MMA News

Cole Shelton - May 21, 2025

Tim Welch, the head coach of Sean O’Malley, has a unique reason for his fighter’s loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. O’Malley lost his bantamweight title at UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas back in September to Dvalishvili. O’Malley struggled to keep the fight standing as Dvalishvili cruised to a win.

BJ Penn Staff - May 21, 2025

UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones claims he isn’t retired. However, it doesn’t sound like we’ll see him in action any time soon either. Jones is best known for a legendary run in the UFC light heavyweight division, where he cemented himself as one of the best fighters ever over the course of multiple title reigns. However, he ultimately vacated the division’s belt to move up to heavyweight.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 21, 2025

Jose Aldo has no issues with how he was booked at the end of his UFC run. Aldo recently announced his retirement after falling short against Aiemann Zahabi in their UFC 315 clash. While Aldo lost the fight via decision, many fans felt the Brazilian legend did enough to have his hand raised in Montreal. It wasn’t meant to be, and Aldo has decided to hang up his gloves.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 21, 2025

One fighter has been removed from an upcoming UFC Fight Night card. UFC Vegas 107 is scheduled to take place on May 31. The event will be headlined by a pivotal women’s flyweight matchup between Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber. UFC Apex will play host to UFC Vegas 107, but the card is now down one less fighter.

Harry Kettle - May 21, 2025

UFC star Reinier de Ridder believes Dricus du Plessis is more than capable of finishing Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. As we know, Dricus du Plessis has been one of the big surprise packages in mixed martial arts over the last few years. He entered the UFC with one goal: capture the UFC middleweight championship. He managed to achieve that dream and since then, he’s been able to successfully defend the strap against Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland. So far, so good for the South African sensation.

Harry Kettle - May 21, 2025

Iowa wrestling have trolled Bo Nickal in the wake of his one-sided defeat at the hands of Reinier de Ridder recently. As we know, Reinier de Ridder defeated Bo Nickal in their recent UFC Des Moines showdown. While many knew it was going to be the toughest test of Bo’s career up to this point in mixed martial arts, few could’ve expected how one-sided it would be. The wrestling sensation was controlled and dominated in pretty much every department, with de Ridder proving that he is an elite middleweight contender.

Harry Kettle - May 21, 2025

UFC star Khamzat Chimaev has taken a shot at Dricus du Plessis’ team ahead of their main event clash at UFC 319. At UFC 319, Khamzat Chimaev will finally get his chance to reach the next level in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He will challenge Dricus du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship, in a fight that has been a long time coming. He’s been able to tear through the rest of the competition, most notably Robert Whittaker, and he’s done so with a terrifying precision.

Harry Kettle - May 21, 2025

UFC star Joaquin Buckley has hit out at Sean Brady for reportedly turning down a main event fight against Kamaru Usman. As we know, Joaquin Buckley is a top contender in the welterweight division right now. He has been on an absolute tear, mowing through some top quality names like Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque and Colby Covington. At UFC Atlanta, however, he will face arguably his toughest test to date as he prepares to throw down with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

BJPENN.COM Staff - May 21, 2025

Leaving the nest to chase your wildest dreams without a backup plan is a scary move. It’s enough to get your heart racing and your hair standing tall. That said, lightweight MMA star Maurice Abevi experienced all those emotions when he moved from Switzerland to Thailand. Abevi has become a force within the division. Above all, he looks to cement his position as a World Title threat at ONE Fight Night 32. He takes on the unbeaten Alibeg Rasulov on Friday, June 6, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.

BJPENN.COM Staff - May 21, 2025

Japanese ace Yuki Yoza rides a 10-fight winning streak into his ONE Championship debut. And that run has given him the confidence he needs. The K-1 Champion takes on undefeated Russian Elbrus Osmanov in a bantamweight kickboxing bout at ONE Friday Fights 109 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

BJPENN.COM Staff - May 21, 2025

Newly minted ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga insists she’s destined to battle former three-sport queen Stamp Fairtex. Their previous bouts have seen injuries, cancellations, and other unforeseen circumstances occur.

Cole Shelton - May 20, 2025

Jack Hermansson will finally make his return to the Octagon at UFC 317 on June 28. Hermansson hasn’t fought since February of 2024 when he beat Joe Pyfer by decision. Since then, he has dealt with some injuries that have kept him sidelined, but he’s glad to return on such a big card in front of fans.

BJ Penn Staff - May 20, 2025

Former UFC star Kevin Lee has a new home for the next phase of his MMA career. “The Motown Phenom” has signed a new, multi-fight deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League). Damon Martin of MMA Fighting was first to report the news.

BJ Penn Staff - May 20, 2025

Islam Makhachev is headed up to the UFC welterweight division, and there are some very tough matchups awaiting him there. One of them might turn out to be his “worst nightmare.” That would be Joaquin Buckley. Makhachev is the long-reigning UFC welterweight champion, and the promotion’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter right now. Earlier this month, he announced plans to vacate his lightweight belt and head up to welterweight. The expectation is that he will walk right into a title fight with the division’s new champion, Jack Della Maddalena.

BJ Penn Staff - May 20, 2025

Jon Jones has cleared the air after generating a bit of controversy with a comment about his fellow UFC champ Islam Makhachev. Jones is currently in Thailand filming a Russian reality television show with fellow UFC star Nate Diaz. In a recent clip from the show, Jones could be heard saying Makhachev is “new in the sport still.”

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 20, 2025

It appears Justin Gaethje is none too pleased about not getting a lightweight title shot at UFC 317. The two men fighting for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship on June 28 will be Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. “El Matador’s” title opportunity was a given since he vacated the 145-pound gold. The other spot belongs to “do Bronx,” who has a submission finish over Gaethje.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 20, 2025

One emerging UFC contender believes he has pinpointed some of Ilia Topuria’s biggest flaws. Topuria will be attempting to win UFC gold again, this time in the lightweight division. “El Matador” vacated the UFC Featherweight Championship, and he will face Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound hardware on June 28. The title fight will headline UFC 317 inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Harry Kettle - May 20, 2025

Merab Dvalishvili’s coach has revealed that they nearly pulled him from his UFC 311 title fight against Umar Nurmagomedov. At UFC 316, Merab Dvalishvili will attempt to successfully defend his UFC bantamweight championship for the second time. He’ll do so by going up against Sean O’Malley, the same man that he defeated to win the belt in the first place. Since that initial title win, he’s kept himself busy by also locking horns with Umar Nurmagomedov, who he was able to defeat at the start of the year in a really competitive affair.