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Jon Jones advises Dustin Poirier to stay busy. 

Poirier was recently escorted off a flight before being arrested at the Atlanta airport for public drunkenness. Bodcam footage also showed an allegedly drunk Poirier trying to fight a police officer. “The Diamond” was released on bail and admitted that he needs help to deal with alcohol. 

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Jones (28-1), who has had multiple run-ins with the law, assures Poirier (30-10) that this too shall pass. Considering Poirier’s retirement from MMA last year, “Bones” advises the former UFC lightweight title challenger to keep himself occupied.

“Wanted to write and tell my n—a [Dustin Poirier] to keep your head up, life happens,” Jones wrote on X. “This too shall pass. Just keep yourself busy my man, it helps. ”

Wanted to write and tell my nigga Justin Poirier to keep your head up, life happens. This too shall pass. Just keep yourself busy my man, it helps

— Jonny Meat (@Jon…

Professional Fighters League CEO John Martin admits that Most Valuable Promotions did better than his organization in some aspects in its first MMA show. 

MVP hosted its first MMA card this past May featuring stars like Francis Ngannou and Ronda Rousey. Martin admits that MVP did better than the PFL in reeling in casual fans. Martin believes MVP co-founder Jake Paul’s massive popularity played a pivotal role in bringing in casual fans. Martin also lauded MVP CEO Nakisa Bidarian for building the brand. 

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Top notch featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Martin claims he was wishing MVP success for its first event, as he believes it would boost the growth of the sport as a whole. Martin is open to collaborating with MVP in the future. However, Martin clarifies that it won’t come at the cost of PFL fighters being used to build some other brand.

Bringing in the Casuals “I know Nakisa, I have …

⚖️ #PFLSanDiego Official Weigh Ins ✅

Fighters weighed in. The countdown to Fight Night is now on! ⏳

Everything that went down at today’s #PFLSanDiego Official Weigh Ins

B2YB @gorillaenergy #PFLSanDiego | Saturday, June 27th | 📺 ESPN 2 | Prelims 7PM EST | Main Card 10PM… pic.twitter.com/mjbImUMipm

— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 26, 2026 The Professional Fighters League's first event in San Diego is officially set following the official weigh-ins.

Headlining PFL San Diego is the return of A.J. McKee. The former Bellator MMA featherweight champion takes on undefeated prospect Salamat Isbulaev for his second fight of 2026. All fighters made weight for the nine-fight card with the exception of Sarvarjon Khamidov, who came in 1.6 pounds over the bantamweight limit.

McKee (24-2) enters the main event having gone 3-1 inside the promotion. Since losing a split decision loss to Paul Hughes in 2024, "Mercenary" has since defeated Akhmed Ma…

[embedded content] The Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Azerbaijan is set after the UFC Baku weigh-ins took place.

All 26 fighters made weight for UFC Fight Night 280. The 13-fight card sees the return of fan-favorite lightweight Rafael Fiziev, who always brings action to the Octagon. He'll clash with fellow contender Manuel Torres in a five-round fight.

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Fiziev (13-5) is looking to rebound from a TKO loss to Mauricio Ruffy earlier this year. It's been a rough stretch for the Kazakhstani fighter, who is just 1-4 in his last five fights. However, two of the losses came to current champion Justin Gaethje and a win over Ignacio Bahamondes shows that he is still dangerous. "Ataman" weighed 156 pounds on the dot.

Meanwhile, Torres (17-3) is riding a two-fight win streak into the main event. TKO victories over Drew Dober and Grant Dawson have shown how skilled "El Loco" truly is. However, a recent defeat to Bahamondes in 2024 is his latest setb…

A member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster since 2006 is moving on.

Joining the UFC in 2006 at UFC 63, Joe Lauzon (28-15) debuted against Jens Pulver and put him away in 48 seconds. Rather than advance in the unstable lightweight division—the weight class would not have a stable title picture until B.J. Penn claimed the throne from Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 in 2008—Lauzon elected to join the massively popular reality series of “The Ultimate Fighter.” “J-Lau” competed in its fifth season, picked up by Team Penn against Team Pulver, coached by a man he knocked out not long before.

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While he never managed to vie for a lightweight championship, Lauzon kept himself in the contendership picture as an all-action figure that could all-but guarantee post-fight bonus money. The Massachusetts native amassed a whopping 15 bonus checks over the years, including a double-bonus performance when he tapped Jamie Varner in 2012 to earn both “Fight of the Nigh…

Oleksandr Usyk wants to go out with a bang.

Turning 40 years of age in January, unified heavyweight boxing champion Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) has decided to relinquish his WBA, WBC and IBF belts. The Ukrainian wishes for those next in line to vie for his old belts, while he has his sights set on one final bout. He has not tipped his hat as to whether it would be a rematch against a former foe like Rico Verhoeven or Tyson Fury, or even if there would be any gold on the line for his final bout.

Usyk took the boxing world by storm, crushing names like Tony Bellew and Chazz Witherspoon as a cruiserweight before moving up to the heaviest division. There, he picked up the WBO intercontinental strap from Derek Chisora in 2020, and looked nowhere but up. A year later, the 18-0 big man challenged Anthony Joshua for the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts, and he claimed them all by picking up a decision after 12 rounds of combat.

Rematches upon rematches upon rematchesThe newly minted un…

Even as a child, Ilara Joanne knew fighting would be her destiny, despite not knowing the sacrifices that laid ahead. While preparing for her clash against former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Shannon Clark, “Arya Stark” fondly looks back at the events that brought her to this point.

“I left the interior of the Brazilian state of Ceara. I’m from the back country,” she shared with Sherdog in her native Portuguese.

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“When I arrived at the state capital, Fortaleza, I found a place to train. I started training in capoeira, kickboxing and jiu-jitsu. By the time I was 19, I had my pro debut. It’s when I decided this is how I’d be spending the rest of my life. As soon as I stepped off the cage, I told my coach that this is the life I wanted for me.”Ilara Joanne's road from rural Brazil to PFL San Diego Things haven’t been easy, but she feels it’s all been worth it. “From my Bellator debut in 2019 until now, I had to overcome multiple obstacles. I worked …

It seems that the Ultimate Fighting Championship has another batch of numbers it wants to share about its tentpole fight card.

Following the UFC White House card, also known as UFC Freedom 250, the organization was bullish on the expected number of the spectacle event. The promotion put out its first crop of numbers last week, announcing an average viewership number during the broadcast of about seven million in the U.S.

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This tally by itself falls short to the numbers drawn by the first Netflix MMA show headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, which reportedly capped at 9.3 million active viewers. Both Rousey and promoter Jake Paul were quick to pounce on their numerical superiority, shrugging off the UFC as the biggest MMA league on in the world. Possibly in response to the criticism, the UFC has put forth a new crop of enhanced numbers with greater locational breakdowns and several new markets in which are now available for review.UFC Freedom …

At 32 years of age, Ariane Lipski da Silva is now fully committed to the third major stage in her professional mixed martial arts career.

After showing great promise in the local Brazilian scene, the invitation came to join Poland’s famed Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki promotion. In the KSW, not only did she win their flyweight belt, she went on to defend it twice.

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Stage one completed.After years of UFC setbacks, Lipski believes best is to come The Ultimate Fighting Championship came calling in 2018, but a reported foot injury by booked opponent Maryna Moroz meant that her actual debut wouldn’t take place until the following year. In hindsight, it may have been an omen of things to come. Her Octagon tenure may hold some sort of record to the highest percentage of canceled bouts or opponent changes. In under 7 years, da Silva racked up a record of 6-8, with nine matchups being either canceled or postponed. Twice, da Silva could not compete. Seven other can…

The Professional Fighters League will hold a show in Saudi Arabia this year one way or another.

In May, the promotion was slated to post up at the Dhahran Expo in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Plans changed, and that card was scrubbed and bumped back to June 19 at Jeddah instead of Khobar. Via a press release on Thursday, the company will be shipping that fight event to the Boulevard Studios in Riyadh on July 10. The lineup of this show vs. the previous one in June will remain similar, with both Hattan Alsaif and Malik Basahel seated on the marquee.

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Alsaif will be looking to make her professional debut on this date, entering into her first paid bout against 1-1 Algerian Dania Ouhachi who has both won and lost her past matches by submission. Alsaif typically competes at 105 pounds to Ouhachi’s 125, so they will be meeting in the middle at a current unlisted catchweight in the main event.

Top notch featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, J…

Photo: Getty Images/UFC | Caption: Sherdog.com/Ben Duffy

Top notch featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.

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Viviane Araujo didn’t ask for easy assignments, nor is she getting one.

After a successful debut bout in the Professional Fighters League this past April, “Vivi” now prepares to clash with a nearly irresistible force when she meets fellow Ultimate Fighting Championship alumna Liz Carmouche on June 27 at PFL San Diego.

Carmouche is the PFL’s most recent flyweight tournament champion. The 16-year veteran holds notable wins over the likes of Jessica Andrade and Valentina Shevchenko, not to mention being on a 12-1 run since 2020. Araujo is keenly aware of the potential risks and rewards. Though no belt is up for grabs this weekend, an emphatic win would most likely catapult her to title contention.

Speaking in her native Portuguese, Araujo had nothing but praise for her next o…

Brunno Ferreira will look to return to the win column at UFC Baku. | Getty/UFC

Brunno Ferreira will look to return to the win column when he faces Ikram Aliskerov at UFC Baku on Saturday.

“Hulk” arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan, with coach Andre “Dida” this past Thursday. Ferreira was initially supposed to face Aliskerov at UFC 318 last July before his opponent withdrew from the event due to injury. Instead, Ferreira submitted replacement opponent Jackson McKey in the first round.

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“That fight should have happened before, but Ikram hurt his foot six days before the fight. The opponent changed [then], but we had already studied his game a lot,” Dida, the Brazilian TKO head coach, told Sherdog.com. “I´m very impressed with the fans here. They are very excited about the event. Baku breathes fighting. They have a big statue of a wrestling champion on the street of the hotel.”

“‘Hulk' wanted to arrive on Thursday, so we can get totally adapted t…

"Cyborg" is set for one last hurrah in MMA. | PFL MMA

Cris Cyborg will end her decorated mixed martial arts career this summer under the Professional Fighters League banner.

“Cyborg” will defend her featherweight title against Ketlen Vieira in the PFL Tampa headliner on Aug. 22 at Benchmark, International Arena in Tampa, Florida, The promotion announced the bout on Wednesday. The PFL Tampa main card will air on ESPN beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

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Top notch featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

“PFL Tampa will be a special event as it hosts the retirement fight for our champion, Cris Cyborg,” said PFL CEO John Martin in a release. “She is a pioneer of not just women’s MMA, but mixed martial arts as a whole, and it has been a privilege for PFL to have her as a deserving champion. Now she headlines one final time in the PFL cage and will stand across from a proven challenger in Ketlen …

Javid Basharat is headed to the PFL. | Getty/UFC

Javid Basharat is among of host of new additions to the Professional Fighters League roster.

The league on Wednesday announced the addition of 18 athletes from nine weight classes and 14 countries. Basharat and fellow UFC veteran Daniel Marcos, whose signing was already reported, are among the most notable newcomers.

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Top notch featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Basharat went 4-2 with one no contest over the course of seven Octagon appearances after earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series. “The Snow Leopard” last competed at UFC Fight Night 266 on Feb. 7, when he took a unanimous verdict over Gianni Vazquez.

“At PFL, we are constantly growing and evolving our roster to ensure it remains one of the best and most competitive in the world,” PFL CEO John Martin said in a release. “With 18 new fighters announced toda…

Eddie Hearn has added another notable UFC star to his stable.

Welterweight contender Ian Garry announced that he has signed with Matchroom Talent Agency, the company run by Hearn, ahead of his title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 on Aug. 15.

“Congratulations Matchroom Talent Agency you’ve signed the future,” Garry wrote on Instagram. “I’m excited to announce Team Future just got bigger. Alongside Vayner Sports, I’ll be joining The Matchroom Talent Agency - who will now work across my commercial interests.”

Earlier this year, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall signed with Matchroom. The deals differ in the fact that Garry’s agreement is only for marketing and commercial; the Irishman is still represented by Vayner Sports for management. Aspinall, meanwhile, is represented by Matchroom in all aspects of his career. In recent months, Hearn has engaged in a bitter feud with UFC CEO Dana White, as the two men often trade jabs online and in interviews. Read more about Title challenger signs with Eddie Hearn ahead of UFC 330 main event

PFL MMA

Professional Fighters League is working diligently to connect with its fan base.

On Wednesday, the promotion announced the launch of the PFL Summer Series, which will occur over the course of the next five events. The initiative begins with PFL San Diego on Saturday and concludes with PFL Tampa on Aug. 22.

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Top notch featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

During that stretch, which also includes events in Austin, Washington D.C., New York and Charlotte, the PFL will host “a wide range of fan and media events, including athlete meet-and-greets, photo opportunities, watch parties, ceremonial face-offs, restaurant and bar takeovers, and more.”

Additional experiences for the PFL Summer Series are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Upcoming PFL Schedule Saturday, June 27 – PFL San Diego; Pechanga Arena, San DiegoSaturday, July 18 – PFL Austin; Moody Center, Austin,…

Vinicius Oliveira authored a memorable comeback in his featherweight debut at UFC Fight Night 279.

After Andre Fili hurt him with body kicks early in their bout this past Saturday, “LokDog” rallied for a second-round technical knockout victory, earning a $100,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus in the process.

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Vinicius Oliveira gets the finish

Featherweight Lokdog is nasty #UFCVegas119 https://t.co/3OvbH5d3u3

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 21, 2026 “The tactic against Fili was to use kicks to take away his base. It was working until I felt my foot when I kicked his shin. Then I felt my ribs when he hit me with two kicks,” Oliveira told Sherdog.com.

Oliveira revealed that his corner motivated him to persevere through adversity.

“They were yelling, ‘Go forward, keep attacking, you’re tough.’ At that moment, a movie played in my head,” Oliveira recalled. “In my second-to-last fight, I had a loss, and …

Josh Hokit wants Herb Dean as the referee if he fights Ciryl Gane in the future. 

Dean has recently faced backlash for his officiating in Alex Pereira’s loss against Gane at UFC White House. Gane finished Pereira in the second round to win the interim heavyweight title earlier this month. However, Gane apparently used multiple shots to the back of Pereira’s head, without Dean issuing any warning. Gane has previously been accused of using illegal shots when his title challenge against Tom Aspinall ended in a no-contest due to a double eye poke by the Frenchman. 

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However, surging heavyweight contender Hokit (10-0) is unbothered about illegal shots from Gane (14-2) if they fight. “The Incredible Hok” specifically wants Dean as the third man in the Octagon if he fights Gane.

“The Incredible Hok's eyes would break Ciryl Gane's fingers and the back of my head would shatter his elbow. I insist that Herb ref our fight,” Hokit wrote on X.

Read more about Josh Hokit lobbies for Herb Dean to ref potential fight vs. Ciryl Gane

Alexander Volkanovski believes Alex Pereira absorbed illegal shots in his loss against Ciryl Gane. 

Pereira (13-4) fought Gane (14-2) for an interim heavyweight title earlier this month at UFC White House. While Gane finished Pereira in the second round, it was not without controversy. “Bon Gamin” was seen landing multiple illegal shots to the back of Pereira’s head without any warning from referee Herb Dean. Pereira has since called for fighters to raise their voice for referees to be held accountable for illegal shots. 

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Speaking Out Volkanovski has now extended his support to Pereira. Volkanovski believes Dean should have severely warned Gane while he was hitting “Poatan” on the back of the head.

“Herb, I love you, mate, but you should have been pretty vocal, ‘Watch the back of the head.’... I don't want to throw shade on people, but there was a lot of back of the head shots,” Volkanovski said on YouTube. “If it was someone I didn't lik…

Josh Hokit stands by his controversial comment on Michelle Obama. 

Hokit (10-0) knocked out Derrick Lewis earlier this month at the UFC White House. Known for expressing outrageous opinions, “The Incredible Hok” called former first lady a man in his post-fight interview at the White House. Hokit has since faced a lot of backlash for unprovokedly targeting Mrs. Obama. 

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However, Hokit refuses to back down. Hokit claims he was trying to compliment Mrs. Obama by calling her a man. According to Hokit, his comment was also a display of freedom of speech in America. Hokit vows to never backtrack on his comments, regardless of how controversial they are.Never Backing Down “I thought I was giving her a compliment,” Hokit said on "The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I don't think anyone viewed it as Michelle Obama being a man. It's more like she knows how to deal with adversity, she knows how to work hard like a man when the times get tough. I thought it was a…

Josh Hokit believes Alex Pereira has reached his level of success in MMA because of favorable matchups. 

Pereira is widely considered among the greatest fighters in the history of MMA, judging by his accomplishments. However, Hokit believes otherwise. According to Hokit, “Poatan” has scaled the heights that he has because of stylistically favorable matchups. Hokit claims Pereira has never fought elite wrestlers. “The Incredible Hok” believes he can prove that Pereira is not the legend that he is perceived to be.

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Ideal Timing   “I don't think Pereira's career is what everyone says it is,” Hokit said on "The Ariel Helwani Show” “The accolades, the belts, no one’s done that. But I feel like all of his matchups have been favorable matchups. He hasn't faced anybody with my skill set or anyone with a wrestling pedigree… I want to prove that it's not real. I feel like I have the skill set to prove that... When you become a legend, a lot of it has t…

Tom Aspinall is preparing for a rematch against Ciryl Gane. 

Aspinall (15-3)  recently posted a video mocking Gane (14-2) over his reputation for using illegal shots. Aspinall posted a clip showing Gane hitting opponents with low blows, eye pokes and back-of-the-head shots. Aspinall then shows himself wearing a metallic groin guard and a motorcycle helmet to shield himself against Gane.

“Training for the rematch has begun,” Aspinall wrote in the caption of an Instagram post.

Gane has been accused of throwing illegal blows on multiple occasions. Gane challenged Pereira for the heavyweight title at UFC 320 this past October. The fight ended in an unfortunate no contest after a double eye poke from Gane in the first round rendered Aspinall unable to continue. With Aspinall sidelined due to his eye injury, Gane fought Alex Pereira for the interim heavyweight title earlier this month. While Gane finished “Poatan” in the second round, the Frenchman has been a…

Josh Hokit claims he was just fooling around with his armbar attempt on Derrick Lewis. 

Hokit took on Derrick Lewis in a heavyweight matchup earlier this month at UFC White House. Hokit put on a dominant display en route to a second-round knockout win over “The Black Beast.” Hokit surprised everyone with a bizarre armbar attempt late in the first round. Hokit’s armbar technique was lacking, which led to him being unable to complete the submission.  

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Hokit claims he wasn’t sincerely looking for a finish with the armbar attempt. However, Hokit certainly knows how to finish an armbar since he earned his sophomore professional win with the move. Hokit claims he wanted to make an impact by knocking out Lewis, who has the most knockout wins in UFC history. ‘I Didn’t Want the Fight to End Like That’ “God forbid someone have a little fun in the cage,” Hokit said on "The Ariel Helwani Show” “I already have an armbar finish in my career, a…

Sean Strickland doesn’t like Justin Gaethje’s manager. 

Strickland (30-7) recently launched an unwarranted tirade on Gaethje (28-5). The UFC middleweight champion claims to like Gaethje, but not his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Strickland referenced Abdelaziz’s alleged arrest, followed by allegations of snitching. Strickland says he will never sign up with Abdelaziz’s management, regardless of how lucrative the deal is.

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Strickland Unleashed “Let me tell you why Goythje is a bitch,  and it pains me because I like him,” Strickland wrote on X. “His manager Ali was arrested for being a f—-ing terrorist then snitched on his terrorist boys He could offer me a billion dollars to manage me and [I’d] tell him to get f—ed because I'm an American.”

Let me tell you why Goythje is a bitch, and it pains me because I like him.

His manager Ali was arrested for being a fucking terrorist then snitched on his terrorist boys

He c…