3 days ago
United States attorneys have responded to the lawsuit trying to stop this weekend's UFC Freedom 250 card.
U.S. attorneys said that neither the Department of Interior nor the National Park Service violated any laws regarding the upcoming bout, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House.
The lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of two Virginia residents by the Public Integrity Project, was filed last weekend in federal court in the District of Columbia in an effort to stop the fight card. The lawsuit called the event on White House grounds "deeply corrupt" and alleged that several federal rules and regulations had been violated in an effort by President Donald Trump to give UFC head Dana White a favor.
"The President is giving White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access," the lawsuit reads.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that both the Department of Interior and the National Park Service organized a private sporting event on public property and failed to obtain congressional approval for construction sites. The suit is asking for an injunction to stop the event.
U.S. attorneys said that neither the Department of Interior nor the National Park Service violated any laws regarding the upcoming bout, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House.
The lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of two Virginia residents by the Public Integrity Project, was filed last weekend in federal court in the District of Columbia in an effort to stop the fight card. The lawsuit called the event on White House grounds "deeply corrupt" and alleged that several federal rules and regulations had been violated in an effort by President Donald Trump to give UFC head Dana White a favor.
"The President is giving White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access," the lawsuit reads.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that both the Department of Interior and the National Park Service organized a private sporting event on public property and failed to obtain congressional approval for construction sites. The suit is asking for an injunction to stop the event.
3 days ago
As UFC Freedom 250 inches closer, the trash talk between the main event fighters has steadily escalated. The event, which takes place on the White House lawn on June 14, is headlined by a lightweight ***** le unification bout between champion Ilia Topuria and interim ***** leholder Justin Gaethje.
The two appeared on Tuesday's The Pat McAfee Show in a joint interview but in separate locations. The two immediately began taking verbal shots at each other. Topuria believes Gaethje crossed the line when bringing up his divorce in a recent interview.
"I think it definitely doesn't need to be personal. I mean, ultimately we're going to try to hurt each other. So, I guess that is pretty personal," Gaethje said when asked about the smack talk leading up to the fight.
"But that is the job that we do. I never said anything personal. But we're very vulnerable when it comes to fight week. We're very emotional and so we take everything personal and so no matter what I said or didn't say, we're going to take it personal. No matter what he says, I'm going to take it personal because I have a chip on my shoulder and this guy's trying to fight me, beat me up," Gaethje continued.
"I'm not going to take anything personal from you. Don't worry about it. Don't worry," Topuria responded, talking over Gaethje. "I find the first difference here is you are going to try to hurt me and I'm actually going to hurt you. That's the difference between me and you. You are going to try to do something and I'm going to do it."
The two appeared on Tuesday's The Pat McAfee Show in a joint interview but in separate locations. The two immediately began taking verbal shots at each other. Topuria believes Gaethje crossed the line when bringing up his divorce in a recent interview.
"I think it definitely doesn't need to be personal. I mean, ultimately we're going to try to hurt each other. So, I guess that is pretty personal," Gaethje said when asked about the smack talk leading up to the fight.
"But that is the job that we do. I never said anything personal. But we're very vulnerable when it comes to fight week. We're very emotional and so we take everything personal and so no matter what I said or didn't say, we're going to take it personal. No matter what he says, I'm going to take it personal because I have a chip on my shoulder and this guy's trying to fight me, beat me up," Gaethje continued.
"I'm not going to take anything personal from you. Don't worry about it. Don't worry," Topuria responded, talking over Gaethje. "I find the first difference here is you are going to try to hurt me and I'm actually going to hurt you. That's the difference between me and you. You are going to try to do something and I'm going to do it."
3 days ago
Does a real video show Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson publicly declining the invitation to attend the UFC White House event? No, that's not true: An AI-generated cloned voice has been dubbed over pre-existing video clips of Johnson. One clip -- which appears to show his mouth moving in sync with the audio -- is based on footage from an unrelated 2024 interview. Vanity Fair reported that "a source close to The Rock" said he wasn't attending, but this does not equate to Johnson publicly declining the invitation as represented in the video.
The fake AI-generated audio track can be found in a video uploaded to TikTok by stewart.phylicia on June 6, 2026 (archived here). The post was captioned:
Dwayne Johnson publicly declined the invitation to attend the UFC White House event #celebrity #foryou #dwaynejohnson #ufc
This is a screenshot from the video:
Lead Stories uploaded 20 seconds of this video to the detection tool of AI-generated content at Hive Moderation. This determined with 98.6% confidence that the speech was AI-generated (pictured below).
The fake AI-generated audio track can be found in a video uploaded to TikTok by stewart.phylicia on June 6, 2026 (archived here). The post was captioned:
Dwayne Johnson publicly declined the invitation to attend the UFC White House event #celebrity #foryou #dwaynejohnson #ufc
This is a screenshot from the video:
Lead Stories uploaded 20 seconds of this video to the detection tool of AI-generated content at Hive Moderation. This determined with 98.6% confidence that the speech was AI-generated (pictured below).
3 days ago
More custom gear!
The historic one-of-one White House card, UFC Freedom 250, goes down this weekend (Sun., June 14, 2026), with UFC Lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, unifying the 155-pound ****** le against interim ****** leholder, Justin Gaethje, in the Paramount+-streamed main event.
In the co-main event, Alex Pereira attempts to make UFC history by winning a third ****** le in a third division when he takes on multiple-time Heavyweight ****** le challenger, Ciryl Gane. The entire card takes place on the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
And with just five days left until showtime, the promotion has revealed brand-new custom UFC Freedom 250 gloves that fighters will use during their bouts.
You can buy blue gloves for $49.99, because of course you can.
The historic one-of-one White House card, UFC Freedom 250, goes down this weekend (Sun., June 14, 2026), with UFC Lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, unifying the 155-pound ****** le against interim ****** leholder, Justin Gaethje, in the Paramount+-streamed main event.
In the co-main event, Alex Pereira attempts to make UFC history by winning a third ****** le in a third division when he takes on multiple-time Heavyweight ****** le challenger, Ciryl Gane. The entire card takes place on the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
And with just five days left until showtime, the promotion has revealed brand-new custom UFC Freedom 250 gloves that fighters will use during their bouts.
You can buy blue gloves for $49.99, because of course you can.
3 days ago
A federal lawsuit seeking to stop the UFC Freedom 250 event from being held at the White House on June 14 might be remembered as a footnote.
Unless the lawsuit succeeds in its goal of bringing down one of the most audacious sporting events in history and coinciding with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
What are the chances of that?
USA TODAY Sports spoke to two law professors with expertise in cases involving public land. The White House, public property, is a central part of the complaint that initiated the lawsuit filed June 6 in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C.
"This complaint lays out in a careful way the laws that apply and how they've been violated here," Matthew Sanders, an ***** istant professor of law and co-director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School, told USA TODAY Sports.
Unless the lawsuit succeeds in its goal of bringing down one of the most audacious sporting events in history and coinciding with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
What are the chances of that?
USA TODAY Sports spoke to two law professors with expertise in cases involving public land. The White House, public property, is a central part of the complaint that initiated the lawsuit filed June 6 in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C.
"This complaint lays out in a careful way the laws that apply and how they've been violated here," Matthew Sanders, an ***** istant professor of law and co-director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School, told USA TODAY Sports.
4 days ago
Click here to see the full TIME100 Sports list
I first saw LeBron James play in person in July 2003 during a now defunct NBA Summer League. Some 2,500 people showed up each night for one of six games in what felt like a high school basketball gym on the campus of UMass Boston. Tickets were $15. “I remember the gym, the atmosphere,” James later said. “It was old-school and hot, and the fans, mostly Celtics fans, were right on top of you.” The year before, Sports Illustrated put James on the cover with the line the chosen one. We were there to see whether he was for real.
We now know the answer. James is still on the cover of magazines, including TIME; now, as a member of our inaugural TIME100 Sports list, he is making his third appearance there. We call him the athlete of the century not solely because of his on-court achievements, but also because over his career, he has redefined what it means to be a professional athlete in public life. Through his political engagement and business efforts, James has set a new standard for the generations that follow, and for those who join him on the list, edited by Lori Fradkin, Cate Matthews, and Mark Selig.
That rising influence is why we have now brought the TIME100 to sports. In our increasingly fragmented media environment, sports remains one of the last realms in which massive global audiences gather together in real time. As a result, many industries have drawn closer to live sports, and athletes have continued to seize larger and larger platforms. That has never been more evident than this year, as the Olympics and the World Cup have brought the competitions to center stage and events like the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show and the UFC fight at the White House have shown how sports can dominate the cultural conversation unlike anything else.
Sports is playing a greater role at TIME too. We have invested in ambitious and award-winning sports journalism across breaking news, cover stories, and documentaries. Forty-three athletes have been on the cover in the past decade. In 2019, we named our first Athlete of the Year. In 2024, the TIME Studios documentary Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team was nominated for an Emmy. Of course such figures have always had a place in TIME’s pages. TIME put an athlete on the cover twice in its first year: the horseman and polo champion Stephen “Laddie” Sanford and the boxer Jack Dempsey. Golfer Edith **** s soon followed.
I first saw LeBron James play in person in July 2003 during a now defunct NBA Summer League. Some 2,500 people showed up each night for one of six games in what felt like a high school basketball gym on the campus of UMass Boston. Tickets were $15. “I remember the gym, the atmosphere,” James later said. “It was old-school and hot, and the fans, mostly Celtics fans, were right on top of you.” The year before, Sports Illustrated put James on the cover with the line the chosen one. We were there to see whether he was for real.
We now know the answer. James is still on the cover of magazines, including TIME; now, as a member of our inaugural TIME100 Sports list, he is making his third appearance there. We call him the athlete of the century not solely because of his on-court achievements, but also because over his career, he has redefined what it means to be a professional athlete in public life. Through his political engagement and business efforts, James has set a new standard for the generations that follow, and for those who join him on the list, edited by Lori Fradkin, Cate Matthews, and Mark Selig.
That rising influence is why we have now brought the TIME100 to sports. In our increasingly fragmented media environment, sports remains one of the last realms in which massive global audiences gather together in real time. As a result, many industries have drawn closer to live sports, and athletes have continued to seize larger and larger platforms. That has never been more evident than this year, as the Olympics and the World Cup have brought the competitions to center stage and events like the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show and the UFC fight at the White House have shown how sports can dominate the cultural conversation unlike anything else.
Sports is playing a greater role at TIME too. We have invested in ambitious and award-winning sports journalism across breaking news, cover stories, and documentaries. Forty-three athletes have been on the cover in the past decade. In 2019, we named our first Athlete of the Year. In 2024, the TIME Studios documentary Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team was nominated for an Emmy. Of course such figures have always had a place in TIME’s pages. TIME put an athlete on the cover twice in its first year: the horseman and polo champion Stephen “Laddie” Sanford and the boxer Jack Dempsey. Golfer Edith **** s soon followed.
4 days ago
TKO Group Holdings (TKO) delivered a quarter that generally offers Wall Street a lot to appreciate.
Revenue climbed 26%. Net income rose. Adjusted EBITDA increased 32%. The company reiterated its full-year guidance and approved a further $1 billion in stock buybacks.
On the surface it appeared like a clear victory.
But the quarter also issued a signal investors could not ignore.
The warning was not that TKO is losing steam. The company's fastest growing revenue stream is far less profitable than UFC or WWE.
Revenue climbed 26%. Net income rose. Adjusted EBITDA increased 32%. The company reiterated its full-year guidance and approved a further $1 billion in stock buybacks.
On the surface it appeared like a clear victory.
But the quarter also issued a signal investors could not ignore.
The warning was not that TKO is losing steam. The company's fastest growing revenue stream is far less profitable than UFC or WWE.
4 days ago
When President Donald Trump first floated the idea of hosting a UFC event on the grounds of the White House, few knew what to expect. Now, that vision has become a reality, as UFC Freedom 250 is set to take place on June 14 in the nation’s capital. The historic seven-fight card is stacked with marquee matchups. In the main event, lightweight champion Ilia Topuria will defend his ***** le against interim champion Justin Gaethje. Meanwhile, the co-main event will see former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira attempt to make history when he faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight ***** le.
As intriguing as the fights themselves may be, UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly described Freedom 250 as a one-of-a-kind event. According to reports, the promotion has invested nearly $60 million into staging the card, with little expectation of turning a profit. Instead, White appears focused on the unprecedented attention the event is expected to generate. With the UFC having recently secured a record-breaking $7.7 billion broadcast agreement with Paramount and CBS, all signs point to Freedom 250 attracting a massive audience.
White, however, believes the event could reach an entirely different level. The UFC boss has boldly suggested that the White House spectacle could challenge the viewership numbers typically ***** ociated with the Super Bowl, long regarded as the most-watched sporting event in the United States. Speaking with TNT Sports, White emphasized the historic nature of the event and reflected on how far mixed martial arts has come since its early days. He said, “It’s definitely a one-of-one event. And when you think about where we came from, and how this whole sport started, and how it was frowned upon in the United States, to now be headed to the White House is pretty surreal.”
White then pointed to UFC 306 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, which reportedly cost the company around $20 million to produce, as a benchmark for the scale of the upcoming event. According to the UFC CEO, the White House card will eclipse even that spectacle in terms of production value and presentation.
He said, “If we don’t win every production award for the White House fight, they should just stop doing production awards, because you’re full of ***** . The main event guys will come from the Oval Office. The walkouts and everything for this fight are incredible and a one-of-one.”
As intriguing as the fights themselves may be, UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly described Freedom 250 as a one-of-a-kind event. According to reports, the promotion has invested nearly $60 million into staging the card, with little expectation of turning a profit. Instead, White appears focused on the unprecedented attention the event is expected to generate. With the UFC having recently secured a record-breaking $7.7 billion broadcast agreement with Paramount and CBS, all signs point to Freedom 250 attracting a massive audience.
White, however, believes the event could reach an entirely different level. The UFC boss has boldly suggested that the White House spectacle could challenge the viewership numbers typically ***** ociated with the Super Bowl, long regarded as the most-watched sporting event in the United States. Speaking with TNT Sports, White emphasized the historic nature of the event and reflected on how far mixed martial arts has come since its early days. He said, “It’s definitely a one-of-one event. And when you think about where we came from, and how this whole sport started, and how it was frowned upon in the United States, to now be headed to the White House is pretty surreal.”
White then pointed to UFC 306 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, which reportedly cost the company around $20 million to produce, as a benchmark for the scale of the upcoming event. According to the UFC CEO, the White House card will eclipse even that spectacle in terms of production value and presentation.
He said, “If we don’t win every production award for the White House fight, they should just stop doing production awards, because you’re full of ***** . The main event guys will come from the Oval Office. The walkouts and everything for this fight are incredible and a one-of-one.”
4 days ago
Donald Trump became the first sitting President in United States History to attend the NBA Finals. This is the second time during this term that he has made such history. The first time was becoming the first sitting President to attend the Super Bowl. That contest came on February 9th, 2025 when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.
The crowd reaction is always one of the most anticipated moments of these games, and that was no different on Monday. Here is what happened.
Exactly as he promised, United States President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals in 2026.
Trump was boisterously booed during the national anthem after a few chants of “USA, USA, USA” for the flag. Despite the growing boos, the president saluted and smiled slightly. The cheering resumed once the feed showed Knicks players. Here is the video:
As president, Donald Trump has attended a number of major sporting events during his second term, including the Super Bowl, the college football national championship, the Ryder Cup, the Daytona 500, and numerous events involving the UFC. Additionally, he attended the US Open men’s tennis final last year.
The crowd reaction is always one of the most anticipated moments of these games, and that was no different on Monday. Here is what happened.
Exactly as he promised, United States President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals in 2026.
Trump was boisterously booed during the national anthem after a few chants of “USA, USA, USA” for the flag. Despite the growing boos, the president saluted and smiled slightly. The cheering resumed once the feed showed Knicks players. Here is the video:
As president, Donald Trump has attended a number of major sporting events during his second term, including the Super Bowl, the college football national championship, the Ryder Cup, the Daytona 500, and numerous events involving the UFC. Additionally, he attended the US Open men’s tennis final last year.
4 days ago
The ambitious UFC White House event will be one of a kind for a variety of reasons — including the natural elements of the outdoor environment in Washington, D.C.
The event — officially known as UFC Freedom 250 — takes place on the South Lawn of the U.S. White House this Sunday night in celebration of America's 250th birthday next month. As there's no usable venue directly around the White House’s Executive Mansion to host a fight, the UFC had to build a makeshift setup outside.
For some fighters competing this weekend, it’ll be their first time fighting outdoors. But not featherweight contender Steve Garcia.
Garcia, who’s set to open the historic event alongside opponent Diego Lopes, shared his previous experiences of fighting outdoors on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," letting his peers know what to expect.
"I've fought outdoors twice. The first one was at night, so I dealt with the bugs and all that," Garcia told Uncrowned. "All the lights in the back had to get shifted forward to the [cage], and we had no light in the back to warm up. So we were blind. Everybody was with their phones, wrapping their hands and hitting pads with the lights from our phones, then we walked to the cage. People didn't think about that. That was one instance. There are bugs and stuff, and it was at night, so it wasn't terrible — maybe 75 degrees.
The event — officially known as UFC Freedom 250 — takes place on the South Lawn of the U.S. White House this Sunday night in celebration of America's 250th birthday next month. As there's no usable venue directly around the White House’s Executive Mansion to host a fight, the UFC had to build a makeshift setup outside.
For some fighters competing this weekend, it’ll be their first time fighting outdoors. But not featherweight contender Steve Garcia.
Garcia, who’s set to open the historic event alongside opponent Diego Lopes, shared his previous experiences of fighting outdoors on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," letting his peers know what to expect.
"I've fought outdoors twice. The first one was at night, so I dealt with the bugs and all that," Garcia told Uncrowned. "All the lights in the back had to get shifted forward to the [cage], and we had no light in the back to warm up. So we were blind. Everybody was with their phones, wrapping their hands and hitting pads with the lights from our phones, then we walked to the cage. People didn't think about that. That was one instance. There are bugs and stuff, and it was at night, so it wasn't terrible — maybe 75 degrees.
4 days ago
An insane event must have special outfits, right?
The historic one-of-one White House card, UFC Freedom 250, goes down this weekend (Sun., June 14, 2026), with UFC Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria unifying the ***** le against interim ***** leholder Justin Gaethje in the main event.
In the co-main event, Alex Pereira attempts to make UFC history by winning a third ***** le in a third division when he takes on multiple-time Heavyweight ***** le challenger Ciryl Gane. The entire card takes place on the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
Before each fight — and every round — viewers will see custom Octagon girl outfits designed specifically for the historic event … And they are as lackluster as the fighter kits.
Several different outfits will be worn throughout the card, with the looks changing after every two fights. That means after Steve Garcia vs. Diego Lopes and Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, a new outfit will be used for the next two fights, and so on.
The historic one-of-one White House card, UFC Freedom 250, goes down this weekend (Sun., June 14, 2026), with UFC Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria unifying the ***** le against interim ***** leholder Justin Gaethje in the main event.
In the co-main event, Alex Pereira attempts to make UFC history by winning a third ***** le in a third division when he takes on multiple-time Heavyweight ***** le challenger Ciryl Gane. The entire card takes place on the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
Before each fight — and every round — viewers will see custom Octagon girl outfits designed specifically for the historic event … And they are as lackluster as the fighter kits.
Several different outfits will be worn throughout the card, with the looks changing after every two fights. That means after Steve Garcia vs. Diego Lopes and Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, a new outfit will be used for the next two fights, and so on.
4 days ago
LAS VEGAS – Alessandro Costa met the media Saturday after his win over Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 278.
Costa (16-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) pounded out Schnell (17-11 MMA, 7-9 UFC) with a first-round TKO to close out the prelims at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Schnell announced his retirement the day after the loss.
Costa and Schnell first were supposed to fight in September 2024, but Costa had to pull out. Schnell fought and lost to Cody Durden on short notice – and nearly retired after that setback, which would have left Costa without the chance to fight him.
"I'm very happy," Costa said at his post-fight news conference. "This was a fight that I already wanted. Ever since the fight got canceled, I had plans to fight him again. Today was the day, and thank God everything went exactly the way we planned.
"… When the injury happened and he talked about retirement, I just moved on mentally. I started focusing on other opportunities. But when he came back, it became a possibility again. It happened at the right time for me, coming off a win and building momentum. God's timing is perfect."
Costa (16-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) pounded out Schnell (17-11 MMA, 7-9 UFC) with a first-round TKO to close out the prelims at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Schnell announced his retirement the day after the loss.
Costa and Schnell first were supposed to fight in September 2024, but Costa had to pull out. Schnell fought and lost to Cody Durden on short notice – and nearly retired after that setback, which would have left Costa without the chance to fight him.
"I'm very happy," Costa said at his post-fight news conference. "This was a fight that I already wanted. Ever since the fight got canceled, I had plans to fight him again. Today was the day, and thank God everything went exactly the way we planned.
"… When the injury happened and he talked about retirement, I just moved on mentally. I started focusing on other opportunities. But when he came back, it became a possibility again. It happened at the right time for me, coming off a win and building momentum. God's timing is perfect."
4 days ago
Dana White has high hopes for the number of people who will watch the UFC Freedom 250 event at The White House.
Those hopes, like many of the things White has said over the years, appear detached from reality.
While it might sound like a scene right out of the Mike Judge film Idiocracy, the controversial seven-fight MMA event will indeed take place on the South Lawn of the White House, and President Donald Trump will be in attendance on his 80th birthday.
White, a close friend of Trump’s who has spoken on his behalf on many occasions (but please don’t say he’s political), has high hopes for the event’s viewership, despite the card disappointing some fight fans.
“For UFC fans all over the world, this is a very unique experience for everybody,” White told TNT Sports UK. “We’re expecting Super Bowl-type numbers for this fight.”
Those hopes, like many of the things White has said over the years, appear detached from reality.
While it might sound like a scene right out of the Mike Judge film Idiocracy, the controversial seven-fight MMA event will indeed take place on the South Lawn of the White House, and President Donald Trump will be in attendance on his 80th birthday.
White, a close friend of Trump’s who has spoken on his behalf on many occasions (but please don’t say he’s political), has high hopes for the event’s viewership, despite the card disappointing some fight fans.
“For UFC fans all over the world, this is a very unique experience for everybody,” White told TNT Sports UK. “We’re expecting Super Bowl-type numbers for this fight.”
4 days ago
In case Ilia Topuria needed any more motivation ahead of this weekend's UFC White House event, Justin Gaethje is doing his **** dest to comply.
Topuria is set to make the first defense of his UFC lightweight **** le Sunday in a unification match against interim champion Gaethje on the South Lawn of the U.S. White House. The matchup headlines a historic seven-fight card in the nation's capital, and for Topuria, it doubles as a return to competition following a lengthy absence caused by issues in his personal life — namely the champ's recent divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife.
Tensions between Topuria and Gaethje have escalated as the event nears, with Gaethje recently calling his rival "an annoying little **** " and mocking Topuria's divorce in an interview with FOX Sports. "I can say this: I would leave him [too]," Gaethje said of Topuria. "That's all I'm saying. I would leave him. No way I would put up with his s***."
As fight week kicks off, Topuria issued a two-part response on Monday.
Said Topuria in the debut edition of the event's "UFC Embedded" series, while flipping Gaethje off with a double-bird salute:
Topuria is set to make the first defense of his UFC lightweight **** le Sunday in a unification match against interim champion Gaethje on the South Lawn of the U.S. White House. The matchup headlines a historic seven-fight card in the nation's capital, and for Topuria, it doubles as a return to competition following a lengthy absence caused by issues in his personal life — namely the champ's recent divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife.
Tensions between Topuria and Gaethje have escalated as the event nears, with Gaethje recently calling his rival "an annoying little **** " and mocking Topuria's divorce in an interview with FOX Sports. "I can say this: I would leave him [too]," Gaethje said of Topuria. "That's all I'm saying. I would leave him. No way I would put up with his s***."
As fight week kicks off, Topuria issued a two-part response on Monday.
Said Topuria in the debut edition of the event's "UFC Embedded" series, while flipping Gaethje off with a double-bird salute:
5 days ago
Less than a week away from the UFC White House event that has been nearly a year in the making, it doesn't seem like anyone is setting their sights low.
"We're expecting Super Bowl-type numbers for this fight," UFC CEO Dana White told TNT Fight Sports.
U.S. President Donald Trump, no stranger to hyperbole, at one point promised that this event would be "the greatest show on earth." White House spokesman Davis Ingle was slightly more measured, calling it "one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history."
Mark Shapiro, president and COO of UFC parent company TKO, has said the event will be "a once-in-a-generation moment."
In other words, this is going to be big. Just how big — and for whom, exactly — remains to be seen.
"We're expecting Super Bowl-type numbers for this fight," UFC CEO Dana White told TNT Fight Sports.
U.S. President Donald Trump, no stranger to hyperbole, at one point promised that this event would be "the greatest show on earth." White House spokesman Davis Ingle was slightly more measured, calling it "one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history."
Mark Shapiro, president and COO of UFC parent company TKO, has said the event will be "a once-in-a-generation moment."
In other words, this is going to be big. Just how big — and for whom, exactly — remains to be seen.
5 days ago
Max Holloway will go from fighting Conor McGregor at featherweight to rematching him at welterweight.
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) welcomes McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) back to the octagon in the UFC 329 main event on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
The bout will take place at 170 pounds, a weight Holloway never competed at, but McGregor did twice.
"My thoughts on the fight being at 170 was like, who cares?" Holloway said on his YouTube channel. "Weight is just a number. Real gladiators back in the day, they didn't walk around with a scale. You show up and you fight, and I'm a fighter. That's what I do – open weight class, whatever weight class. I'm glad I get to share the octagon with him."
McGregor defeated Holloway in their first fight which took place at 145 pounds in 2013. Both went onto become UFC champions, but "Blessed" says the stakes are different this time.
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) welcomes McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) back to the octagon in the UFC 329 main event on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
The bout will take place at 170 pounds, a weight Holloway never competed at, but McGregor did twice.
"My thoughts on the fight being at 170 was like, who cares?" Holloway said on his YouTube channel. "Weight is just a number. Real gladiators back in the day, they didn't walk around with a scale. You show up and you fight, and I'm a fighter. That's what I do – open weight class, whatever weight class. I'm glad I get to share the octagon with him."
McGregor defeated Holloway in their first fight which took place at 145 pounds in 2013. Both went onto become UFC champions, but "Blessed" says the stakes are different this time.
5 days ago
Over the past two years, Dana White has repeatedly called out what he sees as flaws in the UFC’s rankings system. The UFC CEO has frequently criticized the media-voted rankings, arguing that they often fail to accurately reflect fighters’ performances and standing within their divisions. One of the most notable examples came in October 2024, when White blasted the rankings after Khalil Rountree Jr. remained at No. 8 in the light heavyweight division despite his spirited performance against Alex Pereira at UFC 307.
White also took issue with pound-for-pound rankings that placed Islam Makhachev at No. 1 while Jon Jones was still actively competing, insisting that Jones was the greatest fighter of all time and the rightful holder of the top spot. The rankings came under fire again following UFC Paris in 2024. Renato Moicano delivered a dominant stoppage victory over Benoît Saint-Denis, yet his position remained unchanged at No. 11 in the lightweight rankings.
The Brazilian publicly criticized the system, and White backed him wholeheartedly, even labeling the reporters responsible for the rankings as **** s. White’s frustration extended to situations such as Max Holloway remaining ranked below Justin Gaethje despite scoring a dramatic knockout victory over him at UFC 300. In response, the UFC boss revealed that he had begun exploring technological alternatives to replace the current voting system.
ALSO READ: The Rock Among Celebrities Reportedly Skipping UFC’s Freedom 250 Card at the White House
White also took issue with pound-for-pound rankings that placed Islam Makhachev at No. 1 while Jon Jones was still actively competing, insisting that Jones was the greatest fighter of all time and the rightful holder of the top spot. The rankings came under fire again following UFC Paris in 2024. Renato Moicano delivered a dominant stoppage victory over Benoît Saint-Denis, yet his position remained unchanged at No. 11 in the lightweight rankings.
The Brazilian publicly criticized the system, and White backed him wholeheartedly, even labeling the reporters responsible for the rankings as **** s. White’s frustration extended to situations such as Max Holloway remaining ranked below Justin Gaethje despite scoring a dramatic knockout victory over him at UFC 300. In response, the UFC boss revealed that he had begun exploring technological alternatives to replace the current voting system.
ALSO READ: The Rock Among Celebrities Reportedly Skipping UFC’s Freedom 250 Card at the White House
5 days ago
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal lawsuit seeks to halt the upcoming UFC fight card on the White House South Lawn in a mixed martial arts show timed for President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and part of the celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary.
The filing Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents contends the Trump administration's authorization of the June 14 event was unlawful. The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event ***** e and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.
"This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain," said Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "And that is what is motivating this lawsuit."
The White House said in a statement that the legal challenge was "an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory" attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight and that the event was "no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year."
UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
The filing Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents contends the Trump administration's authorization of the June 14 event was unlawful. The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event ***** e and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.
"This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain," said Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "And that is what is motivating this lawsuit."
The White House said in a statement that the legal challenge was "an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory" attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight and that the event was "no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year."
UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
6 days ago
LAS VEGAS – Brendan Allen wants his shot at the UFC middleweight ***** le, or at the very least a fight that gets him just hat.
Allen (27-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC), a veteran contender at 185 pounds, maintained his top five position in the division with a solid win over Edmen Shahbazyan (16-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 278 (Paramount+) – which took place Saturday at the Meta APEX. The victory put Allen on a three-fight winning streak, and now he wants to cash those wins for an chance at UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland.
"I don't think I deserve anything. I earned (it). I try to earn everything I get," Allen said at the UFC Fight Night 278 post-fight press conference. "I mean, f*ck, I hope Sean goes out here and he's the champion, so hopefully he picks me. Let's run this sh*t back. It's been six years since we fought. I think I was beating him going into it. If you watch our fight at different angles, you could tell he didn't hit me with the striking. It wasn't there. So I think I get him out of there now.
"I think Edmen is a better version of him. He's younger. He's more technical. He's faster. So I think Edmen is a better version of him, and I think I get Sean out of there, 'And new.' But you never know. If not, let me and Nassourdine (Imavov) fight. If Nassourdine wants to sit down and wait, that's fine. Let me fight the winner of (Kamaru) Usman and Dricus (Du Plessis) in October, maybe early November at the worst."
Allen has history with Strickland. The two fought back in 2020. Strickland put a halt to a seven-fight winning streak for Allen, while also handing him his first UFC loss.
Allen (27-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC), a veteran contender at 185 pounds, maintained his top five position in the division with a solid win over Edmen Shahbazyan (16-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 278 (Paramount+) – which took place Saturday at the Meta APEX. The victory put Allen on a three-fight winning streak, and now he wants to cash those wins for an chance at UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland.
"I don't think I deserve anything. I earned (it). I try to earn everything I get," Allen said at the UFC Fight Night 278 post-fight press conference. "I mean, f*ck, I hope Sean goes out here and he's the champion, so hopefully he picks me. Let's run this sh*t back. It's been six years since we fought. I think I was beating him going into it. If you watch our fight at different angles, you could tell he didn't hit me with the striking. It wasn't there. So I think I get him out of there now.
"I think Edmen is a better version of him. He's younger. He's more technical. He's faster. So I think Edmen is a better version of him, and I think I get Sean out of there, 'And new.' But you never know. If not, let me and Nassourdine (Imavov) fight. If Nassourdine wants to sit down and wait, that's fine. Let me fight the winner of (Kamaru) Usman and Dricus (Du Plessis) in October, maybe early November at the worst."
Allen has history with Strickland. The two fought back in 2020. Strickland put a halt to a seven-fight winning streak for Allen, while also handing him his first UFC loss.
6 days ago
Belal Muhammad's time as the top welterweight is becoming an increasingly distant memory after he suffered another loss in the UFC Fight Night 278 main event.
Muhammad (24-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) had no answers for Gabriel Bonfim (20-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) on Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. He lost all five rounds on each of the three judges' scorecards, marking his third consecutive defeat since being dethroned of UFC gold by Jack Della Maddalena in May 2025.
Muhammad struggled to find ways to be effective in his previous setbacks to Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry, but those losses are to a more proven caliber of fighter than Bonfim, respectfully.
Maybe Bonfim goes on to be that guy in the division. Unfortunately, that does nothing of benefit to Muhammad now. He turns 38 next month, and this is obviously a proven danger zone for a fighter.
It's not to say Muhammad can't still get some significant wins in this division. His rival and fellow former champion Kamaru Usman was ironically in a nearly identical situation of three straight losses, and he managed to get back on track with a main event win over Joaquin Buckley.
Muhammad (24-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) had no answers for Gabriel Bonfim (20-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) on Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. He lost all five rounds on each of the three judges' scorecards, marking his third consecutive defeat since being dethroned of UFC gold by Jack Della Maddalena in May 2025.
Muhammad struggled to find ways to be effective in his previous setbacks to Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry, but those losses are to a more proven caliber of fighter than Bonfim, respectfully.
Maybe Bonfim goes on to be that guy in the division. Unfortunately, that does nothing of benefit to Muhammad now. He turns 38 next month, and this is obviously a proven danger zone for a fighter.
It's not to say Muhammad can't still get some significant wins in this division. His rival and fellow former champion Kamaru Usman was ironically in a nearly identical situation of three straight losses, and he managed to get back on track with a main event win over Joaquin Buckley.
6 days ago
The Ultimate Fighting Championship gala extravaganza hasencountered a legal hitch.
On Friday, the Public Integrity Project—a firm with the missionstatement to "stop corruption"—sued the U.S. government on behalfof two individuals from Virginia. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District ofColumbia (D.D.C.), defendants include the Acting Director of theNational Park Service (NPS) Jessica Bowron, the National CapitalRegion Director of the NPS Jen Nersesian, the U.S. Department ofthe Interior and its Secretary, Doug Burgum. The plaintiffs requestthat the court deems the organization of the event itself unlawfuland shuts it down, while removing the structures built on the WhiteHouse lawn to accommodate the fight card.
In the suit itself, the demand for relief declares that thearrangement between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the WhiteHouse is corrupt, partially due to the personal relationshipbetween President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO DanaWhite. The lawsuit goes on to point out that the President willgive "unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial tostage a private, for-profit sports event."
Attorney Brendan Ballou put out a statement to the ******* ociated Pressin regards to the suit. In it, he briefly the reason for why thePublic Integrity Project got involved.
"This is a fundamentally private, commercial, corrupt use of ourmost sacred national monuments for private gain. And that is whatis motivating this lawsuit," Ballou stated.
The grounds for the suit include that the event violates NPSregulations that specifically write the NPS will not permit thestaging of a sporting event that is "conducted primarily for thematerial or financial benefit of a for-profit entity."Additionally, the suit offers that the construction of the UFCstage required congressional approval that was not sought. It alsosuggests that the required environmental impact review to buildthis arena in this location was not run.
The White House had a short response shrugging off the suit,positing that it was no more than obstructionism. In it, the WhiteHouse remarked that this UFC show would be "no different than thevarious other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn andproperly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mallthroughout the year."
On Friday, the Public Integrity Project—a firm with the missionstatement to "stop corruption"—sued the U.S. government on behalfof two individuals from Virginia. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District ofColumbia (D.D.C.), defendants include the Acting Director of theNational Park Service (NPS) Jessica Bowron, the National CapitalRegion Director of the NPS Jen Nersesian, the U.S. Department ofthe Interior and its Secretary, Doug Burgum. The plaintiffs requestthat the court deems the organization of the event itself unlawfuland shuts it down, while removing the structures built on the WhiteHouse lawn to accommodate the fight card.
In the suit itself, the demand for relief declares that thearrangement between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the WhiteHouse is corrupt, partially due to the personal relationshipbetween President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO DanaWhite. The lawsuit goes on to point out that the President willgive "unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial tostage a private, for-profit sports event."
Attorney Brendan Ballou put out a statement to the ******* ociated Pressin regards to the suit. In it, he briefly the reason for why thePublic Integrity Project got involved.
"This is a fundamentally private, commercial, corrupt use of ourmost sacred national monuments for private gain. And that is whatis motivating this lawsuit," Ballou stated.
The grounds for the suit include that the event violates NPSregulations that specifically write the NPS will not permit thestaging of a sporting event that is "conducted primarily for thematerial or financial benefit of a for-profit entity."Additionally, the suit offers that the construction of the UFCstage required congressional approval that was not sought. It alsosuggests that the required environmental impact review to buildthis arena in this location was not run.
The White House had a short response shrugging off the suit,positing that it was no more than obstructionism. In it, the WhiteHouse remarked that this UFC show would be "no different than thevarious other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn andproperly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mallthroughout the year."
6 days ago
On Saturday night, the Texas baseball team opened its super regional against Oregon with an 11-3 victory and moved within one win of the College World Series.
In the eight-run triumph at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Texas was actually outhit by a 9-8 margin. All-American candidates Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney combined to go 0-for-7 from the top-two spots in the Texas batting order.
More: Longhorns confident about outfield defense ahead of NCAA super regionals
The Longhorns, though, got a big boost from sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez, who went 2-for-3 with five RBIs. Those five RBIs were a career-high total.
"My teammates in front of me getting on base for me to drive them in, that's just team baseball. It's what we do," Rodriguez said. "It's playoff baseball, so it's win or go home so we're doing anything we can to win and put up runs on the board."
In the eight-run triumph at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Texas was actually outhit by a 9-8 margin. All-American candidates Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney combined to go 0-for-7 from the top-two spots in the Texas batting order.
More: Longhorns confident about outfield defense ahead of NCAA super regionals
The Longhorns, though, got a big boost from sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez, who went 2-for-3 with five RBIs. Those five RBIs were a career-high total.
"My teammates in front of me getting on base for me to drive them in, that's just team baseball. It's what we do," Rodriguez said. "It's playoff baseball, so it's win or go home so we're doing anything we can to win and put up runs on the board."
6 days ago
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 06: (L-R) Gabriel Bonfim of Brazil punches Belal Muhammad in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Meta APEX on June 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Gabriel Bonfim dismantled Belal Muhammad in the main event of the UFC Fight Night from the Apex on Saturday night. Bonfim took the unanimous-decision victory 50-45 on all three judges' scorecards and will likely ***** Muhammad's No. 5 ranking later this week.
Event: UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim (UFC Vegas 118), Meta Apex, Las Vegas
Date: June 6, 2026
Main event: Gabriel Bonfim def. Belal Muhammad (unanimous decision, 50-45 x3)
Gabriel Bonfim dismantled Belal Muhammad in the main event of the UFC Fight Night from the Apex on Saturday night. Bonfim took the unanimous-decision victory 50-45 on all three judges' scorecards and will likely ***** Muhammad's No. 5 ranking later this week.
Event: UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim (UFC Vegas 118), Meta Apex, Las Vegas
Date: June 6, 2026
Main event: Gabriel Bonfim def. Belal Muhammad (unanimous decision, 50-45 x3)
6 days ago
Gabriel Bonfim picked up the biggest win of his career, and made it look easy. As important as that was for the Brazilian fighter, the conversations and post-fight storylines are more about Belal Muhammad’s downfall since winning the welterweight ****** le, his three-fight losing skid, and where the former champ goes from another defeat inside the octagon.
Following UFC Vegas 118, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to Bonfim’s victory and his post-fight callout, Muhammad’s third straight loss, and if he should be concerned about his roster spot being in jeopardy. Additionally, they discuss Brendan Allen’s Fight of the Night win over Edmen Shahbazyan, if the MVP of the card was Iwo Baraniewski or Bryce Mitchell, the road to UFC White House and potential concerns, and much more.
Watch the UFC Vegas 118 post-fight show above, or an audio-only version of the show can also be streamed below and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your pods.
Following UFC Vegas 118, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to Bonfim’s victory and his post-fight callout, Muhammad’s third straight loss, and if he should be concerned about his roster spot being in jeopardy. Additionally, they discuss Brendan Allen’s Fight of the Night win over Edmen Shahbazyan, if the MVP of the card was Iwo Baraniewski or Bryce Mitchell, the road to UFC White House and potential concerns, and much more.
Watch the UFC Vegas 118 post-fight show above, or an audio-only version of the show can also be streamed below and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your pods.
7 days ago
Joe Rogan has seen a lot of things throughout his years around combat sports, but the UFC color commentator was left in shock after learning of legendary arm wrestler Devon Larratt’s daily workout routine.
Larratt, who turned 51 this past April, is widely regarded as one of the best arm wrestlers of all time. The former Canadian armed forces member is still competing to this day and is still recognized as a top name in the sport. In fact, Larratt just captured a dominant win at “East vs. West 23” this past April (watch HERE). Larratt is also credited for helping to popularize the sport of arm wrestling with a large following on social media.
Of course, staying at the top is not easy for anyone, especially an aging 51-year-old like Larratt. In order to keep himself in tip-top shape for the best arm wrestling competition in the world, Larratt endures a shocking 10 hours of wrist curls each and every day. If that sounds crazy it’s because it is. That’s probably why Rogan was in awe after Larratt explained his methods.
Check it out below and let us know your thoughts!
“The hardest thing to be a world champion at 51 is to put all of your energy into something so simple,” Larratt told Rogan during a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “This is the most difficult piece is the psychological dedication to do 10 hours of wrist curls in a day.”
Larratt, who turned 51 this past April, is widely regarded as one of the best arm wrestlers of all time. The former Canadian armed forces member is still competing to this day and is still recognized as a top name in the sport. In fact, Larratt just captured a dominant win at “East vs. West 23” this past April (watch HERE). Larratt is also credited for helping to popularize the sport of arm wrestling with a large following on social media.
Of course, staying at the top is not easy for anyone, especially an aging 51-year-old like Larratt. In order to keep himself in tip-top shape for the best arm wrestling competition in the world, Larratt endures a shocking 10 hours of wrist curls each and every day. If that sounds crazy it’s because it is. That’s probably why Rogan was in awe after Larratt explained his methods.
Check it out below and let us know your thoughts!
“The hardest thing to be a world champion at 51 is to put all of your energy into something so simple,” Larratt told Rogan during a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “This is the most difficult piece is the psychological dedication to do 10 hours of wrist curls in a day.”
7 days ago
Bryce Mitchell and Santiago Luna meet on the UFC Fight Night 278 main card Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie ***** yst Dan Tom.
Last event's results: 4-1-1
UFC main cards, 2026: 53-30-1
Mitchell (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) looks to keep the momentum going after returning to the win column last July with a unanimous decision win over Said Nurmagomedov.
Luna (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is undefeated in his pro career and won his first two UFC appearances by defeating Quang Le and Angel Pacheco.
Last event's results: 4-1-1
UFC main cards, 2026: 53-30-1
Mitchell (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) looks to keep the momentum going after returning to the win column last July with a unanimous decision win over Said Nurmagomedov.
Luna (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is undefeated in his pro career and won his first two UFC appearances by defeating Quang Le and Angel Pacheco.
7 days ago
Usman Nurmagomedov isn't getting big-fight feels from Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje.
Lightweight champion Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) unifies his belt with interim champ Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in the UFC Freedom 250 main event on June 14 from the White House in Washington D.C.
PFL lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (21-0) recalls how his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov sold the most pay-per-views in UFC history when he fought Conor McGregor, and how Topuria isn't generating nearly as much hype for his fight against Gaethje.
"Can you imagine brother? I didn't even know when they were going to fight," Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. "I swear, I don't know. I remember when Khabib was fighting with McGregor, every kid knew about that fight. Every even grandmother, grandfather, even kings from some countries, everybody knew.
"But they do some big tournament, White House, but **** ody knows about it. I don't know why. Maybe because of this short guy, he's not so famous. I don't know why the people now don't like the lightweight division in the UFC. But if I will come there, I'm going to fix it."
Lightweight champion Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) unifies his belt with interim champ Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in the UFC Freedom 250 main event on June 14 from the White House in Washington D.C.
PFL lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (21-0) recalls how his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov sold the most pay-per-views in UFC history when he fought Conor McGregor, and how Topuria isn't generating nearly as much hype for his fight against Gaethje.
"Can you imagine brother? I didn't even know when they were going to fight," Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. "I swear, I don't know. I remember when Khabib was fighting with McGregor, every kid knew about that fight. Every even grandmother, grandfather, even kings from some countries, everybody knew.
"But they do some big tournament, White House, but **** ody knows about it. I don't know why. Maybe because of this short guy, he's not so famous. I don't know why the people now don't like the lightweight division in the UFC. But if I will come there, I'm going to fix it."
7 days ago
MMA Fighting has UFC Vegas 118 results for the Muhammad vs. Bonfim fight card, a live blog of the main event, and more from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
In the main event, former UFC champion Belal Muhammad squares off against Gabriel Bonfim in a welterweight contest. Muhammad has lost his past two fights, while Bonfim has reeled off four straight victories.
Brendan Allen faces Edmen Shahbazyan in a middleweight fight in the co-main event.
Check out UFC Vegas 118 results below.
Main Card (Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET)
In the main event, former UFC champion Belal Muhammad squares off against Gabriel Bonfim in a welterweight contest. Muhammad has lost his past two fights, while Bonfim has reeled off four straight victories.
Brendan Allen faces Edmen Shahbazyan in a middleweight fight in the co-main event.
Check out UFC Vegas 118 results below.
Main Card (Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET)
7 days ago
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from May 2026: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie's Fight of the Month award for May.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
Joshua Van showed the heart of a champion.
Van (17-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC) overcame Tatsuro Taira's (18-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) takedowns and battered him on the feet to notch the TKO finish at the 1:32 mark of Round 5 at UFC 328.
Taira started Round 1 with two hard leg kicks. He took a deep shot and landed the double leg takedown. He transitioned straight into full mount then side control. As Van tried to get up, Taira grabbed his neck, but Van broke free. Van landed a jab, followed by a nice combination. Taira connected with another hard leg kick, but Van fired back with a left. Taira level changed and landed another takedown. Van managed to get back up with seconds remaining in the first round, and landed a jab.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
Joshua Van showed the heart of a champion.
Van (17-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC) overcame Tatsuro Taira's (18-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) takedowns and battered him on the feet to notch the TKO finish at the 1:32 mark of Round 5 at UFC 328.
Taira started Round 1 with two hard leg kicks. He took a deep shot and landed the double leg takedown. He transitioned straight into full mount then side control. As Van tried to get up, Taira grabbed his neck, but Van broke free. Van landed a jab, followed by a nice combination. Taira connected with another hard leg kick, but Van fired back with a left. Taira level changed and landed another takedown. Van managed to get back up with seconds remaining in the first round, and landed a jab.
7 days ago
The heavyweight division appeared set to enter a new era following the retirement of Jon Jones and the promotion of Tom Aspinall to undisputed champion. But what was meant to be Aspinall’s triumphant return after a 14-month layoff instead ended in controversy at UFC 321. Headlining the card in Abu Dhabi, Aspinall was scheduled to defend his heavyweight ***** le against Ciryl Gane. However, the bout came to a sudden and shocking halt late in the opening round.
At the 4:35 mark of Round 1, an accidental double eye poke from Gane left the champion unable to see, forcing referee Jason Herzog to step in and wave off the fight as a no-contest. Despite being given nearly four minutes to recover and undergoing examinations from two cageside doctors, Aspinall made it clear that his vision was compromised and he could not continue. As a result, the fight was officially ruled a no-contest, with the Englishman retaining his ***** le in unfortunate fashion.
ALSO READ: Dana White Says Alex Pereira Could Overtake Jon Jones in UFC GOAT Race at Freedom 250
The aftermath raised further concern as Aspinall was later diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome and has since undergone double eye surgery, leaving the timeline for his return uncertain. Aspinall has returned to light training and sparring while also securing a new management deal with Eddie Hearn, but there remains no clear timeline for his return to the Octagon.
At the 4:35 mark of Round 1, an accidental double eye poke from Gane left the champion unable to see, forcing referee Jason Herzog to step in and wave off the fight as a no-contest. Despite being given nearly four minutes to recover and undergoing examinations from two cageside doctors, Aspinall made it clear that his vision was compromised and he could not continue. As a result, the fight was officially ruled a no-contest, with the Englishman retaining his ***** le in unfortunate fashion.
ALSO READ: Dana White Says Alex Pereira Could Overtake Jon Jones in UFC GOAT Race at Freedom 250
The aftermath raised further concern as Aspinall was later diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome and has since undergone double eye surgery, leaving the timeline for his return uncertain. Aspinall has returned to light training and sparring while also securing a new management deal with Eddie Hearn, but there remains no clear timeline for his return to the Octagon.
