MMA News

Cole Shelton - February 11, 2025

The 189th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is live to preview UFC Vegas 102. We’re first joined by UFC featherweight Youssef Zalal (1:07). Next, UFC middleweight Andre Petroski (12:33) joins the show. Closing out the program is UFC bantamweight Vince Morales (21:10).

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2025

The UFC was in Sydney, Australia on Saturday for a UFC 312 card that saw two titles on the line. In the main event, Dricus Du Plessis was rematching Sean Strickland for the middleweight title. The co-main event saw Weili Zhang defending her strawweight title against Tatiana Suarez.

Josh Evanoff - February 10, 2025

PFL lightweight star Usman Nurmagomedov is opening up on his close title fight with Paul Hughes. The two lightweights faced off in the main event of PFL Champions Series 1 last month in Dubai. In what will likely go down as the final Bellator title fight, Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes went to war. Despite the Russian entering the cage as a huge betting favorite, ‘Big News’ gave the champion all he could handle.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2025

UFC commentator Joe Rogan is hopeful that Ilia Topuria will move up to lightweight to face Islam Makhachev next time out. Topuria has been hinting at a potential fight with Makhachev for the lightweight title. It would be a massive fight, but some fans want to see him defend the featherweight title a couple more times.

Josh Evanoff - February 10, 2025

Luke Rockhold has slammed Sean Strickland following his loss at UFC 312 over the weekend. ‘Tarzan’ returned to the octagon in the main event of the pay-per-view offering from Australia on Saturday. Back for the first time since handing Paulo Costa a split-decision loss last summer, Sean Strickland again faced Dricus du Plessis. ‘Stillknocks’ famously won the gold from the American by a contentious decision last January.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2025

Brandon Royval has opened up on why he had to withdraw from his March 1 fight against Manel Kape. Royval and Kape were set to headline the Fight Night card in a potential No. 1 contender fight at flyweight. However, Royval was forced out of the bout due to an undisclosed injury.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 10, 2025

UFC Hall of Famer and color commentator Daniel Cormier will no longer doubt Dricus du Plessis. Du Plessis made his second successful UFC middleweight title defense this past Saturday. He did so in a rematch with the man he defeated to win the championship, Sean Strickland. While the first meeting between the two was a five-round barn burner, “Stillknocks” made things quite one-sided in the rematch at UFC 312, getting the better of Strickland on the feet and even shattering his opponent’s nose in the process. Ultimately, it was a unanimous decision victory for du Plessis.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 10, 2025

Michael Bisping has heard of enough of Jake Paul. Paul has been in the headlines again after talks of a mega showdown with boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez fell apart. “The Problem Child” claimed that both men had agreed to the bout and even revealed what he said was going to be the official poster for the fight. Alvarez ended up pivoting and signing a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, which excludes the fight with Paul.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 10, 2025

Two-sport ONE World Champion Prajanchai PK Saenchai asserted his authority at the top of the strawweight ladder this past weekend at ONE Fight Night 28. After leaving no doubt around who is king, he envisions a return to kickboxing.   The Thai megastar retained his ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in a masterclass on Friday, February 7. This happened in the show’s main event inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. 

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 10, 2025

ONE Championship cut heavyweight MMA fighter Amir Aliakbari from its roster over the weekend.    The Iranian last competed under the ONE Championship banner in November 2024 at ONE 169 in Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.  

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 9, 2025

If Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko end up sharing the Octagon, will it be their swan songs? Weili was in action this past Saturday, defending her strawweight gold against Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event of UFC 312. Zhang entered the fight as a slight underdog, but she put forth a dominant performance from the beginning of the second round until the final horn. She scored the unanimous decision victory after five rounds of action.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 9, 2025

Dricus du Plessis has responded to Khamzat Chimaev’s recent social media post ripping his rematch with Sean Strickland. Du Plessis scored a unanimous decision victory over Strickland in the main event of UFC 312 this past Saturday. The challenger failed to up his activity due to the looks that du Plessis was giving him all night. It led to du Plessis having a dominant showing to retain his middleweight gold.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 9, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White has left the door open for a potential super fight between Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko. Weili reminded the MMA world just how elite she is this past Saturday. She put the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship at stake against Tatiana Suarez. Despite her credentials, Weili was the betting underdog going into the UFC 312 co-main event. While Weili was taken down in round one, she took over beginning in the second stanza. Her takedown defense was superb, as well as her ability to reverse position on the ground. Weili’s standup skills also gave Suarez plenty to think about.

Chris Taylor - February 9, 2025

One renowned MMA coach believes Sean Strickland has been selling snake oil. Strickland attempted to become a two-time UFC middleweight champion when he shared the Octagon with Dricus du Plessis a second time at UFC 312. While their first encounter was a competitive five-rounder that ended in a split nod for DDP, the rematch was a different story. Strickland couldn’t put his foot on the gas and du Plessis made him pay. “Stillknocks” took this one via unanimous decision, as he was constantly a step ahead on the feet.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 9, 2025

After another successful title defense at UFC 312, Dricus du Plessis is looking at what’s next, and it isn’t Alex Pereira despite his post-fight tease. Du Plessis shared the Octagon with Sean Strickland a second time this past Saturday. The two headlined UFC 312 inside the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia for “Stillknocks'” middleweight gold. While their first fight ended via split decision in a competitive five-round war, things played out quite differently in the rematch. Du Plessis was a step ahead of Strickland throughout the fight and busted his opponent’s nose pretty bad en route to a unanimous decision win.

Harry Kettle - February 9, 2025

Magomed Ankalaev has gone off on Alex Pereira in a series of tweets ahead of their title showdown at UFC 313 next month. In just a matter of weeks, Magomed Ankalaev will get his shot at glory. He will challenge Alex Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight championship, with many believing this matchup has been a long time coming. Of course, he’s already had one crack at the belt before, falling short in a draw against Jan Blachowicz. That result, in many ways, set off a chain reaction that changed the face of the division at 205 pounds.

Harry Kettle - February 9, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White has given his thoughts on the official retirement of mixed martial arts legend Dominick Cruz. As we know, Dominick Cruz has announced his retirement from the sport of mixed martial arts. It comes at the end of an iconic career, with many believing he stands tall as one of the greatest bantamweights of all time. Regardless of whether or not you agree with that opinion, his body of work is certainly impressive.

Harry Kettle - February 9, 2025

UFC president Dana White has given his thoughts on Sean Strickland’s performance in the main event of UFC 312. Last night, Sean Strickland fell short in his attempt to recapture the UFC middleweight championship. He challenged Dricus du Plessis in a rematch of their epic first encounter, but this time around, the fight wasn’t particularly close. In fact, Sean even came away with a broken nose for his troubles.