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Usman Nurmagomedov WITH THE FIRST ROUND KO 😱#PFLNY | Main Card Live NOW on ESPN pic.twitter.com/mikFN1ZLFx

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 1, 2026

Professional Fighters League’s return to UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, was punctuated by a majestic performance in the main event.

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The PFL New York headliner saw current 155-pound titleholder Usman Nurmagomedov (22-0, 1 NC; 4-0 PFL) defend his championship against Archie Colgan (13-1, 2-1 PFL). After a feeling-out couple of minutes in the center of the cage, Nurmagomedov connected with a head kick on his opponent’s temple before following up with a big left hand that dropped Colgan. Shortly after the American managed to recompose himself and get back to his feet, Nurmagomedov followed up with more uppercuts that sent “King” to his knees. Smelling blood, the Dagestani landed more punches before referee Keith Peterson waved it off at the 3:42 mark of Round 1. In his post-fight …

Sherdog's live PFL New York coverage will begin Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

A lightweight title fight headlines PFL NY: Tune on Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the…

Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Lucie Pudilova has patiently toiled away for her opportunity at a world title. But despite the setbacks and injuries, she vows that her sacrifices will pay off gloriously Saturday night.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for the opportunity to have this fight,” Pudilova told Sherdog.com. “I’ve battled through my injuries so I could be ready as fast as possible and still I’ve been kept waiting. But now I’m here. Finally.”

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Former UFC veteran Lucie Pudilova says years of injuries and postponed fights have prepared her to challenge unbeaten Oktagon champion Lucia Szabova Pudilova aims to shock the world when she challenges unbeaten Lucia Szabova for the Oktagon bantamweight title at Oktagon 92 at Stvanice Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic. This fight is six years in the making as Pudilova (17-11) has had the Oktagon flyweight and bantamweight double champion in her sights since 2020. Twice they were scheduled to fight…

#UFCBelgrade, we have a main event! @urketaraketa makes weight at 171 lbs

[ LIVE SAT AUG 1 at 1pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/0JUtyN6dcd

— UFC (@ufc) July 31, 2026 The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first-ever event in Serbia is officially set following the official UFC Belgrade weigh-ins.

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The 14-fight card is headlined by a welterweight battle between Uros Medic and Daniel Rodriguez. Both men had no issue making weight for the five-round affair. All other 26 fighters, including former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, also hit their marks without any drama.

A fan-favorite due to his constant finishes, Medic (13-3) is looking to impress in his first UFC main event. "The Doctor" is on a three-fight win streak that has seen him knock out Geoff Neal, Muslim Salikhov and Gilbert Urbina. 7-3 inside the Octagon, Medic officially weighed 171 pounds on the dot.

The 39-year-old Rodriguez (20-5) is a…

Jake Paul believes Most Valuable Promotions has taken its biggest step yet toward reshaping the combat sports landscape.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer addressed the landmark merger between MVP and the Professional Fighters League in a press release announcing the deal. The union will operate under the MVP banner, with Paul and Nakisa Bidarian serving as co-founders and board members, while former PFL CEO John Martin will oversee day-to-day operations as chief executive officer.

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Jake Paul explains vision behind MVP-PFL merger For Paul, the merger is the culmination of a vision that began with creating more opportunities for fighters than the traditional promotional model has offered.

“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Paul said. “We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernized stage to become global superstars. Joining forces with PFL accelerates that vision by a decade. We now have a scaled platform to give today's fans what they…

The Professional Fighters League CEO believes its merger with Most Valuable Promotions represents more than a business deal.

PFL and MVP officially announced that they had joined forces under the MVP banner in one of the industry's most significant shakeups. It will be led by MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, while former PFL chief executive officer John Martin will serve as CEO and a member of the board. Bidarian will continue overseeing MVP's boxing operations and marquee live events.

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John Martin explains vision for PFL-MVP merger Martin believes the merger combines two organizations that have each carved out unique positions in combat sports and gives the new company the scale to compete on a much larger stage.

“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s No. 2 global MMA company, assembling one of the sport’s most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 …

Professional Fighters League and Most Valuable Promotions have officially merged in a massive development in the world of combat sports.

The new company will operate under the MVP banner, led by Co-Founders and Board Members Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. Meanwhile, former PFL CEO John Martin will serve as CEO and Board Member of the new league. MVP’s boxing business and blockbuster live events will continue under Bidarian. Existing PFL shareholders 885 Capital and affiliated entities Knighthead Capital Management will be the founding investors of the new league, committing new capital.

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The new league vows to work under a “fighter-first” philosophy, seemingly challenging rival Ultimate Fighting Championship. While the UFC has been severely criticized over minimum profit share for athletes, the new combat sports league promises equitable compensation. The new league also plans to encourage athletes to build their brands inside and outside of competi…

Early betting odds are out for Magomed Ankalaev’s next fight, should the former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion take on fellow former titleholder Jiri Prochazka or reigning 205-pound king Carlos Ulberg.

Ankalaev bounced back from his title loss with a one-sided victory at UFC Abu Dhabi, finishing Bogdan Guskov in the final round of their main event clash to return to championship contention. Oddsmakers have now dropped the opening betting lines for the Russian’s next potential bout.

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Magomed Ankalaev betting odds emerge for potential UFC fights with Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka Ankalaev is the betting favorite against both Ulberg and Prochazka. If he’s awarded an immediate title shot against Ulberg, Ankalaev opens as a -190 favorite, while the Kiwi champion is listed as a +165 underdog, according to BetOnline.

However, with Ulberg currently sidelined with an injury and expected to return to the Octagon only next year, a title eliminator…

Real American Freestyle is heading back overseas with another star-studded lineup.

RAF recently announced that former Ultimate Fighting Championship champions Khamzat Chimaev and Tyron Woodley will headline RAF Moscow as the promotion continues its international expansion with an event in the Russian capital.

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RAF unveils key matchups for Moscow card RAF has confirmed two featured bouts for RAF Moscow, which takes place on Sept. 5.

Chimaev vs. Woodley will take center stage at the event. Chimaev, who previously held UFC middleweight gold, will make his second appearance under the RAF banner after taking on Dillon Danis in his promotional debut. Woodley is also set for his sophomore RAF outing, though the former UFC welterweight champion will first square off against Joaquin Buckley at RAF 12 on Aug. 22.

The matchup continues RAF's strategy of featuring current and former MMA stars in high-profile wrestling contests. RAF also confirmed a featured…

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White's response to a question during the UFC Belgrade press conference sparked criticism from fans online.

The exchange quickly circulated online, drawing responses from fans, many of whom slammed White for his answer when asked which fight he’s most interested in on the card.

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Dana White faces fan backlash after UFC Belgrade media exchange When White was asked which fight on the upcoming Fight Night card he’s most looking forward to ahead of the promotion’s debut in Serbia, the UFC head honcho snapped at the reporter.

“That is a sh*tty question, my friend,” White replied. “I just want a few holy sh*t moments, so hopefully we get a few of those.”

Some fans interpreted White's response as further evidence that he’s no longer as engaged with MMA amidst his growing involvement in other ventures.

“I wish a reporter would flat out ask him why he doesn’t care about the UFC anymore,” one user wrote in respons…

Daniel Cormier isn't letting Jon Jones rewrite their rivalry.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer has dismissed Jones' recent claim that the two privately buried the hatchet while filming a reality series in Thailand, insisting no such conversation ever took place.

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Daniel Cormier rejects Jon Jones' reconciliation story Jones recently told ALF Global that Cormier admitted their rivalry was too lucrative for them to then publicly become friends, even if there were no lingering issues between them behind the scenes. “D.C.” rejected Jones' version of events, insisting the conversation never happened.

“That didn’t happen,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “We did not have that conversation... No. He’s just my enemy all the time. It just is what it is. It's OK. As I have told you before, you can go to bed at night with an enemy. You don’t need the happy fairy tale ending.”

While Cormier acknowledged that their rivalry generated sig…

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez knows his legendary career is slowly approaching its inevitable conclusion.

The former champion recently opened up about his retirement plans during an appearance on CBS Mornings, saying he will let his fitness determine how long to continue, not his age.

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Canelo Alvarez opens up on boxing future and life beyond the sport Alvarez has already established himself as one of the sport’s most prominent figures with world titles in four weight classes. At 36, the Mexican icon believes he still has plenty left physically, but insists he won't ignore the signs when his body begins to slow down.

“When I'm there in the gym and I take a lot of punches and then my body doesn't respond in the same way, then I know,” Alvarez said. “I'm not going to go and fight with that kind of training. Because in the training, you can see everything in the training camp.”

Alvarez, who has more than 60 wins in his decorated career, also claimed that h…

Diego Lima believes Ian Garry will shock the MMA world by knocking out Islam Makhachev in their upcoming title fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

While Makhachev is the clear betting favorite heading into UFC 330, the Chute Boxe coach believes the betting line fails to reflect just how dangerous Garry will be when the two collide on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

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Why Diego Lima believes Ian Garry's size, full training camp and all-around game could lead to a knockout of Islam Makhachev Speaking to Sherdog, Lima weighed in on the upcoming fight between Makhachev and Garry. He acknowledged that Makhachev has looked like a different fighter since moving to 170 pounds, particularly in his dominant title-winning performance against Jack Della Maddalena last year.

“Makhachev is definitely a special fighter. I was really impressed by what he did against Maddalena because he completely changed his fighting style after moving up…

The Most Valuable Promotions and Professional Fighters League merger already has top fighters rallying for a spot on their roster, including a former Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight.

MVP and PFL recently announced a historic merger that has made waves in the world of combat sports. The new league will operate under the MVP banner, led by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. Meanwhile, former PFL CEO John Martin will serve as CEO and Board Member of the new company.

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The new league vows to follow a fighter-first approach with equitable compensation for athletes, along with the opportunity to build their brands inside and outside of the cage.Muhammad Mokaev eyes new home after PFL-MVP mergerFormer UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev (17-0) is already rallying for a spot on the new league’s roster if they have a flyweight division. “If MVP & PFL Make 125 division I’m ready for long term deal,” Mokaev wrote on X.

Since MVP doesn’t have a full-fledge…

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Uros Medic believes he is unlikely to ever make headlines for controversial reasons.

Medic (13-3) is scheduled to fight Daniel Rodriguez (20-5) in front of a home crowd at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1 in Serbia. Notably, Rodriguez will return to action for the first time since being imprisoned in Mexico for marijuana possession and Medic recently addressed the same.

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Uros Medic labels Daniel Rodriguez’s jail time ‘unfortunate’ Medic believes arrests like Rodriguez’s taint the image of MMA fighters, which is already far from perfect. The Serbian believes the media is already waiting for fighters to slip up. “The Doctor” is confident that he will never be in the news for controversies like run-ins with the law or substance abuse.

“It’s unfortunate that he had to go through stuff like that,” Medic told MMA Fighting. “Obviously, it was probably his fault. And I think that type of stuff puts a stain on all of our na…

Sean Strickland is open to a title rematch against Khamzat Chimaev.

Strickland (31-7) has been recovering from a shoulder injury since winning the middleweight title against Chimaev (15-1) at UFC 328 this past May. The champ recently revealed that his shoulder is recovering well before addressing Chimaev’s recent callouts.

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Sean Strickland mocks Khamzat Chimaev gassing out in first meeting Strickland joked about giving Chimaev weight-cutting lessons as “Borz” was visibly drained in their first meeting.

“Yall keep asking me when I'm gonna fight again,” Strickland wrote on X. “Shoulder is getting solid, need a little longer. As to who I'm fighting. Chimaev keeps running his fucking mouth. Want me to teach you how to cut weight so you can stop b*tching for a second L?”

Strickland was a massive underdog going into his title challenge against Chimaev at UFC 328. However, Chimaev was visibly fatigued in the second round and forced to abandon his wre…

Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Archie Colgan is a serious threat to Usman Nurmagomedov’s title reign in the Professional Fighters League.

Usman is set to defend his lightweight title against Colgan in the main event of PFL New York on July 31 at UBS Arena in Long Island. Khabib believes the undefeated American is the toughest opponent of his cousin Usman’s career so far.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov breaks down Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Archie Colgan Khabib notes that Colgan has a strong wrestling base, which could neutralize Usman’s ground control. Nevertheless, the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer remains confident and recently revealed that Usman is well-prepared for the bout while breaking down the matchup.

“I think this is the toughest fight for Usman,” Khabib told Will Harris of Anatomy of a Fighter. “This guy's a real deal. He knows how to wrestle. He's tough, never lost. He's the toughest challenge for Usman, I think. Of course, Usman is in…

⚖️#PFLNY Official Weigh Ins

Your PFL Lightweight World Title Bout is official!

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Usman Nurmagomedov: 154.8 lbsArchie Colgan: 154.8 lbs #PFLNY | Friday, July 31st | 📺Prelims 4PM EST on the ESPN App | Main Card 7PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/Fklf5Gu8SS — PFL (@PFLMMA) July 30, 2026 Professional Fighters League lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov's latest title defense is now official following the PFL New York weigh-ins.

The PFL New York main event will see Nurmagomedov (21-0, 1 NC) put his belt on the line against Archie Colgan. Both men had no trouble making championship weight, so the five-round fight will proceed. All other fighters made weight for the event, although we are still awaiting results for Khabib Nabiev and Jamelle Jones.

The 28-year-old Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as the PFL's best fighter. The undefeated lightweight champion previously held Bellator's belt since 2022 and won the inaugura…

Anthony Smith could face some serious consequences following his recent arrest.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter-turned-analyst was arrested in Sarpy County, Nebraska, on charges of false imprisonment of the 1st degree, terroristic threats and domestic violence resulting in bodily injury. New details paint a clearer picture of the alleged incident with his wife and what led to it.

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Anthony Smith faces $500,000 bond after arrest and new allegations Fresh details from the case have emerged, revealing that Smith was allegedly kicked out of a concert following an altercation the night before. Prosecutors accuse the retired fighter of threatening to kill his wife when she refused to leave with him and subsequently forcing her inside a vehicle.

Smith’s wife is reported to have exited the vehicle at one point and the former UFC light heavyweight title challenger then allegedly tried to run her over multiple times. Witnesses who helped Smith’s wif…

Islam Makhachev’s longtime head coach has no issue with Ian Garry trash-talking ahead of their upcoming title fight as long as the Irish contender avoids certain subjects.

As Makhachev prepares to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight crown against Garry in the UFC 330 headliner on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Javier Mendez believes the pre-fight exchanges have helped generate interest in the matchup.

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However, the American Kickboxing Academy founder made it clear that certain subjects are unacceptable.Javier Mendez explains where Ian Garry should draw the line Speaking to NewBettingSites, Mendez praised Garry for adding to the hype surrounding the upcoming welterweight title fight without crossing the line. The veteran coach believes country, family and religion should be completely off limits for pre-fight trash talk.

“Between Ian [Garry] and Ali [Abdelaziz], it’s good to build the drama and make it interestin…

Ronda Rousey isn’t ruling out another bout under the Most Valuable Promotions banner.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion returned to mixed martial arts following a decade-long hiatus against Gina Carano in May, submitting the latter in the very first round in the main event of the historic card which aired on Netflix.

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Ronda Rousey discusses her MMA future after defeating Gina Carano at MVP event Despite announcing her retirement immediately after the victory over Carano, the 39-year-old has now left the door open for another appearance under the MVP MMA banner.

“We’ll see,” Rousey told Fight Culture when asked about whether she’ll be part of MVP MMA 2. “We need to kind of reconvene and see what the future looks like. I think everyone is just kind of decompressing and getting back to post-that huge of an event fight life.”

Rousey (13-2) accrued five straight title defenses in the UFC before suffering back-to-back losses to Hol…

The upcoming Professional Fighters League card has undergone a pair of changes just days before the event.

PFL New York, scheduled for July 31 at UBS Arena in Belmont, N.Y., will move forward with its two featured bouts intact, as Usman Nurmagomedov looks to defend his lightweight title against Archie Colgan in the main event, while Dakota Ditcheva faces Denise Kielholtz in the co-main event.

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However, two fights have been impacted during fight week, with one canceled altogether.PFL New York Card sees two late changesSimeon Powell was scheduled to face Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in a light heavyweight bout on the main card, but the matchup has been canceled. Powell (12-2) announced the news on social media, though he did not disclose the reason behind the withdrawal. “It’s one of those ones that’s out of my control,” Powell said in an Instagram video. “It’s annoying, but we’ve just got to keep moving.”

The event also lost a light heavyweight bout f…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship debut of Jessie Rosas is set.

Jessie, the older brother of UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr., has signed with the promotion and is expected to make his Octagon debut on Aug. 8 at UFC Fight Night 284. The Fight Night event is scheduled to take place at Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

Raul Rosas Jr.’s older brother set for UFC debut against Miles JohnsJessie (8-1) joins the UFC following an impressive run on the regional circuit that included appearances for UWC, Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat, Fury FC and 559 Fights. The 23-year-old bantamweight has six finishes across his eight professional victories, with two wins coming by knockout and four by submission.

Jessie is two years older than Raul, who made his first appearance in the UFC at just 18. He will face Miles Johns (15-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC), a veteran fighter on a three-fight losing streak, in his promotional debut.

Meanwhile, Raul is on a stellar run, recording five straight victories since s…

Ronda Rousey believes the Ultimate Fighting Championship missed out on a major opportunity, singling out UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell in her criticism.

The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion resumed her criticism of Campbell after the success of the inaugural Most Valuable Promotions MMA event, which featured Rousey and Gina Carano in the main event on Netflix.

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Ronda Rousey slams ‘arrogant, stupid and chauvinist’ Hunter Campbell Rousey, who previously criticized the UFC for not pursuing the matchup between herself and Carano, accused Campbell of playing a major role. According to Rousey, the issue extends beyond how the UFC handles female fighters, arguing that Campbell has failed to recognize the value of several athletes.

“It was extremely validating, especially after Hunter Campbell told Gina he didn’t know how he was going to market a couple of 40-year-olds to her,” Rousey said while speaking to Fight Culture. “It’s not tha…