MMA News

Harry Kettle - December 23, 2025

Former UFC champion Luke Rockhold has questioned Paddy Pimblett’s recent push to a UFC interim lightweight title shot. At UFC 324 next month, Paddy Pimblett will go head to head with Justin Gaethje in the main event, with the UFC interim lightweight championship on the line. The winner is expected to face Ilia Topuria, the undisputed champion, later this year, once he has dealt with his ongoing personal issues.

Harry Kettle - December 23, 2025

Sean O’Malley called Jake Paul “inspiring” in the wake of his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last week. On Friday night, Jake Paul fell short in his attempt to shock the world. He went head to head with Anthony Joshua in a sanctioned heavyweight boxing match, and while he was able to avoid the big shot for long spells, he ultimately fell to a sixth round knockout defeat at the hands of the former world champion.

Harry Kettle - December 23, 2025

Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling wants some big fights in the featherweight division next year. As we know, once upon a time, Aljamain Sterling was the UFC bantamweight champion. However, after losing the belt to Sean O’Malley, he opted to make the move back up to 145 pounds. He’s gone 2-1 since then, but at the age of 36, it certainly feels like the clock is ticking if he’s serious about making a push to become a two-weight world champion.

BJPENN.COM Staff - December 22, 2025

Mohammad Siasarani arrived at ONE Championship ready to bleed. Three years later, he learned when to make opponents bleed instead. The 23-year-old Iranian striker earned a $100,000 contract with ONE Championship after knocking out Jo Nattawut at ONE Friday Fights 137 on Friday, December 19, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The second-round finish capped a journey that started with raw toughness and ended with calculated violence.

Curtis Calhoun - December 22, 2025

Ilia Topuria’s recent interviews drew the attention of former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s team amidst his absence. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria’s timeline for his first title defense remains uncertain, as he navigates personal issues outside the Octagon. UFC 324 is headlined by an interim lightweight title bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett next month, amidst Topuria’s ongoing hiatus.

Curtis Calhoun - December 22, 2025

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and top contender Arman Tsarukyan continue to go at it from afar. Ilia Topuria’s first lightweight title defense hit an indefinite delay as the champion deals with personal issues outside of the Octagon. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim lightweight title next month at UFC 324 for the right to welcome Topuria back to the cage.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 22, 2025

Yoel Romero is urging Anderson Silva to share the boxing ring with him. Both Romero and Silva are former UFC middleweights. Romero is regarded as one of the best UFC fighters to never hold gold in the promotion, while Silva is recognized as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. Both men have had success post-UFC.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 22, 2025

Jake Paul couldn’t beat the 10-count in the sixth round of his bout with Anthony Joshua, and one UFC legend is thankful. Paul and Joshua collided inside the Kaseya Center in Miami this past Friday. Joshua was a massive betting favorite going into the fight with many thinking he would dust Paul within the first two rounds. While that didn’t end up happening, Paul did suffer the fate many expected him to and he suffered a broken jaw by the end of the night.

Harry Kettle - December 22, 2025

Ilia Topuria has discussed his submission prowess and how he could use it in a possible showdown against Islam Makhachev. Right now, Ilia Topuria is the UFC lightweight champion. At UFC 324, he will be watching closely as Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett collide for the interim UFC lightweight championship, with the winner going on to face ‘El Matador’ for the undisputed belt at some point later in 2026.

Harry Kettle - December 22, 2025

Tony Ferguson has revealed a big injury problem he was dealing with in the midst of his losing streak in the UFC. This past weekend, Tony Ferguson moved to 2-0 since his transition into boxing with a nice win over Warren Spencer. Of course, while many of his loyal fans are happy to see him finding success in combat sports once again, it’s hard to forget the historic losing streak they also had to endure at the end of Tony’s run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Harry Kettle - December 22, 2025

UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber has called for a rematch against Alexa Grasso in February next year. For the longest time now, Maycee Barber has been viewed as someone who could legitimately become a future world champion in the UFC. That much goes without saying, but at the same time, she has also had her fair share of injury setbacks, leaving many to wonder whether she’ll ever be healthy enough to really go after the gold.

BJPENN.COM Staff - December 22, 2025

Isi Fitikefu knows what it’s like to watch an opportunity slip away. But the Australian-Tongan welterweight gets a second chance to prove his worth. The 33-year-old meets undefeated American newcomer Chase Mann at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev on Friday, January 23, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. The event broadcasts live in U.S. primetime on Amazon Prime Video.

Curtis Calhoun - December 23, 2025

Former GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven allegedly turned down a high-profile fight at UFC 324 next month. GLORY heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven made headlines just weeks ago when he announced he was parting ways with the kickboxing promotion to become a free agent. In recent weeks, he’s been linked to potential fights across MMA and boxing, including one high-profile showdown with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Dylan Bowker - December 23, 2025

Rinat Fakhretdinov has posted up an undefeated record in the Ultimate Fighting Championship but he will no longer be a UFC contracted athlete heading into 2026. The UFC has elected to not re-sign the 34-year-old and the beginning of this story kicking off with an initial report from Tom Feely. The Sherdog contributor utilized his X account @omgitsfeely to convey some recent omissions from the UFC roster page, as Feely said,

Curtis Calhoun - December 23, 2025

A former UFC champion believes Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua shared a gentleman’s agreement before their heavyweight boxing match. Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua showed Jake Paul there are levels to the ‘sweet science’ of boxing, but his knockout win left one UFC star with more questions than answers.

Cole Shelton - December 23, 2025

David Dvorak is ready to bring a world title back to the Czech Republic. Dvorak is set to take on Zhalgas Zhumagulov on Sunday in the co-main event of OKTAGON 81 for the flyweight title. It’s an intriguing matchup, and one Dvorak is glad is happening as he admits he wanted this fight in the UFC.

Harry Kettle - December 23, 2025

Sean O’Malley called Jake Paul “inspiring” in the wake of his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last week. On Friday night, Jake Paul fell short in his attempt to shock the world. He went head to head with Anthony Joshua in a sanctioned heavyweight boxing match, and while he was able to avoid the big shot for long spells, he ultimately fell to a sixth round knockout defeat at the hands of the former world champion.

Harry Kettle - December 23, 2025

Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling wants some big fights in the featherweight division next year. As we know, once upon a time, Aljamain Sterling was the UFC bantamweight champion. However, after losing the belt to Sean O’Malley, he opted to make the move back up to 145 pounds. He’s gone 2-1 since then, but at the age of 36, it certainly feels like the clock is ticking if he’s serious about making a push to become a two-weight world champion.

Curtis Calhoun - December 22, 2025

Ilia Topuria’s recent interviews drew the attention of former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s team amidst his absence. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria’s timeline for his first title defense remains uncertain, as he navigates personal issues outside the Octagon. UFC 324 is headlined by an interim lightweight title bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett next month, amidst Topuria’s ongoing hiatus.

Curtis Calhoun - December 22, 2025

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and top contender Arman Tsarukyan continue to go at it from afar. Ilia Topuria’s first lightweight title defense hit an indefinite delay as the champion deals with personal issues outside of the Octagon. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim lightweight title next month at UFC 324 for the right to welcome Topuria back to the cage.

Harry Kettle - December 22, 2025

Ilia Topuria has discussed his submission prowess and how he could use it in a possible showdown against Islam Makhachev. Right now, Ilia Topuria is the UFC lightweight champion. At UFC 324, he will be watching closely as Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett collide for the interim UFC lightweight championship, with the winner going on to face ‘El Matador’ for the undisputed belt at some point later in 2026.

Harry Kettle - December 22, 2025

Tony Ferguson has revealed a big injury problem he was dealing with in the midst of his losing streak in the UFC. This past weekend, Tony Ferguson moved to 2-0 since his transition into boxing with a nice win over Warren Spencer. Of course, while many of his loyal fans are happy to see him finding success in combat sports once again, it’s hard to forget the historic losing streak they also had to endure at the end of Tony’s run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Harry Kettle - December 22, 2025

UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber has called for a rematch against Alexa Grasso in February next year. For the longest time now, Maycee Barber has been viewed as someone who could legitimately become a future world champion in the UFC. That much goes without saying, but at the same time, she has also had her fair share of injury setbacks, leaving many to wonder whether she’ll ever be healthy enough to really go after the gold.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 21, 2025

Jorge Masvidal is coming to the defense of Kamaru Usman amid recent comments from Ian Machado Garry. Garry has been clamoring for a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship, ripping Usman along the way. Current titleholder Islam Makhachev has admitted he’d rather put his gold at stake against Usman, but Garry believes “The Nigerian Nightmare” is irrelevant going into 2026.