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Ready to impress 💪@AnkalaevM weighs in at 205.5 lbs

[ #UFCAbuDhabi | SAT JULY 25 | 12pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/V2ZbKcGmiz

— UFC (@ufc) July 24, 2026 The Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Abu Dhabi is now official following the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-ins.

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Headliners Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov both successfully made light heavyweight for their upcoming five-round fight. All other fighters also successfully hit their marks in what was an uneventful weigh-in from a drama perspective. Saturday's card will feature 13 fights in total.

"Big Ank" returns to the promotion for the first time since losing the light heavyweight championship back to Alex Pereira. The Russian lost the belt via TKO in just 80 seconds. Prior to the setback, Ankalaev (20-2-1, 1 NC) hadn't lost a fight since 2018 and put together wins over Pereira, Aleksandar Rakic, Anthony Smith and more. Ankalaev officially weighed 205.5…

⚖️ #PFLDC Official Weigh Ins

PFL Welterweight World Title is official!Thad Jean: 169.2 lbsErnesto Rodriguez: 169.8 lbs#PFLDC | Saturday, July 25th | 📺Prelims 8PM EST on the ESPN App | Main Card 10PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XBkybqUk8L

— PFL (@PFLMMA) July 24, 2026 The Professional Fighters League welterweight championship will be on the line this Saturday after the PFL DC weigh-ins made it official today.

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Headlining the eight-fight mixed martial arts event is the title fight between welterweight king Thad Jean and late-notice challenger Ernesto Rodriguez. Both men made weight for the fight, which came together after would-be challenger Shamil Musaev bowed out due to weight-cutting issues. All other fighters on the card also successfully made weight.

The undefeated Jean has a perfect 11-0 record as a pro. Just 28, "Silverback" already has seven wins inside the promotion. The American most recently beat Logan Storl…

This sport always seems to find a way.

With outlet Happy Punch in conjunction with MMA matchmaker Dean Toole and newly created organization Duel, they released a fight poster on Friday announcing an MMA event in August. Atop the “Duel: Arena” billing, one where there is but a single bout announced thus far, will see Mike Perry (15-8) throw down with Dillon Danis (2-0) at 170 pounds. The organization, formed by online crypto casino Duelbet, has indicated that there will be MMA matches alongside kickboxing and boxing. It will all be contained in a ring at the Kia Arena in Orlando on Aug. 29.

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Reaction to the fight itself has been overwhelmingly negative, with Ultimate Fighting Championship cutman Brad Tate as well as fighters Philip Rowe, Charles Johnson and Jorge Masvidal all responding quickly to the Instagram announcement post. Some have already campaigned to either join the card themselves or push for their friends or training partners to get involv…

As it turns out, one victory in MMA outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship can be enough to earn a call to come back.

Management team First Round Management announced on Friday that their client, Robelis Despaigne (6-2), has been re-signed to the UFC. The soon-to-be 38-year-old ex-kickboxer has no return date announced, nor an opponent selected for his first appearance back.

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Despaigne ran the table in Karate Combat in one year The Cuban appeared once in MMA following his UFC release, punching out Junior dos Santos in May at the inaugural MVP MMA event. This gave the 6-foot-7 striker his sixth first-round knockout across his six victories. On the way, Despaigne joined the striking-only Karate Combat league at the end of 2024 and punched out Dominik Jedrzejczyk in four seconds. Subsequent foes Marcos Brigagao and Roggers Souza could only survive a combined 20 seconds in the pit against him.

On the heels of those three speedy knockouts totaling …

THE FINAL FACE OFF! IT ALL GOES DOWN TOMORROW NIGHT! ??

?? Buy #JoshuaPrenga NOW at https://t.co/FoiaUucafv | July 25 | Danger Before Destiny ?? pic.twitter.com/c9oaZBBXQU

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 24, 2026

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Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga both made weight for their upcoming heavyweight clash. Joshua faces off against Prenga in a crucial tune-up fight before a potential blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury.

