Tag: Top Stories

Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2, Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov Official For UFC 311

The mixed martial arts leader is set to open its pay-per-view schedule for 2025 in style, having confirmed championship defenses for both Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili for UFC 311. Octagon action will head to Los Angeles for the first numbered event of the new year, with the new Intuit Dome playing host to a […]

The mixed martial arts leader is set to open its pay-per-view schedule for 2025 in style, having confirmed championship defenses for both Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili for UFC 311.

Octagon action will head to Los Angeles for the first numbered event of the new year, with the new Intuit Dome playing host to a lineup that already looks likely to be among the most stacked across the next 12 months.

And following additions like Ji?í Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill and Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland, as well as returns for Jailton Almeida and Johnny Walker, a pair of blockbuster headliners are now official.

UFC CEO Dana White took to social media this week to confirm that the long-rumored rematch between Makhachev (26-1) and Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) for the lightweight gold will indeed headline the event on Jan. 18.

And despite his callout of other contenders, bantamweight king Dvalishvili (18-4) will put his belt on the line against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0), who looks to set the stage for his stablemate’s defense in the final fight of the night by adding to the team’s trophy cabinet.

Makhachev has recorded three defenses since defeating Charles Oliveira to achieve champ status. After back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkanovski in 2023, the Dagestani most recently turned back the challenge of Dustin Poirier. Makhachev is now set to run it back with a charging contender whom he narrowly outpointed back in 2019. Tsarukyan enters his first title shot riding momentum from a triumph over Oliveira at UFC 300.

Dvalishvili, meanwhile, will be making his first defense at UFC 311, five months on from his victory over Sean O’Malley at the Sphere. That result extended his winning run to 11 straight fights and followed success opposite former champions Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, is yet to taste defeat inside the cage. The Russian most recently staked his claim for a championship opportunity by getting the better of the highly regarded Cory Sandhagen across five rounds in Abu Dhabi.

With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:

  • Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
  • Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
  • Ji?í Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
  • Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
  • Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
  • Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
  • Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)
  • Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas (middleweight)
  • Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos (bantamweight)
  • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira (lightweight)
  • Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj (bantamweight)

Report: Mackenzie Dern To Headline First UFC Event Of 2025

UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern’s next fight will no longer be a year-ending clash in Tampa — it’ll be a year-opening assignment in Las Vegas. Dern (14-5) has had an inconsistent run in recent years and entered her most recent outing in Abu Dhabi this past August off the back of consecutive losses at the […]

UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern’s next fight will no longer be a year-ending clash in Tampa — it’ll be a year-opening assignment in Las Vegas.

Dern (14-5) has had an inconsistent run in recent years and entered her most recent outing in Abu Dhabi this past August off the back of consecutive losses at the hands of Jéssica Andrade and Amanda Lemos.

But the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist successfully avoided the first three-fight losing skid of her career, outpointing Loopy Godinez to return to winning ways. And Dern initially looked set for the chance to end the year on a streak.

She was booked for the opportunity to avenge her first professional defeat in a rematch with Amanda Ribas (13-5) at the UFC Fight Night in Tampa next weekend. The Brazilian is currently ranked two places below Dern at #8.

Per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, however, that second dance has been pushed back and will instead now top the lineup for UFC Vegas 101 at the Apex on Jan. 11.

For Ribas, the rematch will mark her return to 115 pounds after suffering defeat to Rose Namajunas last time out at flyweight, another division in which she occupies a spot inside the top 10.

In her last appearance as a strawweight, the 31-year-old stopped Luana Pinheiro in highlight reel fashion with a late spinning wheel kick. She’s riding back-to-back wins in the weight class, having previously got the better of a top-five contender in Virna Jandiroba.

With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC Vegas 101 on Jan. 11 are as follows:

  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas (women’s strawweight main event)
  • Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov (middleweight)
  • Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris (welterweight)
  • Thiago Moisés vs. Trey Ogden (lightweight)
  • Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. César Almeida (middleweight)
  • Austin Bashi vs. Christian Rodriguez (featherweight)
  • Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz (lightweight)
  • Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari (women’s flyweight)
  • Punahele Soriano vs. Uroš Medi? (welterweight)
  • Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes (flyweight)
  • Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes (light heavyweight)
  • Andreas Gustafsson vs. Preston Parsons (welterweight)
  • Victoria Dudakova vs. Fatima Kline (women’s strawweight)

VIDEO: UFC 310 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Pantoja vs. Asakura & Rakhmonov vs. Garry

Fight week for the UFC 310 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode. Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura and the co-main event between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry. Saturday’s UFC 310 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with flyweight kingpin […]

Fight week for the UFC 310 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.

Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura and the co-main event between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry.

Saturday’s UFC 310 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with flyweight kingpin Pantoja (28-5) looking to add a third successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a memorable victory over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 in July 2023.

If “The Cannibal” is to continue his rule atop the 125-pound mountain, he must stall the title ambitions of a UFC newcomer in Asakura (21-4). The former Rizin bantamweight champ marks a rare example of a debuting fighter competing for gold inside the Octagon, which he’ll enter off the back of consecutive knockouts of Yuki Motoya and Juan Archuleta.

Before those two collide in the main event at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, the stakes will also be high for a crucial five-round welterweight clash.

After an infection resulted in UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad’s withdrawal from his scheduled defense against Rakhmonov (18-0), some matchup shuffling has seen Garry (15-0) drafted in to face his fellow undefeated contender.

While “Nomad” recently got the better of Stephen Thompson by way of submission, “The Future” outpointed Michael “Venom” Page during International Fight Week this past summer. They’ll now look to secure top contender status heading into 2025 to ensure they’ll be standing across from champ Muhammad following his recovery.

Ahead of those two contests in “Sin City,” fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 310 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

‘Best WMMA Fighter In The World’ – Fans React As Dakota Ditcheva Batters Taila Santos To Win Inaugural PFL Flyweight Title

Dakota Ditcheva passed the toughest test of her career to date with flying colors to become the 2024 PFL flyweight champion, stopping Taila Santos in the second round. Many expected the former UFC title challenger to be a threat to the undefeated star in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the fight was one-way traffic from start […]

Dakota Ditcheva passed the toughest test of her career to date with flying colors to become the 2024 PFL flyweight champion, stopping Taila Santos in the second round.

Many expected the former UFC title challenger to be a threat to the undefeated star in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the fight was one-way traffic from start to finish.

It was clear right from the get-go that there was no comparison between them on the feet, with Ditcheva’s excellent striking causing damage to multiple targets and making her opponent bite on all of her feints.

The biggest takeaway in this fight was that when Santos was able to close the distance in order to test the Brit’s grappling, “Dangerous” was able to defend takedowns, keep herself safe, and get back to striking. She even took the Brazilian veteran down at one point before standing back up.

Santos looked to be hanging on at the end of the first round, and in the second, the champion picked up where she left off. After the damage started to add up, she put the stamp on her most impressive display to date by becoming the first woman to finish Santos.

Ditcheva didn’t just become the champion and win $1 million in this fight, she proved herself to be a legitimate world class competitor at flyweight. PFL strapped the rocket to the 25-year old, and it has more than paid off.

Fight fans reacted to her undeniable performance via social media:

2024 PFL World Championship Results & Highlights: Khizriev Dominates Loughnane, Ditcheva Stops Santos

The 2024 PFL World Championship took place on Friday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action! This week saw the Professional Fighters League back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to crown its title winners for this year — both PFL Global and PFL MENA — following the conclusion of the regular season and […]

The 2024 PFL World Championship took place on Friday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

This week saw the Professional Fighters League back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to crown its title winners for this year — both PFL Global and PFL MENA — following the conclusion of the regular season and semifinals.

After a set of showcase bouts featuring the likes of Costello van Steenis, Slim Trabelsi, and Mansour Barnaoui, four inaugural kings were crowned as part of the promotion’s Middle East and North Africa expansion.

The main card followed, with six fighters on the global roster walking away with championship gold and $1 million in prize money.

Brendan Loughnane and Impa Kasanganay both failed in their bid to experience that for the second time, with the featherweight suffering a lopsided five-round loss to Timur Khizriev in the main event and the light heavyweight standout falling victim to Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov’s power in under a minute.

Perhaps the most intriguing clash on the lineup came in the co-headliner, meanwhile, as the undefeated Dakota Ditcheva faced the toughest test of her blossoming career thus far. She ultimately followed her PFL Europe success last year with global glory, getting the better of former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in shockingly dominant fashion.

With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

2024 PFL World Championship Results

PFL World Championship Card:

  • Featherweight Championship: Timur Khizriev def. Brendan Loughnane via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
  • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva def. Taila Santos via TKO (body punches): R2, 4:41
  • Light Heavyweight Championship: Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov def. Impa Kasanganay via TKO (punches): R1, 0:58
  • Welterweight Championship: Shamil Musaev def. Magomed Umalatov via TKO (punches): R3, 1:44
  • Lightweight Championship: Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Brent Primus via KO (punches): R3, 2:31
  • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov def. Oleg Popov via submission (triangle choke): R1, 2:51

PFL MENA Championship Card:

  • MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. Maraoune Bellagouit via TKO: R1
  • MENA Welterweight Championship: Omar El Dafrawy def. Mohammad Alaqraa via KO (hammerfists): R2, 0:57
  • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif def. Lilia Osmani via TKO (knees): R2, 1:37
  • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb def. Rachid El Hazoume via KO (punches): R1, 1:25
  • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Georges Eid via unanimous decision

Showcase Fight Card:

  • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui def. Alfie Davis via submission (rear-naked choke): R3, 3:41
  • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi def. Abraham Bably via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Featherweight: Gabriel Braga def. Jeremy Kennedy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj def. Jose Perez via submission (guillotine choke): R3, 1:10
  • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis def. Joao Dantas via KO (head kick): R1, 0:48

Costello van Steenis Def. Joao Dantas

Asael Adjoudj Def. Jose Perez

Gabriel Braga Def. Jeremy Kennedy

Slim Trabelsi Def. Abraham Bably

Mansour Barnaoui Def. Alfie Davis

Mohsen Mohammadseifi Def. Georges Eid

Ali Taleb Def. Rachid El Hazoume

Hattan Alsaif Def. Lilia Osmani

Omar El Dafrawy Def. Mohammad Alaqraa

Abdullah Al-Qahtani Def. Maraoune Bellagouit

Denis Goltsov Def. Oleg Popov

Gadzhi Rabadanov Def. Brent Primus

Shamil Musaev Def. Magomed Umalatov

Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov Def. Impa Kasanganay

Dakota Ditcheva Def. Taila Santos

Timur Khizriev Def. Brendan Loughnane

UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, and MMA News has you covered with all the action! After a pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden — and before focus turns to the UFC’s final numbered event of the year in Las Vegas — the […]

UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

After a pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden — and before focus turns to the UFC’s final numbered event of the year in Las Vegas — the MMA leader was on the road to stage a card in Macau for the first time in a decade.

Headlining at the Galaxy Arena were two former champions in ex-bantamweight kingpin Yan and a two-time occupier of the flyweight throne in Figueiredo. With both men coming off wins over top-10 opposition, a shot at Merab Dvalishvili’s 135-pound gold was discussed as being in store for Saturday’s victor.

That turned out to be Yan, with “No Mercy” putting in a vintage striking performance to sweep the scorecards.

Elsewhere on the UFC Fight Night lineup, Yan Xiaonan emerged victorious from her first outing since falling short of the title against Zhang Weili earlier this year, Carlos Ulberg got the better of fellow hard-hitting light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir, and the Road to UFC finals delivered some memorable moments on the prelims.

With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Results & Highlights

Main Card:

  • Bantamweight Main Event: Petr Yan def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
  • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Yan Xiaonan def. Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Welterweight: Muslim Salikhov def. Song Kenan via KO (spinning wheel kick): R1, 3:49
  • Women’s Flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes def. Wang Cong via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 3:49
  • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang def. Ozzy Diaz via TKO (elbow & punches): R1, 2:25

Preliminary Card:

  • Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: SuYoung You def. Jieleyisi Baergeng via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Road to UFC Flyweight Final: DongHun Choi def. Kiru Singh Sahota via KO (punch): R1, 2:36
  • Road to UFC Women’s Strawweight Final: Ming Shi def. Xiaocan Feng via KO (head kick): R3, 0:46
  • Flyweight: Carlos Hernandez def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh def. Jose Ochoa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Bantamweight: Long Xiao def. Quang Le via KO (punches): R3, 1:28
  • Lightweight: Nikolas Motta def. Hayisaer Maheshate via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Nikolas Motta Def. Hayisaer Maheshate

Long Xiao Def. Quang Le

Lone’er Kavanagh Def. Jose Ochoa

Carlos Hernandez Def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel

Ming Shi Def. Xiaocan Feng

DongHun Choi Def. Kiru Singh Sahota

Zhang Mingyang Def. Ozzy Diaz

Carlos Ulberg Def. Volkan Oezdemir

Gabriella Fernandes Def. Wang Cong

Muslim Salikhov Def. Song Kenan

Yan Xiaonan Def. Tabatha Ricci

Petr Yan Def. Deiveson Figueiredo