MMA News

Cole Shelton - April 7, 2026

Jiri Prochazka believes Alex Pereira will do well at heavyweight. Pereira vacated his light heavyweight title to move up to heavyweight to fight Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. Heading into the bout, oddsmakers have it as a pick’em, but Prochazka, who has fought Periera twice, believes the Brazilian will get the better of Gane to win a title in his third weight class.

BJPENN.COM Staff - April 7, 2026

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao refuses to act his age. At 42, the former two-sport, two-division ONE World Champion is riding a two-fight winning streak and setting his sights on one final championship run. His next step comes at ONE Fight Night 42 on Prime Video on April 10, where he faces Moroccan knockout artist Elmehdi “The Sniper” El Jamari in strawweight Muay Thai, live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The path back has not been straight. A tough decision loss to Jonathan Di Bella in an interim title bout last year could have been the end. Instead, Sam-A responded with back-to-back wins, the most impressive coming at ONE Friday Fights 137 in December when he dropped and outpointed Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi across three rounds. He was patient in round one, waited for his opening in round two, and executed perfectly when it came.

Curtis Calhoun - April 7, 2026

Ian Machado Garry continues to question Islam Makhachev’s alleged hand injury after an online back-and-forth with Ilia Topuria. UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev and lightweight titleholder Ilia Topuria continue to go back and forth on why a superfight wasn’t finalized for the promotion’s upcoming White House card. Topuria will headline the event opposite Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout, but Makhachev was the rumored opponent for Topuria for months.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - April 7, 2026

Khamzat Chimaev believes he knows what will be the deciding factor when retirement inevitably crosses his mind. Chimaev is early in his UFC Middleweight Championship run with his first defense scheduled for May 9. “Borz” is hoping to thwart the challenge of Sean Strickland in the UFC 328 main event in Newark. Some have already hurled the retirement label at Chimaev given his past inactivity and prior health issues.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - April 7, 2026

Mike Perry has responded to BKFC founder David Feldman’s reaction to the Nate Diaz fight. Perry has been widely viewed as the face of BKFC, but he’s had his share of issues with the promotion. Conor McGregor, who has ownership stake in the company, once threatened to fire “Platinum” for taking a boxing match with Jake Paul and getting in business with his own Dirty Boxing Championship promotion.

Cole Shelton - April 7, 2026

The UFC is in Miami, Florida, for a solid UFC 327 card that sees the vacant light heavyweight title on the line. In the main event, former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka takes on Carlos Ulberg. Heading into the bout, Prochazka is a -125 favorite while the Kiwi is a -102 underdog on FanDuel. Ahead of the bout at UFC 327, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the light heavyweight title fight. The majority of pros believe Jiri Prochazka will get the win, and likely will do so by knockout.

Harry Kettle - April 7, 2026

UFC veteran Renato Moicano has given his thoughts on the promotion booking him against Chris Duncan. Last weekend, Renato Moicano was able to get himself back in the win column with a nice victory over former training partner Chris Duncan. It served as a reminder to the masses that the Brazilian is still a real player in the lightweight division, and he’s still more than happy to call out just about anyone as he attempts to climb back into contention at 155 pounds.

Harry Kettle - April 7, 2026

UFC champion Khamzat Chimaev has made an interesting claim regarding the health of his finances. At UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev will defend his UFC middleweight championship against rival and former champion Sean Strickland. While many are expecting Khamzat to retain the belt, Sean always seems to have a surprise or two up his sleeve, as he proved in his own title win against Israel Adesanya a few years back.

Cole Shelton - April 6, 2026

The UFC was at the Apex on Saturday for UFC Vegas 115. In the main event, lightweight contenders threw down as Renato Moicano took on Chris Duncan in an intriguing fight. Heading into the fight, Moicano was coming off back-to-back losses to Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev for the belt. Duncan, meanwhile, was riding a four-fight winning streak and was set for his first UFC main event.

Curtis Calhoun - April 6, 2026

According to UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria is to blame for their superfight not coming to fruition at the White House. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria will headline the promotion’s White House event against interim titleholder Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June. After months of UFC CEO Dana White teasing one of the ‘biggest cards in UFC history’, Topuria vs. Gaethje will look to deliver on lofty pre-event expectations.

Curtis Calhoun - April 6, 2026

Tensions continue to rise between Jake Paul and UFC CEO Dana White after Paul slammed the upcoming White House event. Dana White and the UFC are weeks away from their most ambitious event yet on the White House lawn. After months of anticipation for the full fight card announcement for UFC Freedom 250, White revealed the fights last month to mixed reactions from fans and pundits.

BJPENN.COM Staff - April 6, 2026

ONE Championship returns to Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, April 10, with ONE Friday Fights 150. The middle event of a triple-header that also features The Inner Circle and ONE Fight Night 42. Nine bouts across Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA are on the card. A majority of athletes are chasing a US$100,000 contract and a spot on ONE’s global roster.

Dylan Bowker - April 6, 2026

Kai Asakura has had a bit of a rocky start to the beginning of his UFC career and a previous adversary of his from the Rizin ring has weighed in on Asakura’s UFC tenure up until now. The current reigning RFF champion is someone who has fought Asakura twice actually and the combatant in question is Hiromasa Ougikubo. Although Ougikubo is presently the Rizin Federation flyweight champ, he fought Asakura on both occasions at bantamweight with the latter besting the former via first round soccer kick finish. Ougikubo would tie up their series in the rematch though and bested Asakura to win the 2021 Rizin bantamweight grand prix in the process.

Curtis Calhoun - April 6, 2026

Alex Pereira’s former foe expects the superstar to become the promotion’s first three-division titleholder. Former UFC two-division champion Alex Pereira will look to become the UFC’s first three-division champ when he faces former interim heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250. Pereira vacated the light heavyweight title to make the full-time move to heavyweight, and will fight Gane amidst Tom Aspinall’s ongoing hiatus due to injury.

Curtis Calhoun - April 6, 2026

UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey teamed up with her biggest rival’s longtime coach ahead of her fight against Gina Carano. Ronda Rousey will return to the MMA cage against fellow women’s MMA pioneer, Gina Carano, in a highly anticipated fight next month in Los Angeles. It’ll mark Rousey’s first fight since back-to-back UFC losses to Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm, and Carano’s first fight in almost two full decades.

BJPENN.COM Staff - April 6, 2026

ONE Championship returns to Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, April 10, with another exclusive card for members of The Inner Circle. Five bouts are on the card, headlined by a World Title fight that puts one of the most decorated fighters in ONE history against one of Thailand’s sharpest southpaws. Regian “The Immortal” Eersel faces Rungrawee “Legatron” Sitsongpeenong for the vacant ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title in the main event.

Cole Shelton - April 6, 2026

Jiri Prochazka believes Carlos Ulberg will be in a world of trouble at UFC 327. Prochazka is set to headline UFC 327 against Ulberg for the vacant light heavyweight title in an intriguing fight. Heading into the bout, Prochazka is a slight betting favorite, as oddsmakers have it near a pick’em. And, heading into the fight, Prochazka said he’s fine being a completely different fighter in this one, as he hinted at changing his style and wrestling Ulberg.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - April 6, 2026

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire believes that Aaron Pico has one-punch knockout power, but he can easily be sparked out. Freire and Pico are two Bellator veterans who will be sharing the Octagon at UFC 327 on Saturday. They will throw leather in Miami on a card headlined by a vacant light heavyweight title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg.