The bitter saga between Francis Ngannou and Dana White continues nearly four years after the Cameroonian parted ways with the UFC. For the unversed, Ngannou left the promotion in January 2023 after fighting out his contract, with negotiations breaking down over his desire to pursue boxing and other contractual demands.
White has repeatedly claimed that Ngannou is not a nice person to deal with and that he would never do business with him. Now, he has admitted that he was rooting against Ngannou when the heavyweight champion defended his ****** le against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.
For the unversed, the fight took place in January 2022 and marked Ngannou's final Octagon appearance. The Cameroonian successfully defended his heavyweight crown before leaving the UFC after negotiations failed to reach an agreement that would keep him with the promotion.
ALSO READ: Justin Gaethje Breaks Down Ilia Topuria's Emotional and Technical Flaws at UFC Freedom 250
White even considers Ngannou as unlikable as Oscar de la Hoya, his longtime promotional rival. During an interview with BigBoyTV, he said, "Listen, Ngannou is on my Oscar De La Hoya list. Look at the history of Francis Ngannou and the other companies he's been with since. He's a bad guy, man. He's a bad guy. I'm just at a point in my life where I don't want to do business with bad guys. I just don't."

#ngannou

Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let's start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026.
Paulo Costa requested UFC release multiple times with only one fight left on contract – 'I'm very professional': At 35 years of age, maybe Paulo Costa thinks he can cash out in the boxing ring before his career is up? I'm not sure what MMA promotion would pay him significantly more than his current UFC contract.
Paddy Pimblett details hatred of Ilia Topuria: 'I want to inflict pain on his life': It really is remarkable that two random undercard fighters started beefing and then ended up as two of the sport's biggest stars years later.
Justin Gaethje breaks down Ilia Topuria's fatal flaws during UFC White House fight: 'He made terrible mistakes': Gaethje actually offers some interesting insight into Topuria's movement here, good stuff.

#paulo #fight #years #midnight

Eddie Alvarez has an interesting opinion on who could be more trouble for UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
As Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) takes the rest of 2026 off after an upset ******* le win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy will battle in a potential No. 1 contender bout at UFC 331 on Sept. 19 from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Although Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) is more well rounded and has the far better resume than Ruffy (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Alvarez sees Ruffy being a tougher challenge for the champion.
"I actually like Justin's chances a lot against Arman," Alvarez told MMA Junkie. "I think that style against Arman, that's an easier style. I think that's an easier style for Justin than against Ruffy. I think if Arman and Ruffy fight, I think Arman probably wins. But the style matchup that's worse for Gaethje is against Ruffy. Even though it's MMA math and Ruffy loses against Arman, I think Justin has an easier time with Arman."
Former UFC lightweight champion Alvarez broke down why he sees Ruffy presenting a tougher challenge for Gaethje.

#arman #gaethje #tsarukyan

Surging heavyweight Josh Hokit went on tirade on social media after former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira posted a video campaigning for a rematch with Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt.
In a series of X posts targeting Pereira and making his case for the next shot at Gane, Hokit criticized the idea that Pereira and Ilia Topuria could challenge for belts next after both got finished by Gane and Justin Gaethje this past June at UFC White House, respectively.
"As a fan, that fight makes no ***** sense," wrote Hokit, who finished Derrick Lewis on that same card. "I watched you get demolished. How about a more favorable match up like Sergei [Pavlovitch] who is basically a striker & way less athletic than Ciryl. How about you get one ***** win in this weight class before you are gifted another ***** le shot."
"Growing up, I loved the UFC & all of its fighters," he continued on a separate post. "So it gives me great pleasure to use my platform today to speak the truth: neither Ilia Topuria nor Alex Pereira deserve a ***** ***** le shot in their next fight. They both got handily destroyed. Make them earn it and fight their way back like everyone else."
Hokit argued that Tom Aspinall's manager Eddie Hearn is "obviously" stalling to "buy time in contract negotiations" instead of working on a deal for a ***** le unification bout with Gane. Hokit suggests, then, booking him versus Gane on the upcoming Madison Square Garden show November in New York, while Pereira battles Pavlovich on the same card.

#fucking #ciryl

It has been nearly three months since Alex Pereira's bid to become a UFC champion in a third weight class came to a brutal halt at UFC Freedom 250. Ciryl Gane delivered a statement-making performance to score a second-round knockout in the historic White House co-main event.
The win was a huge moment for Gane, who became just the second fighter in UFC history to win two interim ***** les in the same division. More importantly, it put the French heavyweight in line for a highly anticipated rematch with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall.
However, much of the post-fight discussion wasn't about Gane's performance. Instead, the spotlight quickly turned to the 11 finishing shots he landed on Pereira, with seven appearing to connect to the back of the head and being deemed illegal.
ALSO READ: Ilia Topuria Breaks Down First Career Loss to Justin Gaethje in Deeply Personal 9-Part Essay
Pereira has since repeatedly called out referee Herb Dean and even demanded that he be removed from officiating his future fights. So far, though, nothing has changed on that front, and it appears Pereira is ready to put the controversy behind him and focus on what comes next.

#since #champion #performance #freedom

Fares Ziam will have Trevor Wittman in his corner at UFC Fight Night 287.Ziam (18-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) takes on Axel Sola (12-1-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in Saturday's lightweight co-main event at Accor Arena in Paris.
Ziam has worked with Wittman before, and even served as a key training partner for UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje's UFC 324 fight against Paddy Pimblett. But now Ziam is looking to make a permanent move onto Wittman's team.
"My plan is to move with my family to the U.S. to be in Denver," Ziam told MMA Junkie. "Honestly, like I say, two to three years in Denver and forget, but yes, for me it's important to evolve in this game, to be focused. Before, I didn't have any head coach. I had a team around me, but at this level, we need a head coach, a guy who thinks for you, a guy who works well for you, and Trevor is the best for me."
Ziam saw his six-fight winning streak snapped by Tom Nolan in June at UFC Fight Night 278. Not only was it his first setback in more than four years, he also lost his spot in the lightweight rankings.
"I don't underestimate anybody, but I was on a six-fight win streak," Ziam said. "It's true also, not a lot of hype on this fight, but a fight is a fight, so we need to go 100 percent on focus. In this fight, I lost my focus a little bit. I was too relaxed, but I think everyone knows I'm better than him. But that night, he won."

#fight #years

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 14: (L-R) Opponents Joshua Van of Myanmar and Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil face off during the UFC 331 press conference at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
The next numbered event on the UFC schedule takes place on Saturday, September 19, from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. That event, UFC 331, is headlined by a ***** le fight and a possible ***** le eliminator. In the UFC 331 main event, current flyweight champion Joshua Van puts his ***** le on the line against the man he defeated for that crown, Alexandre Pantoja. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan meets Mauricio Ruffy in a lightweight contest that could determine the next foe for 155-pound champion Justin Gaethje. We look at the opening betting odds and early line movement for the two fights at the top of the UFC 331 marquee.
Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Maurício Ruffy
Patrício Pitbull vs. Choi Doo-ho
Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega
Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski
Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf
Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain
Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira
Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito
Casey O'Neill vs. Eduarda Moura
Ryan Gandra vs. Osman Diaz
Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Yoo Joo-sang

#alexandre #Event #august #arena

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje still welcomes a fight with Conor McGregor.
Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) has been hurling insults towards McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) for years, but a fight never materialized. Despite McGregor's injury layoff, Gaethje remained open to the fight, but McGregor returned from five years away in a welterweight bout against Max Holloway at UFC 329 in July.
He blew out his knee in the opening seconds of the fight in a TKO loss, and is expected to be sidelined for a year. Gaethje on the other hand, upset Ilia Topuria to claim the lightweight ******* le at UFC Freedom 250. Despite their opposing career trajectories, Gaethje would still take that fight.
"If it came to my table, I would entertain it, but I would doubt that," Gaethje told Sports Illustrated (h/t Freak MMA) of McGregor. "He's going through his own stuff. I don't even want to sh*t on that guy anymore. I've done it, and that doesn't work because I've tried."
Gaethje announced after his ******* le win that he won't compete again in 2026. But even if he changed his mind, he reveals he probably couldn't.

