MMA News
UFC confirms return to Australia, most likely without Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
BJ Penn Staff - June 20, 2025
The UFC will be returning to Australia before the year is out. Unfortunately, welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena is unlikely to be involved. Della Maddalena claimed the UFC welterweight title with an impressive decision defeat of Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 last month in Montreal, Canada. After his title win, all signs pointed to a title defense against former lightweight champ and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, possibly in Australia toward the end of the year.
Daniel Cormier scoffs at betting odds for upcoming UFC main event
Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 20, 2025
Daniel Cormier believes that betting odds for a huge UFC headliner may have indirectly been inconsiderate of a former champion. Fans won’t have to wait much longer for the highly anticipated light heavyweight encounter between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree. The two will collide in the UFC Baku main event on Saturday. Just ahead of fight night, Rountree has emerged as a slight betting favorite.
Ilia Topuria feels lightweight move already paying off ahead of UFC 317
Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 20, 2025
Ilia Topuria thinks he’s already been justified in his decision to change weight class. Topuria relinquished the UFC Featherweight Championship in an effort to challenge for the lightweight gold. He’ll do battle with former 155-pound titleholder Charles Oliveira in the UFC 317 main event on June 28. “El Matador” hasn’t been shy in admitting that tough weight cuts led to him moving up a division.
UFC legend reveals biggest regret involving Fedor Emelianenko
Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 20, 2025
One UFC icon has reflected on the biggest regret of his prizefighting career, and it involved Fedor Emelianenko. Back on Jan. 24, 2009, Emelianenko went one-on-one with Andre Arlovski in the main event of “Affliction: Day of Reckoning.” Arlovski entered the fight on a five-fight winning streak, while “The Last Emperor” hadn’t been beaten since a controversial doctor’s stoppage in late 2000 at the time. There was significant buzz for the fight with many wondering if Arlovski could topple Emelianenko.
Daniel Cormier continues to question Jon Jones for not fighting Tom Aspinall
Harry Kettle - June 20, 2025
UFC commentator Daniel Cormier continues to question Jon Jones over his indecisiveness regarding the Tom Aspinall fight. As we know, Jon Jones isn’t particularly interested in fighting Tom Aspinall. He’s made that crystal clear in a parade of interviews and posts on social media. Alas, given that Aspinall is the interim heavyweight champion, and Jon is the undisputed champion, it feels like a fight that absolutely needs to happen.
Sean Brady calls for welterweight showdown with Kamaru Usman
Harry Kettle - June 20, 2025
UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady has called for a showdown with former champion Kamaru Usman. For the longest time now, Sean Brady has been seen as a rising contender in the UFC’s welterweight division. He’s picked up some big wins throughout the course of his career and most recently, he was able to dominate and defeat Leon Edwards. Since then, there have been calls for him to get a shot at the title.
Jon Jones gives his thoughts on Francis Ngannou's possible UFC return
Harry Kettle - June 20, 2025
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has given his thoughts on Francis Ngannou possibly returning to the promotion. As we know, Jon Jones has been toying around with the idea of fighting Tom Aspinall for the longest time now. For the most part, it seems as if he doesn’t want to do it – despite the outcry from pretty much everyone in the mixed martial arts community.
Reug Reug unashamed of Senegalese superstardom: "I'm the greatest of them all"
BJPENN.COM Staff - June 19, 2025
ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane has transcended sports in his homeland. His split-decision victory over two-weight ONE MMA king Anatoly Malykhin last November transformed him from a superstar to a legend. The Senegalese giant dethroned the previously unbeaten Russian at ONE 169 on November 8, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. That historic triumph didn’t just earn him championship gold. It cemented his place among Senegal’s greatest sporting icons.
Kevin Lee looking to prove the doubters wrong in PFL debut: "People have written me off"
Cole Shelton - June 19, 2025
Kevin Lee is ready to prove everyone wrong. Lee is set to return to the cage on Friday at PFL World Tournament 6 against Gadzhi Rabadanov. Lee stepped into the tournament to face Rabadanov in the main event of the card in the lightweight semifinal.
