MMA News

Mackenzie Dern, UFC 321
Mackenzie Dern

UFC analyst blasts 'insignificant' UFC 321 co-main event featuring Mackenzie Dern vs. Virna Jandiroba

Cole Shelton - October 23, 2025

UFC analyst Din Thomas isn’t a fan of the UFC 321 co-main event featuring Mackenzie Dern vs. Virna Jandiroba. Dern and Jandiroba are set to rematch for the vacant strawweight title, after Weili Zhang vacated the belt to move up to face Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title. Ahead of the fight on Saturday, Thomas took aim at the fight, calling it the least significant title fight in UFC history.

Conor McGregor UFC entrance
UFC

Conor McGregor sends a message to UFC champ Jack Della Maddalena ahead of Islam Makhachev title fight: “He’ll be light work”

Dylan Bowker - October 23, 2025

Conor McGregor has weighed in on the looming title fight between welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena and his title challenger Islam Makhachev. As JDM looks to show out against an elite pound-for-pound fighter in Makhachev as they fight inside Madison Square Garden, someone with big success at MSG like McGregor offerin g up his viewpoint adds a certain something to the proceedings. The information came from jiu jitsu standout Craig Jones, via footage shared to the Instagram account @mma.pros.pick, who is training with JDM ahead of this Makhachev fight. Jones famously got in work with Alexander Volkanovski ahead of fighting Makhachev, and the grappling considerations of the CJI figurehead clearly paid dividends in the first meeting they had.

Dana White speaks at the UFC 321 pre-fight press conference, opposite Tom Aspinall in the Octagon at UFC 304
Tom Aspinall

Dana White 'hates' Tom Aspinall's remarks about refusing to fight surging heavyweight teammate

Curtis Calhoun - October 23, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White isn’t thrilled with some of Tom Aspinall’s recent comments ahead of his UFC 321 headliner against Ciryl Gane. Undisputed UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall will make his first title defense this Saturday against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Aspinall was promoted to undisputed titleholder following Jon Jones’s retirement, after months of holding on to the interim title during Jones’s controversial reign.

Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane during UFC 321 presser
UFC 321

Huge heavyweight title change reflected back on 15 years later before UFC 321 title bout

Dylan Bowker - October 23, 2025

A massive heavyweight title change took place at UFC 121, which was 15 years ago today, and this historic lookback takes place as we are immersed in fight week for UFC 321, which is headlined by a clash for the heavyweight crown. On October 23rd, 2010, in Anaheim, California, Brock Lesnar entered the cage to defend his heavyweight crown against a surging phenom in Cain Velasquez. At the Honda Center in the main event of the night, Velasquez would put on a classic performance with the eventual multi-time champion ascending to the UFC throne for the first time. It was an impactful affair that saw Velasquez draw blood from Lesnar and finish him with a barrage of strikes in the final minute of the opening stanza to cause a changing of the guard at heavyweight. Curiously enough, the name of Brock Lesnar was also invoked during the fight week proceedings ahead of the UFC’s next heavyweight championship clash. The reigning champion, Tom Aspinall, was picking winners in hypothetical matchups, which at a certain point involved his opponent for Saturday, Ciryl Gane.

View of the arena mid-event at UFC Abu Dhabi
UFC

UFC 321 loses fight featuring two touted prospects just days before Abu Dhabi PPV

Curtis Calhoun - October 23, 2025

A UFC 321 undercard bout featuring two touted prospects has been canceled just hours before the pay-per-view event. UFC 321 is one of the biggest cards of the year this Saturday in Abu Dhabi. Headlined by a heavyweight title matchup between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, UFC 321 features plenty of intriguing bouts, including a vacant strawweight title matchup as the co-main event.

Patchy Mix
UFC

Patchy Mix fails drug test in final Bellator fight, has fight overturned

Cole Shelton - October 23, 2025

Patchy Mix has reportedly failed a drug test in his final Bellator fight. Mix was defending his Bellator bantamweight title in the main event of Bellator Champion Series in Paris in May of 2024 against Magomed Magomedov. Mix ended up edging out a very close split decision. However, a year and a half after the fight, the result was overturned to a loss for Mix.

Tom Aspinall appears at a pre-fight press conference for UFC 321
Jailton Almeida

Tom Aspinall believes new No. 1 contender will be determined at UFC 321

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 23, 2025

Tom Aspinall thinks UFC has a plan for the next heavyweight title contender. Aspinall is set to put the UFC Heavyweight Championship at stake against Ciryl Gane on Saturday. Aspinall’s first fight as the undisputed heavyweight titleholder will headline UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. It’ll be Gane’s third undisputed UFC title fight. While he held the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship, Gane has yet to earn undisputed status.

Alex Pereira UFC walkout prep point
Jailton Almeida

UFC 321 fighter says Alex Pereira won't make heavyweight move permanent

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 23, 2025

One key fighter on the UFC 321 card doesn’t believe Alex Pereira would stick around at heavyweight for more than a super fight. Pereira has publicly expressed interest in a clash with Jon Jones on the UFC White House card. “Poatan” has even said he’d rather fight “Bones” than the winner of the heavyweight title bout between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane. In the past, Jones has been receptive to the idea of fighting Pereira.

Jon Jones, UFC, brother, Arthur Jones
UFC

UFC legend Jon Jones breaks silence on brother's sudden passing

BJ Penn Staff - October 23, 2025

Jon Jones, one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, has spoken out following the tragic death of his brother Arthur several weeks ago. Arthur Jones, a Super Bowl champion, died on October 3. The cause was not revealed. He was 39 years old.