#despite #lightweight #title #even

Umar Nurmagomedov thinks his brother, Usman Nurmagomedov, can compete with the UFC's best.
Usman (22-0), who became a free agent after knocking out Archie Colgan at PFL New York last month, could be UFC bound if he opts not to re-sign with PFL. His older brother Umar raved about his work ethic, and thinks he's ready for the elite of the UFC's lightweight division – including champion Justin Gaethje.
"He's an amazing fighter, and I'm a huge fan of his," Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie of Usman. "I like how he spars, how he works, how he does everything as a professional. And even in the cage, he shows he's a high-level fighter. I think he can be competitive with anybody in the world.
"Sometimes people think in other promotions, (they're) bad fighters, but it's not like that. For example, Shabliy is one of the toughest guys, Alexandr Shabliy. Even Arman (Tsarukyan) knows that because he sparred with him a lot. He knows how he's tough, and I think Usman can compete with anybody in the world. Gaethje, Ilia (Topuria), Arman, (Mauricio) Ruffy, anybody."
Their teammate, UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, has openly said he wants to see Usman in the UFC. Nurmagomedov on the other hand, wasn't as direct with his opinion.

#arman

Alexandre Pantoja looks to get his UFC belt back at UFC 331.
The former UFC flyweight champion lost his belt against Joshua Van last December when he suffered an injury in the first round, but gets his anticipated rematch in the UFC 331 main event at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sept. 19.
Arman Tsakruyan makes his long-awaited return against Mauricio Ruffy in a pivotal lightweight contest. The winner of the UFC 331 co-main event could get a ****** le shot against UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
Patricio Pitbull, who has lost two of his three UFC fights since coming over from Bellator, faces Doo Ho Choi, who has won three straight fights, on the main card.
Former UFC featherweight ****** le contender Brian Ortega is once again slated to face Renato Moicano after dropping out of a fight against Moicano earlier this year.

#belt #Event

Arman Tsarukyan knows that nothing in the fight game is guaranteed.
19 months ago, Tsarukyan was set to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight ******* le at UFC 311; however, during fight week, Tsarukyan suffered an injury that forced him out of the bout. Tsarukyan's last-minute withdrawal and subsequent outside-the-cage issues led the UFC to pass him over for a ******* le shot on several occasions, even after he weighed in as a backup fighter for the vacant ******* le fight at UFC 317 and then finished Dana Hooker at UFC Qatar in November.
Now, Tsarukyan is set to face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331 next month, and even if he wins, "Batman" knows that still might not ensure his next fight is for the belt.
"In this sport, not everything is guaranteed," Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting. "You've got to be ready; you've got to beat [anyone]. If they give me one more fight, I'll beat; 10 more fights, I'll beat, and eventually I'll become a champion."
Tsarukyan had hoped that his next outing would be for the lightweight ******* le; however, after Justin Gaethje upset Ilia Topuria at UFC White House to claim the belt, "The Highlight" made it clear he had no interest in fighting again in 2026. As such, Tsarukyan made the easy choice to stay active.

#you 've

Dana White says longevity cost Khabib Nurmagomedov in the GOAT discussion.
Nurmagomedov (29-0) retired in the midst of his prime after three dominant UFC lightweight **** le defenses over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and current champion Justin Gaethje. He hung his gloves up as a promise to his mother after his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, passed away.
In Daniel Cormier's eyes, Nurmagomedov is the GOAT after retiring with an undefeated record and zero involvement with performance-enhancing drugs. As Nurmagomedov's protege Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) enters his first welterweight **** le defense against Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 330 main event (Paramount+) at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, his name is now being thrown around in the GOAT conversation.
"He's obviously accomplished more than Khabib because he fought longer," White told TMZ Sports of Makhachev. "Who knows what Khabib could have accomplished if he had stayed in the game. And realistically, if Khabib had done what everybody pretty much knows Khabib could have done, he definitely would be the GOAT."
As for Makhachev, White already said he's on his way to becoming the greatest of all time. With a win, Makhachev can break the record for most consecutive wins in UFC history, surpassing Anderson Silva's mark of 16. However, the UFC CEO said one thing is hurting Makhachev's case from being No.1.

#nurmagomedov #GOAT #title

Demetrious Johnson hopes Usman Nurmagomedov secures a big bag if he joins the UFC.
Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (22-0) completed the final fight of his PFL contract when he knocked out Archie Colgan in this past Friday's PFL New York main event at UBS Arena.
During his post-fight interview, Nurmagomedov jokingly confronted Jake Paul about his digs towards UFC fighter pay in wake of PFL's merger with MVP.
"If I was Dana, I would pay Usman Nurmagomedov whatever the f*ck he wants to take him away from the PFL merger because you're stealing a star from their organization," Johnson said on his YouTube channel. "I like the position that Usman is in.
"He's beaten everybody over there, and if he is an athlete that wants to test himself against the best in the lightweight division, I think it would be sick to have him fight in the UFC lightweight division when you've got Justin Gaethje, Ilia Topuria ... there are some good fights over there."

#nurmagomedov #fight #johnson

Justin Gaethje isn't done fighting just yet, but he'll need a massive fight to lure him back into the cage.
Gaethje is coming off an epic performance at the UFC White House event, beating down heavy favorite Ilia Topuria to capture the lightweight ****** le. There was some talk of retirement following that win. Gaethje has talked about this being his final run. And in a new interview with MMA Junkie, his manager Ali Abdelaziz shared his thoughts on what's next for "The Highlight."
"2027, we'll see Justin Gaethje fighting," Abdelaziz said. "He's fought two times this year. He deserves the time off. He's still the lightweight champion, undisputed, and I think all these guys have to chase him. But he wants to be in a big fight. A big, big fight. What is the big fight? Who decides that? It's Dana White who decides what's the biggest fight they can make."
As far as Abdelaziz is concerned, Gaethje has already accomplished enough to retire happy. But he won't stop his client from capitalizing on his current position to make a whole lot of money.
"I would like to see Justin Gaethje [retire]," Abdelaziz said. "If he retired today, I will be so happy because he did everything. And if he wants to choose to fight one more time, he can fight one more time because ****** ody tells him what to do. He's the boss."

#gaethje #lightweight

The main event for UFC 331 is finally set with Joshua Van defending his flyweight ***** le in a rematch against former champion Alexandre Pantoja, who is now healthy and ready to compete again.
In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round fight between lightweights who are both jockeying for a ***** le shot against current champion Justin Gaethje.
The main event features Pantoja making his return to action after a freak injury ended his dominant ***** le reign in his first fight against Van in 2025. Pantoja fell awkwardly during an exchange and his arm popped, which forced the fight to be stopped in the opening round.
While he recovered, Van took over as UFC flyweight champion and made a successful defense of his ***** le in a potential Fight of the Year candidate against Tatsuro Taira in May. Now Van looks to settle any debates about his championship reign when he faces Pantoja in a rematch now scheduled for September.
In the co-main event, widely considered the top lightweight contender in the UFC, Tsarukyan returns after spending the better part of the past year making a name for himself in RAF where he's been wrestling almost every month. Now he gets back to business in the UFC trying to build on his five-fight win streak, which includes wins over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker.

#flyweight

Perhaps Justin Gaethje is willing to stick around for some big fights.
Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) likely cemented his status as a UFC Hall of Famer when he claimed undisputed lightweight gold by stunning Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 in June. "The Highlight" pondered retirement, but it didn't take long for him to walk back that thought – even though the likes of Georges St-Pierre are encouraging him to.
Lightweight contenders, such as Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway, are all options for Gaethje's next fight, but are they what he's looking for?
"(In) 2027 we will see Justin Gaethje fighting," Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. "He fought two times this year. He deserves the time off. He's still the lightweight champion, undisputed, and I think all these guys have to chase him. But he wants to be in a big fight – a big, big fight. What is the big fight? Who decides that? It's Dana White who decides what's the biggest fight they can make."
From the WSOF ****** le to the BMF belt to now UFC lightweight champion, Abdelaziz said his longtime client has done it all.

#perhaps #hall

The UFC and head man Dana White are known for being bold. They make events happen in all sorts of places around the globe and don't back down from huge challenges.
The latest triumph from the global MMA leader was Freedom 250. The octagon was brought to the White House. On this historic card, two ***** les were on the line, and some of the biggest names on the planet competed on the South Lawn.
MORE: UFC Power Rankings following Fight Night 283 in Belgrade
The event was groundbreaking, totaling 34 million viewers worldwide. The fights also produced from an entertainment standpoint, as all seven fights ended in TKOs.
It was truly a spectacle. Freedom 250 was capped off by an American breaking through to win the lightweight championship in Justin Gaethje.

#freedom #dana

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

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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?”

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.

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.

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!”

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.

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.