UFC News

Dylan Bowker - June 17, 2026

Alex Pereira and Sean O’Malley had fairly different outcomes in their respective UFC Freedom 250 bouts, with the latter offering up an intriguing behind-the-scenes quip regarding the former from the pre-fight build. While Pereira fell short against Ciryl Gane in a bid to become the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion, the loss was not without controversy, as is seemingly customary these days with the newly minted two-time UFC interim heavyweight champ Gane. Sean O’Malley secured a highlight reel finish over Aiemann Zahabi in his June 14th bout and also took time to cover the illegal strikes that were landed to the back of the head by Gane during the finishing sequence in his Pereira bout. During a conversation with MMA Guru in the aftermath of the UFC’s White House-based card, with the excerpt of the clip posted to X account @Home_of_Fight, O’Malley said,

Dylan Bowker - June 17, 2026

Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje is a title fight that is quite intriguing to the former two-time UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya. In the wake of UFC Freedom 250, Justin Gaethje pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport by finally becoming the divisional kingpin of 155 pounds. The man who previously captured interim lightweight gold two times became the lineal champ outright when he stopped the previously unbeaten Ilia Topuria inside the distance on June 14th. A former UFC lightweight champion is making his return next month, and while Conor McGregor is having a sequel clash with Max Holloway at welterweight for the UFC 329 headliner, there are some who are intrigued by the notion of ‘The Notorious’ returning to 155 pounds someday. Post-UFC Freedom 250 in conversation with Demetrious Johnson on Johnson’s YouTube channel Mighty, Adesanya said,

Curtis Calhoun - June 17, 2026

Former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo could be on the verge of a fighting comeback, this time in the boxing ring. Olympic gold medalist and former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo dropped the gloves and announced his retirement at UFC 323 in December. Cejudo, one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, retired after a four-fight losing streak stemming from his 2023 MMA comeback.

Cole Shelton - June 17, 2026

Kyoji Horiguchi plans to make a statement at UFC Vegas 119. Horiguchi is set to rematch Manel Kape on Saturday in a pivotal fight at flyweight. It also serves as a rematch of their fight back in 2017 in RIZIN, which Horiguchi won by submission.

Curtis Calhoun - June 17, 2026

Daniel Cormier addressed the controversy surrounding alleged DMs between himself and Eric Trump before UFC Freedom 250. UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier was on the call for arguably the promotion’s biggest event last weekend at UFC Freedom 250. The seven-fight card at the White House lived up to lofty expectations, culminating in a massive upset by Justin Gaethje in the main event.

Curtis Calhoun - June 17, 2026

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski believes one of his recent understudies possesses the best striking on the roster. Alexander Volkanovski reclaimed the UFC featherweight throne last year at UFC 314 by defeating Diego Lopes in an instant classic. After back-to-back losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, Volkanovski returned to the Octagon in style and proved his detractors wrong.

Curtis Calhoun - June 17, 2026

UFC flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield will return at UFC 330 with a potential title shot on the line against another rising star. As UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko nears potential retirement, rising contenders like Erin Blanchfield are waiting in the wings for a shot at the belt. Blanchfield, who hasn’t fought since finishing Tracy Cortez at UFC 322 last year, is one of the top contenders in the women’s flyweight division.

Curtis Calhoun - June 17, 2026

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev’s first title defense headlines the promotion’s long-awaited return to Philadelphia. After Ilia Topuria’s shocking loss at UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev remains at the top of the heap of the pound-for-pound rankings. Makhachev became the UFC’s latest two-division titleholder when he defeated Jack Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title last year at UFC 322.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 17, 2026

Daniel Cormier believes the UFC Freedom 250 atmosphere gave Justin Gaethje a significant boost. Gaethje pulled off the upset over Ilia Topuria to conclude UFC’s historic event on the White House lawn this past Sunday. He scored a fourth-round TKO victory via corner stoppage to capture the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship for the first time in his career. While Gaethje was a two-time interim titleholder, he hadn’t earned the undisputed distinction until he stopped Topuria.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - June 17, 2026

Conor McGregor plans to bring his children to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for his big UFC 329 return. McGregor is scheduled to step back inside the Octagon to face Max Holloway in a welterweight clash as part of International Fight Week on July 11. It’ll be the first time fight fans see the “Notorious” one in action since 2021, when he fractured his tibia and fibula in a trilogy clash with Dustin Poirier.

Harry Kettle - June 17, 2026

Former UFC fighter Anthony Smith has an interesting view on Ilia Topuria’s fighting future following his UFC Freedom 250 defeat. On Sunday night, Ilia Topuria suffered his first loss as a professional mixed martial artist. While he looked good for portions of the bout against Justin Gaethje, it was ‘The Highlight’ who was able to get the win and the title, and he left a pretty lasting mark on Ilia’s face in the process.

Harry Kettle - June 17, 2026

UFC star Sean O’Malley has voiced his frustration after not being awarded a bonus for his big win at UFC Freedom 250 last weekend. On Sunday night, Sean O’Malley made his case for another UFC bantamweight title opportunity when he knocked out Aiemann Zahabi. It was a beautiful exchange that led to the finish, with Sean even hitting a salute as he walked off in victory in front of a jubilant crowd.