Joshua (251) returns to action for the first time since stopping Jake Paul in December 2025. The former unified heavyweight champion enters the contest looking to build momentum ahead of a proposed clash with fellow Englishman Fury later this year.

Prenga, who weighed 261.4 pounds, steps into the biggest opportunity of his career. The Albanian veteran will look to spring a major upset and derail Joshua's plans for a blockbuster domestic clash. Prenga last won against Joe Jones in February.

The…

Spence returns after three years to face Tim Tszyu in his middleweight debut in Sydney Errol Spence Jr. (159) successfully made weight ahead of his long-awaited return to the ring as he prepares to face Tim Tszyu (159) in the middleweight main event on Saturday in Sydney.

Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) competes for the first time since suffering a technical knockout loss to Terence Crawford in their undisputed welterweight championship clash in July 2023. Following a three-year hiatus, the former unified welterweight champion returns with a new trainer in Ronnie Shields after ending his longtime partnership with Derrick James. Saturday's bout also marks his debut at the 160-pound middleweight limit.

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Tszyu (27-3, 18 KOs) enters the contest looking to score another signature victory as both veterans attempt to re-establish themselves among boxing's elite. The Australian will have home advantage as the bout takes place in Sydney.

The event is scheduled for …

A pivotal women's flyweight matchup has been removed from the next Ultimate Fighting Championship numbered event.

Erin Blanchfield's bout against Jasmine Jasudavicius has been scrapped from the Aug. 15 card at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia due to an injury on Blanchfield’s end, per MMA Junkie’s Nolan King. The promotion is reportedly looking to rebook the contest for a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 17 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, instead.

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Erin Blanchfield injury forces UFC 330 card change as UFC targets Edmonton rebooking The withdrawal marks the first time Blanchfield has been forced out of a fight during her UFC tenure. She is on a two-fight win streak, beating Rose Namajunas and Tracy Cortez in her most recent Octagon appearances.

Meanwhile, Jasudavicius was looking to build on a unanimous decision win over Karine Silva in April. With her clash with Blanchfield now being targeted for the next UFC event in Canada, she’ll h…

After 15 years, Darren Elkins is set for his final UFC bout. | 📷: Getty/UFC

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has finalized the lineup for its next Fight Night at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, including Octagon veteran Darren Elkins’ final appearance in the promotion.

The card, headlined by Mateusz Gamrot and Quillan Salkilld, is scheduled for Aug. 8.

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UFC Fight Night lineup features Darren Elkins vs. Yadier Del Valle and Gamrot vs. Salkilld Elkins (29-12) will square off against Dana White’s Contender Series alum Yadier Del Valle.

The 42-year-old has been on the UFC roster since 2010, earning memorable victories over the likes of Mirsad Bektic, Michael Johnson, Dennis Bermudez and Luiz Eduardo Garagorri. Furthermore, Elkins has shared the cage with several former champions and fan favorites, albeit in losing efforts, against Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, Chad Mendes and UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson.

New matchups added …

Mateusz Gamrot (right) has reupped with the UFC. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Mateusz Gamrot has extended his stay in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Gamrot recently announced on X that he has signed a new multi-fight deal with the promotion, ensuring that his tenure will continue beyond his upcoming main event assignment.

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Mateusz Gamrot signs a new UFC contract before facing Quillan Salkilld in the UFC Fight Night 284 main event. While he didn’t divulge the exact number of bouts on his new deal, Gamrot is ecstatic to continue fighting in the promotion. The Polish lightweight claims he’s “grateful” for the new contract and is excited for what lies ahead.

“I’ve signed a multi-fight deal with UFC! Another step begins in just two weeks, let’s gooo,” Gamrot wrote on X. “I’m grateful to the UFC for the trust and for recognizing my hard work. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to keep proving myself on the biggest stage in …

Rose Namajunas wants to rediscover her motivation before returning to competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The 34-year-old admitted during a recent podcast appearance that she has spent the past few months evaluating her future after multiple disappointing results and the lengthy recovery from injuries sustained in her last bout.

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Rose Namajunas discusses injuries, recent losses and her UFC future Namajunas still intends to fight again, but she wants to make sure she has the right reason for returning. The former strawweight champion lost to Natalia Silva at UFC 324 in January and had to undergo surgery shortly after her fight with Silva to repair damage caused by an accidental eye poke.

“It was like a three-month process,” Namajunas said on the "Weighing In" podcast. “After the fight, I had to get this surgery right away. They put this weird silicone tube in my eye. It was a really easy surgery, though. It was just kind of uncomforta…

Alexander Poppeck (right) will make his UFC debut on Aug. 1. | 📷: PFL MMA

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s upcoming visit to Serbia will see new European talent make his Octagon debut.

Alexander Poppeck (21-5) recently signed with the UFC. The German is set to make his promotional debut against fellow UFC debutant Jovan Leka (13-2) at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1 at Belgrade Arena.

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Jovan Leka brings a six-fight winning streak into UFC Belgrade against Alexander Poppeck While Poppeck competes at light heavyweight, he will move up to heavyweight for his upcoming bout. Notably, the 34-year-old had suffered a knockout loss to Jamahal Hill on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2019.

One of the biggest names in Oktagon MMA, Poppeck is unbeaten in six outings (1 NC) since 2023, with four finishes. Meanwhile, Leka will have the Serbian home crowd rallying behind him and is on a six-fight winning streak with four finishes.

Leka earn…

Tyson Fury and Mariusz Wach face off ahead of their heavyweight fight. | 📷: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty

Tyson Fury will give up a significant size advantage when he faces Mariusz Wach.

The former heavyweight champion weighed in at 265 pounds for the bout in Pattaya, Thailand, while Wach came in at a hefty 291.4 pounds, marking a 26.4-pound weight difference in favor of the Polish heavyweight.

Tyson Fury faces Mariusz Wach after surrendering his usual size advantage Fury acknowledged the size disparity after the weigh-in for his fight with Wach on July 24. "The Gypsy King" highlighted that he’s working his way back to his optimum fighting weight after a lengthy hiatus from the squared circle.

“I've never faced a man heavier than me,” Fury said at the weigh-in (via Sky Sports). “I'm very happy to be fighting. I'm not banking on any fight happening or not happening. I'm a fighter, I want to keep busy. I've had one fight in over two years. This is my second c…

Kamaru Usman is weighing options regarding his future in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

After suffering a one-sided loss to Dricus Du Plessis in the UFC Oklahoma City main event, the former welterweight champion admitted that retirement is now a legitimate possibility as he evaluates the next step in his career.

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Kamaru Usman discusses retirement, Dricus Du Plessis loss and his UFC future Usman plans to consult his coaches before making a decision on his future. The Nigerian-American revealed that retirement is very much on the cards after his recent defeat.

“Right now, I just have to sit with the coaches, sit with the team, assess everything,” Usman said on the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast. “Assess the place where I’m at in my career. Just all in all, see whether it’s worth continuing to do this. Whether it’s worth continuing to put them through that.”

Usman explained that while previous defeats still left him with positives to build on, the…

Ismael Bonfim had a rough weight cut and missed the mark in his last outing.| 📷: Getty/UFC

Ismael Bonfim learned a lesson the hard way in his last fight.

Bonfim took on Chris Padilla in a lightweight bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship this past November. "Marreta" looked visibly weak and worn out as he weighed in at 161 pounds, missing the non-title lightweight limit by five pounds. The Brazilian was then picked apart by Padilla en route to a second-round stoppage loss.

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Bonfim recently recalled the weight-cut fiasco ahead of his last bout and has made the necessary changes to avoid missing weight again.Ismael Bonfim details failed weight cut before Chris Padilla UFC loss Bonfim revealed that he had relied heavily on dehydration, leaving 22 pounds to cut on fight week. He decided to stop cutting weight after his neck started cramping on the day of the weigh-in. “I relied too much on dehydration,” Bonfim told MMA Fighting. “I go…

Justin Gaethje says Ilia Topuria must prove himself before a rematch. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Justin Gaethje believes Ilia Topuria has to work his way back into title contention.

