9 hours ago
UsmanNurmagomedov and IliaTopuria could be on a collision course, and the Russian'smanager has now weighed in on the matchup.
Nurmagomedov (22-0) is the most sought-after free agent in mixedmartial arts presently. The undefeated Professional Fighters League lightweight exhausted his currentcontract with the promotion by defending his ****** le with a knockoutwin over ArchieColgan at PFL New York.
Usman's manager has now addressed how he'd fare against the formertwo-division Ultimate Fighting Championship ****** leholder.
Topuria (17-1) was the fastest-rising fighter in the sport untilhis ****** le loss to JustinGaethje at UFC Freedom 250, the first defeat of his pro career. Despitebeing no longer unbeaten, he remains one of the biggest stars inthe UFC.
Ali Abdelaziz manages both Gaethje and Nurmagomedov. With rumors ofNurmagomedov looking to sign with the UFC now circulating,Abdelaziz predicts that the Dagestani standout will stop Topuria bythe fourth round, as Gaethje did.
"I told everyone before that Justin Gaethje would beat IliaTopuria," Abdelaziz wrote on X. "And I'm telling you today: UsmanNurmagomedov will stop Ilia Topuria within four rounds."
It remains to be seen whether Nurmagomedov re-signs with the PFLamid their merger with Jake Paul'sMost Valuable Promotions. Notably, DanaWhite confirmed the UFC's interest in the 28-year-old followingUFC Belgrade.
#topuria #gaethje #title #russian 'smanager
Nurmagomedov (22-0) is the most sought-after free agent in mixedmartial arts presently. The undefeated Professional Fighters League lightweight exhausted his currentcontract with the promotion by defending his ****** le with a knockoutwin over ArchieColgan at PFL New York.
Usman's manager has now addressed how he'd fare against the formertwo-division Ultimate Fighting Championship ****** leholder.
Topuria (17-1) was the fastest-rising fighter in the sport untilhis ****** le loss to JustinGaethje at UFC Freedom 250, the first defeat of his pro career. Despitebeing no longer unbeaten, he remains one of the biggest stars inthe UFC.
Ali Abdelaziz manages both Gaethje and Nurmagomedov. With rumors ofNurmagomedov looking to sign with the UFC now circulating,Abdelaziz predicts that the Dagestani standout will stop Topuria bythe fourth round, as Gaethje did.
"I told everyone before that Justin Gaethje would beat IliaTopuria," Abdelaziz wrote on X. "And I'm telling you today: UsmanNurmagomedov will stop Ilia Topuria within four rounds."
It remains to be seen whether Nurmagomedov re-signs with the PFLamid their merger with Jake Paul'sMost Valuable Promotions. Notably, DanaWhite confirmed the UFC's interest in the 28-year-old followingUFC Belgrade.
#topuria #gaethje #title #russian 'smanager
20 days ago
Paddy Pimblett says he would have considered retiring had he lost to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329 last weekend.
Pimblett, 31, submitted the Frenchman inside 52 seconds of the pair's lightweight contest at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The victory reignited Pimblett's pursuit of the ******* le following the Liverpudlian's defeat by Justin Gaethje for the interim belt in January.
Speaking after the win, which was his 24th in 28 fights, Pimblett revealed he had told his coach Paul Rimmer he would consider leaving the sport if he couldn't beat Saint-Denis.
"This fight camp wasn't easy. About four, five weeks ago I turned to Paul and said: 'If I don't win this fight, what's the point in fighting anymore? I might as well retire'," said Pimblett.
Pimblett, 31, submitted the Frenchman inside 52 seconds of the pair's lightweight contest at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The victory reignited Pimblett's pursuit of the ******* le following the Liverpudlian's defeat by Justin Gaethje for the interim belt in January.
Speaking after the win, which was his 24th in 28 fights, Pimblett revealed he had told his coach Paul Rimmer he would consider leaving the sport if he couldn't beat Saint-Denis.
"This fight camp wasn't easy. About four, five weeks ago I turned to Paul and said: 'If I don't win this fight, what's the point in fighting anymore? I might as well retire'," said Pimblett.
21 days ago
Terence "Bud" Crawford has addressed ConorMcGregor's anticlimactic return to action in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
McGregor's return to the Octagon ended in just 69 seconds atUFC 329. The former two-division champion seemingly injured hisright knee in the opening sequence of the fight, leading to astoppage from the referee as he was unable to continue.
UFC CEO DanaWhite subsequently speculated that it could be an ACL-relatedissue, an unfortunate occurrence considering McGregor's last boutbefore UFC 329 also ended in a leg injury.
Crawford, who has gone back and forth with McGregor previously,believes the Irishman got what was coming his way. The unbeatenboxer and the MMA superstar were once rumored to be squaring off ina two-fight crossover series across both combat sports, andMcGregor claimed Crawford turned down a $200 million deal, whichthe latter has since dismissed.
"It's crazy when they talk sh*t to me God punish them," Crawfordwrote on X.
This isn't the first time Crawford has addressed an MMA result.After IliaTopuria suffered the first defeat of his professional career atUFC Freedom 250 to JustinGaethje, "Bud" questioned the hype behind "El Matador" goinginto the historic White House event. Notably, Topuria hadpreviously claimed he could beat Crawford in boxing.
"This the guy that said he would knock me out and whoop me andShakur at the same time?" Crawford posted after UFC Freedom250.
McGregor's return to the Octagon ended in just 69 seconds atUFC 329. The former two-division champion seemingly injured hisright knee in the opening sequence of the fight, leading to astoppage from the referee as he was unable to continue.
UFC CEO DanaWhite subsequently speculated that it could be an ACL-relatedissue, an unfortunate occurrence considering McGregor's last boutbefore UFC 329 also ended in a leg injury.
Crawford, who has gone back and forth with McGregor previously,believes the Irishman got what was coming his way. The unbeatenboxer and the MMA superstar were once rumored to be squaring off ina two-fight crossover series across both combat sports, andMcGregor claimed Crawford turned down a $200 million deal, whichthe latter has since dismissed.
"It's crazy when they talk sh*t to me God punish them," Crawfordwrote on X.
This isn't the first time Crawford has addressed an MMA result.After IliaTopuria suffered the first defeat of his professional career atUFC Freedom 250 to JustinGaethje, "Bud" questioned the hype behind "El Matador" goinginto the historic White House event. Notably, Topuria hadpreviously claimed he could beat Crawford in boxing.
"This the guy that said he would knock me out and whoop me andShakur at the same time?" Crawford posted after UFC Freedom250.
22 days ago
LAS VEGAS – Paddy Pimblett is certain the UFC lightweight **** le is in his future.
Pimblett (24-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC) bounced back from his interim **** le loss to Justin Gaethje by making quick work of Benoit Saint Denis (18-3 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. When asked what he'd like next, he didn't have a specific name in mind, but he made sure to voice his UFC championship ambitions.
"I want to be a world champion," Pimblett said at the UFC 329 post-fight press conference. "I want to be the undisputed champion of the world. I want to be the first-ever world champion from Liverpool, and I'm going to do that. I know that's in my destiny. I know it's in my fate. Whether it's the next fight or the next 10 fights, I'm going to be a world champion. It's that simple. If you want me to fight Justin (Gaethje) next, if you want me to fight posh boy (Arman Tsarukyan) next, if you want me to fight 'chorizo' (Ilia Topuria) next, if you want me to fight Charles (Oliveira) next, anyone can get it."
Pimblett entered UFC 329 as an underdog, and highly-doubted by many. For him, it's another day at the office, as he feels history repeats itself with him.
"Yeah, the goalposts will get moved," Pimblett said. "Everyone will say, 'Huh, BSD was sh*t anyway.' You know what I mean? When two days ago it was, 'BSD, he's going to smash Paddy. His grappling is way better. He's got too much power for him,' this and that. People just love moving the goalposts with me, and I don't give a f*ck. Move them all you want. As long as I keep winning, I keep getting paid and keep making steps toward being a world champion. You can say what you want. Anyone can say what they want about me. Simple."
Pimblett (24-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC) bounced back from his interim **** le loss to Justin Gaethje by making quick work of Benoit Saint Denis (18-3 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. When asked what he'd like next, he didn't have a specific name in mind, but he made sure to voice his UFC championship ambitions.
"I want to be a world champion," Pimblett said at the UFC 329 post-fight press conference. "I want to be the undisputed champion of the world. I want to be the first-ever world champion from Liverpool, and I'm going to do that. I know that's in my destiny. I know it's in my fate. Whether it's the next fight or the next 10 fights, I'm going to be a world champion. It's that simple. If you want me to fight Justin (Gaethje) next, if you want me to fight posh boy (Arman Tsarukyan) next, if you want me to fight 'chorizo' (Ilia Topuria) next, if you want me to fight Charles (Oliveira) next, anyone can get it."
Pimblett entered UFC 329 as an underdog, and highly-doubted by many. For him, it's another day at the office, as he feels history repeats itself with him.
"Yeah, the goalposts will get moved," Pimblett said. "Everyone will say, 'Huh, BSD was sh*t anyway.' You know what I mean? When two days ago it was, 'BSD, he's going to smash Paddy. His grappling is way better. He's got too much power for him,' this and that. People just love moving the goalposts with me, and I don't give a f*ck. Move them all you want. As long as I keep winning, I keep getting paid and keep making steps toward being a world champion. You can say what you want. Anyone can say what they want about me. Simple."
22 days ago
LAS VEGAS — Oh yes, the art of the buzzkill.
For a minute there, when the lights went down in Las Vegas, and the fascia ring lit up with the familiar Irish colors at the T-Mobile Arena, everyone stood on their feet to catch a glimpse of Conor McGregor making his way to the Octagon. You can say what you want about McGregor's many inconvenient truths, the hysteria of his fight nights is next to a religious experience in the game.
If there was a snake, it would've been passed around.
In a conversation with Marc Ratner, the UFC's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, he mentioned being there for Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns back in the 1980s when he headed up the Nevada Athletic Commission. He understood a big-fight feel, is what he was saying, looking around at the atmosphere Saturday at UFC 329.
One group of fans, while walking from New York, New York Hotel to the arena, were singing Bowie's "Five Years" because, well, that's how long it had been. Five years. A lot has happened. Lifetimes. Wars. Twitter's conversion into X. Everyone from Justin Jefferson to Tucker Carlson to Anthony Kiedis was there, along with the full galaxy of Vons, from Theo to Vince Vaughn to Erich von Stroheim — or at least that's who the UFC might've misidentified Justin Gaethje as when showing him on the celebrity cam.
For a minute there, when the lights went down in Las Vegas, and the fascia ring lit up with the familiar Irish colors at the T-Mobile Arena, everyone stood on their feet to catch a glimpse of Conor McGregor making his way to the Octagon. You can say what you want about McGregor's many inconvenient truths, the hysteria of his fight nights is next to a religious experience in the game.
If there was a snake, it would've been passed around.
In a conversation with Marc Ratner, the UFC's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, he mentioned being there for Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns back in the 1980s when he headed up the Nevada Athletic Commission. He understood a big-fight feel, is what he was saying, looking around at the atmosphere Saturday at UFC 329.
One group of fans, while walking from New York, New York Hotel to the arena, were singing Bowie's "Five Years" because, well, that's how long it had been. Five years. A lot has happened. Lifetimes. Wars. Twitter's conversion into X. Everyone from Justin Jefferson to Tucker Carlson to Anthony Kiedis was there, along with the full galaxy of Vons, from Theo to Vince Vaughn to Erich von Stroheim — or at least that's who the UFC might've misidentified Justin Gaethje as when showing him on the celebrity cam.
22 days ago
Liverpool's Paddy Pimblett submitted Benoit Saint-Denis in just 52 seconds at UFC 329 to strengthen his claim for a lightweight ***** le shot.
Pimblett stuffed a takedown and attacked the neck, sinking in a guillotine choke and closing out the co-main event in swift fashion.
Saint-Denis refused to tap and referee Marc Goddard had to step in as the Frenchman went unconscious on the canvas.
Pimblett leapt out of the octagon to celebrate before paying tribute to Liverpool and Portugal winger Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident 12 months ago.
It was Pimblett's first fight since losing against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight ***** le in January and the 31-year-old called for a rematch.
Pimblett stuffed a takedown and attacked the neck, sinking in a guillotine choke and closing out the co-main event in swift fashion.
Saint-Denis refused to tap and referee Marc Goddard had to step in as the Frenchman went unconscious on the canvas.
Pimblett leapt out of the octagon to celebrate before paying tribute to Liverpool and Portugal winger Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident 12 months ago.
It was Pimblett's first fight since losing against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight ***** le in January and the 31-year-old called for a rematch.
22 days ago
Paddy Pimblett called out Conor McGregor on Saturday night after sealing a stunning submission of Benoit Saint-Denis.
Liverpudlian star “Paddy The Baddy” submitted “BSD” in 52 seconds with a D’arce choke, bouncing back from his interim-title fight loss to Justin Gaethje in January.
The fight played out just minutes before McGregor’s first fight in five years, a rematch with Max Holloway – 13 years after their first bout – in the main event of UFC 329.
“Sub of the year, b***hes,” Pimblett told Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview in the cage. “I knew he was out [unconscious], you know what I mean? They had to check him.
“I told everyone all week: he’s gonna shoot in, I’m gonna grab him, and I’m gonna choke him out. He was facedown on the canvas.
Liverpudlian star “Paddy The Baddy” submitted “BSD” in 52 seconds with a D’arce choke, bouncing back from his interim-title fight loss to Justin Gaethje in January.
The fight played out just minutes before McGregor’s first fight in five years, a rematch with Max Holloway – 13 years after their first bout – in the main event of UFC 329.
“Sub of the year, b***hes,” Pimblett told Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview in the cage. “I knew he was out [unconscious], you know what I mean? They had to check him.
“I told everyone all week: he’s gonna shoot in, I’m gonna grab him, and I’m gonna choke him out. He was facedown on the canvas.
22 days ago
Paddy Pimblett might have stolen the show at UFC 329.
On a card headlined by the return of Conor McGregor facing longtime rival Max Holloway, Pimblett set the bar high for highlight of the night with a stunning submission win over Benoit Saint Denis in under 60 seconds. This was Pimblett’s first fight since seeing his unblemished UFC record spoiled by Justin Gaethje this past January and he wasted no time reminding fans and pundits that he is a legitimate lightweight ******* le contender.
Pimblett put Saint Denis to sleep to win his 10th fight in his last 11 appearances and he wowed his peers, with featherweight veteran Billy Quarantillo writing on Twitter, “Quick submission Paddy is the real deal.” Kenny Florian and Glover Teixeira, a couple of retired stars who know a thing or two about grappling, were also effusive in their praise for “The Baddy.”
The performance was so impressive, UFC veteran Matt Brown suggested that it’s time for Pimblett to have his long-awaited showdown with former two-division champion Ilia Topuria.
“Ilia vs. Paddy next?” Brown wrote on Twitter. “Easiest matchmaking ever right?”
On a card headlined by the return of Conor McGregor facing longtime rival Max Holloway, Pimblett set the bar high for highlight of the night with a stunning submission win over Benoit Saint Denis in under 60 seconds. This was Pimblett’s first fight since seeing his unblemished UFC record spoiled by Justin Gaethje this past January and he wasted no time reminding fans and pundits that he is a legitimate lightweight ******* le contender.
Pimblett put Saint Denis to sleep to win his 10th fight in his last 11 appearances and he wowed his peers, with featherweight veteran Billy Quarantillo writing on Twitter, “Quick submission Paddy is the real deal.” Kenny Florian and Glover Teixeira, a couple of retired stars who know a thing or two about grappling, were also effusive in their praise for “The Baddy.”
The performance was so impressive, UFC veteran Matt Brown suggested that it’s time for Pimblett to have his long-awaited showdown with former two-division champion Ilia Topuria.
“Ilia vs. Paddy next?” Brown wrote on Twitter. “Easiest matchmaking ever right?”
22 days ago
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live TONIGHT (Sat., July 11, 2026) with UFC 329, streaming exclusively live on Paramount+. The record-setting event takes place inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event is Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 in the Welterweight division.
It’s a rematch 13 years in the making with Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 tonight. The literally notorious McGregor has returned without much fanfare to take on one of the sport’s most popular fighters. McGregor last competed five years ago, losing to Dustin Poirier and shattering his shin (relive that here). Since then, he’s been embroiled in major controversies, including being found liable for rape in an Irish civil court.
McGregor has two fights left on his deal, reportedly. It seems like he might be trying to fight out his contract quickly so he can move on to new pastures.
The co-main tonight is Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett in a high stakes Lightweight bout. Saint-Denis can clear a path to a ***** le shot with an impressive win here over the Englishman. Pimblett will try and show he deserves a second shot at current undisputed champion, Justin Gaethje. Rounding out the main card is Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh and King Green vs. Terrance McKinney.
The “Prelims” are headlined by Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov, in Whittaker’s Light Heavyweight debut (more on that here). UFC 329’s “Prelims” also have Gable Steveson’s UFC debut against massive betting underdog, Elisha Ellison.
It’s a rematch 13 years in the making with Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 tonight. The literally notorious McGregor has returned without much fanfare to take on one of the sport’s most popular fighters. McGregor last competed five years ago, losing to Dustin Poirier and shattering his shin (relive that here). Since then, he’s been embroiled in major controversies, including being found liable for rape in an Irish civil court.
McGregor has two fights left on his deal, reportedly. It seems like he might be trying to fight out his contract quickly so he can move on to new pastures.
The co-main tonight is Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett in a high stakes Lightweight bout. Saint-Denis can clear a path to a ***** le shot with an impressive win here over the Englishman. Pimblett will try and show he deserves a second shot at current undisputed champion, Justin Gaethje. Rounding out the main card is Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh and King Green vs. Terrance McKinney.
The “Prelims” are headlined by Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov, in Whittaker’s Light Heavyweight debut (more on that here). UFC 329’s “Prelims” also have Gable Steveson’s UFC debut against massive betting underdog, Elisha Ellison.
22 days ago
Paddy Pimblett may have burned more energy during his UFC 329 walkout than the fight itself.
In the co-main event Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Pimblett (24-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC) slept Benoit Saint Denis (17-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) with a D'Arce choke a mere 52 seconds into their highly-anticipated lightweight clash.
The fight was simple in terms of how it played out. Saint Denis shot for a takedown early and was immediately caught in a choke. Pimblett made some adjustments, most notably sitting his rear on the canvas with the choke locked in. Saint Denis tried to escape – but instead his consciousness escaped him.
Pimblett, 31, bounces back big from an interim ****** le fight loss to Justin Gaethje in January. The loss was his first in the UFC and snapped a nine-fight winning streak. It aged well, however, as Gaethje claimed undisputed gold against Ilia Topuria in June.
Saint Denis, 30, loses by submission for the first time in his career and has a four-fight winning streak snapped.
In the co-main event Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Pimblett (24-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC) slept Benoit Saint Denis (17-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) with a D'Arce choke a mere 52 seconds into their highly-anticipated lightweight clash.
The fight was simple in terms of how it played out. Saint Denis shot for a takedown early and was immediately caught in a choke. Pimblett made some adjustments, most notably sitting his rear on the canvas with the choke locked in. Saint Denis tried to escape – but instead his consciousness escaped him.
Pimblett, 31, bounces back big from an interim ****** le fight loss to Justin Gaethje in January. The loss was his first in the UFC and snapped a nine-fight winning streak. It aged well, however, as Gaethje claimed undisputed gold against Ilia Topuria in June.
Saint Denis, 30, loses by submission for the first time in his career and has a four-fight winning streak snapped.
22 days ago
Paddy Pimblett bounced back in a big way with a lightning quick submission win over Benoit Saint Denis in the UFC 329 co-main event.
Following a back-and-forth war with future UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje back in January, Pimblett had something to prove on Saturday night. An ill-fated takedown attempt from Saint Denis was all Pimblett needed as he ***** ed a guillotine choke before transitioning to D’arce choke and the French lightweight just had no chance to escape.
The fight ended after referee Marc Goddard checked on Saint Denis and he was completely unconscious from the choke. The stoppage came at just 52 seconds into the opening round.
“Sub of the year, ***** !” Pimblett said after his latest win. “I knew he was out. I had to say to Mark, he’s unconscious. He’s going to shoot in … and I’m going to choke his ***** unconscious. I’m like a f*cking spider. When I got a hold of you, you don’t get out.
“What now? Am I finished? Who wants it next? I don’t get a f*ck. Give me anyone. Who f*cking wants it? If [Conor] McGregor wants it, he can f*cking get it!”
Following a back-and-forth war with future UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje back in January, Pimblett had something to prove on Saturday night. An ill-fated takedown attempt from Saint Denis was all Pimblett needed as he ***** ed a guillotine choke before transitioning to D’arce choke and the French lightweight just had no chance to escape.
The fight ended after referee Marc Goddard checked on Saint Denis and he was completely unconscious from the choke. The stoppage came at just 52 seconds into the opening round.
“Sub of the year, ***** !” Pimblett said after his latest win. “I knew he was out. I had to say to Mark, he’s unconscious. He’s going to shoot in … and I’m going to choke his ***** unconscious. I’m like a f*cking spider. When I got a hold of you, you don’t get out.
“What now? Am I finished? Who wants it next? I don’t get a f*ck. Give me anyone. Who f*cking wants it? If [Conor] McGregor wants it, he can f*cking get it!”
22 days ago
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live TONIGHT (Sat., July 11, 2026) with UFC 329, streaming exclusively live on Paramount+. The record-setting event takes place inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event is Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 in the Welterweight division.
It’s a rematch 13 years in the making with Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 tonight. The literally notorious McGregor has returned without much fanfare to take on one of the sport’s most popular fighters. McGregor last competed five years ago, losing to Dustin Poirier and shattering his shin (relive that here). Since then, he’s been embroiled in major controversies, including being found liable for rape in an Irish civil court.
McGregor has two fights left on his deal, reportedly. It seems like he might be trying to fight out his contract quickly so he can move on to new pastures.
The co-main tonight is Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett in a high stakes Lightweight bout. Saint-Denis can clear a path to a **** le shot with an impressive win here over the Englishman. Pimblett will try and show he deserves a second shot at current undisputed champion, Justin Gaethje. Rounding out the main card is Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh and King Green vs. Terrance McKinney.
The “Prelims” are headlined by Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov, in Whittaker’s Light Heavyweight debut (more on that here). UFC 329’s “Prelims” also have Gable Steveson’s UFC debut against massive betting underdog, Elisha Ellison.
It’s a rematch 13 years in the making with Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 tonight. The literally notorious McGregor has returned without much fanfare to take on one of the sport’s most popular fighters. McGregor last competed five years ago, losing to Dustin Poirier and shattering his shin (relive that here). Since then, he’s been embroiled in major controversies, including being found liable for rape in an Irish civil court.
McGregor has two fights left on his deal, reportedly. It seems like he might be trying to fight out his contract quickly so he can move on to new pastures.
The co-main tonight is Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett in a high stakes Lightweight bout. Saint-Denis can clear a path to a **** le shot with an impressive win here over the Englishman. Pimblett will try and show he deserves a second shot at current undisputed champion, Justin Gaethje. Rounding out the main card is Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh and King Green vs. Terrance McKinney.
The “Prelims” are headlined by Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov, in Whittaker’s Light Heavyweight debut (more on that here). UFC 329’s “Prelims” also have Gable Steveson’s UFC debut against massive betting underdog, Elisha Ellison.
23 days ago
Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis meet on the UFC 329 main card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie **** yst Dan Tom.
Last event's results: 5-1
UFC main cards, 2026: 69-37-1
Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) aims to rebound from his first loss under the UFC banner, which was a unanimous decision loss to now-champion Justin Gaethje.
Saint Denis (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) looks to extend his current winning streak to five. His current run includes wins over Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy, Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker.
Last event's results: 5-1
UFC main cards, 2026: 69-37-1
Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) aims to rebound from his first loss under the UFC banner, which was a unanimous decision loss to now-champion Justin Gaethje.
Saint Denis (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) looks to extend his current winning streak to five. His current run includes wins over Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy, Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker.
24 days ago
Conor McGregor and Max Holloway are set to share the stage in Las Vegas ahead of their rematch on Thursday at the UFC 329 press conference in Las Vegas, which begins at 10 p.m. ET.
McGregor is set to return to action for the first time in five years to face Holloway in a matchup 13 years in the making. In their first meeting, “The Notorious” defeated Holloway via decision at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. A lot has changed since their first meeting — which took place at featherweight — as both move up to the welterweight division to write their second chapter. So far, things have been quite respectful between the two fighters in the build.
In his most recent bout, McGregor suffered a brutal leg injury in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. The former two-division champ seeks his first win in over six years. Holloway looks to bounce back from his BMF **** le loss to Charles Oliveira in March at UFC 326.
The UFC 329 co-main event fighters are also set to join Holloway and McGregor
Paddy Pimblett returns following his interim **** le fight loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January to face surging contender Benoit Saint Denis.
McGregor is set to return to action for the first time in five years to face Holloway in a matchup 13 years in the making. In their first meeting, “The Notorious” defeated Holloway via decision at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. A lot has changed since their first meeting — which took place at featherweight — as both move up to the welterweight division to write their second chapter. So far, things have been quite respectful between the two fighters in the build.
In his most recent bout, McGregor suffered a brutal leg injury in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. The former two-division champ seeks his first win in over six years. Holloway looks to bounce back from his BMF **** le loss to Charles Oliveira in March at UFC 326.
The UFC 329 co-main event fighters are also set to join Holloway and McGregor
Paddy Pimblett returns following his interim **** le fight loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January to face surging contender Benoit Saint Denis.
25 days ago
Conor McGregor may have dismissed Justin Gaethje's latest callout, but the former two-division champion has a much bigger goal on his mind.
Ahead of his long-awaited return at UFC 329, McGregor revealed that he is chasing something no fighter has achieved in UFC history – a championship in a third weight class.
Rather than focusing on potential challengers, McGregor made it clear that his ambitions stretch far beyond another grudge fight, reigniting discussion over what could await him if he successfully returns to the Octagon.
Addressing Gaethje's desire to punch him in the face, McGregor brushed aside the challenge before outlining what he believes should come next in his career.
"Yeah, join the queue. He has the lightweight belt, fair play to him. But Holloway put him face down."
Ahead of his long-awaited return at UFC 329, McGregor revealed that he is chasing something no fighter has achieved in UFC history – a championship in a third weight class.
Rather than focusing on potential challengers, McGregor made it clear that his ambitions stretch far beyond another grudge fight, reigniting discussion over what could await him if he successfully returns to the Octagon.
Addressing Gaethje's desire to punch him in the face, McGregor brushed aside the challenge before outlining what he believes should come next in his career.
"Yeah, join the queue. He has the lightweight belt, fair play to him. But Holloway put him face down."
27 days ago
DustinPoirier isn't ruling out a return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Poirier (30-10) called it a career last year following a loss toMaxHolloway. While "The Diamond" never tasted undisputed UFC golddespite three bids, he enjoyed a memorable run in the lightweightdivision. The former interim champion recently admitted that he'sstill open to a return to the Octagon for a lucrative fight.
Poirier's former foe, ConorMcGregor, returns to action after a five-year hiatus againstHolloway at UFC 329 on July 11. McGregor hasn't fought since breaking hisleg in a trilogy loss against "The Diamond" back in 2021.
The American is open to ending his retirement to fight McGregor fora fourth time and would also consider returning for a bout againstNateDiaz. Poirier vs. Diaz never came to fruition despite nearlymaterializing previously. Furthermore, while Poirier is 1-1 againstcurrent lightweight champion JustinGaethje, he believes they are both too dangerous for eachother.
"I'm still under contract with the UFC. There's definitely achance; if it's the right fight, I'll come back for sure," Poiriersaid in an interview with One on One MMA. "I'd probably fight Conorif that came about. Nate Diaz, I wanna whoop his a** for years andyears; we never got to fight… Me and Gaethje are one and one. Weboth know it's gonna be a head-on collision. We kind of shook handslike, 'Let's not do that to our families again.'"
Poirier has repeatedly admitted that he misses fighting and findsit difficult to adjust to retirement. He was recently arrested atan airport for threatening to fight a police officer whileintoxicated. He also called the officer an offensive racialslur.
Poirier (30-10) called it a career last year following a loss toMaxHolloway. While "The Diamond" never tasted undisputed UFC golddespite three bids, he enjoyed a memorable run in the lightweightdivision. The former interim champion recently admitted that he'sstill open to a return to the Octagon for a lucrative fight.
Poirier's former foe, ConorMcGregor, returns to action after a five-year hiatus againstHolloway at UFC 329 on July 11. McGregor hasn't fought since breaking hisleg in a trilogy loss against "The Diamond" back in 2021.
The American is open to ending his retirement to fight McGregor fora fourth time and would also consider returning for a bout againstNateDiaz. Poirier vs. Diaz never came to fruition despite nearlymaterializing previously. Furthermore, while Poirier is 1-1 againstcurrent lightweight champion JustinGaethje, he believes they are both too dangerous for eachother.
"I'm still under contract with the UFC. There's definitely achance; if it's the right fight, I'll come back for sure," Poiriersaid in an interview with One on One MMA. "I'd probably fight Conorif that came about. Nate Diaz, I wanna whoop his a** for years andyears; we never got to fight… Me and Gaethje are one and one. Weboth know it's gonna be a head-on collision. We kind of shook handslike, 'Let's not do that to our families again.'"
Poirier has repeatedly admitted that he misses fighting and findsit difficult to adjust to retirement. He was recently arrested atan airport for threatening to fight a police officer whileintoxicated. He also called the officer an offensive racialslur.
27 days ago
Dricus DuPlessis has accused former Ultimate Fighting Championship ****** leholder KamaruUsman of delaying their bout.
While Usman and du Plessis are now confirmed to be squaring off atUFC Oklahoma City on July 18, the latter claims "The NigerianNightmare" wasn't keen on the matchup. Ahead of the two formerchampions' clash, du Plessis has revealed that the UFC had toconvince Usman to sign the contract.
The UFC Oklahoma City main event announcement was left until the11th hour, despite du Plessis claiming weeks earlier that he'd beenoffered a fight and was waiting for his opponent to sign thecontract. With the Fight Night headlining bout now confirmed,"Stillknocks" has opened up about how it came together.
"He didn't want to sign the contract. I know that for a fact," duPlessis said in an interview with Fight Forecast. "I spoke to theUFC and they said, 'We finally convinced him to sign.' If you needconvincing to sign, that's a problem, but I can't blame him. Iwould also not want to fight me right now. It would be the smartmove not to sign the fight, but let's go."
While Usman is a couple of years removed from his dominantwelterweight ****** le run, du Plessis isn't counting out theNigerian-American, especially considering how Usman's teammateJustinGaethje defeated the far younger IliaTopuria at UFC Freedom 250.
"We've been talking about the fight for a long time. He's mentionedthe fight way before we made the fight and I said, 'Well, cool.I'll take that fight.' Now people will say, 'Why don't you fight[Nassourdine] Imavov?' I don't mind that fight either," he added."I want to fight somebody that gets me to my ****** le again. KamaruUsman, yes, he's a bit older, but now you look at what [Justin]Gaethje just did, so that throws that argument out the windowimmediately."
While Usman and du Plessis are now confirmed to be squaring off atUFC Oklahoma City on July 18, the latter claims "The NigerianNightmare" wasn't keen on the matchup. Ahead of the two formerchampions' clash, du Plessis has revealed that the UFC had toconvince Usman to sign the contract.
The UFC Oklahoma City main event announcement was left until the11th hour, despite du Plessis claiming weeks earlier that he'd beenoffered a fight and was waiting for his opponent to sign thecontract. With the Fight Night headlining bout now confirmed,"Stillknocks" has opened up about how it came together.
"He didn't want to sign the contract. I know that for a fact," duPlessis said in an interview with Fight Forecast. "I spoke to theUFC and they said, 'We finally convinced him to sign.' If you needconvincing to sign, that's a problem, but I can't blame him. Iwould also not want to fight me right now. It would be the smartmove not to sign the fight, but let's go."
While Usman is a couple of years removed from his dominantwelterweight ****** le run, du Plessis isn't counting out theNigerian-American, especially considering how Usman's teammateJustinGaethje defeated the far younger IliaTopuria at UFC Freedom 250.
"We've been talking about the fight for a long time. He's mentionedthe fight way before we made the fight and I said, 'Well, cool.I'll take that fight.' Now people will say, 'Why don't you fight[Nassourdine] Imavov?' I don't mind that fight either," he added."I want to fight somebody that gets me to my ****** le again. KamaruUsman, yes, he's a bit older, but now you look at what [Justin]Gaethje just did, so that throws that argument out the windowimmediately."
28 days ago
Alexander Volkanovski sees Max Holloway overwhelming Conor McGregor at UFC 329.
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) welcomes McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) back from a five-year long layoff in Saturday's welterweight main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+). The pair will run things back after McGregor won their first outing in 2013.
McGregor is known to storm out of the gate and lure his opponents in to match his aggression, before landing the counter shot. Volkanovski pointed to Holloway's UFC 300 win over Justin Gaethje as an example of how he needs to approach McGregor.
"Each fight through my fights with Max, you started to see a lot more footwork, a lot more kicks involved, spin kicks, was able to jab, fight at a great range, create good angles, and just piece him up on the outside," Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel. "This is the type of style that he's going to need for someone like Conor – a good long range, not fall for the traps.
"Maybe a jab, pull, pulling himself out of range, off center, for these big, hard counters that Conor will still have. But, can he zap the life out of Conor pretty quickly? One hundred percent. Can he rely on that volume striking to do so like he used to? No. I think that could lose him the fight. But the fighter that Max is today, I think he's going to be safe enough to not get hit too much."
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) welcomes McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) back from a five-year long layoff in Saturday's welterweight main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+). The pair will run things back after McGregor won their first outing in 2013.
McGregor is known to storm out of the gate and lure his opponents in to match his aggression, before landing the counter shot. Volkanovski pointed to Holloway's UFC 300 win over Justin Gaethje as an example of how he needs to approach McGregor.
"Each fight through my fights with Max, you started to see a lot more footwork, a lot more kicks involved, spin kicks, was able to jab, fight at a great range, create good angles, and just piece him up on the outside," Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel. "This is the type of style that he's going to need for someone like Conor – a good long range, not fall for the traps.
"Maybe a jab, pull, pulling himself out of range, off center, for these big, hard counters that Conor will still have. But, can he zap the life out of Conor pretty quickly? One hundred percent. Can he rely on that volume striking to do so like he used to? No. I think that could lose him the fight. But the fighter that Max is today, I think he's going to be safe enough to not get hit too much."
28 days ago
Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor will be making his Octagon return against Max Holloway atop the UFC 329 fight card this Sat. night (July 11) in Las Vegas. A second win over the Hawaiian will get “Notorious” right back into the thick of things and resurrect a career that has been on ice (and a few other things) since summer 2021.
Paddy Pimblett will be waiting.
“The perfect fight for me would be Conor,” Pimblett said. “It’s mad to be honest because I think … obviously I won seven fights in a row and I don’t think that my stock went up as much as losing my last fight. You know, I beat people like Michael Chandler, Bobby Green, Tony Ferguson and people are just like, meh, and then I’ve got me head punched in five rounds and my stock went up. I lost but my stock went up because I had a five-round war with a legend like Justin Gaethje but I want that back, you know what I mean? I want to fight him again before he retires. It’s time to get back in the win column.”
Pimblett will also compete at UFC 329, going to war with fellow lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis in the Paramount+ co-main event. Like McGregor, a highlight-reel finish will go a long way in erasing “The Baddy’s” last performance, a five-round ****** whooping at the hands of newly-crowned lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
“Benoit moved above me in the rankings for beating Dan Hooker which I thought was quite silly because Dan Hooker’s terrible,” Pimblett added. “He went above me for beating Dan Hooker so I thought that’s the perfect fight. I’m [ranked] six, he’s five. I think I’m better than him everywhere the fight goes. I’ll prove that on July 11th. Mad being on the same card as Conor McGregor, you know what I mean? The biggest name in the sport. It’s nice for him to be back. This is probably going to be the most watched UFC of all time. I’m not going to be the star of the show on this one, definitely not. Conor is, but I’ll probably be the second star of the show.”
Paddy Pimblett will be waiting.
“The perfect fight for me would be Conor,” Pimblett said. “It’s mad to be honest because I think … obviously I won seven fights in a row and I don’t think that my stock went up as much as losing my last fight. You know, I beat people like Michael Chandler, Bobby Green, Tony Ferguson and people are just like, meh, and then I’ve got me head punched in five rounds and my stock went up. I lost but my stock went up because I had a five-round war with a legend like Justin Gaethje but I want that back, you know what I mean? I want to fight him again before he retires. It’s time to get back in the win column.”
Pimblett will also compete at UFC 329, going to war with fellow lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis in the Paramount+ co-main event. Like McGregor, a highlight-reel finish will go a long way in erasing “The Baddy’s” last performance, a five-round ****** whooping at the hands of newly-crowned lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
“Benoit moved above me in the rankings for beating Dan Hooker which I thought was quite silly because Dan Hooker’s terrible,” Pimblett added. “He went above me for beating Dan Hooker so I thought that’s the perfect fight. I’m [ranked] six, he’s five. I think I’m better than him everywhere the fight goes. I’ll prove that on July 11th. Mad being on the same card as Conor McGregor, you know what I mean? The biggest name in the sport. It’s nice for him to be back. This is probably going to be the most watched UFC of all time. I’m not going to be the star of the show on this one, definitely not. Conor is, but I’ll probably be the second star of the show.”
30 days ago
Justin Gaethje is reaping the benefits of winning the UFC lightweight ******* le off Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 last month, which includes a recent visit to President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to celebrate his victory.
Last month’s UFC White House card was a smashing success. Not only did the Paramount+ card do incredible numbers worldwide, but the weather held, every fight delivered a knockout, and Gaethje — an American underdog — won his main event clash with Topuria. Most experts picked Topuria to walk through Gaethje like he had against other UFC greats like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
Fortunately for Gaethje, he fought the fight of his life. “Highlight” had to overcome some early adversity against Topuria, but for the most part he was on his bicycle from the opening bell. Eventually, the damage piled up and Topuria wasn’t able to get off his stool entering the fifth round. Gaethje walked away with UFC’s undisputed lightweight ******* le and one of the biggest upsets over the past five years.
Earlier this week, Gaethje continued his celebration tour by going back to the White House. Trump was there to welcome Gaethje and his parents with open arms while sharing the moment on social media. Check it out below:
“Justin Gaethje came to the Oval Office to celebrate, with his parents, his great victory two weeks ago.
Last month’s UFC White House card was a smashing success. Not only did the Paramount+ card do incredible numbers worldwide, but the weather held, every fight delivered a knockout, and Gaethje — an American underdog — won his main event clash with Topuria. Most experts picked Topuria to walk through Gaethje like he had against other UFC greats like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
Fortunately for Gaethje, he fought the fight of his life. “Highlight” had to overcome some early adversity against Topuria, but for the most part he was on his bicycle from the opening bell. Eventually, the damage piled up and Topuria wasn’t able to get off his stool entering the fifth round. Gaethje walked away with UFC’s undisputed lightweight ******* le and one of the biggest upsets over the past five years.
Earlier this week, Gaethje continued his celebration tour by going back to the White House. Trump was there to welcome Gaethje and his parents with open arms while sharing the moment on social media. Check it out below:
“Justin Gaethje came to the Oval Office to celebrate, with his parents, his great victory two weeks ago.
1 month ago
Ahead of Ian Garry'stitle fight against IslamMakhachev, DanielCormier has weighed in on the Irishman's mindset.
Garry is confident about beating Makhachev and recently predicted alate stoppage when they square off in the main event of UFC 330at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Aug. 15. Cormier opinedthat this approach could spell trouble for "The Future."
Cormier isn't a fan of Garry wanting to show off all his skills inevery aspect of MMA before finding a late finish. The UFC Hall ofFamer said on his YouTube channel:
"Sometimes, a person is misguided in their thoughts, and whenthey're misguided in their thoughts, they set themselves up for avery, very bad night or a bad result. I'm not saying Ian Garrycannot beat Islam Makhachev. What I'm saying is you've got to takethat as it comes. You can't try to say, 'I want to beat the No. 1pound-for-pound fighter in the world in a certain round because Idon't want it to be a fluke.' If you win, it does not matter howyou win."
The former two-division champion claims that it shouldn't matter toa fighter if others consider their victory a fluke. All thatmatters is the result, whether it comes in the opening round or thefifth. He then encouraged Garry to let go of pre-fightpredictions.
"I would encourage him to let go of the idea that you want to callyour shot, and you call your shot later in the fight so that peopledon't have an opinion of what happened. It doesn't matter whathappens if you beat the best fighter in the world across all weightclasses, pound-for-pound. It doesn't matter how you win. It onlymatters that you win. And if Ian Garry wins by a fast knockout, ifIan Garry wins by submission, or if Ian Garry wins by decision, itdoesn't matter."
Garry is a sizable betting underdog heading into the Makhachevfight. However, the last two men's championship bouts in theUltimate Fighting Championship have resulted in upsets, withSeanStrickland beating KhamzatChimaev at UFC 328and JustinGaethje defeating IliaTopuria at UFC Freedom 250.
Garry is confident about beating Makhachev and recently predicted alate stoppage when they square off in the main event of UFC 330at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Aug. 15. Cormier opinedthat this approach could spell trouble for "The Future."
Cormier isn't a fan of Garry wanting to show off all his skills inevery aspect of MMA before finding a late finish. The UFC Hall ofFamer said on his YouTube channel:
"Sometimes, a person is misguided in their thoughts, and whenthey're misguided in their thoughts, they set themselves up for avery, very bad night or a bad result. I'm not saying Ian Garrycannot beat Islam Makhachev. What I'm saying is you've got to takethat as it comes. You can't try to say, 'I want to beat the No. 1pound-for-pound fighter in the world in a certain round because Idon't want it to be a fluke.' If you win, it does not matter howyou win."
The former two-division champion claims that it shouldn't matter toa fighter if others consider their victory a fluke. All thatmatters is the result, whether it comes in the opening round or thefifth. He then encouraged Garry to let go of pre-fightpredictions.
"I would encourage him to let go of the idea that you want to callyour shot, and you call your shot later in the fight so that peopledon't have an opinion of what happened. It doesn't matter whathappens if you beat the best fighter in the world across all weightclasses, pound-for-pound. It doesn't matter how you win. It onlymatters that you win. And if Ian Garry wins by a fast knockout, ifIan Garry wins by submission, or if Ian Garry wins by decision, itdoesn't matter."
Garry is a sizable betting underdog heading into the Makhachevfight. However, the last two men's championship bouts in theUltimate Fighting Championship have resulted in upsets, withSeanStrickland beating KhamzatChimaev at UFC 328and JustinGaethje defeating IliaTopuria at UFC Freedom 250.
1 month ago
PaddyPimblett recently reflected on his infamous post-fight incidentwhile competing for Cage Warriors.
After a 2016 ****** le fight in London, Pimblett suffered a memorablemishap during his post-fight interview due to a pre-fight mistake.He has now shed light on his worst weight-cutting gaffes, one ofwhich ultimately led to the viral moment.
Pimblett vomiting soon after his 2016 featherweight ****** le fightagainst JulianErosa at Cage Warriors "Unplugged 1" remains one of hisstandout memories from fighting in the England-based promotion. Hesecured a decision win, but his pre-fight meal got the better ofhim during the post-fight interview. He recalled on his YouTubechannel:
"When I spewed in the cage [after fighting Erosa], it wasn'tbecause of the refuel; it was just because of being an idiot beforeI went to the venue. Before I went to the venue, I went toStarbucks or Costco… I got a hot chocolate, and we went to Tesco,and I got a pack of Ferrero Rocher, and I ate them on the way tothe venue, after doing an 8-kilogram water cut, one of the biggestcuts I've ever done. It didn't go well with my body at the time. Itwas a bad idea, but that was me, stupid kid, didn't listen toanyone. I was only 21 at the time."
Pimblett then revisited another one of his weight-cutting mistakes,this time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After making weight for hisfight against RodrigoVargas at UFC London in just his second appearance in thepromotion, "The Baddy" treated himself to a full English breakfastbefore properly rehydrating.
"The worst mistake I ever made when refuelling was when I fought[Rodrigo] Vargas. I hadn't even drank any water yet. Well, I dranka little bit of water, but in the fighter hotel, I went straightdownstairs and got a full English [breakfast]," Pimblett said. "Iwas sitting there eating the full English, I'd only drank about aliter of water, and Paul Reed cameover, 'What the f*ck are you doing?!' I was just sitting therelike, 'Just having a full English.' And he was like, 'What are youdoing, you f*cking idiot?'"
The UFC lightweight now has his weight-cutting process dialled in.Ahead of his return to the Octagon at UFC329, where he'll collide with Benoit St.Denis in the co-main event, the Englishman claims his cut isgoing even better than when he fought JustinGaethje earlier this year.
"We don't miss weight. We make weight healthily. That's exactlywhat I'm going to do next week. I might end up even having lessweight to cut from when I fought Justin Gaethje, and you saw withthat one, I weighed in underweight. This time I haven't got to make155; it's 156. You never know… I might only end up cutting 10pounds, and then I'll be getting back in the cage at 185. A properlightweight."
After a 2016 ****** le fight in London, Pimblett suffered a memorablemishap during his post-fight interview due to a pre-fight mistake.He has now shed light on his worst weight-cutting gaffes, one ofwhich ultimately led to the viral moment.
Pimblett vomiting soon after his 2016 featherweight ****** le fightagainst JulianErosa at Cage Warriors "Unplugged 1" remains one of hisstandout memories from fighting in the England-based promotion. Hesecured a decision win, but his pre-fight meal got the better ofhim during the post-fight interview. He recalled on his YouTubechannel:
"When I spewed in the cage [after fighting Erosa], it wasn'tbecause of the refuel; it was just because of being an idiot beforeI went to the venue. Before I went to the venue, I went toStarbucks or Costco… I got a hot chocolate, and we went to Tesco,and I got a pack of Ferrero Rocher, and I ate them on the way tothe venue, after doing an 8-kilogram water cut, one of the biggestcuts I've ever done. It didn't go well with my body at the time. Itwas a bad idea, but that was me, stupid kid, didn't listen toanyone. I was only 21 at the time."
Pimblett then revisited another one of his weight-cutting mistakes,this time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After making weight for hisfight against RodrigoVargas at UFC London in just his second appearance in thepromotion, "The Baddy" treated himself to a full English breakfastbefore properly rehydrating.
"The worst mistake I ever made when refuelling was when I fought[Rodrigo] Vargas. I hadn't even drank any water yet. Well, I dranka little bit of water, but in the fighter hotel, I went straightdownstairs and got a full English [breakfast]," Pimblett said. "Iwas sitting there eating the full English, I'd only drank about aliter of water, and Paul Reed cameover, 'What the f*ck are you doing?!' I was just sitting therelike, 'Just having a full English.' And he was like, 'What are youdoing, you f*cking idiot?'"
The UFC lightweight now has his weight-cutting process dialled in.Ahead of his return to the Octagon at UFC329, where he'll collide with Benoit St.Denis in the co-main event, the Englishman claims his cut isgoing even better than when he fought JustinGaethje earlier this year.
"We don't miss weight. We make weight healthily. That's exactlywhat I'm going to do next week. I might end up even having lessweight to cut from when I fought Justin Gaethje, and you saw withthat one, I weighed in underweight. This time I haven't got to make155; it's 156. You never know… I might only end up cutting 10pounds, and then I'll be getting back in the cage at 185. A properlightweight."
1 month ago
The UFC Freedom 250 main event was memorable for many reasons.
Justin Gaethje became the undisputed UFC lightweight champion by leaving Ilia Topuria on his stool after the conclusion of Round 4. It was a spectacular comeback from an early scare, as Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) was badly hurt by a Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) body shot.
