MMA News

Curtis Calhoun - February 27, 2026

Two-time UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will vacate his belt and make the move up to heavyweight. In a Friday night stunner, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Alex Pereira was vacating his UFC light heavyweight title for the chance to make history.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 27, 2026

Inside the ring, Johan “Jojo” Ghazali is a finishing machine — explosive, fearless, and built for highlights. Off it, the 19-year-old Malaysian-American flyweight Muay Thai star has found a completely different outlet: golf. It started as a calculated networking move but turned into a full-blown obsession that follows him to Thailand. There, he trains under ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 27, 2026

Before Ayaka “Zombie” Miura became one of MMA’s most dangerous submission hunters, she spent her days putting bodies back together. The Japanese atomweight worked as a clinical educator at an osteopathic center, studying joint mechanics and human anatomy with a precision that most fighters never develop. That background turned out to be the secret weapon behind her devastating ground game, including her signature “Ayaka Lock” — a scarf-hold Americana so effective it has produced nine career victories, seven of them inside ONE Championship.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 27, 2026

Oleksandr Usyk’s next title fight won’t be against an opponent many were expecting. Ring Magazine has announced that Usyk is set to put his WBC heavyweight title at stake against elite kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. Much had been made over Verhoeven’s combat sports ventures outside of kickboxing, but few could’ve anticipated a championship bout against Usyk.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 27, 2026

Charles Oliveira is open to the possibility of returning to 145 pounds for the right fight. As of now, Oliveira is firmly focused on the lightweight division, and for good reason. He is scheduled to take on Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 326 on March 7. The BMF Championship will be at stake.

BJ Penn Staff - February 27, 2026

Colby Covington is looking for revenge against the fiercest rival of UFC career. Covington is one of the best welterweights of the last generation. While he has struggled with results lately, he spent years near the very top of his division, and even briefly reigned as interim champion.

BJ Penn Staff - February 27, 2026

Jake Paul wants to get into the ring with UFC champion Ilia Topuria, and it sounds like his wish may be granted. Paul, a social media influencer, is one of the biggest stars in boxing today. However, he has spent much of his career so far battling aging UFC veterans, which has been the source of major criticism.

Harry Kettle - February 27, 2026

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria isn’t concerned about the threat of Arman Tsarukyan if the two clash in a title showdown. Right now, Ilia Topuria is one of the scariest fighters in all of mixed martial arts. He’s earned that reputation as a result of his blockbuster knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, in three victories that cemented him as one of the best pound for pound athletes in all of combat sports.

Harry Kettle - February 27, 2026

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has explained where Diego Lopes went wrong in their UFC 325 rematch. Earlier this month, Alexander Volkanovski was able to successfully retain the UFC featherweight championship when he defeated Diego Lopes for the second time. It was a comprehensive victory for ‘The Great’, and now, he will likely await the winner of the upcoming Lerone Murphy vs Movsar Evloev fight at UFC London.

Dylan Bowker - February 26, 2026

Charles Oliveira is one of the most battle tested fighters in UFC history and a prior opponent of his has weighed in on Oliveira’s looming rematch with Max Holloway. As Oliveira aims to battle Holloway for the latter’s BMF title, Clay Guida offered up some thoughts on that UFC 326 headliner, as Guida said [via Bowks Talking Bouts], “Man, you talk about two of my favorite guys to ever grace the octagon. Two guys, if you saw them walking down the road, didn’t know anything about sports, didn’t know anything about mixed martial arts, probably wouldn’t assume that those guys are world champs, former world champs. Two of the most dominant badass dudes in the UFC of all time. I’ll put those guys instant hall of famers guaranteed.”

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 26, 2026

Three losses in a row can break a fighter. For Tubtimthong IngfahhotelUbon, they rebuilt one. The 25-year-old Thai atomweight returns to action in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 144 on Friday, February 27, where he faces Chatpichit Sor Sor Toipadriew live in Asia primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The skid stings because of what came before it. Tubtimthong announced himself in ONE Championship with three wins from three, two of them first-round knockouts that lasted a combined four minutes.

Cole Shelton - February 26, 2026

Nassourdine Imavov is waiting on Khamzat Chimaev. Imavov is the No. 1 contender at middleweight and is holding out for a title shot. Yet, no fight has been booked, and that is because Chimaev suffered an injury.

Curtis Calhoun - February 26, 2026

Joe Rogan weighed in on the hilarious mishap by the promotion in misidentifying Terence Crawford as Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar. Boxing legend Terence Crawford recently hung up the gloves after his win over Canelo Alvarez last year. Crawford is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, and he transformed himself into a global superstar with his victory over Alvarez.

Curtis Calhoun - February 26, 2026

UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski was prepared to hang up the gloves at UFC 325 if he suffered enough damage from Diego Lopes. Alexander Volkanovski’s resurgence after back-to-back knockout losses continued at UFC 325, as he defended the UFC featherweight title against Diego Lopes in their UFC 325 rematch. Volkanovski’s second featherweight title reign kicked off when he won the then-vacant featherweight belt over Lopes in their first fight at UFC 314.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 26, 2026

Growing up in the same orbit as Rodtang Jitmuangnon would test any young fighter’s sense of self. Sangarthit Looksaikongdin is Rodtang’s brother-in-law, trained in the same gym, shaped by the same standards. The comparison is unavoidable. But at 22 years old, with an undefeated 19-0 professional boxing record already behind him before he ever threw a kick in ONE Championship, Sangarthit is building something of his own.

Cole Shelton - February 26, 2026

Max Holloway is hoping to run things back with Conor McGregor. Holloway is set to defend his BMF belt on March 7 against Charles Oliveira in an intriguing bout. Should Holloway win, he could be right in the mix for a title shot at lightweight. But he’s looking at another fight.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 26, 2026

Max Holloway has weighed in on a future clash between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. Gaethje secured a lightweight title unification bout when he defeated Paddy Pimblett to become the interim UFC Lightweight Champion. Topuria, who has been on hiatus, recently cleared up some personal matters and has said he’s back in fight mode.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 26, 2026

Joe Rogan thinks he knows a way to reduce bad weight cutting for UFC fighters. Fans suffered quite the scare when bantamweight Cameron Smotherman collapsed after successfully making weight for a planned bout with Ricky Turcios. Smotherman was able to avoid disaster, but his fight with Turcios was cancelled. While Smotherman insisted that he didn’t cut a lot of weight, the scary moment left many debating about weight-cutting in MMA.