MMA News
ONE Friday Fights 136 gets new main event after Panpayak withdraws due to illness
BJPENN.COM Staff - December 11, 2025
Panpayak Jitmuangnon won’t be making his kickboxing debut this week. The Thai legend pulled out of ONE Friday Fights 136 on Friday due to illness, forcing ONE Championship to shuffle the deck. Petkhaokradong Lukjaomaesaithong now headlines opposite Ali Kelat at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on December 12. The lightweight Muay Thai clash replaces Panpayak‘s scheduled flyweight kickboxing bout against Zhao Chongyang.
Melissa Croden eyes top 15 rankings spot at final UFC card of 2025
Dylan Bowker - December 11, 2025
Melissa Croden battles Luana Santos on the December 13th UFC Fight Night in what is the promotion’s final card of 2025. With Santos in the number fifteen spot in the 135-pound division, ‘Scare’ Croden could find herself in the rankings hierarchy heading into 2026. When getting her thoughts on what that would mean to her at this juncture, Croden said [via MMA Canada], “Yeah. I mean, again, it’s another; it’s a new thing to think about. It’s a new thing to consider and new goals to be had, right? Like I think it would be, as far as I understand, like if I am successful against Luana [Santos] then I would potentially be within the top 15 after my second fight in the UFC.”
Demetrious Johnson: "I think Jake [Paul] can knock [Anthony Joshua] out"
Dylan Bowker - December 11, 2025
Demetrious Johnson has weighed in with his thoughts on the highly discussed Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua bout, and he would seemingly not be surprised if the influencer interloper were to stop the former Olympic medalist and multiple time heavyweight world champion. This thought was expressed by the record-setting UFC champion, as well as former ONE Championship titleholder, during a recent interview he was doing on his YouTube channel. DJ was speaking to former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley as part of the former’s channel Mighty, and the two delved into several subjects.
Jack Della Maddalena and "the rest of Australian MMA" will come back, per PFL title challenger
Dylan Bowker - December 11, 2025
Jack Della Maddalena losing his welterweight title to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 would presumably make many in the Australian MMA scene feel crestfallen, but this was not reflected by a combat compatriot from the land down under vying for PFL gold later this week. Sara Collins is the combatant in question, and she battles Cris Cyborg for the PFL featherweight championship in the co-main event of PFL Europe 4 on December 13th.
Kevin Holland announces UFC Houston return vs. Top 15 welterweight slugger
Curtis Calhoun - December 11, 2025
UFC welterweight fan favorite Kevin Holland will return to the Octagon for a homecoming bout against a dangerous contender. Kevin Holland won’t miss the opportunity to fight in his hometown as he plots his 2026 UFC comeback.
Report: Brandon Moreno set to make quick turnaround after controversial UFC 323 stoppage
Curtis Calhoun - December 11, 2025
Former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno is reportedly already set for his next Octagon appearance just days after UFC 323. Brandon Moreno was on the losing end of a controversial stoppage at UFC 323 last Saturday in Las Vegas. But just days after his latest setback in the cage, it sounds like Moreno isn’t wasting time in kicking off another fight camp.
Dana White claims 'behind the scenes' issues contributed to UFC's latest Arman Tsarukyan title shot snub
Curtis Calhoun - December 11, 2025
UFC CEO Dana White hints there’s more to the story behind Arman Tsarukyan’s latest title shot snub that hasn’t been made public. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will battle for the interim UFC lightweight title next month at UFC 324 in Las Vegas. Amid the undisputed champion Ilia Topuria’s indefinite absence due to personal reasons, Pimblett and Gaethje will fight for the right to face Topuria upon his return to the Octagon.
Manel Kape plans to 'style on' Brandon Royval to secure a title shot at UFC Vegas 112: 'The fighter this division needs'
Cole Shelton - December 11, 2025
Manel Kape believes he can style on Brandon Royval at UFC Vegas 112. Kape is set to headline UFC Vegas 112 on Saturday against Royval in a pivotal fight at flyweight. The winner of the bout could get the next title shot against the new champion Joshua Van.
UFC 325's Alexander Volkanovski reveals when he knew Movsar Evloev wasn't getting title shot
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 11, 2025
Alexander Volkanovski knew he wouldn’t be defending his UFC gold against Movsar Evloev next. Volkanovski will be putting his featherweight title at stake against Diego Lopes in a rematch at UFC 325 on Jan. 31. The matchmaking is not popular among fans, as Volkanovski and Lopes already fought back in April and it wasn’t exactly a nail biter.
