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Fighting Murphy next is a no-brainer - Volkanovski

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski says it would be a "no-brainer" to stage his next title defence being against Britain's Lerone Murphy.

Manchester's Murphy thrust himself into contention for a championship bout by knocking out Aaron Pico with a sensational spinning back elbow at UFC 319 on Saturday.

Murphy, who is sixth in the UFC's featherweight rankings and took the fight at three weeks' notice, extended the winning start to his career to 17.

It was the 34-year-old's ninth straight victory in the UFC since debuting in the promotion in 2019.

"You couldn't have scripted it any better. You get a guy who goes in and does a massive knockout like that on a big card, on a nine-fight win streak - I think it's a bit of a no-brainer," Volkanovski said on YouTube., external

"December is looking good, let's make it happen. Lerone Murphy, congratulations, see you soon."

Murphy replaced Russian Movsar Evloev for the bout against American Pico after he withdrew from the contest for undisclosed reasons.

Australian Volkanovski said Evloev, who is also undefeated in 19 fights, would have been the number one contender had be beaten Pico, but Murphy has now leapfrogged him.

Volkanovski, 36, is a two-time featherweight champion and regarded as one of the best of all time in that weight class.

He made five title defences before defeat by Ilia Topuria last year, but regained the belt by defeating Diego Lopes in April.

Despite his undefeated record, Murphy's reserved personality in comparison to some of his brash peers means he has sometimes failed to get due credit for his work in the octagon.

A lack of highlight reel moments, with Murphy earning five straight decision wins before facing Pico, also affected his star power but opinion has started to shift following his spinning elbow knockout.

BBC
 
Edwards channels brother's stunning head kick KO in win

Fabian Edwards won the Professional Fighters League middleweight tournament and $500,000 (£369,000) prize with a stunning head kick knockout of Dalton Rosta in Hollywood, Florida.

After a back-and-forth two rounds, Birmingham's Edwards unleashed a left high kick, sending the American crashing to the ground as the referee waved off the contest.

The move mirrored his older brother Leon, who stopped Kamaru Usman in 2022 with the same kick in stunning fashion to win the UFC welterweight title.

Leon was cage-side for 32-year-old Edwards' win and gleefully joined his brother in the post-fight celebrations.

"That is crazy. God's got a funny way of working," said Edwards, after being informed his brother's knockout happened almost three years ago to the day.

"I said to my brother, 'I'm going to try that shot'. I do that shot well in the gym, and it worked beautifully."

Edwards' is the second Briton to win a PFL tournament inside a week following Alfie Davis' lightweight tournament victory last week.

He is also the fourth Briton in total to triumph following Brendan Loughnane's featherweight win in 2022 and Dakota Ditcheva's women's flyweight success last year.

'I've worked so hard'

Edwards said pre-fight he was viewing the tournament final as a world championship bout after losing contests for the Bellator middleweight belt, now rebranded as the PFL title, to Johnny Eblen in 2023 and 2024.

Following his loss to American Eblen in October, Edwards built momentum again this year with wins over Impa Kasanganay and Josh Silveira to reach the final.

Edwards started well with leg kicks, before Rosta, 29, ended the first round on top after landing a couple of takedowns.

Rosta hurt Edwards at the start of the second round with a flurry of punches but the Briton recovered and the round played out with the pair grappling for position against the side of the cage.

Leon was heading for defeat on points when he stopped Usman in the final round three years ago, and although Edwards' victory was not as last-gasp and dramatic, it was every bit as rousing.

After delivering the final blow, Edwards was mobbed by his team-mates before he dropped to the ground in tears, saying: "I've worked so hard."

An emotional Edwards was announced as the tournament winner before facing off with PFL middleweight champion Costello van Steenis, who beat Eblen last month.

The PFL then announced Edwards and Spain's Van Steenis would compete for the belt in a fight which is to be announced at a date later this year.

BBC
 
Wales' Jones impresses in comeback stoppage

Wales' Mason Jones recovered from an early knockdown to stop Bolaji Oki in the second round of their lightweight contest at UFC Paris.

Jones, 30, took control of the bout after the early scare, dominating on the ground to eventually finish the contest with a number of unanswered strikes.

The victory continues a triumphant return to the UFC for Jones, who beat Jeremy Stephens in May after nearly three years away from the promotion.

"I don't think I was hurt, I started slow. It happens, but I put it on him. He slowed down and I didn't," said Jones.

"The wrestling was plan B. I like to cause damage - I would have liked to stay standing for a bit longer, but he wanted to wrestle so I showed him how to wrestle."

Jones lost two of his three fights during his first stint in the UFC, but after a spell in Cage Warriors, has returned more assured with two impressive victories.

Following the retirement of Jack Shore last year, Jones is now spearheading Welsh MMA in the UFC, in front of welterweight Oban Elliott and strawweight Cory McKenna.

After refusing to touch gloves with Belgian Oki at the start of the fight, Jones was on the receiving end of some huge punches, before finding himself defending on the ground.

He got back to his feet and avoided more damage, before taking control as Oki started to slow down.

Jones knocked the 29-year-old down before engaging on the canvas and almost finishing the contest with a kimura.

Oki survived, but he could not fend off Jones in the second round as he secured a takedown before ending the fight with a number of strikes on the ground.

In the main event, France's Nassourdine Imavov beat Brazil's Caio Borralho by unanimous decision, before calling for a title shot against Russian champion Khamzat Chimaev.

McKee loses but Patterson earns streak KO

Elsewhere on the main card, Ballymena's Rhys McKee lost to France's Axel Sola in the third round.

In a back-and-forth contest, Sola dropped McKee with a body shot, before the referee stopped the contest on the ground.