Joaquin Buckley unloads on Israel Adesanya in fiery rant: "You ain't no real fighter"
Cole Shelton - June 19, 2025
Joaquin Buckley took aim at Israel Adesanya in a fiery rant after his recent loss to Kamaru Usman. Buckley suffered his first loss at welterweight in the UFC as Usman was able to control him on the ground. After the loss, Adesanya blasted Buckley and said he was glad to see him lose, as ‘The Last Stylebender’ said he hates Buckley.
UFC analyst turns heads with surprising take on Khalil Rountree ahead of Baku card
Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 19, 2025
One UFC analyst, who happens to be a renowned coach, shared a surprising opinion of Khalil Rountree. On Saturday, Rountree will look to rebound from his Oct. 2024 loss to Alex Pereira. He will meet former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC Baku. Rountree is a slight betting favorite going into the bout.
Alex Pereira will not get immediate UFC title rematch, top contender predicts
Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 19, 2025
Could Alex Pereira miss out on the next UFC light heavyweight title fight? Pereira lost the 205-pound gold to Magomed Ankalaev back in March. “Poatan” struggled dealing with the forward pressure of Ankalaev, leading to a unanimous decision loss. Soon after the fight, a post on Pereira’s social media account surfaced. In the post, the account criticized the UFC, but he has since deleted the post and claimed he was hacked.
Conor McGregor punched bar patron 'for absolutely no reason' according to witness
BJ Penn Staff - June 19, 2025
UFC star Conor McGregor has once again found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Earlier this week, footage surfaced on social media that appeared to show McGregor punching another man in the face two times at the famous Pacha night club in Ibiza. When the footage first emerged, there wasn’t much information to go on, other than what we could see in the clip.
UFC signs two Polish MMA champions with endorsements from Joanna Jedrzejczyk
BJ Penn Staff - June 19, 2025
The UFC has signed two high-level European MMA champions—both of whom seem to have a seal approval from Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The UFC has been on a role signing new talent lately, adding names like Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Aaron Pico to its roster. The promotion is not slowing down.
Jon Jones finally confirms he's done with UFC for now: 'I’ve punched and kicked enough people'
BJ Penn Staff - June 19, 2025
At this point, it’s safe to say we can give up hope on a UFC super fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Fans have been waiting to see Jon Jones defend the UFC heavyweight title against Aspinall, the division’s interim champion, since 2023. Instead, Jones swerved the matchup in favor of a late-2024 fight with Stipe Miocic, forcing Aspinall to make a rare interim title defense against Curtis Blaydes. In fact, Jones has been so publicly against the matchup that fans have long questioned if he intends to fight again at all. UFC boss Dana White has done his best to keep hope alive, but now, holding out hope seems foolish.
Kamaru Usman lays out plans for UFC super fight that fans will 'remember forever'
BJ Penn Staff - June 19, 2025
Kamaru Usman has laid out plans for a huge UFC super fight in Africa. Usman has spent much of his life living in the United States, but was born in Nigeria, and has always represented the African country in the Octagon. It’s safe to say he has represented it well. Usman is the former UFC welterweight champion, and most fans consider him the second-best fighter in the division’s history behind Canadian legend Georges St-Pierre.
Darren Till shares boxing hitlist ahead of potential return
Harry Kettle - June 19, 2025
Former UFC sensation Darren Till has shared a list of potential opponents for him to face in his boxing return. As we know, Darren Till is a pretty interesting character. He had a solid run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship but after a string of losses, he decided to test the waters outside of the promotion. Instead of mixed martial arts, though, he opted to venture into the world of boxing.
Kamaru Usman didn't try to KO Joaquin Buckley late after flashback to famous defeat
Harry Kettle - June 19, 2025
UFC legend Kamaru Usman has said that he didn’t try to knock Joaquin Buckley out late in the fight after getting flashbacks to his KO defeat at the hands of Leon Edwards. Last Saturday night, Kamaru Usman got back to winning ways inside the Octagon. After three straight defeats, he was able to pick up a decision win over Joaquin Buckley. For the first four rounds, he was dominating the contest through his wrestling – but that changed in the fifth.