Gaethje challenged Topuria for the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250. While Topuria was a massive betting favorite and nearly found a finish in the second round of their bout, Gaethje rallied to pile on the damage in the next two frames.

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The fight ultimately ended due to a corner stoppage before the final round and Gaethje was crowned the new undisputed champion. Topuria subsequently vowed to make amends in a rematch on social media, but the Georgian-Spaniard will need to return to the win column before another title shot, according to the new lightweight king.UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje says Ilia Topuria must return to the win column Gaethje was recently asked if he would consider an immediate rematch against …

The fight game is an unforgiving one.

Per MMA Junkie on Thursday, PFL DC will no longer feature Thad Jean (10-0) vs. Shamil Musaev (18-1-1) in the main attraction. Due to problems from his weight cut, Musaev has been forced to withdraw from his welterweight championship affair headlining the card at the CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C. In the Russian’s stead will be Ernesto Rodriguez (11-1), who first posted of his change in opponent and vastly elevated stakes on Wednesday night—he was expecting to battle Aaron McKenzie—and then fully confirmed the news shortly after its announcement. Jean did as well shortly thereafter on his Instagram Stories. PFL released a statement following those social media posts.

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A welterweight title fight headlines PFL Washington DC: Tune on Saturday, July 25 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.

This is one of numerous cancelations on fight week and earlier, as Professional Fighters League athletes Magomed Umalatov, Jack Cartwrigh…

Canelo Alvarez's return to the ring has been pushed back.

The former undisputed super middleweight champion has revealed that his bout against WBC 168-pound titleholder Christian Mbilli has been rescheduled for Oct. 31. The championship clash was originally slated for Sept. 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before being postponed earlier this month.

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Canelo Alvarez postpones Christian Mbilli bout after family issue delays training camp According to Alvarez, family matters prevented him from beginning preparations for the bout, prompting the postponement.

“Some problems in my family came up,” Alvarez told Ariel Helwani. “I wasn’t ready to go into training camp because I needed to deal with that first.”

The fight will remain in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is expected to air on DAZN via pay-per-view and the platform's Ultimate tier. Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) hasn't competed since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford in September 2025, a …

Dana White isn't changing his stance on the GOAT debate in MMA.

During a recent appearance on "The Pivot" podcast, the Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO once again declared Jon Jones the sport's undisputed GOAT despite their well-documented business disagreements over the years. White even compared Jones to an NBA Hall of Famer.

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Dana White’s Jon Jones GOAT argument and Michael Jordan comparison in MMA history White recently addressed the GOAT debate, upholding his earlier stance. He once again called Jones the greatest in the sport’s history.

“Me and Jon have our... there’s the business side and then there’s the personal side,” White said. “But even on the business side, I always respect Jon Jones. Jon Jones knows who he is and Jon Jones knows what he does, and there’s no delusion there. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again: He’s the greatest of all time.”

White acknowledged how Jones continued to win big despite issues outside the Octagon fre…

Josh Hokit claims Ryan Clark has fallen victim to a "curse."

The unbeaten Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight reacted to Clark's abrupt exit from ESPN by claiming that the former NFL player was the victim of retribution after criticizing his controversial post-fight comments at UFC Freedom 250.

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Josh Hokit’s ‘Hokit Curse’ claim follows Ryan Clark’s ESPN exit after UFC Freedom 250 criticism Hokit sparked widespread uproar at UFC Freedom 250 for his unsavory comments about former first lady Michelle Obama after his win over Derrick Lewis. Clark then criticized Hokit’s comments during a recent episode of his "The Pivot" podcast featuring UFC CEO Dana White.

Following Clark’s shocking departure from ESPN, Hokit shared his take, claiming the analyst deserved to be let go by the sports broadcaster.

“FOFO… Podcast with Dana aired a day after he was fired,” Hokit wrote on X. “Every podcast creates a script of questions days in advance of the s…

Gable Steveson will return to the wrestling mat following his triumphant debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Real American Freestyle announced Wednesday that the Olympic gold medalist has been added to the lineup for RAF 12, where he will meet former collegiate foe Anthony Cassioppi at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Aug. 22.

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Gable Steveson returns to Real American Freestyle for RAF 12 matchup with Anthony Cassioppi after UFC 329 victory After making his Octagon debut at UFC 329, Steveson is returning for a wrestling matchup with RAF before his next UFC fight. He will compete at RAF 12, which streams on Fox Nation, marking the first anniversary of the promotion.

Steveson will enter the matchup with momentum on his side. The decorated wrestler defeated Alexander Romanov at RAF 9 in May before making a statement in his Octagon debut at UFC 329, where he stopped Elisha Ellison via first-round knockout to improve to 4-0 as a professional.

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Andy Foster believes Herb Dean made the right call in the Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira bout.

The California State Athletic Commission executive director defended Dean's handling of the Ultimate Fighting Championship interim title bout between Gane and Pereira. The UFC Freedom 250 co-headliner ended in a technical knockout victory for the Frenchman, but Pereira subsequently pointed out that illegal back-of-the-head shots were pivotal in the finishing sequence.

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CSAC official says other referees would’ve done the same as Herb Dean at UFC Freedom 250 Dean has faced immense scrutiny in recent weeks after Pereira accused him of mishandling his loss to Gane. The spotlight has been firmly on the veteran referee since the White House event, with fans and fighters pointing out alleged errors in his past and recent outings.

Pereira argues that Dean should have intervened after Gane landed multiple punches to the back of his head before the finish. However, Fo…

Tom Aspinall says recovering from multiple eye surgeries was more painful than anything he has experienced, including a vasectomy.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king discussed the aftermath of his bout against Ciryl Gane during a recent podcast appearance, where he revealed the extent of pain and inconvenience he faced due to his eye surgeries.

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Tom Aspinall’s eye surgeries and Ciryl Gane fight aftermath explained Aspinall's UFC 321 bout against Gane ended in a no contest after multiple accidental eye pokes left the heavyweight champion unable to continue.

“I’ve had three [eye] surgeries,” Aspinall said on the “Great Company with Jamie Lang” podcast. “I had one on the left and two on the right. By the way, I’ve had the snip, right? I’ve had a vasectomy, and I was thinking that has got to be the worst surgery ever. Mate, compared to eye surgery, it is nothing. Honestly.”

Aspinall further revealed that he had to remain awake while…

Islam Makhachev is leaving no stone unturned in preparation for his first welterweight title defense, roping in fighters with a similar build to Ian Garry.

Makhachev is scheduled to put his Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title on the line against Garry in the main event of UFC 330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The Russian has reportedly brought in Alvarez from Spain to help him get familiar with his upcoming Irish foe’s frame.

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Joel Alvarez helps Islam Makhachev prepare for Ian Garry’s height, range and distance game While Makhachev is a heavy favorite going into UFC 330, a lot has been made of Garry’s defensive savviness and distance management. Alvarez stands at 6-foot-2 and is also adept at fighting at a distance and using his range as an advantage, which is likely why he’s been summoned to assist Makhachev. The Dagestani’s teammate, Professional Fighters League champion Usman Nurmagomedov, has also been mimickin…

Nassourdine Imavov is confident about his next opponent in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The French middleweight recently revealed on Jaiden Cable’s YouTube channel that UFC officials have assured him he’ll receive the next crack at the 185-pound title following Sean Strickland's championship-winning victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328.

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Nassourdine Imavov says UFC middleweight title fight with Sean Strickland is next after UFC 328 Imavov wants to avenge his 2023 loss to Strickland, especially considering he doesn’t like the outspoken and polarizing American.

“I don’t like him. It’s personal between me and him,” Imavov said of Strickland. “The UFC told me my next fight would be for the belt.”

Imavov revealed that he was initially willing to remain active by accepting a bout against former champion Dricus Du Plessis before the promotion informed him to wait for a title opportunity instead. If those plans remain intact, Imavov expects…