MMA News

Cole Shelton - January 20, 2026

In the co-main event of UFC 324, an intriguing bantamweight bout goes down as Sean O’Malley takes on Song Yadong. Heading into the fight, O’Malley is a -205 favorite while Yadong is a +170 underdog. Ahead of the scrap, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get the predictions for the bantamweight fight at UFC 324. The pros slightly lean towards O’Malley edging out a win to get back on track and prove he’s still a title contender at bantamweight.

Harry Kettle - January 20, 2026

UFC prospect Modestas Bukauskas has defended Tom Aspinall following the backlash he received after his UFC 321 injury. Back at UFC 321, Tom Aspinall suffered a nasty double eye poke at the hands of Ciryl Gane. The Englishman was unable to continue in the contest and in the aftermath, it quickly became clear that he would have to undergo surgery on both eyes in order to try and fix the issue, and hopefully, return to the cage one day.

Harry Kettle - January 20, 2026

UFC legend Dustin Poirier believes Paddy Pimblett could struggle in his UFC 324 main event against Justin Gaethje. This weekend, Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will collide for the UFC interim lightweight championship. The winner is expected to go on and face Ilia Topuria for the undisputed crown, but given Ilia’s ongoing personal issues, it’s not yet clear as to what kind of timeline he’s working with regarding a return to the Octagon.

Harry Kettle - January 20, 2026

UFC legend Max Holloway has gone off on MMA journalist Ariel Helwani regarding recent comments regarding Jorge Masvidal. At UFC 326, Max Holloway will go head to head with Charles Oliveira as he prepares to defend the BMF title. ‘Blessed’ has certainly made the title his own, knocking out Justin Gaethje to win it prior to successfully defending it against Dustin Poirier in his retirement fight. Now, he will hope to add to his already incredible legacy against Oliveira.

Curtis Calhoun - January 19, 2026

Inaugural BMF champion Jorge Masvidal didn’t take kindly to Max Holloway’s recent remarks about past BMF titleholders. BMF champion Max Holloway raised eyebrows in recent remarks he made about the history of the belt he holds.

Curtis Calhoun - January 19, 2026

Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis’ previous praise of Khamzat Chimaev didn’t last long after their UFC 319 title fight. Dricus du Plessis was one of several reigning UFC titleholders to lose their belts in 2025.

BJ Penn Staff - January 19, 2026

If you thought the UFC rivalry between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor was over, think again. McGregor and Poirier fought three times in the UFC.

Curtis Calhoun - January 19, 2026

UFC middleweight star Bo Nickal’s recent withdrawal from Real American Freestyle 5 has one legendary combatant extremely concerned. Bo Nickal has had an eventful last year in combat sports.

Curtis Calhoun - January 19, 2026

The ongoing feud between UFC lightweight contenders Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett is becoming one of the most personal beefs in the sport. Just days away from the biggest fight of his career at UFC 324, UFC lightweight star Paddy Pimblett is ramping up a feud with another top contender not named Justin Gaethje.

Cole Shelton - January 19, 2026

Paddy Pimblett expects to make a statement against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. Pimblett is set to headline UFC 324 on Saturday for the interim lightweight title. It’s an intriguing fight, and heading into the bout, ‘The Baddy’ has full confidence he will be able to not just beat Gaethje but will finish him.

BJPENN.COM Staff - January 19, 2026

Injuries forced ONE Championship into last-minute scrambling. The promotion responded with two compelling replacements that maintain Friday’s momentum. Vladimir Kuzmin meets newcomer Mohanad Battbootti in featherweight Muay Thai action while Mohammad Siasarani faces Pedro Dantas in featherweight kickboxing at ONE Fight Night 39 on Friday, January 23, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. The additions fill gaps created when Sean Climaco suffered a foot injury and Lucas Gabriel withdrew from his lightweight MMA bout against Magomed Akaev.

Cole Shelton - January 19, 2026

Jorge Masvidal could soon be making his return to the Octagon. Masvidal last fought in the UFC back in April of 2023 when he dropped a decision to Gilbert Burns. The loss was his fourth-straight, and he announced his retirement after the fight.

Cole Shelton - January 19, 2026

The UFC is set for its first event of 2026 as a stacked UFC 324 card takes place on Saturday, January 24. In the main event of UFC 324, an interim lightweight title is up for grabs as Justin Gaethje takes on Paddy Pimblett. Heading into the bout, Gaethje is a +186 underdog while ‘The Baddy’ is a -245 favorite on FanDuel. Ahead of the scrap, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get the predictions for the interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324. The pros slightly lean towards Pimblett getting the job done and becoming the interim lightweight title.

BJ Penn Staff - January 18, 2026

As MMA continues to enter the mainstream, more and more UFC fighters are interacting with major Hollywood stars. Sometimes, that leads to cool crossovers that nobody ever excpected. Other times, things can get a little awkward. You know, like when Conor McGregor almost fought rapper MGK at some award show a few years back.

BJ Penn Staff - January 18, 2026

Jon Jones has a simple message for his UFC rival Alex Pereira: “be careful what you wish for.” Pereira is the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. He also previously held middleweight gold. Jones, on the other hand, is a former heavyweight and light heavyweight champ. Despite the fact that Jones retired after a 2024 victory over Stipe Miocic, he and Pereira have recently been linked to a massive fight at the upcoming UFC White House event. The event, slated for Jan. 14, is a celebration of Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and America’s 250th. It is expected to be one of the biggest in UFC history.

BJ Penn Staff - January 17, 2026

Joe Rogan is one of the most recognizable figures associated with the UFC, having called some of the biggest fights in MMA history. When Rogan isn’t calling the fights from Octagon side, he can usually be found working on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which ranks among the biggest podcasts in the world.

BJ Penn Staff - January 17, 2026

Sean Strickland is one of the enigmatic fighters in the UFC right now. No stranger to controversy, he has plenty of fans and plenty of haters. The can be said of Nick Diaz. Given their unique characters it was pretty cool to seem them cross paths for the first time recently.

BJ Penn Staff - January 17, 2026

UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira has dropped a massive hint about who he’s fighting next. Pereira, who is now in the midst of his third reign as a UFC champion, is one of the biggest stars on the roster. There’s always a lot of anticipation between his fights as fans await news of his next opponent.