MMA News

Curtis Calhoun - October 28, 2025

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka is the latest to question Tom Aspinall’s eye injuries suffered at UFC 321. UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has come under fire in the hours following a no-contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Just minutes into the UFC 321 main event, accidental eye pokes from Gane left Aspinall badly compromised and unable to continue fighting.

Dylan Bowker - October 28, 2025

Melissa Croden is a more recent addition to the UFC’s bantamweight division and is entering a more intriguing landscape at 135 pounds with the looming Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes bout firing many up. While there has not been a specifically outlined date or location, the promotion is clearly intrigued about booking a Harrison vs. Nunes championship clash. The excitement around that fight is seen as a much-needed shot in the arm for the women’s bantamweight division in the UFC overall. When asked if she feels like there is a certain level of rejuvenation or excitement to the women’s bantamweight division with the Harrison vs. Nunes title fight acting as a lightning rod for that, Croden said [via MMA Canada],

Dylan Bowker - October 28, 2025

A couple of Canadian combatants have been added to December’s UFC Fight Night offering as Gillian Robertson and Jamey-Lyn Horth have locked in their respective bouts to close out the year. On December 13th at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Robertson will clash with Iasmin Lucindo, with Jamey-Lyn Horth set to clash with Tereza Bleda. The news regarding these matchups were officially released by the promotion. The matchup for this UFC FN card that is set to close out the calendar year is headlined by a matchup between ranked flyweight contenders as Manel Kape and  Brandon Royval.

BJPENN.COM Staff - October 28, 2025

Perfect records vanish with a single mistake. Shozo Isojima and Tye Ruotolo both understand this brutal reality as they prepare to settle who remains unbeaten in lightweight MMA competition. The Japanese rising star battles the American submission grappling champion at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri. This goes down on Sunday, November 16, inside Ariake Arena at Tokyo, Japan. Both fighters carry unblemished records into this high-stakes encounter that could launch the winner toward title contention. Isojima brings hometown momentum while Ruotolo seeks to prove his grappling dominance translates seamlessly into mixed martial arts competition.

Dylan Bowker - October 28, 2025

What a difference a year can make, and a microcosm of that idea can be seen in Bryce Mitchell’s shifted stance on Donald Trump. Just a few weeks after Trump had won the 2024 US presidential election, Mitchell professed an intense level of support for the MAGA figurehead. Mitchell even went so far as to say he would take a bullet and die for the president who was entering his second term. Mitchell also made comments in 2019 during Trump’s first term in office that he would be willing to beat up fellow politicians for the former host of The Apprentice if needed.

Curtis Calhoun - October 28, 2025

Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling responded to fans who blasted him for a strong stance on Tom Aspinall’s eye injury at UFC 321. UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense ended in controversy after Ciryl Gane accidentally double-poked him in the eyes just minutes into the fight at UFC 321. After taking five full minutes to try to recover, Aspinall was deemed unable to continue competing after telling cageside doctors that he couldn’t see.

BJ Penn Staff - October 28, 2025

We’ve seen a lot of interesting tattoos in MMA over the years, both emblazoned on the fighters themselves, and on their fans. One recent MMA tattoo has been making the rounds on social media, and it’s safe to say it’s getting some interesting reactions. The fan who got the tattoo in question—who has not yet been publicly identified—is evidently a fan of the PFL (Professional Fighters League). The tattoo, which seems to be on a calf or forearm, shows a victorious Alfie Davis holding a PFL belt, with the promotion’s founder and Chairman Donn Davis standing squarely in the background.

