Olzhabay drops to 17-6 with back-to-back losses.
Ahmed Gakiev earned a majority decision victory over Zhasulan Akimzhan at ACA 205, with scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 29-29. The win is Gakiev's second consecutive, improving his record to 12-4, while Akimzhan falls to 11-5 with his second straight defeat. It was also Akimzhan's promotional debut in ACA, and a hand injury he sustained appeared to significantly affect his performance.
Magomed Sardalov defeated Yerasyl Shukataev by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at ACA 205. The win extends Sardalov's record to 11-2 and gives him an eight-fight winning streak, four of those victories coming inside ACA. Shukataev's two-fight winning streak has been snapped.
The bout order for UFC Oklahoma City has been updated, with Elliott vs. Anderson positioned as the fourth prelim fight on the card.
CBS Sports published an updated UFC schedule on July 18 showing several upcoming fight nights and a title event slate through September. The schedule includes UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City on July 18, followed by cards in Abu Dhabi, Belgrade, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Shanghai, and Paris. It also lists a welterweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. The schedule matters because it frames the next stretch of matchmaking across multiple divisions and confirms where the UFC is placing its biggest remaining summer and early-fall cards.
Islam Makhachev has weighed in on the upcoming middleweight bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman, predicting Du Plessis will come out on top. Makhachev noted that Usman's strategy of moving up in weight makes sense — a win over Du Plessis would position Usman as the next title contender given his prior win over Strickland. However, Makhachev believes Usman's knee problems will prevent him from sustained wrestling, giving Du Plessis the edge.
Ezra Elliott has promised to make a statement in his UFC debut at UFC OKC, predicting a vicious knockout victory. The fighter also declared he will not be shooting for a takedown in the bout, signaling a stand-up approach to his promotional first outing.
Belal Muhammad has reacted to Kamaru Usman's appearance at UFC OKC and set his sights on Colby Covington as his next target following RAF 11. Muhammad made clear he intends to take the fight to the wrestling mats, quipping that while he cannot slap Covington, he can slam him on his head.
Free agent Salahdine Parnasse (23-2) is in the final stage of negotiations on a new promotional deal and is expected to make a decision soon. His coach and manager Stéphane Chaufourier indicated the UFC, MVP, and Scott Coker's new promotion are all among the options being considered.
The UFC has released the official poster for UFC Vegas 120, scheduled to take place on August 8.
Khalsha Dautbek defeated Kyotaro Hagiwara at RIZIN with a single left strike finish in their featherweight bout. Following the victory, a potential September matchup between Dautbek and Ren Hibimoto has been floated.
Levi Rodrigues Jr. is making his UFC debut at UFC Oklahoma City and is already setting his sights high. The newcomer has expressed confidence that he will become a three-division champion in the promotion.
Dana White has spoken out on the circulating rumors of a Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather rematch in the wake of UFC 329. White's comments come as speculation about a second meeting between the two superstars continues to build.
Arman Tsarukyan has praised Conor McGregor as a 'GOAT in our sport' while also stating his belief that McGregor is 'done' following his injury at UFC 329.
Regina Tarin and JJ Aldrich are set to meet in a women's MMA bout at Noche UFC on September 12. The matchup adds another contest to the card scheduled for that date.
Kamaru Usman ranks fourth all-time in career control time in the UFC and holds the promotional record with eight fights in which he recorded 10 or more minutes of control time. Usman is set to compete at UFC OKC, where he will look to add to that legacy.
Zaur Gadzhiev responded to pre-fight media controversy at a press conference, placing blame on backstage maneuvering and the recording of four podcasts with Artem ahead of their bout. Gadzhiev also stated that if an apology was expected for his earlier remarks, he was prepared to give one.
Magomed Bibulatov has sat down for a new in-depth interview, now available to watch in full. The conversation has drawn attention within Russian MMA circles.
