Abus Magomedov is riding high off his UFC 333 win, and who can blame him?
It was a near-perfect recipe. The first-round submission of Cameron Rowston was quick, decisive, and flashy. His flex celebration gave fans a moment to make viral, as did Magomedov's callout of contender Gregory Rodrigues. Perhaps the only thing missing was a Performance of the Night bonus.
"You know what happened last time after my last fight in Baku?" Magomedov told MMA Junkie on Thursday. "It was also a good performance. I was talking into the microphone after the fight. My coach Mike Brown called me and said, 'Why do you ask for the bonus? When fighters ask about the bonus, they never get it.' Then Ali Abdelaziz called me and said, 'Brother, why do you say this?' Then I said, 'OK, this is my first and last time that I ask for some money.' Then, I didn't say anything and still didn't get it."
"... It's better than nothing. But after you know you can get $100,000, $25,000 sounds not so enough. But always Alhamdulillah. Even though I didn't get bonus, I got good money there."
Magomedov (30-7-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC) didn't tap Rowston (15-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC). He choked "The Battle Giraffe" completely unconscious. As blood began to return to Rowston's brain after the stoppage, Magomedov flexed – a similar celebration to that of the one Nate Diaz hit Kurt Pellegrino with many moons ago.

#bonus

Growing security concerns in the Middle East have cast doubt over several major combat sports events scheduled in the region. Recent missile and drone attacks targeting critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, have raised questions about whether upcoming sporting events can proceed as planned.
According to DW News, Ansar Allah, the Yemeni movement commonly known as the Houthis, has repeatedly targeted Riyadh airport. The report cited an October 10 attack that killed 12 people and injured around 300, adding to concerns about security in the region.
The uncertainty has also put the UFC's rumored December 5 Fight Night in the spotlight. The card is expected to feature Israel Adesanya against Shara Magomedov, but speculation has emerged that the event could be canceled or moved elsewhere. Dana White, however, has offered a different outlook, suggesting the UFC is still moving ahead with its plans for the Middle East.
The December 5 card is not the only UFC event attracting attention amid the regional tensions. UFC 333 is scheduled for October 24 in Abu Dhabi, where Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his featherweight **** le against Movsar Evloev.
Boxing has also been caught up in the uncertainty. Canelo Alvarez's planned October 31, 2026, fight against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh could face complications, with prominent boxing figures, including WBC champion Sebastian Fundora, voicing concerns about security following the airport attacks.

#concerns

Shavkat Rakhmonov hasn't competed since defeating Ian Machado Garry, essentially on one leg, after dealing with knee injuries for nearly two years.
Rakhmonov was slated to fight then-champ Belal Muhammad at UFC 310 in December 2024, but Muhammd withdrew due to injury. Rakhmonov, despite having a miniscus and ACL injury, remained on the card and faced Machado Garry in a No. 1 contender fight, winning a competitive decision.
In a rare interview, Rakhmonov discusses his injuries, and decision making, while also taking a shot at Khabib Nurmagomedov and current welterweight champ Islam Makhachev.
"Well that's my problem, I couldn't fight," Rakhmonov told Alf Global. "If I had fought, I could've become champion, but that's how it turned out. I was injured. What can I do? We are only human. We are bound to make plenty of mistakes. …
"I actually shouldn't even have fought Ian Garry at all. With injuries like that, I shouldn't have fought at all, I just took a risk. That's the Kazakh way. Kazakhs are very daring. They're not afraid. If it had been some other Dagestani fighter like Khabib or Islam Makhachev, they definitely would've refused."

