MMA News

Harry Kettle - January 22, 2026

UFC bantamweight Song Yadong has given his thoughts on Sean O’Malley’s recent mask joke ahead of their fight at UFC 324. On Saturday night, Song Yadong has the chance to secure the biggest win of his career thus far – and potentially even a title shot. He will be going head to head with former world champion Sean O’Malley, in a fight that has now been bumped up to the co-main event slot in the wake of Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes falling through.

Harry Kettle - January 22, 2026

UFC veteran Justin Gaethje has disputed the idea that he’s receiving more money courtesy of the UFC-Paramount deal. This weekend, Justin Gaethje will step into the cage for what could be the final time in his mixed martial arts career. He is preparing to go head to head with Paddy Pimblett with the UFC interim lightweight championship on the line, and if he wins, he could set himself up for a blockbuster undisputed championship showdown with Ilia Topuria.

Cole Shelton - January 21, 2026

Modestas Bukauskas has high praise for his UFC 324 opponent, Nikita Krylov. Bukauskas was hoping to fight one more time last year, but when he got the offer to fight on the first card of 2026, and on the first event of Paramount, he jumped at the chance.

BJPENN.COM Staff - January 21, 2026

Two straight losses put Kongthoranee Sor Sommai in unfamiliar territory. The Thai veteran has never experienced this kind of adversity in ONE Championship. Now he faces undefeated Russian destroyer Asadula Imangazaliev in the ONE Fight Night 39 co-main event on Friday, January 23, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The event broadcasts live in U.S. primetime on Amazon Prime Video.

Curtis Calhoun - January 21, 2026

UFC star Michael Chandler admits he was blindsided by CEO Dana White’s recent remarks about a fight with Conor McGregor at the White House. Michael Chandler’s long wait for a fight against former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor seemed on the cusp of coming to an end later this summer, before UFC CEO Dana White intervened.

Curtis Calhoun - January 21, 2026

UFC 324 co-headliner Sean O’Malley admits that one of his early fighting career predictions was a delusional pursuit. Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is set to return to the Octagon in the UFC 324 co-main event this Saturday in Las Vegas. O’Malley and dangerous striker Song Yadong will square off with a potential bantamweight title shot on the line this weekend.

Curtis Calhoun - January 21, 2026

UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis had a hilarious reaction to head football coach Mike Tomlin’s viral tribute to him. UFC 324 will mark the return of one of the promotion’s fan favorites, heavyweight star Derrick Lewis, on the undercard against surging contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta. The winner of the Lewis/Cortes-Acosta fight could potentially earn a title shot with a victory on Saturday night.

BJ Penn Staff - January 21, 2026

Former UFC heavyweight contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik in his hot water. On Monday, Jan. 19 the striking specialist was arrested on two separate domestic violence-related charges. That includes a third-degree felony charge for false imprisonment. The bond for that offense has been set for $2,500. He has also received a second misdemeanor charge for “touch or strike/battery/domestic violence.” Bond for that charge has been set at $1,000 bond. A native of Suriname, Rozenstruik has also been hit with an immigration hold.

Curtis Calhoun - January 21, 2026

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes the division has taken several steps backward since his title reign. Israel Adesanya recently signed off on his return to the Octagon as he looks to snap a three-fight losing streak. Adesanya and top knockout artist Joe Pyfer headline an intriguing card at UFC Seattle in March, featuring a co-main event between Alexa Grasso and Maycee Barber.

Cole Shelton - January 21, 2026

Cory Sandhagen isn’t sure if he will ever fight Sean O’Malley. Sandhagen vs. O’Malley is a fight that many fans want to see. However, how realistic it is to happen is uncertain, as O’Malley is set to face Yadong Song at UFC 324 on Saturday. Should O’Malley win, he’d be right back in the title picture, meaning a Sandhagen fight is even further from happening.

Dylan Bowker - January 21, 2026

Petr Yan climbing atop the bantamweight throne was an impactful moment to close out 2025, and a teammate of Yan’s who also won gold last December has weighed in on the former ACA standout regaining UFC hardware. In the same month that Yan regained the 135-pound strap and avenged a prior loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323, but his Tiger Muay Thai teammate also won championship gold, but under the Rizin FF banner. Ilkhom Nozimov halted Rizin’s longest tenured titleholder, lightweight king Roberto Satoshi De Souza, in thirteen seconds to wrest the RFF 155-pound belt from the division’s inaugural champ. Nozimov also previously mirrored the stylistic proclivities of Sean O’Malley during TMT training sessions prior to the fight that Yan had with ‘Suga.’

Harry Kettle - January 21, 2026

Former BMF champion Jorge Masvidal isn’t convinced that Alexander Volkanovski could beat Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy. In the main event of UFC 325, Alexander Volkanovski will defend his UFC featherweight championship against Diego Lopes. It marks the second time in under a year that the two have fought for the belt, with ‘The Great’ defeating Lopes to become a two-time world champion in their first meeting.

Harry Kettle - January 21, 2026

UFC star Paddy Pimblett doesn’t want to see Justin Gaethje retire, even if he defeats him in the main event of UFC 324. On Saturday night, there’s a chance we could see Justin Gaethje compete in mixed martial arts for the final time. He and his team have suggested that could be the case if he doesn’t get his hand raised, or if he suffers another knockout loss. Either way, he’s not going in there to just make up the numbers – he wants to make one final run at a world championship.

Curtis Calhoun - January 20, 2026

UFC CEO Dana White and polarizing boxing star Jake Paul had an awkward face-to-face encounter at the CFP National Championship Game. UFC CEO Dana White and boxing star/social media influencer Jake Paul have been on each other’s nerves for years.

Cole Shelton - January 20, 2026

Amanda Nunes has finally broken her silence on her UFC 324 fight falling through. Nunes was supposed to make her return to the Octagon on Saturday against Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title. It was a highly-anticipated bout, but unfortnately, a neck injury to Harrison forced her to pull out of the fight. Since Harrison pulled out, Nunes hasn’t said anything, but she finally broke her silence.

Curtis Calhoun - January 20, 2026

UFC CEO Dana White addressed the latest MMA rumors surrounding a potential Conor McGregor vs. Jorge Masvidal fight at the White House. We’re months away from the UFC’s planned event at the White House, and the latest rumored fight for the card might be its wildest yet.

Curtis Calhoun - January 20, 2026

Former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has a massive fight lined up with a victory this weekend at UFC 324. Rose Namajunas will look to stop top flyweight contender Natalia Silva’s quick ascent this weekend on the UFC 324 undercard in Las Vegas. Namajunas, a former UFC women’s strawweight titleholder, has had mixed results since making the full-time move to 125 lbs.

Dylan Bowker - January 20, 2026

Sean O’Malley is on the comeback trail this weekend, but he sees this next opportunity as a chance to vault himself toward previously unseen heights. The former UFC bantamweight champion will clash with the number five-ranked contender at 135 pounds, Song Yadong, in the amended co-main event of UFC 324. Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes was initially set for the card’s penultimate fight of the night but after news of Harrison’s injury broke, O’Malley vs. Yadong is now the co-main event for UFC’s kickoff card of 2026. For some who has captured and defended UFC gold, the idea of what the next goal is can be a bit vague for some, but that is not the case for O’Malley. During the first episode of the embedded series leading into UFC 324, with an excerpt posted to X account @RedCorner_MMA, O’Malley said,