MMA News

Curtis Calhoun - November 20, 2025

Former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has serious questions about the severity of Tom Aspinall’s injuries suffered at UFC 321. UFC heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall continues to recover from serious eye injuries suffered last month at UFC 321. Just minutes into his fight with Ciryl Gane, Aspinall was accidentally poked in both eyes, resulting in Aspinall being unable to continue competing.

Cole Shelton - November 20, 2025

Dan Hooker knows fans will want to see a fight between him and Ilia Topuria. Hooker is set to headline UFC Qatar on Saturday against Arman Tsarukyan in a pivotal fight at lightweight. The winner could get the next title shot, and Hooker is eager to get the chance to face Topuria.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 20, 2025

Anar Mammadov believes ONE Championship’s smaller 4-0unce gloves reveal strengths he’s cultivated throughout his entire fighting career. The 29-year-old faces Yodlekpet Or Atchariya in a flyweight Muay Thai main event at ONE Friday Fights 134 on Friday, November 22, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. Mammadov stormed into ONE Championship at ONE Friday Fights 120, demolishing Komawut FA Group via TKO with destructive punches in less than two rounds.

Curtis Calhoun - November 20, 2025

Rising UFC bantamweight star Ethyn Ewing works on a construction site to support his blossoming MMA fighting career. In one of the biggest undercard upsets of the UFC calendar year, bantamweight debutant Ethyn Ewing defeated Malcolm Wellmaker by unanimous decision at UFC 322 last Saturday in New York City. After taking the fight on just hours’ notice following Wellmaker’s opponent’s withdrawal, Ewing looked fresh off a full fight camp as he largely dominated the heavily-favored Wellmaker.

Cole Shelton - November 20, 2025

Ben Vickers, the head coach of Jack Della Maddalena, shot down any injury rumors after UFC 322. Della Maddalena suffered a lopsided decision loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 to lose his welterweight title. Makhachev was able to take Della Maddalena down at will to get the win.

Curtis Calhoun - November 20, 2025

Longtime GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven has announced the conclusion of his title reign in a shocking update. Just months after defeating Alex Pereira’s former rival, GLORY heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven has abruptly announced the end of his time with the world-class kickboxing promotion.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 20, 2025

Belal Muhammad was paying attention to the UFC 322 card, and he has big praise for Michael Morales and Carlos Prates. Morales and Prates both had statement-making performances inside Madison Square Garden in New York City recently. Morales starched grappling specialist and highly regarded contender Sean Brady in the first round. Prates found himself on the good side of the highlight reel, becoming the first fighter to knock Leon Edwards out.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 20, 2025

A former UFC Welterweight Champion thinks Shavkat Rakhmonov will have to build his way back up the 170-pound ladder. Rakhmonov was supposed to challenge Muhammad for the welterweight gold at UFC 315 back in May. He suffered an injury and was replaced by Jack Della Maddalena, who ended up defeating Muhammad.

Cole Shelton - November 20, 2025

In the co-main event of UFC Qatar, a pivotal welterweight bout goes down as Belal Muhammad takes on Ian Machado Garry. Heading into the fight, Muhammad is a +215 underdog while the Irishman is a -290 favorite on FanDuel. Ahead of the scrap, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the welterweight fight at UFC Qatar. The majority of pros believe the underdog in Muhammad will be able to grind out a decision win.

Harry Kettle - November 20, 2025

UFC veteran Dan Hooker has explained why he isn’t a big fan of UFC Qatar opponent Arman Tsarukyan. For the longest time, Arman Tsarukyan has been seen as a legitimate contender in the UFC lightweight division. He even had a title shot booked, only for a last minute injury to rule him out of a showdown with Islam Makhachev. Now, Arman will attempt to secure a number one contender spot once again when he faces Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar.

Harry Kettle - November 20, 2025

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has praised Merab Dvalishvili for how he’s managed his career in the last few years. For the longest time now, Merab Dvalishvili has been viewed as one of the best bantamweights on the planet. Now, many believe him to be the greatest of all time following a run in which he has been able to successfully defend his title three times in one calendar year.

Harry Kettle - November 20, 2025

UFC welterweight Colby Covington has praised champion Islam Makhachev following the latter’s victory in the main event of UFC 322. At UFC 322, Islam Makhachev was able to defeat Jack Della Maddalena to become the new UFC welterweight champion. In doing so, he became a two-weight UFC champion, something which very few other fighters have been able to do. Now, many are wondering what’s next for him.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 19, 2025

Contract aspirations fuel every fighter stepping into Bangkok. Yodlekpet Or Atchariya carries that hunger into Friday night’s main event, knowing one explosive performance separates him from the $100,000 prize. The 30-year-old Thai striker faces Anar Mammadov in a flyweight Muay Thai clash at ONE Friday Fights 134 on Friday, November 21. The former four-time Muay Thai World Champion brings his devastating power and relentless aggression into this high-stakes encounter. He has 131 professional fights worth of experience backing every technique.

Dylan Bowker - November 19, 2025

A stalwart contender within the UFC’s flyweight division was absent from the latest rankings update, and one of the most prominent combat sports journalists in the world delved into the specifics on why that is. On The Ariel Helwani Show, the titular figure was addressing Kai Kara-France being removed from the UFC flyweight rankings and began running down the top ten hierarchy among 125-pounders right now. Kara-France, who was in the top ten, is now completely gone, and with Ariel Helwani clarifying that the former UFC flyweight title challenger has not been released from the promotion, Helwani said,

Dylan Bowker - November 19, 2025

Ian Machado Garry does not like the emerging discourse about Kamaru Usman being the potential next challenger for Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title. This was touched on during a segment the Irish combatant did for UFC on TNT with an excerpt posted to X account @RedCorner_MMA. Touching on the depth of game contenders at 170 pounds who emerged from UFC 322 and why Usman does not stand out above them, Machado Garry said,

Curtis Calhoun - November 19, 2025

Vadim Nemkov and Cris Cyborg, two of the greatest Bellator fighters of all time, will feature on the same card on December 13th. The PFL will wrap up its 2025 event slate under new leadership, after John Martin took over the promotion’s CEO role earlier this year. PFL Lyon, which marks the league’s return to the European continent, will feature two elite fighters atop the card.

Curtis Calhoun - November 19, 2025

Heavyweight MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko slammed Jack Della Maddalena’s grappling coach, Craig Jones, for his taunts ahead of UFC 322. Jack Della Maddalena’s first UFC welterweight title defense was a disaster as the titleholder lost to Islam Makhachev by a lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 322. Maddalena failed to stifle Makhachev’s relentless wrestling, fading as the fight went on and failing to significantly damage the former lightweight champ.

Cole Shelton - November 19, 2025

Dan Hooker expects to secure a title shot at UFC Qatar. Hooker is set to headline UFC Qatar on Saturday against Arman Tsarukyan in a pivotal fight at lightweight. The winner of the fight will be right in the title picture at lightweight, and Hooker expects to get it over Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje.