MMA News

BJ Penn Staff - May 16, 2025

Paddy Pimblett was surprised when Islam Makhachev recently vacated the UFC lightweight title. Especially because Jon Jones is still the champion at heavyweight. Makhachev is the No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC right now, thanks to a dominant reign as lightweight champion. However, he recently dropped his lightweight belt with plans to move up to welterweight in pursuit of a new title. There’s been some suggestion that the UFC pressured the Russian to relinquish his lightweight title if he intended to change divisions.

Cole Shelton - May 16, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White has given a discouraging update on the future of Conor McGregor. McGregor hasn’t fought since July of July of 2021 when he suffered a broken leg in the trilogy match against Dustin Poirier. He was scheduled to return last June against Michael Chandler, but he had to pull out due to an injury, and since then, he hasn’t been booked in another fight.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 16, 2025

Belal Muhammad no longer holds UFC gold, but he didn’t leave Montreal empty-handed. Muhammad attempted to secure a successful UFC welterweight title defense against Jack Della Maddalena on May 10. The championship fight headlined UFC 315. While Muhammad was never out of the fight, Maddalena was a step ahead of him on the feet. Muhammad’s takedown attempts were also thwarted, leading to a unanimous decision win for Maddalena.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 16, 2025

One MMA legend is in disbelief that middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis is an underdog against Khamzat Chimaev. Dana White recently announced that du Plessis vs. Chimaev will headline UFC 319 in Chicago on Aug. 16. It’s a highly anticipated middleweight title fight, and many fans are excited to see how this one will play out. At the moment, Chimaev is the betting favorite over “Stillknocks.”

Harry Kettle - May 16, 2025

UFC contender Khamzat Chimaev has opened as a betting favorite ahead of his UFC 319 title fight against Dricus du Plessis. At UFC 319 on August 16, Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Dricus du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship. It’s a moment that has been a long time coming for ‘Borz’, who has been on the rise in the promotion for five years now. Ever since his debut, he has been tipped for greatness – and in truth, it took a lot longer than many people imagined for us to get to this point.

Harry Kettle - May 16, 2025

Jake Paul has shockingly called for a fight against Oleksandr Usyk for his mixed martial arts debut with the PFL. As we know, Jake Paul is a pretty controversial figure within the world of combat sports. While a lot of people may not like it, he’s been able to do some interesting things in boxing since arriving on the scene. From fighting legends to being a champion for women’s boxing, ‘The Problem Child’ has certainly made a name for himself.

Harry Kettle - May 16, 2025

Former UFC champion TJ Dillashaw admits that he was delusionally optimistic heading into his title fight against Aljamain Sterling. These days, TJ Dillashaw is enjoying his mixed martial arts retirement. His career was full of many ups and downs, including multiple title wins, weight class changes, controversial decisions, doping violations and injuries. The latter, of course, wound up being the defining story of his retirement, in a lot of ways.

Harry Kettle - May 16, 2025

MMA legend Cris Cyborg has reacted to Amanda Nunes’ plan to come out of retirement and return to the UFC. As we know, Amanda Nunes is easily one of the greatest female fighters of all time – and she may well stand at the top of the mountain as the very best. She’s had some truly incredible wins over the years, with one of the most notable being against Cris Cyborg. At the time, they were seen as the very best to ever do it, and Nunes managed to knock her out in a sensational back-and-forth encounter.

BJPENN.COM Staff - May 15, 2025

ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues’ reign of terror enters its next episode. The all-business Brazilian meets undefeated Israeli hitter Shir Cohen in the main event of ONE Fight Night 32. This happens on Friday, June 6, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.

BJPENN.COM Staff - May 15, 2025

Japanese kickboxing ace Yuki Yoza’s debut in ONE Championship is still a week away, but he has his sights set sky-high. The former K-1 Champion faces unblemished Russian hitter Elbrus Osmanov on May 23 at ONE Friday Fights 109 in a bantamweight kickboxing bout inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. And he’s confident it’s the start of a road that leads to ONE bantamweight kickboxing king Jonathan Haggerty.

Cole Shelton - May 15, 2025

Deiveson Figueiredo should be able to return to the Octagon sooner than expected. Figueiredo suffered a knee injury in his loss to Cory Sandhagen back at UFC Des Moines. Figueiredo’s manager, Alex Davis, told MMA Fighting that the Brazilian suffered a tear in the anterolateral ligament in his knee. Although he suffered a tear, he isn’t expected to have surgery.

Cole Shelton - May 15, 2025

Jake Paul is oozing with confidence ahead of his boxing match against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28 in Anaheim, California. It’s an intriguing matchup and a fight that they both say is a long time coming. Although Chavez Jr. has much more experience than Paul, the brash YouTuber-turned-boxer is confident he won’t just beat the Mexican but will make him quit.

BJ Penn Staff - May 15, 2025

A fight between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev is among the biggest the UFC can make right now. Unfortunately, it won’t be happening. At least, not yet. By late 2024, the undefeated Spaniard Topuria was the UFC featherweight champion, while Russia’s Makhachev was the lightweight champ. A lot has changed since then.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 15, 2025

As he draws closer to the age of 39, Gilbert Burns believes a movielike comeback story could be his destiny. Burns’ back is against the wall going into UFC Vegas 106. “Durinho” will meet surging undefeated welterweight Michael Morales on Saturday. Burns has lost three fights in a row, but all were against elite competition. In his current skid, Burns has lost to current UFC Welterweight Champion Jack Della Maddalena, former titleholder Belal Muhammad, and No. 2-ranked welterweight Sean Brady.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 15, 2025

Jack Della Maddalena’s team believes Ian Machado Garry needs to focus more on fighting than his brand. Maddalena is the new UFC Welterweight Champion after defeating Belal Muhammad in Montreal on May 10. In the week leading up to UFC 315, backup fighter Ian Machado Garry stole some shine from the title fight by having his son offer Maddalena chocolate. Many feel Garry was playing mind games knowing that Maddalena was in the midst of a weight cut.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 15, 2025

Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev are in a war of words following the UFC’s bombshell announcement. Topuria will be getting a crack at the UFC Lightweight Championship, but it won’t be against Makhachev. Instead, the 155-pound gold will be vacated, as Makhachev will challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title. Topuria will be facing Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317.

BJ Penn Staff - May 15, 2025

Marlon “Chito” Vera will not be fighting Mario Bautista at UFC 316. Instead, Bautista be fighting former Bellator champion Patchy Mix at the June 7 card in Newark, New Jersey. That’s according to X user @MagicM_MMABets, who has a good track record for breaking fight news.

Cole Shelton - May 15, 2025

Thiago Moises has plenty of confidence in his skills ahead of his UFC Vegas 106 fight against Jared Gordon. After Moises beat Trey Ogden in January, he wanted to fight again as he and his wife are expecting a girl at the beginning of June. So, Moises is thankful the UFC granted his wish as he will return on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 106.