MMA News

BJPENN.COM Staff - August 14, 2025

Canadian striker Jake Peacock climbs another rung on the bantamweight ladder when he collides with Thailand’s most destructive finisher. The Road to ONE winner faces his sternest examination against a veteran who has decimated over 200 opponents throughout his legendary career. Peacock battles Suakim Sor Jor Tongprajin at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The English-born one-handed Canadian brings a perfect ONE Championship record into his biggest challenge to date.

Dylan Bowker - August 14, 2025

Cole Shelton - August 14, 2025

Drakkar Klose will be fighting with his brother on his mind again. Late last year, his brother was murdered, and Klose took his last fight to try and get his mind off of it. However, Klose admits that he wasn’t fully there and needed to take time to grieve. Now, he’s booked to return against Edson Barboza at UFC 319.

Dylan Bowker - August 14, 2025

Alex Pereira has made demonstrable improvements in his anti-wrestling, but a former UFC veteran still doesn’t think it’s enough to make a Magomed Ankalaev rematch play out any differently than their first fight. Pereira vs. Ankalaev 2 is set for UFC 320 on October 4th, with the former looking to claim light heavyweight gold once again from the man who took it from him. Krzysztof Jotko touched upon this UFC 205 pound championship rematch during an interview on Bowks Talking Bouts ahead of his eventual Oktagon 74 win that saw him advance in the Tipsport Gamechanger tournament. Going through Jotko’s X page circa February 2022, Jotko mentioned then that months prior, he had agreed to fight Pereira, only for ‘Poatan’ to end up fighting Bruno Silva towards the end of 2021.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 14, 2025

Could Lerone Murphy and Aaron Pico be fighting for a crack at UFC gold? The two will collide in the co-main event of UFC 319 on Saturday. Pico was initially linked to a showdown with Movsar Evloev, but he will instead get another unbeaten contender in Murphy. As far as the stakes of the matchup are concerned, Murphy doesn’t buy into the rankings talk.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 14, 2025

Another special guest has been added to the attendee list for UFC 319. There has been some buzz going into Saturday’s pay-per-view event in Chicago. Headlining the show will be a middleweight title fight between the two best 185-pounders today. Champion Dricus du Plessis hopes to thwart the challenge of Khamzat Chimaev, who is unbeaten in his pro MMA career.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 14, 2025

One prominent UFC 319 fighter won’t be doubting Dricus du Plessis any longer if he retains his gold on Saturday. It’ll be a big night for “Stillknocks,” who is attempting to make a third successful title defense. Standing in his way is the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev, who has looked dominant throughout his career with a couple of exceptions. Chimaev is the slight betting favorite going into the bout, as one can never count out his ability to take his opponent down and finish the fight early.

BJ Penn Staff - August 14, 2025

NBA star Kristaps Porzingis is planning on trying his hand at MMA when his basketball career concludes. Porzingis, from Latvia, currently plays as a power forward and center for the Atlanta Hawks. Outside of his career with the NBA, he is a big MMA fan. So much so that he intends to pursue a second career in the sport in the future.

Harry Kettle - August 14, 2025

Dricus du Plessis believes he’ll be getting closer to middleweight GOAT status if he’s able to defeat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. On Saturday night, Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319. While many believe he’s more than capable of picking up the win, they’d also acknowledge that Chimaev is a different kind of beast to anyone he’s fought in the past.

Harry Kettle - August 14, 2025

Michael Page, aka MVP, has welcomed recent praise from UFC commentator Joe Rogan ahead of UFC 319. For the longest time, Michael ‘Venom’ Page has been one of the most intriguing mixed martial artists in the world. While some have questioned just how good he really is, MVP has been able to capture the imagination of the masses throughout the course of his career. Now, he’s enjoying a run in the UFC, and he’s set to continue his middleweight campaign when he battles Jared Cannonier this weekend.

Harry Kettle - August 14, 2025

Carlos Prates believes he’ll be right back in the mix with the top welterweight contenders if he can defeat Geoff Neal. As we know, the welterweight division is absolutely stacked right now. There are so many top guys at 170 pounds and with Islam Makhachev being set to make his debut in the weight class soon, it’s only going to get better. One man who is seen as a pretty interesting contender is Carlos Prates, who most recently fell to a tight loss against Ian Machado Garry.

Harry Kettle - August 14, 2025

UFC boss Dana White has spoken about some of the challenges that the promotion faces for its proposed UFC White House event. As we know, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is very interested in putting on an event at the White House next summer. It’d be done in order to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, and it’s clear that US president Donald Trump is very invested in the idea too. The same, of course, can be said for Dana White.

BJPENN.COM Staff - August 13, 2025

Yodlekpet Or Atchariya refuses to let inconsistency define his career any longer. The Thai veteran believes his last spectacular knockout victory represents a turning point rather than just another highlight. Yodlekpet faces Pompet Panthonggym at ONE Friday Fights 120 on August 15 inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 30-year-old striker enters riding momentum from his ferocious first-round finish at ONE Friday Fights 113 after enduring back-to-back setbacks.

Dylan Bowker - August 13, 2025

Dricus du Plessis is already among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport today, but according to his teammate, we may see a brand new version of the UFC’s 185-pound kingpin in Chicago this weekend. Mark Hulme appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts ahead of his fight last week as part of Oktagon MMA’s Tipsport Gamechanger Tournament, but also took time to discuss his teammate DDP’s title defense against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on Saturday, August 16th.

Dylan Bowker - August 13, 2025

Luke Rockhold recently ranted about the sport of bare knuckle fighting with one of BKB’s champions offering up a response to those criticisms from the former UFC champion. Khortni Kamyron prepares to make history and become BKB’s first ever two division champion among women’s fighters. She will get this chance when she battles Paty Juarez in a rematch for the BKB lightweight crown at BKB 44: Denver Brawl V on August 16th.

Cole Shelton - August 13, 2025

Dricus Du Plessis is looking to make Khamzat Chimaev quit at UFC 319 to retain his middleweight title. Du Plessis is headlining UFC 319 on Saturday in Chicago against Chimaev in a highly anticipated fight. Heading into the bout, Du Plessis is the betting underdog, as many expect Chimaev to finish him early. However, the South African has confidence he will be able to outwork Chimaev and tire him out to make him quit.

Dylan Bowker - August 13, 2025

Sean Strickland received a suspension from Nevada for a June incident that saw him storm the cage in hot pursuit of a fighter who taunted him and a former UFC opponent of Strickland has offered his thoughts on this situation. Strickland was serving as a corner person for Miles Hunsinger, who he coaches, but when Hunsigner’s opponent Luis Hernandez taunted Strickland, the former UFC middleweight champion encroached into his space to get physical. Krzysztof Jotko appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts ahead of his recent Oktagon 74 fight and touched on this recent suspension that was levied to his former UFC adversary, Strickland. When expounding upon his thoughts on the Strickland suspension situation, Krzysztof Jotko said,

Dylan Bowker - August 13, 2025

Alex Pereira has a run of emphatic finishes that looms large over many in the sport. But a teammate of Dricus du Plessis was able to finish a prior ‘Poatan’ opponent even more succinctly than the Brazilian KO artist. Mark Hulme is that fighter in question, and this fact was covered during an appearance on Bowks Talking Bouts ahead of his recent contest at Oktagon 74. Dricus du Plessis‘ Team CIT compatriot debuted with Oktagon MMA by battling Andreas Michailidis at Oktagon 67 and submitted him in the opening frame of their fight.