MMA News
UFC star Sean Strickland issues savage callout of Belal Muhammad: 'Do it for Palestine'
BJ Penn Staff - May 16, 2025
Sean Strickland is no stranger to controversy. His latest callout of fellow former UFC champ Belal Muhammad is sure to stir up plenty more. California’s Strickland is the former UFC middleweight champion. The Chicago-based Palestinian-American Muhammad, meanwhile, is the former champ at welterweight, having lost his title with a bloody decision defeat to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 just last weekend.
UFC star Paddy Pimblett argues Jon Jones 'should be stripped' after title shakeup at lightweight
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.
Dana White gives discouraging update on a potential return of Conor McGregor: "I haven't talked to him in a minute"
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.
UFC title loss wasn't all negative for Belal Muhammad, says well-known MMA manager
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.
UFC Vegas 106 weigh-in results: Gilbert Burns and Michael Morales tip the scales in 'Sin City'
Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 16, 2025
The weigh-in results are in for UFC Vegas 106, and we have ourselves a main event. Headlining Saturday’s show inside the UFC Apex will be a seasoned welterweight looking to avoid his third loss in a row. To do so, he will need to overcome the surging undefeated 170-pounder Michael Morales. Burns and Morales tipped the scales for the weigh-ins and have reached their target weights.
Khamzat Chimaev opens as favorite in UFC 319 main event vs Dricus du Plessis
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.
Jake Paul wants to face Oleksandr Usyk in PFL MMA debut
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.
TJ Dillashaw admits to being “delusionally optimistic” in title fight with Aljamain Sterling
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.
Julian Erosa expects to secure D'Arce choke against Melquizael Costa at UFC Vegas 106
Cole Shelton - May 15, 2025
Julian Erosa is ecstatic to be making a quick turnaround. Erosa is coming off a first-round stoppage win over Darren Elkins back at UFC 314. Just over a month later, he will return at UFC Vegas 106 when he takes on Melquizael Costa.
Allycia Hellen Rodrigues to defend world title against Shir Cohen at ONE Fight Night 32
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.
Japanese kickboxing star fires shot at Jonathan Haggerty
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.
Deiveson Figueiredo avoids surgery for knee injury, anxious to get back into the Octagon
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.
Jake Paul vows to "embarrass" Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and make him "quit"
Cole Shelton - May 15, 2025
Darren Till vows to 'annihilate' fellow UFC veteran in Friday boxing match
BJ Penn Staff - May 15, 2025
Former UFC contender Darren Till is set to return to the boxing ring this Friday, and he’s promising a violent spectacle once he steps through the ropes. Till, 32, is set to meet fellow UFC veteran Darren Stewart, 34, in the main event of the Misfits Boxing 21 card in Derby, England.
Ilia Topuria suggests UFC super fight with Islam Makhachev could still happen at welterweight
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.
Gilbert Burns planning Rocky Balboa-style comeback starting with UFC Vegas 106
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.
Ian Machado Garry would rather be a celebrity than UFC champion, says Jack Della Maddalena's coach
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.
Jessice Eye makes bare knuckle debut against fellow UFC veteran at BKFC 76
BJ Penn Staff - May 15, 2025
Former UFC flyweight title challenger Jessica Eye is set to make her bare knuckle debut at BKFC 76 on June 21. Her opponent on the card, which will go down in Fort Worth, Texas, will be fellow UFC veteran Mariya Agapova. BKFC officials announced the matchup to MMA Fighting on May. 14.
Report: Former Bellator champ gets short-notice UFC debut against Mario Bautista
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.