McKee protested the stoppage after seeming to recover quickly, but the defeat leaves the 29-year-old with five defeats from six UFC fights.

It was a bitter blow for the welterweight, whose momentum has been halted once more after earning his first UFC win against Daniel Frunza in April.

On the undercard, Britain's Sam Patterson continued the impressive start to his UFC career as a flurry of punches stopped American Trey Waters in the first round.

The victory was Patterson's fourth consecutive first-round finish which is the current longest streak in the UFC.

Fellow Briton Harry Hardwick suffered defeat, however, as a series of leg kicks from Kaue Fernandes left the 30-year-old unable to continue.

Hardwick, who is the Cage Warriors featherweight champion, was making his UFC debut and took the bout at only five days' notice.

There was also defeat for Ireland's Shauna Bannon as she submitted to a rear-naked choke by Sam Hughes in the second round of their strawweight contest

BBC
 
Ortega 'unconscious for 30 min' in UFC weight cut

Brian Ortega says he was unconscious for about 30 minutes before waking up in the hospital during his weight cut for his UFC Shanghai fight last month.

Ortega, 35, was scheduled to fight Aljamain Sterling in the co-main event but it emerged on Friday that Ortega was struggling to make the featherweight limit of 145lb (10st 5lb).

The American lost a decision to Sterling and was only able to make the 10lb heavier limit of lightweight, cutting a gaunt figure on the scales.

"We cut from midnight all the way until eight in the morning, cutting weight the entire time. I realised I had 1.7lb to go," Ortega said on Instagram, external on Tuesday, two weeks after the contest.

"We were confused on how my body wasn't really pouring out the water, why it was just holding it in, but no matter what we have to get this weight off so we did.

"We went downstairs at about eight, decided to cut more weight. Put the plastics on.

"I did 20 minutes on the bike. Once I went off, I went unconscious. I was unconscious for about 30 minutes.

"During that time, they were putting ice on me. They took all my clothes off and left me in boxers. Woke up in the ER [Emergency Room]."

When Ortega woke up in hospital, he and his team decided to continue with the fight and he returned to the hotel to weigh in.

Ortega even had a conversation with Sterling, who he shares a manager with, turning down the chance to be replaced by another fighter.

"I didn't feel good," Ortega cotninued.

"I wanted to call it off. I got up and just walking outside I almost passed out and fainted.

"Everything in my body is telling me not to fight.

"First and foremost, I decided to fight for my family.

"That's my job - to show up and do what I do for them. I fought for my family. Secondly, I fought for you guys [the fans].

"You guys have always shown me love, you guys have always supported me, no matter what.

"It would be unfair to not show up for you guys, regardless of excuses. You just show up and do what you've got to do."

Ortega is a seasoned featherweight and is a two-time UFC title contender.

The UFC has several weight-cutting guidelines, including how much a fighter can safely cut in fight week and have doctors in place to decide if a weight cut needs to be stopped.

There are several techniques banned in weight-cutting for UFC events including the use of intravenous (IV) drips.

BBC
 
White in fiery exchange with reporter in Vegas

UFC chief Dana White's fiery exchange with a reporter about his new role in boxing threatened to overshadow a news conference for the super-fight between Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Terence Crawford.

Mexican Alvarez, 35, will put his WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and IBF super-middleweight titles on the line against Crawford at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Omaha-native Crawford, 37, is jumping up two weight classes in a bid to become the first male boxer to become undisputed champion in three divisions in the modern era.

In front of a fiercely pro-Alvarez crowd, the pair went through the usual news conference motions, a mixture of respect and declarations of victory.

But the mood turned sharper when focus turned towards White, who was chairing proceedings and promoting his first boxing event since announcing his Saudi Arabian-backed venture into the sport.

Questions raised about the Muhammad Ali Act - a 2000 US law designed to protect boxers' rights and combat potential monopolies - sparked a fiery response from White.

"This is obviously a long discussion. If you want to talk about that then set up an interview. This isn't about me," White said.

When the reporter, Sean Zittel, persisted, White cut him short: "You have a question for these two, no? Beat it."

White is spearheading a push to amend the act, which does not apply to MMA, allowing the UFC to make their own world titles.

Critics argue White's UFC model in boxing would restrict fighters with exclusive contracts, create a monopoly and leaves boxers earning a far smaller share of event revenue.

As the reporter pressed White, Canelo chanted "fight, fight, fight".

The stars talk, but the noise takes over

About 1,500 fans - including British rapper Stormzy and boxing legend Lennox Lewis - packed into the T-Mobile Arena, just a short walk from Saturday's venue.

A partisan crowd held up Mexican flags and chanted "Canelo" from the moment Alvarez walked on stage and he soaked up the adulation.

"This fight for me is big. One of the biggest fights in my career. It means a lot. It's going to be very top," he said.

Alvarez dismissed any suggestion of fighting Crawford a year ago, citing the size difference. But he agreed with an assessment of it being a 50-50 contest.

"I think they right. Two of the best fighting each other. They right," he said.

Crawford - who last fought 13 months ago when he beat Israil Madrimov to win a world title in a fourth division - was unmoved by the noise in the arena.

"I'm feeling great. I am ready to go shock the world," he said. He even riled up the crowd by shouting out to his "Latino fans", adding: "This fight is going to be stamped in the history books."

Crawford, with 41 wins and 31 knockouts, won his first world title in 2014 at lightweight against Scotsman Ricky Burns. He went on to unify the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions before moving up again.

Saturday's bout will be broadcast globally on Netflix, reaching a potential audience of more than 300 million subscribers.

It is the first major boxing event promoted by White alongside Saudi's Turki Alalshikh, signalling a new, if uncertain, era for the sport.

