In a daily MMA news roundup, several notable items emerged. Dustin Poirier commented on Conor McGregor's potential comeback, stating bluntly that it's not about him and wishing McGregor the worst. UFC President Dana White shared photos from the construction site for an event at the White House. Islam Makhachev continues hinting at a July return. New sparring footage surfaced showing Brendan Allen and Khamzat Chimaev training together. Reports indicate Chimaev undergoes special nightly recovery treatments. Carlos Ulberg has begun knee rehabilitation. Arman Tsarukyan's next RAF fight will earn him at least a three percent ownership stake in the company. Peyton Talbott posted a Toy Story reference while tagging the UFC, apparently hinting at the organization's cooling interest in him.
Dustin Poirier has made clear he has no interest in a fight with Conor McGregor, delivering a pointed dismissal of the potential matchup and stating flatly that it is not about him — going further by wishing McGregor the worst.
Poirier, 37, carries a 30-10-0 professional record and has long been one of the most active and dangerous fighters in the lightweight division. The American Top Team product out of the United States is a southpaw standing five-foot-nine with a 72-inch reach. He lands an impressive 5.24 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy, and adds consistent grappling to his arsenal with 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Elsewhere in the news, UFC lightweight and welterweight champion Islam Makhachev continues to drop hints about a July return. The 34-year-old Russian, who holds a 28-1-0 record and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings, is one of the most dominant grapplers in the sport, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and connecting on 58 percent of his significant strikes.
Sparring footage surfaced this week showing middleweight contender Brendan Allen working alongside Khamzat Chimaev. Allen, ranked fifth in the middleweight division, carries a 26-7-0 record at 30 years of age. The six-foot-two American from Kill Cliff FC posts a 53 percent striking accuracy rate and mixes in steady grappling with 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes. Reports separately indicate Chimaev undergoes specialized nightly recovery treatments.
Why it matters
- Poirier's rejection effectively takes a high-profile McGregor return fight off the table from his side
- Makhachev signaling a July timeline sets expectations for when the pound-for-pound king will defend his title
- Allen and Chimaev sharing a training camp raises questions about future matchmaking in a stacked middleweight division