Ilia Topuria, Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett claims Ilia Topuria is "stalling" over a potential title fight

Harry Kettle - October 23, 2025

UFC star Paddy Pimblett believes that Ilia Topuria is stalling over a potential lightweight title showdown between them. For the longest time, Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria have been embroiled in a rivalry. The two have disliked each other for as long as we can remember, and they even got into a physical altercation prior to them fighting on the same UFC London card a few years back.

Jailton Almeida
Jailton Almeida

Jailton Almeida doesn't believe Alex Pereira moving to heavyweight will impact his quest for a UFC title

Harry Kettle - October 23, 2025

UFC heavyweight Jailton Almeida doesn’t believe that Alex Pereira’s possible move to the division will impact his title push. With nine wins in his 10 UFC fights, it’s safe to assume that Jailton Almeida is on the verge of a world title shot. This weekend, he will attempt to secure that championship opportunity when he goes head to head with Alexander Volkov in one of the featured bouts of UFC 321.

UFC 321 - Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane staredown
Tom Aspinall

UFC 321: ‘Aspinall vs. Gane’ Fight Card and Start Times

Harry Kettle - October 23, 2025

This weekend, the Ultimate Fighting Championship once again heads back to Abu Dhabi for UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane. Event: UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane Date: Saturday, 25th October 2025 Location: Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Broadcast: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass (2pm EST main card)

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao
ONE Championship

Nong-O details path to knockout victory over Rodtang: "If there's a chance, I'll try to do it"

BJPENN.COM Staff - October 22, 2025

Former bantamweight king Nong-O Hama refuses to abandon his knockout philosophy despite confronting combat sports’ most indestructible force. The 38-year-old Thai veteran recognizes Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s legendary chin presents an unprecedented challenge, but years of exploiting vulnerability fuel his confidence. Nong-O faces Rodtang for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title at ONE 173 on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion pursues two-division glory against his 28-year-old compatriot who was stripped of his flyweight crown in November 2024 for missing weight.

Ludovit Klein
UFC

Ludovit Klein's "heart of a lion" will shine at UFC 321, per Oktagon MMA training partner

Dylan Bowker - October 22, 2025

Ludovit Klein has a massive matchup looming in the coming days at UFC 321, and a surging Oktagon MMA star who trains with Klein has given his thoughts on that bout. The referenced mixed martial artist is Tamerlan Dulatov who is coming off a victory against Henrique Melo at Oktagon 78 on October 18th. Dulatov appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to touch on how he has got in some work with Ludovit Klein previously and did so ahead of Klein’s fight with Mateusz Gamrot in the UFC. When touching upon that experience working with Klein, Dulatov said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane during UFC 321 presser
UFC

Tom Aspinall favors Ciryl Gane over Lesnar and Werdum in hypothetical fights

Dylan Bowker - October 22, 2025

Tom Aspinall definitely rates Ciryl Gane highly as a fighter ahead of their clash this weekend, and that came across during a recent media appearance he did, where he favoured ‘Bon Gamin’ over multiple former UFC champs. The reigning UFC heavyweight champion took part in a segment for TNT Sports as part of their ‘Winner Stays On’ segment with Aspinall picking victors in fantasy fights. The name Brock Lesnar was mentioned early on, with the UK-based divisional kingpin picking Lesnar to defeat Andrei Arlovski and Don Frye before the former UFC heavyweight champion was described as someone who would lose to Gane. After Lesnar was taken out of the game, Aspinall also favoured Gane to beat another former titleholder in the UFC’s heavyweight ranks.

Conor McGregor appears at a White House press briefing, opposite Frankie Edgar in the Octagon at UFC 281
Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor hints 'ulterior motives' could've contributed to Frankie Edgar's abrupt BKFC 82 removal

Curtis Calhoun - October 22, 2025

Conor McGregor had some interesting comments on former UFC champion Frankie Edgar’s abrupt removal from Bare Knuckle FC 82. Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar was set to make his combat sports return against fellow UFC veteran Jimmie Rivera at Bare Knuckle FC 82. It would’ve been Edgar’s bare-knuckle debut on his home turf in Newark, three years after announcing his MMA retirement at UFC 281.

Khamzat Chimaev reacts during a UFC 319 press conference
UFC

Khamzat Chimaev attacks former rival for admitting he'd fight UFC champ on short-notice

Curtis Calhoun - October 22, 2025

UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev didn’t take kindly to Ikram Aliskerov’s recent callout. Before Khamzat Chimaev became a UFC superstar, he rose through the ranks in Europe, enjoying successful stints in Brave CF and other promotions. During his early career grind, Chimaev faced off with future UFC colleague Ikram Aliskerov in a fight that Chimaev calls the toughest of his career.

Ciryl Gane appears at a UFC 321 press conference, opposite Tom Aspinall embracing Sergei Pavlovich before their fight at UFC 295
Tom Aspinall

Ciryl Gane questions Tom Aspinall for 'stupid thing' in traditional pre-fight faceoff

Curtis Calhoun - October 22, 2025

Former interim UFC heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane doesn’t plan to let Tom Aspinall attempt a pre-fight embrace at UFC 321. We’re days away from a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown between undisputed UFC champion Tom Aspinall and former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. This will mark Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense after being promoted earlier this summer following Jon Jones’s abrupt retirement.