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Islam Makhachev has finally found a serious candidate for one of his Dagestan training offers.

Makhachev’s iconic line, “Send two-three years to Dagestan and forget,” was first used by him to encourage Daniel Cormier to send his son to Russia for wrestling training. While the line has since become part of mixed martial arts folklore, Makhachev has rarely found any serious takers. Unbeaten Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight Navajo Stirling, however, is waiting for an invite.

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Navajo Stirling says he is serious about training in Dagestan if Makhachev extends an invitation Stirling posted a picture of himself wearing a papakha, a traditional wool hat associated with the Caucasus, and wrote on Instagram:

“Islam Makhachev, our saviour, send me 2-3 year Dagestan and forget.”

Stirling has since reiterated that he’s serious about going to Dagestan to train. He noted that while Makhachev has been inviting veterans like Demetrious Johnson,…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship added four new fighters to its roster Tuesday, including a UFC employee.

Week 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10 went down Oct. 6 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, where four finishes resulted in as many contracts.

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Dana White signs Mateus Soares, Roque Conceicao, Salhahuddin Everett and Preston LaGrange Alivia Bierley (6-1) and Summer Onley (6-1) kicked off the action, going the distance in their bantamweight bout. Bierley walked away with a unanimous decision win in a lackluster affair, and Dana White didn’t see enough to grant her a UFC contract.

“I had it 1-1 going into the third round,” White said. “And I felt like neither girl tried to really get in there and impose their will and really show they wanted to win that fight. I didn’t see that in that third round, and that’s what made me make my decision. So unfortunately, not tonight.”

While White was disappointed with the first fight, the second gave …

Islam Makhachev finally found a sport that tests his limits.

Makhachev recently played the traditional horseback sport of kok boru in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz game involves two teams on horseback trying to carry a goat carcass and put it in the opposing team’s goal.

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Islam Makhachev discovers how demanding Kyrgyzstan’s kok boru really is Makhachev revealed that he initially thought he would adapt to the sport with ease while watching it on tape. However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder was surprised by how difficult it really is.

While Makhachev’s team won the match, he credited his teammates for the victory. He found lifting the goat carcass to be one of the toughest parts of the game.

“To be honest, it seemed to be a bit easier on tape,” Makhachev said. “But it is very hard. A very intense and physical sport. I would say a very energy-consuming one. When I was watching it on tape, it seemed like I would play it with e…

Alexander Volkanovski sympathizes with Movsar Evloev.

Volkanovski is scheduled to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title against Evloev at UFC 333 on Oct. 24. The Australian champion felt bad for his Russian counterpart after fans booed him at their press conference in September.

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Alexander Volkanovski says he felt bad as UFC fans booed Movsar Evloev Volkanovski and Evloev squared off at a press conference in Los Angeles during UFC 331 fight week to promote their upcoming title clash. Evloev was showered with boos while the crowd cheered for Volkanovski throughout the press conference.

Volkanovski recently revealed that he felt bad when the crowd booed Evloev. While Volkanovski understands why Evloev’s fighting style might not appeal to some fans, he noted that the undefeated contender has paid the price for it. “The Great” believes Evloev has long deserved a title shot and has been held back by his lack of finishes in the UF…

Ultimate Fighting Championship star Alex Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz, has a new opponent for his upcoming Misfits Boxing appearance.

Cruz was initially scheduled to face Chase DeMoor, who previously made headlines by beating Andrew Tate at Misfits Mania: The Fight Before Christmas in Dubai. However, DeMoor has withdrawn from the matchup due to an eye injury. Instead, DeMoor’s coach, Gary Olive, is set to step into the ring to face Cruz.

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Gary Olive replaces Chase DeMoor against Plinio Cruz at Misfits Boxing After DeMoor’s withdrawal, Olive will face Cruz in what Misfits Boxing has dubbed a “battle of the coaches.”

“When an opportunity comes knocking, I’ll answer that door,” Olive wrote on Instagram. “I’m forever grateful to Chase DeMoor for putting me in these positions because without him none of this is possible.”

Misfits Boxing announced the change on social media. The matchup is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, at Copper Box Arena in Lond…

Alex Pereira and Sergei Pavlovich have reacted to their newly confirmed heavyweight matchup.

The former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder and the Russian heavyweight will meet in the co-main event of UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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Pereira and Pavlovich react to their UFC 335 heavyweight matchup Both Pereira (13-4) and Pavlovich (21-3) took to Instagram to react to their confirmed matchup at UFC 335. Pereira shared an AI-generated video following the announcement, captioning the post: “See you soon.”

“Poatan” enters the matchup after suffering a second-round technical knockout loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in June in his UFC heavyweight debut.

Pavlovich responded on his own Instagram account with a similarly brief message: “Back in action soon.”

Pavlovich enters the matchup on a three-fight winning streak. The Russian most recently knocked out Tallison Teixeira in 39 seconds at UFC Macau…

The Professional Fighters League continues to bolster its upcoming event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

A lightweight matchup between Alexei Pergande (8-0) and Akhmed Magomedov (10-2) has been added to the PFL Dubai card, scheduled for Nov. 14 at Coca-Cola Arena and set to air on ESPN2.

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Alexei Pergande faces Akhmed Magomedov at PFL Dubai on Nov. 14 Pergande, 25, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Julio Arce in March. The PFL prospect has competed exclusively under the promotional banner since turning professional and will make his first appearance outside the United States at PFL Dubai.

"I love this matchup because it’s another good name to have in my record," Pergande said about the fight.

Meanwhile, Magomedov returns to action after suffering a unanimous decision loss to A.J. McKee in July 2025.

PFL Dubai will be headlined by Vadim Nemkov vs. Sergey Bilostenniy for the heavyweight championship. Other bouts on the card i…

Cris Cyborg looks set to continue her mixed martial arts career after confirming that she intends to compete again following her final fight under the Professional Fighters League banner.

Cyborg made the revelation during a recent interview. When asked whether she would return to mixed martial arts, the combat sports veteran offered a straightforward answer.

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Cris Cyborg says Ketlen Vieira win proved she can still compete with MMA's best Cyborg most recently fought Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa on Aug. 22 in what was initially believed to be her final MMA outing. She defeated Vieira via unanimous decision to improve her professional record to 30-2.

In an interview with MMA Sucka, the Brazilian revealed that she plans to fight again and isn’t done with MMA, pointing to her performance against Vieira as evidence that she can still compete at a high level.

“Yes, I will fight MMA again,” Cyborg said. “I think my performance against Ketlen Vieira pro…

Ian Garry has addressed Michael Morales’ recent comments amid speculation about both top-ranked welterweights’ futures.

Morales released a video Sunday naming Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Islam Makhachev, Carlos Prates, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Garry as potential opponents. After taking subtle digs at the first three, the unbeaten Ecuadorian had a blunt message for Garry.

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Ian Garry says the UFC sent a date for a potential Michael Morales fight While naming other top welterweights in the UFC, Morales saved Garry for last and had a not-so-subtle message for the Irishman.

“Oh, I almost forgot about you,” Morales said in his Instagram video. “F*ck you, Ian Garry.”

Garry responded by reposting a clip of a previous interaction with Morales and insisted that he is ready to fight, saying he has already accepted a date and main event slot against Morales.

“I’ve said YES,” Garry wrote on Instagram. “The date is locked in.…

Dana White has opened up about his contentious relationship with his late mother, June, and the personal attacks she made against him in an unauthorized biography.

Speaking on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast, the Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO recalled how a series of emails from his mother escalated a family dispute that ultimately ended their relationship.

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Dana White details the emails that fractured his relationship with mother June White White recalled one incident that marked the beginning of the end of his relationship with his mother, June, who raised him and his sister, Kelly, as a single mother.

“I was on a trip one time, you know this was before—You know, I didn’t have e-mails and all that sh*t on the road, and I was with Lorenzo Fertitta, my partner, and we were in London for, like, two weeks,” White recalled. “And when I got back, I checked my e-mails, and I have a bunch of e-mails from [June] threatening me. ‘You’re going to send me t…

Jose Aldo returned to competition Sunday, battling Marlon Vera to a draw in a 10-minute grappling match at Hype Fighting in Quito, Ecuador.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer and the Ecuadorian UFC bantamweight headlined the event, which also featured grappling and bare-knuckle boxing bouts.

Jose Aldo and Marlon Vera battle to a draw in 10-minute grappling match Aldo returned to competition nearly 17 months after his final UFC fight against Aiemann Zahabi. The Brazilian was largely defensive early as Vera pressured him toward the corner and looked for takedowns. The action moved back to the center of the ring nearly six minutes into the contest, where Aldo pulled guard. Vera then threatened with a heel hook, but Aldo escaped the submission attempt.

The two returned to their feet and remained there until the final horn. With neither fighter securing a submission, the bout was declared a draw.

The event was also scheduled to feature former UFC interim…

Sean O'Malley has denied that he was ever offered a matchup against Payton Talbott for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s historic event at the White House.

Talbott (12-1) claimed ahead of UFC 332 that he was in talks for a potential bout against O’Malley (20-3-1) at UFC Freedom 250 in June. However, O’Malley said he was never offered the matchup.

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O’Malley responds after Talbott discusses potential UFC Freedom 250 matchup At the post-fight news conference following his first-round stoppage victory over Deiveson Figueiredo, Talbott reiterated that he was in talks to face O’Malley at UFC Freedom 250. O’Malley subsequently addressed the claim on social media, disputing Talbott’s account.

“I'm here to f*cking address these rumors that I got offered Payton Talbott for the White House,” O'Malley said. “That is just absolutely bullsh*t.”

O’Malley also pushed back against the suggestion that he has avoided Talbott, pointing to the level of opposit…

Zabit Magomedsharipov is reportedly returning to active competition.

Magomedsharipov has signed a multi-fight deal with Real American Freestyle, according to his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight is expected to make his RAF debut Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Zabit Magomedsharipov will make his RAF debut Nov. 14 in Abu Dhabi ESPN’s Brett Okamoto first reported the news.

“Zabit Magomedsharipov has signed a multi-fight deal with [RAF], and will make his debut on the 11/14 card in Abu Dhabi, per [Ali Abdelaziz],” Okamoto posted on X.

Abdelaziz teased the signing shortly before the announcement.

“[RAF] Just signed one of the most infamous fighters in UFC history, stay tuned,” Abdelaziz wrote on X. “Big news coming soon.”

Magomedsharipov was at the height of his career when he last fought in the UFC in 2019. He officially retired from mixed martial arts in 2022 after citing canceled fights and health i…

Sean O'Malley says a matchup against Payton Talbott hinges on the next Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title bout.

Talbott claims O’Malley turned down a fight against him for UFC Freedom 250 in June. O’Malley, who knocked out Aiemann Zahabi at the White House event, says he was never offered a fight against Talbott. “Suga” is open to the matchup, but a title shot is the former champion's top priority.

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Sean O'Malley wants Petr Yan title rematch if Yan beats Merab Dvalishvili Talbott (12-1) made quick work of Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332 on Saturday in Salt Lake City. He then called out O’Malley in his post-fight interview, with the UFC commentators strongly supporting the matchup during the broadcast.

O’Malley says fighting Talbott next depends on the upcoming bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili challenges Yan for the title in a trilogy bout at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. …

Glover Teixeira has shared more details about Raoni Barcelos’ concerning defeat to Raul Rosas Jr.

Barcelos took on Rosas Jr. in a five-round Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight bout headlining UFC Vegas 121 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Sept. 26. Barcelos, who was ahead on the judges’ scorecards going into the final round, suddenly went limp during a wrestling exchange and lost consciousness, prompting the referee to stop the fight.

Teixeira says Barcelos underwent neurological testing after losing consciousness against Raul Rosas Jr. Rosas Jr. was declared the winner by technical knockout, while Barcelos was rushed to a Level 1 trauma center. Former UFC champ Teixeira was in Barcelos’ corner for the fight against Rosas Jr., and he recently shared some concerning details about Barcelos’ medical reports. Teixeira said Barcelos was tested for neurological issues because it wasn’t a conventional knockout.

“It was different because it wasn’t a knockout,” Teixeira s…

Islam Makhachev is undertaking a new challenge outside combat sports.

The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder has enrolled in a master’s degree program at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in Dubai, marking a new chapter outside the Octagon.

UFC champion Islam Makhachev enrolls in master’s program in Dubai Makhachev defended his welterweight title against Ian Garry at UFC 330, extending his UFC winning streak to a promotional-record 17 straight victories. He’s now turned his attention to bolstering his educational credentials.

Plekhanov University announced his enrollment on its website, describing the move as another example of the champion continuing to challenge himself outside competition.

“Plekhanov University proudly welcomes UFC champion Islam Makhachev to its community as a master's student, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his journey defined by ambition, discipline, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence,” …

Anthony Wint wants to further boost his profile after picking up his second win in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Wint (9-0) stayed unbeaten with a 23-second technical knockout of Lucas Armand at UFC 332 on Oct. 3 in Salt Lake City. The former New York Jets linebacker then called for a bout against Sean Sharaf (5-2), who scored a stunning 12-second knockout of Gable Steveson at UFC 331.

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Anthony Wint calls for Sean Sharaf fight after UFC 332 knockout Wint called out Sharaf in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, targeting UFC 334 in New York City as the ideal setting for the clash. Speaking to reporters at the post-fight press conference, “Bow Down” acknowledged that the November card at Madison Square Garden may already be full but still wants to fight Sharaf in the Big Apple.

“I want to fight in New York and obviously, this is short notice, it’s hard to get that call, especially for the biggest card of all year,” Wint said.

Wint als…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Las Vegas on Dec. 12 for UFC 335, with three matchups already announced for the final numbered event of 2026.

In the main event, Charles Oliveira will defend the BMF title against Diego Lopes, who will make his UFC lightweight debut. The card also features former two-division champion Alex Pereira facing Sergei Pavlovich and a middleweight bout between Joe Pyfer and Bo Nickal.

UFC 335 opening odds favor Sergei Pavlovich, Charles Oliveira and Joe PyferAccording to BetOnline Sports & Casino, former lightweight champion Oliveira opened as a -172 favorite against Lopes (+146), a two-time featherweight title challenger. Oliveira won the BMF title with a dominant performance against Max Holloway, while Lopes defeated Steve Garcia in his last bout to rebound from his second loss to Alexander Volkanovski.

In the co-main event, Pavlovich opened as a -130 favorite in his heavyweight bout against Pereira, while “Poatan” was a +11…

Steven Asplund has set his sights on Johnny Walker, channeling a Hall of Famer in his callout of the Brazilian.

Walker (23-10, 1 NC) made his Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight debut against Mick Parkin at UFC 332 on Saturday in Salt Lake City. Walker knocked out Parkin with a knee in the opening round, earning a $100,000 performance bonus for the finish, which also put him on Asplund’s radar.

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Steven Asplund wants Johnny Walker in December after his UFC 332 knockout Asplund (8-2), who is 2-1 in the UFC since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, called out Walker by mimicking Georges St. Pierre’s iconic callout of Matt Hughes from 2006. He wants to fight Walker at UFC 335 in December in Las Vegas.

“Johnny Walker, I’m not impressed by your performance,” Asplund said on his Instagram Stories. “And come on, man, meet me in December at T-Mobile, brother, you big bastard.”

St. Pierre entered the Octagon after Hughes stopped…

Valter Walker has a hilarious reason for his rather underwhelming reaction to his brother Johnny Walker’s successful heavyweight debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Johnny knocked out Mick Parkin in the first round of their clash at UFC 332 on Saturday in Salt Lake City, earning a bonus for his devastating knee from the clinch. His brother Valter livestreamed his reaction to the bout but showed hardly any emotion. Valter has now explained his subdued response to his brother’s knockout.

Valter Walker explains why he was subdued after Johnny Walker knocked out Mick Parkin Valter watched his brother make a statement in his heavyweight debut from his home in Russia. His restrained reaction sparked discussion online. After some questioned why Valter wasn’t overjoyed by the result, the Brazilian explained that he was drained because it was 1 a.m. in Russia. Valter, staying true to his style, also gave a sexually explicit reason for his exhaustion.

Valter (16-1), who…

Cong Wang says an eye injury affected her performance in her Ultimate Fighting Championship title bout against Natalia Silva.

Wang (10-2) fell short in her pursuit of the vacant women’s flyweight title, losing a unanimous decision to Silva (21-5-1) in the UFC 332 main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. After the bout, Wang said on social media that an eye poke had hindered her performance.

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Cong Wang details eye injury after loss to Natalia Silva at UFC 332 Wang struggled to find her rhythm until late in the fight, saying afterward that the poke had impaired her vision. She reflected on the bout in an Instagram video, showing what she described as a scratch on her right eye.

“Thank you for supporting my friends,” Wang said in the video. “The game is lost; what a pity. I have some regrets then because of the first round. The eye was poked in the second half. The line of sight is blocked, and then I couldn't see it when I was poked in the right …

Eric Nolan wouldn’t have sacrificed his post-fight interview for any opponent other than Court McGee.

Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran McGee (22-15) took on Nolan (9-5) in his retirement fight at UFC 332 in front of a home crowd in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Nolan got the better of McGee on the feet before dropping him with a right hand and earning a third-round stoppage. He cut his post-fight Octagon interview short so McGee could have his moment on the mic.

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Eric Nolan explains why Court McGee deserved the spotlight after their UFC 332 fight Nolan later explained that he would’ve made the most of his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan if his opponent hadn’t been McGee, who spent more than 16 years in the UFC. Nolan didn’t mind sacrificing his time on the mic to let McGee address his home crowd after his final bout.

“Any other opponent, I'd take the mic and talk my sh*t, get out of there,” Nolan said at the post-fight presser. “But you spend 1…

Roberto Soldic showcased his full skill set without chasing a finish in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

Soldic bounced back from a shaky opening round to beat Kalinn Williams via unanimous decision at UFC 332 on Saturday in Salt Lake City. The former KSW champion recovered after being dropped twice by Williams in the first round, controlling much of the final two frames.

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Roberto Soldic explains how he recovered against Kalinn Williams at UFC 332 Soldic entered the matchup with a reputation for devastating knockout power but has no regrets about the fight going to the scorecards against the experienced Williams, whom he credited for his durability after the win.

“I didn't rush. I just took my win,” Soldic said at the UFC 332 post-fight press conference. “I don't want to prove I have to kill somebody. I have to win and just show my skills and that's it. He's an experienced fighter. He was like 16-5, so 21 fights with amateur of 33 fights. …

King Green wanted Herb Dean to let him go out on his shield.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran took on Esteban Ribovics at UFC 332 on Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Ribovics initially missed several shots before finding his range and dropping Green three times in quick succession, prompting Dean to intervene. Green, who was still conscious, immediately protested the stoppage.

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King Green explains why he wanted Herb Dean to let UFC 332 fight continue Green later expressed his frustration while partying with Quinton Jackson, who cornered him at UFC 332. Green revealed that he told the referee before the bout to let him go out on his shield if necessary. Jackson defended Dean, explaining that he was trying to prevent Green from taking unnecessary damage.

While Green understands that Dean was looking out for him, the 40-year-old wanted the bout to last longer.

“I was telling Herb when Herb came in… Fight will get sticky; you …