Resilient as ever, Gaethje managed to weather the storm, and turn the tide of the fight in Round 3, leaving Topuria battered and bloodied like never before. There was controversy with a ringside doctor attempting to call the fight off, but after some debating, the fight continued into Round 4. That's where Gaethje continued to add damage to the previously unbeaten Topuria. The fight would conclude before Round 5, after Topuria's corner called the fight off.
In a special behind-the-scenes documentary, "UFC Fight House: The Biggest Fight in History" by Fox Nation, the stoppage was captured, along with UFC CEO Dana White and US president Donald Trump's immediate reactions to the main event's final moments.
You can watch a clip of the documentary in the video above. The full video, which takes a special look at the event's early planning stages through to its completion, is available on Fox Nation.
Justin Gaethje became the undisputed UFC lightweight champion by leaving Ilia Topuria on his stool after the conclusion of Round 4. It was a spectacular comeback from an early scare, as Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) was badly hurt by a Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) body shot.
Resilient as ever, Gaethje managed to weather the storm, and turn the tide of the fight in Round 3, leaving Topuria battered and bloodied like never before. There was controversy with a ringside doctor attempting to call the fight off, but after some debating, the fight continued into Round 4. That's where Gaethje continued to add damage to the previously unbeaten Topuria. The fight would conclude before Round 5, after Topuria's corner called the fight off.
In a special behind-the-scenes documentary, "UFC Fight House: The Biggest Fight in History" by Fox Nation, the stoppage was captured, along with UFC CEO Dana White and US president Donald Trump's immediate reactions to the main event's final moments.
You can watch a clip of the documentary in the video above. The full video, which takes a special look at the event's early planning stages through to its completion, is available on Fox Nation.
1 month ago
Jon Jones advises Ilia Topuria to be honest with himself in the aftermath of his first professional loss.
Topuria (17-1) was a massive favorite going into his ****** le unification bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 last month. However, the latter handed “El Matador” a brutal beating, forcing his corner to stop the fight after the fourth round. While Gaethje finally captured gold in his third crack at the crown, Topuria suffered his first career loss.
Jones, who is essentially undefeated with his lone career loss being a controversial disqualification, believes Topuria can come back stronger from the defeat. “Bones” claims to have heard that the former two-division champion is humble and honest in defeat, and believes acknowledging one's own mistakes instead of making excuses is the key to returning from a loss.
Jones told Red Corner MMA: “Ilia’s gonna be in a good position. He has faith. He has a strong team. And that’s a lot of what it takes. He has a work ethic. I think he’s honest with himself… What I heard was that he’s humble. That he’s honest. That he realized that he just didn’t perform well. I think that’s the number one step of getting back into the ring in a healthy way. It’s the guys who make excuses, that’s when it’s hard to come back and win that rematch… Honesty with yourself is the key to MMA.”
What adds to the weight of Topuria’s loss are his pre-fight antics. Topuria had repeatedly predicted a first-round knockout win, changed his record on his social media bio, and even celebrated a day before the fight, traditions he might opt against going forward.
Topuria (17-1) was a massive favorite going into his ****** le unification bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 last month. However, the latter handed “El Matador” a brutal beating, forcing his corner to stop the fight after the fourth round. While Gaethje finally captured gold in his third crack at the crown, Topuria suffered his first career loss.
Jones, who is essentially undefeated with his lone career loss being a controversial disqualification, believes Topuria can come back stronger from the defeat. “Bones” claims to have heard that the former two-division champion is humble and honest in defeat, and believes acknowledging one's own mistakes instead of making excuses is the key to returning from a loss.
Jones told Red Corner MMA: “Ilia’s gonna be in a good position. He has faith. He has a strong team. And that’s a lot of what it takes. He has a work ethic. I think he’s honest with himself… What I heard was that he’s humble. That he’s honest. That he realized that he just didn’t perform well. I think that’s the number one step of getting back into the ring in a healthy way. It’s the guys who make excuses, that’s when it’s hard to come back and win that rematch… Honesty with yourself is the key to MMA.”
What adds to the weight of Topuria’s loss are his pre-fight antics. Topuria had repeatedly predicted a first-round knockout win, changed his record on his social media bio, and even celebrated a day before the fight, traditions he might opt against going forward.
1 month ago
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight king Ilia Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, sustaining quite a bit of facial damage.
Over two weeks after the bout, the extent to the bruising on his face have been revealed. A Georgian reporter has shared an image of the former two-division champion posing for a photograph with a young fan.
As seen in a recent photo alongside a fan, Topuria’s face looks far better now than it did following his defeat to Gaethje. Georgian reporter Giorgi Kokiashvili shared the photo on X, wherein the swelling around the fighter’s eyes had significantly reduced, along with the bruising. Furthermore, cuts he sustained at the historic White House fight also appear to have healed well.
Gaethje opened a cut under Topuria’s eye in the very first round of their ****** le fight, and piled on the damage in the third and fourth rounds. The latter’s corner opted to call the bout before the final round, and he lost the championship as a result.
Days after the fight, Topuria congratulated Gaethje in an Instagram post, highlighted how the American effectively blinded him on the night, and vowed that their rivalry is far from over.
“Justin, congratulations. You said you’d leave your mark on my face… and you did,” he wrote after losing. “You took the sight from my right eye in the first round, and by the end of the second, from my left too. No excuses. I had one of the best camps of my life. I came in sharp, prepared, and ready. Last night was your night. That’s the nature of this game. Glory and pain walk side by side. I’ll heal. I’ll rest. And I’ll return stronger, wiser, and far more dangerous. And trust me… this story between us is far from over. We will have our rematch.”
Over two weeks after the bout, the extent to the bruising on his face have been revealed. A Georgian reporter has shared an image of the former two-division champion posing for a photograph with a young fan.
As seen in a recent photo alongside a fan, Topuria’s face looks far better now than it did following his defeat to Gaethje. Georgian reporter Giorgi Kokiashvili shared the photo on X, wherein the swelling around the fighter’s eyes had significantly reduced, along with the bruising. Furthermore, cuts he sustained at the historic White House fight also appear to have healed well.
Gaethje opened a cut under Topuria’s eye in the very first round of their ****** le fight, and piled on the damage in the third and fourth rounds. The latter’s corner opted to call the bout before the final round, and he lost the championship as a result.
Days after the fight, Topuria congratulated Gaethje in an Instagram post, highlighted how the American effectively blinded him on the night, and vowed that their rivalry is far from over.
“Justin, congratulations. You said you’d leave your mark on my face… and you did,” he wrote after losing. “You took the sight from my right eye in the first round, and by the end of the second, from my left too. No excuses. I had one of the best camps of my life. I came in sharp, prepared, and ready. Last night was your night. That’s the nature of this game. Glory and pain walk side by side. I’ll heal. I’ll rest. And I’ll return stronger, wiser, and far more dangerous. And trust me… this story between us is far from over. We will have our rematch.”
1 month ago
Merab Dvalishvili believes his fellow Georgian fighter Ilia Topuria will return stronger and better than ever.
Dvalishvili and Topuria are going through similar situations, having gone from seemingly invincible to both losing their belts in their last fight. Dvalishvili lost a clear decision to Petr Yan in December, while Topuria got into a car wreck with Justin Gaethje that left him with two broken orbitals and a broken nose.
In a new interview with MMA Fighting, "The Machine" discussed the Topuria loss and what went wrong for Ilia in the cage.
"[The] fight was really tough," Dvalishvili said. "Unfortunately, Ilia was fighting blind since the first round. I think one moment Justin Gaethje threw a punch [with his thumb extended], I think he eye poked him. It was even worse and then Ilia [was] blind in both eyes. He [wanted] to keep fighting."
"When you got eye poked or you broke this [orbital] bone, you are blind pretty much. That affects the fight. That was the main thing. Ilia was fighting blind. That's what Ilia said."
Dvalishvili and Topuria are going through similar situations, having gone from seemingly invincible to both losing their belts in their last fight. Dvalishvili lost a clear decision to Petr Yan in December, while Topuria got into a car wreck with Justin Gaethje that left him with two broken orbitals and a broken nose.