#fight #islam

You know how you can tell when somebody's on the verge of extracting the prize from prizefighting? It's when they begin to dominate headlines without ever throwing a punch.
Oh, Usman Nurmagomedov came close to doing just that in his first unofficial Octagon visit. Last weekend in Shanghai he hopped the fence like a thief in the night after Song Yadong sent his older brother Umar "to the land of wind and ghosts," as my colleague Ben Fowlkes likes to say, loading up as if deliver an elbow as Song did his victory lap. Fortunately, he didn't do it, yet that semi-action — which Usman himself said was much ado about nothing — helped him generate more headlines than Song.
A couple of weeks prior, out in Philadelphia, Usman was shown on the UFC 330 broadcast sitting cageside, the first indications that the UFC is biding its time until it can sign him. It might've been the most exciting thing about the event. The word being tossed around about the world's top MMA free agent signing with the UFC has been "inevitable" ever since, which feels a little Calvinistic for a man of free will.
Everybody is talking about Usman Nurmagomedov. At just 28 and coming into his prime, he's undefeated at 22-0 (1 NC), and he has the sacred name. In fact, he's got two if you factor Kamaru into this. He has Bellator belts in the back of his closet somewhere, and PFL ******* les that he shows off at parties. Henry Cejudo said on a podcast this week that the PFL, Usman's longtime promotion, would go belly-up if they let the last of the invincible Nurmagomedov's walk.
"He leaves the PFL tomorrow, the PFL is finished," Cejudo declared. "Straight up."

#last #free #octagon

Khamzat Chimaev is back on the RAF mats and he has a fellow former UFC champion in his sights as he takes on Tyron Woodley on Saturday in the RAF Moscow main event.
RAF Moscow goes down at VTB Arena, with Chimaev and Woodley headlining, and Russian Olympic wrestling champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev taking on Zac Braunagel in the co-main event.
This marks Chimaev's second RAF appearance following a pinfall win over Dillon Danis this past June, while Woodley is also coming off of an RAF victory over Joaquin Buckley, Woodley's first combat sports victory of any kind since 2018. Previously, Chimaev and Woodley held UFC ***** les at 185 pounds and 170 pounds, respectively.
Sadulaev won gold in freestyle wrestling at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and made his RAF debut in July against fellow Olympic champion and Kyle Snyder. Snyder picked up another win in their legendary rivalry, defeating Sadulaev by pinfall at RAF Georgia.
Also competing Saturday are wrestling stars Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Dake, and Kennedy Blades, as well as UFC fighters Bo Nickal and Shara Magomedov, former two-division ONE Championship ***** leholder Anatoly Malykhin, and former Bellator standout Neiman Gracie.

#chimaev #Wrestling #olympic #kyle

PARIS – Dan Hooker is well aware of his current role in the UFC's lightweight division.
Hooker (24-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC) welcomes Salahdine Parnasse (23-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to the octagon in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 287 main event at Accor Arena (Paramount+).
Hooker is currently on a two-fight losing skid, and will be facing Parnasse in enemy territory. While he put his hand up to potentially welcome Usman Nurmagomedov to the UFC, Hooker understands he's in a must-win situation this weekend.
"After a couple of losses and then moving your way down the rankings, I'm more than happy to play the role that I'm in right now and the role that I'm in right now is gatekeeping the top 10 of the UFC's lightweight division," Hooker said during Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 287 media day. "And I'm more than happy to play that role. Is that a position that defines my career? No, it's not. You get your hand raised, and then I'll be looking up at the rankings, and I'll be looking to get back in the mix and to get myself back to **** le contention.
"Yes, you're playing the role of a gatekeeper right now, but that doesn't define your career, the future of your career. The beauty of the sport is it can change in one single night. You get your hand raised against Salahdine with an impressive fight, and showcase the skill and the level that I'm prepared to showcase, that I anticipate of showcasing, we're back in the mix, we're not playing that role anymore, we're targeting someone in the top 10."

#hooker #fight #night

As a fighting legend of MMA, Darren Till has no issues with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier. As a UFC commentator, however, is a different story.
Cormier came to the defense of Usman Nurmagomedov, who jumped into the octagon immediately after his brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, suffered a knockout loss to Song Yadong this past Saturday in the UFC Shanghai main event. Usman's reaction to the finish weren't well received overall, with critics saying he had no business being in the cage and pointing out that Usman appeared to hold back from throwing an elbow at Song while he celebrated his win.
Cormier, who was closely tied to Team Nurmagomedov at American Kickboxing Academy during his career, saw things differently as he came to Usman's defense. Cormier said he was inclined to give Usman "grace" since Umar is his brother and called out critics for their "conspiracy theories" about the apparent held-back elbow strike.
That doesn't sit with Till, who made that very clear in an X post on Tuesday.
"Why is DC always on the defensive of the Nurmagemadovs?" Till wrote. He added, "I am going to be honest as much as I think you are one of the best fighters ever in the UFC, The way you are as a company man and the views are f*cking sh*t. Stop commentating and go and be an ambassador for fat camp you f*cking potato man constantly finding excuses for that side."