UFC boss Dana White was thrilled when PFL signed Francis Ngannou
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 11, 2025
UFC CEO Dana White wasn’t exactly shedding tears when Francis Ngannou signed with PFL. White’s beef with Ngannou was initially puzzling to those within the MMA world. “The Predator” scored a big deal with PFL along with two lucrative boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Some felt White was showing a bit of sour grapes before the UFC boss claimed that Ngannou tried to intimidate him and UFC exec Hunter Campbell behind the scenes.
Joe Rogan assesses Khamzat Chimaev's possible UFC move to light heavyweight
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 11, 2025
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan has some thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev possibly moving up in weight. Chimaev won the UFC Middleweight Championship back in August. Despite not having a title defense, “Borz” has already discussed possibly moving up to the light heavyweight division. Chimaev’s first title defense hasn’t even been booked yet, but many feel Nassourdine Imavov is the likely No. 1 contender.
Brandon Royval reveals game plan for UFC Vegas 112 main event against Manel Kape
Harry Kettle - December 11, 2025
UFC flyweight Brandon Royval has spoken about what he plans to do to Manel Kape in the main event of UFC Vegas 112. As we know, Brandon Royval is one of the most respected flyweights currently residing in the top 15. He has fought some of the very best at 125 pounds, and while he hasn’t been able to get his hands on the gold up to this point, you just know that you’re going to be in for a treat whenever you see him compete.
ONE Friday Fights 137: Why Liu Mengyang could be Tawanchai PK Saenchai's toughest test
BJPENN.COM Staff - December 10, 2025
Liu Mengyang faces ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai in featherweight kickboxing action at ONE Friday Fights 137 on Thursday, December 19, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The 22-year-old Chinese striker has won two of three promotional appearances against elite competition. His upset victories over Masaaki Noiri and Shadow Singha Mawynn revealed tools that make him dangerous against anyone standing across from him. Now he faces the biggest test of his career in non-title action.
Lucas Gabriel finally meets Dagestani destroyer after injury postponement
BJPENN.COM Staff - December 10, 2025
Lucas Gabriel faces Magomed Akaev in lightweight MMA at ONE Fight Night 39 on Friday, January 24, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The matchup was originally scheduled for ONE Fight Night 38 last weekend before Akaev withdrew due to injury. Now fully healed, the Dagestani powerhouse gets his chance against an undefeated Brazilian who’s carved through three consecutive opponents since earning his main roster contract.
Francis Ngannou responds to Dana White claims about a physical altercation: "We shouldn't have gone this way"
Dylan Bowker - December 10, 2025
Francis Ngannou has since offered up his response to Dana White after the latter made inflammatory claims about the former, which centered on the heavyweight fighter reportedly getting physical with the UFC CEO. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ngannou responded to a multitude of related questions Helwani had for the standout combat sports athlete regarding those aforementioned recent comments that White made. Helwani referenced the story that White told on the Flagrant podcast, hosted by comedian Andrew Schulz, where White purported that Ngannou grabbed his collar to get a point across regarding a post-fight bonus and a requested jet. The lineal MMA heavyweight champion was not surprised that the UFC figurehead was talking about him putting his hands on him, as well as UFC CBO Hunter Campbell.
Merab Dvalishvili goes on social media rampage against Petr Yan just days after UFC 323
Curtis Calhoun - December 10, 2025
It didn’t take long for tensions to ramp back up between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan after their rematch at UFC 323. Petr Yan got his revenge against Merab Dvalishvili last weekend in the UFC 323 main event. More than two years after Dvalishvili put on a history-making performance in their first fight, Yan outpointed Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, showcasing a ‘master class’ in the eyes of analyst Joe Rogan.
Paddy Pimblett lays out his ideal plan to become champ-champ after UFC 324
Cole Shelton - December 10, 2025
Paddy Pimblett has his eyes set on becoming a two-division UFC champion. Pimblett is set to headline UFC 324 on January 24 against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. The winner of the fight is expected to face Ilia Topuria for the undisputed lightweight title later in 2026.
Mario Bautista set to headline UFC Vegas 113 against dangerous knockout artist
Curtis Calhoun - December 10, 2025
UFC bantamweight contender Mario Bautista will reportedly headline UFC Vegas 113 at the Apex opposite one of the division’s surging stars. Mario Bautista’s bid for a UFC bantamweight title shot came to a screeching halt as he lost to former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 321 earlier this year. After an eight-fight win streak entering UFC 321, Bautista fell to Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision.