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UFC 324’s Arnold Allen on Lengthy Layoff: ‘For the Last Year I Lost My Mind’

Arnold Allen hasn't fought since July 2024. | Getty/UFC

By the time Arnold Allen steps into the Octagon at UFC 324 on Saturday, more than a year and a half will have passed since his last fight.

The 31-year-old Englishman hasn’t competed since July 2024, when he defeated Giga Chikadze in a featherweight clash at UFC 304. That snapped a two-bout losing streak for Allen, who began his promotional tenure with 10 consecutive triumphs before dropping back-to-back outings against Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev.

After besting Chikadze, “Almighty” was eager to resume his ascent toward title contention at 145 pounds, but progress was derailed by a lingering shoulder injury that took a significant amount of time to heal. He admits that the layoff took its toll on him mentally.

“For the last year, I lost my mind trying to focus on the things I can do,” Allen told UFC.com. “My life is very career-driven, and I love my career — I want to give it t…

Conor McGregor Claims UFC Contract is Void with New Paramount Broadcast Deal

Conor McGregor could be in line for a new UFC contract. | Bellator MMA

If Conor McGregor is to be believed, the Irish star will be entering negotiations for a new UFC contract in the near future.

In an interview on a stream, the former two-division champion claimed that the new Paramount broadcast deal eliminates pay-per-view points, which will require a reworked UFC contract. McGregor is still targeting a return at the UFC White House card, though the event has yet to be confirmed.

“I’m warming up now for the White House fight,” McGregor said (via Happy Punch). “I’m gonna be at it, for sure. It’s gonna be insane, the White House card is gonna be.

“I’m going into negotiations with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in February. I’m very interested to go. They’ve actually got a new deal with Paramount, it’s worth $7.7 billion. So the company has [quadrupled] its profit, and my contract, essentially, is void right now because there’s n…

Nikolay Veretennikov Replaces Eric Nolan at UFC Fight Night 266

Nikolay Veretennikov is 1-3 in the UFC. | Getty/UFC

UFC Fight Night 266 has seen a change with less than three weeks to go before the event.

Eric Nolan was originally scheduled to face Jose Henrique Souza at UFC Fight Night 266 on Feb. 7. However, Nolan has pulled out and will now be replaced by Nikolay Veretennikov. Both fighters confirmed the bout via social media following an intial report from RealKevinK.

Veretennikov (13-7) has gone 1-3 in the UFC since his debut in 2024. The Kazakh will be making his UFC middleweight debut on short notice against Souza.

Meanwhile, Souza (8-1) suffered his lone professional loss in a failed bid for a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2022. “Canela” has since racked up a three-fight winning streak on the regional circuit to earn his UFC contract.

Arslan Bilalov Wins LFA Heavyweight Title in LFA 224 Main Event

The Legacy Fighting Alliance crowned a new heavyweight champion in the LFA 224 main event.

Fighting for the vacant title were Matthew Adams and Arslan Bilalov, who sported a flawless 5-0 professional record coming in. Adams (5-2) gave up a takedown early, which allowed Bilalov to unload with punches. The Russian stayed in control by getting into mount position and bloodying "Bad" with elbows. Bilalov pivoted to a rear-naked choke in order to win the belt and advance to 6-0 as a pro. The tap came at 4:47 of the first round.

The co-main event saw welterweights Josiah Harrell and Bekmyrza Dosmatov battle for a likely title shot. In a wild fight full of scrambles and hard punches being thrown, it was the grueling pace of the undefeated Harrell (11-0) that proved to be too much. An exhausted Dosmatov (13-3) gave up mount in the final round and eventually succumbed to punches from "Muscle Hamster" at the 3:28 mark after his corner waved off the fight…

Featherweight Knockout Artists to Headline March 14 UFC Card

Come March 14, there should be a firefight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage.

The organization announced on Friday its headliner for its March 14 fight card that will be held at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Atop the UFC Fight Night 269 billing—also known as UFC Vegas 114—will be a 145-pound slugfest pitting Josh Emmett (19-6) against Kevin Vallejos (17-1). Vallejos subsequently confirmed his involvement in this March main attraction on his Instagram.

California’s Emmett has fallen on hard time as of late. The 40-year-old has dropped four of his last five, with his lone victory since 2022 a one-punch knockout of Bryce Mitchell. Otherwise, Emmett has fallen short to Yair Rodriguez and Youssef Zalal by submission, and dropped decisions to Ilia Topuria and Lerone Murphy. Before the struggles, “CC0” had amassed a five-fight win streak from 2019 to 2022, culminating in an interim title tilt against the aforementioned Rodriguez.

The streaking Vall…

UFC Heavyweight Suspended Until 2028 After Failed Drug Test

Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Mohammed Usman could not escape the investigation of the anti-doping agents.

On Thursday, the UFC announced in a joint statement with drug-testing agency Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) that Usman has been suspended after testing positive for an exogenous source of testosterone. He was flagged on Sept. 8, 2025, which resulted in his removal from his bout against Valter Walker at UFC Fight Night 261 in October of last year. Additionally, Usman provided a false reason as to his failed test, resulting in additional sanctions.

As a result of that test and his admission of past use of the substance as well as BPC-157—an unapproved peptide designed to improve the recovery process, Usman will be suspended until April 2028. Normally, a fighter would receive a two-year sentence, but Usman added “aggravating circumstances” by attempting to falsely claim its source and his regular use. Thus, the CSAD issued a sentence…

Oktagon MMA 82 Weigh-in Results: All Fighters Make Weight

🔥 The OKTAGON 82 card is set!

15,000 fans have sold out PSD Bank Dome for the Tipsport Gamechanger final on Saturday.

💰 Engizek vs. Jotko 💰☄️ Palokaj vs. Hendin 🥋🥊 Ilbay vs. Ryšavý 💥

➕ Dulatov, Zawada, Ligocki and Bark

📺 https://t.co/TVP7NaEp1x | RTL+ | TVP Sport pic.twitter.com/p4EYE69014 — OKTAGON (@OktagonOfficial) January 13, 2026 Oktagon MMA's first mixed martial arts event of 2026 will feature the €1 million European MMA Champions League final, which is now official following the Oktagon MMA 82 weigh-ins.

Competing for €1 million are middleweight champion Kerim Engizek and UFC veteran Krzysztof Jotko. Both men weighed 185 pounds for the tournament finals, which is set for three rounds and will not have Engizek's championship on the line. All other fighters also made weight, with the exception of Daniel Ligocki, who came in a pound heavy for his tournament reserve bout against David Zawada.

En…

KSW 114 Weigh-in Results: Lightweight Title Fight Set

It's coming this Saturday 👀

Are you ready for the first card of 2026? 🔥

XTB #KSW114 | 🇵🇱 @CANALPLUS_SPORT | 🌍 KSWTV pic.twitter.com/91OLqWHTTQ — KSW (@KSW_MMA) January 14, 2026 Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki's first event of 2026 will see the mixed martial arts promotion's lightweight championship on the line, which is now official following the KSW 114 weigh-ins.

In the five-round main event, Salahdine Parnasse will look to defend his lightweight title against challenger Marcin Held. Both men hit championship weight, weighing 155 pounds on the dot. All other fighters on the nine-fight card also successfully made weight.

Parnasse (21-2) is riding a three-fight win streak since losing a welterweight title fight against Adrian Bartosinski. He's since gone back to lightweight and beat Valeriu Mircea to unify the titles before knocking out Wilson Varela and Marian Ziolkowski in title defenses. The French fighter will …

Top Contender Reveals UFC Forced Him to Prove Mexican Family History

Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight Anthony Hernandez claims the promotion asked him to show them his family’s papers.

On a Wednesday appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Hernandez discussed his upcoming headliner at UFC Houston against Sean Strickland. He also cracked into the 2025 middleweight championship affair when Khamzat Chimaev defeated Dricus Du Plessis, heavily criticizing the former. Additionally, he touched on a few notable issues, including a strange encounter with UFC brass and his outspoken use of cannabis.

Helwani brought up a post Hernandez made on social media showing him in fight shorts with the Mexican flag and a rooster on the side. Hernandez coined it his “fighting rooster,” while remarking that he did not know how to go about getting custom shorts and that the UFC even questioned him about his Mexican heritage.

“I wish,” he replied when asked if his colorful shorts would be part of his next fight kit. “I don’t know…

Dana White Lukewarm on Conor McGregor Return, Dismisses One Potential Foe

Ultimate Fighting Championship chief Dana White is not so certain that Conor McGregor will ever fight again.

Speaking with Complex News, the UFC President and CEO discussed a myriad of topics ranging from the oft-discussed UFC White House card to the state of a few divisions—and even briefly shrugged off a question about YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. White did not have many definitive answers, mostly suggesting that upcoming events need to play out to determine who faces whom, when and where.

Of note was a pair of questions about superstar McGregor, who has been on the shelf since breaking his leg in his unsuccessful rubber match with Dustin Poirier in 2021. The Irishman, who has since gotten married and also been the subject of many legal quagmires ranging from being found liable for sexual assault to ongoing investigations about striking various individuals, was once booked for a 2024 match with Michael Chandler that fell through. The two served…

Kayla Harrison Shares Post-Surgery Update Following UFC 324 Withdrawal

Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champ Kayla Harrison is starting the long road to recovery.

News broke Wednesday that Harrison, 35, required and underwent surgery on her herniated disc(s) in her neck. This ejected her from her co-main event championship tilt at UFC 324 against all-time great Amanda Nunes. Rather than slot in a replacement for Nunes on ultra-short notice, the organization will table the bout until later.

This withdrawal marks the first time that Harrison has pulled out of a fight in her pro career that started in 2018. The two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo picked up those awards in 2012 and 2016, and her skills translated to MMA to the point that she won not one but two million-dollar tournaments with Professional Fighters League to build a record of 14-0. While she suffered her first career loss at the hands of Larissa Pacheco in 2022, it came after she had already beaten the Brazilian twice prior.

Bouncing into th…

Veteran Broadcaster to Join CBS Sports Analyst Desk for UFC 324

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is adding a new name to its broadcast team.

Paramount, the new broadcast partner of the UFC, announced on Thursday that it would be adding one new member to the group of analysts that break down fights at the desk. Per the company, the remainder of the broadcast crew from the previous deal will continue as usual, ranging from Jon Anik, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier in the booth to Bruce Buffer on the microphone to Megan Olivi as the roving reporter and Din Thomas as the live analyst. One more talent will be joining the UFC 324 team.

Additional coverage will include the pre-pay-per-view—these cards now simply titled “numbered events” or “premium live events”—weigh-in show, hosted by Dan Hellie and joined by Laura Sanko, Cormier and Chris Weidman. Other standard coverage like the official and ceremonial weigh-ins will air on Paramount+, along with the event itself that Saturday.A New HostOn the desk, away from the act…

LFA 224 Weigh-in Results: 1 Fight Canceled

#LFA224 Face Off ⚔️

Takes place Friday, January 16th at the @MysticLake Casino Hotel in #PriorLake #Minnesota

📲 Main card live on @VICETV® at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.Prelims live on YouTube at 7:30pm ET #LFAFightNetwork

Meet the prospects: https://t.co/y05gTyWe3y pic.twitter.com/FWPgaGQVYy

— LFA (@LFAfighting) January 15, 2026 The Legacy Fighting Alliance kicks off 2026 with a heavyweight championship fight for the vacant title, which is now official following the LFA 224 weigh-ins.

Throwing down for up to five possible rounds are Matthew Adams and undefeated prospect Arslan Bilalov. Both men came in under the 266-pound heavyweight limit. As for the rest of the card, all fighters made weight with the exception of Jose Ferreira, who came in 5.8 pounds over the lightweight cap. As a result, his fight against Ednilson Barros Santos has been canceled.

The 28-year-old Adams is the slightly more experienced p…

Four Bouts Official for Rizin 52 on March 7

Rizin Fighting Federation has confirmed four bouts, including a super atomweight showdown between Saori Oshima and Keito Oyama, for its first event of 2026.

Rizin 52 on March 7 will also include the following three contests: Luiz Gustavo vs. Taisei Sakuraba at lightweight; Takaki Soya vs. Tony Laramie at flyweight and Viktor Kolesnik vs. Kazuki Aimoto at featherweight.

Rizin 52 takes place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo and is availabile on pay-per-view via Rizin.TV.

The promotion also announced that Rizin Landmark Vol. 13 will take place on April 12 at Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka Japan. No fights were confirmed for that event.

Oshima won her first four Rizin appearances to eventually earn a super atomweight title shot. “Little Giant” came up short in that opportunity, falling to women’s pound-for-pound stalwart Seika Izawa via unanimous decision at Rizin Landmark Vol. 12 this past November.

Oyama, who is more commonly known as “Kate Lotu…

Dana White Announces 5-Year Rebranding Agreement for UFC Apex

The UFC Apex has a new name.

As a result of a partnership with Meta, the promotion’s home venue in Las Vegas will now be known as the Meta Apex for the next five years. UFC CEO Dana White announced the rebranding via social media on Monday.

“So as we go into the new year, the home of Contender Series, the home of some [UFC] Fight Nights, the home of Zuffa Boxing, UFC BJJ will now be called the Meta Apex,” White said on Instagram. “We’ve done a five-year deal with Meta.

“So welcome to the new Meta Apex.”

White was elected to the Meta board of directors in 2025. One of the largest information technology companies in the U.S., Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, among other things. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is an avid MMA fan and consistent jiu-jitsu practitioner.

A New ExperienceAccording to a release, “Meta branding will be integrated throughout the facility. UFC and Meta will also work together to create interactive exper…

Neck Injury Forces Kayla Harrison to Withdraw from UFC 324 Co-Main Event

Neck surgery has forced Kayla Harrison out of UFC 324. | Getty/UFC

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s debut event on Paramount+ has taken a significant hit.

According to a report from the Eagle Tribune, Kayla Harrison has been forced to withdraw from the UFC 324 co-main event against Amanda Nunes on Jan. 24 to undergo surgery to repair herniated discs in her neck. Harrison reportedly sought treatment in New York ahead of the fight, but doctors determined that surgery was a necessity. Harrison vs. Nunes is expected to be rebooked at an undetermined date in the future. Sherdog.com confirmed Harrison’s exit with a source close to the situation.

The women’s bantamweight title bout was one of the two featured fights — along with an interim lightweight championship clash between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett — anchoring the UFC 324 lineup, which marks the beginning of the promotion’s broadcast partnership on Paramount+. UFC CEO Dana Whi…

Figueiredo on Underdog Status at UFC 324: ‘One Punch Can Change Everything’

Deiveson Figueiredo likes his chances at UFC 324. | Getty/UFC

Deiveson Figueiredo is an an unfamiliar position heading into his fight with Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.

According to Stake.com's Monday odds, the Dagestani, who has only one loss in his 20 MMA fights, was considered a 10-to-1 favorite. In an exclusive interview with Sherdog.com, Figueiredo said that fact only increases his motivation.

"Everyone knows he has a good grappling game, but he's going to face a different opponent, a former champion, and one punch from me can change everything,” Figueiredo said. “In any case, fighting against favorites only increases my motivation.”

The former flyweight champion is confident after once again holding his training camp at Pitbul Brothers.

“The camp here at Pitbull Brothers was perfect,” he said. “The resources here are excellent. Sparring partners like Leandro Higo from [PFL] only made me push myself to the best every day, and…

Justin Gaethje Eyes Rematch Against Max Holloway

Justin Gaethje wants to avenge his loss against Max Holloway.

Gaethje (26-5) is scheduled to fight Paddy Pimblett (23-3) for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Holloway (27-8) is set to trade leather against Charles Oliveira (36-11) at UFC 326 on March 7 in Las Vegas.

Gaethje recently revealed that he is rooting for Holloway to beat Oliveira. Gaethje wants a rematch against Holloway if they both win their respective fights. Gaethje also hopes that the current lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, moves up a weight class. Gaethje would then defend his lightweight title against Holloway, along with the latter’s BMF title on the line, preferably at the White House in June.High Stakes “I hope Max wins. I hope Ilia goes up,” Gaethje told the UFC. “And then I can fight Max on the White House card and take the BMF belt and the championship belt.”

Gaethje has only lost to Holloway in his last four outings…

Paddy Pimblett Believes Style Can’t Be Emulated

Paddy Pimblett doesn’t think he can be mimicked.

Pimblett is scheduled to fight Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas. While Gaethje is known for his striking, Pimblett boasts a high level of wrestling. Gaethje’s camp recently said that they have been emphasizing wrestling to prepare for Pimblett. Regardless, Pimblett believes Gaethje won’t be able to stifle his wrestling. Pimblett claims that he doesn’t wrestle conventionally, making his style awkward. While fighters usually bring in sparring partners to emulate their upcoming opponents, Pimblett doesn’t think Gaethje will find any to mimic him.

‘I’m Not Normal’ "I don't wrestle like a normal person,” Pimblett told the UFC. “I don't shoot double legs and single legs and wrestle like a normal person. I do everything differently. I'm not normal. He’s not gonna be able to get a sparring partner that grapples like me or strikes like me, because I'm a we…

Justin Gaethje Reveals Retirement Threat Was Influenced by Manager

Justin Gaethje’s recent retirement threat was not all his idea.

Gaethje (26-5) is scheduled to fight Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas. The interim title fight was hatched after champion Ilia Topuria announced a short break from competition for personal reasons. Gaethje and Pimblett (23-3) were previously frontrunners for a title shot against Topuria. However, Topuria has clearly expressed his preference for defending his title against Pimblett over Gaethje. Gaethje was threatening retirement if denied a title shot in his next fight.

Thankfully for Gaethje, circumstances played out in his favor. However, Gaethje recently revealed that the retirement threat was partly his manager, Ali Abdelaziz’s idea. Gaethje also admitted that he was being emotional about the whole situation.Taking Things Personally "I definitely got what I asked for,” Gaethje told the UFC. “It was more that my manager put…

Paddy Pimblett Will Follow Max Holloway’s ‘Blueprint’ to Beat Justin Gaethje

Paddy Pimblett vows to finish Justin Gaethje on the feet.

Pimblett (23-3) is scheduled to fight Gaethje (26-5) for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas. “The Baddy” believes Max Holloway has already delivered the gameplan to beat Justin Gaethje. Holloway and Gaethje fought for the BMF title at UFC 300 in 2024. Holloway picked Gaethje apart on the feet before finishing him in a last-round buzzer-beater.

While people expect Pimblett to wrestle Gaethje, the Liverpudlian plans to follow Holloway’s gameplan. Pimblett believes his striking is underestimated. Pimblett notes that while he dominated Michael Chandler in his last outing, Gaethje had a “Fight of the Year” slugfest against Chandler in 2021, which he won via unanimous decision. Pimblett claims he has the perfect gameplan against Gaethje and plans to finish him within three rounds.Going Against Expectations “I’ll keep it on the feet with him,” Pimblett told th…

Chael Sonnen Wants Arman Tsarukyan to Be Forgiven

Chael Sonnen recently extended his support to Arman Tsarukyan.

Tsarukyan (23-3) has been denied a lightweight title shot despite being widely regarded as the most deserving contender. Tsarukyan was originally scheduled to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 last year. However, Tsarukyan pulled out due to an injury a day before the fight, disappointing the UFC

As Dana White promised, Tsarukyan was sidelined when Makhachev vacated his belt and moved up. Ilia Topuria defeated Charles Oliveira to win the vacant title while Tsarukyan weighed in as the backup. While Tsarukyan kept rallying for a title shot, Topuria seemed interested in fighting Paddy Pimblett. Tsarukyan thought a title shot would be undeniable when he finished Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar this past November. However, Tsarukyan was sidelined again when Topuria announced a short hiatus from action for personal reasons. “Ahalkalakets” has to keep waiting whil…

Paulo Costa Set for Light Heavyweight Debut at UFC 327

Paulo Costa will move up to light heavyweight at UFC 327. | Getty/UFC

Paulo Costa’s next Octagon appearance will come at 205 pounds.

The former middleweight title challenger will lock horns with Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327. Multiple outlets confirmed the matchup following an initial report from Laerte Viana. UFC 327 takes place on April 11 and is expected to be held in Miami.

A Stern Test Costa was supposed to face Brunno Ferreira at UFC 326 but pulled out of that proposed middleweight bout. “Borrachinha” snapped a two-bout skid in his last outing, when he took a three-round verdict against Roman Kopylov at UFC 318 this past July. Costa began his Octagon tenure with five consecutive triumphs before falling to Israel Adesanya via second-round TKO in a middleweight title clash at UFC 253. Including that bout, the Brazilian is just 2-4 in his last six promotional outings.

Murzakanov has made an impact in the UFC’s light heavyweight division with victories …

Khamzat Chimaev Targets UFC White House Event for ‘Poatan’ Fight

Khamzat Chimaev still has his sights set on Alex Pereira. | Getty/UFC

Khamzat Chimaev has a singular focus when it comes to his next desired opponent.

The reigning UFC middleweight champion continued his ongoing callout of light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira in a series of posts on social media. While the target is nothing new, this time Chimaev has a date and venue in mind for the matchup.

“Let’s go White House,” Chimaev wrote on X. “Don’t worry, I will finish you fast [Pereira].”

Let’s go White House 🦾Don’t worry, I will finish you fast @AlexPereiraUFC ⚰️

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) January 12, 2026

The UFC White House event is expected to take place on June 14, though the date has yet to be officially confirmed. Pereira had previously expressed interest in a clash against former heavyweight champ Jon Jones, but the Brazilian indicated in a recent post that his participation at the event was a …

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