#brother

In front of 16,188 of his fellow natives of Shanghai China, Song Yadong put his name in the Bantamweight **** le picture after stunning knockout of heavy-favorite Umar Nurmagomedov.
Despite being a 5-1 underdog according to DraftKings Sportsbook, a hard right-hand from Song knocked out perennial **** le contender Nurmagomedov at 1 minute, 48 seconds of Round 2.
Oriental Sports Center erupted after Nurmagomedov crumbled to the ground.
Song (24-9-1, 1 NC) immediately went into the stands to celebrate the knockout with his fellow natives. The arena was at a roar for several minutes after the knockout.
In his post-fight interview inside the Octagon, Song in his native tongue roared "Who's Next? Who's Next?"

#song #next #natives #China

Usman Nurmagomedov is never going to apologize for caring about his brother's well-being, but that doesn't mean he was trying to attack his opponent at UFC Shanghai.
Song Yadong scored the biggest win of his career on Saturday when he blasted Umar Nurmagomedov with a perfectly timed uppercut that sent the Russian crashing to the canvas to end the fight. Immediately after the fight was stopped, Usman jumped into the cage to check on his brother and Song ended up colliding with him as he ran around the cage to celebrate his victory.
The brief physical altercation led many to speculate that Usman actually tried hitting Song with an elbow strike after running into each other, but the reigning PFL lightweight champion was quick to deny that allegation while addressing the incident on social media.
"People are making such a huge tragedy out of this, they should just calm down," Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram (Russian-to-English translation via Red Corner MMA). "There are things far worse. You don't have to think for long, just look at what is happening in the world.
"And regarding the claims that I supposedly wanted to hit his opponent, if I had wanted to, I would have hit him."

#russian #fight #cage

MMA fans got an early morning treat. UFC Shanghai is in the books and delivered some incredible highlights. The fight card finished with 10 finishes and just three decisions, an all-action slate of matchups.
Even though the fight card delivered as a whole, the takeaway is Song Yadong, who scored a massive upset win against former **** le challenger Umar Nurmagomedov. After narrowly losing the first round, Yadong landed a perfectly timed uppercut as Nurmagomedov shot in for a takedown attempt.
MORE: UFC power rankings following Fight Night 285 in Sacramento
This result is one of the bigger upsets of the year, and theres been a ton of them already in 2026. The win now moves Yadong towards the top of the bantamweight division. It could even land him a **** le shot, but that's not guaranteed, not yet, at least.
Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Sean O'Malley fights Song Yadong during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#fight #nurmagomedov

The Ultimate Fighting Championship touched down again at the SPDBank Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China, for an excitingevent.

In the UFC Shanghai headliner, UmarNurmagomedov and Yadong Songlocked horns in an exciting 135-pound tilt with **** le implications.In the co-main event, UFC strawweight veteran Xiaonan Yancollided with up-and-comer DeniseGomes. The event saw 10 fights end inside the distance, withmost by knockout.

Here's a list of possible matchups for the main card winners.
The UFC Shanghai main event ended with a huge upset as Song(24-9-1, 1 NC; 13-4-1 UFC) starched former 135-pound **** lechallenger Nurmagomedov (20-2, 8-2 UFC). Song clipped his foe witha well-timed punch right on the ear, immediately dropping him.The two follow-up punches turned Nurmagomedov's lights out, and theofficial end came at the 1:48 mark of Round 2. With the currentdivisional **** leholder Petr Yan andNo. 1 challenger MerabDvalishvili already set to lock horns in October, the logicalmatchup for Song seems to be a rematch with Sean O'Malley. "Suga"impressed in his outing at UFC White House, and the "Kung Fu Kid"looks mature enough to overcome his rival, and possibly not leaveit in the judges' hands this time. In their first encounter,O'Malley took home a unanimous decision victory.
In the co-feature, Gomes (13-3, 7-2 UFC) crushed Yan (19-6, 1 NC;9-5 UFC) in an intriguing clash in the women's strawweightdivision. Gomes landed a vicious elbow to her opponent's face before following up withmore punches, forcing the halt at 4:49 of Round 1. A surgingcontender in the women's strawweight division, the Brazilian is nowriding a five-bout winning streak and is 7-1 in her most recentassignments. A few interesting names are climbing the rankings at115 pounds, so it might be time to see who's the next big thing ina clash with AlexiaThainara. "Burguesinha" is currently riding an impressive13-bout winning streak. The winner of this clash might be next fora dance with the current divisional queen, MackenzieDern.
It took a little more than a round for Kai Asakura(23-6, 2-2 UFC) to stop onetime Wu Lin Feng **** leholder Qileng Aori(26-14, 1 NC; 4-6, 1 NC UFC) with a praiseworthy sequence started by a head kick followed by punches and punctuated by someknees to the body. The official end came 34 seconds into Round2. Asakura has scored back-to-back wins now, and it's time for theformer Rizin Fighting Federation 135-pound **** leholder to step upin competition. ViniciusOliveira is currently looking for a fight, coming off a winover Andre Fili inJune. Neither Asakura nor Oliveira backs down when it comes totrading blows, and the outcome could be a treat fortechnical-striking fans.
In a 125-pound attraction, Su Mudaerji(20-7, 1 NC; 7-4, 1 NC UFC) finally managed to overcome Alex Perez(26-11, 1 NC; 8-7, 1 NC UFC). The first time the pair met in theOctagon, it ended in no contest following an accidental groin shot.This time, Mudaerji relied on sharper strikes and so

Umar Nurmagomedov's return to the octagon at UFC Fight Night 286 didn't end in a pretty scene.
Umar (20-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) was left unconscious after eating a monster uppercut from fellow UFC bantamweight ***** le contender Song Yadong (24-9-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) in the main event of Saturday's card in Shanghai.
Song's win was a big upset that few predicted. It left many watching in shock, but perhaps those impacted most were Umar's corner team, which was composed of PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, as well as Iakub Shikhdzhamalov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov. All four were left visibly distraught by the result.
Usman, the younger brother of Usman, jumped into the cage and immediately rushed toward his fallen sibling. In the process, Usman collided with Song, who was running around the octagon celebrating the upset in front of an electric crowd. It then appeared that Usman held back from throwing an elbow at Song.
THe situation quickly deescalated, with Khabib offering to help wipe blood from Song's cut eyebrow as the teams interacted in a respectful manner.

#song #khabib #night

Song Yadong delivered as a massive underdog at home in the UFC Fight Night 286 main event.
Song (24-9-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) took out former ****** le challenger Umar Nurmagomedov (20-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) with a big knockout at the 1:48 mark of Round 2. The bantamweight bout was the headliner at Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in China.
Nurmagomedov struck first with a low kick. Song fired back with one of his own, then landed a body kick. Song threw a low kick, which Nurmagomedov caught to land a takedown. Song grabbed Nurmagomedov's neck to try and cinch in a guillotine choke, but Nurmagomedov popped his head out. Nurmagomedov controlled Song on the ground, but Song eventually got back up with just over a minute left in the round. Song landed a right, but Nurmagomedov shoved him off.
In Round 2, Nurmagomedov threw a couple of leg kicks then went up high. Nurmagomedov shot for a takedown, but Song shucked him off. As Nurmagomedov dipped, Song landed a short right uppercut on the ear, followed by several shots which knocked Nurmagomedov out cold.
In his post-fight octagon interview with Brendan Fitzgerald, Song called for a ****** le shot after pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the year. The Team Alpha Male Fighter has now won three of his past four fights, with his lone blemish being a narrow decision loss to Sean O'Malley in January.

#round #fight

MMA Fighting has UFC Shanghai results for the Nurmagomedov vs. Song fight card, a live blog of the main event, and more from Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China, on Saturday morning.
In the main event, Umar Nurmagomedov takes on Song Yadong in a battle of bantamweight contenders. Nurmagomedov is currently No. 3 at 135 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Song holds the No. 7 spot. Both fighters are coming off of recent wins over former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
Ranked strawweights Yan Xioanan and Denise Gomes compete in the co-main event with a potential ****** le fight on the line.
Check out UFC Shanghai results below.
Main Card (Paramount+, LIVE NOW)

#shanghai #nurmagomedov #Event #fight

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live THIS MORNING (Sat., Aug. 29, 2026) with UFC Shanghai, streaming live online via Paramount+. The event happens at Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. The main event is Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong in the Bantamweight division.
The UFC returns to China for the second time this year. In May they were in Macau. And this is also the second time they've been to Shanghai in as many years. Who can forget the massive upset Johnny Walker pulled off over The Mountain Tiger the last time they were here?
There's a home soil hero on this card, too. It's Song Yadong. But it will be an upset if he manages to pull off the win against the -600 Umar Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov will be looking for a suffocating victory to get himself back in the **** le picture against fellow countryman Petr Yan.
The co-main event is Yan Xiaonan vs. Denise Gomes. Former **** le challenger Yan is climbing past her mid-thirties, but she will hope she has enough left in the tank to beat the rising Brazilian talent. Gomes will have revenge on her mind in this fight. Yan once knocked out Gomes' mentor Jessica Andrade.
Rounding out the main card is Aoriqileng vs. Kai Asakura, Alex Perez vs. Sumudaerji, Liu Ce vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr. and Bilal Hasan vs. Nilson Rojas. A number of those fights seem engineered to produce viral moments.

#Event #song #yadong

MMA Fighting has UFC Shanghai results for the Nurmagomedov vs. Song fight card, a live blog of the main event, and more from Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China, on Saturday morning.
In the main event, Umar Nurmagomedov takes on Song Yadong in a battle of bantamweight contenders. Nurmagomedov is currently No. 3 at 135 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Song holds the No. 7 spot. Both fighters are coming off of recent wins over former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
Ranked strawweights Yan Xioanan and Denise Gomes compete in the co-main event with a potential ****** le fight on the line.
Check out UFC Shanghai results below.
Main Card (Paramount+, 6 a.m. ET)

#main #nurmagomedov #fighting #fight

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live THIS MORNING (Sat., Aug. 29, 2026) with UFC Shanghai, streaming live online via Paramount+. The event happens at Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. The main event is Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong in the Bantamweight division.
The UFC returns to China for the second time this year. In May they were in Macau. And this is also the second time they've been to Shanghai in as many years. Who can forget the massive upset Johnny Walker pulled off over The Mountain Tiger the last time they were here?
There's a home soil hero on this card, too. It's Song Yadong. But it will be an upset if he manages to pull off the win against the -600 Umar Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov will be looking for a suffocating victory to get himself back in the ****** le picture against fellow countryman Petr Yan.
The co-main event is Yan Xiaonan vs. Denise Gomes. Former ****** le challenger Yan is climbing past her mid-thirties, but she will hope she has enough left in the tank to beat the rising Brazilian talent. Gomes will have revenge on her mind in this fight. Yan once knocked out Gomes' mentor Jessica Andrade.
Rounding out the main card is Aoriqileng vs. Kai Asakura, Alex Perez vs. Sumudaerji, Liu Ce vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr. and Bilal Hasan vs. Nilson Rojas. A number of those fights seem engineered to produce viral moments.

#nurmagomedov #gomes #Event #yadong

Shanghai Indoor Stadium hosts UFC Fight Night 286. Headlined by a bantamweight bout between No. 2 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov and No. 6 ranked Song Yadong, the event marks the promotion's third visit to Shanghai.
In the co-featured fight, former **** le challenger and No. 4 ranked Yan Xiaonan faces and No. 9 ranked octagon veteran Denise Gomes.
The live results for the event begin at 3 p.m. ET. Refresh the page of the latest outcomes.
Main Card begins at 6 a.m. ET on Paramount+
Preliminary Card begins at 3 a.m. ET on Paramount+

#fight #begins #stadium

Uncrowned has UFC Shanghai live results, round-by-round updates, highlights and start time for the Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong fight card on Saturday at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. In the main event, top UFC bantamweight contenders Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong collide in a pivotal five-round showdown.
Nurmagomedov (20-1) enters his second UFC main event on the heels of back-to-back decision wins over Mario Bautista and Deiveson Figueiredo. The 30-year-old's lone career defeat came in his first UFC ******* le shot against then-champion Merab Dvalishvili in January 2025.
Song (23-9-1, 1 NC) returns to action after scoring a submission win over Figueiredo in May. The 28-year-old Chinese contender has won two of his past three fights, sandwiching victories over Figueiredo and former champion Henry Cejudo around a decision loss to Sean O'Malley.
UFC Shanghai starts at 3 a.m. ET with a seven-fight preliminary card on Paramount+. The six-fight main card kicks off at 6 a.m. ET on Paramount+.
Follow along with Uncrowned's live UFC Shanghai results, highlights and live blog below, including round-by-round play-by-play for the main card.

#umar

Umar Nurmagomedov(135.5) vs. Yadong Song (136) Denise Gomes (115) vs.Xiaonan Yan (115.5) Kai Asakura (135.5) vs.Qileng Aori (135.5) Su Mudaerji (125) vs. AlexPerez (126) Ce Liu(206) vs. Levi Rodrigues (206) Bilal Hasan (124.5) vs.Nilson Rojas (124.5) NamsraiBatbayar (126) vs. Andre Lima (127: Missed Weight) Kevin Borjas (126) vs. ReiTsuruya (125) Jack Jenkins (145) vs.Sean Woodson (145) Long Xiao (135) vs.Francesco Nuzzi (136) Lawrence Lui (135.5)vs. Hector Santiago (135) Jingnan Xiong (117: Missed Weight) vs. Julia Polastri (118.5:Missed Weight) Meng Ding (170) vs. CameronNelson (170) Sherdog's live UFC Shanghai coverage will begin Saturday at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m.PT. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 286.

#missed #umar #nurmagomedov #asakura

UFC Shanghai is less than 24 hours away …
It all goes down this weekend (Sat., Aug. 29, 2026), inside Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China. In the main event, No. 6-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight contender Song Yadong returns to action against former ****** le challenger Umar Nurmagomedov with big implications.
We have a weekly series at MMAmania.com called "Weekend Lock," where we share one bet that we predict will slap in China when the chaotic dust settles. We also want to hear what our readers think (that's you!), so please tell us your most confident UFC Shanghai betting lock in the comments section below (see full UFC Shanghai odds here).
Last week's recap: And just like that, the streak has ended … Anthony Wint won at UFC Sacramento but did not win by knockout; instead, he submitted his opponent (watch highlights).
Let's keep rolling below (spoiler — I'm chasing the knockout again):

#shanghai #indoor #stadium

PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov had some choice words for the UFC's top-ranked lightweights.
Nurmagomedov (22-0) is a free agent after retaining his belt with a first-round knockout out Archie Colgan at PFL New York last month. The 28-year-old is looking to either re-sign with the PFL or ink a deal with the UFC.
Nurmagomedov has beaten all of PFL's top lightweights, including Paul Hughes twice. He disagrees with the notion that the best fighters are only in the UFC, and picked apart the current rankings and matchups that have taken place in the octagon.
"There's a narrative that if you don't compete in the UFC, you're not on that high level, and I don't agree with that," Nurmagomedov told Sport24 (h/t Red Corner MMA). "Just look at the guys who are in the UFC top 10. They just keep fighting each other and maintain their top-10 spots. Benoit Saint Denis, he was 4-0 then lost to Dustin Poirier, then he lost to (Renato) Moicano, and won three times after that, and then lost in the first round within 30 seconds (vs. Pimblett), but he's still in the top five, oddly enough.
"Pimblett lost to a 37-year-old veteran, but he's the No. 1 contender now, right? Or No. 2. 17-0 Topuria, who had been praising himself as the greatest, he lost, quit on the stool, saying he wasn't going to continue. Arman (Tsarukyan), he lost to (Mateusz) Gamrot, he lost to Islam (Makhachef). He is just waiting it out, fighting once a year and saying he's the best fighter in the world. While he fought twice, I defended my **** le four times. The UFC PR machine is very powerful. The brand is very solid, but I wouldn't say they all put on such great fights."

