MMA News

Cole Shelton - June 10, 2025

The 197th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is live to preview UFC Atlanta. We’re first joined by UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa (1:13). Next, Lights Out founder and former NFL star Shawne Merriman (15:55) returns to the show.

Cole Shelton - June 9, 2025

The UFC was in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday for a solid UFC 316 card. The main event saw Merab Dvalishvili rematching Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight belt. The co-main event saw Julianna Pena defending her bantamweight title against Kayla Harrison. Ultimately, it was Dvalishvili who beat O’Malley again, but this time he submitted ‘Suga’ to defend his bantamweight title. The co-main event saw Harrison submit Pena to win the women’s bantamweight title. Following UFC 316, here is what I think should be next for the stars of the event.

BJ Penn Staff - June 9, 2025

All signs now point to a UFC super fight between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes in the very near future. However, not everybody is on board with the matchup. Harrison claimed the bantamweight title with a submission win over Julianna Peña in the co-main event of last Saturday’s UFC 316 card in Newark. Leading into the fight, Nunes announced plans to end her retirement and return to the Octagon. Now that Harrison has the belt, it’s just a question of when they fight.

BJ Penn Staff - June 9, 2025

New UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison is back home in Florida, and received a hero’s welcome from some of the top fighters in MMA when she returned to American Top Team. Harrison finally won UFC gold at UFC 316 this past weekend in Newark, New Jersey, tapping out trash-talking champion Julianna Peña with a kimura. She didn’t waste any time returning home to South Florida, where her teammates at the renowned gym awaited.

BJ Penn Staff - June 9, 2025

Joshua Van has the opportunity to completely upend the UFC flyweight rankings in a few weeks time. Myanmar’s Van is one of the division’s most promising young contenders. He took another big step up the ladder at UFC 316 this past weekend, when he stunned fans with a blistering knockout of Bruno Silva. That win him brought him to 14-2 overall, and 7-1 in the UFC.

BJ Penn Staff - June 9, 2025

UFC middleweight contender Joe Pyfer is sorry for the things he said about Mexico. Pyfer, one of the division’s fastest rising contenders, was set to fight Kelvin Gastelum when the UFC touched down in Mexico City on March 29. Regrettably, the fight fell through at the very last minute. The cause? Pyfer came down with stomach troubles just hours out from the event, which he later blamed on his travel to Mexico in the least graceful terms possible.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 9, 2025

Julianna Pena has issued a statement in the aftermath of UFC 316. Pena put the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship at stake against Kayla Harrison on Saturday. While “The Venezuelan Vixen” was in her second reign as a UFC titleholder, she was in search of her first successful defense. It didn’t come in Newark, as Harrison submitted Pena in the second round via kimura to lay claim to the bantamweight gold.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 9, 2025

Justin Gaethje might walk away from pro MMA competition if the UFC doesn’t grant his request. Gaethje finds himself on the outside looking in as far as the next UFC lightweight title fight is concerned. Ilia Topuria relinquished the UFC Featherweight Championship, and he will receive a shot at the vacant 155-pound gold against Charles Oliveira on June 28. Despite the fact that Oliveira has a submission win over Gaethje, “The Highlight” feels slighted.

Harry Kettle - June 9, 2025

UFC president Dana White believes Merab Dvalishvili is in the greatest bantamweight of all time conversation after UFC 316. Last weekend, Merab Dvalishvili cemented himself as the best bantamweight on the planet. Many already knew that he held that title, as well as the actual championship belt, but he doubled down by once again defeating Sean O’Malley in their rematch at UFC 316. While ‘Suga’ certainly showed some improvements from the first fight, ‘The Machine’ was still able to implement his own game plan.

Harry Kettle - June 9, 2025

MMA and wrestling legend Ben Askren has been hospitalized due to a case of severe pneumonia, his wife has announced. Over the course of the last few days, there has been mounting speculation regarding the condition of the great Ben Askren. After fans were asked to pray for him by Ohio State wrestling coach Thomas Ryan, fans were concerned that something serious had happened to the former UFC star. It led to an outpouring of support from the community, many of whom know Ben on a personal level.

Harry Kettle - June 9, 2025

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison has spoken about what she has to endure in order to make 135 pounds. Last Saturday night, Kayla Harrison made it to the top of the mountain. She defeated Julianna Pena via submission to become the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion. In doing so, she added the belt to her incredible list of achievements, which includes two Olympic gold medals and two PFL championships.

Harry Kettle - June 9, 2025

UFC star Sean O’Malley has issued a statement following his submission loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316. As we know, Sean O’Malley fell short in his attempt to reclaim the UFC bantamweight championship last weekend. In the main event of UFC 316 on Saturday night, he was submitted in the third round by dominant champion Merab Dvalishvili. While Sean was able to showcase some improvements in the first couple of rounds, he ultimately wasn’t able to keep up with ‘The Machine’.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 8, 2025

Kevin Holland has named one brash UFC welterweight who he wouldn’t mind mixing it up with. Holland competed on the UFC 316 card in Newark. He went one-on-one with fellow veteran Vicente Luque. Holland earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus thanks to his second-round submission finish.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 8, 2025

Patchy Mix has issued a statement following his defeat to Mario Bautista in his UFC debut. Mix and Bautista shared the Octagon on the main card of UFC 316 in Newark. It was Mix’s first fight since being freed of his PFL contract after being shelved for a year. Mix was unable to get the better of Bautista, who took home a unanimous decision victory to extend his winning streak to eight.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 8, 2025

Merab Dvalishvili says one key name played a huge role in his successful training camp for UFC 316. Dvalishvili put his bantamweight title at stake against Sean O’Malley in a rematch on Saturday. Dvalishvili captured the 135-pound gold from “Suga” in their first encounter. In the rematch, Dvalishvili secured a north-south choke in the third round to maintain his hold on the gold. It marks O’Malley’s first submission defeat in pro MMA competition.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 8, 2025

Alex Pereira has responded to Magomed Ankalaev’s constant digs towards him on social media. Pereira lost the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship to Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313 back in March. “Poatan” found himself moving backwards throughout the fight, and he ended up losing the gold via unanimous decision. The defeat snapped Pereira’s five-fight winning streak, which included three successful title defenses.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 8, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White has dismissed speculation that his relationship with Turki Alalshikh has deteriorated. White was revealed to be the promoter of the mega boxing fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford. It wouldn’t take long before Alalshikh announced that Sela would be the new promoter for the bout. This led to rumors surrounding the business relationship between White and the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 8, 2025

Kayla Harrison wants the best version of Amanda Nunes when the two collide. Harrison captured the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship from Julianna Pena on Saturday. The two collided inside the Prudential Center in Newark. Harrison scored a submission finish via kimura to capture the 135-pound gold.