BJ Penn Staff - October 28, 2025

UFC fighters don’t usually get cut from the promotion’s roster following victories, but that’s not a hard a fast rule. Every now and then, fighters will receive their walking papers even if they were victorious in their most recent Octagon appearance. That, unfortunately, is the reality for one of the winners of last Saturday’s UFC 321 event.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 28, 2025

Ciryl Gane looked sharp for as long as his bout with Tom Aspinall lasted, but could the rematch be even tougher for “Bon Gamin?” Gane challenged Aspinall for the UFC Heavyweight Championship this past Saturday. The UFC 321 main event saw Gane have early success, as he wasn’t concerned about the champion’s punching power. Things came crashing down when Gane landed an accidental double eye poke, leading to a no-contest ruling.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 28, 2025

As fans await Alex Pereira’s next move, one top UFC contender doesn’t think “Poatan” will meet Jiri Prochazka again next. Pereira is coming off a first-round knockout victory to reclaim the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Speaking to reporters after the fight, Pereira revealed he wants a heavyweight showdown with Jon Jones at the White House. UFC CEO Dana White admitted he’d prefer it if Pereira stays at light heavyweight, but he didn’t rule out “Poatan’s” request.

Cole Shelton - October 28, 2025

The 208th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is live to preview UFC Vegas 110. We’re first joined by the 12th-ranked UFC featherweight Steve Garcia (0:49). Next, we close things out by chatting with UFC featherweight Isaac Dulgarian (18:44).

BJPENN.COM Staff - October 27, 2025

Championship belts fuel ambition rather than satisfy hunger. Roman Kryklia stands on the edge of striking immortality with two ONE World Titles already draped across his shoulders, yet he sees only the one missing piece. The Ukrainian giant battles undefeated Turkish sensation Samet Agdeve for the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Fight Night 37 on Prime Video on Friday, November 7, live from Bangkok, Thailand. Kryklia seeks his third ONE World Title to cement his legacy as one of striking arts’ all-time greats. The 6-foot-6 powerhouse already holds both the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing and ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Championships.

Dylan Bowker - October 27, 2025

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been a hugely dominant fighter and also has had quite the winning streak as a coach, but he revealed a lot about himself when one of his charges recently lost to Sergio Pettis. This happened to Magomed Magomedov, who ended up on the wrong end of a spinning back elbow KO loss to Pettis when the two fought at PFL Dubai earlier this month. In the aftermath, there was an abundance of respect shown from the Nurmagamedov team, and when touching on his interaction with Khabib Nurmagamedov after the Magomedov contest, Pettis said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

Cole Shelton - October 27, 2025

The UFC was in Abu Dhabi on Saturday for a solid UFC 321 card. The main event saw heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall defending his belt against Ciryl Gane, while the co-main event saw Mackenzie Dern rematching Virna Jandiroba, with the vacant strawweight title up for grabs. In the end, the main event ended in a No Contest as Gane poked Aspinall in the eye, and the champ couldn’t continue. Dern, meanwhile, edged out a decision in a back-and-forth, fun fight to become the new strawweight champion. Following UFC 321, here is what I think should be next for the stars of the event.

Curtis Calhoun - October 27, 2025

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier criticized Tom Aspinall for letting their hot mic conversation about the heavyweight division go viral. UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense ended in disaster due to an accidental eye poke from Ciryl Gane just minutes into the fight. In Round 1, Aspinall was deemed unfit to continue fighting due to an eye injury suffered at Gane’s hands.

Curtis Calhoun - October 27, 2025

UFC women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern isn’t happy with analyst Din Thomas after his pre-UFC 321 remarks about her ‘insignificant’ title fight. Mackenzie Dern won the then-vacant UFC strawweight title over Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 last Saturday in Abu Dhabi. She outpointed Jandiroba by unanimous decision to secure a UFC belt and usher in a new era in the strawweight division.

Cole Shelton - October 27, 2025

Henry Cejudo confirmed his UFC 323 fight will be his retirement bout. Cejudo is set to take on surging bantamweight contender Payton Talbott at UFC 323 on Dec. 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s a step-up in competition for Talbott, who will be looking to make a name off of the former two-division UFC champ. Ahead of the bout, while on the LFA 220 broadcast, Cejudo confirmed this would be it.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 27, 2025

The controversial ending to the UFC 321 pay-per-view has led to one bonus snatcher giving athletic commissions an earful. The main event of the UFC 321 card ended in disappointing fashion when Tom Aspinall couldn’t continue fighting due to an accidental double eye poke. It was a heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane that will now have to be booked again.