As organisers hyped up the new partnership as the saviour of the sport and suggested boxing has been suffering for years, one of its biggest stars - and highest earners with a reported $150m purse to collect on Saturday - Alvarez, chimed in.

"Hey, boxing was always bigger, bigger and big. Don't say boxing is not big enough. You know how big is boxing," he said.

Alvarez pushed Crawford as tempers flared at in New York in June, but the two shared a nod and handshake to end on a respectful note.

BBC
 

'Khabib was pretending to choke people' - how Hughes beats Nurmagomedov​


Dan Hardy saw something in Paul Hughes during the build-up to his epic first fight with Usman Nurmagomedov in January which he knew would define the fight.

Confidence.

Former British welterweight Hardy, who was on commentary duty for the PFL that night in Dubai, knew that would be key because he'd seen Hughes use it to his advantage before.

Just three months earlier the Northern Irishman had proved his doubters wrong by beating former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee, despite being the underdog.

"This won him 50% of the fight with McKee, he rattled him. And I saw it in Usman - he was trying to figure out why Paul was so confident and that can be very unnerving," Hardy told BBC Sport.

"Usman probably isn't used to that type of confidence. That was a defining factor for the whole fight week."

Hughes took that belief into the lightweight title bout with the undefeated Nurmagomedov in January, where he pushed the Russian further than he had been in any of his previous 19 bouts.

www.bbc.com

Paul Hughes vs Usman Nurmagomedov rematch: 'Biggest fight PFL have ever put on', says Dan Hardy

Paul Hughes' rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov for the PFL lightweight title is the "biggest fight ever put on" by the promotion, says Dan Hardy.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 

Machado Garry to co-headline UFC Qatar in November​

Ireland's Ian Machado Garry will face former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the co-main event at UFC Qatar on 22 November.

The 27-year-old beat Carlos Prates in his last UFC outing in April, after suffering a first defeat in the organisation to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024.

American Muhammad lost his belt to Jack Della Maddalena in May and will be vying with Machado Garry to get back in the title frame.

The winner will be in a strong position to face the victor of Australian Della Maddalena's first title defence against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 in November.

Russia's Makhachev vacated his lightweight title to step up in weight to face the Australian.

Armenia's Arman Tsarukyan and New Zealand's Dan Hooker will face each other in the card's main event in Qatar in a lightweight clash.

This will be the first time Tsarukyan will be back in the octagon after pulling out of a title bout against Makhachev in January, with Hooker returning to action after being prevented from competing since August 2024 because of persistent hand injuries.

The match-up also hints at what could be next for Liverpool lightweight Paddy Pimblett.

Pimblett, 30, appears to be on the verge of a title shot. He and American Justin Gaethje are the frontrunners to fight newly crowned champion Ilia Topuria next.

The UFC could also opt to match Topuria with Max Holloway, with the pair fighting at featherweight and the latter coming off a win over Dustin Poirier in July.

BBC
 

Nurmagomedov beats Hughes in razor-thin rematch​

Usman Nurmagomedov broke the heart of Irishman Paul Hughes with another contentious points win to retain his PFL lightweight world title on Friday in Dubai.

Eight months after Nurmagomedov was cast as a lucky winner at the same venue, the Russian was again a narrow victor in the rematch as Hughes produced a brilliant performance over five rounds.

The scorecards did not reflect a close battle as the judges saw it 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47 for Nurmagomedov.

"You want to say this fight was close too? I feel I won every round, but it was a very tough fight with tough opponent. I did not underestimate him, I think he underestimated me," Nurmagomedov said.

Hughes, 28, fought expertly at close range and was a clear winner of rounds two and three, keeping his cool when Nurmagomedov headbutted him after the bell at the end of the first round.

The Irishman was hit with several low blows in round one and four which appeared to slow his progress and were rounds that Nurmagomedov pocketed.

But Hughes recovered each time and rocked Nurmagomedov on several occasions including with a superb kick and body shot combination in the third and a big right hand in the closing stages.

With Hughes mixing his striking, landing knees and short right-handed punches, UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, the cousin of Usman, could be heard screaming at top volume for Usman to respond.

Khabib's appeals appeared to fall on deaf ears as Usman elected to showboat during spells of the fight.

BBC
 
So, Poatan absolutely pulverized big Ank, as much as I like Ankalaev, Alex is a level above him, the first fight was just an anomaly.

Since John 'Chicken Bones' Jones retired just to escape Aspinall, I really want to see Alex moving up in heavyweight to take on Aspinall, I mean Tom would still probably win being the stronger, younger, and faster fighter but this will ensure the GOAT status for Poatan.
 
Pereira stops Ankalaev to reclaim light-heavyweight title

Alex Pereira needed just one minute and 22 seconds to reclaim the light-heavyweight world championship after stopping Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 in Las Vegas.

The Brazilian's victory came seven months after he was on the end of a unanimous points loss to the Russian at UFC 313.

Pereira, 38, had clearly learned from his defeat in March, where he spent the fight on the back foot, and wasted no time by connecting with a huge right hook.

The Vegas crowd erupted as two-division champion Pereira stunned the 33-year-old with a clubbing right hand before referee Herb Dean stopped the fight after a number of heavy elbows to the head.

"Vengeance is never a good thing. I told everyone I wasn't in a good position last time but no-one believed it, tonight you saw it," Pereira said after his win.

"It didn't surprise me, I saw it in the first fight. I don't like to make excuses but I wasn't well that night."

Ankalaev was looking for his 13th win in a row but could only land two of his seven significant strikes, while 25 of Pereira's 37 found their target.

Since his UFC debut in 2021, Pereira has quickly transformed into one of the promotion's biggest stars, becoming a two-division champion in only seven fights - a record time.

Upon winning the middleweight title Pereira moved up to light-heavyweight and, after claiming gold, his three defences in 2024 led to him being named the UFC fighter of the year alongside Ilia Topuria.

Pereira faced his biggest test in fighting Ankalaev, with the Russian preventing the Brazilian from landing his huge strikes in their first fight - but that was not a problem the second time around, with Pereira thudding the side of his opponent's head early on.

Ankalaev ended the Brazilian's run of three title defences inside a year in the first encounter but the former champion now has a second defeat on his record - and first since March 2018.

Now locked at one win apiece, a trilogy fight could decide who takes the bragging rights forever.

Pereira 'wants to fight at heavyweight' - White

Despite reclaiming the light-heavyweight title he lost in March, Pereira has eyes on moving up another weight class to heavyweight, according to UFC chief Dana White.

Before the rematch with Ankalaev, Pereira and his team told White of his wishes to make the move to heavyweight. White told the post-fight news conference: "They say they want to fight at heavyweight but I said to focus on tonight first. There are still fights here in this division, but we'll see.

"This guy has been an absolute stud for us. He fights when he's hurt, he doesn't care. He wants to fight everybody and move up to heavyweight. There's a lot of things to talk about after tonight."

When asked what his reservations were on Pereira making the jump, White responded: "He was a middleweight - to jump up two weight classes in the UFC, it's not like jumping up two weight classes in boxing.

"I don't have reservations but he's in a division where there are still so many fights."

'Machine' Dvalishvili continues to write name in history books

In the co-main event, Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili claimed a dominant unanimous decision over the USA's Cory Sandhagen to defend his bantamweight world title.

The win was the Georgian's 14th in a row - taking him up to third for longest win streak in UFC history. Just Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman, on 15, and Anderson Silva with 16 sit higher.

The judges scored the fight 49-45 49-45 49-46 in favour of the champion.

"I am a machine. I keep getting better. I train hard. I feel like I'm just beginning, I'm just starting and I keep learning," said Dvalishvili post-fight.

Dvalishvili, 34, spent the entirety of the fight on the front foot and constantly had Sandhagen on the defence.

Despite Dvalishvili's confidence and daunting win streak, Sandhagen was not overawed and landed 23 of his 48 significant strikes in the opening round, but the tide turned two minutes into the second round when the Georgian landed heavy with a flurry of strikes.

Sandhagen survived the onslaught but continued to be dominated, with the Georgian setting a new UFC record for the most takedowns in a five-round fight with 20 on the way to victory.

BBC
 

'It can be living nightmare' - how UFC's Wood sought help for OCD​


The first thing Nathaniel Wood mentions when he sits down for his interview is his two daughters.

Wood beams when he reveals that Arla, aged one, and Layla, who is just over two months old, have joined him in Abu Dhabi.

The 32-year-old Londoner has brought his family, including his wife, mum and dad, over for his fight against Jose Delgado at UFC 321.

For Wood, having his family with him is vital for getting in the right head space before a fight because things have gone wrong previously without them.

"If I'm not with them, I'm thinking about home. I'm looking at my phone every two seconds wondering what's going on," Wood tells BBC Sport.

"Having them here means that I can focus on the job at hand. I'm so much more relaxed."

With his family nearby, Wood is at ease, offering a smile as he shakes hands before answering BBC Sport's questions with conviction.

But it has not always been like this for him in Abu Dhabi.

Last time Wood was here, before the birth of his daughters in 2023, he was beaten by Muhammad Naimov following struggles with his mental health.

Wood has anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) - a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours., external

"It comes in waves. Sometimes you can be absolutely fine and then you could have what I call a 'dark cloud day' where you're just anxious and obsess over things," says Wood.

"Unfortunately my time came on fight week. As I flew out, I was suffering with really bad anxiety.

"When I have OCD, it doesn't let me move on. So the whole week I didn't care about the fight. I was just thinking about stuff I didn't need to be thinking about and obsessing over it.

"It's very consuming. It's like every second of that day you're thinking about that thought, nothing else. I could be talking to you right now and I'm thinking about something else."

Wood says a "number of factors" contributed to defeat by Naimov, but he didn't perform the way he wanted to because of his OCD.

He says his obsessive thoughts can cover a range of topics, but lists health issues as a "prime example".

"I could have a slight headache and I'm thinking 'I've got a brain bleed, or brain cancer' and I can't let the thought go," says Wood.

"And then it causes you to be anxious and then it causes more ruminating. It's a living nightmare when you're in that room."

Wood says he has sought help from therapists for OCD and is on medication for it, before encouraging people to not "ever be afraid to go to the doctors" if they think they have the condition.

"I'm very fortunate that I have good family. My dad, my mum, my wife - I have people that I can talk to. Whereas for those out there that don't, I imagine that's a very dark place to be," he says.

"Me personally, I find when I speak my worries out, you realise you can calm down a little bit. It's not as bad as you think in your head.

"You can be playing your own nightmares and believing they're real.

"I would definitely say see a therapist for professional help because there's different tactics that you can do."

After the interview, Wood is taking his family to the local mall for dinner, before joking that he won't be eating much because of his weight cut for the featherweight (10st 5lb) bout with Delgado.

American fighter Delgado is a rising prospect, with just one defeat in 11 fights.

Wood is the underdog but is on an impressive streak with just one loss in his past eight bouts.

Having his family nearby keeps Wood's mind on the task at hand - beating Delgado.

"I definitely find talking to someone helps and being busy. When I'm occupied and I've got things that I'm naturally thinking about, it doesn't allow my mind to spiral like the worst times when I've got nothing to do," says Wood.

"This is my fourth fight in Abu Dhabi. I've won one, lost two.

"Obviously I'm going in there with full intentions of winning this fight as best and as impressively as I can."

Source: BBC
 
Umar and Tom Aspinall to fight this Saturday in UAE.

Big fight for Umar, a must win.

Tom should also beat Cyril, just needs to take him down to the floor.
 
Aspinall 'still can't see' three days after eye poke

Tom Aspinall still has no vision in his right eye three days after sustaining an injury during his title defence at UFC 321, says the heavyweight champion's father.

Cyril Gane accidentally poked the Briton in both eyes while attempting a punch late in the first round of Saturday's main event in Abu Dhabi.

Aspinall was unable to continue and retained his belt as the fight was waved off as a no contest.

The 32-year-old was taken to hospital following the fight, and after flying back to England visited an eye specialist in Manchester on Monday.

Andy Aspinall said in a video posted to his son's YouTube channel:, external "His right eye - he still can't see anything. He said it's just grey.

"His left eye's about 50%, so one's really blurry and one's still not working."

The fighter will have additional tests this week and a CT scan "to see if the bones are all right, but they think the bones are all right".

Andy Aspinall added that eye pokes "happen a lot in MMA" and "'something needs to be done in the sport to stop that happening".

"It's bad," he said. "He could have lost his sight. He's still not got his sight in one eye, so we don't know. We're still waiting. Time is a healer, hopefully."

UFC gloves are fingerless and the promotion introduced redesigned gloves in June 2024 in an effort to reduce eye pokes, cuts and hand injuries.

But in November they reverted to the original style, which had not had a major redesign since becoming mandatory in 1997.

When asked about eye pokes in Saturday's post-fight news conference, UFC president Dana White said: "No matter what you do with the glove, they're going to happen."

BBC
 
UFC meets with FBI over 'weird betting' on fight

UFC president Dana White says he has met with the FBI over allegedly suspicious betting activity on a fight at UFC Vegas 110.

Featherweight Isaac Dulgarian was expected to beat underdog Yadier del Valle at Saturday's event but lost in the first round.

That came after betting integrity company IC360 had alerted the UFC to a number of large bets being placed on the fight.

"Literally, the first thing we did was call the FBI," White told TMZ, external.

White said he met with the law enforcement agency twice on Tuesday over the matter.

BBC Sport has contacted Dulgarian for comment. His coach has denied any involvement in any gambling allegations.

"We called the fighter and his lawyer and said, what's going on? There's some weird betting action going on in your fight," White said.

"Are you injured? Do you owe anybody money? Has anybody approached you? The kid said, 'No, absolutely not. I'm going to kill this guy'. So we said OK.

"The fight plays out - and first-round finish by rear-naked choke. Literally, the first thing we did was call the FBI."

Betting company Caesars Sportsbook announced it would refund bets on the fight shortly after it ended.

Earlier this week, the UFC issued a statement saying it was "conducting a thorough review of the facts surrounding the Dulgarian vs del Valle bout on Saturday".

"We take these allegations very seriously and along with the health and safety of our fighters, nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport," the statement added.

Dulgarian's coach Marc Montoya has denied any knowledge of foul play around the fight.

"We have nothing to do with any of the allegations being brought upon us," he told the The Ariel Helwani Show.

"I've actually never even placed a sports bet in my entire life - I couldn't tell you how to do it.

"This is my life's work. I would never, for any amount of money, sell my integrity or my word - because in life, that's all you have."

BBC
 

Wood returns opponent's money after weight-miss fine​

Nathaniel Wood says he has returned the money opponent Jose Delgado was fined by the UFC for missing weight before their fight in Abu Dhabi last month.

American Delgado was fined 20 percent of his fight purse for weighing in one pound over the 146lb (10st 6lb) featherweight limit.

Typically fines for missing weight go to the wrongdoer's opponent, but Wood says he has returned the money to Delgado - a gesture which is uncommon in the UFC.

Londoner Wood edged the bout via unanimous decision - a result which divided opinion among fans and pundits - but says he repaid Delgado because his performance deserved it.

"To the people messaging me saying I robbed him, man I gave him his weight miss purse back," Wood said on Instagram., external

"Me personally, I was a bit [annoyed], he's missed weight. He shouldn't be fighting at this weight. To me the guy is too big to be making 145lb, hence why he's missed weight.

"But it was only one pound and the kid is obviously not on as much money as I'm on. He's come in and given one hell of a fight. So to me, he deserves his money."

Wood, 32, was an underdog heading into the contest but dealt 27-year-old Delgado only the second defeat of his career.

A selection of fans and pundits argued that Delgado should have been awarded victory by the judges, but Wood believes the result was justified.

"In the fight, in my mind, I was like 'I've won'. He's won the first round, I've won the second round and the third round is the decider. I feel like I won the third round," said Wood.

"Watching the fight back - and this is me being brutally honest and not being biased - it could have gone either way."

The victory was Wood's third in a row at featherweight and he used his post-fight interview to call for a bout against 12th-ranked Patricio Pitbull.

Source: BBC
 

Ireland's Crosbie released by UFC​

Ireland's Kiefer Crosbie says he has "no regrets" despite being released by the UFC.

The 35-year-old Dubliner lost all three fights by first-round stoppage since he signed with the promotion in August 2023, which saw his overall MMA record slide to 10-6.

In his last outing back in August, Crosbie was stopped in China by home prospect Taiyilake Nueraji, moments after being illegally struck in the face by a knee which saw Nueraji docked points.

"Today I have been officially released from the UFC," Crosbie confirmed on social media.

"From a young boy who loved martial arts and fighting with a dream of making it to the big stage, to conquering goals most deemed impossible.

"I saw the UFC on [TV] when I was 15 and said 'one day I'll fight there'. Zero regrets on this hectic journey.

"It's the hardest sport of all time and the UFC have the greatest fighters of all time, period.

"I'm very proud of myself for everything I've achieved and also gutted it didn't go well, but that's life and that's world class sport.

"The journey continues and I'm excited to travel down different roads and explore different avenues."

After his most recent loss, Crosbie questioned why referee Marc Goddard did not give him a full five minutes to recover from the foul.

Heavyweight Chris Barnett and lightweight Kurt Holobaugh are also no longer part of the organisation after their most recent defeats.

Source: BBC
 
KingKhanWC said:

Main event is stacked .

Islam v JDM history making for the Dagistani .
Click to expand...
Islam had 1 loss early on. JDM literally started at 0-2 iirc. Both undefeated since.

In Sha Allah Islam wins and then takes on Topuria who needs to stop ducking as well.

Hate when some of these dudes become champ then hog the spotlight by ducking fights and instead doing photo shoots and stupid features and movies and interviews for 1-2 years holding the division hostage until Dana has to say enough is enough.

Looking at you Jones and Topuria 🦆
Jones the Clown retired to avoid Tom now coming back to face Alex at the White House 🤡 😂
 
Suleiman said:
Islam had 1 loss early on. JDM literally started at 0-2 iirc. Both undefeated since.

In Sha Allah Islam wins and then takes on Topuria who needs to stop ducking as well.

Hate when some of these dudes become champ then hog the spotlight by ducking fights and instead doing photo shoots and stupid features and movies and interviews for 1-2 years holding the division hostage until Dana has to say enough is enough.

Looking at you Jones and Topuria 🦆
Jones the Clown retired to avoid Tom now coming back to face Alex at the White House 🤡 😂
Click to expand...

Combat sports esp MMA are unique in terms of outcome . Teams sports you can rely on others , single sports like tennis , snooker , it’s easier to fight for victory even if struggling. Both of these fighters can inflict serious physical pain on the other all over the body in different ways . JDM is a serious striker but I don’t feel his boxing speed and timing is on par with Islam . The problem is his chin is iron chisel , one punch won’t do it , only a combination or elbow . Islam of course will take him down , huge pressure on him to finish by submission. I think he will do it , rounds 3-4, don’t rule out an armbar in this fight .
 
Islam Makhachev steps up to welterweight to face champion Jack della Maddalena at UFC 322 on Saturday in Madison Square Garden.

The Russian is aiming to becoming a two-weight UFC champion and has a record of 27 wins and just one loss.

Makhachev has not lost a fight since 2015, but faces the newly crowned champion Della Maddalena.

The Australian is on a similarly unbeaten streak since 2016 after losing his first two fights.

Can Makhachev join an elite club of two-weight UFC champions or will Della Maddalena continue his rapid rise with a victory over the UFC's pound-for-pound number two?

Figures from the world of MMA have given their predictions below.

Leon Edwards – former UFC welterweight champion​

"I keep going back and forth to see who wins. I think it depends on how Islam looks at 170lb. If he comes out and heavy wrestles then I probably edge Islam. I feel like we'll know from the first round how the fight will go. JDM does get taken down, but he's great at getting back to his feet. Islam has shown cardio issues. I'm 50/50."

Prediction – 50/50

Michael Bisping – retired UFC champion​

"This is a super-fight going down in Madison Square Garden, and this is Jack della Maddalena's first defence. On Instagram last week I said that Jack was going to win, but now I think about it more," continued Bisping. "The more I thought about it the more I started to think Islam wins this fight."

Prediction - Makhachev

Carlos Prates – UFC welterweight contender​

"I am going Jack."

Prediction – Della Maddalena

Alex Volkanovski – UFC featherweight champion​

"With the weight stuff, I feel when you're that good, it doesn't really matter. But when you got someone that good, that's heavier, that can be a problem. And Jack Della is that good, especially on the feet. That extra weight, tough as nails. I'm going with the underdog, Jack della Maddalena."

Prediction – Della Maddalena

Israel Adesanya – UFC middleweight​

"Jack della Maddalena has the skills to stifle Islam's game and put it on the feet and knock him out, might be second round, might be third."

Prediction – Della Maddalena

Max Holloway – UFC fighter​

"Call me crazy, but I'm running with Jack on this one. I think the first two rounds are going to be super competitive, and we're going see how the fight is going to play out. I think Jack's takedown defence is going to be huge here. I think he's going to defend a bunch of takedowns, and he's going to get Islam tired. A lot of people keep saying that Islam doesn't get tired, but in fights, you can see it. He just doesn't get as tired as the other guy."

Prediction – Della Maddalena

Beneil Dariush – UFC lightweight​

"I was leaning towards Makhachev but sometimes he fights perfect and sometimes he gives up things. I think I am leaning towards JDM now. But I don't know. If JDM comes in and establish his feints and range, I think he's going be a really difficult fight. And then Makhachev, adjusting to the weight is not that easy, but I am leaning towards JDM."

Prediction - Della Maddalena

Sean O'Malley – UFC bantamweight​

"I'm going to go with Islam. I think it's going to be a close fight. I think he's going to squeak out a close fight. God, I don't know. I hate guessing fights, man. I hate guessing fights, but I'm going to go with Islam."

Prediction - Makhachev

Demetrious Johnson – Retired UFC champion​

"I feel this has implications of fight of the year. For JDM to win, he's got to press Islam Makhachev, force him to fight. He has to do everything in his power to not let Islam take him down. The problem is can he do it? For Islam, he's got to take the fight to the ground because JDM's hands are super good. I am on the fence."

Prediction – 50/50

Source: BBC
 
Alhamdullilah. History has been made! Double champ!

Seriously, i know Khabib retired because of his promise to his dad or mom, but after this win Islam is the best fighter from Dagestan and has the most impressive legacy from the land.

16 fight win streak equaling Anderson Silva.

And now a double champ.

Underrated striking ability that neutered JDM’s leg and also took out Volk- both world class strikers.

Now it’s time to beat Ilia In Sha Allah and become triple champ. :asghar
 

Makhachev dominates Della Maddalena in UFC win​

Islam Makhachev joined the elite list of two-weight champions by beating Jack Della Maddalena to become the new UFC welterweight title holder.

Former lightweight champion Makhachev becomes only the 11th fighter to win titles across two divisions in the UFC following a dominant victory at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Russian was awarded a unanimous points victory from the five-round contest at UFC 322, with all three scorecards having him 50-45 up as his grappling skills proved decisive.

"I feel amazing," Makhachev told the UFC website. "I try to control my emotions but I am so happy.

"Jack is one of the best in this game. We trained hard to prepare for him. It's why we made this easy, it's because we trained so hard for him."

Makhachev, who is coached by UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov and has not lost a fight since 2015, improved his record to 28 wins and one loss.

Australian Della Maddalena lost for the first time since May 2016 and has three defeats and 18 wins from 21 fights.

Makhachev wants to fight at the UFC's White House event next summer and added: "I am ready to fight with the biggest names in this sport."

Shevchenko sees off Weili challenge

Valentina Shevchenko beat Zhang Weili in defence of her UFC flyweight belt and joined Amanda Nunes on 11 at the top of the list of women with the most UFC title fight wins.

Shevchenko, who is top of the women's pound-for-pound rankings, overwhelmed her opponent from China to emerge a 50-45, 50-45, 50-45 winner.

The 37-year-old's victory also means she is only the second woman to become a two-division UFC champion after Nunes, although she is the first to do it at strawweight and flyweight.

"It was an amazing fight," said Shevchenko, who has a record of 26 wins, four defeats and a draw.

"I was trying to show the dominant positions in every aspect and don't have any questions that this fight is mine.

Weili, who vacated her strawweight belt in February, moved up in weight for the fight and was beaten for the first time since November 2021.

Edwards at crossroads after third straight loss

Leon Edwards was knocked out by Carlos Prates to leave his MMA career hanging in the balance after three straight defeats.

The Briton was searching for his first win since 2023 and had hoped to kickstart a run at reclaiming the welterweight title he lost.

Edwards, 34, dominated the first round but was stopped cold by a straight left hand from Prates in the second round.

Brazil's Prates improved to 23 wins, 18 of those by knockout, while Edwards slumped to the sixth defeat of his career - three of those in the past 15 months.

It is the first knockout loss for Edwards while 32-year-old Prates will now count himself among the top contenders for the UFC title.

Source: BBC
 
Suleiman said:
Alhamdullilah. History has been made! Double champ!

Seriously, i know Khabib retired because of his promise to his dad or mom, but after this win Islam is the best fighter from Dagestan and has the most impressive legacy from the land.

16 fight win streak equaling Anderson Silva.

And now a double champ.

Underrated striking ability that neutered JDM’s leg and also took out Volk- both world class strikers.

Now it’s time to beat Ilia In Sha Allah and become triple champ. :asghar
Click to expand...

Very impressive. It's clear Islam was always a 170lb fighter, he did so well at 155 showing how elite he is. At this weight class he looks unbeatable. Great scenes, fully deserved.

Illia is LW and was FW before , so will fight at WW, no 3 rd belt for Islam but can be for Ilia. Imo Islam will crush him within 2 rounds at 170
 

Makhachev goes top of UFC pound-for-pound rankings​

Islam Makhachev has returned to the top of the UFC's pound-for-pound men's rankings after beating Jack Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title.

Russia's Makhachev dominated on his way to a unanimous decision victory at UFC 322 in New York last week as he became only the 11th two-division champion in the promotion's history.

The 34-year-old has replaced lightweight champion Ilia Topuria - the belt which Makhachev held before vacating it in June - at the top of the rankings.

In the women's pound-for-pound rankings, Kyrgyzstan's Valentina Shevchenko remains top following her flyweight title defence against China's Zhang Weili.

Weili, who vacated her strawweight belt in October to challenge Shevchenko, has fallen to third behind bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison.

In the welterweight rankings, Britain's former champion Leon Edwards has dropped down five places to ninth after being knocked out by Carlos Prates.

The defeat was Edwards' third in a row and leaves the 34-year-old well outside the top title contenders in the division.

The biggest riser was Ecuador's Michael Morales, who stopped American Sean Brady in the first round to move up to third in the welterweight rankings.

Morales will be keeping an eye on Ireland's Ian Machado Garry, who is sixth, and second-ranked Belal Muhammad, who fight in Qatar on Saturday in a bout which could determine the next title contender for Makhachev.

www.bbc.com

UFC 322: Islam Makhachev goes top of men's pound-for-pound rankings

Islam Makhachev returns to the top of the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings after beating Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title in New York last week.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 

Ditcheva to fight Kielholtz in February​

Britain's Dakota Ditcheva will make her return from a hand injury when she faces Dutch flyweight Denise Kielholtz in Dubai on 7 February.

Ditcheva broke her hand during her win over Sumiko Inaba in July as the unbeaten 27-year-old won her 15th successive bout.

The fight against Inaba was Ditcheva's first since winning the PFL's 2024 flyweight tournament where she became the first British woman to become an MMA world champion.

She has stopped 13 of her 15 opponents, winning 12 of them by knockout, building a reputation as one of Britain's most exciting fighters.

In 36-year-old Kielholtz, Ditcheva is facing a former kickboxing world champion who has won eight of her 13 professional fights.

The bout forms part of the PFL's Road to Dubai event which is headlined by Russian Usman Nurmagomedov's lightweight title defence against Britain's Alfie Davis.

Like Ditcheva, Davis is a PFL tournament-winner with the 33-year-old triumphing in this year's lightweight bracket, before securing a title shot against Nurmagomedov.

The PFL's welterweight belt will also be on the line at the Coca-Cola Arena as Ramazan Kuramagomedov defends the belt against fellow Russian Shamil Musaev in the co-main event.

Source: BBC
 
Pimblett to fight Gaethje for interim title in January

Paddy Pimblett will fight Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 in Las Vegas on 24 January.

The bout between Liverpool's Pimblett and American Gaethje has been set up after champion Ilia Topuria revealed he will not fight in the first quarter of 2026 because of a "difficult moment" in his personal life.

Pimblett, 30, is fifth in the UFC's lightweight rankings with 37-year-old Gaethje one place above him.

Topuria, who won the title after knocking out Charles Oliveira in July, added that the UFC will "make the match-ups needed" in his absence.

"I won't be fighting in the first quarter of next year. I'm going through a difficult moment in my personal life," the Georgian-Spaniard wrote on X., external

"I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible.

"I don't want to hold up the division. As soon as the matters are resolved I'll let the UFC know I'm ready to begin my return."

Pimblett last fought in April where he stopped American Michael Chandler in the third round for his seventh-straight win in the UFC.

His performances inside the octagon, coupled with his lively personality and passionate speeches about men's mental health, have seen Pimblett blossom into one of the UFC's most popular fighters.

His title shot comes despite not holding a win over any fighter in the current top 10 and with other viable contenders above him in the rankings.

Armenia's Arman Tsarukyan beat Dan Hooker in Qatar last week to solidify his number one ranking, before calling for a title bout against Topuria.

Oliveira (second) and Max Holloway (third) also do not have upcoming fights booked, although both have already lost to Topuria.

Earlier this month, Hooker revealed his bemusement at Pimblett's lightweight ranking, adding the UFC "must be cherry-picking him for a title shot".

Gaethje last fought in March, earning a unanimous decision win over Rafael Fizief, and has won nine of 14 UFC bouts since making his debut in 2017.

He is a former interim champion after beating Tony Ferguson for the belt in 2020, but suffered defeat by Khabib Nurmagomedov in a unification bout five months later.

The event at the T-Mobile Arena will be the UFC's first under its seven-year deal with streaming platform Paramount, marking a move away from its pay-per-view model.

The co-main event sees American bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison make the first defence of her title against the returning Amanda Nunes.

Brazil's former double champion Nunes - who many regard as the best women's fighter of all time - is ending her retirement after leaving the sport in 2023.

BBC
 

PFL contract ends soon - Ngannou​

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou says his contract with the PFL ends "soon" and "everything can happen" in 2026.

Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, the Cameroonian suggested potential fights against UFC legend Jon Jones and former boxing world champion Deontay Wilder, and did not rule out re-signing with the PFL.

Ngannou, 39, signed with the PFL in 2023 but has fought only once in the promotion, knocking out Renan Ferreira last year.

"I'm getting very close with the PFL contract, so they have to give me a fight," said Ngannou.

Ngannou did not specify when his PFL contract ends, but confirmed he would be a free agent in time for the UFC event at the White House in Washington DC on 4 July.

Asked about a fight with former champion Jones, Ngannou said: "That could happen. If I were you, I wouldn't be that excited, that fight being so complicated."

Ngannou left the UFC in January 2023, citing disagreements with UFC president Dana White.

While being signed to the PFL, Ngannou has had two boxing bouts, suffering defeats against British heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Asked if there is a possibility that he could re-sign with the PFL, Ngannou said: "First I need a fight, because I don't want to stay out this long. But if there is a fight, why not?"

www.bbc.com

Francis Ngannou: PFL contract ends 'soon' and 'everything can happen' in 2026

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou suggests he could fight UFC legend Jon Jones or ex-boxing world champion Deontay Wilder in 2026.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 

Khaybulaev stripped of title after failed drug test​

Movlid Khaybulaev has been stripped of his PFL featherweight title and suspended for one year after failing a drugs test.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) said Khaybulaev returned a positive result for recombinant erythropoietin, a form of banned blood-boosting hormone EPO.

His one-year suspension, which is the maximum sanction, is backdated when the sample was collected on 1 August.

Khaybulaev, 35, beat Jesus Pinedo on that date to win the PFL featherweight final for a second time.

The PFL said the Russian has subsequently been disqualified from the 2025 tournament and loses his title and prize money.

"Khaybulaev forfeits the distinction of 2025 PFL Featherweight Tournament Champion, the championship belt, and all associated bonus awards," the PFL said.

"The PFL maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward the use of performance-enhancing substances and remains fully committed to the highest standards of fair competition, athlete safety, and integrity in sport."

Khaybulaev first won the PFL featherweight title in the 2021 tournament, beating Briton Brendan Loughnane via split decision in the semi-finals and earning a chance to fight for $1m (£750,000) in the final.

"This fight literally cost me millions of dollars. Lost a split decision to a known cheater. Sport is wild," Loughnane posted on X.

Recombinant erythropoietin is a synthetic hormone that increases red blood cell production - enhancing endurance by improving oxygen delivery to muscles.

Retired UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw tested positive for the substance in 2019 and was handed a two-year ban.

Source: BBC
 
 
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