#pimblett #twice

PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov hasn't entered the UFC yet, but he's already talking trash about the quality of opposition he may face when he gets there.
Nurmagomedov fought the last fight on his PFL contract last month, and recently revealed he turned down a $2 million per fight offer from the organization in order to wait out the 90 day exclusive negotiation period and see what other promotions might offer him. Promotions like the UFC, where he could finally get his due as one of the best lightweights in the world.
In an interview with Sport24, Usman pushed back on the idea that the top fighters are all in the UFC.
"They say if you don't fight in the UFC, it's not the same level. I disagree with this," he said. "Just look at the guys in the UFC who sit in the top 10 and they just fight amongst themselves and keep the top ten closed. For example, Benoit Saint Denis. Won 4, lost to Dustin Poirier, lost to 'Money' Moicano, lost 3 more. Lost in 30 seconds. [Michael] Chandler. Top 15. He's there. Lost to [Paddy] Pimblett."
"[Ilia] Topuria, who praised himself endlessly, lost. Quit on the stool. Said 'I don't wanna continue.' Arman [Tsarukyan] lost to [Mateusz] Gamrot, and he lost to Islam [Makhachev]. He sits, waits a year, fights once, and says that he is the best wrestler in the world. While he had two fights, I made four ****** le defenses."

#fight #promotions #best #World

The official UFC Shanghai: Nurmagomedov vs. Song weigh-ins took place on Thursday in China. The event takes place at Shanghai Indoor Stadium and is headlined by a bantamweight bout between No. 2 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov and No. 6 ranked Song Yadong. The event will mark the promotion's third visit to Shanghai.
Nurmagomedov hit the scales first and officially weighed 135.5 pounds. Yadong came in slightly heavier at 136.
Three fighters failed to make weight. Flyweight Andre Lima weighed in one pound above the 126-pound flyweight limit. Women's flyweights Xiong Jingnan and Julia Polastri came in heavy, Xiong missing weight by one point and Polastri missing her mark 2.5 pounds. Lima was fined 20% of her fight purse. Both fights will proceed and planned.
MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 6 a.m. ET)
Umar Nurmagomedov (135.5) vs. Song Yadong (136)

#flyweight

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

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just over 24 hours away from its upcoming UFC Shanghai mixed martial arts (MMA) event, headlined by the 135-pound showdown between former bantamweight **** le challenger Umar Nurmagomedov and contender Song Yadong. The action gets underway this Sat. (Aug. 29, 2026) on Paramount+ from inside Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China, and also features a strawweight co-headliner between 115-pound **** le hopefuls Yan Xiaonan and Denise Gomes.
Before the Paramount+ live stream gets underway this weekend in Shanghai, which includes the all-action bantamweight contest pitting Kai Asakura against Aori Qileng, all 26 fighters must hit the scale to prove themselves worthy. Note: the promotion (serving as its own athletic commission) affords a one-pound allowance in non-title fights. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 9 p.m. ET, with updated text results to follow below shortly thereafter.
UFC Shanghai Main Card on Paramount+:
135 lbs.: Umar Nurmagomedov () vs. Yadong Song ()
115 lbs.: Xiaonan Yan () vs. Denise Gomes ()
135 lbs.: Aoriqileng () vs. Kai Asakura ()
125 lbs.: Alex Perez () vs. Sumudaerji ()
205 lbs.: Levi Rodrigues Jr. () vs. Ce Liu ()
125 lbs.: Bilal Hasan () vs. Nilson Rojas ()
UFC Shanghai Prelims Card on Paramount+:

#song #xiaonan

YadongSong has left no stone unturned in preparation for his upcomingbout against UmarNurmagomedov.

Song claims to be well-equipped to deal with Nurmagomedov'sgrappling prowess ahead of their Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight clash at UFC Shanghai. The Chinese 135-pounder even worked with Georgianwrestlers who are familiar with the wrestling system used byNurmagomedov's team.
While Song is a competent grappler, he's well aware of thechallenge Nurmagomedov presents and is confident should the fighthit the mat.

"Umar is a very tough guy," Song said in a recent interview. "Eveneverybody knows he's a very good grappler. So, I just prefer to usestriking... But if you want to grapple, let's grapple. Doesn'tmatter."

Song further revealed that he traveled to Georgia before beginninghis latest training camp, where he worked with Olympic and worldchampions familiar with the style used by KhabibNurmagomedov's team.

"So, before the camp start, I went to Georgia to train with theOlympic champs, world champs," Song added. "They teach me a lot andthey know what Khabib's team does. So, they teach me some tricks. Ifeel super ready for this fight."

#song #georgia #familiar #grapple

Hello everyone, and welcome back for another week of rankings in the UFC. This weekend was another great card for the UFC as we saw Gregory Rodrigues take apart Anthony Hernandez in the main event. This went with the rest of the card, where we saw some other favorites lose as well.
Next up is UFC Fight Night 286 in Shanghai, China, which features Umar Nurmagomedov versus Yadong Song for the main event. With this card stacked better than last week's fight card, let's all get ready to enjoy another weekend of fights.
That being said, let's get to this week's rankings and see who made it. Have a great day, everyone, and may the fights be with you.
MORE: Former NY Jets linebacker making UFC debut in Sacramento
May 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, UNITED STATES; Joshua Van (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Tatsuro Taira (blue gloves) during UFC 328 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

#weekend #main #fights

Jordan Burroughs has called for a wrestling match against Georges St.Pierre, revealing that the Ultimate Fighting Championship legend is his top choice.

The Olympic gold medalist recently called out the UFC Hall of Famerfor a freestyle wrestling match under the Real American Freestylebanner, proposing a meeting at RAF 14 in Las Vegas on Oct. 3.
Burroughs discussed a potential match with St. Pierre during anappearance on "The Ariel Helwani Show" after his recent RAF victoryover Sean Bradyon Aug. 22. When the Canadian's name came up as a possibleopponent, Burroughs made his interest clear.

"Yeah, Georges, if you're out there, I would love to competeagainst you," Burroughs said. "I'd love to wrestle you. I honoryou. I honor your legacy. And I don't want to embarrass you. Idon't want to humiliate you. I just would love to share the stagewith you. And so, he's No. 1. He's at the very top of my list."

Burroughs then proposed a date and location.

"Georges, if you're out there and are watching this show, make ithappen. Las Vegas, Oct. 3."

St. Pierre has not competed professionally since submittingMichaelBisping to capture the UFC middleweight ***** le in 2017. Heofficially retired from mixed martial arts in 2019 and was inductedinto the UFC Hall of Fame the following year.

Burroughs is next scheduled to face Magomed Kurbanaliev at RAFMoscow on Sept. 5.

#pierre #match #vegas #called

Max Holloway may lose a portion of his fight purse following his UFC 329 victory over Conor McGregor — and he's not alone. Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) will decide on Wednesday if the former featherweight and BMF champ, along with lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett and heavyweight newcomer Gable Steveson, will incur disciplinary fines for cage hopping during the July 11 fight card in Las Vegas.
Pimblett defeated Benoit Saint Denis, not long after Steveson steamrolled Elisha Ellison.
"For the record, this rule needs to be changed," Pimblett's manager, Graham Boylan told MMA Junkie. "Yes, it's the fight game, and systems need to be in play to make it all work, but this rule does nothing to support that. It's 2026. Apply a little common sense."
Diego Lopes was dinged $5,000 for a similar infraction at UFC 300.
NSAC has been cracking down on airborne fighters ever since Khabib Nurmagomedov's ****** bombed Dillon Danis at UFC 229 back in late 2018, a fight that also involved McGregor. Speaking of the "Notorious" ex-champion, he's currently sidelined after knee surgery to repair damage suffered in his loss to Holloway — just don't expect much sympathy from the "Blessed" Hawaiian.

#holloway #mcgregor #nsac #nevada