In a new interview with MMA Fighting, "The Machine" discussed the Topuria loss and what went wrong for Ilia in the cage.
"[The] fight was really tough," Dvalishvili said. "Unfortunately, Ilia was fighting blind since the first round. I think one moment Justin Gaethje threw a punch [with his thumb extended], I think he eye poked him. It was even worse and then Ilia [was] blind in both eyes. He [wanted] to keep fighting."
"When you got eye poked or you broke this [orbital] bone, you are blind pretty much. That affects the fight. That was the main thing. Ilia was fighting blind. That's what Ilia said."
1 month ago
This is the live blog for Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres, the lightweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Baku card at National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Fiziev is hanging on to a top 15 spot at 155 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Torres looks to establish himself among the elite of one of MMA’s deepest divisions.
Azerbaijan’s Fiziev (13-5) is mired in the worst stretch of his career, having suffered a knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy this past February at UFC 325 that sent him to his fourth loss in five fights. Prior to this slump, Fiziev had won six straight fights and was well on his way to a ******* le shot before dropping fights to Justin Gaethje, Ruffy, and Gamrot, the latter via a knee injury that took him out of action for a year and a half.
Torres (17-3) is trending in the opposite direction, coming off of consecutive first-round knockouts of Grant Dawson and Drew Dober. Since being signed off of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, Torres has won five of his six UFC fights.
Check out the Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres live blog below.
Fiziev is hanging on to a top 15 spot at 155 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Torres looks to establish himself among the elite of one of MMA’s deepest divisions.
Azerbaijan’s Fiziev (13-5) is mired in the worst stretch of his career, having suffered a knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy this past February at UFC 325 that sent him to his fourth loss in five fights. Prior to this slump, Fiziev had won six straight fights and was well on his way to a ******* le shot before dropping fights to Justin Gaethje, Ruffy, and Gamrot, the latter via a knee injury that took him out of action for a year and a half.
Torres (17-3) is trending in the opposite direction, coming off of consecutive first-round knockouts of Grant Dawson and Drew Dober. Since being signed off of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, Torres has won five of his six UFC fights.
Check out the Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres live blog below.
1 month ago
Former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria was practically unrecognizable following his UFC White House loss to Justin Gaethje, a four-round shellacking that left “El Matador” with a pair of broken orbital bones— and the first loss of his professional career.
“El Matador” was not expected to make his return until 2027; however, word from the Topuria camp suggests the former two-division ****** leholder could start his revenge tour as early as December.
“Day by day, he already looks like an entirely different person,” trainer Jesus Gallo told SerEbro EnlosDeportes (transcribed by ****** Elbow). “Obviously, he still feels discomfort, but it doesn’t seem like he’s had any fights really. All the swelling in his face has gone down. All the bruising he had has gone down. To the naked eye, you can see a person who has already recovered a lot, and it has been a week and two days.”
Gaethje has a way of doing that to people.
“What the doctor told us was that within six to eight weeks, it should heal properly, especially because there was no orbital bone displacement, so it will heal on its own,” Gallo added. “After that, for him to start wrestling again, to start doing things again, it’ll take a little while for it to really solidify there. I think we’re talking about at least two to three months, easily. If you saw us in a rematch or in a fight, it would be toward the end of the year, in December. Who knows? We’ll see.”
“El Matador” was not expected to make his return until 2027; however, word from the Topuria camp suggests the former two-division ****** leholder could start his revenge tour as early as December.
“Day by day, he already looks like an entirely different person,” trainer Jesus Gallo told SerEbro EnlosDeportes (transcribed by ****** Elbow). “Obviously, he still feels discomfort, but it doesn’t seem like he’s had any fights really. All the swelling in his face has gone down. All the bruising he had has gone down. To the naked eye, you can see a person who has already recovered a lot, and it has been a week and two days.”
Gaethje has a way of doing that to people.
“What the doctor told us was that within six to eight weeks, it should heal properly, especially because there was no orbital bone displacement, so it will heal on its own,” Gallo added. “After that, for him to start wrestling again, to start doing things again, it’ll take a little while for it to really solidify there. I think we’re talking about at least two to three months, easily. If you saw us in a rematch or in a fight, it would be toward the end of the year, in December. Who knows? We’ll see.”
1 month ago
Michael Chiesa sees big things for Max Holloway if he's victorious at UFC 329.
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) welcomes Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) back in a rematch, which headlines the July 11 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
Although their fight is at welterweight, McGregor remains the sport's biggest star. That's why Chiesa thinks a win over McGregor could lead to a ***** le shot for Holloway at lightweight.
"There is a world where Max Holloway beats Conor McGregor and fights Justin Gaethje next," Chiesa told MMA Junkie. "If Max beats Conor, that leaves Max and Charles (Oliveira) and Arman (Tsarukyan) in this three-man race to see who fights Justin next. I think Justin, if he had a choice, Charles would be at the bottom of that list. I think he would want the Max Holloway fight back.
"If I was to guess, for a sense of pride, I want to get the guy back that knocked me out over the guy that submitted me. The guy that knocked me out and had this viral moments at 4:59 of Round 5 at the biggest UFC event in history aside from the White House – I want that fight back. If it was the case it would be a rematch with Max if it was an option, then Arman and Charles in that order. If Conor beats Max, I don't know how Conor would match up initially that three-man race."
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) welcomes Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) back in a rematch, which headlines the July 11 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
Although their fight is at welterweight, McGregor remains the sport's biggest star. That's why Chiesa thinks a win over McGregor could lead to a ***** le shot for Holloway at lightweight.
"There is a world where Max Holloway beats Conor McGregor and fights Justin Gaethje next," Chiesa told MMA Junkie. "If Max beats Conor, that leaves Max and Charles (Oliveira) and Arman (Tsarukyan) in this three-man race to see who fights Justin next. I think Justin, if he had a choice, Charles would be at the bottom of that list. I think he would want the Max Holloway fight back.
"If I was to guess, for a sense of pride, I want to get the guy back that knocked me out over the guy that submitted me. The guy that knocked me out and had this viral moments at 4:59 of Round 5 at the biggest UFC event in history aside from the White House – I want that fight back. If it was the case it would be a rematch with Max if it was an option, then Arman and Charles in that order. If Conor beats Max, I don't know how Conor would match up initially that three-man race."
1 month ago
Justin Gaethje can finally call himself the undisputed UFC champion, but questions of retirement remain.
Entering the white house to represent his country in front of the president, 'The Highlight' produced yet another unforgettable night under the lights. Up against the odds, which has become a familiarity, the Arizona native entered the octagon against an undefeated global superstar responsible for some of the biggest knockouts in recent history, Ilia Topuria. However, that didn't faze the 37-year-old, who dominated and earned a corner stoppage victory ahead of the fifth round, securing UFC gold.
With the ******* le victory, there's not much left for Justin Gaethje to accomplish. With retirement rumors persisting, Gaethje has a choice to make. Fellow UFC great, Georges St-Pierre, believes retiring on top is the route Gaethje should favor at this stage of his career.
"He's the kind of guy that works really hard and he comes back from adversity," St-Pierre said. "It's really inspiring to see what he has accomplished."
In addition to being the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje has been a two-time interim UFC champ and has held the BMF belt following a knockout win over Dustin Poirier.
Entering the white house to represent his country in front of the president, 'The Highlight' produced yet another unforgettable night under the lights. Up against the odds, which has become a familiarity, the Arizona native entered the octagon against an undefeated global superstar responsible for some of the biggest knockouts in recent history, Ilia Topuria. However, that didn't faze the 37-year-old, who dominated and earned a corner stoppage victory ahead of the fifth round, securing UFC gold.
With the ******* le victory, there's not much left for Justin Gaethje to accomplish. With retirement rumors persisting, Gaethje has a choice to make. Fellow UFC great, Georges St-Pierre, believes retiring on top is the route Gaethje should favor at this stage of his career.
"He's the kind of guy that works really hard and he comes back from adversity," St-Pierre said. "It's really inspiring to see what he has accomplished."
In addition to being the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje has been a two-time interim UFC champ and has held the BMF belt following a knockout win over Dustin Poirier.
